Los Angeles Freemasonry - Lodge New Isis

It is a pleasure to write about my own lodge, New Isis of the George Washington Union of Freemasons.

Worshipful Lodge New Isis is one of two lodges of the George Washington Union located on the west coast, the other being lodge Golden Journey in San Francisco.

The George Washington Union was founded in 1977 by members of the Grand Orient of France working in the United States.

As the GOdF was, and is, an all male jurisdiction, several members felt the time was right to establish a mixed gender body whose practices would be in line with those of the Grand Orient of France.

Initially under the sponsorship of the GodF, the George Washington Union joined CLIPSAS in 1979. By 2001, enough lodges had formed that the obedience became an independent jurisdiction.

Today the George Washington Union consists of four lodges, Liberty, Washington D.C., Raoul Zetler, Montreal, Canada, New Isis, Los Angeles, Golden Journey, San Francisco, as well as several developing triangles.

At present, the lodges of the GWU work the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite craft degrees as they are worked in Europe.

Besides being a member of CLIPSAS, and in fellowship with all of its members, the George Washington Union has a treaty of friendship and cooperation with the Grande Loge Feminine de France, and the Women's Grand Lodge of Belgium, among others.

I have had the pleasure of working with wonderful men and women in the George Washington Union. As a member of lodge New Isis I have also had the pleasure of meeting Brothers and Sisters from the other jurisdictions operating in Los Angeles.

We are bound by ties of a common set of values, and our common roots in traditional European Freemasonry.

Lodge New Isis can be reached through the Grand Secretary at the GWU website at: http://www.georgewashingtonunion.org

Los Angeles Freemasonry - Loge Art et Lumiere

Most people that are knowledgeable about Freemasonry are aware of the Grand Orient of France. The GO de France came into being in 1728 as the Premiere Grand Lodge of France, making it one of the oldest Masonic jurisdictions in the world. It adopted the name, Grand Orient of France, in 1773.

The GO de France has had a long and interesting history. As the largest Masonic body in France, the Grand Orient has frequently been involved in issues relating to social progress, human rights, and the separation of Church and State.

France at one time had the second largest empire in the world. As a result of this, Grand Orient lodges exist in many parts of the globe, or were the foundation of what today are self-governing Grand Orients and Grand Lodges in Africa, Asia, and the New World.

At present, the GO de France does not initiate women and is a male jurisdiction, however the Grand Orient played an important role in the origin of many mixed-gender and feminine obediences, and recognizes and admits visitors from both types of bodies.

In 1877, the Grand Orient of France removed the requirement that a person must believe in God to enter the Order. This was due to a desire on the part of the GO de France to return to the spirit of early Freemasonry, as well as to support the complete freedom of conscience of the individual.

As the Grand Orient of France became increasingly progressive in its stances towards freedom of conscience, acceptance of woman as Freemasons, and active participation in social reform, the Anglo-American Grand Lodges, Conservative, increasingly secular in their orientation, and politically reactionary, severed relations with the GO de France and its supporters.

Today these make up the two main variations of Freemasonry in the world. While Anglo-American Freemasonry is dominant in the U.K. and North America, Liberal Cosmopolitan Freemasonry is dominant in Europe, Africa, and South America. Both types exist in Asia as well.

Several Masonic Rites are practiced by the various lodges that make up the GO de France, the majority however work the French Modern Rite, which evolved from the Modern Rite introduced to France by the "Modern" Grand Lodge of England in the 18th Century.

The Grand Orient of France, in 1973, issued a Patent for the French Modern Rite to the Grand Loge Feminine de France, (the Women's Grand Lodge of France), which now also uses the Rite.

There are five lodges of the GO de France currently working in North America; Loge Atlantide in New York, Loge Pacifica in San Francisco, Loge Lafayette in Washington D.C., Loge Force et Courage in Montreal, Canada, and Loge Art et Lumiere in Los Angeles.

I have posted a link to the Grand Orient of France in North America's website, which of course, is in French. Art et Lumiere meets regularly in West Los Angeles and, while working in French, is actively involved in assisting other progressive lodges in the area, including those that work in English.

Here is a link as well to a brochure in English that is available in pdf format at the Grand Orient of France's website: http://ns6745.ovh.net/~godf/foreign/uk/depliant_present_ang.pdf

Los Angeles Freemasonry - Worshipful Lodge Aletheia

The first lodge that I would like to acquaint my readers with is lodge Aletheia of the the Women's Grand Lodge of Belgium.

Aletheia means "Truth" in Greek. It is used in the philosophic context of truth that first appears when something is seen or revealed.

I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of Aletheia last September. I was visiting with my Worshipful Master from lodge New Isis.

The Women's Grand Lodge of Belgium came into being in 1981. Prior to that, the lodges that constituted the obedience were part of the Women's Grand Lodge of France operating in Belgium.

The desire of several sisters in the United States to establish feminine lodges led, after years of hard work, and numerous trips to Belgium, the founding of a branch of the WGLB in the U.S.

Today there are three lodges of the Women's Grand Lodge of Belgium in North America. Aletheia in Los Angeles, Emounah in Washington, D.C., and Universalis in New York City.

These sisters have proven that with hard work, and determination, great things can be acheived.

I can personally attest to the quality of the masonic work these women are involved with. Several members of Aletheia assisted in my initiation in 2008, and as I mentioned, I have visited their lodge as a guest. They are hard-working and dedicated masons. Any women interested in an exclusively female lodge should certainly consider Aletheia.

They meet monthly in West Los Angeles and work the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite craft degrees.

Aletheia can be contacted through the link provided on this site.

Los Angeles Freemasonry - Adogmatic Masonry

I have posted a link at the bottom of the blog to Clipsas, the "Centre of Liaison and Information of Masonic Powers, Signatories of the Strasbourg Appeal", which can be accessed by clicking on the image of "Marianne", a symbol of Liberty and the French Republic.

Clipsas is an organization that was founded in 1961, and consists of some 60 Grand Lodges, and Grand Orients that subscribe to the Strasbourg Appeal. This appeal recognizes the absolute freedom of conscience that guides the member jurisdictions in their practice of Freemasonry.

Under this system, the member bodies do not require religious, or political committments by their members, allowing each to be guided by their personal beliefs in those areas.

Clipsas members recognize the right of humanity to practice Freemasonry, regardless of race, religion, or gender.

Masonic jurisdictions that belong to Clipsas have been in the forefront of working for human dignity, the end of social oppression, and the struggle to find peaceful resolutions to the many problems that face our world.

The Los Angeles lodges that are the focus of this blog all belong to Jurisdictions that are either members of Clipsas, or Simpa, "The International Secretariat of the Masonic Adogmatic Powers", a kindred organization, and support those values.

The photo above is of the "Declaration of the Rights of Man", a milestone in the evolution of Human progress, promulgated in 1789, during the French Revolution.

Los Angeles Freemasonry - An Introduction

My name is Peter and I am a member of Lodge New Isis #8 of the George Washington Union of Freemasons, which is located in the city of Los Angeles, California.

I reside in sunny San Diego, and have a blog that I call "San Diego Freemason". I have provided a link for those who might enjoy visiting.

I have started this blog as a way of educating people outside the masonic community about the existence of European style Freemasonry available in the Los Angeles area.

I will post brief articles about those lodges, as well as their contact information. I hope in the future to post regarding some Los Angeles masonic history as well.