CONGRESS, MAsonc. A modern name for assemblies like those described in the preceding article.
Congress of Washington, convoked in the year 1822, at.the call of seve ral Grand Lodges, for the purpose of recommending the establishment of a General Grand Lodge of the United States. The effort was an unsuccessful one.
Congress of Baltimore, convoked in the year 1843, with the object of establishing a uniform system of work. PerLaps there was not, in any of the preceding Congresses, a greater instance of failure than in this, since not a year elapsed before the most prominent members of the Congress disagreed as to the nature and extent of the reforms which were instituted; and the Baltimore system of work has already become a myth.
Second Congress of Baltimore, con voked in the year 1847, the object being again to attempt the establish ment of a General Grand Lodge. This Congress wcut so far as to adopt a "Supreme Grand Lodge Constitution," but its action was not supported by a sufficient number of Grand Lodges to carry it into effect.
Congress of Lexington, convoked in 1853, at Lexington, Ky., for the purpose of again making the attempt to form a General Grand Lodge. A plan of constitution was proposed, but a sufficient number of Grand Lodges did not accede to the propo sition to give it efficacy.
Third Congress of Paris, convoked by order of Prince Murat, in 1855, for the purpose of effecting various reforms in the Masonic system. At this Congress. ten propositions, some of them highly important, were introduced, and their adoption recommended to the Grand Lodges of the world. The meeting has been too recently held to permit us to form any opinion as to what will be its final results.
North American Masonic amgress, convened in the city of Chicago, Sept. 13, 1859, at the call of a large number of prominent members of the Fraternity, for the purpose of organizing a General Grand Lodge of the United States. The Conven tion held • two sessions, adopted articles of confederation, which pro ' posed that the Congress should meet triennially; take cognizance of all cases of difference which may have arisen between two or more Lodges; consult and advise on questions of Masonic law and jurisprudence, without power of enthreement of its decrees. No subsequent session was held; the project, therefore, failed of establishing any definite results.