Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad01001
LONDON , N . W . Hotel , Grand Midland Venetian for Masonic Rooms Dinners now available , etc . Other Midland Railway Hotels at Liverpool , Leeds , Bradford , Derby , Morecombe , and Heysham . Chief Office : W . TOWLE , Midland Grand Hotel , Manager . London , N . W . M . R . Hotels , etc .
Ad01002
PERRIER = JOUET & Cos . CHAMPAGNES . FINEST VINTAGE RESERVE-CUVEES . THE FAVOURITE MASONIC BRAND . Agent—A . BOURSOT , 9 , Hart Street , flark Lane , London .
Ad01003
ASSURANCE . EXCHANGE ROYAL INCORPORATED A . D . 1720 . Funds in Hand Exceed - - £ 4 f 850 , 000 Claims Paid Exceed - - , £ 41 , 000 , 000 UNIMPEA CHADLE SECURITY . FIRE , LIFE , MARINE , ANNUITIES , ACCIDENTS , BURGLARY , EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY . Applv for full Prospectus lo \ V . N . WHYMPHR , Secretary . Head Office-. —ROYAL EXCHANGE , LONDON , E . C .
Ad01004
THE MASONIC ILLUSTRATED ' yy >> yy X K v 5 X K ^^ JJC ^ S' ^ S'J ' vSK S # J & y & y & y & i & ol &' & !& iPt
The Roman Catholic Hierarchy And Masonry From Early Times To 1814.
The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and Masonry from Early Times to 1814 .
IT is a commonly received opinion that the Church of Rome is opposed to all secret societies . However widespread the opinion may be , it does not seem to be supported by history or by the practice of the Roman Church . One notable instance of a secret society which for many
years controlled the Papacy and met with the approval of that Church is the Society of Jesus , whose members , under the name of Jesuits , have played so important a part in the development and introduction of many of her doctrines and methods .
The researches of Findel have established that the Steinmetzen associations , the operative Masons of Germany , were branches of a secret society , with objects as clearly ¦ delined as those of speculative Masonry in the present day . Yet we know that these societies were under Papal
protection in the fifteenth century . The Bulls of Alexander VI ., 1 5 , and of Leo X ., 1517 , in support of Freemasonry , have often been referred to by Masonic historians , though it must be admitted that a careful search through the Archives ¦ of the Vatican has failed to discover any trace of their
¦ existence . This much , however , is certain , that with Papal . approval , or at any rate without expression of disapproval from the ruling members of the Roman Hierarchy in the year 1 279 , Archbishop Sifrid , of Cologne , promised full ¦ absolution to all who should , for the furthering of the cathedral building operations , present to him any wrongfully . acquired goods .
The cause of the hostility of the Roman Hierarchy t ° Freemasonry is not due therefore to the mere fact of its being a secret society . What then could have caused this hostility ? The Bull of Benedict XII ., 173 8 , does not allege any offences against Freemasons , it condemns them merely on the ground that " their impregnable secret " may be used
for improper purposes . This reasoning would have applied much more forcibly to the Jesuits , who were then in favour at Rome , than to the Freemasons . The real reason of this sudden enmity was the discovery that men of different faiths could unite in the brotherhood of
Freemasonry . It was in 1737 that , at the lodge of Livorno , Roman Catholics , Protestants , and Jews enrolled themselves asmembers . The inestimable advantages of the institution in promoting tolerance and bringing within the bounds of possibility the establishment of a nearly universal human
brotherhood , were , in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church , dangerous tendencies and irreligious doctrines . This church attacked Freemasonry not because it was a secret society , not because she had any real belief that the science aimed at the subversion of established governments
or religion , but because she feared the intercourse of her adherents with persons of other religions , and dreaded that the kind of study recommended by the science would weaken the influence and authority of her priests . Accordingly , in countries where the Pope had supreme
control , Freemasonry was put down with a strong hand . In Portugal , " that paradise of the monks , that seat of ignorance and superstition , " the tortures of the inquisition were invoked to suppress the Brotherhood . In Spain the same means were resorted to . In Austria Freemasonry was
practically suppressed . In France , though Freemasonry was for a short time discouraged , the authorities never really attempted to suppress it ; and not long after 1737 we lind many of the chief men of the kingdom serving under its banner .
In England the Papal policy adopted towards Freemasonry was different . It is quite clear that the Roman Catholic authorities for many years after 1737 did not really forbid the members of their Church from joining the Society . We find among the Grand Masters the names of the Duke of Norfolk , 1730 , Lord Petre , 1772-1776 , and other well
known members of that faith . It is hardly likely that the less illustrious members of that Church were prohibited from joining the Order . It is , at first sight , difficult to understand the exceptional indulgence extended to English and Scotch Freemasons . It
may be that for some years the Papacy hoped to convert the institution into a society friendly to the Stuarts , and to use it in attempting to replace a Roman Catholic dynasty on the throne of Britain . Indeed , one authority has gone so far as to assert that some of the higher degrees were established to
effect this very purpose . Possibly Roman Catholics in Britain were allowed to join on the chance that they would be able to influence the Order in case of any attempted revolution . However this may be , no serious attempt to discourage Freemasonry in Britain was made by the see of Rome until the 19 th century .
The Bull published by Benedict XIV . in 1751 did not affect the view taken in Britain by the Roman Catholic authorities on the practice of Freemasonry . This precious document gives six reasons why Freemasonry should be held accursed . First and foremost , it is laid down that the fact
that all sorts of sects and religions are allowed to join the Order proves how pernicious such an association must be " to the purity of the Catholic Religion . " The fact that Masonry is a secret society is only thrown in as a sort of makeweight . It appears to have had some effect on the Continent , and was finally the means of suppressing Freemasonry in Austria .
After this date , the hostility to Freemasonry , though undoubtedly still existing , appear to have gradually become less insistent , till 1814 , when the ( lames of intolerance were again fanned into renewed activity , We will deal with the cause of this and the present attitude of the Papacy towards our Society in our next issue .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad01001
LONDON , N . W . Hotel , Grand Midland Venetian for Masonic Rooms Dinners now available , etc . Other Midland Railway Hotels at Liverpool , Leeds , Bradford , Derby , Morecombe , and Heysham . Chief Office : W . TOWLE , Midland Grand Hotel , Manager . London , N . W . M . R . Hotels , etc .
Ad01002
PERRIER = JOUET & Cos . CHAMPAGNES . FINEST VINTAGE RESERVE-CUVEES . THE FAVOURITE MASONIC BRAND . Agent—A . BOURSOT , 9 , Hart Street , flark Lane , London .
Ad01003
ASSURANCE . EXCHANGE ROYAL INCORPORATED A . D . 1720 . Funds in Hand Exceed - - £ 4 f 850 , 000 Claims Paid Exceed - - , £ 41 , 000 , 000 UNIMPEA CHADLE SECURITY . FIRE , LIFE , MARINE , ANNUITIES , ACCIDENTS , BURGLARY , EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY . Applv for full Prospectus lo \ V . N . WHYMPHR , Secretary . Head Office-. —ROYAL EXCHANGE , LONDON , E . C .
Ad01004
THE MASONIC ILLUSTRATED ' yy >> yy X K v 5 X K ^^ JJC ^ S' ^ S'J ' vSK S # J & y & y & y & i & ol &' & !& iPt
The Roman Catholic Hierarchy And Masonry From Early Times To 1814.
The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and Masonry from Early Times to 1814 .
IT is a commonly received opinion that the Church of Rome is opposed to all secret societies . However widespread the opinion may be , it does not seem to be supported by history or by the practice of the Roman Church . One notable instance of a secret society which for many
years controlled the Papacy and met with the approval of that Church is the Society of Jesus , whose members , under the name of Jesuits , have played so important a part in the development and introduction of many of her doctrines and methods .
The researches of Findel have established that the Steinmetzen associations , the operative Masons of Germany , were branches of a secret society , with objects as clearly ¦ delined as those of speculative Masonry in the present day . Yet we know that these societies were under Papal
protection in the fifteenth century . The Bulls of Alexander VI ., 1 5 , and of Leo X ., 1517 , in support of Freemasonry , have often been referred to by Masonic historians , though it must be admitted that a careful search through the Archives ¦ of the Vatican has failed to discover any trace of their
¦ existence . This much , however , is certain , that with Papal . approval , or at any rate without expression of disapproval from the ruling members of the Roman Hierarchy in the year 1 279 , Archbishop Sifrid , of Cologne , promised full ¦ absolution to all who should , for the furthering of the cathedral building operations , present to him any wrongfully . acquired goods .
The cause of the hostility of the Roman Hierarchy t ° Freemasonry is not due therefore to the mere fact of its being a secret society . What then could have caused this hostility ? The Bull of Benedict XII ., 173 8 , does not allege any offences against Freemasons , it condemns them merely on the ground that " their impregnable secret " may be used
for improper purposes . This reasoning would have applied much more forcibly to the Jesuits , who were then in favour at Rome , than to the Freemasons . The real reason of this sudden enmity was the discovery that men of different faiths could unite in the brotherhood of
Freemasonry . It was in 1737 that , at the lodge of Livorno , Roman Catholics , Protestants , and Jews enrolled themselves asmembers . The inestimable advantages of the institution in promoting tolerance and bringing within the bounds of possibility the establishment of a nearly universal human
brotherhood , were , in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church , dangerous tendencies and irreligious doctrines . This church attacked Freemasonry not because it was a secret society , not because she had any real belief that the science aimed at the subversion of established governments
or religion , but because she feared the intercourse of her adherents with persons of other religions , and dreaded that the kind of study recommended by the science would weaken the influence and authority of her priests . Accordingly , in countries where the Pope had supreme
control , Freemasonry was put down with a strong hand . In Portugal , " that paradise of the monks , that seat of ignorance and superstition , " the tortures of the inquisition were invoked to suppress the Brotherhood . In Spain the same means were resorted to . In Austria Freemasonry was
practically suppressed . In France , though Freemasonry was for a short time discouraged , the authorities never really attempted to suppress it ; and not long after 1737 we lind many of the chief men of the kingdom serving under its banner .
In England the Papal policy adopted towards Freemasonry was different . It is quite clear that the Roman Catholic authorities for many years after 1737 did not really forbid the members of their Church from joining the Society . We find among the Grand Masters the names of the Duke of Norfolk , 1730 , Lord Petre , 1772-1776 , and other well
known members of that faith . It is hardly likely that the less illustrious members of that Church were prohibited from joining the Order . It is , at first sight , difficult to understand the exceptional indulgence extended to English and Scotch Freemasons . It
may be that for some years the Papacy hoped to convert the institution into a society friendly to the Stuarts , and to use it in attempting to replace a Roman Catholic dynasty on the throne of Britain . Indeed , one authority has gone so far as to assert that some of the higher degrees were established to
effect this very purpose . Possibly Roman Catholics in Britain were allowed to join on the chance that they would be able to influence the Order in case of any attempted revolution . However this may be , no serious attempt to discourage Freemasonry in Britain was made by the see of Rome until the 19 th century .
The Bull published by Benedict XIV . in 1751 did not affect the view taken in Britain by the Roman Catholic authorities on the practice of Freemasonry . This precious document gives six reasons why Freemasonry should be held accursed . First and foremost , it is laid down that the fact
that all sorts of sects and religions are allowed to join the Order proves how pernicious such an association must be " to the purity of the Catholic Religion . " The fact that Masonry is a secret society is only thrown in as a sort of makeweight . It appears to have had some effect on the Continent , and was finally the means of suppressing Freemasonry in Austria .
After this date , the hostility to Freemasonry , though undoubtedly still existing , appear to have gradually become less insistent , till 1814 , when the ( lames of intolerance were again fanned into renewed activity , We will deal with the cause of this and the present attitude of the Papacy towards our Society in our next issue .