Freemasonry Considered In Its Relation To Society.

most unworthy members of the society , unworthy of the name of men , and deserving of the fate which overtook them . But is it fair to select names of men the most odious , who may or may not have been Masons , and from these to infer that the teaching they received led to the turn their

lives took ? Would the Cardinal consider it a fair process of reasoning , to adopt his own method , to say that Danton , Marat , and Robespierre were Roman Catholics ' " " * v therefore " we may conclude that the plant ( viz . the Roman Catholic

Church ) is bad , radically bad , which produces such poisonous fruits ! " or to say , that because such monsters have worn the tiara as John VIIL , John X ., John XL , John XII ., SergiusIII . audRoderigo Borgia-men whom no one ever accused of being

Freemasons , that their crimes should be attributed to the present Pontiff , or that because Joan occupied the Papal throne , therefore all the Popes were old women , or to infer from their lives that the religion they professed was the cause of their wickedness . The one influence is as legitimate as the other .

Owing to the eminently Catholic composition of Freemasonry , the Roman hierarchy cannot make it subservient to their ends , and hence they avail themselves of every opportunity for reviling and denouncing it . Great was the jubilation when the Marquis of Eipon joined the

Church of Rome , and when in obedience to her mandate , he retired from Freemasonry . He knew , . for his high office should have taught him , that there was nothing incompatible in Freemasonry with his allegiance to the Pope . His

action in the matter goes far to prove Mr . Gladstone ' s assertion : " That no one can become her convert without renouncing his moral and mental freedom , and placing his civil loyalty and duty at the mercv of another . " * In calm and dignified language

the great statesman has proved his proposition , and has shown that even in our day the Roman Church is opposed to progress and modern civilisation . On the other hand Freemasonry is quite en rapport with the spirit of the age , encourages a search for light and truth both in the domains of science and theology . But it is not in the Roman Church alone

its enemies are to be found . There would almost seem to be a secret understanding among the clergy of various religious bodies to do all they can for the destruction of Masonry . Happily , it is constructed of too solid materials , and stands on too firm

a basis to be shaken by the united efforts of Priest and Presbyter . In apamphletpublished in 1873 , entitled "The Princip les and Practices of Secret Societies opposed to Scripture and Reason , " by the Hev . James Kerr , Greenock , and

bearing the imprimatur of " The Joint Reformed Presby teries of Edinburgh and Glasgow , " a violent onslaught is made on Freemasonry . In a note , the writer of the pamphlet acknowledges that much of his information is taken from , ; Light on

Masonry , " and "The Master Mason , Ac ., " but he does not give the full title of the latter treatise . It is " Solomon in all his glory ; or the Master Mason . bein « a true guide to the inmost recesses of Freemasonry , both ancient and moderncontaining a

, minute account of the proceedings from an EnteredApprenticetoaPastMastei'withthe different signs , words , gripes , and form of oath . By Thomas Wilson , Esq ., an Officer in the Army , and late Master of the

Swan Tavern Lodge , Strand , a deserter from the Banners of Masonry . Price one penny . " The trumpery affair is the work of some illiterate scribbler , who , finding dupes , copied from Mr . Kerr ' s other work , and heralds it under its

highsounding title as the veritable production of a Freemason . In the appendix Mr . Kerr gives a long quotation from this work purporting to be an expose of the arcana of Masonry . The other work from which hederivesinformation , "Lighten Masonry , "

purports to be signed "by about 100 Masons who seceded from the craft . " And at page 29 he says , the persons calling themselves Masons whom he quotes , swore " not to write , print , stamp or engrave it ( viz . the secrets ) or anything moveable or

, immoveable , & o . " Now on fiis own showing Mr . Kerr is quoting the words of men who are telling wilful and deliberate lies , or who are guilty of wilful and deliberate perjury , so that until he produces some more reliable testimony , his statements

must" be received with a grain of salt . No such evidence would be received in a Court of Justice , and if offered , would of itself be sufficient to damage the case of the person tendering it , x 2