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Article FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE. ← Page 3 of 3 Article FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE. Page 3 of 3 Article THE POPE'S ALLOCUTION AND THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 3 →
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Freemasonry In France.
may arise from causes that are incidental either to faults committed by the tradesman himself , or to circumstances beyond his control . In the first case , he is guilty of either misdemeanour or felony , the law considering him as either a simple
or a fraudulent bankrupt , according * to the gravity of the facts , and he lays himself open to punishment of greater or less severity . In the second case , he is but unfortunate ; the law considers him a " simple bankrupt" ( failli simple ) , and though , eo ipso , deprived of his civic rights , he is not liable to be indicted and convicted .
Thus , the civil law establishes a very judicious distinction between these various kinds of bankruptcy ; the Masonic law , on the contrary , recognises no distinctions Avhatever . It is true that it starts from the premises , that common probity is
not a sufficient qualification for a man to become a Mason ; but though the character of Freemasonry dictates a strict observance of this rule , it should not be forgotten that toleration and charity are the finest Masonic virtues .
It is obvious that the practice of civil laAV need not be imbued Avith those principles of charity that pervade the code of Freemasonry ¦ and still , in the question under notice , the former proves far more humane than the latter . This feeling of
humanity is so natural and poAverful , that the whole of the legislation relating to bankruptcy bears the stamp of it , as ifc were . Thus , to quote only a few examples , the laAV of 1807 excludes even the possibility of a composition whenever it
appears from an examination of the books and accounts that the bankruptcy arose from negligence or oversight .
The laAV of 1838 mitigates this legislation by enacting that a composition should be absolutely inadmissible only in case the bankrupts Avere convicted of fraudulent bankruptcy ; and by this means courts of law are sometimes enabled to
show themselves indulgent . Lastly , by the laAV of the 22 nd of August , 1848 , which-was dictated by the true spirit of justice and regard for the situation into which commerce had been put by the revolution of February , it Avas enacted that
compositions might be made with a view to amicable settlements ; and thus , tradesmen Avho had been affected by the events in question could escape actual bankruptcy , and the disabling consequences incidental thereto . It is evident , therefore , that the further Ave advance in the progress of civilisation , the more
Freemasonry In France.
the lawgiver endeavours to mitigate the severe- , punishment with which , bankrupts are visited .. Why should Masonry hesitate to follow up the path : that has been laid clown for it ? Should it nofc rather , on behalf of the Order ,, have preceded ,
civil legislation long since ? From all quarters now resound the most eloquent , pleadings against too severe punishment , and thesecries of anguish uttered by a society that becomesmore and more enlightened , are nothing but a sure
criterion of the refinement of customs and the improvement of man . Does it not devolve on Masonry to place herself at the head of this social movement , the aim and object of which is the progress of mankind ? She ought to take the initiative in all
the grand , the beautiful , the good that is to be done ; last of all she should leave behind her , to denote her passage through every century a
brilliant fsillon lumineuxj as it were , of benevolence and charity . Reserve therefore , Masons , all your severity to the guilty banknrpt ; but if upon mature inquiry you fully ratify yourself of this perfect innocence i
if it be proved that he has been but the victim of a contrary destiny , shut him nofc out , but throwopen to him the doors of your temples . Let him . find there words of consolation , fidelity , assistance ^ , fraternal adA-ice , and once the day of his
rehabilitation has arrived to crown his efforts , he will remember that you have helped him to re-establish , his fortune , his reputation , and credit . His love for the great Masonic family will be all the greater ^ his devotion the more complete for it , and will
have rescued an honest man who might have : become guilty but for the assistance and encouragement you have given him .
The Pope's Allocution And The Principles Of Freemasonry.
THE POPE'S ALLOCUTION AND THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY .
The folloAving is from our contemporary , the Masonic Record of Western Indict ,.- — "We publish among our " Selections" the famous " Papal Allocution , " which has had such an extraordinary effect on the good people of Rome ,,
that a day or tAvo after its publication , tAventyeight members Avere initiated in the tAvo secret * lodges Avorking in Rome . His Holiness , after recapitulating all that his , predecessors ( from Clement XII . to Leo XII . ) did .
to crush Freemasonry , makes the following humiliating confession : — "Nevertheless , these efforts of the Apostolic
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In France.
may arise from causes that are incidental either to faults committed by the tradesman himself , or to circumstances beyond his control . In the first case , he is guilty of either misdemeanour or felony , the law considering him as either a simple
or a fraudulent bankrupt , according * to the gravity of the facts , and he lays himself open to punishment of greater or less severity . In the second case , he is but unfortunate ; the law considers him a " simple bankrupt" ( failli simple ) , and though , eo ipso , deprived of his civic rights , he is not liable to be indicted and convicted .
Thus , the civil law establishes a very judicious distinction between these various kinds of bankruptcy ; the Masonic law , on the contrary , recognises no distinctions Avhatever . It is true that it starts from the premises , that common probity is
not a sufficient qualification for a man to become a Mason ; but though the character of Freemasonry dictates a strict observance of this rule , it should not be forgotten that toleration and charity are the finest Masonic virtues .
It is obvious that the practice of civil laAV need not be imbued Avith those principles of charity that pervade the code of Freemasonry ¦ and still , in the question under notice , the former proves far more humane than the latter . This feeling of
humanity is so natural and poAverful , that the whole of the legislation relating to bankruptcy bears the stamp of it , as ifc were . Thus , to quote only a few examples , the laAV of 1807 excludes even the possibility of a composition whenever it
appears from an examination of the books and accounts that the bankruptcy arose from negligence or oversight .
The laAV of 1838 mitigates this legislation by enacting that a composition should be absolutely inadmissible only in case the bankrupts Avere convicted of fraudulent bankruptcy ; and by this means courts of law are sometimes enabled to
show themselves indulgent . Lastly , by the laAV of the 22 nd of August , 1848 , which-was dictated by the true spirit of justice and regard for the situation into which commerce had been put by the revolution of February , it Avas enacted that
compositions might be made with a view to amicable settlements ; and thus , tradesmen Avho had been affected by the events in question could escape actual bankruptcy , and the disabling consequences incidental thereto . It is evident , therefore , that the further Ave advance in the progress of civilisation , the more
Freemasonry In France.
the lawgiver endeavours to mitigate the severe- , punishment with which , bankrupts are visited .. Why should Masonry hesitate to follow up the path : that has been laid clown for it ? Should it nofc rather , on behalf of the Order ,, have preceded ,
civil legislation long since ? From all quarters now resound the most eloquent , pleadings against too severe punishment , and thesecries of anguish uttered by a society that becomesmore and more enlightened , are nothing but a sure
criterion of the refinement of customs and the improvement of man . Does it not devolve on Masonry to place herself at the head of this social movement , the aim and object of which is the progress of mankind ? She ought to take the initiative in all
the grand , the beautiful , the good that is to be done ; last of all she should leave behind her , to denote her passage through every century a
brilliant fsillon lumineuxj as it were , of benevolence and charity . Reserve therefore , Masons , all your severity to the guilty banknrpt ; but if upon mature inquiry you fully ratify yourself of this perfect innocence i
if it be proved that he has been but the victim of a contrary destiny , shut him nofc out , but throwopen to him the doors of your temples . Let him . find there words of consolation , fidelity , assistance ^ , fraternal adA-ice , and once the day of his
rehabilitation has arrived to crown his efforts , he will remember that you have helped him to re-establish , his fortune , his reputation , and credit . His love for the great Masonic family will be all the greater ^ his devotion the more complete for it , and will
have rescued an honest man who might have : become guilty but for the assistance and encouragement you have given him .
The Pope's Allocution And The Principles Of Freemasonry.
THE POPE'S ALLOCUTION AND THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY .
The folloAving is from our contemporary , the Masonic Record of Western Indict ,.- — "We publish among our " Selections" the famous " Papal Allocution , " which has had such an extraordinary effect on the good people of Rome ,,
that a day or tAvo after its publication , tAventyeight members Avere initiated in the tAvo secret * lodges Avorking in Rome . His Holiness , after recapitulating all that his , predecessors ( from Clement XII . to Leo XII . ) did .
to crush Freemasonry , makes the following humiliating confession : — "Nevertheless , these efforts of the Apostolic