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About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1893)
AMERICAN Wit Ml CfMt Nl M.H 4 Vott'Mk 111. OMAHA. M lUIASKA. I KIlV, MM VUY tv.U THE MASONS. -.1 l : Agnimt th0' t It U 0MH IVoMut in All tti Miiin Cathode Prr fit th Country Rutit it Crtullt Tl- follow ing U Hie lull tcvt of the tvivM nec!tel I'tveiumtons, m ill out by tin 11 I Wing print od in nil tin- Konmii Catholic wtr In lltl country. We take our copy, " tin f Vfirxi of llotoii. front the Ciiffmie .Voi'duf Nov - Vitrk. of .Innuary II, ond P IVMM'VI' 1'Mpital, el.1.. In nil plllCC. jllsl US llll'V lipH'HI' 111 lilt BhI pUT. it will In- noticed that tin pronoun "OUI" "WC," I'll.. tll Capital HIV Used Ity the pope, it custom in vogue only when Cod himself I supposed to lie HjxMiktn. No comment is needed on this it ieuks for itself. Tho fact that It I ordered to bo printed in tliiu coun try, shows Unit it is not intended for Freemason in Italy ulone, but for Amerieun und ull other Freemasons us well. A well-known New York priest, who bu.) been interviewed by the daily press in regard to this encyclical, says that there arts Koinun Culholies in the Ma sonic order, but adds: ''lioinan Cath olics who enter Freemasonry do it with the knowledge that they must either neglect the confessional and so bo de nied the rights of the church, or else be bad Catholics through life and confess and abjure Masonry on their death beds as every one, without exception, has hitherto done. the actors Florence and Barrett being notable Instances." THE POPE'S ENCYCLICAL. Dear Children An the guar dian of that faith to which the Christian nations owe their moral and civil redumption, Wo would fail in one of our chief duties If We did not raise Our voice often and very loudly agalnHt tho Impious war by which It Is sought, dear children, to deprive you of Biich t.iiH-r&i'A'-tiviwtW 'Already taught by a long and said exper ience, you know well tho terrible trials of that war, and you doploro It deeply In your Catholic und Italian hearts. Indued, could you ho Italians In mime and sentiment without revolting against the at tacks daily directed against those divine tenets which constitute tho brightest of ourglorios, which gave to Italy the primacy over the other nations and to Home the spiritual scepter of tho world und which ruined on tho ruins of paganism and barbarism tho splendid structik J of Christian civilization? Could you bo Cuth olio in mind and heart, und in this very land, In tho bosom of which our udorablo Kodoemer deigned to establish the seat of Ills Kingdom, see with an Indiff erent eye Ills doctrines assailed, Ills worship outraged, His church attacked, His Vlear subjected to hostility, ho many souls that have been redeemed by His blood, und that from tho chosen portion His flock, lost, and people who have been ever faithful to lllm for nineteen con- "turlcs exposed to tho continual an Im minent peril of. apostatizing from tho Fulth and forced into a path of oitoih and vices, of material misery and moral abjection'!1 Directed atnneu agalnstour heavenly and our earthly fatherlund (la patrla) and our earthly fatherland (la jiatrlo celeste ot la Is putrlo torrcstc), against tho religion of our fathers and tho civ 11 lat lor. transmitted to us by them with so much splendor In science, let ters and art, tho War of which Wo speak Is, us you well understand, be loved children, doubly wickedtreason ugulnst humanity and also treason against the Divinity, Hut where does It principally come from if nut from that Masonlo sect with which Wo dealt at length In tho F.ncy ileal lluinanutn Onus of the 20th April, 1HH), and in the more recent one of tho 1.1th Octo ber, lHill), uddressud to tho Hlshops,tho clergy and tho pooplo of Italy? Hy means of these two letters We tore from Freemasonry tho mask with which It covered Itself In order to de ceive the people, and Wo exposed It In Us naked deformity, In Its dark and pernicious deeds. We confine Ourselves on this occas ion to considering Its deplorable effects In respect to Italy. For, having long since crept Into Our beautiful country under the specious appearance of a phil anthropic society and a saviour of tho people, and having at last by means of conspiracies, corruption, and violence, succeeded in dominating Italy, and this wahnik: til) o! l- fi Mit j iU oet. t Hn.J I...W iimf t!mn!lie h t I not o ImiI l In the ."out ' t ) m.M- th t I. in v ' j In m It i( v f im- our t-oiitiliV Ida hi n Mot i(!Vnil t'i l , 'iH The t! litfion t our tmli r liw rm'ine uii i.r )'t".v!ii ion ,i (mi (, llh U MtniiU' iis ot uiU luHC nliHnlim for 'bri! innlly, tin iirliip of i ftwli for lie' worbln ..( fmlli, wM'nll.tl x ml. nl ini'imiU for C0iiiih iitomlity, Uie iV(jv of innlt. V for Hint of the spirit. To the holy ln ninl iiinxiniK of the t.o. . l they lmo .Uivil to opMio Uu mi. I ttlNxillix whleh mi'lil Im'hI,',1 Ihe emle of Ihe Ui'voliiti.ui; whlli.1 thi-y Imve ) Mi opNiM'd t Ihem-hiNils lo wlrme,Hiul to Christian ni l an nlij.vl Hllnist ie ri al loin. They have invaded the Temple of the ldird, they hnve MUandeii'd by confiscation wli slHstieal proh-i ty, the greater purl of the Income neceiiiiy to Ihe exorcise of Ihe holy ministry, und by the conscription of the clerics they have reduced lioyond tho limits of extreme need the numlier of priests. If they have not been able to prevent tho administration of tho Sacraments, they have tried nevertheless by every melius to patronize civil marriages and funerals. If they havo not yet succeed ed in dragging from tho hands of the Church the education of tho young and tho direction of charitable institutions they endeavor nevertheless by jiorsis tent effort to seculurize both, and to effectually efface their Christian char acter. If they havo so far fuilod to stillo tho voice of tho Catholic press, they have novortholoss done all they could to rovllo It and bring It Into 111 rejiuto. .And to what contradictions, what partialities will they notdoseond to op pose, at whatever cost, tho Catholic re ligion? They havo closed tho monas teries, and tho convents but they havo allowed to multiply uh thoy would Masonlo Lodges and secular associa tions. They have proelalmed,tho right of association whilst tho Individual legal liberty which all sorts of associa tion, use and abuse is refused to re ligious communities. They have pro mulgated religious liberty, whilst odi ous Intolerance and manifold vexations aro reserved for tho religion which Is pre-eminently that of tho Italians, and to which they owo at least respect, and special protection. Tho safeguard, tho dignity, and tho Independence of the Dope, they huvo made most ample dec larutlonsund promises, hut you w 111 see to what outrages Our person each day Is subjected. All sorts of public mani festations have an open field; it is Catholic manifestations alone, first one and then another, which are prevented or disturbed. They encourage, oven In tho bosom of the Church, schism, upos taey, and revolt against legitimate su periors; religious vows, and particularly that of oliodlenee, aro condemned as things contrary to man's lilicrty and dignity, while, at the same time, they leave unpunished associations which bind their followers by iniquitous vows, und which exact, even In matteis of crime, blind and absolute obedience. Without exaggerating the Masonic srfef nrai; in i lii i n i (; i i few iwifij--:-ELi !.. r. m 'n r-i.i M'.t , m .tii.i i j linn.i-.! nlv Hi l. ;i IhfJ li li:th ft! fUl t il.-ll l Mil- l-l. .Hir ( -., t.'i. l"M i Hu !. , nl il ) i it In lti fw l !'(. It Yt I no- I1 ,1, mul III nmiK .il i ,n I, V. M lo, h lion. Il i lb.- SiH-otii.1 lione", the illrtll--WV Jtlii IlirltlJ ol CtllllBl Hi hiiiih, w h i1i - I. i! nn-ii. nn.l me i-.-H.i.i . . i to I ,i),t l.i khIihi' lie- U' itieitilft ot the Chiiith of Chtt't her plMi.e.t linlion. the wnt of Clu l' ' i ti m m lb mill tlieci'iitiv of Cat hoi l- iiihH . 1 lo-iv In lo IHM-d to im(., Iheett.t t ot llii ln'Mili litUI mul jHiwel fnl iliflueliiv on fverylhing Hint iiemly t'oiHH in I'n lo diiy from nieiv onj.i tuiv foiiiiil.il on passing indientioiis, or to judge of it from the wrien of ev. nts that have suc ceeded each other for the lust thirty years. 1 'tiffed up li,v ll mhivwh, the wh'I has loudly Itoastinl of lis works in the past ninl Itolilly proclaim. mI what It will do in the future. The public jmwers, whether these take It into ac count or not, are considered practically its instruments! that is to say, thatthi impious sect boasts of having chielly caused the religious persecutions which have afflicted, and which still afflict, our Italy. Tno work has Is-en carried out by other hands it is true, but it has boon Inspired, patronized, encouraged, aided, by it, mediately or Immediately, directly or indirectly, by flattery or by threats, by will or by revolut Ion. From tho ruin of religion to social ruin tho transition is rapid. Doing no longer raised towards Heavenly hope and love, tho heart of man, formed with inllnito aspirations, and having need of their fulfilment, with an ardor that cannot bo satisfied, grasps worldly objects, and from this, there of a necessity re sults a perpetual combat of passions, hungry for pleasures, riches and hon ors, which thus become a vast and in exhaustible source of hatreds, discords, corruption and crimes. Moral and social disorders wore not lacking, It is true, In our country pre vious to tho troubles of the present time; but what an nppaling spectacle is before us in our day! In tho family tho loving respect which constitutes tho harmony of domestic life Is con siderably lessened; paternal authority Is too often Ignored by parents and children; quarrels are frequent, and divorces are not rare.' In tho town one sees civil disorders multiply each day; amongst tho different classes of tho population hitter hatred reigns. The rising generation, set freo from all moral restraint, reared with tho cry of liberty (little understood) sounding in Its ears, entertains no longer respect for anything, in heaven or on earth, while among them there multiply also temptations to vice, precocious crimes, and public scandals. The State, in place of liolng true lo its high and nohlo mission of recogniz ing, guarding, and aiding In their har monious universality of Divine and hu man rights, would seem almost to con sider itself the arbiter, und ignores or limits them as it chooses. Social order, In a word, is universally shaken In its foundations. Hooks and newspapers, schools and pulpits, societies and SyjjiC, . . ...... ( y,l;,lr, ,;, ji.nn" C.rrtiVirtgi! TT(vjl Oi. t.m,..t,. i.U .. Mttlul h '"". -l'oi.i;tj-.l. nit , I ii tj.t., io mm) Vhv n.l n.l ( i Ho- l I A I Ho- .!( I'M"1 H- (1. . ,.'jm-,-.l mi.! ITO)-. i t,. ,i lr-i.t'.,.; mnnhUI fitf Ho- olltitV . I lv ttl, II .,l it-.t to lo '!! Hi. i tik of S'fc iim Cnninitiim, itii.l iiftii hj Hi1 twUn.. of lln inlint in ii.m1 tui.I nmm -i' j klio ing lu l.li,:'l Ih lo milt. I llh jii,iiilv or lo n.im (tli niitliiiin , ll,e e pmt ion hi. d I f.mtiil In u!ter i iiii1, n. llulr il. by Hi." eoiirili net o) ulelle. Hi hnlil lite fruit Itielt the Mnonie ivt has Uhtn lo no Italians! And after this il has the Itolillies o ptvwlil itoelf lo you holding Op it llielllslo. wit r. N Italy, and ghitig IoI'smiuI lo all who, hearing Our word, ivinain faith ful lo .lestisClirist, tliecaliillillioiis title of enclitic of our country, lint the facts, it is well to recttl, s.i enough, notwithstaiiiliug what aiv the favors towards our country of this iM-rverse sect. Faels prove Dial Mitsonic pa triotism is only sectarian egotism, de sirous of dominating overall, thanks to the empire of modern States which remit and concent ruto all into their hands. Facts say that in the designs of Free masonry the names of political inde pendence, of equality, civilization, and progress, aim at fuvoring in our coun try the Independence of man towards Ciod, license of error and of vice, tho conspiracy of a faction to tho Injury of other citizens, the art of the more for tunate classes to enjoy at their ease all the lights and pleasures of life, tho re turn of a people, bought by Divine Dlood, to the divisions, to deprivations, to tho shame of paganism. And wo cannot bo surprised at this. A sect which, after nineteen centuries of Christian civilization, attempts to ruin tho Catholic church and to cut off the Divlno, springs of Its life; which, ubsolutely denying tho supernatural, repudiates all revelation and all tho means of salvation with which revela tion supplies us; which by its designs and its works bases itself solely and en tirely upon u nature weak and corrupted such as ours such a sect can Iki not h lng else but tho essence of pride, covetous ness and sensuality. Hut pride o) prcsscH, covetousness despoils and sen suality corrupts, and when these three forms of concupiscence reach their highest stage, tho oppressions, spolia tions, and seductive corruptions, In creasing more and more, assume im measurable proportions and lieeomo sources of oppression to a whole people. I'ermitus, then, in addressing you, to point to Masonry us an enemy ut oneo of (hid, the Church, and our coun try. Once for all, recognize it practi cally as such and guard yourselves against such a formidable enemy with all the arms that reason, conscience, and faith place in your hands. lt no one be deceived by Its fair appearance, enticed by its promises, seduced by its llatterii s, or alarmed by its menaced. Komomlier that Freemasonry and Christianity are essentially irreconcil able, so that to join one is to bo entirely separated from t lie other. This incom- ; ,s ,i.,'::n t.-,n it.. ot kl m, ; ,.; ft.i t!,t ,4 Un ,t,t!l, ot, U i oiv :vfcwM, 1 i4 ,,, o.ii ,4 , aiol 1 n,, wfty. r rii.lin':i r ,.) mm. ,U,, HiH, wl,Mt Hon til j ,iK!.M (,. pHrn lli.-f Itmn- U mn ot H - (, u,. ,,! injiln ,,i. t,ti.w llmt tin mv li t. ilv I.hiuI lo j ki in. In tii.in II I! Initio j t,,i li l,i ivmitiii rut oft fintti Hi." U 'l,i in ma otu m.itili.n mul lo low ih.-ir .Hi! in lime mul eleiliilv, lt mvtil 'o, Mini en hern, ami i inpley . r, m nil thine who lme charge of tin- in.- I . j t-sU ot oihers, iiiih iliiil thai a rigor Otis oliligHt ion liimU theitt to lie. nil ItiHl (sissilile lii pii-vellt those w bo tlejs i, on I Item from joining ihl w ickei! si'l. j and fiimi remaining in it if they have actually joined II. In a matter of so great importance and in view of Ihe fact that mctliixt of ttlliireiuoi't are so easy in our days. It is likewise iiiiHrative that Ihe Chris tian lie on his guard against taking Ihe lirst stops, fear the smallest dangers, avoid every occasion of temptation, take the most minute precaut ions in a word, according to the Fvangelieal counsel, employ all tho prudence of the serpent whilst preserving in his heart the simplicity of the dove. Let the fathers und mothers of fami lies take care not to receive Into their houses or to admit to t he intimacy of domestic conlldences people who Rvo unknown, or at least not sufficiently known with rosoct to their religion; let them first take steps to ascertain t'MV,,n,i '. ii . i.i,i'Cr!TliVfitftf ttVci that under tho garb of a friend, a mas ter, a physician, or other acquaintance, thoro is not concealed an astute re cruiter of the sect. Or, Into how many families has tho wolf entered In the guise of a lamb! Worthy of all praise, undoubtedly, are tho different societies which now spring up everywhere and in every rank of social life with marvelous fe cundity workingmen's societies, mu tual aid societies, provident societies, literary artistic, and other societies and when they are jMinetrated hy a good moral and religious spirit they aro assuredly useful und suitable to tho times. Hut since hero also, and even in a special manner, the Masonic poison has penetrated and porietratca those societies must generally hi! regarded with suspicion and avoided, which, withdrawing themselves from every religious influence, can bo easily di rected and ruled to a greater or less extent by Freemasons societies such a those which, beside tendering as sistance to the sect, are, so to speak, its seed-plots and training-ground. Let not women readily join philan thropic societies of which they do not quite know tho nature and the object without first consulting prudent and ; 1""''. which Is also the supreme Inter cxporlcneed persons, because this ests of Italy and of the whole Christian mountebank uhllanthronhv. so nom-1 jMiusly contrasted with Christian char ity, often serves as a passport to Ma- yonic intercourse. Ix'l every one avoid 1 having tics of friendship and familiar- ity with peo)lo suspected of Indonging to Freemasonry or with tho societies affiliated to it: recognize them by their i :ti: : l, ftlfl I III lit. t Si If1. I1, o.i ' .. 1. 1 II.. .r 1 ti.i.l..t j li.1 o. 111. II .Mr. I... IO'. ..it liU ,i, ftr.. I nf t : i Un it l.n.lm.U !ii,. I !.., t, Iml mm II...-.- l.o is. ii.s nl lh. tr rl j ,1: .!.. I (,. .., W of illiil. IMti ; toi. univ, r Mn I fof Hi) IM l'ioti. n.i jft iiniin t.i r-stitii ilmj; Ihe ii.ioiiii, i j the l.osl, ll, 1- l,Mlil,,a of tl.. j Un.ih.iion. t ht iMl mul II, lint, il.e (l'liifi It of I.. si mul 1 1,., suir without It o.l, I 11 Hi.- IsmVsmi.l Hie jitiiirmU which distil llie polMit, of llii., l t ami w hteh klmlle in liiitiisn liiis ,i. (ir of itit- In 'idled etipidtly anil kcIisiinI )Misi.iis, let reading circle ninl rending room wheri' lb.- Mii-siiiie spirit preiU, ii king whom il may devour - ) for the Christian - und for all Christian w ithout except ion - pi nil- mid publica tion Hint ii itken horror. Since We are dealing with a wet which has spread itself everywhere, it is not enough to lie on the defensive to ward II, but We must go courageously Into the arena and meet it, as yon will ilo tleitr children, by opposing press to press, scIhmiI to school, association to association, congress to congress, action to act ion. Freemasonry has taken possession of the public schools, and you have tho private schools, with the paternal schools and those of zealous religious and ecclesiastics of lailh sexes; contend with them for tho education of Chris tian children and youth, and especially let not Christian parents entrust tho education of their children to schools in which they cannot have confi dence. Freemasonry has confis cated tho funds of public benefi cence; make up for this by priv ate charity. It has placed pious foundations in the hands of its inomlKirs; do you entrust to Cath olic institutions tho distribution of tho charitable funds over which you havo power. It opens and keeps up houses of vice; do all that is possible to open and maintain refuges for tho preservation of morality that Is In peril. In Its service Is con ducted a press anti-Chrlstlan both from the religious and civil point of view; do you by means of ynnc active zeal and your money, as sist, favor, and propagate tho Catholic press. Association of mutual succor and loan societies aro founded hy It for the benefit of Its partisans; you should do the sumo not only for your brethren In the faith but for all indigent persons, showing that true and sincere charity Is the daughter of Hi in Who makes the sun to rise and tho rain to fall upon tho just and sinners. Let this httugglo of good against evil extend itself to ull things and endeavor as far as possible to repair everything. Freemasonry hglds frequent con gresses to concert new plans for combating tho Church: do you also hold them frequently to come to abetter understanding with regard to tho means and the order of defence. It multi plies its lodges; do you multiply Catholic cireoll and parochial committees; promote associations of charity and prayer; combine together for tho purpose of pro- serving and Increasing the splendor of the Temple of (Jod. Tho scot, having no longer anything to fear, shows it self in tho full light of day; do you, Italian Catholics, also make open pro fessions of your faith after tho exam ple of your glorious ancestors who in the face of tyrants, punishments and death, confessed It with intrepidity, and sealed It with the testimony of their blood. What more? The sect tries to subdue the. Church, und to place It as a handmaid at the feet of tho State. Do you, on the other hand, cease not to demand and within legal limits to insist, that it shall have duo liberty and independence. The sect strives to destroy Catholic unity, sowing cockle amongst the elergv themselves, exciting quarrels, fomenting disorders, and inciting minds to insubordination, revolt and schism. Do you, binding more closely the sacred bonds of charity and obedi ence, counteract its designs, render its attempts abortive, and falsify its hoH's. Like the faithful of the early Church, lie of one heart and mind, and gathering around tho chair of St. l'eter in unity with your pastors, protect the supreme interests of the Church and tho Da- world The Apostolic See has always beeu the promoter and the jealous guardiau of the greatness of Italy. He, then, Italians and Catholics, freemen and ,u)t sectarians, faithful to your native land and to Christ as well as to his uniUuuiM uu Vnnv r.