TAMWORTH

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The Renaissance of Traditional Freemasonry:
The evolution of the French and Belgian Freemasonry in the course of the XIXth and XXth centuries, as
described above, had dramatic consequences on the Order.
Indeed, a majority of foreign obediences broke off relations with what they considered an intolerable deviation.
As they themselves repudiated interference in politics, demanded of their members a belief in God and remained
faithful to the old customs of the original lodges, they could not but condemn this deviation. They have done so
since the end of the XIXth century and to date have had no reason to change their attitude.
This schism drove French and Belgian Freemasonry into isolation, which they accepted as the price of their
ideological and political options. For some, however, this isolation was painful when they realized that essential
Masonic values were lost. Since the end of the XIXth century this reaction has gradually increased in
importance.
Some wanted to revive the spiritual content and the initiatic message of the Masonic ritual. Very much in the
minority, their actions were wrongly understood, received unfavourably, and hardly had any result. Some
Masons, such as Oswald Wirth, attempted to explain the rituals and Masonic symbols through the occult, which
was very popular in literary circles of dubious quality at the end of that XIXth century.
Others, such as Goblet d’Alviela in Belgium, tried to give Freemasonry a place in the varied fresco of humane
religions and to demonstrate that it contained and even excelled others. Unfortunately, the limited knowledge of
the time and especially the esoteric interpretation of religion, led to results that were disappointing.
However, in spite of deficiencies, this striving for recovery lead to lodges refusing political interference and to
the reintroduction of the old Masonic precept of love of one’s fellowman, based on a belief in God.
In France this led, In 1913, to the establishment of the Grande Loge Indépendante pour la France et les
Colonies by two lodges Le Centre des Amis of Paris and L’Anglaise of Bordeaux. This Obedience, which was
later to become the Grande Loge Nationale Française, now comprises over two hundred lodges, is recognised by
the Freemasonry worldwide and enjoys increasing success.
In Belgium the resurrection of traditional Freemasonry took place in two stages. In spite of several attempts in
between the two World Wars, the Grand Orient of Belgium continued to deviate from traditional Masonic
landmarks, and neither did it give up, in contradiction with the Landmarks, accepting candidates who were
admitted atheists.
In view of this situation, five lodges established the Grand Lodge of Belgium in 1959, to return to universal
Freemasonry. It adopted a constitution which met the principles of Masonic Regularity.
On this basis the new Grand Lodge was recognized by practically all Obediences in the world. Unfortunately,
after a few years it appeared that the constitution was not sufficiently explicit and the basic principles were
questioned, even by leaders of the Obedience. Some wanted to do away with the principles altogether. Many of
those who wanted to retain international recognition, at the same time wanted to enter into relations with
Irregular Masons, especially with the lodges of the Grand Orient of Belgium.
Their point of view on fundamental questions, such as the affirmation of the existence of a Supreme Being and
the prohibition of having Masonic relations with non-recognized Obediences, became less and less consistent.
As a consequence, the Grand Lodge of Belgium lost the Recognition of several Obediences in the spring of
1979 and it became obvious that most other Obediences would follow this lead.
A number of Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of Belgium decided to react against this situation and on June 15,
1979 the Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium was founded by nine lodges.
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More information about Travelling Gavels in general:
This Travelling Gavel which was designed to only be presented into around 44 Lodges and then sent back to
NSW Australia, is surely breaking the rules so to speak. So far it has exceeded over 56 Lodges and is still being
presented into Lodges through-out the world. It’s a shame though, for I’m not getting any letters back informing
me to which Lodge has this Gavel and I’m not getting any information back either, sometimes it makes me
wonder why I ever started this Travelling Gavel Project, its sure been a big headache, surely, it’s not too much