Letter from Jean Baptiste Thounens to John James Joseph Gourgas, 1827 May 30

Letter from Jean Baptiste Thounens to Gourgas 1827/05/30

Orient of St. Pierre, Martinique

May 30, 1827

Brother J. B. Thounens, Grand Inspector General, 33rd degree of the ancient & accepted Scottish Rite, First Lieutenant Commander of “la Concorde” consistory, regularly constituted in this valley (sic) etc, etc, etc… to the Most Illustrious and Dear Brother J.J.J. Gourgas, Grand Secretary General of the Holy Empire etc, etc, etc… in New York.

Most Illustrious & Dear Brother

I don’t know how to express the joy that I felt when I received your parcel containing your baluster of last December with two printed prayers. Without any news from you for a long time and without any responses to the many balusters that I sent you, I sincerely feared that you passed from this life to the other but thanks to the Grand Architect of the Universe that did not happen; let’s hope that in the contrary with good health, in Joy and prosperity, God will forget you in this hemisphere of ours (sic).

I informed you that I have been elevated to the 33rd degree since July 17th, 1817, but it seems that none of the balusters did reach you.

I received with even greater pleasure the printed material that you sent to me because I just sent the first ones that you sent me a long time ago to a Lodge in Columbia, to prove to them that brother Cerneau who went there to make a presentation on masonry and gain a substantial sum of money by forming a Grand Orient by his own authority, had no right to do that. You can see that way, that even though we are far away from each other, the fire that ignite the true and loyal masons guided me toward the good that is prescribed for us to do by propagating the true light.

I thank you for the information you gave me on the present state of high masonry in the Unites States of America.

Here masonry continues to be very active. In this city, there are three lodges, three chapters, a council of the 30th degree and a Consistory of the 32nd degree of which I am the president. I am sending you attached, the tableau of the different sections of “la Concorde,” as well as a parcel from this Lodge to the Lodge “L’Union Française” #14. Please give it to them.

I would like to obtain the notebooks of the degrees, called rituals or notebooks of the receptions for all the degrees of the American chapters by series order up to and including Royal Arch and also the notebooks of receptions for the English chapters in order of series starting with the one that comes after the master’s degree. I only know them by name, and I might even not know them all. Here are the ones of which I know the names:

Knights #1 of the Red Cross, #2 Knight Templar #3 of Malta, #4 of St. Sepulcher, #5 Teutonic, #6 of Calatrava, #7 of Dekantara (sic), #8 of the Redemption, #9 of Christ, #10 of the mother of Christ, #11 of St, Lazare, #12 of the Star, #13 of the Band (sic), #14 of the Annunciation, #15 of the virgin Mary, #16 of St, Michael, #17 of St. Stephen, and #18 of the St. Hermit.

Illustrious and Dear Brother, kindly let me know if these degrees exist in the above said chapters, their ranks, and provide me with exact copies of the notebooks for their receptions and above all let me know at what rank of your series of 33 degrees they connect or have any relationship. Provide me also with a copy of a book that deals with these degrees. I forgot its title, but it was published in English, 2nd edition of 1825 by Joseph Desuouer [spelling not clear could also be Dessauer] #23 Prevost Street in New York. Your expenses will then be reimbursed to the person who will bring me what you send me.

Be assured of the sincerity of the wishes for your good health and prosperity that your affectionate and devoted Brother [send to you]

Thounens

Grand Inspector General, 33°

Translator’s remarks:

In this letter, Thounens’ tone has changed significantly. In his previous ones, he was much more deferential, humble, and considerate. This letter is assertive and authoritarian, yet still polite.

Kamel Oussayef

2/17/2022