Sermon By The Rev. Father Hackett.

SERMON BY THE REV . FATHER HACKETT .

AT St . Patrick ' s Cathedral , on Sunday , 22 nd July , fche Very Rev . Father Hackett preached on the subject of "Freemasonry . " Father Hackett , in introducing the subject , said he would rather have left it untouched , bufc the duties of his ministry as a Catholio priest compelled him to speak openly and fearlessly . Attempts had

recently been made in certain quarters of this city to induce some Catholio young men to join the Masonio brotherhood—a society which was opposed in all parts of the Christian world by the Catholic Church . How far these attempts had been successful had not up to the present time been ascertained . This , however , was

knownthat Masonry had found a zealous and not very truthfal exponent of its principles and practices among us—a man who was once , to their shame be it said , a Catholic " , and who having lost his faith , was now in the camp of the enemy , endeavouring to induce others to follow in hia footsteps . This was the sole reason why he ( Father

Hackett ) came before them that evening to speak on " Freemasonry . Some Catholics would judge of Freemasonry from what they read in the newspapers friendly to fche society , or from the characters of individual Masons of their acquaintance ; they were reluctant to believe what the Pope , bishops , and priests of the Catholio Church

said against the society . In the eyes of many , Masonry was bufc a benevolent society , whose sole aim and object was charity—a society with no thought of conspiracy save that of uniting in one common fraternity all classes of society in the world . To such as those he addressed himself that evening , as well as to those who were not

Catholics , and who considered thafc the Catholio view of Masonry was prejudiced , unfounded and unreasonable . On the origin of Masonry there rested a dark cloud , whioh Masons themselves were nofc fnlly able to lift . Ifc claimed , however , to be of very remote origin , for they had it on the authority of a distinguished Mason

himself—M . de Branville , ex-officer of the Grand Orient of Paristhafc the religious doctrines of Masonry were the continuation of the Egyptian mysteries preserved in the Temple of Isis and transmitted by the Templars , who , in order to escape persecution , founded the Masonio Association . In the Constitution drawn up by the Masonic

Order in Italy , the following articles of religious belief were found : — " Article No . 4 : Masonry recognises its God in the principle of the natural and moral order under the symbol of tho Great Architect of the Universe . " " Article No . 8 : Masonry proposes to itself as ifcs final object to unite all men in one vast family , which may and ought

to take the place of all Churches founded on blind faith and theocratic authority , and of all kinds of religious worship , thereby to constitute the true and only Chnrch of Humanity . " The doctrine contained in these articles was anti . Chrisfcian , for two reasons—firsfc , by reason of whafc ifc excluded , and secondly by reason of whafc it asserted . Father

Hackett referred to the meaning of the phrase " Great Architect of the Universe , " and pointed ont that a learned Freemason named Jnjc , who amongst other offices held thafc of Grand Inspector-General of the 33 rd degree , Grand Orient of Paris , in his writings states thafc the phrase " Great Architect of the Universe " means that " Masonry

recognises bufc one God co-eternal with being itself , not divisible into persons , not subject to human misery , and who consequently never died nor can die . " According to this testimony , the religious belief of Masonry did away completely with the fundamental doctrine of Christianity , the Blessed Trinity , and altogether ignored the Threo

Divine Persons . Christian belief was a belief in the Blessed Trinity , but here there was bufc one God , "the Great Architect of the Universe . " It was also asserted that God could not die ; therefore , Masons ignored the great work of the Redemption of man . In all their articles the name of Jesus Christ never once occurred .

M . Hayman , another learned Mason , said that the phrase , " Great Architect of the Universe , " was a generic denomination of God , which every Mason might accept for the God he adored , even those who did nofc believe in God j and in a speech delivered in 1863 , in which he referred to the spread of Masonry in England , Mr . Hayman

said , " Those whose reason and good sense do nofc find satisfaction in the ancient dogmas of Christianity flock in crowds to the English Masonic temples , where reason , good sense , and philosophy are represented under a touching symbolism . " From this it would appear thafc Freemasonry was in England a substitute for Christianity .

Father Hackett quoted the writings of Goffin , who , in 1863 , founded the Lodge Verviers , which Lodge received letters of authorisation from the Grand Lodge of Memphis , of London . Goffin , in his " Popular History of Freemasonry , " held that no person should he admitted into his Lodge , the Lodge of Verviers , " who will not make

a formal engagement in writing never to have recourse to the ministry of the Chnrch in case of having to contract marriage , and who will not oblige himself never to consent to receive religions burial after death , to that effect signing a Masonic will by which fulfilment of the obligation may be secured . " How far this represented fche

feelings of the English Lodge which granted tho letters of institution to the Verviers Masons , they had no means of ascertaiiiinj ., but there existed between the English and Verviers Lodgea fche same relationship thafc existed between a mother and her daughter . Tho preacher read the Lou vain Declaration , which is to the effect thafc Freemason

meant Freethinker , and that all philosophical doctrines had liberty in the Order ; this was , too , the opinion of the Philadelphi of London , which , in a manifesto issued by them , stated that " in order to labour for the general welfare there is no need to bear the stamp of any church , of any sect , of any philosophical system , or the belly-band

of any Government whatsoever . " Up to theyear 1865 the documents and articles of the Society of the Philadelphi Masons contained the following inscription : — "To the glory of the Great Architect of the Universe , " but in the year 1866 thafc motto was erased , and the following substituted in its stead : — "In fcho name of reason and of

universal fraternity . " It might be said thafc the passages he had quoted were merely the views of individual Masons ; but if they were , why nofc repudiate them ? Why did Freemasons continue to remain in close relationship to those who held these opinions ? The « ec reoy which shadowed fche meetings and the workings of the

Sermon By The Rev. Father Hackett.

society at once stamped ifc as objectionable . Secrecy was the hiding , place of moral evil . If the aims and the ends of Masonry w _ _ v _ . ' 0 ( . I , why nofc reveal them to the world ? Froem-isons said t » iat thu Catholic Church condemned their Order unjustly ; but . wh _ did ihc . y not lay bare their organisation , and prove that the Catholio Church

was a false accuser ? It was said that Masonry was a bene vol-nt society ; so were the societies of St . Vincent de Paul and the Hibernian Society : why not imitate these bodies in their openness ? Again , it was immoral and dishonourable in a man to bind himself down by a solemn oath to obey the command of irresponsible leaders .

One could hardly imagine that human liberty would descend so low aa to assent to an oafch such as tho following : — " If I violate my obligation . ... I allow my tongue to be torn away , my heart to be dragged out , my body to be burned , reduced to ashes , and flung to the winds , so tbat no memory of me remain among men . " This was

admitted fco be the oath of Freemasonry by M . de Branville , of the Grand Orient of Paris . If Masonry was a benevolent society , why seal the lips of its members by such an oath as this ? Who gave any Mason the right over his own body—the right to give up his

body to be burned ? God alone was the owner of man ' s body . Supposing a Catholic entered the Masonic Order for the purpose of gaining some temporal advantage , and at tho hour of death would send for the priest , that man was acting dishonourably to the Masons , and was a deceiver and a cheat . Men who had left the Masonic

Order and had joined the Catholio Church were marked men ; they were followed everywhere—not certainly to be murdered , but to be kept out of any position under Masonio control . He knew Masons who had entered the Church , and who were hunted men . Father

Hackett concluded by appealing to the Catholic men who were amongst his hearers to keep the r faith . There was a crowded congregafcion present , including many persons of ofcher denominations . — Auckland News .

The Anglo-American Brethren.

THE ANGLO-AMERICAN BRETHREN .

rpHE Steamer City of Richmond , of fche Inman Line , arrived ab JL Jersey City , on Sunday , 9 th September 1888 , afc 4 o'clock p . m ., bringing among its passengers a delegation from fche Anglo-American Lodge , No . 2191 , of London , England , to visit ( in compliance with a promise made one year ago ) their Brethren of the Civ of Philadelphia , who last year visited Europe . The English Brothers

were George Reynolds , Secretary , and John Skinner , Past Master of Lodge No . 538 , and Director of Ceremonies of Anglo-American Lodge , No . 2191 , F . and A . M ., of London , England , of which Lodge they were both charter members . They were met at the steamer and escorted at once to Philadelphia , reaching thafc place at 11 o'clock

Sunday night . The delay in the arrival of the steamer interfered very materially with the arrangements made for their entertainment , which was to have commenced on Saturday afternoon , so that all had to be contracted into one day . On Monday , they visited the Masonic Temple , being received and welcomed by Bros . Charles E . Meyer ,

Daniel Sutter , John L . Young , Charles Mathews jnn ., Jamea McCauley , Samuel W . Wray , Augustus R . Hall , John H Crankshaw , and Charles VV . Packer . After a thorough inspection of the magni . ficent Temple , they met R . W . Deputy Grand Master Bro . Clifford P . MacCalla ; E . W . Junior Graud Warden Bro . the Hon . Judge Michael

Arnold ; R . W . Grand Treasurer Bro . Thomas R . Patton , and the Grand Master ' s Private Secretary Bro . William A . Sinn . From the Temple the visitors were escorted to the United States Mint , where they were welcomed by W . Bro . Daniel M . Fox , P . M . of Lodge No . 72 , Superintendent of the Mint , and by him shown through all the

most interesting and important portions of the building , seeing th . manufacture of money iu all its branches . From the Mint they wera escorted to the New City Hall , and after examining the beautiful grauite staircase , the electrical department and ifcs battery room , they were lifted to the top of the lofty tower , and had a bird ' s eye

view of tbe largest city ( as to area ) in the world , and its stately Broad-street , the longest street in the world . The atmospheie was fortunately clear and the view was magnificent . After leavi . g City Hall lunch was taken , after which a carriage drive was had through the West Park , passing the reminiscences of the Centennial ,

to the grand Horticultural Hall , with its unsurpassed sunken parterres of landscape gardening , then to the falls of Schuylkill , returning along tbe river road to the East Park Reservoir , one of the most stupendous works iu this country , a reservoir so large that when filled could float , the largest vessel iu the world . At six o ' clock

the American Brethren , to tbe number of twenty , met ; at Bro . Jocob Wiener ' s , 866 North Seventh Street , and tendeied to the Anglo-American Brethren their congratulations on their safe and plens-int voyage , their pleasure at meeting them on this side of trie water , and wishing them a pleasant visit , after which they all .-at down to

refreshment , which was heartily enjoyed . The bmquet was of Bro . Wiener ' s best efforts . The table wns must beautifully decorated with flowers , candelabras , fairy lamps , fruits and gret-ns . Tbe cooking was exquisite , the serving uiosc excellent—iu fuct auyt . _ ii _ . _ g that could

add pleasure to the occasion was nut ouiitted . Atte < tha dinner , toasts were drank , under the chairmiinsbipuf Bro . Chat les E . Meyer , and as a matter of record we give the menu , the toasts and names of those present—speeches were also made by P . M . Bros . Augustas R . Hall , and John Sartaiu , and songs by Bros . Crankshaw and Piper .

FRATERNAL WELCOME TO ANGLO-AMERICAN LODGE , No . 2191 , F . AKD A . M ., LONDON , England , by THE AMERICAN BRETHREN , Philadelphia , 10 th September 1888 . MENU .

First Course—Capo May Salts . Oysters on Half Shell . Sanfcerne . Latour Blanche .