THE GOVERNOR'S RECEPTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 147, 19 June 1873, Page 4

THE GOVERNOR'S RECEPTION.

To the Editor' ov the Nelsow Evening M*il. Sir— Your correspondent " Not a Freemason," in his reply of the 16th inst., . pats the strength of all his arguments upon this : that because we iCatholics , we refuse to neat or stand by the 'side of one' who is: hostile to our principles, that, therefore, we do not love him as a neighbor; hereupon follow several passages \ as a proof of his assertions. „" . Ndwj let your correspondent understand that our conddct is not grounded | upon this : that we choose to stoop so • loy : a&^to conceiv^ to be^Bome,body more , th&jM others^ If 1 Catholics*, do hofc feel | themselves justified in accepting the position they, are invited^ to ..take, in a ; meeting and jit is from a higher* principle than the one that your correspondent ; attributes to us. For, he must know that ' all who reject the Catholic Church's tenets fall under the condemnation of the < Church, and therefore, Catholics are no : more to communicate <' with such; hence all participation, all fellowship, all communication in principle must cease. \ Now, Freemasons, it is well known, have been; in several, ages; condemned^ by i the Catholic Church ; and therefore j Catholics are not allowed ,tp r communicate i with them iri ' art ' J op6n : profeislori*' of ! principles. Therefore, it is false to^accuse : Catholics, in their conduct,- ' that ■ they I conceive themselves to be somebody more ! than others. They merely submit "to the ; ; authority established by Christ who commanded his. disciples to, "Hear . t the ; Church" £Mstfc xviii 4 17). | Howeve> as you refefredrme to the teaching of the Great Master to show me how I am : obliged to love my neighbor,/, lf will .also, j in r eferring you tothe same Master, show ! you that by our conduct we conform to his I instructions on this subject. I St Paul, the Apostle selected by Christ ' himself to go and -u preach -hiar doctrine,gave to his- beloved J disetpfe' Timothy 5 \ proper directions in regard to his conduct ; towards a _ .ge^iam^cla.B^ of einners^whp ; : " have ati appearance, indeed, of godliness, j but ing the 'power thereof" then he i immediately; gives thkl command "now | these avoid." .; . . /^Tb'lß'iibj^dfotidtf ! -will 'show you that there may^bja-j caseisllinl'which we are to * avoid ' af certain olaes of men. St John himself '^in-ihe l -same i chapter in which ha repeated the commabd' ; "that' "we love lone an'd^V'V/'sßys/^thaifl ' " whosoever revolteth and opntinuethuinatii ; in the doctrine of Christ' ihath rnbt )6rddit j. ; i■ i' ii if - any v man come to you and i bring not this doctrine, ! r^ive^f liim^nc)^ lin the. bouse, nor say <to him 6rod.?;ipeeii ) you." $t John 9, 10.—rThis again shows I that there are circumstances in : whiclijwe ! are ( to avoid o suclj, not^to.^^eiyHjliie^'jln^ft.',' [the Tioiise!, nor'say to then?,J!Qr4d'spe^dybu..V | Bufcin what) are wescominanded to ' avoid I them in' this manner ? NoV tfs ioi r -'thjeir persons, or the necessary of society; for then, as St Paul says, ypU: must needs go out of the world. ; Not as; !to the* officfes of ©h^istian • '.charity^;foY[; | these we are commanded b^ phr jst hijrnMlf^ jin the,* perspn cl of. the^gboS^ Samaritian,"to. I give" to all mankind, : ittheicreligion be ; ; therefore/' ii ia ( .the iCi inbst° ; restrained' aidd- l iimite f d sense wb|ch -jhe; ; words can bear, the thing,, "/n ( wiiqb^, ; !w!e v are commanded to avoid thera^ is injiall .'{ matters of principle or religion^; /jiu'fth&t, i; in which, they themselves' 'are ( and sin'; in things' relating to,:|G-od; ;; an4o i |his service. In these thejr f err/? io? ;tbese ■ ;they are subverted, in these '<" : ihfy\ x are 1 ' condemned ; {} therefore in these ' we Imist :" avoid them." ' '''■■■■iV^-i-U-ur''-^ • ■- Now, sir, as the subject lakes too much ; •the form of controversy^'!; ftix^fak 1 yofr will soon announce that wifh 'this or that, letter the correspondeDce^tfst^cipsf. 1 ? 7,1' ' hope, when, you do it, you will allow fairly for the charge and defence an equal number of letters. ', ■ •"r > " :i i V: ; ": , ■,■''. j ;"'| : 'f''- : . ■ - : ; ianj,|c.J; ; ;^;.;"| 3: :;: , > v " <-.J.,.. CATHOLIOCTSi...; y.