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Show FRENCH ATHEISTIC SCHOOLS. "The Tyler-Keystone, a Semi-Monthly Masonic Journal, Ann Arbor, Mich, Nov. 10, 1909. Rev. L. A. Lambert, Scottsville, Monroe County, X. Y.: ''Dear Sir In your issue of October 23, New York Freeman's Journal, there is an editorial related re-lated to the atheistic attitude of the Neutral Schools of France. You call attention to the text books in use which tend to discourage belief in God. As you are aware, no doubt, the Masons in the United States are interested in this tendency in France which has resulted in our severing all fraternal relations with the French Masonic bodies. "Can you give me some specific instances in the French text books wherein this unfair advantage is taken in the Neutral Schools by the atheistic element ele-ment who evidently are those who decide upon the text books used? In our fight against atheism Catholics and Masons may stand side by side although al-though in ither respects there has been a difference in the past; we believe that this difference is by no means unsurmountable and that in other ways than this we shall see the two organizations reaching reach-ing out with a common purpose. "Hoping to hear from you at your earliest convenience, con-venience, I am, yours sincerely, "RICHARD PRIDE, Editor." While the personal good will of the editor of the Tyler-Keystone, and that of many other Freemasons whom we know and have known, is quite evident, it yet remains true that there is a profound and radical rad-ical antagonism between the ultimate principles of Freemasonry and those of the Catholic Church. When a young priest we became acquainted with Colonel .Ashley of southern Illinois, who as contractor built the southern part of the Illinois Central railroad. lie was a man of ability and education, ed-ucation, a Protestant and a Freemason. He was a man of fine character and of attractive personality, and we became intimate. One day in a soul to soul talk, he said: "You are a young man beginning your career. Every young man should set before him some one great purpose in life, some ideal, towards which he should labor and never lose sight of in all the various occupations oc-cupations that may engage his attention. "Now, there is a noble end towards which you might devote your life." What is the end you would propose, Colonel ? "It is the reconciliation of the Catholic Church and Freemasonry. I have been a Freemason for many years, and I have never seen anything wrong in it, or in its teaching. In fact, some of its proceedings pro-ceedings and ceremonies are similar to some of those I have seen in Catholic churches. I have become be-come greatly interested in the Catholic Church. In fact, I have thought seriously of joining it, but I find I cannot do so without leaving Freemasonry, Freemason-ry, and I do not like to do that." Suppose I undertook that enterprise, how do you think I ouarht to proceed? How begin? "Well, you might represent to the authorities that there is nothing wrong in Freemasonry." If I did that they would smile on me be-nignantly, be-nignantly, and ask: Are you a Freemason? I would have to answer, No. Then they would ask, What induces you to think you know more about it than we do? I would say, a very reliable Freemason told me so. But, they would say, "This reliable Mason was under oath not to tell you the secrets, the mysteries and esoteric doctrines of the order. If so, lie broke his oath and is therefore not reliable. In fact, we know all that you know, and more." What would I say to that? "Well, you might suggest that the Pope become a Mason and then he would know all about it." That is to say, Let the mountain come to Mahomet. Ma-homet. If the Pope found something wrong in Masonry he would be bound under the oath he had to take not to reveal it. He would therefore have to be untrue to the Church or untrue to the lodge. I think I would not like to make that suggestion in lilm |