Freemasonry In France.

another bond for binding the peoples of the two nations together in amity and good will . "We subjoin without further comment the circular of M . de Persigny in ewtenso : — " Monsieur le Prefet , —For some time past the

Government has been preoccupied with the necessity of bringing under the conditious of the law the charitable associations , the existence and action of which have not yet been regularly authorised . By different circulars , particularly those of the 30 th Oct ., 1850 ; 19 th Aug ., 1852 ; and 15 th June , 1854 , you were requested to remind those societies of the obligations imposed on them by the law . _ Notwithstanding the consideration which is attached to acts

those warnings , of charity has hitherto prolonged the tolerance of the authorities , but it has become indispensable and just to regularise a situation , the inconveniences of which have only been aggravated by time . " I , however , readily admit that , with tho exception of those inconveniences , the numerous charitable associations , whether authorised or not , and which form considerable branches of public charity , merit all the sympathy of the Government for the benefits which they spread in the

country , whether under a religious character like the societies of Saiiit-Vincent-de-Paul , ' of Saint-Fran ^ ais-Kegis , or of Saint-Francois-de-Sales ; or whether , under a different origin , they have an organisation purely philanthropic , like Freemasonry . " The last-named , established in France since 1 ' 7 " 25 , has never ceased to maintain its reputation for charity , ancl

while accomplishing its mission with zeal , it has shown itself animated with a patriotism which has never been in default under important circumstances . The different groups of which it , is composed , to the number of about 470 , known under the generic name of lodges , and by tbe particular denominations of chapters , colleges , and consistories , & c , although not recognised and not regularly constituted ,

work with calm in the country , and have not , for a very long time , given rise to any serious complaint on the part of the authorities . Such is Jthe order and spirit which reign in this association that , with the exception of its central organisation , the mode of election of which , being of a nature to excite rivalry between the different lodges , and to disturb their good harmony , calls for some modification , it cannot but be advantageous to authorise and recognise its

existence . "On their side the religious charitable associations , particularly the Societe de Saint-Vincent-de-Paul , recommend themselves to public respect by the virtues they exercise . Tho numerous conferences of Saint-Yincent ,-de-Paul , founded for tho purpose of distributing assistance to the indigent , and of moralising and instructing the working zeal which cannot

classes , pursue with remarkable an object be too highly extolled . It is charity holding out the hand to religion , and imbibing ifcs noble aspirations in order to pub in practice the precepts of Christian charity ; and not only do those societies powerfully contribute to the assistance and tho moraiisation of tho poorer classes , but they also co-operate in keeping in tho higher classes an order of generous feelings by making mon of fortune and of leisure comprehend tho mission of tho rich iu the midst of

those who suffer . " The spirit of thoso societies appears , moreover , to be in itself aloof from political pre-occupations ; for , formed of religious men belonging , without distinction , to all opinions , tbey count among " their ranks a great number of public functionaries and devoted friends of the Government . " But if tho local conferences of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul

arc entitled to all the sympathy of the Government , I regret to say that tho same is not the case with those provincial councils or committees , which , under the appearance of encouraging the special efforts of different conferences , succeed every day more and more in possessing themselves of the direction of thorn , despoil fchem of the right of choosing their own presidents and dignitariesand thus

im-, pose themselves on all the societies of a province , as if to make them serve as instruments to a project which has nothing to do with charity . " As to the Superior Council sitting at Paris , the Govern-

Freemasonry In France.

ment cannot approve of the existence of that sort of directing committee , which is not nominated by local societies , but of its own sole authority elects its members , arrogates the right of governing the others in order to make them a sort of occult association , the ramifications of which it extends beyonds the frontiers of France , and which possesses a budget levied from the conferences of which the

employment is unknown . " Such an organisation cannot be explained by the interests of charity alone . Is it necessary , in fact , that honourable men who do good at Lyons , Marseilles , and Bordeaux , should be counselled and directed by a committee at Paris ? Are they not , on the contrary , more able than any one to know to whom to distribute their alms ?

Does , besides , Christian charity require to be constituted in the form of secret societies in order to be exercised ? " Monsieur le Prefet , the law which interdicts these sorts of associations , and which has been too long violated , imposes on you obligations of which ifc is my duty to remind you , whilst conciliating the respect of the law with the noble exercise of charity . If there exists in your department unauthorised benefit societies , under whatever name

or denomination they may be established , whether that of conferences of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul , societies of Saint Francois-Regis and Saint Fraucois-de-Sales , or Freemasons ' lodges , I request you to authorise them without delay , in the legal form , and to admit them , like all other societies already recognised , to share in the favours and protection of the Government .

" Moreover , if the jiresidents or delegates directly nominated by the isolated societies of any town should consider it useful fco act in concert in the interest of their mission , you will authorise them to unite and form a committee . " Lastly , if these different societies should , through their presidents or delegates , express to you the wish to have at Paris , near tho Government , a central representation , you

will transmit to me their wishes , and the reasons which they may have to present in support of them , and I shall have the honour to take the Emperor ' s orders to decide on what bases and according to what principles that central representation may be organised . In the meantime you will interdict the meeting of every superior , central , or provincial council , and you will pronounce the dissolution of them . —Ileceive , & c , "F . DE PEKSIUXY . "

Classical Theology.—Xlix.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —XLIX .

X . — -VESTA AXD DECE 1 TBEE , The philosopher Aristotle was born , u . c . 384 , at Stagyra , a town in Macedonia , ( whence he acquired the title of " the Stagyrite , " ) and became the chosen instructor of king Philip ' s son , then about fourteen years oldultimatel y known as Alexander the Great . In his

, treatises on metaphysics and ethics , Aristotle declares that , although he had been a pupil of Plato , he had no belief in his doctrine concerning ideas . He says , it was painful for him to refute the philosophy of ideas , as many dear to him . had fervently entertained it , but whereas truth was more precious to him than the indulgence of

his feelings , his duty was to uphold it against the hypothesis of idealism , or of ideas explaining natural effects . Nevertheless we are told that Aristotle erected a cenotaph or altar to the memory of his master Plato ; whom , iu the inscription thereon , he described as " a ¦ being whom the wicked should not venture to name ,

even to praise . " The broad doctrinal distinctions constituting the abstract reasonings of Plato and Aristotle , were that the one system was constructed upon metaphysics and the other upon physics . Plato attributed a spirituality to ideas , and considered the human intellect as the seat j of the soul , which he believed to be an emanation from