Catholics And Freemasonry.

CATHOLICS AND FREEMASONRY .

np HE following additional letters on this subject are extracted JL from the " Catholic Times : " SIB , —One might suppose thafc your correspondent " T . May " w , from the expressions ol which he makes use , Ynniseli a Freemason . However tbat may be , in reply to him I may state that all secret societies , Druids , Oddfellows , or whatever they may entitle themselves , are condemned by the Church . Leo XIII ., in his Encyclical , "Humanum Genus , " states : "There

are several organised bodies , which though differing in name , in ceremonial , in form , and origin , arc nevertheless so bound together by community of purpose and by the similarity of their main opinions , as to make in fact one thing with thc Freemasons , which is a kind of centre whence they all go forth , and whither they all return . Now , these no longer show a desire to remain concealed ; for they hold their meetings in the daylight and

before the public eyo , and publish their own newspaper organs ; and yet , when thoroughly understood , they are found still to retain the nature and tho habits of secret societies . There are many things like mysteries which it is the fixed rule to hide with extreme care , not only from strangers , but from very many members also ; such as their secret and final designs , the names of the chief leaders , and certain secret and inner meetings , as well as their decisions and the ways and means of carrying them out . "

If in these " societies Catholics abound , " they do so afc their peril . The statement thafc " between both systems "—i . e ., the Church of God and Freemasonry , whioh she condemns— " there in nothing really at variance" is manifestly absurd . In " The Old Constitutions " ( ed . 1871 , p . 68 ) will be found : "We being only , as Masons of the Catholick Religion above mentioned . " Now what is this Oatholick Religion above mentioned ? This

is found , on page 63 , to be " that religion in which all men agree , leaving thoir particular opinions to themselves ; that is to be good men and true , or men of Honour and Honesty , by whatever Denominations or Persuasions they may be distinguished . " This is nothing loss than tho negation of a supernatural religion aud therefore " afc variance" with Catholicism .

In . your issue of tho l _ th April , in a letter signed " G . F . R . " occur the following words : " The best remedy would be the removal of the ban put upon the society by the Church . " Does " G . F . R . " then , presume to teach the Holy Father his duty ?

Yours , & c , A . M . SIR , —English Freemasonry is not quite so harmless an institution as one or two of your correspondents would seem to imagine . Granting that the Craft in Great Britain and Ireland have not the irreligious aims which have gained such unenviable notoriety for their Brethren on the Continent of Europe , there is still enough in the principles of the society to justify the hostility of Catholics towards it .

As a secrefc , oath-bound organisation it falls under the condemnation of the Church , and accordingly no Catholic worthy of the name can conscientiously become or remain a member of the Fraternity . Masonry makes profession of some invertebrate kind of religion , bufc certainly not of Christianity , as may bo seen from ifcs Constitutions . In a copy I have before me of the Constitutions of the Ancient Fraternity

of Free and Accepted Masons , printed in 185 S by tho authority of the United Grand Lodge of England , it is laid down in the firsfc chapter : " Let a man's religion or mode of worship be what it may , he is not excluded from the Order provided ho believe in the glorious architect of heaven and earth and practice the sacred duties of morality . Masons unite wifch the virtuous of every persuasion in the firm and pleasing bond ot fraternal love , & c . "

What the fundamental principle leads to is not , perhaps , so apparent in a Christian country , but we see how it works where the society is established among a non-Christian people , in India , for example . In that country this quasi-religious association admits to fellowshi p Parsees , Hindoos , and Mahommedans , is fact misbelievers of any sect , and amongst the Officers of

the ( jrand Lodge of all Scottish Freemasonry in India , of which the present Grand Master is Lord Sandhurst , Governor of Bombay , are to be found with the Grand Bible Bearer the Grand Zendavesta Bearer , tbe Grand Koran Staler , and the Grand Gita Bearer , which may be taken as implying that tbe sacred books of tbe Parsees , Mahommedans , and Hindoos are placed by Masons on an equal footing with the Christian Scriptures .

And in the Bombay "Times of India , " received by last mail , I find a lengthy account of the " consecration " of a new Masonic " Temple " in the city a few weeks ago , the function being attended by non-Christian as well as Christian members of the Craft , some of fche former taking an official part in the ceremony of " consecration . " May we not conclude from these facts that Masonry holds one religion to be just as good as another ?—which is

pushing toleration to limits a Catholic cannot approve . This indifference to creeds and " modes of worship , " which makes no distinction between Christian , Parsee , Mussulman , Hindoo , or what you will , may be edifying in the eyes of members of tho " Order , " but for us Catholics it is a sufficient ground , even if there were no other ( and there are many others ) , on which to condemn and carefully shun the fraternity .

Yours , & c , A CATHOLIC LAYMAN . SIM , —In response to " G . F . B . ' s " desire " to read tie opinions oi other Catholics on Masonry , " may I offer my experiences and deductions?—and let it be distinctly understood that I do not generalise from an individual case ; it is only my own personal experiences that I narrate .

Some dozen years ago , being of an inquisitive turn of mind , and having been educated ia the idea that Freemasons were , metaphorically speaking , possessed of horns and cloven feefc , I resolved to join a Lodge and find out the facts for myself . A dear friend of mine , a priest , remonstrated with me very gravely , but I replied : "I am well aware that the Church condemns Freemasonry : I want to know the reason why . I promise you that if I

find anything anti-Catholic or immoral about it I shall immediately give it up . " I am not defending this view of tho matter : I am merely stating a fact . I suppose it must be called a species of intellectual pride that actuated me . I remained a member for about twelve months , hut nothing anti-Catholic or immoral ever happened at a Ledge meeting . I severed my connection simply because I found I was getting too fond of whisky 1

Apropos , Freemasonry may very aptly be likened to a cocktail . To a pint of conviviality add a tumblerful of religious ritual , a winegiassful of moral maxims , and a flavouring of philanthrophy ; beat well up , and serve in a state of froth . It was under the action of ( his froth that I remember the

Catholics And Freemasonry.

W . M . saying to me—we were neighbours , and were walking home together after a "degree" night— "Weren't you impressed by what you saw and heard to-night ? " I said : "Not a bit of ifc—or , rather , I was considerably astonished , for I've frequently seen much tho same thing before . " " Where ? " inquired he . " At the profession of monks , " I replied , " and I

can well understand that it should impress you fellows . Im beginning to seo my way a hit , " My fciead's enthusiasm vias sUoogVy suggestive oi tbe delight of an African savage over a bit of crystal—ignorant that it is bufc a piece of glass , and not the genuine article . It is interesting how dear to the average Englishman ' s heart is a little ceremonial .

Well , tho sentiments expressed and embodied in the Lodge proceedingsthe early part , before the production of the decanters—were extremely beautiful : very beautiful indeed . But outside the Lodge doors few , if any , of the members lived up to them . Rather the reverse , for , to my personal knowledge , many of my " Brethren " led immoral lives : a statement which , for the matter of fchat , may be equally made of many Catholics . Bufc it was obvious to me that a large proportion of the Fraternity had joined in order

to grind some axe . Which leads me to the question how far the popular notion is correct that commercial advantages flow to a man through his being a Mason . I can only speak for myself . Personally I never derived one farthing ' s worth of benefit : on the contrary , a lucrative agency in the gift of a local Catholic was , as I learnt later , withheld from me on account of my connection with the Craft . As regards philanthrophy , I came to the conclusion that there was a good deal ot " halls " about ifc—the pawnbroker ' s

three balls : two for me and one for you . A large proportion of the income of the Lodge seemed to me tfo be spent on banquets , suppers , and " refreshments . " To sum up , my impressions were that the world would be a much better place if everybody were a Freemason—of the English variety—and practised what he professed . I saw—and see—no more reason for the prohibition to join English Lodges than there would be to join the Stock Exchange , if the Sermon on the Mount were recited by the chairman every morning before

the start of business . But naturally the Church cannot make fish of one and flesh of another . It is Continental Freemasonry that has brought the Order under the ban of the Church ; and Continental Freemasonry is what it is , not because it is Freemasonry , but because ifc has become the instrument of politicians and revolutionists . The action of the Continental governments

in smothering attempts at political organisations nas forced men to use the only organised body at hand—the Freemasons . My opinion is that the growth of political liberty abroad will gradually purge . Freemasonry from the objectionable element that now permeates it , and that , in the coming byand-by , Catholic Freemasons will , under the tolerance of the Church , be as plentiful and as innocuous as Catholic Oddfellows and Catholio Druids . Yours , & o ., PBOPHET . London , 16 th April 1899 .

THE opening of the Article Club Industrial Exhibition by their Royal Highnesses Bro . the Duke and the Duchess of Connaught , at tho Crystal Palace , on the 30 th inst ., promises to be an exceptionally brilliant function . A very large number of distinguished personages will be present . After the opening ceremony , at which their Royal Highnesses will be presented with an address by Bro . Lord Suffield , President of the Club , the Royal party will make a tour of the Exhibition , after which they will be

ARTICLE CLUB EXHIBITION .

entertained to lunch . A special attraction during the whole of the Exhibition will be the court of the Biograph and Mutuscope Company . There will be regularly given up-to-date pictures of what the world is doing . It is expected tbat a record will be created on the opening day of the Exhibition , as the whole of the opening ceremony , which is timed for 12 noon , will be represented upon the screen before the Royal party leave the Palace . The Exhibition itself will be furnished by about one hundred of the- leading

British manufacturers , all possessing the Club ' s membership . No two carry on the same industry , so that each individual exhibit will be absolutely distinct from its fellows . The Colonies , all of which have membership in the Club , will be represented , and the refrigerating process shown in full operation . Notwithstanding this , the public will receive as warm a welcome in this part ot the Exhibition as elsewhere . Almost every variety of food that delights the heart of man will be on show , to say nothing of the various drinks

furnished both by our own and foreign climes . Many of the processes of preparing these will be shown in operation , and wbile the inner man is thus cared for his exterior is not forgotten . Almost everything useful to him will be found in some part of the Exhibition . There will be engineering appliances of every description , showing how Nature ' s forces are harnessed to do the work of man ; and showing also , in the shape of guns and torpedoes , how they can be used to destroy it . There will be a very remarkable display of

printing machinery in motion , and of type-setting by a number of operators working linotype machines- Electricity will figure brilliantly in the Exhibition , and the newest and latest devices will be on view . It is altogether a show that may be calculated to draw the great British public in thousands to the Crystal Palace during its continuance , helped , as it will be , by the ofcher outside and inside attractions which the directors of tbe great " glasshouse " have arranged for the coming season .

Ad00402

BEN JOHNSON , FUNERAL FURNISHER , OPEN AND GLASS CARS , HEARSE AND MOURNING COACH PROPRIETOR , 56 DEVON'S ROAD , BOW , E . _{ $ c R E N t § A % 98 ST . LEONARD STREET , BROMLEY . Manager : MR . 3 . A . JOHNSON . 104 ST . LEONARD'S ROAD , BROMLEY . Manager : MB . J . TOMLIN . 201 HIGH STREET , STRATFORD . Manager : MB . TOM BBIANT . CARRIAGE DEPARTMENT . Manager : MB . G . EDWABDS . Stables and Carriage Yard : —51 BAVEBLEY STREET , Where one of the Best Stocks of Funeral Carriage Horspg and Requisites in the East of London may be viewed .

Ad00403

OLD Books and Curiosities relating to Freemasonry or other Secret Societies wanted . Address , W . W . Morgan , New Barnet ,