The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

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Chapter 6 - Peculiarities of Masonic Language
own forms of jurisprudence. There are three instances exercising judicial
authority: Supreme Councils, Grand Lodges, and lodges. Of course, the power of
the lodges is limited to the penal jurisdiction over the members of the very lodge,
and the Grand Lodge has the final say. 1117 As defined in the GHCDF, Masonic
jurisdiction is, "[i]n its general sense, the power or right to exercise authority. All
Lodges working within the territorial limits of a Grand Lodge are under its
control and jurisdiction." 1118 The Masonic jurisdiction of the whole territory of
the United States was divided between the Southern and Northern Supreme
Councils in 1813. 1119
Masonic administration of justice is comparable to the civil law, but limited
to Masonic territory. Coil puts it as follows in his Masonic encyclopedia:
"Masonic jurisdiction somewhat resembles that of the civil law; acts or conduct
of a body outside its scope of power are ultra vires and void, while those which
violate minor rules may be cured." 1120 According to Coil, Masonic jurisdiction of
Grand Lodges can be classified into territory matter, subject matter, and
personal matter. 1121 Generally, the territorial limits of a Grand Lodge are
determined by the political boundaries of the country in which it is situated. For
example, the territorial limits of the Grand Lodge of New York are
circumscribed within the settled boundaries of the State of New York, and the
Grand Lodge of New York thus cannot grant a warrant of constitution to any
lodge situated in another State. This would be an infringement of Masonic usage.
Until the formation of a Grand Lodge of France, the lodges of France held
their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England, and the Grand Lodges of
England, Scotland, and France granted warrants to lodges in America until after
the revolution. From then on, the States began to organize their own Grand
Lodges. However, in continental European Masonry we can notice differences
with regard to the American and English usage in dealing with this territorial
matter:
For the purpose of avoiding collision and unfriendly feeling, it has
become the settled usage, that when a Grand Lodge has been legally
organized in a State, all the Lodges within its limits must surrender the
charters which they have received from foreign bodies, and accept new
ones from the newly established Grand Lodge. This is the settled and
well-recognized law of American and English Masonry. But the
continental Masons, and especially the Germans, have not so rigidly
interpreted this law of unoccupied territory; and there have been in
1117 Such Grand Lodge rules are published in Masonic Books of the Constitution, Ahiman Rezons,
and Codes. For a detailed description cf. our chapter 9 on literature.
1118 GHCDF, p. 559.
1119 According to EOF, p. 374, by the concession of 1813 the Northern Supreme Council has
jurisdiction over the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. All the
other States and territories are under the jurisdiction of the Southern Supreme Council.
1120 CME, p. 342.
1121 Cf. ibid.