Should Freemasons Be Sent To Gaol ?

SHOULD FREEMASONS BE SENT TO GAOL ?

IN Our Bay for August , tbe Rev . Dr . Joseph Cook takes up his parable against Freemasonry , and maintains that membera of that Order should be excluded from Church fellowship , should be fined for tho administration of illegal oaths , aud , in case of contumacy , should be sent

to gaol . It is very interesting to discover the recrudescence of the hostility to Freemasons which characterises the Church of Rome in the free Republic of the West , and in tho mind of one who is a fanatical enemy of Papistry . In fact , Dr . Cook seems to have arrived at his conclusions

abont Freemasonry by the necessity of logical consistency . Tho real objects of hia detestation aro the Jesuits , who aro a secret association bound together by oath , and who , he maintains ou that account , ought to be put outside the pale of citizenship . He was , however , immediately

confronted by the dilemma that Freemasons are also members of a secret Order , bonnd by oath . He must either excommunicato Freemasons or abandon his chief piece of artillery against the Jesuits ' . Dr . Cook did not hesitate for a moment . He goes against both . He insists that there is

no place in a modern State for secret societies bound by oaths , and , oddly enough , he discovers in the laws of the State of Vermont a legislative weapon which affords a precedent for tho law by which ho proposes to banish Freemasonry from America .

Vormont puts n penalty of 50 dols . to 200 dols . upon every secret oath not authorised by pnblio law . Hore is the red thread in the centre of the cordage . Put an end to sooret oaths , and you put an end to all societies founded upon them . Vermont has made secret oaths , not provided for by her statutes , illegal and punishable by fine , aud so has legally uprooted all societies founded upon such oaths .

The origin of this legislation appears to have been the popular distrust of Freemasonry . The law has not remaiued a dead letter . Dr . Cooko says : — Vermont repealed the charter of one of these Graud Lodges . She

took away from each Chapter of that State all power to hold proparty . Tho law was nimnd at Freemasonry as WHII us r . b other organisations , and aimed chiefly nt Freemasonry in 1833 . That law , if carried ont everywhere , wonld sweep Freemasonry oufc of this country .

When challenged to define what ho means by an order bound by a secret oath , Dr . Cook replies : — I menu by a disloyal secret oath , an oath that is not authorised by

the public law or that tramples on the authority of the State or of the Chnroh , or of both together . I maintain that a secret oath of that sort ought to be illegal , and ought to be regarded by the Church as reprehensible .

He decides that no one who is bound by such oaths can be admitted to church fellowship , and so far is this from being his own private opinion alone * that he is able to publish the following list : — The following denominations aro committed by vote -of their

legislative assemblies , or by constitution to the exclusion of Freemasons from Chnroh membership : United Presbyterians , Unito . Brethren , Seventh-Day Adventists , Christian Reformed Church , Primitive Baptists , Seventh-Day Baptists , Scandinavian Baptists , German Baptists or Dnnkers , Friends , Norwegian Lutherans , Danish

Lutherans , Swedish Lutherans , German Lutherans of Synodioal Conference and General Council , Mennonites , Moravians , Plymouth Brethren , Associate Presbyterians , Reformed Presbyterians , Free Methodists , Wesleyan Methodists , Hollanders of the Reformed Church , and various State and local association ..

It will bo interesting to see how long we shall have to wait before Dr . Cook ' s anathema against the Freemasons is extended to this side of thc Atlantic . —Eeview of Eeviews .

Au interesting fraternal visit of Freemasons to Dublin is at present on the tapis . The Worshipful Master of St . Nicholas' Lodge ( Bro . W . Charlton jun . ) , has accepted an invitation from the Worshipful Master and

brethren of the Lodge of Israel , No . 126 , Dublin , to visit their Lodge , and arrangements are now being made to pay the visit at tho time of tho next meeting of the Dnblin Lodge , and it is anticipated that a largo number will avail themselves of this opportunity .

Monday , the 5 th October , has been appointed for tho reception of Works of Art intended for tho Autumn Exhibition ( thc Twenty-fifth ) , of the 19 th Century Art Society , at tho Conduit Street Galleries .

Education And Freemasonry.

EDUCATION AND FREEMASONRY .

IN a discourse on Christian education , recently delivered in the Pro-Cathedral , Liverpool ( England ) , the Very Rev . Dr . Keane , O . P ., said : — Amongst some of the wickedest attempts to overthrow God and His Chnrch have been those of the Masonio sects . There was in 1890 a circular issuedworded with diabolical ingenuity , from

, the central authority of the Freemasons , which ' was sent to each of its branches , a repetition of the fell purposes for which that body waa originated . It was a declaration to the effect that every means possible should be used to emancipate children and others from the slavery and teaching of the Catholic Church . It was the only

Church they hated because it was Christian . Freemasonry encouraged rationalism and agnosticism in the belief that it wonld exalt humanity and that it would also realise on earth some of the dreams of the hereafter . Tbey as Catholics could alone hope to realise the promises of the hereafter by drawing their inspiration

from God and His Church . Since the year 1870 the Freemason of Italy had used their diabolical agencies to such an extent as to possess the majority of the schools , together with the funds and grants , and the free hand of the Government . Now tbo children are being educated withont the fear of God and a disrespect for

everything holy . Besides all this , there has come over the people of that fair land of Italy a marked change for the worse . If tha theory that suicide is to be traced through unhappiness , then Italy

has had a very large share of social bitterness . Statistical returns recently published since the overthrow of Christian supremacy in the Italian States to the year 1884 showed a very lamentable state of affairs . The total number of suoides in 1871 was 836 : 1872 , 890

1873 , 957 ; 1874 , 1015 ; 1875 , 1022 ; 1876 , 1024 ; 1877 , 1139 ; 1878 , 1158 ; 1879 , 1225 ; 1880 , 1261 ; 1881 , 1343 ; 1882 , 1389 ; 1883 , 1456 ;

1884 , 1970 . The figures for the remaining years were not at present attainable , but judging by the years already given , would no doubt show a still larger increase in the number of deaths by suicide . That dark blight on the nation was due to the fierce conflict between wicked men and the Church of Christ . Thus was the dream of the Masonio hereafter realising itself here on earth ! Bnt where

was that happiness to which they aspired to ? Was it in the over , throw of Christian teaching from the schools of Italy ? Or was their happiness completed in disseminating pernicious theories of atheism and materialiam ! Look again at the drastic effects whioh had been wrought by Freemasonry . In the year 1888 there were 2574 murderers tried and condemned , while for the whole of

England , Ireland and Scotland—whioh thank God , was not yet given over to the fatal influence of Freemasonry—there were only 109 sentenced to death . Did it not show , then , that it was better to train their children to love and fear God than to give them the risk of growing np careless and indifferent to the mercy of their Creator and the awful punishment of the hereafter ?

Bro . Thomas Clarke , Ex-Sheriff London and Middlesex , ofthe Alliance Lodge , to which so many members of the Corporation of London belong , wns , on Tuesday , appointed by Her Majesty to the Honorary Colonelcy of the 4 th V . B . Essex Regiment , commanded by Bra . Co ' . T . Davies

Sewell P . M . P . G . Steward England

Much interest is manifested in tho Wesb of England in the approaching marriage of Lady Albortba Edgcumbe , daughter of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , and Mr . Henry Yarde Bailer Lopes , son of Sir Massey Lopes , Bart ., of Maristow , which is fixed to tako place on the 10 th of October next . A number of leading inhabitants

of Stonehouse recently met pud resolved , in consideration of the kindly services rendered to the district , and especially to the poor , by the ladies at Mount-Edgcumbe , to open _ subscription , with the view of presenting a marriage gift to Lady Albertha . The project was taken up moat cordially , and a considerable sum was subscribed at the gathering . —Daily Graphic .

The fnneral of the late Bro . Councillor Stephen Cheaters , who died on Saturday , the 12 th inst ., took place in the prettily situated churchyard at Davenham , near Northwich , on the 15 th inst ., in the presence of a large number of friends from Manchester . At Northwich the funeral party were met by many of the deceased ' s late

constituents and friends , who had come on by train , including a number of brethren of the Ardwick Lodge , of whioh the deceased was a prominent member . The coffin was covered with floral tributes of affection and respect , one beautiful wreath coming from the Ardwick Conservative Club , and another from the Ardwick Lodge .

The North Marine Road Cricket Ground , Scarborough , was the scene of a highly interesting cricket match on the 10 th inst ., by whioh over £ 55 ( after paying expenses ) wero raised for the funds of the new hospital . The players wero membors of the various Masonio Lodges in tho town , and all wore tall hats and braces . The Mayoress of Scarborough ( Mrs . Darley ) issued a number of invitations to after .

noon tea , whioh was served in two large marquees that had been specially erected on the ground for the accommodation of the gnests . The most brilliant sunshine and a string band helped to make the scene a bright and lively one . Dr . J . Taylor and Sir George Sitwell opened the innings . Sir Charles Legard and the Mayer acted aa umpires .