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( tmttmts . PAGE . Masonic Congress at Paris—By Bro . Hyde Clarke 301 Grand Orient of Italy 302 Old Freemasonry before Grand Lodge 303 The Haughfoot Lodge and Speculative Masonry—By R . S 305 Masonic Notes and Queries 306 Correspondence 309

Masonic Mems 3 H CRAFT LODGE MEETINGS : — Metropolitan 311 Provincial 312 Scotland 314 Channel Islands 314 India 316 Royal Arch 317

Mark Masonry 317 Reviews 318 Literature , Science , Music , Drama , and the Fine Arts 318 Poetry 319 List of Lodge , & c ., Meetings for ensuing week 319 To Correspondents 320

Masonic Congress At Parts.

MASONIC CONGRESS AT PARTS .

ZONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 16 , 1869 .

By Bro . HYDE CLAP » KE . The threatened attack of the Pope on the Freemasons at the forthcoming ( Ecumenical Council has deeply aroused the ire of our foreign brethren . Naturally , ourselves aud the Americans care very little what the Pope and his myrmidons

say for or against us , and as little for his ( Ecumenical Council , and what it may decree against us , as of Cardinal Cullen ' s denunciation of the Masonic Hall at Dublin . We meet all those things on the same footing , and thereby help to

reduce them to insignificance . Circumstances are different in Prance , Belgium , and some other countries , where the Pope and his partisans have for generations carried on a war against Freemasons , and where the memory

of martyrs of the various tribunals of the Most Holy Inquisition has been freshly retained . Bull after Bull published against Freemasonry has

attested the envenomed spite of the Pontiffs , and though they have failed in any degree to obstruct the progress of Freemasonry , they have been used by bishops and priests as means of social persecution . Dissension has been sown between

husband and wife , the rites of marriage have been refused to daughters , and the dying Mason has been made to recant , that his wife ' s body might be laid in the same grave with his . These are not things of yesterday , but of to-day , and

Masons in the presence of this warfare carry on their own campaign , and carry on hostilities against their common enemies . This warfare

again has damaged and exasperated the Pope , particularly in his homestead of Italy , and now his preserve of Spain is invaded . The dastardly introduction of Freemasonry before the Council as something impious was

meant to caluminate the institution , but it was perhaps little thought it would excite the members of the Masonic body to resistance . The protest - of Masons coming in concert with those of many - distinguished ecclesiastics will not be without weight , and will constitute one of the elements of reaction , which Papal intrigue has provoked .

At the last communication of the Grand Orient of France a requisition was presented which resulted in a resolution calling on the Grand Master and Council of the Order to convoke on the 8 th of December next an extraordinary Convent of

delegates of the lodges of the jurisdiction , of those of other rites , and of foreign lodges to draw up and vote a manisfesto , which shall solemnly affirm in the face of the ( Ecumenical Council " the grand principles of universal human right , which are the basis and the glory" of Freemasonry .

The Grand Master has now called upon the lodges individually to vote on this measure , and it can hardly be doubted but that they will affirm it , and that the convention will be called . We may expect that , not only the lodges of the

Grand Orient of France will take part in this convocation , but also those of the Supreme Council of France . Belgium we may naturally expect to take part , and the Italian lodges universally . A fair contingent may be expected

from Germany and Switzerland . It is not impossible Sweden may be represented , but about Holland we are rather doubtful , though the " No Popery" feeling may be worked . It remains to be seen what our zealous brethren in Ireland may

do . The new Grand Lodges of Spain , Eoumania , and Greece may be expected to send their deputies . Many lodges of South America will be represented , and if there is time the authorities of the United States of North America may name delegates .

The results of this Convocation are likely to have a further bearing than upon the Pope and his ( Ecumenical Council , and may exercise a greater Masonic influence . We shall watch the further progress of the Convention , with some interest , for many reasons .