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NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is now 1 os . per annum , post-free , payable m advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth ... ... 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d . Vol . s III ., IV ., V . and VT [ each 15 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 . lumbers ... 2 s . 6 d . Ditto ditto 4 do . ... is . 6 d . United States of America . THE FuiiKMASON is delivered free in any part of the iViited States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in lime for Ihe early trains . The juice of the Freemason is Twopence per week j annual subscription , ios . ( payable in advance . ) All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed lo the Editor , i ) S , Fleet-street , F .. C . The Uuitorwill pay careful attention to all MSS . entrnsted tohim , but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postag ; tamps .

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NOTICE . All Communications , Advertisements , isfc , intended / or insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 6 o ' clock on IVednesdatj evening .

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Unsfocra to ( tacspitonts . A- E . 11 . —Wc cannot give you the information . G . E . S . —The answer is plain . By our Constitutions a Mason is obliged by his tenure to obey the moral law , and if he rightly understands tlie art he will never be a stupid Atheist , nor an irreligious Christian . Let Glasgow flourish . Received with many thanks , but declined . Our able correspondent will see that such religious controversey is not wanted in the pages of 'JVic i '' ircin « Mjii . Our motto is " Defence , not Defiance . " "I ' upcry and Freemasonry" received , crowded ojt this week-The following Communications stand over—Masonic Fc-lival in Glasgow . Consecration of the Marquess of Kipun Chapter . Consecration of a R . A . Chapter at Shcttelston . Bro . Gee ' s Commmuuication about Italian Freemasonry will appear next week . REMITTANCES RECEIVED . Royal Albeit Library , pec Thomas Adcock , Montreal , P . O . O ., 12 s . ; 1-1 . A . Berger , Jamieson , Victoria , X ' l 4 s . ; A- S . Killin , St . Martin's , New Brunswick , 12 s . ; M . Rogers , M . D ., St . Mait ' m's , New Brunswick , 12 s . ; J . It . Noiton , Grahamstown , the Cape , ios . ; T . Holliday , Grahamstown . the Cape , 10 s .

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The Freemasorij SATURDAY , MARCH 7 , 1874

Freemasonry And The Roman Catholic Church.

FREEMASONRY AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH .

In our respected contemporary , lite Manchester Guardian , of February 20 th , appears the subjoined letter from a Catholic Defender under this heading , and to which our notice has been called by a correspondent . We think it better to allow

the champion of Ins religious body to speak for himself , and then to append a few remarks and comments of our own . The subject is a very important one , and is evidentl y videning so much , that , the sooner the

matter is carefully considered and decided in all its bearings , the better for both sides in the controversy . We therefore beg our readers careful attention to the following expose of the Roman Catholic views on the snbiect : —

"FREEMASONRY AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH . " To the Editor of the Manchester Guardian . " Sir , —You begin your leader to-day with the statement that ' it has been always difficult to understand the motive of the hatred borne by the

Roman Catholic Church in modern times to the brotherhood of Freemasons . ' I ask for some space in your journal to try to solve this difficulty , but would first suggest that the use of the word ' hostility ' or ' opposition ' would have been

more appropriate 111 the passage that I have referred to than 'hatred , ' which you used . " The first of the two suggestions , which you put in the form of quotations , is that which I consider to be the true one , namely , ' the ho *

Freemasonry And The Roman Catholic Church.

tility engendered by antithetical princi ples . ' No two sets of principles , objects , or modes of operation can be possibly more opposed than those of the Continental Freemasonry and those

of the Catholic Church . Whilst I claim the use of the word ' hostility ' or ' opposition ' as that of describing the attitude of the Church , I think I may accept your word ' hatred ' as describing that of the brotherhood towards the Church .

"To return , however , to the causes of this hostility , opposition , or hatred . 1 think that a reference to the latest formal condemnation of the brotherhood by the Holy See will sufficiently show these causes or motives . They are contained in the allocution of Pius IX ., delivered on

September 26 , 1865 . By citing the decrees of those of his predecessors who had previously censured the brotherhood , he renews and adopts against them those faults and errors which they had already pointed out . He discards that pretext of mere benevolence under which these

associations wish to pass , and rests his condemnation—1 . On what he describes as ' the wicked designs which are debated in their secret meetings . " 2 . On their holding all religious doctrine as inditlerent , and framing or professing a kind of relig ion which is merely the residum

after the rejection of all doctrine which any of their members may choose to reject . 3 . On what he calls ' the terrible oath , ' that is taken by those who are initiated , and the " frightful or atrocious penalties to which they voluntarily subject themselves if they should violate that

oath . " And then , 4 , quoting the words of our Lord , St . John iii . 20— ' For every one that doth evil hatelh the light , '—he further infers that an association which thus greatly fears the light of day must be impious and wicked . Next , in virtue of his office as chief bishop of the church , he

condemns the association for these reasons , as it had been condemned before ; that is , for teaching what is contrary to divinely revealed truth , as hostile to Christianity , to the peace of the Church , and dangerous to the safety of kingdoms . Finally , he invites the thoughtless or unguarded who have been incautiously drawn

into these associations to separate themselves from them , and warns and cautions unthinking persons and youths lest they be drawn into these associations or brotherhoods by the semblance of harmlessness which they profess externally , or by the pretext that he was inditlerent to them or that he approved of them if he were silent in their condemnation .

"This appears tome to be a very clear accounting for the motive which you say it is always difficult to understand . Tlie motive is here clearly assigned in an official and public document , that is little more than eight years old . It appeared at the time in many newspapers , and it would seem that all that is wanted in order

to satisfy anyone is to know whether the reasons assigned are or are not well founded . I am confident that all reasonable men would approve the condemnation of such principles . Now , you yourself admit some of these imputations ; for instance , those to which the Pope applies the

words of our Lord , namely , the terrible oath and the frightful penalties ; for you admit that every Freemason is well known to be bound by solemn and fearful obligations to keep the secret of his Order . I find this solemn and fearful obligation described thus by one author : — ' The

candidate then swears that rather than betray the secret he consents to have his head cut off , his heart and entrails torn out , and his ashes cast before the wind . 1 believe it is pretty well known that the Freemasonry of the Continent has existed in its present form only from about the

beginning of the last century . Its principles were speedily condemned , between 17 , 30 and 1749 , by Pope Clement XII . j and I feel sure that if these principles be justly assigned you would join in condemnation of them , as , admitting your own words , supposing Freemasonry to be a system of morality veiled in allegory aud

illustrated by symbols , that may be traced back to the institutions of Pythagoras or some other Pagan fountain , you cannot be surprised that the chief bishop of the Christian Church should raise his voice against this Pagan innovation . " I am , & c . " LAW . CANON TOOLE . "February 17 , 1874 . "

Freemasonry And The Roman Catholic Church.

We have no fault "in initio , " to find with the manner and matter of the writer . Unlike many of his co-religionists , and especially some Pastoials which we have seen , the writer of

the above letter can argue the matter , even from a Roman Catholic point of view , without being abusive of his opponents , without

forgetting the common courtesies of social life , and without descending to meaningless vituperation .

The writer bases his explanation of the " antagonism , " undoubtedly , as he asserts , existing between the Roman Catholic Church and

Freemasons , not only "ex necessitate rei" as he puts it , owing , to their utterly opposed views , and aims , and teaching , but also on the late allocution of Pope Pius IX ., founded as , that .

allocution no doubt is , on previous " deliverances " of Roman Catholic Pontiffs .

We may note " en passant , " that , he by no means reasserts Mr . Cuffe ' s absurd proposition , that , every Roman Catholic who is a Freemason , ceases to be a Roman Catholic , ipso facto , a

statement which , if true , would be very hard indeed , because affecting the position of numbers of devout Roman Catholics , but we believe Mr . Cufle is entirely unwarranted in making such

an assertion at all , and only betrays his own ignorance of tlie canon law of his own Church on the une hand , and his utter indifference to the rights of the Roman Catholic laity on the other .

But the correspondent of the Manchester Guardian gives us certain "heads or " notes " of the objectionable features of Freemasonry ,

which as he mentions are referred to in express words by the last Papal rescript . So we will take them in order : —

1 . The first is , " the wicked designs which are debated in their secret meetings . " What these wicked designs are , is not stated , but the

truth is , they are as mythical as were certain theories or assertions of that respectable and useful assistant of our population returns " Mrs . Harris . "

It seems very amusing to us in England , peacdable , loyal , friendly , genial , Freemasons , as wc really are , ( despite all our little frailties ) , to hear of " wicked designs" in our secret meetings .

Perhaps one of the strongest arguments against Papal Infallibility comes from the fact of the extraordinary fallibility and gullibility of those who drew up and published such ridiculous asseverations .

If there be anywhere any "wicked designs " planned in a Masonic lodge , which we greatl y doubt , certainly we in this country must laugh heartily at such a description by the Roman

Pontiff of our very harmless meetings , and of the views of our excellent brethren , who , as a general rule , are the most loyal of citizens , and never require the " surveillance " of the police .

2 . The second head of wrong is " their holding all religious doctrines as indifferent and framing or professing a kind of religion which

is merely the residum after the rejection of all doctrines which any of their members may choose to reject . "