Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society –– Volume 1 –– Number 1 –– Spring 2013
The Order of Ancient , Free & Accepted Masonry for Men & Women : Origins and Structures of the A . F . A . M . and the British Women ’ s Supreme Council
Bernard Dat
The Order of Ancient , Free and Accepted Masonry for Men and Women , Maida Wale as it is usually called by its members , in reference to the location of its London headquarters 1 through 1990 , was officially founded on February 10 , 1925 , by a group of Freemasons who withdrew from the English administration of the Ordre Mixte International “ Le Droit-Humain ,” under the presidency of the Most Illuminated Brother 2 Aimée Bothwell-Gosse . Although the word “ scission ” immediately comes to mind and , in the strict sense of the word , does apply to the creation of the A . F . A . M ., we must make it clear that this event cannot be understood to be pejorative in any way whatsoever . This was not just a run-of-the-mill departure of a few discontents who wanted to free themselves from an authority they no longer respected in order to start a new life . It was , in fact , the result of a long and painful process , the dramatic separation of an undisputed and respected Masonic power , the Suprême Conseil Universel Mixte du “ Droit Humain ,” for whom this departure was a wrenching experience . A historical perspective is required to fully understand this situation .
I . Origins and creation of the Order of A . F . A . M . Men and women ’ s Freemasonry ( Co-Masonry ) was organized for the first time on April 4 , 1893 with the formation of the Grande Loge Symbolique de France , “ Le Droit Humain ,” followed by the creation of the first mixed Supreme Council in 1899 . The international scope of this Masonic institution open to both men and women soon led to the formation of lodges outside of France . The first of these was lodge no . 6 , Human Duty , in London in 1902 .
The key founders belonged to the Theosophical Society created in 1875 by Madame Blavatsky . This spiritual association was expanding rapidly , primarily in Anglo- Saxon countries . The leader of the founding members of the Human Duty lodge was Annie Besant , who , once she had attained the 33 rd degree , became a member of the Supreme Council of the “ Droit Humain ” in 1904 . Furthermore , she rose to be worldwide president of the Theosophical Society in 1907 . From the beginning the fact that most of the members of the Human Duty lodge also belonged to this flourishing society encouraged the rapid development of mixed Masonry in England . Yet at the same time , it fostered a certain level of confusion , both in terms of the operation and the respective goals of the two structures .
Starting in 1902 , the English branch of the “ Droit Humain ” had a special status within the international lodge : placed under the entire authority of Annie Bessant , it enjoyed a great deal of autonomy vis à vis the Supreme Council . Furthermore , although
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 104 , Maida Vale , London W9 . 2 To underscore their membership in a universal Masonic fraternity with no distinction
between sex , the member of the mixed and women ’ s lodges call all members Brother or Brethren ( plural ).
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