Roman Catholic Intolerance.

ROMAN CATHOLIC INTOLERANCE .

n our number of last week we gave a copy of a circular issued by Dr . Paul Cullen , the Soman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin , with reference to the attendance of Catholics at the Irish Masonic Ball , in honour of tho marriage of the Prince of Yv ales . "We have selected the f ollowing comments upon it from the local papers .

( From the Irish Times . ) The society of Freemasons is not only the most ancient , but one of the most genial , charitable , and unobtrusive of societies . They never interefere in politics ; amongst them is never heard a whisper respecting religions differences . All ranks , all creeds , all professions , are linked

together by the silken cord of Freemasonry . Man is formed for clanship , or for association , if that term be preferred . It is something for the " free and accepted Mason " to know that in every country and every clime he may have friends ; that he is one of a vast brotherhood , limited by no political frontiers—no national language—no peculiarity of belief . Onltho other day

y we read how the sudden movement of a hand enunciated a Masonic symbol and saved a brother ' s life from the most sanguinary and cruel of enemies . In our own country [ Freemasonry meets the public eye only when a dead comrade is borne to the grave , or when some loyal or charitable purpose is to be accomplished . Masonry , in our day , is but an unlimited friendly brotherhood .

It was different , perhaps—for the point is not clear—in mediaaval times and in a disturbed country . What is certain is , that many confounded Freemasons with Carbonari . Because the meetings of the former were limited to the members of the society , they were supposed to be revolutionary . It is an Anachronism to attribute to the generous and cheerful brotherhood of

Masons of modern days , the dark designs and mysterious objects of the Vehmgericht or the Carbonari . In these countries , although the Freemasons might exercise political influence beyond that of any other association , they have never , at any period , exhibited the most remote desire to interfere in politics . It was with some surprisethereforethat we read a

, , monition from Archbishop Onllen , warning , not only the [ Freemasons , but all others of his flock who had attended the charitable ball , that they had incurred the ecclesiastical i ' penalty of excommunication ! The Archbishop confounds tho Freemasons of Ireland with those of Italy , and our modern epoch with the mediaeval period . He classes the Freemasons with the members of secret

political societies , and unites in one condemnatory sentence Freemasonry with Eibbonism . We agree heartily with all that Archbishop Cullen has said , respecting secret associations formed for political objects and possibly for crime . Roman Catholic clergy possess peculiar means adapted for the discovery and dispersion of Ribbon and other guilty societies . The community expects that

they will exert all their power and influence to put down associations which only lead to violence , outrage , assassination , and executions . But they must weaken 'their influence if they confound such a society as that of Freemasons with such guilty confederacies . To place all on a level is to render Ribbonisrn respectable , and to afford the peasant an excuse for joining itWhen an untaught

. and unreflecting peasant finds Ribbonism elevated to the same rank as [ Freemasonry , while he knows that the members of the latter society are charitable , generous , genial ^ harmless , and respected , he will be led to think that Ribbonism is not so bad as he should be taught to believe .

( From the Dublin Daily Express . ) The piety of Archbishop Cullen is one of the most curious and interesting of psychological facts . His zeal is a consuming fire , his devotion is pugnacious , his

prayers are indictments . This is the month of May , and in May Ultramontane piety is transcendental , ardent , and seraphic . Woe to the heretic that crosses the path of Dr . Cullen during this season of austere asceticism , when his milk of human kindness is turned into the sourest of licuiors , unpleasantly stirred up within him at the sight of fresh-blown flowers and the singing of

happy birds . ' Why should there be any happiness in the world , especially outside of the true church , during the month of May , or bordering thereupon ? The Masonic Ball in the Rotundo has , it seems , grievously shocked the spiritual sensibilities of the Archbishop , — more especially as some Roman Catholic ladies and gentlemenactually attended the ball , admired tho Masonic

emblems , were charmed with the costume of the Order , enjoyed their hospitality , and actually danced with Masons ! How they could have brought themselves to act so wickedly evidently surpasses Dr . Culleivs comprehension . He must have wondered , like a saint of old , that the roof of the building did not tumble down upon , the ungodly assembly . How could "the faithful" of

Dublin have sunk so low , have forgotten themselves so far , have allowed the Tempter to got the better of them , so completely , as to join an assembly over which the Duke of Leinster presided , and at which the Viceroy was the principal guest ? How could they join in the festivity of a body which enrols among its members thebest of our nobility , the most distinguished of our

statesmen , the most exemplary and the most benevolent of our citizens ,- —a body of which Roman Catholic Kings and Cardinals have been Grand Masters , and over which , in England , his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex presided till the day of his death , and of which the Queen ' s father was a Grand Master ? To the public of all denominations , not excepting Roman Catholics , before Dr . Cullen issued his anathema , the assembly in the

Rotuudo ou the night of the 28 th April appeared to comprise as much of the moral worth and respectability , as many of the truly excellent of the land , as ever were gathered together in one building in Dublin . The very spirit of Christianity seemed to pervade the scene , a perfection of order and brotherly love , —a moral beauty , which harmonized admirably with the genius of the

Masonic Institution . Differing in politics , in religion , iu country , in rank , —all felt as brethren and sisters , as if a potent spell had touched their hearts , and fused their feelings into one general current of Christian fraternity and benevolent joy . It is very difficult to conceive how anj- one with the spirit of a Christian and the heart of a man could

contemplate such a scene with disapprobation and anger . Yet disapprobation and anger are weak words to express the feeling it excited in the mind of Dr . Cullen . If the Roman Catholic ladies and gentlemen who had the privilege of mingling in that brilliant assembly of beauty and rank—the elite of the gentry of Ireland—had been dancing with the vilest and the most blood-stained

felons , whose touch is contamination and whose companionship is infamy , the Roman Catholic Archbishop could not have felt more abhorrence . " The members of Ribbon Lodges , " he says , " and dangerous and condemned brotherhoods , and those who encourage and promote them , incur a reservation in this diocese , and are to be treated in the same way as Freemasons ! " There

is , then , nothing worse than Freemasonry—no lower depth of wickedness ! It surpasses the ordinary power of priestly absolution ; it is worse than " the seven deadly sins ; " it it a case reserved for the Bishop aud the Pope ' s Legate . When Dr . Cullen is pleased , not by open and direct denunciation in pastoral and circular , but by a soft whisper , to threaten Ribbonmen , sworn and organised murderers , he tells them they shall be treated " as Freemasons I "

We do not think that in the worst ages of fanatical intolerance , inflamed by civil war , any prelate ever perpetrated so gross an outrage . Dr . Cullen seems to have