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 SOCIETIES

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SOCIETIES

demonstrated the prudence of our predecessors". Leo XIII makes it clear that it is not only the society explicitly called Masonic that is objectionable: "There are several organized bodies which, though they differ in name, in ceremonial, in form and origin, are never- theless so bound together by community of purpose and by the similarity of their main opinions as to make in fact one thing with the sect of the Free- masons, which is a kind of centre whence they all go forth and whither they all return. Now, these no longer show a desire to remain concealed; for they hold their meetings in the daylight and before the public eye, and publish their own newspaper organs; and yet, when thoroughly understood, they are found still to retain the nature and the habits of secret societies." The pope is not unmindful of the professed benevo- lent aims of these societies: "They speak of their zeal for a more cultured refinement and of their love of the poor; and they declare their one wish to be the amelioration of the condition of the masses, and to share with the largest possible number all lh(> benefits of civil fife. Even were these purposes aimed at in real truth, yet they are by no means the whole of their object. Moreover, to be enrolled, it is necessary that candidates promise and undertake to be thencefor- w;ird strictly obedient to their leaders and masters with the utmost submission and fidelity, and to be in readiness to do their bidding upon the slightest expres- sion of their will." The pontiff then points out the dire consequences which result from the fact that these societies substitute Natm-aUsm for the Church of Christ and inculcate, at the very least, indifferentism in matters of religion. Other papal utterances on secret societies are: "Ad Apostohci", 1.5 Oct., 1890; "PrEEclara", 20 June, 1S94; "Annum Ingressi", 18 Mar., 1902.

V. The Societie.s Forbidden. — The extension of the decrees of the Apostohc See in regard to societies hitherto forbidden under censure is summed up in the well-known Constitution "Apostohca; Sedis" of Pius IX, where excommunication is pronounced against those "who give their names to the sect of the Ma.sons or Carbonari or any other sects of the same nature, which conspire against the Church or lawfully constituted Governments, either openly or covertly, as well as those who favor in any manner these sects or who do not denounce their leaders and chiefs". The condemned societies here described are associa- tions formed to antagonize the Church or the lawful civil power. A society to be of the same kind as the Masonic, must also be a secret organization. It is of no consequence whether the society demand an oath to observe its secrets or not. It is plain also that pub- lic and avowed attacks on Church or State are quite comi)atible with a secret organization. It must not be supposed, however, that only societies which fall directly under the formal censure of the Church are prohibited. The Congregation of the Holy Office issued an instruction on 10 May, 1884, in which it says: "That there may be no possibihty of error when there is ([uestion of judging which of these pernicious societies fall under cen.sure or mere prohibition, it is certain, in the fu-st place, that the Masonic and other sects of the .same nature are excommunicated, whether they exact or do not exact an oath from their mem- bers to observe secrec}'. Besides these, there are other prohibited societies, to be avoided under grave sin, among which are especially to be noted those which under oath, communicate a secret to their members to be concealed from everybody else, and which demand absolute obedience to unknown lead- ers". To the secret .societies condemned by name, the Congregation of the Holy Office, on 20 .\ug., 1S94, in a Decree addressed to the hierarchy of the United States, added the Odd- Fellows, the Sons of Tem- perance, and the Knights of Pythias.

VI. Recently Condemned Societies. — The order

of Odd-FeIlow9 was formed in England in 1812 as a completed organization, though some lodges date back to 174.5; and it was introduced into America in 1819. In the "Odd-Fellows' Improved Pocket Manual" the author writes: "Our institution has instinctively, as it were, copied after all secret associations of religious and moral character". The "North-West Odd-Fel- low Review" (May, 1895) declares: "No home can be an ideal one unless the principles of our good and glorious Order are represented therein, and its teach- ings made the rule of life". In the "New Odd-Fel- lows' Manual" (N. Y., 1895) the author says: "The written as well as the unwritten secret work of the Order, I have sacredly kept unrevealed ", though the book is deilieateil "to all iiu|uirers who desire to know what Odd-Fellowship really is". This book tells us "Odd-Fellowship was founded on great religious prin- ciples" (p. 348); "we use forms of worship" (p. 364); "Judaism, Christianity, Mohammedanism recognize the only living and true God" (p. 297). The Odd- Fellows have chaplains, altars, high-priests, ritual, order of worship, and funeral ceremonies. The order of the Sons of Temperance was founded in New York in 1842 and introduced into England in 1846. The "Cyclopaedia of Fraternities" says (p. 409): "The Sons of Temperance took the lead in England in demonstrating the propriety and practicabihty of both men and women mingling in secret society lodges". That the object of this order and its kin- dred societies is not confined to temperance "is evi- denced by its mode of initiation, the form of the obli- gation and the manner of religious worship" (Rosen, p. 162). The order of the Knights of Pythias was founded in 1864 by prominent Freemasons (Cyclop, of Fraternities, p. 263). In number, its membership is second only to that of the Odd-Fellows. Rosen (The Cathohc Church and Secret Societies) says: "The principal objectionable features, on account of which the Cathohc Church has forbidden its members to join the Knights of Pythias, and demanded a with- drawal of those who joined it, are: First, the oath of secrecy by which the member binds himself to keep secret whatever concerns the doings of the Order, even from those in Church and State who have a right to know, under certain conditions, what their subjects are doing. Secondly, this oath binds the member to blind obedience, which is symbolized by a test. Such an obedience is against the law of man's nature, and against all divine and human law. Thirdly, Christ is not the teacher and model in the rule of hfe, but the pagan Pythagoras and the pagans Damon, Pythias and Dionysius" (p. 160). The "Ritual for the sub- ordinate Lodges of the Knights of Pythias" (Chicago, 1906} shows that this organization has oaths, degrees, prelates, and a ritual that contains religious worship. The decree of the Holy Office concerning the Odd- Fellows, Sons of Temperance, and Knights of Pythias, though not declaring them to be condemned under censure, says: "The bishops mu.st endeavour by all means to keep the faithful from joining all and each of the three aforesaid societies; and warn the faithful again.st them, and if, after proper monition, they still determine to be members of these societies, or do not effectually separate them.selves from them, they are to be forbidden the reception of the sacraments." A decree of 18 Jan., 1896, allows a nominal m<Tnhershipin these three societies, if in the judgment of the ,\pos- tolic delegate, four conditions arc fulfilled: that the .society was entered in good faith, that there be no scandal, that grave temporal injury would result from withdrawal, and that there be no danger of perver- sion. The delegate, in granting a dispen.sation, usu- ally requires a promise that the person will not attend any meetings or frequent the lodge-rooms, that the dues be sent in by mail or by a third party, and that in case of death the society will have nothing to do with the funeral.