Le Grand-Orient De France.

sanctioned it must now feel that they thereby - proved themselves false to their Order . It is not 'for us to write for or against republican , royal , or imperial principles for , happily , Freemasons are , as a bodj * , above political strife and , if we number

Napoleon III . and the King of Prussia amongst •• 'us , we can also point to Garibaldi aud Victor ' ' . Hugo as notable brethren . We trust that the -experience of the past will in future teach our French brethren to consistently avoid politics .

'Probably the mistake of 1848 was the work of only a few restless spirits who , in the disorganized state of the Order , had obtained place and power - to which they were not entitled . We believe the great body of French Masons are men of whom

we may be proud , and in recent years they have -conducted their affairs with remarkable discretion and ability . General Mellinet , the Grand Master , is considered au able man , and is generally liked . Although not much known in England , he is a

Knight Commander of the Bath , and fought with great bravery in the Crimean and Italian wars . The Conseil , or governing body , of the Grand-Orient is composed of 33 membez-s , elected by the Assernblee Generale of the Order from among its

members . A member of the Conseil must be at least 30 years old . The members are elected for three years by the majority of votes , and a certain number retire each year , being eligible for reelection . The Grand-Orient is composed as follows : —

1 st . Of all the presidents or delegates of the . -affiliated lodges . 2 nd . Of the Grand Masters . 3 rd . Of the Council of the Order . The Deputy Grand Masters and the Grand

'Officers are permitted to attend , but only avee voix ¦ ¦ consultative , unless they are otherwise qualified for . seats in the Assernblee . Each atelier , or lodo * e , ¦ * o > may , in default of its President , elect another -delegate , but this must be done at a meeting

... ¦ speciall y convened for the purpose . The delegate . must be above 30 years of age , and have belonged to the lodge which elects him for at least one year . The Grand Master names to the Assernblee each year the following * Grand Officers , who take rank

accordingly : — 1 st . Un Premier Surveillant . ' 2-nd . Un Deuxieme Surveillant . 3 rd . Un Orateur . 4 th , Un Secretaire .

5 th . Un Premier Experte . Gth . Un Deuxieme Experte . 7 th . Un Hospitaller . Sth and 9 th . Deux Maitres des Ceremonies . The Surveillants are , in point of fact , Senior and

Junior Grand Wardens and the Experts are Senior and Junior Grand Deacons . The Orator is an officer who is unknown iu English Masonry , and he is charged with the guardianship of the constitution and of the statutes and general laws of the

Order . Any point of Masonic law which may arise in the debates of the Assernblee is referred to his judgment , and he is " authorised to give his conclusions without his reasons for the same " an . exceedingly wise regulation , as it will be in the

recollection of our readers that a celebrated English judge was thought a great legal authority until he was induced to explain the reasons which had lead him to pass a eui'ious opinion in a certain case , when the reasons were found to be so silly that

his lordship was henceforth consigned to the paradise of fools . The offices of Secretary , Hospitaller , and Master of Ceremonies , sufficiently explain their own character .

The Freemasons of France are able , if they wish , to take the whole 33 degrees of Masonry , the Grand-Orient recognising them all , and being consequently less exclusive than the Grand Lodge of England . The three higher degrees are

regulated by Le Grand College des Bites , which is composed of 33 Masons of the thirty-third degree , and including , ex officio , the Grand Master and two Deputy Grand Masters of the Grand-Orient . The Secretary-General of the Grand-Orient is also

secretary to the Grand College of Rites . The following are the names of the officers of the Grand College , who are elected annually on . St . Andrew ' s Day : — 1 st . Sovereign Grand Commander .

2 nd . First Lieutenant Grand Commander . 3 rd . Second Lieutenant Grand Commander . 4 th . Minister of State . 5 th . Grand Chancellor and Secretary . Gth . Grand Hospitaller .

7 th . Grand Keeper of the Seals and Stamps . Sth . Grand Master of Ceremonies . Oth . Grand Captain . 10 th . Grand Standard Bearer . The members of the Grand College of Rites do

not , in virtue of their high position , hold any prerogative in the xlssemblee of the Grand-Orient .