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bave derived their information chiefly from the frightful , but too faithful , though , in many instances , exaggerated portraiture of the continental secret societies in times by-gone , from the pen of the pious and persecuted Abbe Uiirrucl , who , nevertheless , writing in England , much softened his pictures in behalf of British Freemasons . But the editor of the " Tablet" will make none , being a lamentable instance ofthe intolerant spirit of which wc complain in others who differ from us in faith Dr . Kobison iu his book , too , draws a wide discrimination between British and foreign secret
societies . If judging from the correspondence and other writings ofthe " Tablet , " that either very shocking ignorance , or very culpable prejudice prevails even in this country amongst enlightened Catholics upon the subject of Freemasonry , can it be wondered that the like should predominate in Italy ? Precisely the same sort of prejudice prevails amongst us here , with regard to the right succession to the crowns of Spain and Portugal , where law establishes the reigning Queensalthough justice may favour the other
, claimants . But these prejudices arise from ignorance of historical facts . A correspondent , signing himself " A Belgian Priest , " sent the copy of an emanation from some infidel confederacy , written half a century by-gone , ofthe old French revolution , in order to prove his own conceptions of the immoral tendency of the Freemasonry denounced by the " Tablet . " This wild effusion , either bis ignorance or his prejudice would fain make believe contained the creed of Freemasons in this country as well as in his own . But the palpable absurdity of such a supposition must be apparent to every
priest here , indeed to any one who is acquainted with Freemusons . Possibly iu Belgium , as with us , the clergy are , from the necessity of the times in which we live , sent euriy on their missions , few having the opportunity and leisure to remain at college after ordination . " A Belgian Priest" must be very young , certainly no D . D ., orL . L . D ., orhe would have been more enlightened . The culpable vanity of the young successful literary aspirant , under the mark " A , " who appears first to have forced the subject upon the " Tablet , " as well as tbe imprudent resumption by the present
over--ealotis editor of such monstrous accusations against British Freemasons , without investigation , is not the less reprehensible . Little did your young "A" locum tenens imagine the infinite mischief his blundering lay-interference in spiritual matters was likely to engender . But fortunately for those whose tender consciences have been thus unnecessarily disturbed by the delusions of these dealers in anathemas , there has been proved a great deal too much , in attempting to affix immoral and infidel notions upon bodies of men that no one bishop or priest , of any standing , can believe possible .
If a little discretion had been exercised , or charity , in directing these learned lucubrations against " secret societies ' ' in general , exclusive of this dogged , week after week , attack upon men totally innocent of entertaining such revolting dogmas , my feeble voice would never have been lifted in extenuation of British Freemasons . This letter was at first only intended for private circulation amongst a few friends who hud been misled , the chief of the duta having been collected from memory , which will account for the want of arrangement necessary in preparing what is to meet the public eye , which time will not now permit . A BOMAN CATHOLIC .
N . B . —The next letter will contain documents elucidatory of the subject of Freemasonry truly represented , as regarding Roman Catholics in particular . The writer will therefore feel very greatly obliged to any Catholic divine , or other competent individual , who will take the trouble to aid him in his benevolent ; object , and favour him with their communications . Addiess for "A Roman Catholic , " under cover , to the Editor of the Freemasons' Quarterly Review , at Messrs . Sherwood Si Co . ' s , 23 , Paternoster Bow , London .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Rejected Letters.
bave derived their information chiefly from the frightful , but too faithful , though , in many instances , exaggerated portraiture of the continental secret societies in times by-gone , from the pen of the pious and persecuted Abbe Uiirrucl , who , nevertheless , writing in England , much softened his pictures in behalf of British Freemasons . But the editor of the " Tablet" will make none , being a lamentable instance ofthe intolerant spirit of which wc complain in others who differ from us in faith Dr . Kobison iu his book , too , draws a wide discrimination between British and foreign secret
societies . If judging from the correspondence and other writings ofthe " Tablet , " that either very shocking ignorance , or very culpable prejudice prevails even in this country amongst enlightened Catholics upon the subject of Freemasonry , can it be wondered that the like should predominate in Italy ? Precisely the same sort of prejudice prevails amongst us here , with regard to the right succession to the crowns of Spain and Portugal , where law establishes the reigning Queensalthough justice may favour the other
, claimants . But these prejudices arise from ignorance of historical facts . A correspondent , signing himself " A Belgian Priest , " sent the copy of an emanation from some infidel confederacy , written half a century by-gone , ofthe old French revolution , in order to prove his own conceptions of the immoral tendency of the Freemasonry denounced by the " Tablet . " This wild effusion , either bis ignorance or his prejudice would fain make believe contained the creed of Freemasons in this country as well as in his own . But the palpable absurdity of such a supposition must be apparent to every
priest here , indeed to any one who is acquainted with Freemusons . Possibly iu Belgium , as with us , the clergy are , from the necessity of the times in which we live , sent euriy on their missions , few having the opportunity and leisure to remain at college after ordination . " A Belgian Priest" must be very young , certainly no D . D ., orL . L . D ., orhe would have been more enlightened . The culpable vanity of the young successful literary aspirant , under the mark " A , " who appears first to have forced the subject upon the " Tablet , " as well as tbe imprudent resumption by the present
over--ealotis editor of such monstrous accusations against British Freemasons , without investigation , is not the less reprehensible . Little did your young "A" locum tenens imagine the infinite mischief his blundering lay-interference in spiritual matters was likely to engender . But fortunately for those whose tender consciences have been thus unnecessarily disturbed by the delusions of these dealers in anathemas , there has been proved a great deal too much , in attempting to affix immoral and infidel notions upon bodies of men that no one bishop or priest , of any standing , can believe possible .
If a little discretion had been exercised , or charity , in directing these learned lucubrations against " secret societies ' ' in general , exclusive of this dogged , week after week , attack upon men totally innocent of entertaining such revolting dogmas , my feeble voice would never have been lifted in extenuation of British Freemasons . This letter was at first only intended for private circulation amongst a few friends who hud been misled , the chief of the duta having been collected from memory , which will account for the want of arrangement necessary in preparing what is to meet the public eye , which time will not now permit . A BOMAN CATHOLIC .
N . B . —The next letter will contain documents elucidatory of the subject of Freemasonry truly represented , as regarding Roman Catholics in particular . The writer will therefore feel very greatly obliged to any Catholic divine , or other competent individual , who will take the trouble to aid him in his benevolent ; object , and favour him with their communications . Addiess for "A Roman Catholic , " under cover , to the Editor of the Freemasons' Quarterly Review , at Messrs . Sherwood Si Co . ' s , 23 , Paternoster Bow , London .