Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society
the AMI is seeking the achievement of universal understanding between masonic obediences , it can only look kindly on the development of a group like yours that intends to unite the brothers of all nations individually . I am therefore convinced that , as long as the International League of Freemasons , as has been the case until now , keeps itself out of questions that are the responsibility of the obediences ( such as recognitions , official relationships , constitutions , rites , etc .), there is no reason for the AMI not to give it the fraternal consideration that it deserves or to wish it success .
I hope that this response will allow you to overcome the inconveniences caused by the insufficient recognition that our brothers have of our two institutions and I present you [ ... ].
The powerful AMI is keeping a watchful eye : Let the cobbler stick to his last !
In this issue , published on the eve of the Paris congress to be held in August , President Uhlmann published a report on the ULF and its situation . While it had gathered 5,000 brothers throughout the world , the results were not enough in his view and he emphasized the difficulties it faced , due to the divisions within Freemasonry , the ostracism faced by some obediences , and the situation of the ULF in certain countries , most of all in Germany :
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Our expansion into Anglo- Saxon countries is taking place with some difficulty . Suspicion continues to hinder us ; our obstacles are increasing rather than falling away . Nevertheless , we have gained a series of faithful and courageous brothers . The same is true of the Scandinavian countries , where our ideas are slowly penetrating . Here too , we can count faithful collaborators among our ranks . Germany has caused us much more trouble . German Freemasonry , with the exception of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Germany , is isolating itself more and more from foreign countries and turning increasingly towards the nationalist wing . It is naturally impossible for the League to grow in this type of soil . And yet we are not lacking in members , despite the persecution they face . [ ... ] Our Spanish brothers have suffered from dictatorship . We hope that the republic will bring them freedom , peace , and union . In Holland , brothers were very zealous and did their utmost to live according to the ideas of the League . Recently , the situation in Belgium has turned to our advantage . In France , development is not yet as advanced as we would expect . Let us hope that the Paris congress will help bring about a complete reversal . The situation in Jugoslavia [ sic ] and Austria is very encouraging . The Romanian group suffers from