The New Year.

THE NEW YEAR .

TTVESPITE the trials and vicissitudes attendant on enfeebled health and painful illness , we enter upon the New Year with Hopeful Anticipations .

Our splendid Institutions continue to show vigour , and notwithstanding the severe opposition that lias been brought to bear upon their internal

management , they retain the full confidence and consideration of those who find the wherewithal for their existence . Errors of judgment may have been made

in regard to the past , but any charge of criminal negligence or neglect has not—and , we venture to assert , cannot—be sustained . As we have urged ,

ihvott im «* + v > a +. vjffi that nnhanpily has taken place , let the spirit of " give and take " be in the ascendant ; the result , we venture to prophecy , will be a

satisfactory one . With this issue we commence our Thirty-First Yolume . Should we be spared for another year to continue our labours , we trust we

shall have the same cordial sympathy and support that has so cheered and comforted us during the Fifteen Years that have passed since the time we started on the path of Masonic Journalism .

An Anti Secret Society Church Congress.

AN ANTI SECRET SOCIETY CHURCH CONGRESS .

BY BRO . JACOB NORTON .

"VTOT long ago I called attention to an anti-Masonic JLM activity of Roman Catholic dignitariea in the United States and in Canada , but now I will just describe a Church Congress of Evangelical Protestants , who organised , in Boston , last week , an anti-Secret Society . Their

meetings were held on Wednesday and Thursday , the 11 th and 12 th December ; on the last day they held sessions . The meetings wero held at the Tremont Temple , Tremont Street . " The members present [ says tho Boston Herald ] were small , " and but few distinguished clergymen took

part in tbe movement . After committees were appointed , Mi . Mac Allister commenced with a tirade against Mormonism . He wants to have tho Constitution of the United States amended j to turn ifc into what he called " a Christian Law , " he was opposed to Mormons , to divorce , and to Roman Catholics .

Rev . 0 . P . Qifford is a sincere hater of Masonry , which he denounced as " pagan in its origin and hellish in its destiny . " He said , " Freemasons claimed that thev wero

organised to prevent Catholics from getting possession of this government , but he believed the proper way to fi ght fire was with water , and not with fire . One Secret Society was not necessary to overthrow another Secret Society . "

An Anti Secret Society Church Congress.

It seems to me that the Rev . 0 . P . Gifford must have got the idea that Masonry was designed to oppose Roman Catholics from a zealous Masonic Knight Templar , but where ho learned that -Freemasonry claimed that it was

organised for preventing Catholics from getting possession of this government is apuzzlo . After some unimportant remarks by Mr . Charles A . Blauchard , of Chicago , the Congress adjourned , " to meet on Thursday , at 9 * 30 in the morning . "

At tho next meeting , the presiding Reverend reminded the audience that money will be needed for keeping up tho organization . Contribution boxes circulated in the hall , but ( says the reporter in the Herald ) " with only moderate success . "

Rev . J . H . Brown , of New Hampshire , was now introduced ; he claimed to be a Freemason , and also an Odd Fettdio . Formerly , he said , he believed in Secret Societies , but he had come to learn his duty to God better . He claimed to have secured his honourable discharge from

both organisations , and hence it seems that he came to the conclusion that it was . now perfectly honourable to violate his oaths , and expose their secrets without any scruples of conscience . He further said that "it is difficult to get justice done where Masonry is concerned . It teaches false

theology , it is anti-Evangelical , the name of tho Lord Jesus Christ is not mentioned in Masonry , " and , he added , " What is true of Masonry is true of Odd Fellowship . " An indiscreet , over-zealous Mason here wanted to ask some questions , aud informed the Congress that Masonry

existed before Christ was born . He was , however , called to order by a Reverend , who said that "this was not a debating society . " So , after the audience had a good laugh

the reverend President of the Congress told the would-be Masonic defender to read the 5 th Chapter of Ephesians , and us the poor fellow evidently did not know much about the 5 th Chapter of Ephesians he never said another word .

The next important orator was Evangelist Leyden . Ho said that " he was formerly a Roman . Catholic , and that he had compai ed the teachings of Masonry and Roman Catholicism , and found they were the same . " ( Applause of course

followed the above announcement ) . He then entered his protest against the Roman Catholic system , spoke of the great power of the Church , and argued that in the near future Roman Catholicism and Masonry would amalgamflt . fi .

The third meeting was briefly reported in the Herald . The first speaker was a coloured pastor of a Baptist Church , of Memphis , Tennessee , who merely lauded himself as a successful promoter of his Church . The next speaker bewailed the difficulties he encountered in

convincing people about the "wickedness of Freemasonry and other secret societies . " " Clergymou do not care to utter their true convictions on tho matter of secret

societies , because a large part of their salaries is paid by fraternities , and papers do not dare to oppose these societies , because they would be boycotted throughout tho land , " and he continued with similar senseless rant .

Mr . H . L . Kellogg , editor of the anti-Masonic paper at Chicago , called the Christian Cynosure , was the next speaker . He dwelt upon the Irish order of tho Clan-na-Gnel , and gave a sketch of its origin aud former power , & 3 .

The Rev . L . A . Frink's Church , in West Boylston , is located in a building wherein a Masonic Lodge also holds i ts . meetings . This > rev . gentleman seems to be afraid that the-nearness of his Church , tp . the Lodge migb . fe , tempt , him