Russian Freemasonry 5

Russian Freemasonry 5

This writer wishes to acknowledge that while not all of this paper should be

in quotation marks with one big footnote to Bro. Telepneff, a great deal of

the material and many phrases have been used without the same. Any praise

of merit for this article belongs entirely to the original writer. This writer

only wishes to make this information available to the readers to help inform

them of Russian Freemasonry.

 

The two other papers are: 38 A.Q.C. 6, "Some Aspects of Russian

Freemasonry during the Reign of the Emperor Alexander I" (1925) and 39

A.Q.C. 174, "A Few Pages from the History of Swedish Freemasonry in

Russia," (1926).

 

The article in 35 A.Q.C. carries an extensive bibliography of 19 principal

Russian works on Freemasonry. Many of these works are available in the

British Museum.

 

All three volumes of A.Q.C. were published by W.J. Parrett, Ltd., Printers,

Margate.

 

3. 35 A.Q.C. at 263.

 

4. Ibid.

 

5. Ibid, at 272.

 

6. Oxford University Press, 1963, New York at Page 326-327.

 

7. 35 A.Q.C. at 275.

 

8. Vladimir, The Great (St. Vladimis Svyatoslavich, 956-1015), was the first

Christian sovereign of Russia. He consolidated the Russian realm from the

Baltic to the Ukraine with Kiev as his capital. He married the sister of

Byzantine Emperor Basil II, accepted Christianity, and ordered the

conversion to Christianity of his subjects.

 

9. 35 A.Q.C. At 291.

 

10. 38 A.Q.C. At 66. 

Acknowledgments by the author:

 

This writer wishes to acknowledge that while not all of this paper should be

in quotation marks with one big footnote to Bro. Telepneff, a great deal of

the material and many phrases have been used without the same. Any praise

of merit of this article belongs entirely to the original writer. This writer only

wishes to make this information available to the readers to help inform them

of Russian Freemasonry.

 

The two other papers are: 38 A.Q.C. 6, "Some Aspects of Russian

Freemasonry during the Reign of the Emperor Alexander 1" (1925) and 39

A.Q.C. 174, "A few Pages from the History of Swedish Freemasonry in

Russia, " (1926).

 

The article in 35 A.Q.C. carries an extensive bibliography of 19 principal

Russian works on Freemasonry. Many of these works are available in the

British Museum.

 

All three volumes of A.Q.C. were published by W. J. Parrett, Ltd., Printers,

Margate.

 

I wish to acknowledge an e-mail I received from Cyrill Gluskkoff on

October 19, 1997 which corrected two errors in my paper. Most importantly

he advised:

 

"The city that Peter I had built was named by him Sanct Peterburg in honor

of the saint after whom he was named. It was only during the war with

Germany that the German sounding name of Sanct Peterburg was changed in

1914 to the purely Russian name of Petrograd (not a German name)

reflecting the animosity towards the enemy. In 1924 the city was renamed

Leningrad by the Communists in honor of their revolutionary dictator."

Valerian Obolensky

RUSSIANS IN EXILE

- The History Of a Diaspora -

Part II: Before the Revolution

 

Decembrists and Russian Freemasons

 

 

 

The Decembrists and freemasons played a very important role in Russian

history, because they were the only 'revolutionaries' that ever contributed

something to the well-being of the people of Russia. Many Decembrists and

freemasons were killed or imprisoned; some managed to escape abroad,

where they lived in exile.

 

To be able to show what role Russian freemasons' lodges have played in

Russian politics, it seems necessary to explain what freemasonry is.

What is freemasonry? The notion 'freemasonry' or 'masonry' has several

meanings, each in a different level. First of all freemasonry is an

organization, a union of freemasons, of which one can become a member,

just like every other club. Freemasonry is however more seclusive.

After application one is only embraced after an examination, and the

entering itself is a ritual inauguration, about which secrecy is kept. Not

everyone is admitted, but the freemasons say that race or religion, social

standard or status are of no importance.

 

Second, the notion 'freemasonry' is synonymous with a certain atmosphere,

that is the spiritual climate in which freemasons live and work. He who

wants to become a freemason has to be motivated to go into his

Weltanschauung and philosophy of life. It is required that he independently

wants to search for truth, meaning and harmony.

 

The tools of the freemasons are symbols of notions like 'justice' (carpenter's

square), 'radiation' (compass) and 'equality' (spirit level). Another symbol is

the rough-hewn stone, which the freemason has to tool into the cubic stone.

The 'manual' of freemasonry is the ritual with its symbols. The 'subject

material' is divided into three parts A inaugural degrees. Through these three

degrees, which are connected and form one unity, one is inaugurated, from

pupil to mate to master. Every freemason however realizes that he always

will stay a pupil, always will make mistakes, so that he constantly has to

refine himself.

 

The patron of the Order is St. John. The gatherings outside the temple are

called v comparitions', in which certain subjects are discussed. Sometimes

one of the brothers submits a paper, sometimes non- members are asked to

read. Ideally in the lodge one doesn't speak about politics or religious

differences, because these are subjects which usually lead to discord.

Everyones point of view just has to be respected.

Besides all serious matters one also finds cosyness in the lodge, because

after the comparition the freemasons sit together, having a cup of coffee, a

drink, or sometimes a meal.

 

It is said that freemasonry was brought to Russia by Peter the Great, but

that's not true. The first freemasons in Russia were foreign merchants, who

were attracted by Peter's new capital.

 

In 1731 Captain John Philips of the English Grand Lodge was appointed

Provincial Grand Master of Russia. In 1740 the same title was granted to the

later Prussian Field Marshall James Keith, who served in the Russian army.

This Scottish laird was one of the most interesting personalities of his time.

Being a supporter of the Stuarts he had to go in exile, and Philips V

introduced him to the Russian Court. The Russian freemasons' lodges

consisted in those days of English seamen and merchants and some Russian

aristocrats.

 

A very important freemason was Laurentius Natter, the famous engraver and

diamond worker at the European courts, who came from Florence to St.

Petersburg.

 

Also an important role played Professor Johann Eugen Schwarz from

Moscow, and the eminent writer Nicholas Ivanovich Novikov, who was the

founder of Russian journalism. Two very enlightened men, who not just

contributed very much to freemasonry, but also influenced spiritual life in

entire Russia. Schwarz, a German and Philosophy Professor, founded adult

education centers and teacher training colleges, published school books and

founded hospitals. Novikov also wanted to fight illiteracy and barbarism. He

opened a print shop, published non-specialist and religious works, and

founded a library, which was used by all layers of society. He and his friends

stimulated the education and development of poor, yet gifted young people.

But Novikov was accused of misleading the people, for which he was

imprisoned four years in the Schluesselburg Castle.

Soon a new v Provincial Grand Lodge' was founded, which subsequently was

called v National Grand Lodge'. In this and other independent lodges the high

aristocracy set the tone. Well known freemasons of those days were Count

Roman Vorezov, one of Catharina's protege's, Lieutenant-General Melissino,

the founder of an own lodge, Baron Von Ungern-Sternberg, the Princes

Alexander and Nicholas Troubetzkoy, Gagarin, Dolgorouky, Golitsyn,

Netvitsky and many, many others.

 

However, all these inspired works of the Moscovian nobility raised the

mistrust of the courtiers in St.

 

Petersburg. They said that progression was bad for the Church and the State,

and that the Moscovian freemasons kept arsenals in their cellars, to equip

entire armies. The Chief of the Moscow police was ordered to search

everything thouroughly, and to look for weapons, but nothing was found of

course. Yet all the new institutions were banned, and the founders were

bannished to Siberia.

 

Major Kutuzov's capital was confiscated; he happened to be in Berlin at the

time, so he escaped bannishment. Novikov however was once more thrown

into the dungeons of the Schluesselburg.

 

After the French Revolution the anti-masonic sphere also reached Russia.

Catharina II didn't ban the lodges, but she showed the gentlemen freemasons

that she couldn't approve of their membership of the order, as a result of

which the masonic works were limited. Paul I banned the lodges and in 1 803

Alexander I permitted them again, after which once more lodges were

founded. Grand Duke Constantin, Count Stanislav Potoki, Count Ivan

Vorontsov, Alexander von Wurttemberg, the Chief Treasurer Alexander

Narishkin and a large number of other courtiers entered.

 

In the first half of the 19th century some writers and poets, like Pushkin,

Lermontov and Gogol, became extremely popular. At first Pushkin

sympathized with liberalism and the Decembrists, but later his political

opinions became moderately conservative. Many aristocratic young men

picked up their liberal ideas in Western Europe, and the plans for a palace

revolution became more and more realistic.

 

Alexander I was a freemason and initially he introduced very important

educational reforms and abolished corporal punishment, but less than twenty

years later he himself was one of the most harsh opponents of all progressive

movements. He banned freemasonry, after it had existed in Russia for 90

Russian Freemasonry 4

Russian Freemasonry 4

in Siberia and the Crimea. Many military lodges were formed during the

Napoleonic wars.

 

In 1810 the old adherents to the Yelaguin or English system of Masonry

joined with the Rosicrucian Masons to form the Grand Directorial Lodge of

Saint Prince Vladimir of Order as the unifying body for Russian

Freemasonry.(8) By this time the Craft was growing so fast that it attracted

the vigilant eye of the government who found a willing informant in John

Boeber. He was the leader of the Swedish system of Masonry which was

then the dominating influence in Russian Masonry. This system was closely

akin to the Rosicrucian movement and was dominated by the "higher

degrees" which were strictly Christian in character.

 

By 1815 their innate differences lead to its dissolution and the forming of

two Grand Lodges by August 30th. The Grand Lodge Astrea was the

dominant body which initially confined its interest to the blue lodge degrees

and freely admitted members with diverse backgrounds and interests. The

second, the Swedish Provincial Grand Lodge, was strictly regulated and of

less concern to the government. While the Grand Lodge Astrea had to

submit a constitution to the government for approval to exist, it remained a

concern to the authorities.

 

By 1820, when the Grand Lodge of Maine was formed, the Grand Lodge

Astrea was composed of 24 lodges but there was no real strength to it. Lodge

ritual work followed one of five offerings:

 

Hamburg modification of the English ceremonial,

 

Zinnendorf s rite,

 

rectified Strict Observance rite,

 

Swedish rite, and

 

Fessler's modified English rite.

 

In his article, Telepneff did an analysis of the Astrea lodges and it is clear

that its predominant character was German followed by Russian and Polish.

Russian Freemasonry had lost its national character from the days of

Yelaguin. No unifying ritual further weakened the Craft. It was but a house

of cards awaiting a strong wind.

 

Over the years, Alexander had grown from a young forward-looking ruler to

reactionary ruler over a suspicious government. Masonry no longer held a

favored position. Russian Masonry met its betrayer in a strong conservative

politician and a Mason from the old school, Egor A. Kushelev, Lieutenant-

General and Senator. He was elected Deputy Grand Master of Grand Lodge

Astrea in 1820 even though his ideal was the Swedish System. He found

himself at the head of a body whose members held entirely opposite views

from one another, both Masonically and socially. Some held dangerous

political strivings and could become nests of the "Illuminati."

 

This was all too much for Kushelev who sought to restore the old rules and

doctrines as he understood them even though they were opposed by his

members. In 1821, he wrote to his Emperor suggesting that Russian

Freemasonry be placed more strictly under the control of the government or

that the Craft be permanently closed.

 

On August 1, 1822, without warning Alexander decreed the closing of all

Masonic lodges and all secret societies in general. This struck as a

thunderbolt and it was meekly complied with by the lodges. On August 10th,

the last open meeting of Russian Masons was held. There were isolated

cases of lodges continuing to meet in St. Petersburg and Moscow and even

more so in the provinces, but Russian Freemasonry was broken.

 

The reign of Nicholas I, 1825-1855, was even more stringent than the

closing years of his father's. On August 21, 1826, he confirmed a decree

closing Masonic lodges. This brought about the abolition of the Craft

although secret meetings are known to have continued until at least 1830.

 

Masonry returned to Russia in the first quarter of the 20th century.

Unfortunately, these Masons were mostly involved in the political turmoil of

the age as witnessed by the 1905 uprising against the government and the

revolution of 1917, which toppled the last Romanov Tzar, Nicholas II.

 

Telepneff gives a very good synopsis of Russian Freemasonry in the first

quarter of this century from information provided from the Russian Assistant

Counsul-General in Paris in 1922. I quote for its succinctness:

 

"At the beginning of 1906 about fifteen Russian, well-known for their social

and political activities, mostly members of the constitutional-democratic

party, joined French Lodges; some became members of the Grand Orient,

but the majority entered two Lodges under the Supreme Council of the

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite— "Kosmos" and "Mount-Sinai." On

returning to Russian, they formed two provisional Lodges, "The Polar Star"

in Petersburg and "Regeneration" in Moscow. In May, 1908, both Lodges

were solemnly opened by two members of the High Council of the Grand

Orient, specially sent for that purpose from Paris. At the same time the

Grand Lodge of France established two Lodges" one in Petersburg

("Phoenix") and one in Moscow. Russian Lodges obtained the right to

establish further Lodges without interference from Paris, and accordingly in

1908 and 1909 two more Lodges were opened: "The Iron Ring" in Nijni-

Novgorod and one in Kiev. The existence of Masonic Lodges was

discovered by the Russian Government in 1909; it also became known to the

authorities that they were of French origin. It was then decided by the

Russian Lodges to suspend work, and this was accordingly done till 1911,

when some of their members decided to renew with due prudence their

activities. One would not call these activities Masonic in any sense, as their

chief aim was purely political— the abolishment of autocracy, and a

democratic regime in Russia; they acknowledged allegiance to the Grand

Orient of France. This political organization comprised in 1913-1914 about

forty v Lodges.' In 1915-1916 disagreements arose between their members

who belonged to two political parties (the constitutional democrats and the

progressives) and could not agree on a common policy; ten Lodges became

dormant. The remaining thirty Lodges continued to work, and took part in

the organization of the 1917 March revolution and in the establishment of

the Provisional Government. Their political aim being attained, the

organization began to decay; twenty-eight Lodges existed on the eve of the

Bolshevik revolution, and since then most of their members have left

Russia." (9)

 

Writing in the fall of 1922, Telepneff reported that two Russian Lodges had

been formed in Paris under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of France while

a Russian lodge existed in Berlin, The Northern Star Lodge, under a warrant

of the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes.

 

Futile attempts to reestablish Russian Freemasonry met with the mandate of

the 4th Congress of the Communist International in Moscow which required

all Communist Masons to sever their lodge membership. They could not be

considered for important posts in the new reign until two years after their

severance. In 1925 Telepneff wrote that "regular Masonic activities of every

description have ceased in Russia proper, due to the severe restrictions

imposed by Bolshevist authorities. "(10)

Simon Greenleaf, the second Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Maine,

1822-1824, compiled a book entitled A Brief Summary into the Origin and

Principles of Free Masonry from a series of lectures he gave while he was

the District Deputy Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in

the District of Maine. He wrote, as regards the character of Masonry,

 

"Yet still, the fraternity, bound together by the most solemn obligations, and

these strengthened by the remembrance of the common danger to which they

had recently been exposed, continued to assemble, at the customary periods,

for purposes of charity and brotherly love. Masonry contained something too

excellent and attractive, and its secrets were too curious and valuable, to be

abandoned on light grounds. It was a strong bond of union. It possessed a

key which unlocked the middle chamber of the heart. Its secrets always

served as letters of recommendation, and to the present day have continued

to entitle their possessor to the benefits of hospitality and protection. At

various periods it has declined, and sometimes has suffered severe

oppression. Despotic governments have always been afraid of secret

assemblies; and all the governments of Europe have, in their turn, been

despotic, and have enacted laws against such associations. But by

persecution, Masonry has never been suppressed; on the contrary its

foundations have been strengthened. Even in times of war and anarchy its

benign principles have continued their salutary operation on society, and the

order still flourishes with increasing reputation. "(1 1)

 

The persecution of Russian Freemasonry has been long and hard but like the

Phoenix, the Craft is rising again. With the collapse of communism and with

the greater opportunity of Russians to travel abroad, some have been

exposed to and have embraced Freemasonry. What an affirmation these

brethren bring to the observations of M.W. Bro. Greenleaf. What an

obligation rests on us to aid their endeavors.

 

This writer has been advised in a letter of April 22, 1996 of the following by

George Dergachev, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Russia. On January

14, 1992, the first regular Lodge "Harmony" was constituted in Moscow by

the Grand Lodge National Francaise. This lodge now has 41 members.

 

September 8, 1993 will be a memorable day in Russian Freemasonry for

three more lodges were constituted by the Grand Lodge National Franchise;

Lotus No. 2 in Moscow with 36 current members; New Astrea No. 3 in St.

Petersburg with 19 current members; and Gamaioun No. 4 in Voronezh with

13 current members. Voronezh is a city lying south southeast of Moscow on

the Voronezh River shortly before its joining with the River Don.

 

M. W. Bro. Dergachev writes "Most of the Brothers have graduated from the

Universities. Among then there are scientists, journalists, businessmen,

bankers, officers of the Army, Navy, policemen, engineers, writers,

producers and lawyers."

 

These four Regular Daughter Lodges of the Grand Lodge Nationale

Francaise formed the Grand Lodge of Russian on June 24, 1995. In addition

to their Mother Grand Lodge, they have been recognized by the Grand

Lodges of Poland, Hungary and New York. The Grand Master and Bro.

Vladimir Djanguirian, his Grand Secretary, attended by invitation the

Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of New York this past May.

 

While this paper has only quickly hit upon some of the high points in the

history of Russian Freemasonry as provided by Bro. Telepneff, it is hoped

that it will make us realize that the Craft has a long history in Russia. May

we realize how it has suffered at the hands of autocratic and totalitarian

leaders. May we be moved to seek to help our Brothers prevail in their

endeavors to advance Freemasonry in Russia at this time.