Professor Robertson On Freemasonry.

go off into an excursus on the social and intellectual blessings which the Catholic Church has actually conferred on mankind , compared Avith those Avhich Masonry promised , but could never realise . I conclude Avith a comparison between

the religious and political tenets of the deistical Masons , of the atheistical Illuminati and Jacobins , and of the pantheistic Socialists . " '' Such , " our lecturer states , " is the wide field I propose to to travel over to-nig ht . " It is

Jmdeed to Avide a field for a single lecture from even an abler man than Professor Robertson . But we must not be harsh . He would disarm criticism by the candid ovowal that he is " handling a subject which , " he says , " I sincerely believe , my powers are unequal to . " After carefully perusing his lecture Ave are

decidedly of the Professor ' s opinion . Neither truth nor modesty would permit ns to contradict him , when he asserts that he is handling a subject for which he is totally unfitted . We will go even further and give it as our conviction that this

important " fling" at our Order will not serve to raise him in public estimation as a " Professor of Modern History . " Indeed much cannot be expected from those Avho place themselves in the undesirable and false position of so-called professors

in a university without a charter , which exists only in the imagination of a generous but misled people , and which has been placed in antagonism to the Queen ' s University , an institution erected on a broad liberal , and truly Catholic basis , AA'hich has

done , is doing , and must do , immense good , if the bigots Avould but give it fair play . That Professor Robertson has formed a true

estimate of his mcompefcency to deal Avith the subject on Avhich he lectured before the Historical Society of the Catholic University , he immediately goes on to prove by citing the authorities from which his materials are drawn . They are as

folloAVS : — 1 . " The Abbe Barruel ' s vrork , entitled ' The Memoirs of Jacobinisnij' the second volume of which is very full upon Masonry . " 2 . "The main statements of Barruel are

corroborated by the Protestant writer . Professor Robison , of Edinburgh , in a book entitled , 'Proofs of a Conspiracy against all Religions and Governments in Europe / This work was published in 1798 , and dedicated to the great statesman and orator , Wyndkam . Robison had originally been a Mason . "

3 . "A manual of Masonry was published some years ago by the infidel bookseller , Richard Carlile . In this all the ceremonies , degrees , and instructions in Masonry are described . " 4 . "A work on-this subject appeared a few

years ago from the pen of a German Protestant , Dr . Eckert , an advocate at Dresden . . It is entitled , ' Freemasonry considered in its true signification , or in its organisation , its object , and its history . ' This Avork Avhich I received but a few

days ago , I have considered only in certain portions , and in a French translation . " It is then added with charming simplicity , " I beg leave to observe , that it is only from published documents I have draAvn the materials' of this lecture . "

Has it occurred to this learned teacher of history that his material may be unreliable ? Even very superficial inquiry would have shoAvn him that hisauthorities are no authorities at all . Would it not- , be only fair in him to listen to the maxim—which ,

ahistorian aboveall men should attendto—aud / iabwr et altera pars ? Should he not have read what . Freemasonry can say on its OAVU behalf , before lieventured on this bigoted , but fortunately weak , attack upon it ?

It Avill be interesting to learn from a man Avho ' " never saAV the light , " and Avhose information on _ the subject is derived from such trustworthy , sources as the infidel Carlile , et hoc genus oimie . —the history of the Masonic Order . Here it

is : — " Freemasonry in its first beginnings must be traced to the Masonic lodges of the Middle Age ,., in Avhich the architects held their sittings , and framed statutes for their corporations . Thus , it is Avell knoAvn , that Avhen Erwin of Steinbach had

begun the glorious Cathedral of Strasburg , he founded in that city a lodge , the centre and model of other lodges spread throughout Europe .. The heads of each of these lodges assembled at Ratisbon on the 25 th of April , 1549 , and drew up

the Act of Incorporation , which , instituted in perpetuity the Lodge of Strasburg as the chief lodge , and its president as the Grand Master of the Freemasons of Germany . The institute Avasformally sanctioned by the Emperor Maximilian in

the year 1498 , and that sanction was afterwai-ds ratified by the Emperors Charles the Fifth and Ferdinard the First . These ordinances subsequently renewed , were printed in the year 1563 .