Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Report Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
consequence of the very generous response mado in February last to the appeals of Bro . Terry and the Board of Stewards , gracefully withdrew the motion of which he had given notice for a revision of certain of the regulations which affect the candidates , ancl , as a matter of
course , those of them who ultimately succeed in getting elected as annuitants . But the difficulty with which he was desirous of coping will have to be met some time , if not next year or the year after . It is out of all reason to suppose the Craft will be able to satisfy always the con .
stantly increasing applications that are made for assistance from fche two Benevolent Funds . There were , afc the beg inning of last year , 332 annuitants ; there are now 352 : and already on the list of applicants , there are for election on the Female Fund nearly twice as many as the Governors
and Subscribers elected only a fortnight since . Two questions arise , and must be grappled with . In the firsfc place , how is it that , with such large periodical increases in the number of annuitants , the number of candidates so far
from exhibiting any appreciable diminution , goes on increasing by periodical , if not by regular , leaps and bounds ? The other is , what degree of increase in the number of annuitants must be reached before the Committee will have
the courage to cry , Halt ? Ifc is clear , as we have said already , that they cannot go on proposing further additions from time to time to the present number . It is equall y clear that the Craft have already taken upon themselvesin respect of this Institution alone , to say nothing of the
two Schools—a very serious amount of responsibility , which it will tax all their energy and resources for many a long year to meet . Far be it from ns to say or do anything which may have in the remotest degree the effect of
arresting the flow of that charity which is the qninfcessence of Freemasonry . Far be it also from us to suggest that among the candidates are to be found a class of people for whose benefit the Institution was not founded . But
every one must be struck with the indisputable fact we have stated , that the number of candidates goes on steadil y increasing as the number of annuitants on each Fund is increased . These two increases , that of the annuitants and that of the candidates , ought not to stand to each other in
relation of cause and effect , but ifc looks very much as if they did so stand ; and what we are now anxious to learn is , to vrhat point do the Committee consider they may carry their policy of extension , so that thenceforward there may be
a reduction in fche number of candidates in conformity with the laws which , in cases of this description , usually determine the relation between cause and effecfc . We shall gladly offer every facility in our power for fche discussion of this very serious question .
Pope Leo's Encyclical Letter Against Freemasons.
POPE LEO'S ENCYCLICAL LETTER AGAINST FREEMASONS .
FBOM THE KETSTONE . DURING the pontificate of the late Pope Pius IX ., Freemasons occasionally amused themselves b y discussing the question , whether he was a Freemason ; but we have not heard this " soft impeachment" brought
against the present Roman Pontiff , Leo XIII . We never believed that Pius IX . was a Mason , and we are even more confident that Leo XIII . ( will he pardon us ?) is a profane , so that we must say to him , and to all others like him , in the language of Virgil , Prooul este , profani ! " Avaunfc , ye
profane !" On the 20 th day of April 1884 , in the seventh year of his pontificate , Leo XIII . issued his Encyclical Letter to all venarable Patriarchs , Primates , Archbishops ancl Bishops in the Catholic world , who have grace and communion with the Apostolic See . " It is a formidable
document in length , and in length only . It would fill six solid columns of the Keystone . Ifc must have fatigued the pontifical mind , and wearied the secretarial hand that prepared it . It opens with the following recital concerning pre vious Encyclicals , that missed their mark , and then it deliberatel y misses it again :
The "Roman Pontiffs , onr predecessors , watching constantly over the safety of the Christian people , early recognized this capital enemy , " « i . ing forth out of the darkness of hidden conspiracy , and , anticipting the futare in their mind , gave the alarm to princes and people , 'Qat they should not be caught by deception and fraud . Ueinen t XII . first signalized tho danger in 1738 , and Benedict Alv . renewed and continued his Constitution . Pius VII . followed
Pope Leo's Encyclical Letter Against Freemasons.
them both ; and Leo XII ., by the Apostolic Constitution , quo [ imviora , recapitulating the acts aud decrees of the abovo Pontiffs abont the matter , validated and confirmed them for ever . In the
same way spoke Pius VIII ., Gregory XVI . and very often Pius IX . These previous anathemas all failed , notwithstanding many Roman Catholic temporal potentates reinforced them with their personal influence and aid :
Many princes and rulers of States agreed with the Popes , and either denounced Masonry to the Apostolic Seo , or by appropriate laws condemned it as a bad thing , in Holland , Austria , Switzerland , Spain , Bavaria , Savoy and parts of Italy . How was it ( in Leo ' s opinion ) that this great
combination , this giant conspiracy , failed ? Freemasons have no Encyclical Letters to hurl back afc their adversary , they are beneath playing a game of spitball . While the present Pope vainly endeavours to conceal the true reason of the
failure of tho deliberate efforts of so many of his predecessors in the alleged chair of St . Peter , supported as they were by the active aid of divers subservient Kings and Emperors , he says :
Their paternal care did not always and everywhere succeed , either because of the simulation and shrewdness of the Masons themselves , or through the inconsiderate levity of others , whose duty required of
them strict attention . Hence , in a century and a half , the sect of Masons grew beyond expectation ; and , creeping audaciously and deceitfully among the various classes of the people , it grew to be so powerful that now it seems the only dominating power in the States .
He herein recognizes the total failure of the Roman tactics , and unintentionally pays a high tribute to our everwidening Fraternity , which , as he says , " grew beyond expectation . " But what are the crimes against mankind , or morality ,
or religion , alleged against Freemasons by the present Lion of the Vatican , or " prisoner of the Vatican , " which ? No crimes whatever against mankind , or morality , or religion , but only against "Holy Mother Church , " and the Roman Pontiff ! That is to say , the charge is made ( but not
proven , for it cannot be proven ) , thafc Freemasonry is inimical to a particular form of religion , to wifc , the Roman Catholic . Freemasons are charged with the desire " to destroy the Church established by God . " Now , every one knows , ancl in America we have just been so instructed
afresh , by that able Jesuit , Monsignor Capel , that the Pope teaches that there is , and can be , but one Church—tbe Papal , and that all others are corrupt , degraded , false and destroying . Bufc Leo , at the same time , asserts that his Church stands in no danger from Freemasonry :
It has indeed come to this , that we have serious fear , not for the Church , which has a foundation too firm for men to subvert it , but for those States in which this society is so powerful , or other societies of a like kind , and which show themselves to be servants and companions of Masonry .
It is for the State he fears , then , not for the Church ! What Jesuitry ! Why has he not the manliness to tell the truth , and shame the devil , if indeed Freemasons represent the devil ? A few years ago Gladstone , in a notable pamphlet , exhibited the Roman Pontiff in his true colours
as a friend of the State . Not a bit . of it ! He knows no one bufc Jdmself . The Church , all States , and the world itself , exist for him , or ought so to exist . Bufc this is not written among the Masonic Landmarks , and hence Freemasonry is anathematized . Nothing will satisfy this Lion ' s maw but the world !
Yet his Popeship is betrayed into a fatal admission when he says : — " It is true , Freemasons generally admit the existence of God ! " Yes , these vile men , whose deliberate
purpose is to destroy society , to wreck States , to abolish the Church , that is the Pope ' s Church , these believe in God , pray to Him , and practise the three cardinal virtues of Faith , Hope , and Charity !
Again , Freemasonry itself is bad , very bad , as bad as it can be ; but there are many individual members who are excellent men ( he must mean you , Brother reader , and perhaps us ) . Hear the Thirteenth Leo : —
What we have said , or will say , must be understood of Masonry in general , and of all like societies , not of the individual members of the same . In their number there may be not a few who , though they are wrong in giving their names to these societies , yet neither are guilty of their crimes , nor aware of the final goal which they strive to reach .
There may be hope for even the Roman Pontiff . He does nofc lack all charity . He admits , well , altogether too much for the force of his own argument . Bufc what other crimes are alleged against Freemasons ? We cite a few : The sect of Masons is established against law and honesty .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Report Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
consequence of the very generous response mado in February last to the appeals of Bro . Terry and the Board of Stewards , gracefully withdrew the motion of which he had given notice for a revision of certain of the regulations which affect the candidates , ancl , as a matter of
course , those of them who ultimately succeed in getting elected as annuitants . But the difficulty with which he was desirous of coping will have to be met some time , if not next year or the year after . It is out of all reason to suppose the Craft will be able to satisfy always the con .
stantly increasing applications that are made for assistance from fche two Benevolent Funds . There were , afc the beg inning of last year , 332 annuitants ; there are now 352 : and already on the list of applicants , there are for election on the Female Fund nearly twice as many as the Governors
and Subscribers elected only a fortnight since . Two questions arise , and must be grappled with . In the firsfc place , how is it that , with such large periodical increases in the number of annuitants , the number of candidates so far
from exhibiting any appreciable diminution , goes on increasing by periodical , if not by regular , leaps and bounds ? The other is , what degree of increase in the number of annuitants must be reached before the Committee will have
the courage to cry , Halt ? Ifc is clear , as we have said already , that they cannot go on proposing further additions from time to time to the present number . It is equall y clear that the Craft have already taken upon themselvesin respect of this Institution alone , to say nothing of the
two Schools—a very serious amount of responsibility , which it will tax all their energy and resources for many a long year to meet . Far be it from ns to say or do anything which may have in the remotest degree the effect of
arresting the flow of that charity which is the qninfcessence of Freemasonry . Far be it also from us to suggest that among the candidates are to be found a class of people for whose benefit the Institution was not founded . But
every one must be struck with the indisputable fact we have stated , that the number of candidates goes on steadil y increasing as the number of annuitants on each Fund is increased . These two increases , that of the annuitants and that of the candidates , ought not to stand to each other in
relation of cause and effect , but ifc looks very much as if they did so stand ; and what we are now anxious to learn is , to vrhat point do the Committee consider they may carry their policy of extension , so that thenceforward there may be
a reduction in fche number of candidates in conformity with the laws which , in cases of this description , usually determine the relation between cause and effecfc . We shall gladly offer every facility in our power for fche discussion of this very serious question .
Pope Leo's Encyclical Letter Against Freemasons.
POPE LEO'S ENCYCLICAL LETTER AGAINST FREEMASONS .
FBOM THE KETSTONE . DURING the pontificate of the late Pope Pius IX ., Freemasons occasionally amused themselves b y discussing the question , whether he was a Freemason ; but we have not heard this " soft impeachment" brought
against the present Roman Pontiff , Leo XIII . We never believed that Pius IX . was a Mason , and we are even more confident that Leo XIII . ( will he pardon us ?) is a profane , so that we must say to him , and to all others like him , in the language of Virgil , Prooul este , profani ! " Avaunfc , ye
profane !" On the 20 th day of April 1884 , in the seventh year of his pontificate , Leo XIII . issued his Encyclical Letter to all venarable Patriarchs , Primates , Archbishops ancl Bishops in the Catholic world , who have grace and communion with the Apostolic See . " It is a formidable
document in length , and in length only . It would fill six solid columns of the Keystone . Ifc must have fatigued the pontifical mind , and wearied the secretarial hand that prepared it . It opens with the following recital concerning pre vious Encyclicals , that missed their mark , and then it deliberatel y misses it again :
The "Roman Pontiffs , onr predecessors , watching constantly over the safety of the Christian people , early recognized this capital enemy , " « i . ing forth out of the darkness of hidden conspiracy , and , anticipting the futare in their mind , gave the alarm to princes and people , 'Qat they should not be caught by deception and fraud . Ueinen t XII . first signalized tho danger in 1738 , and Benedict Alv . renewed and continued his Constitution . Pius VII . followed
Pope Leo's Encyclical Letter Against Freemasons.
them both ; and Leo XII ., by the Apostolic Constitution , quo [ imviora , recapitulating the acts aud decrees of the abovo Pontiffs abont the matter , validated and confirmed them for ever . In the
same way spoke Pius VIII ., Gregory XVI . and very often Pius IX . These previous anathemas all failed , notwithstanding many Roman Catholic temporal potentates reinforced them with their personal influence and aid :
Many princes and rulers of States agreed with the Popes , and either denounced Masonry to the Apostolic Seo , or by appropriate laws condemned it as a bad thing , in Holland , Austria , Switzerland , Spain , Bavaria , Savoy and parts of Italy . How was it ( in Leo ' s opinion ) that this great
combination , this giant conspiracy , failed ? Freemasons have no Encyclical Letters to hurl back afc their adversary , they are beneath playing a game of spitball . While the present Pope vainly endeavours to conceal the true reason of the
failure of tho deliberate efforts of so many of his predecessors in the alleged chair of St . Peter , supported as they were by the active aid of divers subservient Kings and Emperors , he says :
Their paternal care did not always and everywhere succeed , either because of the simulation and shrewdness of the Masons themselves , or through the inconsiderate levity of others , whose duty required of
them strict attention . Hence , in a century and a half , the sect of Masons grew beyond expectation ; and , creeping audaciously and deceitfully among the various classes of the people , it grew to be so powerful that now it seems the only dominating power in the States .
He herein recognizes the total failure of the Roman tactics , and unintentionally pays a high tribute to our everwidening Fraternity , which , as he says , " grew beyond expectation . " But what are the crimes against mankind , or morality ,
or religion , alleged against Freemasons by the present Lion of the Vatican , or " prisoner of the Vatican , " which ? No crimes whatever against mankind , or morality , or religion , but only against "Holy Mother Church , " and the Roman Pontiff ! That is to say , the charge is made ( but not
proven , for it cannot be proven ) , thafc Freemasonry is inimical to a particular form of religion , to wifc , the Roman Catholic . Freemasons are charged with the desire " to destroy the Church established by God . " Now , every one knows , ancl in America we have just been so instructed
afresh , by that able Jesuit , Monsignor Capel , that the Pope teaches that there is , and can be , but one Church—tbe Papal , and that all others are corrupt , degraded , false and destroying . Bufc Leo , at the same time , asserts that his Church stands in no danger from Freemasonry :
It has indeed come to this , that we have serious fear , not for the Church , which has a foundation too firm for men to subvert it , but for those States in which this society is so powerful , or other societies of a like kind , and which show themselves to be servants and companions of Masonry .
It is for the State he fears , then , not for the Church ! What Jesuitry ! Why has he not the manliness to tell the truth , and shame the devil , if indeed Freemasons represent the devil ? A few years ago Gladstone , in a notable pamphlet , exhibited the Roman Pontiff in his true colours
as a friend of the State . Not a bit . of it ! He knows no one bufc Jdmself . The Church , all States , and the world itself , exist for him , or ought so to exist . Bufc this is not written among the Masonic Landmarks , and hence Freemasonry is anathematized . Nothing will satisfy this Lion ' s maw but the world !
Yet his Popeship is betrayed into a fatal admission when he says : — " It is true , Freemasons generally admit the existence of God ! " Yes , these vile men , whose deliberate
purpose is to destroy society , to wreck States , to abolish the Church , that is the Pope ' s Church , these believe in God , pray to Him , and practise the three cardinal virtues of Faith , Hope , and Charity !
Again , Freemasonry itself is bad , very bad , as bad as it can be ; but there are many individual members who are excellent men ( he must mean you , Brother reader , and perhaps us ) . Hear the Thirteenth Leo : —
What we have said , or will say , must be understood of Masonry in general , and of all like societies , not of the individual members of the same . In their number there may be not a few who , though they are wrong in giving their names to these societies , yet neither are guilty of their crimes , nor aware of the final goal which they strive to reach .
There may be hope for even the Roman Pontiff . He does nofc lack all charity . He admits , well , altogether too much for the force of his own argument . Bufc what other crimes are alleged against Freemasons ? We cite a few : The sect of Masons is established against law and honesty .