Second Convention of Jena, con voked in the following year, 1764, by Johnson, with the desire of authoritatively establishing his doc trine of the connection between Templarism and Masonry. The empirical character of Johnson or Becker was here discovered by the celebrated Baron Hunde, and he was denounced, and subseqently punished at Magdeburg by the pub lie authorities.
Convention of Altenberg, convoked in 1765, us a continuation of the preceding. Its result wns the es tablishment of the Rite of Strict Observance, and the erection of Baron Hunde as Grand ]Laster.
Convention of Brunswick convoked in 1775, by Ferdinand Duke of Brunswick. Its object vas to effect a fusioniof the various rites; but it terminated its labors, aft -r a session of six weeks, without success.
Convention of Lyons, convoked in 1778, by the Lodge of Chevaliers bienfaisants. Its object was to pro duce a reform in the rituals of the Masonic system, but it does not appear to have been s-gacious in its means, nor success:ul in its results.
Convention of the Lovers of 11.uth, held at Paris, in 1784, under the auspices of the of the United Friends." The Poke of Brunswick, St. Martin, and the celebrated Mesmer, were native ix' r ticipants in its discussions.
Mnv mtion of Wolfentnittel, con voked in 1778, by the Duke of Brunswick, as a continuation of that which had been held iu 1775, and with the same view of reforming the organization of the Order. How ever, after a session of five weeks, it terminated its labors with no other result than an agreement to call a more extensive meeting at Wilhelmsbad.
Convention of Wilhelmsbad, con voked in 1782. Its avowed object was the reform of the Masonic sys tem, and its disentanglement from the • confused mass of rites with which French and German pre tenders or enthusiasts had sought to overwhelm it. Important topics were proposed at its commence ment, but none of them were dis cussed, and the Convention was closed without coming to any other positive determination than that Freemasonry was not connected with Templarism, or in other words, that, contrary to the doctrine of the rite of Strict Observance, the Free masons were not the successors of the Knights Templar.
Conventions at Paris, convoked in 1785 and 1787, with the laudable view of introducing a reform in the rituals and of discussing important points of doctrine and history. Both Conventions closed, after ses sions of several mouths, without producing any practical result.
From the foregoing lists, it be seen that a large number of the Masonic conventions and con gresses which have been held were productive of little or no effect. Others of them, however, such, for instance, as those of York, of Co logne, of London, and a few others, have certainly left their mark, and there can, we think, be but little doubt that a general convention of the Masons of the world, meeting with an eye single to the great object of Masonic reform, and guided by a spirit of compromise, might be of incalculable advantage to the in terests of the institution at the present day.