The Pope And Freemasonry.

or charity , is the foundation of Masonry . It pervades every rite and ceremony—is infused equally into discipline and doctrine , and enforced in the lectures . About the end of last century in England all Masonic business was closed Avith the

folloAving recommendation— " You are to cultivate brotherly love , the foundation ancl cope-stone , the glory and cement of this our ancient and honourable fraternity ; avoiding all wrangling ancl quarrelling , slandering ancl back-biting ; not permitting

others to defame the character of any honest brother , Avhich you are to defend to the utmost of your powei-, as far as is consistent Avith your own honour and safety . Hence all may see the benign influence of Masonry , as all good Masons have done from the beginning of the world , and will do so to the end of time . "

Whilst on the subject of charity I may quote the folloAving directions from the ancient charges with respect to the treatment of a strange brother . They instruct the fraternity " to examine him in such a method as prudence shall direct , that you

may not be imposed upon by a false and an ignorant pretender , whom you are to reject with contempt and derision , and beware of giving him any hints of knowledge . But if you discover him to be a true and genuine brother , you are to

respect him accordingly ; ancl if he is in want , you must relieve him if you can , or else direct him hoAV he may be relieved . You must employ him some days , or else recommend him to be employed . But you are not charged to do beyond your ability ;

only to prefer a poor brother that is a good man and true , before any other poor people in the same circumstances . " In order , however , to be enabled to partake of the general Charity , his name must be registered in the books of the Grand

Lodge , and he must have been a contributing member for tAvo years , Avith all his arrears paid up—except in the event of shipwreck , capture at sea , loss by fire , or dislocating a limb , to Avhich cases the limitation of two years does not extend .

The secrets , of which Ave hear so much , are simply for the protection of the society against franc ! Beyond these necessary signs ancl pass-words there is absolutely no other secret Avhich Masons would be afraid to communicate to the whole world . In

all ages there have been impostors , and characters who have endeavoured to profit by a professed exposure of Masonic secrets—the infidel Carlile in England , Perau and Buhle in France ancl Germany , Morgan ancl others in the United States ,

But the public are not much the Aviser for tha revelations , nor has the society . suffered tha slightest damage . No uninitiated individual conl-d get into a lodge , or impose upon a Mason , in consequence of the information derived from , the above

sources . Both in the genuine and spurious Freemasonry the initiated were bound by solemn oaths not to reveal the ^ necessary secrets ; ancl if these men ' s works are genuine expositions of Masonry . they are the product of broken vows and a violated

faith ; if they are fabrications , they are , of course , worthless impositions . Your readers may impale them on either horn of the dilemma they please . In the spurious Freemasonry such men were severely handled . Diagoras the Melian

havingdivulged the secrets of the mysteries , a great clamour was raised against him , and his very name became a term of reproach . The magistrates of Athens cited him to ap ] 3 ear before them , but he Heel . A large reward was offered for his

apprehension ; finding no refuge in Greece , he embarked on board a vessel , ancl perished by shipwreck . So also , Alcibiades and his companions , who ridiculed the mysteries , Avere not only forbid all religious aud ciA'il intercourse at Athens , but were solemnly

cursed by all the priests and priestesses , Plutarch , vol . i ., p . 202 . Horace declared that " he would not remain in the same house , or sail in the same boat , with one who had divulged the mysteries of Ceres . "

Vetabo , qui Cereris sacrum Yulgarit avcaiiaj , sub iisdom Sit ti-abibus , fragilemquc meenm . Solvafc plaselum . —Od . iii . ii ., 26 . But I am wandering away from my subject . Freemasonry as practised at the present day

commemorates particularly five great events in the history of the Avorld , each typical of the Messiah , viz ., the vision of Jacob , the offering of Isaac , the deliverance from Egyptian bondage , the offering of David , ancl the building of the Temple . These are

the principal historical events contained in the lectures . "It folloAvs , then , ( says Dr . Oliver ) that Masonry Avas intended to perpetuate that most important fact , the salvation of souls through the atonement of Christ . To accomplish this design

more perfectly , the most prominent types , as they arose , Avere incorporated by wise and pious brethren into the original system , until it contained a perfect chain of evidence , Avhich could neither be effaced nor misunderstood , illustrative of this fact , so essential to the future Avelfare of mankind , " So that , in adding on the modern and Christian