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Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article THE POPE AND THE FREEMASONS. Page 1 of 1 Article THE POPE AND THE FREEMASONS. Page 1 of 1 Article A MASONIC ALPHABET. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
JTe do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
OUTSIDE TITLES IN FREEMASONRY
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHKOX . CLF .. DEAR SIU AND BROTHER , —Yonr last issne contains somo remarks on a subject whereon I differ from those around me , bnfc I appear to have your support , and I hope the insertion of my letter following yonr own observations may have the effect of setting matters right
between the older brethren of my Lodge and some of its younger members—at the head of whom I , the Inner Guard , apprar to stand . I must first tell you we are frequently honoured with visits from brethren of distinction , thafc is to say distinction outside Masonry , more particularly than Masonio , for soma of our visitors were
initiated yea ^ s after me , aud I am only a " youngster , as our Pa _ t Masters have it . Well , I have to announce these visitors , and here comes tho rub . I , as a Mason , havo been tanght tho lesson of equality , ancl I try to practise it . When Captain So-and-So , or Major This or Colonel That desires admittance I drop the " Captain , "
" Major , " "Colonel , " or what not , and simply use that de . ir term of equality—Brother . This is sacrilege I may tell you , and I could hardly describe all the evils that are predicted as coming fast npon m * were ifc not that I treat tho matter somewhat in the Form of a joke . As a youngster I liko talking and arguing with my elders
and this ha . hitherto supplied me and them with a " subject Cor disca-s ' on ?" Now , Brother Editor , I want to know what is right for mo to do ? I do not wish to act contrary to what is proper , nor do I wish to be advised to give in to my elders j indeed , I do not believe they wish
that , only they cannot ask any one ' s opinion—they are all so capable of forming one for themselves . If it is right to bring naval or military titles into Masonry , I cannot see why you should object to the Churchwardens , Town Councillors or Vestrymen being so described , and if neither of us are right I fail to see where the
equality comes in we hear so much about . " Rank is but the guinea stamp , the man himself ' s the gold , " is my idea of the basis on which equality should be preached . The nobleman outside is a nobleman in Masonry only so long as he acts up to tho noble principles of
the Craft , and , although ifc may be the practice with some to show their knowledge of mundane affairs within the Lodge , I consider they prove by doing so , as you say , that they have not made themselves masters of tho lesson to be learned within .
If it is right to use the titles to which you and I have referred I would go further , and say it would be correct to call a Mason Bro . Tallow-Chandler Brown , Bro . Cheesemonger Jones , or Bro . Butcher Robinson ; and if nofc , why not ? Trusting you will excuse the frivolity of my remarks , and that yonr readers will also be charitable to a Junior . I remain , yours , & o . I . G .
P . S . —I have refrained from referring to the title "Reverend . " Here , I confess , I givo in , and in thus showing my inconsistency I may perhaps prove I am wholly wrong .
The Pope And The Freemasons.
THE POPE AND THE FREEMASONS .
AN Encyclical letter from the Pope to fche Bavarian Bishops , in which His Holiness bans Freemasonry , has called forth , from the Cologne Gazette , a leading paper
m Germany , the following rejoinder , which we reproduce , as being interesting to members of the Mystic Craffc : — The present Pope has already , on several occasions , in imitation of his predecessor , given expression to most outspoken and denunciatory opinions on fche subject of Freemasonry . Like Pio Nono , he believes
that Masonry is inimical to all religion , and , in particular , that it seduces yonng men into impious ways . Snch a condemnation , iu the very face of what is actually the case , is to be explained only from a confusion with Freemasonry of other secret Brotherhoods that have
sprang up exclusively on Italian soil , and whioh are possible only there . To represent Freemasoury as hostile to all religion and civil order is both illusory and nonsensical , and the Pope , in his recent letter to the Bishops of Bavaria , was misled into the spreading abroad of thia delusion . This is how he characterises Freemasonry : —
"Further , worthy brothers , set much stress upon carefully guarding your flocks from fche danger fchafc threatens from the side of Freemasonry . The insidious wiles and artifices of this Society , which works in darkness , which is full of all guile , and extremely dangerous to the State , were fully laid before you on another occasion in a special
Encyclical , when fche ways and means of combating its influence successfully were pointed out . However , it can never be vain to exhort Christians to abstain from any connection with this mass of crime , for , though the Society from the first conceived a deep hatred against the Catholic Church , has hardened itself in this respect , and
kept the flame of its spite burning , yet it does not always practise its hostility openly , but moro frequently acts with underhand cunning . Above all it may , in most regrettable fashion , lead astray inexperienced and untutored youth , under the guise of p ious and benevolent intention . " Suoh utteranaces should nofc be taken seriously . Inexperienced youth . 11 Germany has no sort of admission to Freemasonry , and to repre-
The Pope And The Freemasons.
sent a brotherhood thafc has the Germun Emperor , his son the Crown Prince , and pretty much all the heads of noble houses in the number of its adherents , as especially dangerous to the State , can impose on no one . It is , besides , well known that in the first decades of the present century the best part of the Catholic clergy was numerously
represented in the Craft , which is notoriously of pronouncedly Christian origin , and has the chief saint of the Catholic Church , John the Baptist , for patron saint . Even after Masonry incurred the hatred of Popes , and that because it incurred the hatred of the Jesuit Order , an endeavour was put forth—and that not unattended with
success- —to raise Christ ' s foster father to the place of the Baptist , while , in the oldest and most important Church prayers , for example in the Confiteor , St . John occupies the place of honour next after the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Michael , and Joseph is not oven mentioned , whose recently-acquired precedence indicates a
noteworthy success of the "Redemptionists , " who , in the mouth of the people are often called " Joseph ' s Brethren . " To the best of our belief there does nofc exist , even fco the present day , any formal binding prohibition against joining Freemasonry , and ib is very questionable whether in Catholic opinion ( in the strict sense of the term )
to be a Freemason is in itself sinful , although it is undoubtedly looked upon ns dangerous . Ib can hardly then be regarded as mere accident , in view of the repeated calumniations of which the Craft has recently been the butt , that Emperor William , in a recent communication to the Rostock Lodge , declared that " Freemasonry is partiou .
larly fitted , not only to educate its members to true religions feelings , to the joyful performance of the dnti . s laid upon them towards their family , their profession , and their other public nnd social relationships , really to benefit them by sustained self-improvement ; but also to assist very materially the collective interests of humanity . " Every
educated man knows that our Emperor and his son fill the highest positions in the Craft , and we think it would have been becoming if , in view of this , in the as a whole somawhat enigmatical
communication to the Bavarian Bishops , the insipidity—to use the mildest term —had been avoided of describing Freemasonry as dangerous to the State . Such nonsense cannot possibly have much prospect of attaining ifcs end .
A Masonic Alphabet.
A MASONIC ALPHABET .
XIX . — " SECRECY . " The thoughtful housewife in her thrifty cares , To keep supplied with bread her household need ; Briskly and deftly for the task prepares , And takes of flour and water perfect meed .
Down in the silky depths the yeast is laid , To work in silence , and unseen , its way , Till by its power the snowy mass is made Of airy lightness ' gainst the coming day .
And so should Masons do the good they can , Without parade , and ostentatious show ; But , like the leaven , bless their fellow man In " Secrecy , " which but recipients know .
XX . — " TEMPERANCE . " The noble horse prefers the spring Of pure and wholesome water To any sparkling wine you bring
Though from renowned quarter . And e ' en from that , when thirst is o ' er It loses all its sweetness , He turns aside—will drink no more , " Enough ! " ensures completeness .
Our appetites should be controll'd , No matter what their founding ; The body ' s health we should uphold , Not by excess confounding .
The tongue and heart should be restrained , Lest they may bring disaster ; Ambition curbed—the passions chained And " Temperance " will master . WM . H . OBE , G . B .
The General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys held its monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Saturday , the 4 th insfcanfc . Bro . Edgar Bowyer P . G . Standard Bearer occupied the chair . He was supported
by Bros . S . Richardson , Rev . R . Morris , M . A ., LL . D ., J . Larkin , Raynham "W . Stewart P . G . D , J . L . Mather Assist . G . Dir . of Cers ., George Motion , F . Adlard , F . W . Ramsay , Dudley Rolls , G . Corbie , H . Venn , J . Moon , T . Griffiths ,
R . J . Tucker , A . R . Motion , James Motion , W . Maple , J . Lee Dale , H . J . Giller , J . S . Cumberland , Geo . P . Gillard , F . Binckes P . G . S . B . ( Secretary ) , & o . After the minutes of lasfc meeting had been read and confirmed , those of the
House Committee -were read for information , while the report of the Audit Committee was read and approved . Petitions on behalf of two boys were considered and
approved , and the names ordered to be entered on the list of candidates for the election in October . Three applications for grants towards outfit were favourably entertained . Some discussion arose in reference to the action of the House Committee in dealing with a pupil who had misconducted himself , and as a result a series of notices of
motion was handed in for future consideration . After a vote of thanks to the Chairman the Committee adjonrned .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
JTe do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
OUTSIDE TITLES IN FREEMASONRY
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHKOX . CLF .. DEAR SIU AND BROTHER , —Yonr last issne contains somo remarks on a subject whereon I differ from those around me , bnfc I appear to have your support , and I hope the insertion of my letter following yonr own observations may have the effect of setting matters right
between the older brethren of my Lodge and some of its younger members—at the head of whom I , the Inner Guard , apprar to stand . I must first tell you we are frequently honoured with visits from brethren of distinction , thafc is to say distinction outside Masonry , more particularly than Masonio , for soma of our visitors were
initiated yea ^ s after me , aud I am only a " youngster , as our Pa _ t Masters have it . Well , I have to announce these visitors , and here comes tho rub . I , as a Mason , havo been tanght tho lesson of equality , ancl I try to practise it . When Captain So-and-So , or Major This or Colonel That desires admittance I drop the " Captain , "
" Major , " "Colonel , " or what not , and simply use that de . ir term of equality—Brother . This is sacrilege I may tell you , and I could hardly describe all the evils that are predicted as coming fast npon m * were ifc not that I treat tho matter somewhat in the Form of a joke . As a youngster I liko talking and arguing with my elders
and this ha . hitherto supplied me and them with a " subject Cor disca-s ' on ?" Now , Brother Editor , I want to know what is right for mo to do ? I do not wish to act contrary to what is proper , nor do I wish to be advised to give in to my elders j indeed , I do not believe they wish
that , only they cannot ask any one ' s opinion—they are all so capable of forming one for themselves . If it is right to bring naval or military titles into Masonry , I cannot see why you should object to the Churchwardens , Town Councillors or Vestrymen being so described , and if neither of us are right I fail to see where the
equality comes in we hear so much about . " Rank is but the guinea stamp , the man himself ' s the gold , " is my idea of the basis on which equality should be preached . The nobleman outside is a nobleman in Masonry only so long as he acts up to tho noble principles of
the Craft , and , although ifc may be the practice with some to show their knowledge of mundane affairs within the Lodge , I consider they prove by doing so , as you say , that they have not made themselves masters of tho lesson to be learned within .
If it is right to use the titles to which you and I have referred I would go further , and say it would be correct to call a Mason Bro . Tallow-Chandler Brown , Bro . Cheesemonger Jones , or Bro . Butcher Robinson ; and if nofc , why not ? Trusting you will excuse the frivolity of my remarks , and that yonr readers will also be charitable to a Junior . I remain , yours , & o . I . G .
P . S . —I have refrained from referring to the title "Reverend . " Here , I confess , I givo in , and in thus showing my inconsistency I may perhaps prove I am wholly wrong .
The Pope And The Freemasons.
THE POPE AND THE FREEMASONS .
AN Encyclical letter from the Pope to fche Bavarian Bishops , in which His Holiness bans Freemasonry , has called forth , from the Cologne Gazette , a leading paper
m Germany , the following rejoinder , which we reproduce , as being interesting to members of the Mystic Craffc : — The present Pope has already , on several occasions , in imitation of his predecessor , given expression to most outspoken and denunciatory opinions on fche subject of Freemasonry . Like Pio Nono , he believes
that Masonry is inimical to all religion , and , in particular , that it seduces yonng men into impious ways . Snch a condemnation , iu the very face of what is actually the case , is to be explained only from a confusion with Freemasonry of other secret Brotherhoods that have
sprang up exclusively on Italian soil , and whioh are possible only there . To represent Freemasoury as hostile to all religion and civil order is both illusory and nonsensical , and the Pope , in his recent letter to the Bishops of Bavaria , was misled into the spreading abroad of thia delusion . This is how he characterises Freemasonry : —
"Further , worthy brothers , set much stress upon carefully guarding your flocks from fche danger fchafc threatens from the side of Freemasonry . The insidious wiles and artifices of this Society , which works in darkness , which is full of all guile , and extremely dangerous to the State , were fully laid before you on another occasion in a special
Encyclical , when fche ways and means of combating its influence successfully were pointed out . However , it can never be vain to exhort Christians to abstain from any connection with this mass of crime , for , though the Society from the first conceived a deep hatred against the Catholic Church , has hardened itself in this respect , and
kept the flame of its spite burning , yet it does not always practise its hostility openly , but moro frequently acts with underhand cunning . Above all it may , in most regrettable fashion , lead astray inexperienced and untutored youth , under the guise of p ious and benevolent intention . " Suoh utteranaces should nofc be taken seriously . Inexperienced youth . 11 Germany has no sort of admission to Freemasonry , and to repre-
The Pope And The Freemasons.
sent a brotherhood thafc has the Germun Emperor , his son the Crown Prince , and pretty much all the heads of noble houses in the number of its adherents , as especially dangerous to the State , can impose on no one . It is , besides , well known that in the first decades of the present century the best part of the Catholic clergy was numerously
represented in the Craft , which is notoriously of pronouncedly Christian origin , and has the chief saint of the Catholic Church , John the Baptist , for patron saint . Even after Masonry incurred the hatred of Popes , and that because it incurred the hatred of the Jesuit Order , an endeavour was put forth—and that not unattended with
success- —to raise Christ ' s foster father to the place of the Baptist , while , in the oldest and most important Church prayers , for example in the Confiteor , St . John occupies the place of honour next after the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Michael , and Joseph is not oven mentioned , whose recently-acquired precedence indicates a
noteworthy success of the "Redemptionists , " who , in the mouth of the people are often called " Joseph ' s Brethren . " To the best of our belief there does nofc exist , even fco the present day , any formal binding prohibition against joining Freemasonry , and ib is very questionable whether in Catholic opinion ( in the strict sense of the term )
to be a Freemason is in itself sinful , although it is undoubtedly looked upon ns dangerous . Ib can hardly then be regarded as mere accident , in view of the repeated calumniations of which the Craft has recently been the butt , that Emperor William , in a recent communication to the Rostock Lodge , declared that " Freemasonry is partiou .
larly fitted , not only to educate its members to true religions feelings , to the joyful performance of the dnti . s laid upon them towards their family , their profession , and their other public nnd social relationships , really to benefit them by sustained self-improvement ; but also to assist very materially the collective interests of humanity . " Every
educated man knows that our Emperor and his son fill the highest positions in the Craft , and we think it would have been becoming if , in view of this , in the as a whole somawhat enigmatical
communication to the Bavarian Bishops , the insipidity—to use the mildest term —had been avoided of describing Freemasonry as dangerous to the State . Such nonsense cannot possibly have much prospect of attaining ifcs end .
A Masonic Alphabet.
A MASONIC ALPHABET .
XIX . — " SECRECY . " The thoughtful housewife in her thrifty cares , To keep supplied with bread her household need ; Briskly and deftly for the task prepares , And takes of flour and water perfect meed .
Down in the silky depths the yeast is laid , To work in silence , and unseen , its way , Till by its power the snowy mass is made Of airy lightness ' gainst the coming day .
And so should Masons do the good they can , Without parade , and ostentatious show ; But , like the leaven , bless their fellow man In " Secrecy , " which but recipients know .
XX . — " TEMPERANCE . " The noble horse prefers the spring Of pure and wholesome water To any sparkling wine you bring
Though from renowned quarter . And e ' en from that , when thirst is o ' er It loses all its sweetness , He turns aside—will drink no more , " Enough ! " ensures completeness .
Our appetites should be controll'd , No matter what their founding ; The body ' s health we should uphold , Not by excess confounding .
The tongue and heart should be restrained , Lest they may bring disaster ; Ambition curbed—the passions chained And " Temperance " will master . WM . H . OBE , G . B .
The General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys held its monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Saturday , the 4 th insfcanfc . Bro . Edgar Bowyer P . G . Standard Bearer occupied the chair . He was supported
by Bros . S . Richardson , Rev . R . Morris , M . A ., LL . D ., J . Larkin , Raynham "W . Stewart P . G . D , J . L . Mather Assist . G . Dir . of Cers ., George Motion , F . Adlard , F . W . Ramsay , Dudley Rolls , G . Corbie , H . Venn , J . Moon , T . Griffiths ,
R . J . Tucker , A . R . Motion , James Motion , W . Maple , J . Lee Dale , H . J . Giller , J . S . Cumberland , Geo . P . Gillard , F . Binckes P . G . S . B . ( Secretary ) , & o . After the minutes of lasfc meeting had been read and confirmed , those of the
House Committee -were read for information , while the report of the Audit Committee was read and approved . Petitions on behalf of two boys were considered and
approved , and the names ordered to be entered on the list of candidates for the election in October . Three applications for grants towards outfit were favourably entertained . Some discussion arose in reference to the action of the House Committee in dealing with a pupil who had misconducted himself , and as a result a series of notices of
motion was handed in for future consideration . After a vote of thanks to the Chairman the Committee adjonrned .