Catholics And Masonry.

CATHOLICS AND MASONRY .

. "" TlHB following letters have appeared in the " Catholic Times , " I in answer to the letter inserted therein , and reproduced in our columns lasfc week : / SIB , —In your last issue a " London Catholic " complains that he is unable to obtain Catholic literature on the above subject .

I beg to recommend him to peruse Monsignor George P . Dillon ' s lectures which were delivered in Edinburgh in October 1884 , and which are published in book form under the title of " The War of Anti-Christ with the Church and Christian Civilisation . " The book can be had from Messrs . Gill and Son , Dublin ; or Messrs . Burns and Gates , London .

Yours , etc ., WALTEB HAYES . SIB , —Is it not rather that the principal objection of the Papal Bulls against Masonry is on the score of the Continental Craft having a tendency to run towards Atheism , and not so much to the fact of its being a secret society ? In the Foresters , Oddfellows , Druids , and other societies , Catholics abound , yet they all come under the head of " secret " in the sense that they

exclude all outsidors from their ritual . Are they equally condemned with Masonry ? If not , why not ? I cannot see that Catholicism and Masonry are opposed to each other in principle . One deals with the natural or secular , and the other with the supernatural and spiritual . The large number of books published openly regarding the objects , aims , and principles of the

Order do not , so far as I can read , state any opposition , enmity , or antagonism to Catholicism . In fact there seems to be a great affinity between these two forces in humanity—both are Universal , both misunderstood and subject to misrepresentation , and both calumniated by ignorant persons . In fact , the average Protestant is as stupidly prejudiced against Catholicism as the average Catholic is against Masonry .

It seems to mo , however , from intimate acquaintanceship with Catholics , that there is plenty of scope for the exercise of mutual charity and forbearance and brotherly love between Catholics and Masons . If both systems are placed in their proper order and viewed impartially with respect to their aims and principles it is quite clear that there is nothing really at variance between them ; both are in perfect harmony in their due perspectives . And lastly both systems are one in universal tolerance , and by their impregnable

foundation on nature and tradition of necessity vastly more tolerant and less bigoted that sectarians , who build on their own false and shifty assumptions of what individuals think to be truth . Yours , etc ., T . MAY . 40 Spondon Road , Tottenham , Lady Day 1899 .

[ The Masonic Society differs from certain other societies in being oathbound . The Church is opposed to secret oath-bound societies , and common sense teaches that she is rightly opposed to them , for no man should take an oath to obey orders ' that may direct the commission of acts the character of which he does not know at the time of taking the oath . —En . C . T . ]

SIB , — " London Catholic , " if asked by a Freemason to state his reasons for objecting to join the Craft , finds himself unable to offer satisfactory motives for his refusal . Permit me then to inform him what would be my reply to such an invitation . By the grace of God I am a member of that kingdom which the Only Begotten of the Father came down from Heaven to establish upon earth : a kingdom that , if propagated through all nations and through all hearts , would transform this present valley of tears into au earthly paradise . I , as a Catholic , am bound to pray that this may be accomplished .

What has Freemasonry in common with this heavenly kingdom ? Is Freemasonry in opposition to the teaching of the Church ? In a human organisation , exercising such a powerful sway in the modern world , we may , not unreasonably , expect to find a superficial likeness in some respects to the Church , of which it is in reality a rival ; and this likeness I detect first in its

striving after universality , and secondly in its claim to be the promoter of universal brotherhood . But the means adopted by Freemasonry to acquire universality differ altogether from the method of the Church . The latter seeks to include all as active members of Christ ' s kingdom—high and low , rich and poor .

Freemasonry , although it would have all mankind imbued with its principles , which it is specially careful to instil by means of the Press , seeks to enrol in the bonds of actual brotherhood only the rich , or at least the wellto-do citizen . But to the second question , does Freemasonry oppose the Church ' s teaching ? I answer yes , "For many seducers are gone out into the world , who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh . This is a seducer and

an anti-Christ" ( II . St . John , 7 ) . The cardinal principle o ! Freemasonry is that it shall perforce include among its members those " who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh , " as Jews , Mahometans , Parsees , and the like ; and it hesitates not to admit into its highest offices even the pronounced atheist . The Catholic who is unhappily induced to become a Mason is in his Lodge distinctly forbidden to confess that Jesus is God . This prohibition , indeed , according to Masonic principles , is considered to indicate

the existence of a real and true brotherhood . And let "London Catholic " reflect that in becoming a Freemason one does not attach himself to an organization established simply for the furtherance of the common good , for philanthropic purposes , the advancement of science , art , or literary ' pursuits , but that he is required absolutely to throw in-his lot with his colleagues , and bind hjmself by a fearful oath not to disclose any of the secrets of the brotherhood .

" No man can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one and love the other , or he will hold to the one and despise the other . " These words appeal forcibly to the Catholic who is hesitating as to whether he may without sin become a Freemason . Our Blessed Lord , until He shall return in glory , has committed the care of his Church to tho successors of St . Peter , and these , ever watchful for the flock committed to their charae . have alwavs

been mindful of the manifold dangers that lurk in all societies that presume to impose an oath of secrecy . Holy Church teaches us it is not permissible for any man , or any bod y of men , to administer an oath , saving those lawfully entitled to do so as the representatives either of the' ecclesiastical or of the temporal power . "No man can serve two masters . " "London Catholic " cannot serve both the Church of Christ and Masonry . Yours , etc ., Redhill . A . C . S .

Royal Arch.

EOYAL AECH .

— : o : — CHAPTER OF RECTITUDE , No . 581 . THE regular meeting was held at the Mosley Hotel , Manchester , on Thursday , 6 th inst ., Companion Robert Rudman M . E . Z . After the reading and confirmation of minutes , Bros . Elijah Turner J . W . Ardwick Lodge , No . 2185 ; Waltham Forrest , Strangeways Lodge , No . 1219 ; and William Lindop , Chaplain 2185 , were successfully balloted for and afterwards exalted into the degree of the Holy Royal Arch by the M . E . Z ., assisted by Companions T . C . Lilley J ., and W . J . Melling P . Z . P . P . G . D . C .

Resfreshments followed ,, being succeeded in turn by the festive board , where Loyal and Arch toasts were interspersed with songs , & c . There were also present Comps . Walker S . E ., Stokes S . N ., Adshead P . S ., Ostara Assist . S ., Rostron Treas ., Mowbray Org ., Hy . B . Brown P . P . G . A . D . C , J . M . Frost P . Z ., J . C . Brown , S . Andrew , J . E . Chapman , and others . Visitor , Comp . W . Fielding 323 .

PH 1 LBRICK CHAPTER , No . 1662 . A CONVOCATION of this Chapter was held on the Sth inst ., at the Lord Brooke Hotel , Shernall Street , Walthamstow , when Bros . George Savory Fulford and Thomas Tonseth were regularly exalted to the supreme degree . The ceremony was very ably conducted by Comp . William Shurmur M . E . Z .

This being the election meeting according to the bye-laws , the Comps . proceeded to elect their Officers for the following year , with this result Principals D . H . McGowen Z ., James Speller H ., and George Graveley J . James Clark Scribe E ., W . Gower Scribe N ., J . R . Carter P . S ., J . C . Francis

1 st Assist ., Samuel Fortescue 2 nd Assist ., H . J . Hallows Treasurer , Amos Oakden D . of 0 ., George Pizey , F . R . Peck , H . Papworth , and K . Yeoman Stewards , T . J . Maidwell Janitor , the elections in all cases being unanimous . The Companions subsequently dined together and a pleasant evening was spent .

GALLERY CHAPTER , No . 1928 . AT a convocation of this Chapter , held on Saturday , at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet Street , E . G ., the following Principals and Officers for the ensuing year were elected : Comps . J . J . Fretwell M . E . Z ., Orlton Cooper H ., E . A . Peachey J ., Herbert "Wright Scribe E ., the Rev . J . S . Barrass Scribe N ., E . E . Peacock P . Z . Treasurer , George Tarran P . S ., Cornwallis F . H . Smith First Assist ., George H . Ribbons Second Assist ., J . Sheppard Janitor .

It was arranged that each of the Principals should instal his successor , as used formerly to be the case . A Committee was appointed for the purpose of finding other quarters for the Chapter and the Gallery Lodge . There being no further business the Chapter was closed , and the Companions adjourned for refreshment .

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