Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/833

 MASONRY

777

2CA80NBT

inferior bodies of its jurisdiction or of their represeii- tatives regularly assembled and the grand officers whom they elect. A duly constituted lodge exercises the same powers, but in a more restricted sphere. The indispensable officers of a lodge are the Worshipful Master (French Vinirable; German MeistervonStiud), the Senior and Junior Warden, and the Tiler. The master and the wardens are usually aided by two deacons and two stewards for the ceremonial and con- vivial work and by a treasurer and a secretary. Many lodges have a Cliaplain for religious ceremonies and adm'esses. The same officers in large numbers and with soimding titles (Most Worshipf\3 Grand Master, Sovereign Grand Commander, etc.) exist in the Grand Lodges. As the expenses of the members are heavy, only wealthy persons can afford to join the fraternity. The number of candidates is further restricted by prescriptions regarding their moral, intellectual, so- cial, and physical quaJifications, and by a regulation which requires unanimity of votes in secret ^llotine for their admission. Thus, contrary to its pretended universality, Freemasonry appears to be a most exclu- sive society, the more so as it is a secret society, closed off from the profane world of common mortals. " Freemasonry ', says the ** Keystone " of Phladelphia (Chr., 1885, 1, 259), " has no right to be popular. It is a secret society. It is for the few, not the many, for the select, not for the masses." Practically, it is true, the prescriptions concerning the intellectual and moral endowments are not rigourously obeyed. " Numbers are being admitted . . . whose sole object is to make their membership a means for advancing their pecu- niary interest" (Chr., 1881,1,66). "There are a goodly number again, who value Freemasonry solely for the convivial meetings attached to it." ''Again I have heard men say openly, that they had joined to gain introduction to a certain class of indiviauals as a trading matter and that they were forced to do so because every one did so. Then there is the great class who join it out of curiosity or perhaps, because somebody in a position above them is a mason." *' Near akin to this is that class of individuals who wish for congenial society" (Chr., 1884, II, 196). " In Masonnr they find the means of ready access to society, which is-clenied to them by social conventionalities. They have wealth but neither by birth nor education are they eligible for polite and fine intercourse." "The shop is never absent from their words and deeds." "The Masonic body includes a large number of publicans" (Chr., 1885, 1, 259), etc., etc.

Of the Masonic rule — brotherly love, relief, and truth — certainly the two former, especially as understood in the sense of mutual assistance in all the emergen- cies of life, is for most of the candidates the princi- pal reason for joining. This mutual assistance, especially S3rmbolized by the five points of fellowship and the "grand hailing sign of distress " in the third degree, is one of the most fundamental characteristics of Free- masoniy. By his oath the Master Mason is pledged to maintain and uphold the five points of fellowship in act as well as in words, i. e., to assist a Master Mason on every occasion according to his ability, and partic- ularly when he makes the sien of distress. In Duncan, " AmericanRitual " (229), the Royal Arch-Mason even swears: " I will assist a companion R. A. -Mason, when I see him engaged in any difficiilty and will espouse his cause so as to extricate him from the same whether he be right or wrong." It is a fact attested by expe- rienced men of all countries that, wherever Masonry is influential, non-Masons have to suffer in their inter- ests from the systematical preferment which Masons give each other in appointment to offices and employ- ment. Even Bismarck (Gedanken imd Erinnerungen. 1898, I^ 302 sq. ) complained of the effects of such mutual Masonic assistance, which is detrimental alike to civic equality and to public interests. In Masonic books And magazines unlawful and treacherous acts, per-

formed In rendering this mutual assistance, are recom- mended and praised as a glory of Freemasonry. " The inexorable laws of war themselves", says the official orator of the Grand Orient de France, Lefdbvre d'Aumale (Solstice, 24 June, 1841, Proc^verb., 62), "had to bend before Freemasonry, which is perhaps the most striking proof of its power. A sign sufficed to stop the slaughter; the combatants tmrew away their arms, embraced each other fratemidly and at once became friends and Brethren as their oaths pre- scribed", and the "Handbuch", 3rd ed., II, 109. declares : "this sign has had beneficial effect, particularly in times of war, where it often disarms the bitterest enemies, so that they listen to the voice of humanitv and give each other mutual assistance instead of killing each other" (see also Freemason, Lond., 1901, 181; Clavel, 288 sqq. ; Ragon,"Cour8", 164; Herold, 191, no. 10; "Handbuch^', 2nd ed., II, 451 sqq.). Even the widely spread suspicion, that justice is some- times thwarted and Masonic criminals saved from due pimishment, cannot be deemed groundless. The said practice of mutual assistance is so reprehensible that Masonic authors themselves (e. g., Krause, ibid., 2nd ed., I, 2, 429; Marbach, "Freimaurer-Gelabde", 22- 35) condemn it severelv. "If", says Br<>. Marbach (23), "Freemasonry really could be an association and even a secret one of men of the most different ranks of society, ai^isting and advancing each other, it would be an miquitous association, and the police would have no more urgent duty than to exterminate it."

Another characteristic of Masonic law is that " trea- son" and "rebellion" against civil authority are de* clared only political crimes, which affect the good standing of a Brother no more than heresy, and fur- nish no ground for a Masonic trial (Mackey, " Juri^ prudence", 509). The importance which Masonry attaches to this point is manifest from the fact that it is set forth in the Article II of the " Old Charges", which defines the duties of a Freemason with respect to the State and civil powers. Compared with the corresponding injunction of the "Gothic" constitu- tions of operative masoniy, it is no less ambiguous than Article I concerning God and reUgion. The old Gothic Constitutions candidly enjoin^: "Also you shall be true liegemen to the King without treason or falsehood and that you shall know no treason but you mend it, if you may, or else warn the King or his council thereof" (Thorp, Ms., 1629, A. Q. C, XI, 210; Rawlinson, Ms. 1900, A. Q. C, XI, 22- Hughan, "Old Charges"). The second article of modern speculative Freemasonry (1723) runs: "Of the civil magistrates, supreme and subordinate. A Mason is a peaceable sumect to the Civil Powers, wherever he resides or works^ and is never to be con- cerned in Plots and Conspiracies against the peace and welfare of the Nation, nor to behave himself unduti- fuUy to inferior Magistrates; for as Masonry hath al- ways been injured by War, Bloodshed and Confusion so ancient Kings and Princes have been much dis- posed to encourage the craftsmen, because of their Peaceableness and Loyalty, whereby they practically answer'd the Cavils of their adversaries and promoted the Honour of Fraternity, who ever flourished in Times of Peace. So that if a Brother should be a Rebel against the State, he is not to be countenanc'd in his Ilebellion, however he may be pitied as an un- happy man; and, if convicted of no other Crime, though the loyal Brotherhood must and ought to dis- own his Rebellion, and give no Umbrage or Groimd of political Jealousy to the Government for the time be- mg; they cannot expel him from the Lodge and his Relation to it remains indefeasible."

Hence rebellion by modern speculative Masonry is only disapproved when plots are directed against the peace and welfare of the nation. The brotherhood ought to disown the rebellion, but only in order to pre- serve the fraternity from annoyance by the dvil au-