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Article THE LATE BROTHER DANIEL O'CONNELL. ← Page 5 of 7 →
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The Late Brother Daniel O'Connell.
is desirous that this , his only reason for absenting himself from meetings wherein he has derived so much social pleasure , and the still higher gratification arising from the instructive union of a moral with a scientific pursuit , should be generally known . We can state from good authority , that both in public and in private , he always p : iys homage to Masonry , by the declaration of its inestimable value to society , and thus cheerfully and thankfully adduces an additional instance of the power of Masonry ,
to retain by its native grace and purity the true allegiance of a singularly gifted Brother , who , when in the society of his Brother Masons , whatever may be the difference of opinion upon other subjects , can , and does , ever and anon , discourse most eloquently upon the moral beauty of our mysteries . " The above paragraph found its way into the public press of the triple kingdoms ; and we again quote from ourselves *—
" In justice to our readers and to ourselves , we feel compelled to insert the following letter to the Editor of the Dublin Pilot , wliich subsequently appeared in the Morning Herald , Times , and other London papers of the 27 th of April .
" MR . O'CONNELL versus FREEMASONRY . —To the Editor of the Pilot , London , April 19 — ' Sir , A paragraph has been going the rounds of the Irish newspapers purporting to have my sanction , and stating that I had been at one time Master of a Masonic Lodge in Dublin , and still continue to belong to that society . " ' I have since received letters addressed to me as a Freemason , and feel it incumbent on me to state the real facts . " ' It is true that I was a Freemason and a Master of a Lodge . It was
at a very early period of my life , and either before an ecclesiastical censure had been published in the Catholic church in Ireland prohibiting the taking of the Masonic oaths , or at least before I was aware of that censure . 1 now wish to state , that having become acquainted with it , I submitted to its influence , and many , very many years ago , unequivocally renounced Freemasonry . I offered the late archbishop , Dr . Troy , to make that renunciation public , but he deemed it unnecessary . I am not sorry to have this opportunity of doing so . " ' Freemasonry in Ireland may be said to have fanart from iis oaths' )
no evil tendency , save as far as it may counteract in some degree the exertions of those most laudable and useful institutions—institutions deserving of every encouragement—the temperance societies . " ' But the great , the important objection is this—the profane taking in vain the awful name of the Deity—in the wanton and multi plied taking of oaths—of oaths administered on the book of God either in mockery or derision , or with a solemnity which renders the taking of them ,
without any adequate motive , only the more criminal . This objection , which perhaps I do not state strongly enough , is alone abundantly sufficient lo prevent any serious Christian from belonging to that body . " ' My name having been draggetl before the public on this subject , it is , I think , my duty to prevent any person supposing that he was following my example in taking oaths which I now certainly would not take , and consequently becoming a Freemason , which I certainly would not now do . " ' I have the honour to be your faithful servant , " ' DANIEL O'CONNELL /
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Late Brother Daniel O'Connell.
is desirous that this , his only reason for absenting himself from meetings wherein he has derived so much social pleasure , and the still higher gratification arising from the instructive union of a moral with a scientific pursuit , should be generally known . We can state from good authority , that both in public and in private , he always p : iys homage to Masonry , by the declaration of its inestimable value to society , and thus cheerfully and thankfully adduces an additional instance of the power of Masonry ,
to retain by its native grace and purity the true allegiance of a singularly gifted Brother , who , when in the society of his Brother Masons , whatever may be the difference of opinion upon other subjects , can , and does , ever and anon , discourse most eloquently upon the moral beauty of our mysteries . " The above paragraph found its way into the public press of the triple kingdoms ; and we again quote from ourselves *—
" In justice to our readers and to ourselves , we feel compelled to insert the following letter to the Editor of the Dublin Pilot , wliich subsequently appeared in the Morning Herald , Times , and other London papers of the 27 th of April .
" MR . O'CONNELL versus FREEMASONRY . —To the Editor of the Pilot , London , April 19 — ' Sir , A paragraph has been going the rounds of the Irish newspapers purporting to have my sanction , and stating that I had been at one time Master of a Masonic Lodge in Dublin , and still continue to belong to that society . " ' I have since received letters addressed to me as a Freemason , and feel it incumbent on me to state the real facts . " ' It is true that I was a Freemason and a Master of a Lodge . It was
at a very early period of my life , and either before an ecclesiastical censure had been published in the Catholic church in Ireland prohibiting the taking of the Masonic oaths , or at least before I was aware of that censure . 1 now wish to state , that having become acquainted with it , I submitted to its influence , and many , very many years ago , unequivocally renounced Freemasonry . I offered the late archbishop , Dr . Troy , to make that renunciation public , but he deemed it unnecessary . I am not sorry to have this opportunity of doing so . " ' Freemasonry in Ireland may be said to have fanart from iis oaths' )
no evil tendency , save as far as it may counteract in some degree the exertions of those most laudable and useful institutions—institutions deserving of every encouragement—the temperance societies . " ' But the great , the important objection is this—the profane taking in vain the awful name of the Deity—in the wanton and multi plied taking of oaths—of oaths administered on the book of God either in mockery or derision , or with a solemnity which renders the taking of them ,
without any adequate motive , only the more criminal . This objection , which perhaps I do not state strongly enough , is alone abundantly sufficient lo prevent any serious Christian from belonging to that body . " ' My name having been draggetl before the public on this subject , it is , I think , my duty to prevent any person supposing that he was following my example in taking oaths which I now certainly would not take , and consequently becoming a Freemason , which I certainly would not now do . " ' I have the honour to be your faithful servant , " ' DANIEL O'CONNELL /