Freemasonry In Italy And The Roman Catholic Church.

The other Grand Lodge of Berlin , called the '" Royal York , " is represented in Rome by General Duke Filippo Lante di Montefeltro . There is thus an intimate connection between the Prussian and Italian lodges , not to speak of

the common bond -which unites together in obedience the members of aU the lodges in all parts ofthe world . Yet , although the Pope has no allies amongst the rulers of this world , who seemed to have combined together to ignore or

destroy the Pontifical authority , Catholics have no fear for the issue of this unequal combat . The aged Pontiff may be dethroned , his servants may be cast into prison or exiled , or even persecuted unto death . Yet the triumph eventually

is certain and beyond doubt . The material conquests of the kings of the earth are destined , now as ever , to vanish before the moral might of that strength which is made perfect in weakness . The promise of the King of kings and Lord of

lords to be with His Church to the end ofthe world is as valid now as when first uttered . And the victory of Christianity over brute force , of faith over scepticism , of life over death , is to Catholics as certain as the existence of God and the reality of the mission of Christ . —Tablet . "

Now we will only permit ourselves to-day , to remark , that , the writer of this long-winded article

entirely mistakes and misunderstands the position of English Freemasonry . It is not only tolerated , as he would put it , by our lenient laws , but it is , for its well-known spirit of loyalty and peaceful submission to the " ordinances of this

realm , " specially exempted by name from the operation of the Secret Societies' Act . In the next place , as we said before , we have nothing to do with tha proceedings of foreign Grand Lodges . Our own course of action is

• well known to all , our principles of entire neutrality in all matters relating to politics or religion , ( that is as regards denominational differences ) , are admitted even by those who differ from us in England .

Indeed , our very abnegation on such topics , especially religious teaching , is one of the complaints curiously enough , most frequently brought against us .

But we cannot and do not profess to legislate for foreign Grand Lodges , and we are not responsible , therefore , for the differences which are to be traced between their proceedings and

our own . "We can hardly believe that Bro . Guiseppe Garibaldi , or Bro . Ferrari used the words

attributed to them , and we would like to see a verification of them before we condemn the Speakers on the ipse dixit of the writer in the Tablet .

If these are the opinions of these two brethren , Mid the formal utterance of tbe Italian Grand Lodge , we deeply deplore the fact , and have no hesitation whatever , as Freemasons , in saying that by the tolerating and charitable principles of our

Order , they are equally indefensible and improper . We do not think that there ever was any intention in the use of particular words to ridicule or parody the religious ceremonies or organization of the Church of Rome . The words were

chosen , because , they were convenient words to the Masonic Order , and are used , we believe , simply with that intent and end . At the same time , we have often felt , that

some of the foreign high grades , are so very peculiar in their forms and ceremonies , that , they may appear objectionable to religiousminded persons . Hence a strong argument , as it appears to us ,

Freemasonry In Italy And The Roman Catholic Church.

for the simple forms and ritual of Craft Masonry . Neither do we believe , that , there is any foundation for the idea of a common crusade nf the Italian and German Freemasons as

against ths Supreme Pontiff , the Roman Catholic Church , society in general , and legitimate authority in particular . This seems to be the chimera which is agitating Roman Catholics

everywhere , at the moment , and the Masonic Order appears just now to be the bugbear of the whole Roman Catholic Hierarchy . One should have thought that

they had something better to do than fulminate ceaseless anathemas against Freemasons . But in the meantime the writer of this lachrymose jeremiad forgets this undoubted truth , that the Roman Catholic Church has commenced a

most unseemly attack on the Freemasons . In Brazil , in Belgium , in America , and even in England , the Roman Catholb Hierarchy have unceasingly proclaimed that the wicked

Freemasons are the cause of all the present evils , and above all of the serious conflict between the state in Prussia , and the Roman Catholic

Church . We believe , that , never in their history , though they have made many great mistakes , has the Roman Catholic Curia and the Roman

Catholic Dignitaries committed-so great a blunder . There may be in Germany , as elsewhere , some who seem to think they never can be

satisfied , unless they are attacking " Ultramontanism and Ultramontanes . " But such uneasy Masons are in a very great minority . The great majority of our Order , true to their

old teachings , are ever most opposed to the " debasing practice of persecution , " from whatever quarter it comes , and are most anxious to live

in peace and amity with all men , and above all , are seeking in all of sincerity , loyalty , and submission to the laws of their several countries ,

to pursue their honest callings , their one banner being the banner of toleration , sincerity , and charity , their watchword being ever , and under all circumstances , and alone—brotherly love .

Refusal To Bury A Roman Catholic Soldier, A Freemason.

REFUSAL TO BURY A ROMAN CATHOLIC SOLDIER , A FREEMASON .

As a very remarkable corollary on our preceding article , and a very striking commentary on the recent denunciations , and overt acts of

Roman Catholic prelates , against our unoffending Order , we beg to call the attention of our readers particularly to the following extract from the Times ' s military and naval intelligence of

February jth : — " Some excitement has been caused in Chatham Garrison by the refusal of the Rev . M . Cuffe , Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Forces , to perform the burial service over

Armourer-Sergeant , J . V . Johnstone , of the 82 d Regiment , a Roman Catholic Freemason , who died in Fort Pitt Hospital . The deceased had been a member of the Buckley Lodge of Freemasons , which met at the Soldiers' Institute . A resident

Roman Catholic priest also declined , as the Rev . M . Cuffe was his senior . The Rev . Mr . Phillips , a Protestant clergyman , performed the

Church service when the deceased was interred in the military burial ground near Fort Pitt . The deceased was much respected , and hundreds of soldiers attended the funeral . "

Refusal To Bury A Roman Catholic Soldier, A Freemason.

Where then will this persecution of Freemasons end ? Though protected by the laws of the country , peaceable and loyal citizens , a Roman Catholic

Chaplain , paid by the Government , actually refuses to perform the Roman Catholic Burial service , over a gallant Roman Catholic soldier , simply because he is a

Freemason . To say nothing of the evident illegality of the above proceeding , even according to Roman Catholic canon law , we have in this

act ofthe Rev . Mr . Cuffe , a most painful violation of the great Christian law of kindness and brotherly love .

It is not the first time Roman Catholic Clergy and Prelates have refused to bury Roman Catholic Freemasons . A case occurred at Gibraltar some

years back , when Bishop Hughes , though a very kindly man himself , then the Roman Catholic Bishop at Gibraltar , declined to allow extreme unction to be admin'Stered to a Roman Catholic

unless he abjured Freemasonry , and then after the poor man ' s death , refused to bury him . Dr . Burrows , then the Resident Civil Chaplain

at Gibraltar , and P . G . M ., read the service over our brother , in the presence of thousands of spectators .

What good the Roman Catholic clergy can think will accrue to their Church or themselves by such unwise proceedings , we are altogether

at a loss to guess , but of this they may rest assured , that such acts are utterly repugnant to the true spirit of that religion they profess to believe in . Matters however cannot be allowed

to rest here , and the attention of the G . M . and the Grand Lodge ought at once to be called , to a course of action on the part of the Roman Catholic clergy , which is most subversive of the

rig hts of Freemasons as peaceable citizens of the country , most derogatory to religion , and most unjustifiable ' on every ground of peace and toleration , and in the general interests of civiliza ^

tion and humanity . Mr . Cuffe ' s refusal to bury Sergeant Johnstone is quite unprecedented in this country , and

must be looked at in a most serious light , as in itself a most irreligious and unrighteous proceeding .

We feel quite certain that our Grand Master and our Grand lodge , will , on a proper representation from the Buckley Lodge , take such steps

as will tend to uphold the right or our Roman Catholic brethren , as , be they ever so humble , they equally claim our sympathy , and deserve our support .

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