THE FREEMASONS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 199, 8 January 1866, Page 3

THE FREEMASONS.

A reply to the Pope's allocution ha! just been published by the Freemasons o1 Lyons. It is addressed to the " Sovereigi Pontiff of the Catholic, Apostolic, anc Roman Religion." The following are extracts from the document : — " Such is the faithful analysis of youi allocution of September 25. It omit-; nothing — not even the appeal to the secular arm, and the not very Christian wish to see us crushed for the good of the Church. Such an attack would justify a virulent reply. Ours shall be calm : we have the consciousness of the justice oi our cause and the probity of our intentions and our acts. Be good enough to hear. In our noble France, and in our time, nobody is condemned unheard. In Rome, to its shame, it is otherwise. Perhaps you would have cited us to your bar. The law of Freemasonry, of which you aie doubtless ignorant, would have replied for us. Its first article is literally as follows : — 'Fremasonry, an institution essentially philanthrophic, philosophic, and progressive, has for its object the investigation of truth, the study of universal morals, science, and art, and the exercise of benevolence.' Its second is this :' In the high position which it occupies, Freemasonry respects the religious faith and the political opinions of each of its members, but it formally prohibits in its assemblies all discussion of religious or political subjects, not having for its aim controversy as to different religions, or criticism of the civil authority and the different forms of Government.' Is it necessary for us to explain our symbol ? In our opinion liberty is an imprescriptible right which has its absolute limitation in the liberty of others. You call all men brethren, and we need not inform you that egotism is a short-sighted kind of cleverness. A reciprocal affection ought to unite men ; they owe one another mutual aid ; we remind them that the rights of each have a rigorous equivalent, which is called duty. We believe that we possess a sufficiently precise idea of what -is just and what is unjust. For us the end never j ustifies the means . We reckon by thousands our adherents and our lodges. If this sketch of our doctrine is untrue, it will call forth numerous denials. We await the result. Why, say the Freemasons, in conclusion, " reproach us for holding our meetings with closed doors, when you know the moment we shall possess the liberty of assembling, like that which the church possesses, our doors will be opened never to be closed again ?" The subjoined circular has been addressed to the Freemasons of Italy by the Grand Master Di Luca : — " Brethren — The general comitiaß of the Italian people are assembled. It is obligatory upon every citizen to go to the electoral urn, in order that the new Legislature may meet the necessities of the nation. These cannot be expressed in a sense contrary to the civilisation of the age and the progress of humanity. The true M. M. are essentially good citizens. 'In my opinion,' recently said the Emir Abd-el-Kader, ' every man not professing Masonry is incomplete.' Man is perfected in the citizen, following the difficult path of duty, and even undergoing martyrdom for its sake. Fremasonry, as you are well aware, brethren, is alien, and should be so far as they may clash with each other, and may give rise to diverse measures. Therefore is it that the Masonic brethren, in political elections, far from regarding the political and religious candidate as a political and religious candidate, looks to the moral and intellectual character, and seeks in the candidate rectitude of heart, probity, self-denial, mind, and practical good sense in the management of affairs. And they remember that Masonry, representing the progress of humanity, cannot deviate from its path, even when occupied to a certain extent with the affairs of the mother country. Let us be Italians, and working for the prosperity and welfare of Italy, we work for the progress of humanity, so that, progressing with and perfecting each part, we contribute to the advancement and harmonious perfection of the whole. In the elections, therefore, it is essential that the candidates should be men of sense and virtue, and that the programme of progress should remain unchanged. No Mason, without belying his proper character, can be a partisan of retrogression, or the limitation of the moral and intellectual development of the people. To strive for the prosperity and fulfilment of the destinies of Italy is a work of progress and development, and, therefore, proper to the Masonic mission. [ "In times past, the glory of Italy was in the greatness and power of her cities. i Now, and for the future, her greatness and power will proceed from her unity. The parabola of the glory of the Italian cities has been described and completed ; that of the glory of Italian unity has scarcely commenced its movement. Every Italian assists and advances it, and the greater the obstacles that may arise, the more are there found to meet them. " The Masonic brethren, who cannot but have faith in human progress, must necessarily labor for the fulfilment of che destinies of Italy. It is true there are not wanting some who wear the cloak of hypocrisy, and those who, using square and. compass as instruments for their own private ends, calumniate the order, and attribute to it objects and designs contrary to the truth, and altogether opposed to those inspired by the Masonic faith. These you will disregard, and you will despise the idle tales whispered abroad and covertly circulated. If, however, some malignant insinuation be openly made, the laws will not be mute against him who defames and calumniates. "Therefore is it that none of the Masonic family will abstain from attendance at the electoral urn, and from promoting amongst the greatest number of electors the adoption of the huinanisiug programme comprised iv the words

'virtue, sense, progress,' which shoul g constitute the qualifications of the ele( f of the people. " Dated from the O. of Naples the _ day of VII. moon of the year of V. I 1 000855. - " The Geakd Master, Bdi Ltjca 33."