Brazil
Tradition has it that there were lodges in Brazil as early as 1797; one is said to have been founded by the captain of a man-of-w*r; and one named Areopase was located in Itamba or Bahia. The first lodge of which there is a record was Commerce and Arts Lodge, established in Nov., 1815 by the Grand Orient of France. It was forced to close, but reopened in 1821 under the G. O. of Portugal. Desiring to form a Grand Lodge, recourse was had to a method then and later used to some extent of dividing into two or more lodges, thus, forming the required number. In this way three lodges were formed; Commerce and Arts, Union and Harmony, and Hope of Niteroi, which three formed the Grand Orient of Brazil, June 21, 1822. Dom Pedro, Regent and later Emperor of Brazil, joined Commerce and Arts Lodge but, a few months later in October, 1922, having become convinced that the lodges were p*litical clubs, closed all of them and they remained closed for 10 years. It is reported that, Nov., 1823, the G. O. of France erected Lodge Le Bouclier de l’Honneur Francais at Rio de Janeiro, but nothing more was heard of it, since it was most likely closed as soon as it opened. The Emperor abdicated in 1831, whereupon, the old G. O. of Brazil revived, a Grand Brazilian Orient was formed, the two being angry rivals and, in 1832, Montezuma instituted a Supreme Council 33rd Degree, while another Supreme Council came from Belgium and soon split into three, each claiming to be the true Supreme Council. From that time to 1835, there were in Brazil two Grand Orients, and four Supreme Councils.
In 1835, the Grand Lodge of England warranted Orphan Lodge No. 616; in 1841, St. John Lodge No. 703; and in 1856, Southern Cross Lodge No. 970 (later 672). These evidently disappeared.
While it is said that the Brazilian bodies were all united in 1860 under the original G. O. of Brazil, it must have been for a very short time, if at all, because, in 1864, we find Brazilian Masons taking sides in two groups, named from the streets where their headquarters were located. They were the Lavradios and the Benedictinos, the former Roman C*tholic and the latter anti-C*tholic. Until 1883, there were continuous strife and bickering, sch*sm and separations, reunions and redivisions, until an att*ck on the whole Masonic institution by the C*tholic B*shop at Pernambuco drove the Freemasons into a movement toward union which required 6 years to fructify. In 1883, the symbolic lodges united under the Grand Orient of Brazil, which in turn recognized the A. & A. S. R., the Modern French Rite, and the Adonhiramite Rite.
In 1914, the G. O. of Brazil had 390 lodges; the Grand Lodges of England and Germany maintained lodges there also; and some 50 lodges owed allegiance to the G. O. of Parana (later united with the G. O. of Brazil) and the G. O. of Rio Grande do Sul.
In 1923, it was reported (Current History, July, 1923) that Freemasonry was very popular in Brazil due to its support of public education. One of the serious deficiencies in Brazilian Masonry is somewhat the same as that which afflicted French Masonry, viz, operating a Grand Lodge or Grand Orient by a council instead of a Grand Master. The General Assembly of the G. O. of Brazil does not consist of the representatives of lodges but consists of 132 members, being 33 from the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, 33 from the French or Modern Rite 1st to 7th degrees, 33 from the Grand Chapter of Noachites (Adhoniramites) 13 degrees, and 33 from the Grand Chapter of the York Rite, which works the First Three Degrees and that of Past Master. The English lodges withdrew from this latter group and formed their own District Grand Lodge.
About 1927, another great change came over Brazilian Masonry. In accordance with custom, Dr. Mario Behring was Grand Master of the G. O. and Grand Commander of the A. & A. S. R., a combination that he thought injurious to Masonry and sought to end, going so far as to resign as Grand Master and welcome his successor, Dr. Fonseca Hermes. But the arrangement was soon overturned and Dr. Octavio Kelly was elected to both offices. Thereupon, June 22, 1927, seven lodges withdrew from the G. O. and formed the Grand Lodge of Rio de Janeiro. This example was followed in the, other states, and most of such state Grand Lodges have been recognized by American Grand Lodges, even those which had never recognized the Grand Orient of Brazil. None of them is recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England, because of the old treaty whereby England agreed to recognize the Grand Orient in return for certain privileges and apparently will consider itself barred from recognizing any other body so long as the G. O. exists. The state Grand Lodges are as follows: Grand Lodge of Bahia, May 22, 1927, 30 lodges; Rio de Janeiro, June 21, 1927, 30 lodges; Para, July 28, 1927, 8 lodges; Paraiba, Aug. 24, 1927, 7 lodges; Ceara, probably 1927, 10 lodges; Minas Gerais, Sept. 25, 1927, 19 lodges; Pemambuco, 1927, 10 lodges; Piaui, 1927, 8 lodges; Grand Orient of the State of Rio de Janeiro, probably 1927, 19 lodges (covers territory outside the Federal District, while above-named G. L. of Rio de Janeiro operates within the District, though both have the same officers); Grand Orient of Amazons, 20 lodges; Grand Lodge Rio Grande do Sul, 19 lodges; 1941, Parana, 7 lodges; after 1927, Goias, 14 lodges; Sao Paulo, 14 lodges. The Supreme Council 33rd Degree of the Scottish Rite is generally recognized by other Supreme Councils.
Years ago, the exact date not being available, the United Grand Lodge of England made a treaty with the Grand Orient of Brazil, recognizing the latter as being accorded the right to charter and maintain English lodges in Brazil. Now that various state Grand Lodges have succeeded or hope to succeed to the position formerly occupied by the Grand Orient, there is some opposition to the English lodges, especially as the English Grand Lodge has not recognized them and does not feel that it can properly do so unless or until its old ally, the Grand Orient, shall be entirely and permanently eliminated. The English lodges are: 1891, Eureka No. 5567 at Rio de Janeiro; 1893, Duke of Clarence No. 5558 at Bahia; 1899, Morro Velho No. 5559 at Morro Velho; 1902, Unity No. 5560 at Sao Paulo; 1904, St. George No. 5561 at Recife; 1907, Wanderers No. 5562 at Santos; 1922, Friendship No. 5563 at Nichtheroy; 1922, Centenary No. 5564 at Sao Paulo; 1932, Campos Salles No. 5565 at Sao Paulo; 1932, Royal Edward No. 5566 at Rio de Janeiro.
The term, Brazilian Rite, is sometimes inaccurately used to refer to the peculiar and complicated system of bodies and degrees which has grown up in Brazil. It is not in itself a rite but is rather an arrangement among a number of rites. The two principal elements are, first, the National Grand Orient with its complex constituent bodies and, secondly, some eleven State Grand Lodges with their subordinate lodges. The former has been recognized by the Grand Lodge of England but the latter cannot be by reason of the old treaty. The State Grand Lodges are, however, quite generally recognized by Grand Lodges of the United States, only one of which recognizes the Grand Orient. A most interesting body is the Grand Orient, which includes: (1) The Supreme Council A. & A. S. R., governing all Scottish Rite bodies; (2) The Grand Chapter of the French or Modern Rite, governing bodies of that obedience; (3) The Grand Chapter of Noachites, controlling the Adonhiramite Rite of 13 degrees; and (4) The Grand Chapter of the York Rite of 3 degrees (evidently the 3 Craft Degrees, since the officers have to be only Master Masons, and there seemingly being no Royal Arch, Cryptic, or Knight Templar bodies in the arrangement). The whole is controlled by the General Assembly, which is composed of: (i) Members of the General Council; (ii) Representatives of bodies at the Capital of Brazil; (iii) Representatives of bodies outside the Capital; and (iv) Representatives of each of the 4 Grand Bodies first above named. Another novel institution is the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, composed of 15 judges who administer the law of the whole organization.
In 1956 there were the following State Grand Lodges in Brazil, which were generally recognized by Grand Lodges in the United States: Amazonas; Santa Catharina; Goias; Sao Paulo; Niteroi (State of Rio de Janeiro); Para; Paraiba; Pernambuco; Peaui; Parana; Cearo; Bahia; Minas Gerais; Rio Grande du Sol; and Rio de Janeiro (Fed. District).
