International Order of Co-Masonry

'Le Droit Humain'



This is worldwide (and also in the Netherlands) the largest order of co-masonry. The order was founded on April 4th, 1893 by Maria Deraismes, as a reaction to the masculin charchter of freemasonry. Deraismes was initiated a decade earlier as an Entered Apprentice in a male lodge. When this lodge was threatened with exclusion, she and Georges Martin, member of the French Grand Orient founded the first mixed lodge.

In 1904 the first Dutch mixed lodge was founded in Amsterdam. Now this order has spread itself all over the world. Most lodges however are still to be found in France (almost 13,000 members), and Belgium (5,600 members). 
This type of freemasonry is not that different from the male masonry of the Dutch Grand Orient. Even the rituals are quite similar. The largest difference is on an organisational level. So-called regular freemasonry is organized on a national level (with international strong links), Le Droit Humain is a hierarchical structured an lead international organization. The order is lead by a Supreme Council in Paris, with an international Grand Master or Sovereign Grand Commander. Under this Supreme council work the national federations (for countries with more than five lodges and 100 members) and jurisdictions. In countries without a national organization there can be 'pioneer-lodges'.
Another major difference between regular masonry and Le Droit Humain is, that LDH works in all degrees under one national council. 

Le Droit Humain works in the following degrees of the Scottish Rite:

Blue Degrees:
1. Entered Apprentice
2. Fellow Craft
3. Master
Lodge of Perfection (Green Degrees):
4. Secret Master
8. Intendant of the Building, or Master if Israel     
Degrees by Communication 9º, 10º, 11º en 12º        
13. Royal Arch
14. Grand Chosen One, Perfect Master
Chapter of the Rosy Cross (Red Degrees):
18. Knight of the Rosy Cross of Heredom
Areopagus (Black Degrees):
30. Elected Knight of the White and Black Eagle, Knight Kadosh
Consistory (White Degrees):
32. Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
Supreme Council:
33. Grand-Inspector-General

Besides these degrees, the order works in the Netherlands also in the degrees of Mark Master Mason, Master of a Mark Master Mason Lodge, Royal Ark Mariners and the Holy Royal Arch of Jerusalem.
In 1990 the order had 540 members in the Netherlands, by 1999 the number had dropped till 456, organized in lodges and various working places. Membership at the end of 2006 was 338. On July 1st 2009 membership was 331, and there were 16 lodges active.

Late 2001, early 2002 the Lodges De Ruwe Steen (Rough Ashlar) and Fiat Lux left the Dutch Federation. Fiat Lux Lodge has made their reasons clear in an open letter to all members of the order.
On October 20th, 2002 the Triangle (a pre-stage to a lodge) Emergo was founded in Terneuzen by the Dutch Lodge George Martin I and the Belgian Lodge Baken.

statutes National Council


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