The Pope And The Craft.

THE POPE AND THE CRAFT .

THE following is a full translation of the letter sent by Pope Leo XIII . to Signor Alliati , President of the Directing Council of the Anti-Masonic Union and of the Committee for the Organisation of the International Anti-Masonic Congress which is to be held at Trent from the 26 th to the 30 th inst . : Beloved Son , Greeting and tbe Apostolic Benediction , —It has always been pleasing to Us that the Catholics should assemble under the auspices of the Episcopate to defend and promote the interests of religion . And God

having most graciously seconded Our desires , such congresses , having various objects in view , have so greatly increased in number that there is- no movement which makes for the advantage of the Church that has not received an impetus from them . And now , beloved son , you have announced to Us that your association has resolved to call together at Trent Catholics invited from different nations that they may consider and study the means of combating the Masonic sect—which is daily showing greater

audacityand of animating their own courage and exciting others to struggle with greater earnestness . Passing over every other reason , there is one special cause why this project should be heartily approved of . It is this—that it indicates clearly that the conviction is growing among the people that secret societies have designed most serious injuries against civilisation and religion . These injuries , which have in part actually taken place , and which are partly yet to appear , We have on every suitable opportunity pointed out , and we

have referred to them more particularly in our Encyclical Letter Humanum Genus and in the other Letters which were specifically directed to the Italians in 1890 and 1892 . Wo were not disappointed as to the results oi our efforts , and we reckon amongst them the proposal to hold this congress , which wo are confident , both in point of numbers and in the influence of those who will attend , will have such success as is demanded by the gravity of the subject and the advantages that are to be expected . In order that the

issue may fully correspond with Our desires , it is absolutely necessary that those who will be present at the congress should place their hands on the root of the evil and should diligently search out the means of more efficaciously opposing the progress of the sects . Of those means we have treated at length in the Encyclicals already mentioned , but they may all be summed up in this recommendation : that the defence should be made where the attacks of the Masons are most violent . These documents , based on Pontifical authority and affording guidance , should be duly considered and

regarded as secure standards which are best observed when , assembled in council , you devote your earnest attention to the subject . It is certain , as we have said on another occasion , that the dogmas which this sect puts forward with audacious impiety and the wicked arts of which it makes use will produce less evil , and will gradually cease of themselves , if Catholics endeavour with increased energy to unmask Freemasonry , because all its strength consists in lying and secrecy , and when its deceptive mask is torn away it will be easy for all right-thinking persons to discover and oppose its iniquity .

Moved , therefore , by the love of Christ and of souls , We congratulate you on your undertaking , and We heartily pray God to favour it . We have full confidence that the congress will give fresh stimulus to Catholics , so that , whilst pardoning the erring , they will not pardon error , and will not permit in any way the violation of those precious privileges which Christ bestowed upon man . That all this may come to pass according to Our desires , We impart , with affection in the Lord , the Apostolic Benediction as a sign of Heavenly favour and a proof of Our good will to you , beloved son , and to all who will be present at the congress . Given at St . Peter ' s , Rome , on the 2 nd Sept . 1896 , the nineteenth year of Our Pontificate . —LEO XIII ., POPE . — " Catholic Times . "

Christianity And Freemasonry.

CHRISTIANITY AND FREEMASONRY .

THF following further letters have appeared in the " Church Times , " in answer to the one we recently extracted : SIR , —Allow me to remind Mr . Horsley that the epithet " infidel " in my letter to you was a quotation , and he ought to have known that it was used in the same senso as St . Paul used it , i . e ., an unbeliever in Christ . Also that his remarks about purely secular societies are outside the question ,

as they make no profession of religious faith , do not inculcate a morality , nor seek to found a universal brotherhood , and so trench upon the prerogatives of the Church of Christ . Also that he presumes too much on the ignorance of those who differ with him , as I , for one , am not so ignorant as he supposes , having like " Once a Mason" found by experience that Masonry was incompatible with my Churchmanship .

ARCHITECT . SIR , —I do not write to discuss the subject , but to call to remembrance an admirable article in the " Christian Bemembrancer " for July 1847 , which demonstrates the necessary incongruity between Freemasonry and Christianity .

C . F . S . WAREEN . Longford , Coventry .

SIR , —Is it lawful for Christians to join in prayer addressed to the " Great Architect of the Universe , " omitting all reference to our Lord ' s mediation , and using language purposely such as Mahometan , Parsee , Buddhist , or any false believer can join in ? The God thus worshipped is surely not the God of Christian revelation , and the worship is dangerously akin to falsehood .

Many real Christians , perhaps from old custom , do not see this ; but may we worship any other God than him Who has revealed Himself as Father , Son , and Holy Spirit , not as the " Great Architect ? "

HENRY DE BOMESTIN . SIR , —Your correspondent " Sigma " reiterates the statement that " it is a hindrance to the Faith for good Catholics to be Freemasons . " I gratefully recognise tbe kindly tone of his letter , but neither he nor anyone who agrees with him has attempted to deal with the fact to which I drew attention in my last letter , viz ., that Freemasonry exists in all parts of the Queen's

Christianity And Freemasonry.

dominions , and all over North America . Is it not better and wiser for Catholic minded Churchmen to assist by their influence as members in preserving it as it is rather than to stand aloof and leave it ( perhaps ) to drift away from its present honoured and honourable position into the miserable state which we see it in on the Continent—or at least in some parts of the Continent ?

I assure " Sigma " and " Offeiriad " that in many respects the influence of English Masonry is certainly good rather than bad . Moreover the higher degrees are Christian , and show how the emblems and symbols of the Jewish ( i . e ., the first three ) degrees point on to Christ . The point however which I wish to press is : —we cannot do away with Masonry ; therefore it is unwise to do as foreign ecclesiastics have done and leave it to drift . CATHOLIC .

Eefernng to the reply given by the Editor of " Tit-Bits " to a correspondent concerning his connection with , and experience of Freemasonry , our contemporary publishes the following , which it has received from another member of the Craft : —

"I think your reply a very fair and straightforward one . Is your correspondent quite sure that he has not in some way forfeited his claim upon the Fraternity ? He ought to know that , under certain circumstances and eventualities , it is quite possible to bring this about . My own experience is widely at variance with that of your correspondent . More than once during the ups and downs of a very unsettled and somewhat isolated life I

have been indebted to the Craft for literally everything I possessed for the time being . On one occasion , without my asking or expecting such a thing , a loyal Masonic friend of mine came forward andgave his name as security for a certain sum of money , relying simply on my good faith towards him in the matter . I had absolutely no claim upon this friend , and I am in a position

to say that such instances of practical sympathy are not so rare as your correspondent would lead outsiders to suppose . At the same time , I may be permitted to add that Freemasonry is not a passport to a life of indolence and idleness , and that the man who thinks so may find some day , when it is too late , that he has been sadly mistaken and very ill-advised . "

MASONIC VISITORS TO NEWCASTLE . THE Royal Kent Preceptory received the honour of a visit from the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master the Bight Hon . the Earl of Euston G . C . T ., accompanied by V . E . Knight C . F . Matier K . C . T . and G . V . C . of England , and B . Knight Charles Belton K . C . T . of England , on Monday , 7 th inst ., and held a meeting in the Masonic Hall , Pilgrim Street , Newcastle . On the following morning a number of Knights of the Preceptory

accompanied the distinguished visitors in a private river saloon steamer from the landing stage , Quayside , up the river to the works of Sir William Armstrong and Co ., where they were met by E . Knight T . Purvis , who conducted them over the extensive premises . At the close a hearty vote of thanks was passed to their worthy cicerone and the directors for the pleasure derived in inspecting the world-renowned ordnance factories .

The Visitors then proceeded down the river to Tynemouth , and on returning to Newcastle visited the " Chronicle" office , where they were received by Mr . R . B . Beed , general manager , and his son , Mr . Joseph Beed , works manager , and made a complete tour of the departments , including the extensive range of offices , which have recently been increased by the addition of the fine block of new buildings , forming a new wing , and completing the T shape of the " Chronicle " offices , which formerly were fashioned like the

letter L . They were first conducted through the commercial offices , and then through the literary departments , comprising well-equipped rooms for the managing editor , assistant editors , literary writers , sporting staff , and reporters . Afterwards they were taken to the spacious composing room , where the whole of the editions of Daily , Evening , and Weekly Chronioles are set up by means of the linotype . The operators were engaged in setting into type the special edition of the evening paper . The room , with its incessant

musical clicking of the machines , moved by the busy fingers of operators , was really a hive of industry . The visitors appeared to be deeply interested in the sight , and each before leaving was given a line of type containing his name . From this part of the premises they were taken to the stereotyping department , where they saw the pages of the special edition cast ; and from thence they were conducted to the machine room , and there saw the printing

machines turning out printed copies of the edition with marvellous rapidity . At the close of the inspection the visitors were received by Mr . R . B . Reed in the " Chronicle " Office Library . Mr . Beed said , on behalf of his principal and himself he gave them all a hearty welcome . Indeed , he might say he was very proud of their visit , and hoped it would not be the last occasion when he would have the pleasure of seeing them , for at all times he was glad to see Masons .

The Earl of Euston said their sincere thanks were due to Mr . Reed for the great kindness in showing them over the magnificent establishment and seeing the wondrous machinery at work . They had had explained and shown to them how news was received and published , and he had enjoyed the visit immensely . It would long remain in his memory . This was his

third visit to Newcastle as a Mason , and he had enjoyed every one of his visits , but he must say his trip down the Tyne , to Armstrong ' s Works , and finally winding up with this visit to the " Chronicle " establishment , was so great a pleasure that it would leave pleasant recollections in his future life . He therefore desired on behalf of his friends and himself to heartily return thanks for what they had seen . — " Newcastle Chronicle . "

IH response to the desire of many of their visitors , the proprietors of the Frascati Restaurant , Oxford Street , have pleasure in announcing that the Orchestra will ( in addition to the usual evening programme ) perform a selection of music from 1 till 3 each day .

Spiers and Pond Limited notify that the share transfer books will be closed from the 21 st to the 30 th instant , both inclusive , for the purpose of preparing dividend "warrants ioi the fest instalment oi 4 s . per share ( less income tax ) on account of the dividend for the year ending 31 st March 1897 , which will be posted to the shareholders on the 1 st of October next .