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The Pope A Freemason.
THE POPE A FREEMASON .
Bv BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON . ( A Member of the Masonic Archaologicol Institute of England . ) Some two years ago I wrote to The
Scotsman newspaper , as follows : — " Pope Pius IX . in his early days was brought up and trained for the army , it never being his parent's intention to turn his attention
towards ecclesiastics , in consequence of his being liable to apopletic fits ; and as a young man he became initiated in a Sicilian lodge . But it must be strictly borne in
mind that at the date of his initiation , now over forty years , there was at that period no direct prohibition by the Roman Catholic Church against any of its members
becoming Freemasons . It was only in consequence of a number of lodges throughout the Continent , instead of strictly adhering strictly to the inculcation of all the
excellent principles which Freemasonry teaches , having taught and turned their lodges into political clubs , as . undertheguiseofMasonry , they did much that would not be allowed
elsewhere—in fact they had the liberty of speech . After this came to the knowledge of the Church of Rome , then a special and general prohibition was pronounced against
all and every one of its members from belonging to , or joining the Fraternity . The last allocution which Pope Pius IX . had been advised to issue was on September
25 th , 1865 , and which was answered by Dr . Oliver , and also in the Scottish Freemasons' Magazine ( now defunct , ) , by the Editor . "
The truth of Pope Pius IX . being himself a member of the Order has never been disputed by any member of the Roman Catholic' Church in a private or public
manner , and to myself it has been admitted by one who has had conversation with the Pope personally on the subject . Freemasonry is not opposed to the
Roman Catholic religion , or to any religion ; least of all to the Christian religion . The very first Gothic charge requires Freemasons to comply with the Christian usages
of any country in which they may travel or work . Masons may be of any religion ; and although , generally , they profess Christianity , this is not always the case .
Jews and Mahommedans are to be found amongst the members of lodges even in Britain . The system of Freemasonry allows the utmost freedom of religious , as
well as of political opinion ; but it requires that the subject shall not be mentioned in the lodge , so that no animosity may thereby be produced amongst the brethren ,
however they may think it proper to discuss it elsewhere , as to which the laws of Freemasonry do not restrict them . They are , however , absolutely forbidden to introduce
any religious or political subject in their conversations in the lodge . The first Gothic charge , as has already been mentioned , requires Freemasons to
comply with the Christian usages of any country where they may travel or work . This , shows how Freemasonry seeks to conform itself to the laws and existing usages of every country in which it may be estab-
The Pope A Freemason.
lished . The true Freemason is a good subject or citizen wherever his lot may be cast , respectful of all the laws of his country , whether he approves them or not , and he lives in accordance with those great laws
which are the basis of the social as well as of the legal fabric . How comes it , we may now ask , that Pope Pius IX ., himself a Freemason , wages war against the Masonic Order , and
prohibits all members of the Roman Catholic Church from joining it ? What has become of his vow of fidelity as a Freemason ? The answer is probably to be found in the dispensing power which the Pope claims , the
power of dispensing with all oaths and obligations , " so that he , as God , sitteth in the Temple of God , showing himself that he is God , " ( 2 Thes . ii ., 4 ) . This is not in accordance with that moral law , which all
Freemasons , whatever their religious profession , recognise and hold themselves bound to obey ; but the conscience of a Pope is not , it would seem , to be held under such restraint as the consciences of ordinary men .
The law of auricular confession , also , brings the Roman Catholic Church into possible conflict with Freemasonry , the Freemason being bound to keep inviolate certain secrets , which , however , the priest may require him
to divulge in the confessional ; and the conversations which take place in lodges may thus , against all the rules of the Fraternity , he brought to the knowledge of those who will make use , for their own purposes , of
the knowledge which they acquire . It was , probably , in some such way that the Pope and his counsellors became aware of the freedom of discussion on political subjects , which contrary to the rules of the Order ,
prevailed , or is said to have prevailed , in some of the Masonic lodges of the Continent , and which led to the prohibition of Freemasonry . Pius IX . himself may even have been present when such discussions took place . But
however this may be , the Pope must be regarded by all who do not believe in his dispensing power , as still under the obligations which he took upon him when he became a member of the Order , and these
obligations he must he held to have violated in his Allocution already mentioned , and in all his action against Freemasonry . As Pope , however , he probably deems himself entitled to change laws , and to set aside ,
when it suits his convenience , even that moral law which is of perpetual obligation on all mankind , and which every Freemason pofesses to observe . What rules of morality remain for a Pope , we may try to conjecture , but try in vain .
INTENDED ROYAL VISIT TO READING . —Elaborate preparations arc being made in Reading in view of the promised visit of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to lay the foundation stone of the new Grammar School of that town . The ceremony is appointed to take place on the 1 st proximo .
An address will be presented to the Prince on his arrival at the Great Western Railway Station , and thence a long procession will move to the site of the new school , which is situated on the Redlands estate . The stone is to be laid with Masonic honours . Triumphal arches arc being erected by
local architects at all the most prominent places in the route of the procession . The cost of these arches will be defrayed to a great extent by the leading local firms , including Messrs . Huntley and Palmer , Messrs . Sutton , Mr . Councillor Taylor , and one at the cost of the Freemasons . It is arranged
that after the laying of the stone the Prince shall be entertained at r . grand banqwet in the Town Hall by the Corporation of Reading and the trustees of the school . The townspeople hope that the Princess of Wales will accompany His Royal Highness .
Invitations have been sent to the Lord-Lieutenant of the county ( the Earl of Abingdon ) , the Bishop of the diocese , the Lore High Steward of the borough ( Mr . Beryon , M . P . ) , the High Sheriff of Berks ( Mr . J . B . Blagrave , the members of the county and borough , and the mayors of neighbouring towns .
Lodge Of Benevolence.
LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .
The monthly meeting was held on Wednesday , the 22 nd inst ., under the presidency of W . Bro . John M . Gabon , P . G . D ., assisted by Bros . Nunn and Coutts as Wardens ; Savage , Smith , Cottebrune , Barnes , Sheen , Foxall , Levander , and a
number of other brethren . Twenty-three cases came under consideration , of which twenty-one were relieved , or recommended for relief , to the extent of ^ 410 . Two were dismissed as ineligible , and it may be well to state that in future foreign
Masons cannot be relieved , unless for the purpose of sending them home to their own countries . The Pactolean streams of English Masonic charity will , practically , therefore , cease to flow for all outside the " English pale . "
A LETTER FROM A FREEMASON IN DUNDEE TO A BROTHER IN EDINBURGH , GIVING HIS OPINION OF THE
1717 THEORY AS ABSURD . It is my opinion that Speculative Masonry , or instructions in the art of architecture and the other sciences , have , from the days of early Egypt , been closely allied with the operative art . I believe , however , that these instructions have differed in the
manner in which they have been imparted , according to the degree of freedom or intelligence pervading the time or the nation in which such have been attempted . It would , therefore , be futile to attempt to prove a verbatim sameness in the present formula with
that of 50 , 100 , or 500 years gone-bye ; but I think any reader of ordinary research will find sufficient to satisfy him in the history of Egypt , Greece , Rome , and Great Britain , that the secrets of what we call Freemasonry were practised long before the Christian era .
I shall only give two local proofs against the 1717 theory- —presuming that anything beyond these is already being gathered by others of your correspondents , orknown by yourself . From the building of the great tower in Dundee by William the Lion , in 1198 , down 101536 , there
was a regular lodge of Freemasons , that ( according to Jervise ) regulated the various matters belonging to the Order , by " Aid vss . and consuetud of Our Lady luge of Dunde . " The Master of this lodge was ' retained by the town of Dundee in the same
capacity as they now employ a town ' s architect , and when he was employed by the local Board of Works he was required , according to an old deed , dated prior to 1500 , " to exercise the best and maist ingeniouss pyntiss and practikis of his Craft . " The tower was the work of " ane Mason " called
Dorward , who on its completion was presented with a valuable gold ring of a peculiar design , by his Royal Master , this ring was ultimately lost on the present Hawk-hill of Dundee , while its master was engaged in a boar hunt , and strange enough found again , answering to the same
description , while digging the foundations of a house about the year 1750 , and is now in the possession of Mr . Ncish , of the Laws A . B . Every stone in the tower of any consequence have the distinguished marks of the members of " Our Lady Luge " in Dundee , and can be seen and examined by the most sceptical .
A worthy gentleman , who has showed considerable liberality in the upbuilding of this same church , or more possibly in its repairs , which took place between 158 S and ' 90 , had the following tribute to his memory engraven on a tablet [ in the chancel , which remained till the destruction of the edifice by fire in 1841 : —
To Solomon ' s Temple , King Hiram sent from Tyre Fine cedar-wood , but upon great desire ; This church , thous Henry Lyall to repair , Didst freely give all that was necessar , Tho' the Tynan . King gave Solomon towns twice ten Thou greater than these all , and best of men .
I hope no Freemason can doubt the active working of our good old Order at that date , at all events , and if not then , of course its age must be far older , before the same organisation could have been perfected .
WE are informed that Ilro . Lord Lindsay will be the new Provincial Grand Master lor Aberdeenshire . THE summer festival of the Upton Lodge , No , 1228 , was held on the 21 st inst ., at the Spotted Dog , Llpton . About fifty ladies and brethren attended , and a very agreeable day was spent by all .
Letters from Bro . W . P . Buchan , " An American Freemason , " and reports of Gilbert Greenall and other lodges , stand over till our next , also a report of a meeting of the " Royal Ark Mariners . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Pope A Freemason.
THE POPE A FREEMASON .
Bv BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON . ( A Member of the Masonic Archaologicol Institute of England . ) Some two years ago I wrote to The
Scotsman newspaper , as follows : — " Pope Pius IX . in his early days was brought up and trained for the army , it never being his parent's intention to turn his attention
towards ecclesiastics , in consequence of his being liable to apopletic fits ; and as a young man he became initiated in a Sicilian lodge . But it must be strictly borne in
mind that at the date of his initiation , now over forty years , there was at that period no direct prohibition by the Roman Catholic Church against any of its members
becoming Freemasons . It was only in consequence of a number of lodges throughout the Continent , instead of strictly adhering strictly to the inculcation of all the
excellent principles which Freemasonry teaches , having taught and turned their lodges into political clubs , as . undertheguiseofMasonry , they did much that would not be allowed
elsewhere—in fact they had the liberty of speech . After this came to the knowledge of the Church of Rome , then a special and general prohibition was pronounced against
all and every one of its members from belonging to , or joining the Fraternity . The last allocution which Pope Pius IX . had been advised to issue was on September
25 th , 1865 , and which was answered by Dr . Oliver , and also in the Scottish Freemasons' Magazine ( now defunct , ) , by the Editor . "
The truth of Pope Pius IX . being himself a member of the Order has never been disputed by any member of the Roman Catholic' Church in a private or public
manner , and to myself it has been admitted by one who has had conversation with the Pope personally on the subject . Freemasonry is not opposed to the
Roman Catholic religion , or to any religion ; least of all to the Christian religion . The very first Gothic charge requires Freemasons to comply with the Christian usages
of any country in which they may travel or work . Masons may be of any religion ; and although , generally , they profess Christianity , this is not always the case .
Jews and Mahommedans are to be found amongst the members of lodges even in Britain . The system of Freemasonry allows the utmost freedom of religious , as
well as of political opinion ; but it requires that the subject shall not be mentioned in the lodge , so that no animosity may thereby be produced amongst the brethren ,
however they may think it proper to discuss it elsewhere , as to which the laws of Freemasonry do not restrict them . They are , however , absolutely forbidden to introduce
any religious or political subject in their conversations in the lodge . The first Gothic charge , as has already been mentioned , requires Freemasons to
comply with the Christian usages of any country where they may travel or work . This , shows how Freemasonry seeks to conform itself to the laws and existing usages of every country in which it may be estab-
The Pope A Freemason.
lished . The true Freemason is a good subject or citizen wherever his lot may be cast , respectful of all the laws of his country , whether he approves them or not , and he lives in accordance with those great laws
which are the basis of the social as well as of the legal fabric . How comes it , we may now ask , that Pope Pius IX ., himself a Freemason , wages war against the Masonic Order , and
prohibits all members of the Roman Catholic Church from joining it ? What has become of his vow of fidelity as a Freemason ? The answer is probably to be found in the dispensing power which the Pope claims , the
power of dispensing with all oaths and obligations , " so that he , as God , sitteth in the Temple of God , showing himself that he is God , " ( 2 Thes . ii ., 4 ) . This is not in accordance with that moral law , which all
Freemasons , whatever their religious profession , recognise and hold themselves bound to obey ; but the conscience of a Pope is not , it would seem , to be held under such restraint as the consciences of ordinary men .
The law of auricular confession , also , brings the Roman Catholic Church into possible conflict with Freemasonry , the Freemason being bound to keep inviolate certain secrets , which , however , the priest may require him
to divulge in the confessional ; and the conversations which take place in lodges may thus , against all the rules of the Fraternity , he brought to the knowledge of those who will make use , for their own purposes , of
the knowledge which they acquire . It was , probably , in some such way that the Pope and his counsellors became aware of the freedom of discussion on political subjects , which contrary to the rules of the Order ,
prevailed , or is said to have prevailed , in some of the Masonic lodges of the Continent , and which led to the prohibition of Freemasonry . Pius IX . himself may even have been present when such discussions took place . But
however this may be , the Pope must be regarded by all who do not believe in his dispensing power , as still under the obligations which he took upon him when he became a member of the Order , and these
obligations he must he held to have violated in his Allocution already mentioned , and in all his action against Freemasonry . As Pope , however , he probably deems himself entitled to change laws , and to set aside ,
when it suits his convenience , even that moral law which is of perpetual obligation on all mankind , and which every Freemason pofesses to observe . What rules of morality remain for a Pope , we may try to conjecture , but try in vain .
INTENDED ROYAL VISIT TO READING . —Elaborate preparations arc being made in Reading in view of the promised visit of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to lay the foundation stone of the new Grammar School of that town . The ceremony is appointed to take place on the 1 st proximo .
An address will be presented to the Prince on his arrival at the Great Western Railway Station , and thence a long procession will move to the site of the new school , which is situated on the Redlands estate . The stone is to be laid with Masonic honours . Triumphal arches arc being erected by
local architects at all the most prominent places in the route of the procession . The cost of these arches will be defrayed to a great extent by the leading local firms , including Messrs . Huntley and Palmer , Messrs . Sutton , Mr . Councillor Taylor , and one at the cost of the Freemasons . It is arranged
that after the laying of the stone the Prince shall be entertained at r . grand banqwet in the Town Hall by the Corporation of Reading and the trustees of the school . The townspeople hope that the Princess of Wales will accompany His Royal Highness .
Invitations have been sent to the Lord-Lieutenant of the county ( the Earl of Abingdon ) , the Bishop of the diocese , the Lore High Steward of the borough ( Mr . Beryon , M . P . ) , the High Sheriff of Berks ( Mr . J . B . Blagrave , the members of the county and borough , and the mayors of neighbouring towns .
Lodge Of Benevolence.
LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .
The monthly meeting was held on Wednesday , the 22 nd inst ., under the presidency of W . Bro . John M . Gabon , P . G . D ., assisted by Bros . Nunn and Coutts as Wardens ; Savage , Smith , Cottebrune , Barnes , Sheen , Foxall , Levander , and a
number of other brethren . Twenty-three cases came under consideration , of which twenty-one were relieved , or recommended for relief , to the extent of ^ 410 . Two were dismissed as ineligible , and it may be well to state that in future foreign
Masons cannot be relieved , unless for the purpose of sending them home to their own countries . The Pactolean streams of English Masonic charity will , practically , therefore , cease to flow for all outside the " English pale . "
A LETTER FROM A FREEMASON IN DUNDEE TO A BROTHER IN EDINBURGH , GIVING HIS OPINION OF THE
1717 THEORY AS ABSURD . It is my opinion that Speculative Masonry , or instructions in the art of architecture and the other sciences , have , from the days of early Egypt , been closely allied with the operative art . I believe , however , that these instructions have differed in the
manner in which they have been imparted , according to the degree of freedom or intelligence pervading the time or the nation in which such have been attempted . It would , therefore , be futile to attempt to prove a verbatim sameness in the present formula with
that of 50 , 100 , or 500 years gone-bye ; but I think any reader of ordinary research will find sufficient to satisfy him in the history of Egypt , Greece , Rome , and Great Britain , that the secrets of what we call Freemasonry were practised long before the Christian era .
I shall only give two local proofs against the 1717 theory- —presuming that anything beyond these is already being gathered by others of your correspondents , orknown by yourself . From the building of the great tower in Dundee by William the Lion , in 1198 , down 101536 , there
was a regular lodge of Freemasons , that ( according to Jervise ) regulated the various matters belonging to the Order , by " Aid vss . and consuetud of Our Lady luge of Dunde . " The Master of this lodge was ' retained by the town of Dundee in the same
capacity as they now employ a town ' s architect , and when he was employed by the local Board of Works he was required , according to an old deed , dated prior to 1500 , " to exercise the best and maist ingeniouss pyntiss and practikis of his Craft . " The tower was the work of " ane Mason " called
Dorward , who on its completion was presented with a valuable gold ring of a peculiar design , by his Royal Master , this ring was ultimately lost on the present Hawk-hill of Dundee , while its master was engaged in a boar hunt , and strange enough found again , answering to the same
description , while digging the foundations of a house about the year 1750 , and is now in the possession of Mr . Ncish , of the Laws A . B . Every stone in the tower of any consequence have the distinguished marks of the members of " Our Lady Luge " in Dundee , and can be seen and examined by the most sceptical .
A worthy gentleman , who has showed considerable liberality in the upbuilding of this same church , or more possibly in its repairs , which took place between 158 S and ' 90 , had the following tribute to his memory engraven on a tablet [ in the chancel , which remained till the destruction of the edifice by fire in 1841 : —
To Solomon ' s Temple , King Hiram sent from Tyre Fine cedar-wood , but upon great desire ; This church , thous Henry Lyall to repair , Didst freely give all that was necessar , Tho' the Tynan . King gave Solomon towns twice ten Thou greater than these all , and best of men .
I hope no Freemason can doubt the active working of our good old Order at that date , at all events , and if not then , of course its age must be far older , before the same organisation could have been perfected .
WE are informed that Ilro . Lord Lindsay will be the new Provincial Grand Master lor Aberdeenshire . THE summer festival of the Upton Lodge , No , 1228 , was held on the 21 st inst ., at the Spotted Dog , Llpton . About fifty ladies and brethren attended , and a very agreeable day was spent by all .
Letters from Bro . W . P . Buchan , " An American Freemason , " and reports of Gilbert Greenall and other lodges , stand over till our next , also a report of a meeting of the " Royal Ark Mariners . "