" Le Monde Maconnique " And "The Freemason."

masonry is " anti-liberal and reactionary . " He ought to have said anti-infidel and yet most tolerant . But it appears to us a very profitless task , a sad waste of time and intellect , to follow

our " frere egare " in this outburst of unmasonic intolerance and of revolutionary nonsense , and so we propose to leave him , as the French say , " plante" dans une " haute foret" of "

sophistries , " " illogismes , " " enorm ites , " and rubbish . Bro . Valleton ' s knowledge of English Freemasonry is as correct , moreover , as his criticism is just and fair . He tells us at page 223 ,

that our English Freemasonry is " closed to Jews , who only accept the Pentateuch , " that it is " closed to Hindoos and Parsees , " that it is " closed to all Freethinkers . " No doubt

English Freemasonry is closed to Atheists , and long may it continue to be so . But this is not all . Blinded by his own " esprit de nationalite , " this well-informed brother

goes on to assert that English Biblical Masonry is so much a religious sect , that there are actually "Clergimen" { sic ) who direct it , with the title aud position of Chaplains . " Horrible enormity

Is it not ? What a priest-ridden lot we are Yes , will it surprise our readers to be told . ? that English Freemasonry is a " sect so narrow that it only chooses those Biblical Christians who

belong to the higher or middle classes , " and that it rejects actually " those Biblical Christians of the working classes , whom it keeps at a distance by its fees and its various expenses . " How any

French brother can really sit down and take the trouble to put together such an amount of unmitigated falsehood and absurdity , it passes our comprehension to realize altogether . "We

need not allude to the remainder of Bro . Valleton ' s lucubration , as it is simply one of those ill-digested rhapsodies put forth by some of our foreign brethren , which really serve as an

excuse for the opposition by governments and religious bodies to a propaganda which savours alike of irreligion and socialism . We in England , despite Bro . Valleton , mean to go on our

peaceable , tolerant , and what the Germans call " manfriendly " way , resolved on this one thing , however , which the example of foreign Masonry renders alike our bounden and our solemn duty ,

never on any account to let go the sympathy we always manifest for religion , and above all , God helping us , never on any pretence to remove the Bible from our lodges .

Is The Pope A Freemason?

IS THE POPE A FREEMASON ?

A most important question . Yet how can we answer it ? We have heard it repeated so often lately , with great emphasis and energy of expression , that it is by some taken to be an

admitted and an ascertained fact . Indeed , one or two Italian and Sicilian lodges have , we believe , on the faith of the story , expelled , as far , that is , as they could do so , Bro . Pio Nino

from Freemasonry . Now we confess to have some doubts on the subject , and we should greatly wish to have those doubts removed . If the fact be a fact let it by all means be

established , but on the rules and laws of evidencej so far , the actuality of the Pope ' s Masonic affiliation is , in our humble opinion , ' -not proven , " It has been stated that he was

Is The Pope A Freemason?

made in Italy , a young man , just as it has been averred , that in his juvenile years he displayed proclivities for " Giovene Italia . " It has been announced that when on an ecclesiastical mission in * one of the South American

Republics he was initiated under one of the symbolic systems , or the " Rite Ecossaise . " But up to this hour when we write , no one , as far as we are aware , has ever thought well to

supplement these loud assertions by simple and satisfactory evidence . If the fact be really so , it surely can be proved to the satisfaction of all true Freemasons , and all honest men . If

it be merely a device of partism warfare ; a "frauspia" for the purpose of discrediting an antagonist , the sooner such an indefensible system is put a stop to the better , especially

amongst Freemasons , who so deeply prize honour and truth at all times and in all things . If the account is a pure " myth " it is hurtful to Freemasons and to Freemasonry to continue to

propagate anything which is untrue : while if the report of the Pope ' s admission to Freemasonry be well founded , the sooner it be made manifest the better , both for Freemasons and

the world . No good can accrue to any by the " suppressio veri " in this case on the one hand , and most certain we are , that the

greatest possible injury will be done to the honest character of Freemasons and Freemasonry , if a " suggestio falsi " is needlessly persevered in on the other .

If Pio Nono was ever initiated into our Order , the minues of the lodge meeting must exist , and a certified copy of the minutes would set the matter at rest . But if no such certified extract

can be supplied , it is idle for brethren to go on stating that such a thing is a fact , of which they offer no trustworthy evidence . Freemasonry has suffered so much from loose statements ,

unreliable references , hap-hazard assertions , and unfounded assurances , that we feel it is in the best interests of Masonic history and of Masonic veracity that we ask to day for some authentic

proof of this" oft-told tale . " We have in England our very worthy and able Bro . Gallico , who is interested in and connected with that " Morgen-Iand , " so very pleasant always to

scholars of every age , and not the less so to Masonic studeuts . Will Bro . Gallico favour us with his view of the matter , and will he endeavour to lay before our readers some proof of the

story if it be true ? Or will he give us an honest avowal , if the statement be incorrect , of the mistake into which many Italian and other Masonic writers have fallen ? We shall hope to

hear from him on the subject shortly , as no one is more competent to give the information desired , and no one realizes more clearly the solemn need and duty , in all such inquiries , of strict , historical , unimpeachable truth .

Our Deputy Grand Master At Highclere.

OUR DEPUTY GRAND MASTER AT HIGHCLERE .

"We are happy in being able to confirm , for the information of the Craft , our original view of the misquotation of our noble Bro . Lord Carnavon ' s speech at an agricultural meeting at Highclere . As the speech , had been reported in non-Masonic papers , we felt it to be our duty

Our Deputy Grand Master At Highclere.

to allude to it , in order to avoid any possible misconception in the matter . But we expressly stated when we wrote , that in our humble opinion , the words attributed to our most

distinguished brother were purely a blunder of the reporter . We rejoice to be able to-day not only to re-affirm our own previous conviction on the

subject , but to do so in the full certainty , that no such words fell from the lips of our able and deeply respected Deputy Grand Master .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do net hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . ] SCOTTISH BENEVOLENT FUND .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have with much pleasure read what has been said in your columns in connection with this subject , and I trust something honourable to the Craft in Scotland will come of it . After the hundred-guinea challenge thrown

down by the worthy proprietor of this newspaper , Bro . Kenning , I hope that some of the richer members of our Order in Scotland will come forward , and with still greater generosity put their hands in their pockets and come out with something handsome in support of the scheme . I am , yours fraternally , PROGRESS .

THE COMING INSTALLATION OF THE GRAND MASTER .

To the Editor of ( he Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Inoticeyourcorrespondent /' ACountry P . M ., " thinks the hour for the assembling for the above ceremony should be fixed so that it would be over about six p . m ., to allow country brethren

from a distance to return homejthe same night . The suggestion would be a very good one if there was any probability of the brethren finding room in the Grand Lodge when they did come . But unless a larger building is provided than the present hall ( large and commodious as it is )

there will not be room for more than one fifth of the brethren who are entitled to attend Grand Lodge , and I believe nearly every brother entitled to that privilege will wish to be present . And I think you will find there is somewhere about nine thousand brethren entitled to attend Grand

Lodge as M . ' s , W . ' s , and P . M . ' s j and on an occasion like this , if the privilege could be extended to all W . M . ' s of good standing , there would be such an assemblage of brethren of the mystic tie as the world has never seen . Would

it not be well for the Committee to secure some place large enough to accomodate all ? The Albert Hall would be a most appropriate place , having been built to commemorate our M . W . G . M . ' s honoured and revered father . I remain , yours fraternally , ANOTHER COUNTRY P . M .

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AT DEVONPORT .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Last week you were good enough to print in a supplement a detailed account of the ceremony of placing the memorial stone of the

new wing of this institution by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh . In the hope that I may receive aid from my brethren in my arduous labours to support this excellent charity , permit me to state the grounds on which I appeal to the Masonic body .

1 . The Asylum relieves distress in the direst form in which distress can be presented , in the person ofthe " Destitute Female Orphan . " 2 . The inmates are exclusively the orphans

of our sailors and soldiers , especially of those losing their lives in the public service . They are admitted without local preference , and no recommendation is required . 3 . More than twenty of the fathers of child-