Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society
This underscores the major importance of the work that we will reveal . A logbook from the “ Most Respectable Society of Scottish Masters of the Worshipfull and Most Respectable Union Lodge since its creation on the thirtieth of November , 1742 ” has just come to light . It was found in the collection of historical documents in the library of the Grand Orient de France 60 recently returned by Russia . This is not merely a few lines , but a volume consisting of 140 pages .! It is bound in a green hardback binding — 21 ! 35 cm — and is in perfect condition . The work — both the paper and ink — seem to be new . There is no difficulty in reading any section of this valuable manuscript . The first 16 sheets contain the “ Laws , Statues and Regulations ;” in other words , the regulations of the Scottish lodge that have been amended several times over the years . This section is followed by the signatures of nearly 80 masons admitted into the lodge , and who thereby acknowledged their acceptance of these statutes . The next section consists of 141 meetings held by the Scottish lodge from November 30 , 1742 to November 13 , 1752 . The third and final section of the document presents a detailed directory — the civil status of members is often indicated — of brethren who became Scottish Masters during this period . An in-depth study of this exceptional work provides a rich source of information concerning the early years of “ Scots Masonry .” Historians already had some knowledge of the existence of this Scottish lodge . It was noted in the 6 th edition ( 1903 ) of the history of the Grand Mother National Lodge of the Three Globes . 61
The origins “ The Worshipfull and Most Respectable Scottish Union Lodge ” was founded in Berlin on November 30 , 1742 , by brothers Fabris , Roman , Pérard , Fromery , Roblau , Fünster , and Perret . The capital of the Prussian Empire was in the second year of the promising reign of the young Frederick II , known as Frederick the Great ( 1712 – 1740 – 1786 ). The first Masonry institution appeared in Prussia on September 13 , 1740 , with the creation of the lodge called “ The Three Globes .” As early as 1738 , however , Frederick ( at the time crown-prince ) had been accepted as a Mason by a delegation from a lodge in Hamburg , the first lodge opened in the two German states in 1737 . “ Scottish ” masonry appeared in Prussia two years after the symbolic Masonry that included three degrees .
As Prussia grew increasingly important in Europe , its elite followed the example of their monarch by adopting the French culture as a model . The sovereign greeted French visitors to his capital warmly , and many came to Berlin during this period — Voltaire , for example , was one of the most famous among them . The painter Jacopo Fabris ( born in Venice in 1689 and died in Copenhagen in 1771 ) 62 was a cosmopolitan Italian , while Fünster was probably German ( judging from their names ). On this same basis , we can assume that five of the seven founding members were French . Although the immense majority of brethren who became Scottish Masters during nearly 10 years were German , all the loge reports were written in French . When signing the statues , some of the new members even gallicized their first names .
Where did the founders themselves become Scottish Masters and on what basis did they found this new lodge ? We do not know . We can only point out that while the Scottish Union lodge was very careful to provide the Scottish lodges it created in different cities with due and proper warrants , the members did not have any founding
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 60 Cote AR / Fonds H pièce 3 . 61 See Berheim , “ Did Early …,” p . 100 , which gives an English translation of a few lines
that the German study devoted to the Scottish Lodge in Berlin . 62 See Bernheim , “ Did Early …,” p . 100 .
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