Of The Society Of Freemassons.

eyes in the conduct of many of those persons who called themselves Freemasons in this very country . Their society was nothing but a sort of chimera ; their combination was only founded on certain ridiculous ceremonies , which meant nothing , and led to nothing . " In England there mi ght he some reality in this association ; but certainl y in our provinces the assemblies which these worthies held had no other aim

but eating , drinking , smoking , and mutual entertainment , as is done in a public house , and the obligation which they took to reveal nothing of that which passed in privacy among themselves rested upon nothing , since they did nothing but that which they could do anywhere . This has been established on evidence by all the inquiries which have been made , even by the authorit y of the magistrate .

" Nevertheless the greater part of these kind of brethren regard the edict against their assembling with the same feelings as a sect looks upon the suppression of its public worship . Some glorify themselves in suffering persecution for a matter so sacred and so important such as Freemasonry is . Nearly all say that they are ready to suffer martyrdom rather than reveal the secrets they had promised to keep . We see them exposing

themselves with gaiety of heart to punishment , by holding assemblies in the Dunes and elsewhere . Others , more prudent , go outside the boundaries of the province to have the consolation of drinking and smoking in company with certain brethren with the required ceremonies . And more than this , we see proselytes whopass over the sea to be initiated in England , and then return to be able to participate in this country and the pretended persecution . In factwe

re-, may mark in all such persons all the symptoms of a real fanaticism . " The people , on its side , has taken up another bias . Seeing that the magistrates raged against assemblies of which no one knew the object , it has imagined that things took place among them worthy of the fire .

" Thus the Freemasons have another kind of persecution to suffer on the part of the populace ; and , to disinculpate themselves of the most dreadful crimes , they have been obliged themselves to publish to-day that the Sovereign power has condemned their assemblages solely on account of suspecting them of caballing against the government in favour of the Prince of Orange . Wishing to give the air of mystery where there ought not to be any , they are

compelled now to declare themselves suspected of one crime , to clear themselves of a greater one . "We have followed in respect to the subject of Freemasonry the accounts of it which have appeared to us the least doubtful , without pretending to have unveiled its mysteries . The public is enli ghtened about it by several writings , and even by a comedy , —by everything , in fact , that has been tried to gain the result , without being able to assure ourselves that we have succeeded . "

Without noticing the hostile criticism of the last writer , I may observe that the Abbe Mascrier ' s remarks previously have this value for us to-day , that they were written twenty-four years only after the revival of 1717 , and present certain " points " for the Masonic student to note and consider .