THE LATE GRAND MASTER OF ENGLISH MASONS.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1804, 14 October 1874, Page 2

THE LATE GRAND MASTER OF ENGLISH MASONS.

We certainly live in an /.go of exiraordinary events, if not of miracles. TJ.se conversion of the late Grand Master of English Masons, the Marquis of Kipon, to the Catholic faith is so mueh'beyoud the ordinary course of events, that it may well be regarded as miraculous—something akin to th<; conversion of Constantine. fc«ch an unloo,Ved-for and remarkable • occurrence must create a strong sensation in the minds of all the Masons throughout the world. It must set every'reflecting man among them to think deeply on what is coming. It has been said that the fairest flowers in the Anglican Church are being transplanted into the Pope's garden. We now see the. most eminent of English men —eminent for personal worth, rant, wealth, and talent, quitting not only the Anglcan Church, but an institution still more extensively diffused and important —the Masonic body— to enter the Catholic fold. We do not yet know, and shall probably never know, the process of reasoning by which the mind of such a man as the late Grand Master of the Endish Masons was led to perceive the cMas which the Catholic.faith had to his assent. This, however, wo do know: that the Catholic faith is a Divine gift, and will only be granted to those who ask it aright, No amount of human study or learning, apart from Divine grace and humility and docility of mind, will ever procure the Catholic faith to anyone. We may be sure, therefore, that however much Lord Kipon's great natural talents, his learning, worldly wisdom and experience, and reflection on the events of the age now passing before him, may have contributed to open his eyts to see the ; truth of the Catholic faith, yet that the main cause of his conversion was in the disposition of. mind which fitted him to receive that faith as a free gift from the hand of God. The Catholic Church is the Church of the poor and lowly in a more especial manner. She can exist in spite of the opposition of the great and wealthy. Yet it is, no doubt, to her great benefit when men of wealth and rank, and extensive social and political influence, like Lord Eipon, have the grace to join her Communion, more especially under the very peculiar circumstances in -which he was placed prior to his reception. ,

The Masonic body, of which he was flio head in England, is the implacable and deadly enemy of the Catholic Church. When the Church conquered him, therefore, she secured a most glorious triumph-— a triumph which, one may suppose, would be celebrated in the Court of Heaven above with great joy, as it certainly will be by all English-speaking Catholics throughout the world. The English Mason next, in point of Masonic eminence, to Lord Eipon is probably the Prince of Wales. Humanly speaking, it is very unlikely that he will have the grace to take a similar step to that which Lord Eipon has taken; yet even he, in common with all other English brethren of the "mystic tie, 1' must be a little staggered at the course Lord Bipon has taken, and feel at their wits' end what to think about it. Will Disraeli write a novel on the occasion, as he wrote " Lothair" when the wealthy Marquis of Bute joined the Church? Lord Eipon is no weak-minded devotee, but a man of the world, and a politician of experience, besides being an influential member of the British House of Peeri. His religious convictions and his political creed must be in unison. He sees the dangers which threaten Christendom from present influences, hostile to the Catholic Church, and he adopts his course accordingly. He no doubt has a following—a party among the English Protestant aristocracy, who share his convictions, and who, sooner or later, will follow him into the Church. The next to come over to Eome may he Disraeli himself. We hay

seen quite as unlikely things in our time. It would not" surpriso us in the least to Hear of the conversion of Mr, Digraeli and Mr Gladstone to the Church. The fprme, r has jusfc told us that Catholicism and Atheism are the two great master powers in Europe afc this hour. We must all choosey one side or the other; Protestantism is politically dead. The enemies of the Catholic Church generally, ■but throughout the British empire in particular, may well be puzzled and perplexed when they examine her position at this moment. There is no public demonstration of physical force being made on her behalf, or likely .to be made. No powerful military Government is lifting a hand or saying so much as a word in her favor. On the contrary, the most powerful military Governmentinnioclern times is laboring for her ruin. Catholic Bishops, priests, and religion are being gagged, reduced 10 beggary, and driven into exile. Her Visible Head has been stripped of his temporal, possessions, and, is a virtual prisoner in the hands of his - enemies, not sure of his life for a day. Yet, in spite of all this, never was the Church more powerful or influential. Her risible Head commands more reverence and respect than the most powerful and richest of his enemies. _ She is extending her triurrphs in all lands,^ and most of all in England, th^ r natural home of the free and the brave.

The chief cause of all this is to be sought for in the power of prayer and Sacrament*. The Catholic 3of the world are, now united, with one heart and one mind, in besieging the Throne of God to entreat Him to show mercy to His Church. They have formed a. solemn league of prayer for that end. This is the true secret of the present triumph of the Church. Happy for her when she does not trust to an arm of flesh—to carnal weapons, to concordants, or Government patronage, but puts her chief trust in prayer and the providence of God, to whom she commits 'her cause. There is a power at work in her interest superior to the power of Bismarck or any of her / enemies. In short, Providence has its

policy, and in that, policy Catholics now place their confidence. Wo see it developing itself in such events as the conVersion of the Marquis 'of .Hipon. Far better*, that Iho Catholic . faith progress in England slowly and steadily, as now, rather than by violent and sudden commotion, such as heralded "Protestantism " in the 16th century. Where noise and tumult arc, there the spirit of God will not come.—N. Z. Tablet.