Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
France.
FEANCE .
GEAND ORIENT DE FRANCE . SUPEEME COUNCIL FOE FRANCE AND THE FRENCH POSSESSIONS . To the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe . Memorial stating the facts and persecutions exercised by Monseigneur Collier , Bishop of Port Louis , against the French Freemasons of the Mauritius . In May , 1854 , the Bro . H . Lemiere , merchant and member of the Legislative
Council of the Government of Her Britannic Majesty , desiring to receive the sacraments , applied to his confessor , the Abb ^ D'Aguy ; but what was his astonishment when the latter told him , that , by the order of his eminence the bishop , he could not allow him to come to the Communion-table until he had abjured Masonry . Our Bro . Lemiere then applied to Monseigneur Collier , but the refusal was peremptorily reiterated .
Our Brethren were surprised at this conduct , which they had never expected , inasmuch as the bishop had , ever since his arrival in the colony in 1842 , up to this day , been in friendly relations with them , and had assisted in the distribution of gold and silver medals to our school prizemen who were distinguished in science , They determined to address him a letter on the 2 nd May , 1844 , in which they requested to be informed whether his eminence intended to drive indiscriminately from the bosom of the church all persons professing Freemasonry .
On the 4 th May , the bishop answered that he had resolved , in virtue of the decrees of the Holy See , and the doctrines of the church , to refuse all sacraments to Freemasons , except in the following cases : — 1 . Every person having applied for the assistance of a priest in his last hour should receive ecclesiastical sepulture , unless he was carried to the Lodge . 2 . With regard to confession , every Mason might present himself to the tribunal of penitence , and might receive absolution , if repentant in the opinion and judgment of the church . The oath of Masonic silence and secresy is a sin , and the church cannot pardon unless on condition of abandoning sin .
3 . The sacrament of marriage will be accorded to Freemasons out of regard to the innocent party who presents herself to receive the sacrament ; but the Freemason who presents himself at the altar without being reconciled to the church is guilty of profanation of marriage , a profanation which cannot but drive from his house the blessings of Heaven , and of which he must render account upon his death .
On receipt of this reply , the Lodges "La Triple Espe ' rance , " and "LaPaix , " addressed a petition to General Sutherland , Governor of the Mauritius , requesting his protection from the acts of the bishop . In spite of the steps taken by the General , his eminence , without waiting for the superior authority , published a charge or mandate , in which he denounces Freemasonry as a hotbed of rebellion , having no other end but that of troubling the authority of the state , upsetting established laws , and putting an end to all society . This charge or mandate also contained a sentence of excommunication against all Freemasons .
While this was going on , and before the reply of his excellency the Governor-General Sutherland was known , the Bro . Cheneau , member of the Lodge " La Triple Espe ' rance , " died from cholera , which was then raging . The prayers for the dead were said over the corpse of the Brother by the curate of Sample Mousses , without any ceremonial .
Some days afterwards the family of the deceased applied for the celebration of the church funeral service , but before granting this , the bishop required that some one should certify in writing , that the Brother Cheveau had abjured Freemasonry , in the hands of the Abb ^ Azuy , who was called on by the family of the deceased to attend him in his last moments .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
France.
FEANCE .
GEAND ORIENT DE FRANCE . SUPEEME COUNCIL FOE FRANCE AND THE FRENCH POSSESSIONS . To the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe . Memorial stating the facts and persecutions exercised by Monseigneur Collier , Bishop of Port Louis , against the French Freemasons of the Mauritius . In May , 1854 , the Bro . H . Lemiere , merchant and member of the Legislative
Council of the Government of Her Britannic Majesty , desiring to receive the sacraments , applied to his confessor , the Abb ^ D'Aguy ; but what was his astonishment when the latter told him , that , by the order of his eminence the bishop , he could not allow him to come to the Communion-table until he had abjured Masonry . Our Bro . Lemiere then applied to Monseigneur Collier , but the refusal was peremptorily reiterated .
Our Brethren were surprised at this conduct , which they had never expected , inasmuch as the bishop had , ever since his arrival in the colony in 1842 , up to this day , been in friendly relations with them , and had assisted in the distribution of gold and silver medals to our school prizemen who were distinguished in science , They determined to address him a letter on the 2 nd May , 1844 , in which they requested to be informed whether his eminence intended to drive indiscriminately from the bosom of the church all persons professing Freemasonry .
On the 4 th May , the bishop answered that he had resolved , in virtue of the decrees of the Holy See , and the doctrines of the church , to refuse all sacraments to Freemasons , except in the following cases : — 1 . Every person having applied for the assistance of a priest in his last hour should receive ecclesiastical sepulture , unless he was carried to the Lodge . 2 . With regard to confession , every Mason might present himself to the tribunal of penitence , and might receive absolution , if repentant in the opinion and judgment of the church . The oath of Masonic silence and secresy is a sin , and the church cannot pardon unless on condition of abandoning sin .
3 . The sacrament of marriage will be accorded to Freemasons out of regard to the innocent party who presents herself to receive the sacrament ; but the Freemason who presents himself at the altar without being reconciled to the church is guilty of profanation of marriage , a profanation which cannot but drive from his house the blessings of Heaven , and of which he must render account upon his death .
On receipt of this reply , the Lodges "La Triple Espe ' rance , " and "LaPaix , " addressed a petition to General Sutherland , Governor of the Mauritius , requesting his protection from the acts of the bishop . In spite of the steps taken by the General , his eminence , without waiting for the superior authority , published a charge or mandate , in which he denounces Freemasonry as a hotbed of rebellion , having no other end but that of troubling the authority of the state , upsetting established laws , and putting an end to all society . This charge or mandate also contained a sentence of excommunication against all Freemasons .
While this was going on , and before the reply of his excellency the Governor-General Sutherland was known , the Bro . Cheneau , member of the Lodge " La Triple Espe ' rance , " died from cholera , which was then raging . The prayers for the dead were said over the corpse of the Brother by the curate of Sample Mousses , without any ceremonial .
Some days afterwards the family of the deceased applied for the celebration of the church funeral service , but before granting this , the bishop required that some one should certify in writing , that the Brother Cheveau had abjured Freemasonry , in the hands of the Abb ^ Azuy , who was called on by the family of the deceased to attend him in his last moments .