ARCHBISHOP OF BAHIA (BRAZIL)-ON THE CHURCH AND THE MASONS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 68, 15 August 1874, Page 14

ARCHBISHOP OF BAHIA (BRAZIL)-ON THE CHURCH AND THE MASONS.

The Dublin 'Freeman's Journal ' pives the following extract from a letter of Mgr. the ventrwble Archhisiiop of Bahia :—: — " You know," says the Primare, " thnt the evil hour of triumph of dn rim ess has come, wherein lire spirit of error and of falsehood seeks to build up iN throne on deplorable outrages to religion and to faith. . . Tt is evident, accord in a: to the pretensions which are now set up, that in future it is to the craft, and.net to the Holy Church, we are to Jook for Hie understanding of the Scriptures— for' the maintenance of canon law — for t lie explanation of Papal bulls — for the interpretation of concilinr decree" — since in Brazil it. is the authority of the Masonic Orients, and not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that is <o direct the Catholic Church. Religious anarchy, like a torrent let loose, is advancing to ruin nnd overthrow everything that meets it in its headlong course. Before lonsr, we, bishops of Brazil, shall be getting advice and orders by which it will be intimated to us that the ritual, the Pontifical, all our liturgy, nil the disciplinary enactments of the Council of Trent, nre now a dead letter. Soon, if the Masons pet their way, ecclesistic.il sepulture cannot be denied to duelists, to suicides, to public and notorious heretics — because, forsooth, it is the pleasure of the lodges! Soon they will issue processes against confessors and parish priests who will not absolve the sick notoriously tainted with the corrupting poison of the sect, even when they refuse the necessary retraction — because the lodges so will it. Soon those priests who, having failed in their sacred duties have been punished ex conscienlia informala, will deem themselves completely released from the obedience their owe their bishops— because, again, "the lodged wish it. Soon, in fine, civil marriage, the separation between Church and Sta^e, will be laid as the corner-stone of that colossal and gorgeous edifice raised with square and compass — because so the lodges will have it, and wish to decree it. In such trying circumstances, what, brethren, is our imperative duty? To raise our voices boldly, in word and in writing, nnd to prepare ourselves for the passive resistance which the Gospel recommends to us. And, in truth, we must obey, firstly, God, then Cajsar— the lodges nev r. Let this be made manifest by letter, by pamphlet, by sermon, by imprisonment cheerfully endured. A compact phalanx, we shall not irritate the bad example of the ancient apostates, who, trembling before the threat; of

punishment, abandoned their sees or betrayed to pagan tribunes the sacred deposit of the Holy Books. A bishop who does buttle for the Crops and the Gospel is invulnerable. He is an immovable rock, against which tho waves roll their might with incfTecl ual fury. _ Courage, brethren, courage. The bishops armed with that cross which one Hay will be borne in triumph, a« it. was borne of old across the ruins of old p-igan Home, will never bend down before the superstitious triangle of the temple decorated with pillars of ZacHin and Bonz. We have, brethren, on the summit of the Vatican our polar star, and guidort bj it, we shall follow on our way without faltering. The great and immortal Pius IX. is our pastor — the infallible teacher of the faith — our only sovereign in the spiritual order. Permit me, brethren, though the least amongst jou, to exhort you to persevere in that ardent zeal for the sanctuary which you have ever so constantly shown. United in n community of sentiment, let us uphold as far as in us lies, and with that strength which can com* to us from heaven alone, the cause for which we are struggling. The non possnnius of faithful ami courageous predecessors in presence of the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem ought to be ever on our lips, and, as we are their successors by virtue of the dignity with which we are clothed, so we ought to be the imitators of their intrepidity and courage We shall never yield, by a single iota, anything that touclies on either doctrine or discipline 5 for the Church, the immaculate spouse of Jesus Christ, does not walk in tho tortuous paths of the dangerous novelties which the world calls ' progress.' It is our portion to maintain, in all their integrity, the definition of our holy Oecumenical Council of the Vatican, presided over, as it was, by the same spirit of wisdom and fortitude which formerly came into the ctenaeulnm, and confirmed the Apostles of the newly planted faith. Let U3 be ready, if ne. d be, to sacriGce ourselves, and to give up our lives, if necessary, since it is in our consciences rests the foundation of our glory, and we are bound to obey God rather than man. Let us pray with that ardent fervor which charity alone supplies, for the conversion, of those bad children of the Church who will persist, with fatal tenacity, in remaining blind to the evil of their ways. Let us pardon our remorseless persecutors, and proclaim ourselves disciples of Him who, reviled and persecuted, from the height of His gibbet opened his parched lips and implored pardon for His murderers. Let us bear our wrougs with invincible patience and resignation, and like the Apostle*, place our confidence in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Mercies, and the God of consolation.