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

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Chapter 3 - Overview of Rites
allowing the use of Masonic halls by them. It even prohibits its
members from belonging to them. Between these two extremes there is
a great variety of treatment, so that a given Grand Lodge may, itself,
have difficulty in defining how far it has recognized the Masonic
standing of androgynous bodies. 230
In general, it can be said that the strict aversion towards the initiation of
women has been modified since the great panic of the male Freemasons from the
last two centuries has calmed. But talking about the universality of Freemasonry,
we can observe that there are no common laws as to whether to accept women or
not. As it appears, every Grand Lodge can judge on its own. At least, mixed
orders like the American Eastern Star have managed to acquire a positive image
in the eyes of "ordinary" Freemasons in some countries:
Conditions with respect to mixed orders of Masons and their female
relatives are likewise lacking in uniformity. Sentiment has undergone a
great change over the past century. Protests against "female Masonry"
and both androgynous and adopted orders at the middle of the 19 th
century were vigorous and tinged with horror, it being feared that their
spread would destroy Freemasonry. But, by the middle of the 20 th
century, we find Grand Masters speaking of the Eastern Star in the same
tones that would be used with respect to Chapter or Commandery and,
furthermore, urging their lodges to sponsor and encourage such girls'
orders as Job's Daughters and the Order of Rainbow for Girls. 231
However, an example of a reactionary attitude towards the initiation of
women is the United Grand Lodge of England which does not allow its members
considered as "mainstream Masons" to associate with the Eastern Star, in
contrast to the Grand Lodge of Scotland:
The United Grand Lodge of England forbids its members to associate
Masonically with the mixed-gender but female-oriented Order of the
Eastern Star; there is no such prohibition by the Grand Lodge of
Scotland, where the Order thrives. Among the requirements of this
Order is active participation of male Masons in certain offices. There
are a few Eastern Star chapters in England, chartered from Scotland;
these have a dispensation from Grand Chapter, to fill male-oriented
offices with female members if necessary. 232
In the debate whether women are to be admitted into Freemasonry or not,
Germany is one of the more reactionary countries. We can compare this to the
situation of women in other fields of society in Germany, for example, not so
230 CME, p. 8.
231 Ibid. Bold print added.
232 Henderson and Pope, vol. II, p. 119.