Freemasonry In Austria.

porary difficulty , in the passing questions affecting Freemasoniy in the great Austrian Empire , that under its wise and judicious and well-disposed government , under that able

administration which now directs the affairs of lhat most interesting country under its muchrtried , but truly chivalrous ruler , our Austrian Masonic brethren may be able to work in

happiness and peace , and in harmony and legality , in loyalty to their own government , and in all of ooodwill to their Masonic brethren dispersed throughout the world .

Roman Catholic Amenities.

ROMAN CATHOLIC AMENITIES .

We have had , on more than one occasion to animadvert on the peculiar style of the \ Vcstminster Gazette , the accredited organ of the Roman Catholic community in the country ,

especially in all that relates to Freemasonry . There is a happy mixture of vulgarity and impertinence , of dreadful attempts at wit , and an overpowering rowdiness of language , which

renders that truly Christian periodical , most delig htful and improving reading , and which are redolent of the perfumes of cheap gin and bad tobacco . Let us take for instance , a charming

little article in its issue for July i ith , entitled " Bogus Decoration . " We invite the attention of our readers to the following animated and polite words , so thoroughly imbued with gentlemanly

courtesy and Christian charity . In fact , they are a model for that style of writing which we have tc peruse so often " usque ad nauseam , "

and which , strange to say , Roman Catholic editors and correspondents love so much to indulge in . In other days such remarks would have brought the writers undoubtedly under

the notice of their own " Holy Office . So brethren : —pray attend . " We have had occasion more than once , to protest against the idiotic and often blasphemous rites of Freemasonry , and to raise a warning

voice for the behoof of those dupes and knaves who support and who are supported by thei ' gigantic imposture . " This , as Sam Weller would say , is " coming it

rayther strong , " and the sentence absolutel y takes away our breath , magnificent as it is in its conception and composition . We good , oldfashioned , steady-going loyal Freemasons in

England , with the Marquess of Ripon at our head , and with the Earl of Carnarvon as Deputy Grand Master , with the Heir Apparent and two of the Princes of the Blood Royal

amongst our members , with that almost innumerable list of men of the hi ghest social position , intellectual ability , and moral worth , included amongst our numerous and highly

respectable brotherhood , we naturally resent such language , as a very great impertinence for any writer , from his " odium theologicum " view , to dare to stigmatize us , and the society to

which we belong . We can onl y give to such remarks as he has thought proper to use a calm but indignant denial , declaring them to be

utterl y false , alike in theory and in fact . They deserve , as they will receive , when they are read by our brethren , their utter contempt , alike as childish inanity and mendacious

Roman Catholic Amenities.

vulgaiity , on the part of a writer who is alike ignorant of the principles and practice of an order he thinks well to calumniate . For , in itself , as writing , the article is beyond

criticism , and utterly beneath notice , and it only serves to convince us , as we have often felt before , that when Roman Catholic writers of the Ultramontane School affect witticism , thev

fall into meaningless platitude , and when they attempt " thunder , " they become noisy and rowdy at the sarretime . But this well-informed scribe goes on to say : — " We are led to-day to

protest against a detail in Freemasonry , in which the same evil propensities are apparent as those which run in the other details of its procedure . We allude to the shameless appropriation by

Freemasonic canaille of the names and insignia of honourable Orders of Chivalry . Two of these Orders , to wit , the Orders of Malta and of the Holy Sepulchre , are essentially Christian

and Catholic , and as such have a moral , if not a political significance . It is unnecessary to say that to the good Catholic the blasphemy and fraud of Freemasonry are as the abomination of

desolation ; and that no Freemason would have the remotest chance of legitimately belonging to either . " We say nothing of the grammar , which marks

the . passage from first to last , but we are at a loss to know why no Freemason would have the slightest chance of legitimately belonging to the " blasphemy and fraud of Freemasonry , " which

are , as the writer poetically adds , the " abomination of desolation . " We feel , however , deeply the compliment to us of such words as " Freemasonic canaille . " But " revenons a nous

moutons . " How often have we to repeat to our Roman Catholic assailants that we in England as Freemasons , know nothing of the so-called " Knightly Orders . " Our Grand Lodge has

nothing to do with any " degree " or " order , " except the three old degrees of Freemasonry , and the Royal Arch . Of the " Order of Malta , " or the " Holy Sepulchre , " of the "Templars , "

or the "Red Cross of Constantine , " we know nothing , officially , per se , except that they exist , and are supported by a good many persons , who are also ,

as it happens , members of our fraternity . As regards the special complaint of the Roman Catholic writer , that it is an insult to the Roman Catholic body , for persons to profess to belong

to such orders , which are peculiarl y Roman Catholic organizations , we can say nothing—that is a complaint to be addressed to their several societies , not to us . We have nothing to do , as

Freemasons , either with their ritual , their names , their regulations , or their proceedings , but knowing how many " good men and true " do belong to them , we cannot believe but their

aims are honest , and their ends are right . Historically and archaaologically , of course , no well-informed Masonic student believes , or will contend to-day , that they are thc lineal descents

of those whose name they have assumed , but as no possible harm can accrue to society from their proceedings , and much positive good , in

deeds of sympathy and benevolence , if ou « - many Roman Catholic opponents will condescend to take any advice from us , we would say to them all , " what can it matter to you , they do

Roman Catholic Amenities.

you no harm ; let them go on their way in peace and goodwill . '' But we fear it is like " preaching in the desert , " or to those fisiius to

whom " Vieyra once so amusing !) and effectively addressed at Maranhao . Roman Catholics cannot learn that abuse is not

riticism , and impertinence is not argument . When they talk of the " camel of buffoonery such as that of Freemasonry , " one wonders win noe the writer draws his illustration , or what L the

analogy or force of such a ridiculous juxtapt i -ition of words . When they talk of " blind belief in falsities , stupid adherence to exploded mummeries , " as this sapient critic does , do they forget

a recent astounding statement of their own , that it was the wicked Freemasons of Milan who dared to insult the precious relics , or tho-e very shocking falsehoods about Fieemasony palmed off

on the credulity of perplexed Roman Catholics ? And once again , when this writer of July nth asserts that it is said that " gentlemen , among themselves , excuse themselves for connivance

in the imposture by stating they use the influence thus gained for elcctione-ring and other purposes , " he knows perfectly well , that he is penning an absolute falsehood ; that no

" gentleman" ever told such a lie , and that Freemasonry has nothing to do in this country , ia any way , with politics in any degree . It is our one great and perpetual characteristic , that

we utterly ignore alike political distinction and religious controversy . We shall all feel greatly flattered also by the writer ' s expressions of some ' little pity for the great mass of vain and

ignorant' farceurs , ' who are most affected by these follies ; though , " he proceeds , " we confess to have none for those noblemen and gentlemen for whom Satan has found ' some

mischief still for idle , hands to do . ' " Can ineptitude and uncharitableness " further go ? " This hi ghly cultivated and amiable individual concludes by a sort of " argumentum ad hominem "

to many who , like our worthy , publisher , provide jewellery and decorations for our lodges and brethren , and for fhe members of the so-called " Knightly Orders . " He alludes in a most

mysterious way to a '" ' counsel learned in the law , " who has evidently given a gratuitous opinion , which , as all lawyers know , is utterly worthless , as regards the illegality of the sale

of Masonic certificates and jewellery . We have made enquiries and we fee ! warranted ir announcing to the Order , that the " counsel learned in the law , " who has supplied so

important a dictum , is no less a person than our old and esteemed friend Mrs . Harris , who , in these days of " Women ' s Rights , " has devoted herself to " Chamber Practice , " and gives advice gratis .

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