Masonic certificates in Archives collection of the National Museum in Prague

Pages	49–54
Keywords	The Archive of the National Museum in Prague – Masonic certificates – Old Cumberland Lodge, London – the lodge De la rose Etoileé in Paris – the lodge Les Amis Philantropes in Brussels
Type of Article	Peer-reviewed
Citation	SADILEK, Jacob. Masonic certificates in Archives collection of the National Museum in Prague. Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia litterarum. Prague: National Museum, 2015, 60(3-4), 49–54. ISSN 0036-5351. Also available from: https://www.nm.cz/en/periodicals/amnphl/60-3-4/masonic-certificates-in-archives-collection-of-the-national-museum-in-prague

Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia litterarum | 2015/60/3-4

The Archive of the National Museum in Prague is keeping three interesting foreign Masonic certificates in its collections. They have been issued in London, Paris and Brussels. These certificates or diplomas were documents proving the holders membership of a Masonic lodge and its purpose was mainly to allow access to a lodge in a foreign country. The traveling Mason could not only expect hospitality of the visiting lodge, but often also financial support if the traveler was in distress. The issuing authority, a private lodge or Grand Lodge, did therefore take great care in designing these certificates. The English certificate was issued by the Old Cumberland Lodge, meeting at The White Lion in Oxford Street, for Thomas Schmidt and is dated 23 August 1803. The second certificate was issued for Francois Schmutzler, who was born in the Bohemian town Stříbro (Mies). He became a master mason at the age of 25 and his diploma was issued by the lodge De la rose Etoileé in Paris with the date 25 June 1821. The third certificate is in the name of Jean Baptiste Louis Morin and states, that as an army officer he went throu the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason in the lodge Les Amis Philantropes in Brussels. He was possibly one of the founders as the date of his certificate, 20 February 1789, is the same as the consecration date of this lodge. All were prestigious lodges and took good care of the design, text and illustrations of their certificates. The study analyses in detail the rich illustrations of the diplomas and explains the masonic meaning of them in full detail.

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