The Freeman's Journal And The Grand Lodge Of Ireland.

lished in 1776 , and it was not till the year following that Weishaupt was made a Mason in tho Lodge " Theodore of Good Counsel , " Munich , while Zwackb , his principal coadjutor , was made a year later in a Lodge at Augsburg . It was after this that tho Illuminati endeavoured to effect a union

with Freemasonry in order to mako tho latter subserve its interests . The order is long since dead , but that the foregoing description of its purposes is accurate may he gathered from the following , which is quoted by Findol . The purpose of the Order was " to make the perfecting of

the reasoning powers interesting to mankind , to spread the knowledge of sentiments both humane and social , to check wicked inclinations , to stand up for suffering and oppressed virtue against all wrong , to promote the advancement of men of merit , and in every way to facilitate the

acquirement of knowledge and science . " How visionary soever these objects may be considered by practical men , there is certainly nothing in this statement to warrant the word " infamous " to tho now defunct Order . Further , it will

bo seen that the founder of these Illuminati did not go forth from a French Masonic Lodge " to teach and corrupt " mankind . He was a professor of law at a German University , who was not even a Freemason when he set about his self-imposed task of denouncing immorality .

As regards tho further statement that " it was from French Freemasonry that the Commune received its instructions , and it was the encouragement of the Lodges of the Grand Orient that urged the savage pctroleuses to their diabolical excesses , " whatever faults may be laid at the

door of French Masonry , wo know there is not the slightest foundation for this diabolical assertion of our contemporary . We believe that one of the leading Communists , a certain Felix Pyat , was for some brief period of his life connected with a Masonic Lodge , but wo should no more dream , on

this account , of charging French Freemasons with the crimes of which the Commune was guilty than we should of cursing Christianity for the excesses of a Caesar Borgia , or

the foul deeds of the Inquisition . We have too much respect for French Freemasons as men to say more than this in their defence ; but duty requires that we should say no less .

The Freeman ' s Journal then passes to tho question whether the Grand Lodge will be content with severing its connection with the Grand Orient , and suggests that , in order to preserve tho stream of Irish Freemasonry pure and

untainted , it should go still further , and cut off all intercourse with other Masonic bodies who do not follow in its wake . It asks— " Are the Freemasons of Italy—with all their associated branches—to be esteemed and received as

brothers in Ireland whilst those of France are cut off from all social intercourse ? Yet , the hideous infidelity of the Orient of France , gross and disgusting as it is , is vastly surpassed by the atheistic principles and practices of the Lodges in the Italian Kingdom . Will a German brother ,

who comes here with his grip and his password from one of the Lodges of Frankfort or Berlin , where the very atmosphere reeks Avith the abominations of a Godless

Rationalism , be welcomed with open arms , whilst the mystic manipulations of a possible Grand Master from the Orient of France are to be treated as anathema ? Nay , is a brother from Molesworth-street to sit down under the

'tile of a Lodge m London with a brother from the Grand Orient of France , who is a ' free and accepted ' of brethren in England ? " We are not in the confidence of the Grand Lodge of Ireland and cannot , therefore , describe its future policy . This much , however , we may take upon

ourselves to say , that when the Grand Orient of Italy solemnly retires from its Constitution the fundamental principle of belief in God , then we feel assured the Grand Lodge of Ireland will adopt the same policy as it has towards the Grand Orient of France , and forbid all

intercourse with the Italian Grand Orient and its subordinate Lodges . Let the Freeman ' s Journal prove that atheism is accepted of Italian Freemasonry , and wo should say the intercourse with its followers would be stopped forthwith . As to Germany , or , at least , a part of it , it may or may not

be , that the very atmosphere of Berlin and Frankfort " reeks with the abominations of a Godless Rationalism , " hot it does not seem to us that this is a matter of serious moment to the Grand Lodge of Ireland which does not , so

tar as our knowledge goes , interchange representatives with the " atmosphere" of those two cities , but with the Grand Lodges there established . This , it will be seen , is a very important point . The atmosphere of London is at times a most objectionable one , and in places is always redolent of

The Freeman's Journal And The Grand Lodge Of Ireland.

the most offensive smells ; but though this may seriously effect tho bronchial tubes or the nasal organs of the London brethren , we are not awaro tho correctness of London Freemasonry has ever been seriously called in question .

So in Berlin and Frankfort the atmosphere of those cities may " reek with tho abominations of a Godless Rationalism , " but we fail to see in what respect that affects the virtue of Berlin and Fraukfort Freemasonry . It will ho time enoncli when wo hear that the Berlin and Frankfort

Grand Lodges profess a " Godless Rationalism , " as tho basis of their Masonic faith , to denounce their conduct and declino all intercourse . Meantime , we may assure our Dublin contemporary that one of the three Berlin Grand Lodges is so far un-Masonie as to pride itself on its

exclusion of members of the Jewish faith . This , however , though contrary to the true principles of Masonry , should be considered as a virtue rather than a vice in the eyes of extreme Romanists . As regards our Grand Lodge in London , it is long since there was any intercourse botween it and tho Grand Orient of France . We do not know ,

therefore , that it will be necessary to take any steps to denounce a body with which we aro not connected , either officially or unofficially . If any resolution should be proposed condemnatory of the action of tho French Grand Orient , we have no hesitation in saying that it

ought to , and we do not doubt but it will , be unanimously supported by the English Craft in Grand Lodge assembled . The Mother of Freemasonry will do well to vindicate the purity of its principles ; but if there bo a way of admitting into both English and Irish Lodges those French Masons

who still continue to believe that faith in the existence of a Supreme Creator of all things is of the essence of Freemasonry , we say , let one be found . It may be this will turn out to be impossible ; at all events , we have no reason to suppose that the United Grand Lodge of England will

be behind its sister Grand Lodges in resenting the latest and most flagrant negation of the principles of Freemasonry . But even in the event of onr Grand Lodge abstaining from any action , seeing that for years and years it has had no intercourse with the Grand Orient at Paris ,

we do not think the fair fame of Irish Masonry will run any risk of pollution , even in the event of an Irish Mason meeting and sitting down with a French Mason " under the ' tile' of a Lodge in London , " any more than the

integrity of Russia or Turkey , who are at war with each other , would be prejudiced if the Russian and Turkish Ambassadors wore both present at a reception by our Foreign Ministers of the Corps Diplomatique .

Had the Freeman ' s Journal been well advised , it would have contented itself with applauding the Grand Lodge in Dublin for the perfect propriety of its conduct towards the Grand Orient in Paris , and not been at the pains of repeating the absurd calumnies against Freemasonry , which have

long since been exploded . As it is , we are naturally reminded of the well known passage in Virgil , " Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes . " We shall distrust any praise which our contemporary may think fit to bestow on English , Irish , or Scotch Freemasonry , in the belief there

will be found lurking behind it some slanderous denunciation of Masonic principles . We trust , however , that whatever may hefal us , we shall bear it with our wonted equananimity . To a Freemason there is nothing new or alarming in finding himself periodically denounced . Not once , but many times

have we been bespattered with tho abuse of our Romanist and other enemies , yet have we survived the successive onslaughts ; and no doubt we shall go on prospering , provided , of course , we maintain our principles intact ; for otherwise wc shall deserve the worst fate our enemies could desire .

The Keystone contains a highly interesting account of a pilgrimage of the Maryland Commandery , No . 1 , to Mount Vernon , some time the residence of the illustrious Bro . Geo . Washington . The party consisted of one hundred and forty-six Sir Knights , and a hundred ladies . Having seen

many interesting relics of the great General , the party turned homewards , and on reaching Washington en route were met by a hnndred Knights of Columbia Commandery

of that city , by whom they were conducted to the Masonic Temple , and there most hospitably entertained . The banquet over , the pilgrim Knights were escorted to the depot , and renewed the journey home .