Through the Key Hole - RoseCroix.org.au

18
THE COMPAGNONNAGE
The Pocket History of Freemasonry by Pick & Knight
Turning to France we find an association much more closely akin to
Freemasonry than the Steinmetzen, an association curiously overlooked
by many French authorities.
The French guild system has a much greater antiquity than anything
in Britain and, in fact, of all the parts of Europe the shadow of the dark
ages passed over none so lightly as the South of France.
There were many trade fraternities and we hear of an organisation of
stonemasons as early as 1365, while a code of the masons of 1407 is
preserved in the archives of Amiens. A still earlier code of 1260, of
an organisation of masons, stonemasons, plasterers and mortarers is
especially interesting as it refers to a privilege granted by Charles
Martel, who also figures in the English Old Charges.
But there was another organisation in France, among the journeymen
Masons and members of allied trades and, curiously, its very existence
was only known by the fact that encounters between members
of rival sections were generally the prelude to the outbreak of bloody
fighting, hardly kept in check by the threat of the galleys.
In 1841 one Agricol Perdiguier published the Livre du Compagnonnage
the first really detailed account to appear.
The Compagnonnage contained three great divisions, the Sons of
Solomon, the Sons of Maitre Jacques and the Sons of Soubisse.
Maitres Jacques, according to his legend, was one of the first masters
of Solomon and a colleague of Hiram. He was the son of Jacquin,
a celebrated architect and his life was attempted and, after one
rescue, a further attempt was successful.
He newly-admitted journeyman was expected to make the tour de
France in search of employment and wider experience and measures
were taken for the reception of travelling craftsmen who were provided
with work or helped on their way.
158
THE FORGET ME NOT
Adapted and Edited by Keith Stockley
Many Masons will be familiar with the legend of the German Forget
Me Not the abridged version being basically that when the Nazi regime
banned Freemasonry, confiscated its properties and generally
made membership a deadly offence, those connected with the
Craft became anonymous and instead of the familiar square and
compasses as a noticeable symbol of one’s membership, the German
Freemasons adopted the blue flower “ Forget me Not” as an
alternative emblem and lapel badges of this flower became the new
symbol by which one could recognize a Mason in war torn Germany.
Certainly a romantic legend and one most of us would like to believe.
BUT is it true?
Where there is smoke there must be fire I suppose, so I now quote
from various papers on this topic. All I ask is that you make up your
own minds. For further reading, you are directed especially to AQC
95 ( 1982).
W. Bro. Alain Bernheim 33º writes as follows:
“ In 1996 I received a letter from Bro. Allen Roberts announcing I
had been elected a member of the Masonic Brotherhood of the Blue
Forget Me Not, and explaining, ‘ This symbol was born in the face of
Nazi persecution of Freemasonry under the Hitler regime. Although
the dictator ordered thousands of Freemasons murdered, tortured
and incarcerated, those who would not renounce the Craft and its
teachings continued to practice Freemasonry in secret. So they
might know each other, a little flower was selected as theur emblem.”
A 12 page pamphlet accompanied read as follows:
“As early as 1934, it became evident that Hitler are his Nazi dupes
would endeavour to eradicate Freemasonry. The GROSSLOGE
ZUR SONNE ( Grand Lodge of the Sun) needed a more subtle
symbol than the Square and Compasses to identify its brethren. An
unobtrusive little blue flower, The Forget me Not, , was chosen as