Raoul L. Mattei, 33°, Past Sovereign Grand Commander
The Supreme Council for France
La Mouniade, 945, chemin du Cercle
06570, Saint Paul, France

The history of the Scottish Rite in France has been characterized by a constant struggle to stick to its creed and comply with the fundamental requirements of Masonic regularity.

The original Supreme Council for France was established in October 1804 by Ill. Comte Alexandre de Grasse-Tilly, 33°, then an active member of the Jurisdiction which exists today at the Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. Two months later, the French Supreme Council entered into a "concordat" agreement with the main Masonic Body in that country, the Grand Orient of France. But the practices of the Grand Orient led the Supreme Council for France formally to break this "concordat" on September 6, 1805.

In the absence of a regular Grand Lodge, the Supreme Council for France then hosted the Symbolic Lodges practicing Scottish Rite rituals under its direct authority. This situation lasted until November 7, 1894, when a congress of these said Symbolic Lodges created, with the agreement of the Supreme Council, an independent Body later renamed Grande Loge de France.

Seventy years later, on September 17, 1964, the Grande Loge de France approved the conclusion of a Treaty of Alliance with the irregular Grand Orient of France. On the next day, the Supreme Council (renamed earlier Supreme Council of France) unanimously voted to rupture with the Grande Loge de France, from which approximately 1,300 Brothers resigned. Their ambition was then to constitute in France a new regular Grand Lodge, but Sovereign Grand Commander Riandey knew that it would not be possible. The United Grand Lodge of England recognized only a single Grand Lodge in each country and supported, since 1913, a Body then constituted and named today Grande Loge Nationale Francaise.

Consequently, Gr. Cmdr. Riandey established preliminary contacts with the Grand Master of this regular Grand Lodge, M.W. Ernest Van Hecke, in order to integrate the loyal Scottish Rite Brothers in the said Body. The majority of the Active Members of the Supreme Council for France disapproved this initiative of their Grand Commander. On December 18, 1964, they carried a motion of censure against him. As Gr. Cmdr. Riandey persistently refused to resign, the Supreme Council of France deposed him, as well as two other Grand Officers, on January 11, 1965, and elected new officers. On January 21, 1965, the Supreme Council for France formally rescinded its previous Decree of rupture with the henceforth unrecognized Grande Loge de France.

On January 14, 1965, Ill. Luther A. Smith, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction, had advised the regular Supreme Councils of the World that a schism had developed in the affairs of the French Jurisdiction. On February 23, 1965, Gr. Cmdr. Smith, 33°, arranged a meeting in his office with Sovereign Grand Commanders R. Coulton Berkinshaw, 33°, of Canada; George E. Bushnell, 33°, of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A. of the Scottish Rite; Charles Riandey, 33°, of France, and the Grand Master of the regular Grande Loge Nationale Francaise, M.W. Ernest Van Hecke. Three other distinguished Brothers assisted the participants.

The Supreme Council for France being considered hopelessly irregular, the three Grand Commanders of North America agreed to support Grand Commander Riandey in re-establishing a regular Jurisdiction for France. It could not possibly remain in the premises of the irregular one. The Grande Loge Nationale Francaise could not help, its membership being expected to drop under 1,000 after the foreseeable departure of all U.S. Military Lodges as a consequence of President Charles de Gaulle's impending decision to withdraw France from NATO. To allow the new Supreme Council for France to purchase an appropriate building in Paris, the Grand Commanders of the Southern and Northern Jurisdictions, U.S.A., and of Canada then agreed to make a joint donation of $5.00 for each dollar given by the French Scottish Rite Brothers. However, due to some misunderstandings, this most generous proposal was reconsidered during the ensuing months.

Finally, on December 7, 1965, Gr. Cmdr. Luther Smith, 33°, sent Gr. Cmdr. Riandey, 33°, a first check of $20,000 ($9,600 on behalf of the Southern Jurisdiction, $9,600 on behalf of the Northern Jurisdiction, and $800 on behalf of the Supreme Council of Canada). On October 18, 1966, Gr. Cmdr. Luther Smith, 33°, sent Gr. Cmdr. Charles Riandey, 33°, a second $20,000 check on behalf of the same Jurisdictions, with no mention of their respective participation. The contributions of the Jurisdictions of North America thus amounted to a total of $40,000 representing approximately 25% of the price and taxes paid for the purchase of the house of the new Supreme Council for France in Paris at 128 Avenue de Villiers. Contributions or loans of French Scottish Rite Brothers covered the balance, the fitting up of offices and of three small Temples.

The U.S. Supreme Councils were also of great help to Gr. Cmdr. Riandey in other respects. Their support was a determining factor in sustaining the Scottish Rite and regular Masonry in France. Ten years later, both had gained in importance and reputation, and they were in a sound financial situation.

Europe's political and economic institutions had by then begun to take shape, opening new prospects to many activities. This evolution inspired hazy views to some Masonic leaders favorable to some kind of reorganization of the Order at European continental level. To reinforce their personal influence, some ambitious individuals shook the pillars of the Temple. They overlooked some fundamental rules or enforced new ones, ventured into a policy of intensive blind recruitment, took inconsiderate positions at international levels, and neutralized or expelled the traditional Freemasons opposed to their ill-fated initiatives. This led to severe disappointments and to a number of lamentable affairs that could not be kept quiet very long. Several of these are nowadays repeatedly commented on by French television, radio broadcasts, newspapers, and magazines. Thus, the fundamental aims of Freemasonry, its practices, and the ideals of the Scottish Rite are publicly questioned.

This difficult and unfortunate history demonstrates that the defense of the integrity and regularity of the Order is an ongoing duty and an imperative requirement for the survival of traditional Freemasonry and of the Scottish Rite.

Raoul L. Mattei is a senior Emeritus Member of Honour of the Southern Jurisdiction, Past Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for France, and a Life Member of the Scottish Rite Research Society. He is the author of several books and articles related mainly to the history of the Scottish Rite in France.