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Article THE BELGIAN CLERGY AND THE FREEMASONS. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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The Belgian Clergy And The Freemasons.
Archbishop of Malines and his colleagues , we at first thought it our duty not to admit into our columns an act so absurd , extravagant and almost incredible . ° ' Now , however , that the thing is done , and that public opinion is discussing their conduct , we add our observations , which may perhaps have some weight . We commence by saying that our remarks are not meant to apply to the Catholic party , properly so called , but to the ultras who avail themselves of the cloak of reliion to
g conceal their guilty designs to keep alive discord , and nourish those subversive principles preached with force and enthusiasm b y some salaried missionaries . The question of Cologne is stall alive , Prussia does not appear disposed to vield to the theocracy ofthe Holy See , and M . Mole has , notwithstanding , declared in the bosom of the Luxemburgh that he considers the Prussian cabinet as one ot the wisest and most enlihtened in existence
g . AU this ought to have induced the Catholic party ' to follow the line proposed to it , and to compel by its act some crowned heads to make the amende honorable at the foot of the Vatican , and to explain itself explicitl y on those questions which relate to the powers of the church Let the Archbishops and Bishops take the trouble of eoinsr through
tne history of the past five centuries , and they will find that every time the church attempted to wound to the heart the undoubted rights of any nation , so often has she been defeated b y the progress of public opinion and compelled to seek refuge from the people over whom she wished to domineer and oppress . We aie not unaware that the last act of their Lordships has been one of the consequences of the unfortunate affair of the Archbishop of Cologne , and that the clergy , seeing they could not triumph m the Rhenish provinces , or master the Kins 0 f Prussia dP *\ rr .
to show proof of great courage by proscribing Freemasonry , without at the same time reflecting that he who knew how to act the despot never attempted so delicate a matter without feeling reluctant at heart What will the three Catholic Kings affiliated in the continental Lodges say to it ? What will be the opinion of the men of rank who honour Belgium by their noble political character , by the elevation of their views , and their private virtues ? They will all see that this crusade is but the prelude to not
attempts , very remote either , on all iibertv with a view to the establishment of a theocracy , which will take part in affairs of government , and trace out to power the line which it must follow We have not published the 'Malheur aux Recalcitrants' of the defunct Conservative , the official organ of the ultra-Catholic partv no one then thought it anything but a mere threat , or that a few months would scarce have elapsed ere the Bishops would have entered into a lea < nie to effect its accomplishment . a A . public journalist had foreseen this issue ; but the official and semi-official journals were obliged to combat his predictions as an
attempt on the dignity of the national power . Let them now tell us that the spirit of association compromises the state and royalty let them again shamelessl y assert that we sow discord , that we desire monopoly to divide , and divisions in order to reign . These societies have never set public opinion at defiance by any o ' ameable acts , -while the ultra-Catholic party compromises the tranquillity of Belgium , and menaces the patriots with a war , the results of which must soon manifest themselves , if the Chambers do not take measures to put down this revolt , and prevent the spread of these opinions . There is fanaticism as well as revolutionary opinions . There
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Belgian Clergy And The Freemasons.
Archbishop of Malines and his colleagues , we at first thought it our duty not to admit into our columns an act so absurd , extravagant and almost incredible . ° ' Now , however , that the thing is done , and that public opinion is discussing their conduct , we add our observations , which may perhaps have some weight . We commence by saying that our remarks are not meant to apply to the Catholic party , properly so called , but to the ultras who avail themselves of the cloak of reliion to
g conceal their guilty designs to keep alive discord , and nourish those subversive principles preached with force and enthusiasm b y some salaried missionaries . The question of Cologne is stall alive , Prussia does not appear disposed to vield to the theocracy ofthe Holy See , and M . Mole has , notwithstanding , declared in the bosom of the Luxemburgh that he considers the Prussian cabinet as one ot the wisest and most enlihtened in existence
g . AU this ought to have induced the Catholic party ' to follow the line proposed to it , and to compel by its act some crowned heads to make the amende honorable at the foot of the Vatican , and to explain itself explicitl y on those questions which relate to the powers of the church Let the Archbishops and Bishops take the trouble of eoinsr through
tne history of the past five centuries , and they will find that every time the church attempted to wound to the heart the undoubted rights of any nation , so often has she been defeated b y the progress of public opinion and compelled to seek refuge from the people over whom she wished to domineer and oppress . We aie not unaware that the last act of their Lordships has been one of the consequences of the unfortunate affair of the Archbishop of Cologne , and that the clergy , seeing they could not triumph m the Rhenish provinces , or master the Kins 0 f Prussia dP *\ rr .
to show proof of great courage by proscribing Freemasonry , without at the same time reflecting that he who knew how to act the despot never attempted so delicate a matter without feeling reluctant at heart What will the three Catholic Kings affiliated in the continental Lodges say to it ? What will be the opinion of the men of rank who honour Belgium by their noble political character , by the elevation of their views , and their private virtues ? They will all see that this crusade is but the prelude to not
attempts , very remote either , on all iibertv with a view to the establishment of a theocracy , which will take part in affairs of government , and trace out to power the line which it must follow We have not published the 'Malheur aux Recalcitrants' of the defunct Conservative , the official organ of the ultra-Catholic partv no one then thought it anything but a mere threat , or that a few months would scarce have elapsed ere the Bishops would have entered into a lea < nie to effect its accomplishment . a A . public journalist had foreseen this issue ; but the official and semi-official journals were obliged to combat his predictions as an
attempt on the dignity of the national power . Let them now tell us that the spirit of association compromises the state and royalty let them again shamelessl y assert that we sow discord , that we desire monopoly to divide , and divisions in order to reign . These societies have never set public opinion at defiance by any o ' ameable acts , -while the ultra-Catholic party compromises the tranquillity of Belgium , and menaces the patriots with a war , the results of which must soon manifest themselves , if the Chambers do not take measures to put down this revolt , and prevent the spread of these opinions . There is fanaticism as well as revolutionary opinions . There