Who Is A Freemason?

¦ flashed upon us the bright effulgence of its eternal rays , while the "Lesser Light" has enabled us the better to see the former ' s beauty , Avisdom and truth . We are also , in a subordinate sense , " a society of the table . " A Table Lodge is a

place of innocent and real Masonic enjoyment . The annual reunion of the Craft around the festive board brings with ib the happiest associations and the pleasantest recollections . And finally , do we not meet in tyled lodges , where the maca is

theoretically if not practically present . Each and all of these word-studies then is full of meaning- and of interest ; and if in the brief and cursory way in which we have sought to unravel their meanings , we shall have awakened among our brethren a

desire for a more thorough knowledge of the history and glorious mission of Masonry , our object will have been accomplished . —Keystone .

Rome The Seat Of Masonic Power.

ROME THE SEAT OF MASONIC POWER .

The Boston "Freemasons' Magazine" makes the following remarks upon the removal of the Grand Orient of Italy , from Florence to Eome : "Perhaps one of the most significant evidences of the progress of liberal principles and the decadence of religious tyranny at the present time , is the remarkable , not to say astounding factthat the Grand Orientor the

, , Masonic Grand Lodge of Italy , has recently removed its " Grand Bast , " or seat of government , from Florence to the ancient city of Eome , where it is now in active operation under the eye and within the hearing of the " Infallible" head of the Papal Church ! In view of the past bloody history of this Church and its long-continued fiery persecutions of Freemasonryit is difficult to

, realize a transition so significant in its character and momentous in its consequences . It is the funereal dirge of a false theocracy , which , through a long succession of ages , has become infamous by its crimes . Por more than four hundred years the Papal Church has heen the unscrupulous and uncompromising enemy of Freemasonry .

Ihe dungeon , the rack , and the stake have been pitilessly employed by her for its suppression , and hundreds of our innocent brethren have been sacrificed to her cruelty . _ It is but a few months since that one of her prescriptive and characteristic denunciations was issued from the Vatican , setting the whole Masonic world of Continental Europe ablaze bits terrible threatenings . But she has

y i-eached the end of her temporal power . Its overthrow has come upon her like an electric shock , and mene , mane , iekel ivpharsin has been written upon the Avails of her power . The line of separation has now been distinctly drawn between her reli gious tolerance and her political rule . The first , crippled and shorn of his strength by the advancing intelli of the remain with

gence age , may her for a time—and but for a time ; while the latter has passed beyond her grasp , never to be regained . The vitality of her bulls , decrees , and blasphemous anathemas is at an end , and the dungeons of her Inquisitions are no more to echo the groans of religious dissenters or Masonic martyrs . Masonry is in the "Holy City . "

Rome The Seat Of Masonic Power.

This is now her Italian home— -the abiding place of her power and influence , and while she -will scrupulously respect the spiritual rule of her oppressors , she -will know how to protect her own interests and assert her own rights . " Certainly the world progresses ! Louis Napoleon made "war , but the Almighty has shaped its ends . " As in the recent events of our own country

, " what Avoukl have taken years of peace to effect , a few months of Avar have accomplished . Popery , with its infallibility , is a thing of the past . The light of the nineteenth century is dispelling the mists of superstition that have chained the intellects of the people , and the last lingering relics of the Dark Ages , are being swept from the earth . Every lover of freedom of thoughtand

, every lover of political freedom , will rejoice in the doAvnfall of this great , moral , political , and religious despotism . " " It is of some importance , however , that the precise character of the great change which has taken place in the condition and extent o ? the Papal power should not be misunderstood . The spiritual supremacy of the Pope

over his subjects remains undisturbed , and in this respect the Church may continue as heretofore to exercise its crushing and demoralizing influences over the masses who believe in the infallibility of its head ; at least there are no lawful hinderances to its doing so . if its exactions and penalties are kept within the rules of Christian civilization . The Pope may still issue his bulls and

anathemas and decrees of excommunication , as heretofore ; but the power to enforce them , as against criminal offences , no longer exists . His temporal power has been , swept away with his possessions , and is now vested in the United Kingdom of Italy , with Yictor Emmanuel at his head , and with it the legislative and executive power which he and his predecessors have exercised , as absolute sovereigns , since the acquisition of the Exachate of Ravenna in the eighth century . He is therefore now

and henceforth to be regarded simply as the Bishop of Rome , a title Avhich he absurdly claims as successor of St . Peter , and God ' s vicegerent upon earth ; but which , notwithstanding the absurdity of this pretention , if he can make up his mind to Avear it with the humility of the Christian , and in a way consistent with the dignity of his high position , will command for him the love and

veneration of the more intelligent of his own followers , and the increased respect of tho Christian world . If so Avorn , the loss of his temporal power will prove a blessing to him and his successors , and insure the greater prosperity of his own Church ; which , for the last century , has , in the larger Catholic countries of Europe , made more infidels than converts . He must also learn

and study the obvious lesson of the day , that the time is gone by Avhen union of Church and State can conduce to the interests or welfare of either . Compulsory religion leads to infidelity as a natural result . We have no sectarian prejudices against tbe Catholic Church or its fundamental doctrines when administered in their purity , but Ave have little respect forand certainly no sympathy

, with , its farcical ceremonials and absurd ] 3 retensions —its confessions and absolutions—its penitential bodily inflictions , and exclusive self-righteousness . But with these Ave have no quarrel . The sooner , however , it begins to learn that there may bo true Christians outside of his own pale , and that heaven may be reached without travelling the road to Rome , the sooner it will command

the respect , if not the veneration of all intelligent men . Hardly less remarkable and significant than tho overthrow of the temporal power of the Pope , is the establishment and weekly publication of a Masonic Review at Florence , in tbe Italian language , the first eight numbers of which havo been politely forwarded to us by its editors , Bros . M . Macchi and B . Bencdetti . We give its title in full as follows : — " Rivista della Massoueria Italian ' aperiodico ebdomadario semiufficiale del Grande Oriente