Other Attacks Upon Freemasonry.

cretion , the wiser and more tol ant majority of the Church of England have b . ^< content to reward Freemasonry with friendlin ¦ ¦« and goodwill . A young paper , called the Church Herald ,

has allowed some- depreciatory marks in its correspondence about our Order , 'nit as a general rule we have little to complain of as regards the treatment of Freemasonry h > the English

Church , ' though there may be sonn of the clergy , no doubt , who , on their own peculiar grounds , do not approve of our wide and expansive principles . But in Scotland there has alwavs b ^ en a latent

dislike to the Order on the part of " Associate Synods , " and" Kirk Sessions . " i ' rom the date of the Edinburgh " deliverance " of August , J 757 » nlorc than once we have heard of

condemnations of our Order , though why we cannot understand , from Presbyterian authorities . It is curious enough , in the history of the world , how true it is that " extremes m ? et , " and how

twosuch antagonistic organizations as the Roman Catholic and the Presbyterian should be found united in ecclesiastical condemnation of us poor wicked Freemasons 1 And quite recently the

Rev . Jas . Kerr , of Greenock , according to the Masonic News , of Glasgow , has , it happens , published a pamphlet , entitled , "The Principles and Practices of Secret Societies Opposed

to Scripture and to Reason . " The Rev . James Kerr prints the pamphlet , it seems , in deference to the express request of no less a body than the "Reformed Presbyterian Synod . " Why , at a

time when so many better subjects might interest a so-called religious body , one should be disposed to think , an attack upon Freemasonry should be considered seasonable or " improving , "

we do not profess to understand . But we do not venture , however , to question the deliberate resolution or iudgment of so august a body , especially as there have floated over the

border alarming whispers of ecclesiastical penance in the good old " Land o' Cakes , " in which reference to a

certain " cutty stool" prominently stand out . As far as we understand Mr . Kerr ' s proposition , Freemasonry is opposed to Scripture because , to use his own quotations , he finds in the Bible

these words , " Come not thou unto their secret , " "Be ye separate , saith the Lord , " and upon these two texts , as we understand it , by what is in truth a blasphemous adaptation , he denounces the Masonic Order in toto . Of course , we need

hardly point out to the most unlearned Freemason , that , such texts of the Bible never were intended to have any such meaning , and nothing is more dreadful or shocking , in our opinion , than

such irreverent handling " of the true meaning of that holy and inspired volume , we Freemasons so constantly use ,. and so habitually revere . Freemasonry is opposed to reason , because , as we

understand the controversial Kerr , certain representations of supposed ceremonies which he dilates upon are repugnant to right reason—to his right reason ! We can only say that the writer

ot this childish pamphlet has forgotten the very iirst principles of logic . He assumes the whole matter in dispute from his own purely theological

point of view , and therefore his premises are as defective as his conclusion is erroneous . Freemasonry is neither opposed to Scripture nor to right reason . Without perverting texts or mis-

Other Attacks Upon Freemasonry.

quoting scripture , we could , if need be , from the very pages of God ' s word , bring forward much to prove the propriety of Freemasonry , while from its constitution and working , its aims

and ends , we mig ht surely demonstrate its " reasonableness" to every rig ht thinking man-But such attacks as Mr . Kerr ' s are in themselves utterly harmless . They do Freemasonry more

good than hurt , and they are only the relics of a past age of intolerant and unsound theology . The progress of time and the spread of education are happily gradually and greatly weakening all

such " dark superstitions" amongst us . The test of all things now is a ' practical one , and if Freemasonry comes up to that truer standard , in vainare the denunciations of bigots , and harmless

the lucubrations of the intolerant . The argument against , the secrecy of Freemasonry is one which we believe is utterly untenable in itself , but it is one which requires more space for

its investigation and treatment than we can afford to-day . On an early occasion we will revert to it , but in the meantime , let our good Scottish brethren believe that , as intolerance and

ignorance of their true principles harmed them notin"Auld lang syne , " they cannot hurt or hinder them to-day in the slightest measure , as they move on , true to their own great principles

of brotherly love , and toleration , and above all , distinguished in thisbusy age , by thedevelopment of that comprehensive charity , which is not satisfied with words or professions , but is ever cal mly

and unostentatiously intent on deeds of kin dness and labours of love . True Freemasonry is ever alike comprehensive and consistent , tolerant

and forbearing , charitable and philanthropic , and such it will continue to be when Mr . Kerr ' s attack , like many other similar attacks or . Freemasonry , is consigned to contempt and oblivion .

New Masonic Publications.

NEW MASONIC PUBLICATIONS .

We have great pleasure in calling the attention of the Craft to two new publications , which wil l shortly be in the hands of our reading Masons . The one is a " Life of Constantine , " a

translation , published by Bro . Kenning , with illustrations and engraved portraits , with a preface by Bros . R . W . Little and the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford . To this interesting book we beg to

call the attention of all our readers . The other publication announced is a reprint of the First Edition of the Constitutions of iSijj , together with the Memorials of the Masonic Union of

1813 , by our indefatigable Bro . W . J . Hughan . The Memorials will contain not only an introduction and several official documents , such as the " Articles of Union , " but also the valuable

List of Lodges , compiled by Bro . Hughan with much labour and research , and especially Bro . Dr . D'Assigny ' s Enquiry , of 1744 , containing ( so far ) the earliest printed reference to Royal

Arch Masonry . Bro . Hughan proposes to give as a frontispiece a fac-simile of the Arms of the Ancient and Operative Masons , published in Ahiman Rezon , 1764 . We understand that

our Bro . Hughan only intends to have 100 copies printed for subscribers , at ios . 6 d ., in Great Britain , and 100 for the United States . We would also call attention to an announcement , in another columnj of the publication of a volume

New Masonic Publications.

of Yorkshire poems , by the wife of our well known and able Bro . G . M . TweddeJI , with the hope that her little poetic effort may receive the kindly support ofthe Craft .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as aj proving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but wi wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessarylimits—free discussion . —Eu . J

FREEMASONS AND GOOD TEMPLARS . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — " Keystone " appliestheplumb-line rather closely to my last letter , but hardly gives me a satisfactory reply . He seems to allow that a Good Templar is not debarred from becoming

a freemason by his peculiar views , which are in fact religious convictions . Yet he also appears equally positive that by the Constitutions , letter and spirit of the Order , he is debarred from attending Masonic banquets . Is not this somewhat anomalous ? Revise the case and I

may see teason in the Constitutions of the Good Templars , why one of their body should not be present at such banquet , but that is not the matter under present question . I do not think I am ignorant of the elementnrv nrincinles and obiects nf Mattnnrv nnr am — . -j _ ..

— j ,.. ^ L _ __ « j , . . . . .. . . . . I wholly ignorant of its history , but I have certainly regarded the banquet as a friendl y meeting after business , rather than an essential of the Order . If it is so , there can be no prima facie reason why a Mason should be excluded because of his holding views which in

no way debar him from attendance at his lodge . The only question that occurred to my mind was that relating to the healths commonl y proposed—honoured Masonically and drunk—and however imperfectly I fulfilled my intention , I meant to ask would it not be sufficient to honour

the toast Masonically , without drinking to it , which a G . T . could and would naturally do . I have not the opportunity just now of looking into the Constitutions , although I am bound to admit their authority , and if the thing proposed is " impossible " the matter cannot be discussed .

Yet I feel that there is something unsatisfactory in Keystone ' s reply , because it makes the banquet more exclusive than the Order itself . It certainly was a prominent feature of the Dyonisia of old—so prominent as ultimately to put

the mysteries and fundamentals in the background—a state of things that no good Mason would desire to see restored ; but if the banquet is not the essential , why should it reject those whom the letter and spirit of Masonry does not debar from becoming brethren of the Order . M . M .

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MASONIC PROCESSIONS . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , The United Provincial Grand Lodge and Brethren of Devon and Cornwall , assembled on the 14 th inst ., to meet the Most Worshi pful Past Grand Master of En . >]_ i . ! . I , His Royal

Highness the Prince of Wales , at the opening of anew Guildhall , by our Illustrious Krodier , and youcan easily believe that every loyal Freemason in garrison was anxious to testify his fealtv b y taking part in the proceedings . '

lam , however , sorry to state , that , the Masonic Non-Commissioned Officers of the Army were not permitted to appear in the procession , owing to an order in the Official Grand Lodge '' programme , " that black coats , black silk hats , & c , were to be worn by all brethren attending .

This degrading , and insulting prohibition , will not be forgotten in a hurry , by over one hundred respectable Non-Commissioned Officers of this garrison , most of whom are in good standing in their lodges , and naturally enough expected that

they , in common with their civilian brethren , were entitled to all the rights and privileges of Antient Freemasonry ; but such a prohibition should be condemned by all interested in sustaining the prestige of onr honourable Order .