Informal or official? The lodge's 'conférences' and 'morceaux d'architecture' and their political message, 1798-1872.

In Daniel Ligou's Dictionnaire de la franc-maçonnerie the entry 'morceau d'architecture' is very short : speech given in Lodge. A 'morceau' or a 'pièce d'architecture' or the presentation of a 'planche' is the definition of a lecture given during the lodge meetings, as well as the written text of that speech. A 'planche' also means every written Masonic document, including communications on the internet. The practice of 'morceaux d'architecture' is very common in French and Belgian Lodges. In this presentation, I will use the terms 'speech' or 'lecture' in absence of a proper English alternative. However, one must not confuse the 'morceaux d'architecture' with the lectures that are formal or methodical discourses intended for instruction. In other words, lectures, in the Masonic meaning of the word, instruct the first, second and final degree of Craft Masonry of symbolism, tradition and rules of that specific degree.