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repudiate as false and groundless the charges of atheism and infidelity against British Freemasonry , as Ami-Christian , Anti-Catholic , and illegal . The air of infallibility assumed by the " Tablet , " in the laycensorship it has established , ancl the tone of exclusiveness which disgraces its pages , tend greatly to weaken its utility ancl influence , degrading it to the level of the hireling ancl political partisan . So early as the third article against the " SECT" on the 2 nd of January 181-3 its readers were
, , , treated with the following discourteous and haughty declaration , under the cant of religious expediency , — " That no letter from a Freemason will henceforth be so much as noticed . The ' Tablet' would be a scandal to the faithful , instead of a guide , if it were to make itself an UTENSIL for the discussion of questions long ago set at rest by the clear and peremptory decisions from the chair of St . Peter . "
Truth requires that I should state the fact , that nearly all objectors appear to be not only totally unacquainted with Freemasonry , but to exhibit the vague hostility of preconceived opinions ancl feelings on the subject , founded upon certain erroneous notions they seem determined to carry out at all hazards , rather than yield to the charitable disposition of ascertaining the truth , ancl showing lenity towards supposed misguided neighbours . They boldly assert their own chimerical fancies , as if derived from authority which nowhere supports them . Many appear to
be enthusiasts , who , in the public display of their zeal for religious morality , form hasty , if not uncharitable conclusions , and hazard opinions upon subjects they never cared to understand . How can the lay editor of a newspaper comprehend and interpret the meaning of Papa ! documents ? Before proceeding further 1 must repeat , in order to save all misconceptionthat I utterly repudiate the slightest opposition to lawful
autho-, rity . I deem it necessary also to state that I use the words prohibit ancl condemn in restricted senses , and not indiscriminately , after the manner of the " Tablet . " The church or our bishops may prohibit anything on account of abuse or misuse , without condemning it as immoral . In England our bishops have felt it necessary to use their discretion in prohibiting our clergy from losing their time attending public theatres , oratorios , concerts , ancl balls , which are not on that account condemned
as immoral . In England members of the theatrical profession are admitted to the sacraments—» in France they are denied Christian burial . As a layman my object is not to expound the laws of the church , but simply to disprove the arrogant and uncharitable assumptions—the monstrous lay-censorship of the " Tablet , " ancl gratuitous allegations in respect of British " Freemasons , " " Odd Fellows , " ' ¦ ' Rechabites " ( Temperance ) , " Ancient Druids , " and the like convivial ancl charitable " secret societies , " having no concern with either politics or religion .
FIRST OBJECTION . AN OATH—TRUTH , JUSTICE , AND JUDGMENT . That a secret oath is forbidden by the pontifical constitutions , therefore immoral . Hint an oath or affirmation should be conformable io the words of Jeremiah ( iv . 7 ) , " Thou shalt swear , saith the Lord , in truth , in justice , and in judgment .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Rejected Letters.*
repudiate as false and groundless the charges of atheism and infidelity against British Freemasonry , as Ami-Christian , Anti-Catholic , and illegal . The air of infallibility assumed by the " Tablet , " in the laycensorship it has established , ancl the tone of exclusiveness which disgraces its pages , tend greatly to weaken its utility ancl influence , degrading it to the level of the hireling ancl political partisan . So early as the third article against the " SECT" on the 2 nd of January 181-3 its readers were
, , , treated with the following discourteous and haughty declaration , under the cant of religious expediency , — " That no letter from a Freemason will henceforth be so much as noticed . The ' Tablet' would be a scandal to the faithful , instead of a guide , if it were to make itself an UTENSIL for the discussion of questions long ago set at rest by the clear and peremptory decisions from the chair of St . Peter . "
Truth requires that I should state the fact , that nearly all objectors appear to be not only totally unacquainted with Freemasonry , but to exhibit the vague hostility of preconceived opinions ancl feelings on the subject , founded upon certain erroneous notions they seem determined to carry out at all hazards , rather than yield to the charitable disposition of ascertaining the truth , ancl showing lenity towards supposed misguided neighbours . They boldly assert their own chimerical fancies , as if derived from authority which nowhere supports them . Many appear to
be enthusiasts , who , in the public display of their zeal for religious morality , form hasty , if not uncharitable conclusions , and hazard opinions upon subjects they never cared to understand . How can the lay editor of a newspaper comprehend and interpret the meaning of Papa ! documents ? Before proceeding further 1 must repeat , in order to save all misconceptionthat I utterly repudiate the slightest opposition to lawful
autho-, rity . I deem it necessary also to state that I use the words prohibit ancl condemn in restricted senses , and not indiscriminately , after the manner of the " Tablet . " The church or our bishops may prohibit anything on account of abuse or misuse , without condemning it as immoral . In England our bishops have felt it necessary to use their discretion in prohibiting our clergy from losing their time attending public theatres , oratorios , concerts , ancl balls , which are not on that account condemned
as immoral . In England members of the theatrical profession are admitted to the sacraments—» in France they are denied Christian burial . As a layman my object is not to expound the laws of the church , but simply to disprove the arrogant and uncharitable assumptions—the monstrous lay-censorship of the " Tablet , " ancl gratuitous allegations in respect of British " Freemasons , " " Odd Fellows , " ' ¦ ' Rechabites " ( Temperance ) , " Ancient Druids , " and the like convivial ancl charitable " secret societies , " having no concern with either politics or religion .
FIRST OBJECTION . AN OATH—TRUTH , JUSTICE , AND JUDGMENT . That a secret oath is forbidden by the pontifical constitutions , therefore immoral . Hint an oath or affirmation should be conformable io the words of Jeremiah ( iv . 7 ) , " Thou shalt swear , saith the Lord , in truth , in justice , and in judgment .