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But let us suppose a case . A member of any one of these , or a Freemason , or an Ancient Druid , or an Odd Fellow , instituted for convivial and charitable purposes , or one belonging to a commercial society , bound hj secret oath or iillirnic . tion , holding no political , or religious , or infidel opinions , guilty of no intemperate irregularities , or of aiding or abetting such , but merely united in " secret societies , " would one of these be desired by his director to apply to Home for absolution ?
If the literal interpretation of papal decrees and construction of the canon law , insisted on by the " Tablet , " be taken for granted , such submission would be required , but , fortunately for those whose consciences have been unsettled by this imprudent agitation of the question , many of the clergy of high standing think otherwise , and that the papal decrees have become obsolete ; others decline to offer a decided opinion . Our Vicars-Apostolic hy the observanda , allow of absolution to persons who entered such societies in ignorance of the decrees , and there are many who have
ceased to belong to such " secret societies . " Thus stands the question at present . In a civil sense , as regards British Freemasons and others , I may be allowed to assume , that condemnation with the guilty is a hardship . If so , would not a proper representation to authority produce immediate relief to the innocent ? Who should make this representation ? The Freemasons and others aggrieved ? But few Catholics would be found to encounter a risk by remaining in such societies . Our bishops thenif need beand
, , the clergy , who are no doubt fully aware , and have , no doubt , long since discussed many points introduced , but mis-stated by the " Tablet . " All that I purposed to show in my three short extenuatory and vindicatory letters , most uncoiirteotisJy suppressed and detained at the " Tablet" office , was , First—that either gross ignorance or very great prejudice could induce the editor to class antl condemn British Freemasons
with the infidel conspirators of the continent , between whom there never was the slightest kindred , and for crimes they abhor and detest . Secondly —the imprudent assumption on the part of a weekly newspaper and lay editor in ecclesiastical concerns . Thirdly—that the pastorals of our bishops -were never intended to condemn Freemasons in particular , whieh would have been unnecessary if the bulls were in force . Fourthly—the glaring censure on bishops , if ever meant , needs no comment ; the temerity ofthe act speaks for itself .
In order to arrive at a correct elucidation of the value and force of the papal decrees , hy many considered latent or obsolete , whether embracing every species of society , bound by oath of secrecy , instituted for commercial or convivial and charitable purposes , or whether designed to uproot tlie anti-social , anti-christian , infidel , political * combinations only , which were prevalent some years ago on many parts of the continent , lawful authority alone can decide : it was necessary to refer buck enquiry to the causes for the original promulgation . It should also be borne in mind that when the
edicts were promulgated , the new philosophy was spreading its pernicious influence far and wide , und the old French revolution was at its luight ; but now that , with a very few solitary exceptions , the authors and abettors of these depravities bave gone to account , the necessity for such rigours have ceased . The letter or pastoral of the Archbishop of Tuam , mainly directed against political Masonry in Canada , and Kbac-habites societies , and the like , to meet the emergency of the moment in Ireland , is quoted as authority for the denunciations of the " Tablet" against Freemasons
, as is the pastoral of the late Dr . Bramston , with whom I had the happiness to be intimately acquainted , against the progress of Trades Unions , then becoming formidable , from whence it is inferred that in those pastorals the decrees were merely cited incidentally , as a means to an end , very different from the assumed condemnation of Freem isons hy the " Tablet . " Catholics may well feel terrified at the bugaboo name of Freemason , who
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Rejected Letters.
But let us suppose a case . A member of any one of these , or a Freemason , or an Ancient Druid , or an Odd Fellow , instituted for convivial and charitable purposes , or one belonging to a commercial society , bound hj secret oath or iillirnic . tion , holding no political , or religious , or infidel opinions , guilty of no intemperate irregularities , or of aiding or abetting such , but merely united in " secret societies , " would one of these be desired by his director to apply to Home for absolution ?
If the literal interpretation of papal decrees and construction of the canon law , insisted on by the " Tablet , " be taken for granted , such submission would be required , but , fortunately for those whose consciences have been unsettled by this imprudent agitation of the question , many of the clergy of high standing think otherwise , and that the papal decrees have become obsolete ; others decline to offer a decided opinion . Our Vicars-Apostolic hy the observanda , allow of absolution to persons who entered such societies in ignorance of the decrees , and there are many who have
ceased to belong to such " secret societies . " Thus stands the question at present . In a civil sense , as regards British Freemasons and others , I may be allowed to assume , that condemnation with the guilty is a hardship . If so , would not a proper representation to authority produce immediate relief to the innocent ? Who should make this representation ? The Freemasons and others aggrieved ? But few Catholics would be found to encounter a risk by remaining in such societies . Our bishops thenif need beand
, , the clergy , who are no doubt fully aware , and have , no doubt , long since discussed many points introduced , but mis-stated by the " Tablet . " All that I purposed to show in my three short extenuatory and vindicatory letters , most uncoiirteotisJy suppressed and detained at the " Tablet" office , was , First—that either gross ignorance or very great prejudice could induce the editor to class antl condemn British Freemasons
with the infidel conspirators of the continent , between whom there never was the slightest kindred , and for crimes they abhor and detest . Secondly —the imprudent assumption on the part of a weekly newspaper and lay editor in ecclesiastical concerns . Thirdly—that the pastorals of our bishops -were never intended to condemn Freemasons in particular , whieh would have been unnecessary if the bulls were in force . Fourthly—the glaring censure on bishops , if ever meant , needs no comment ; the temerity ofthe act speaks for itself .
In order to arrive at a correct elucidation of the value and force of the papal decrees , hy many considered latent or obsolete , whether embracing every species of society , bound by oath of secrecy , instituted for commercial or convivial and charitable purposes , or whether designed to uproot tlie anti-social , anti-christian , infidel , political * combinations only , which were prevalent some years ago on many parts of the continent , lawful authority alone can decide : it was necessary to refer buck enquiry to the causes for the original promulgation . It should also be borne in mind that when the
edicts were promulgated , the new philosophy was spreading its pernicious influence far and wide , und the old French revolution was at its luight ; but now that , with a very few solitary exceptions , the authors and abettors of these depravities bave gone to account , the necessity for such rigours have ceased . The letter or pastoral of the Archbishop of Tuam , mainly directed against political Masonry in Canada , and Kbac-habites societies , and the like , to meet the emergency of the moment in Ireland , is quoted as authority for the denunciations of the " Tablet" against Freemasons
, as is the pastoral of the late Dr . Bramston , with whom I had the happiness to be intimately acquainted , against the progress of Trades Unions , then becoming formidable , from whence it is inferred that in those pastorals the decrees were merely cited incidentally , as a means to an end , very different from the assumed condemnation of Freem isons hy the " Tablet . " Catholics may well feel terrified at the bugaboo name of Freemason , who