Masonic Persecution.—Iii.

MASONIC PERSECUTION . —III .

The attitude assumed by the Church of Rome , with relation to the Order of Freemasons , since the year 1738 , has been marked alike by bigotry aud ignorance ; bigotry , in so far , that a Church claimed for certain of its members—fallible

meninfallibility ; ignorance oH the true purposes of Freemasonry . Its infallibility is to be carried to even a more reduced term during- a Council of the

Church m the present year , when the Pope , a man , a fallible creature , is , in his entire person , action and mind , to be declared infallible . The infallibility of the Pope in former times Avas an idea , hedged in by the wisdom of the Cardinals ,

or the collective Avisdom of a Council . NOAV the Pope is to be the only infallible ; and , to pronounce him so , the ministers of all Christian churches have been invited to attend the Council of 1869 . The Greek Church has declined this

invitation ; so has—with , perhaps , as will be seen on its meeting , a few of the ultra high Church party of England—the Protestant . This invitation again displays the ignorance of the Church of Rome , of men aud of history . As for religion , and

the Christian religion , its ignorance is so manifest , that having risen upon the Heathen Worship of Rome , dethroned Jupiter to make Avay for the Pope , the legion of gods for the legion of Saints , Phlegethon for Purgatory , Hades for Hell , the

Elysian Fields for Heaven , Diana for Mary , the Vestal Virgins for Nuns , it is no Avouder that tho divine words of tho Saviour . — "A new

commandment I giA r e unto you , that you love one another , " should be put away for , " Believe you in mo , or I , the Infallible , will , if I have tliu power , burn , torture , slay you . " Sweet follower of Jesus , who came not to bruise the broken reed !

Listen to the Avords in Avhich Pope Clement XII ., upon 28 th April , 1733 , spoke of us : — " We have learned , and jmblic rumour does not permit us to doubt tho truth of tho report , that a certain society has been formed , under the name of Freemasons ,

into Avhich persons of all religions and all sects are indiscriminately admitted , and AVIIOSO members have established certain laws which bind them to each other , and Avhich , in particular , compel their members , under the severest penalties , by virtue

of an oath taken on the Holy Scriptures , to proserve an inviolable secrecy in relation to everything that passes in their meetings . " Let us consider these Avords . The Pope has "learned , and riublic rumour does not permit

' him' to doubt the truth of" what ? Public Rumour ? The world has declared Public Rumour to be a liar so far back as proverbs came into existence . Is the Pope ' s infallibility founded then upon Public Rumour ? If Pius the Ninth

is the successor of Clement the Twelfth , then Pius the Ninth ' s infallibility undoubtedly will rest upon Public Rumour , aud the Council of 1869 Avill prove to be the noted PUBLIC EUMOUE of veracious

history , and a lib successor ot that which , declared foi the Immaculate Conception in the present poor old Pius's reign . Pius , doubtless , is a destined Saint in the Romish Calendar . He has done something for the Virgin Mary , and now he does

something for the office to Avhich he belongs , and he can boldly , in 1870 , declare , without hearing a doubt raised by Cardinal , Archbishop , Bishop , Priest , Deacon , Cleric , Laidic , that a horse chestnut is a chestnut horse . Happy Shepherd ,

certainly " thou art- in a parlous way ! " Happy flock to have such a pastor ; happy Church to have such a head !

But Pius has done more than the above , he has condemned Freemasonry . Hear ib , oh ! brebhren } of the North Pole , of the South Pole , of East and West , you are solemnly deprived of Fire and Water , of any chance of gaining heaven , but you

have a decided right to go to the other quarter ; you are condemned to be damned for ever and ever , if you can understand the meeting of these words , " ever and ever , " BY BROTHER POPE Pros THE NJKTII ; for Pope Pius is not only a Carbonaro ,

but he is also a Freemason . Poor old creature ! IIOAV is he to get out of his dilemma ? We can only suppose , upon the principle of the American showman : — " Who's skull is that , Master ? " inquired an inquisitive old cuss . " George

Washington's , " replied the showman . "Now , look you here , Master . When I Avas here before , his skull Avas only a fourth the size . How do you explain that , eh ? " " Wal , stranger , you air an ignorant crittur , j'Oti air : a right down , going

through loon , you air . The skull you saAV before Avas George Washington ' s Avhen a boy . NOAV , this is his when a man . " On the same principle , the Devil will get the Pope's Freemason ' s soul , Avhile his Pope's soul will be all right .

Pope Clement s Bull , which Ave confess is far more amusing than that of Pope Pius , goes on to state that the Freemasons had become suspected by the faithful , aud that they are hurtful to the tranquillity of the state , and to the safety of the