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

Chapter 10 - Conclusion 839
unofficial. Some lodges never have an official Harmony and some never
have an unofficial one. Some lodges have a combination of both, with
an official Harmony at a first degree and other important occasions [...],
while for all other meetings an unofficial Harmony is held. An official
Harmony is a sit-down meal of (typically) three courses and a variety of
toasts. An unofficial Harmony consists of buffet style food; the lodge
concerned may or may not have toasts on such an occasion. Harmonies
almost always involve song, music and recitations. 2056
German brethren are even less used to a banquet as lodge after-proceedings:
"For a meal to be associated with a German-speaking lodge meeting is not
particularly common, and where this occurs such a repast will accompany a
formal lodge meeting, never an informal/lecture meeting." 2057 In cases where a
meal is scheduled, sometimes a short toast list will be used. If a repast takes
place in connection with the conferment of a degree, the candidate is
occasionally asked to give his thoughts on the ceremony he has just experienced.
A curious custom of entertainment and levity in America, also hinted at in
England, of which the author of this dissertation was not able to find any traces
in Germany, has already been referred to in Section 10.2 on "Riding the Goat."
10.5 The Spiritual Conception
During our visit to a Masonic exhibition in the Preussen-Museum in Wesel,
Germany, in June 2000, we were surprised at our Masonic tour guide's annoyed
remarks about the French lodges laying the "White Book," a book with nothing
written in it, on the altar instead of the Bible. His reaction proves that even today
some German Masons are not at ease with this French custom.
Equally, Masons in the 19 th century have expressed their indignation with
regard to the spiritual conception of their French brethren. For example, an
American Mason who had been visiting a lodge of the Disciples de Memphis in
Paris wrote to the editor of the Masonic Review, N° 31, in 1866, 2058 that in his
opinion, the radicalism in form of freedom of thought had been carried too far in
France. He reports how he witnessed a monthly lodge meeting of the Disciples
de Memphis, who, contrary to the Masons of the Grand Orient, require the belief
in a Supreme Being and in the immortality of the soul, wherefore they are
regarded as old-fashioned:
The gentleman who was interpreting for me said that this Lodge, Les
'Disciples de Memphis, [sic]' was one of the Old Fogy Lodges that
2056 Henderson and Pope, vol. II, p. 135.
2057 Ibid, p. 202.
2058 Moore, Masonic Review, N° 31, p. 271.