Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-24
THE PAPAL ALL0CI rEON.
The Pope DenOunces the Masons and
other SecFet societies.
The following is the text of the Allocution
which the Pope delivered in a secret Consistory
held at Rome on the 25th ult.:

-
The following is the text Of the Allocution
which the Pope delivered in a secret Consistory
held at Rome on the 25th ult.:
s Venerable Brethren-Among the numerous
| Vaccinations and articles by which the enemies
of the Christian name have dared TO attack the
Church OF God, and sought to shake and besiege
il by efforts supertiuous ia truth. must undoubt-
edly be reckoned that perverse society of men
"vulrarly STYLED Masonic, which, at first confined
10 darkness aud obscurity, now comes into light
for the common ruin of religion and human so
ciety. Immediately that our predecessors the
Roman Pontihs, faithful! 10 the pastoral office.
discovered its snsres and frauds, they considered
there was not a moment 10 lose in holding ia
check by their authority. and 10 striking and
lacerating by a c~ondemaat0ry sentence as with a
sword. this sect, pursuing a crime and attacking
holy and public things. Our predecessor, Gle
ment MI, 10y his Apostolic letters. prescribed
and rebuked this sect. and dissuaded all the
faithful not only from joining it but also from
promoting or encouraging 1t in any manner
whatever, since such an act would entail the
penalty of communication. which the Roman
! Pontie can alone remove. Benedict XIV con-
| 6rmed by his Constitution this just and lcgiti-
mate sentence of condemnation, and did not fail
to exhort the Catholic sovereign princes to devote
all their efforts and all their solicitude TO repress
Ills " IL G1Nt HeNA VIZ W
| against a common danger. Would to God these
monarchs had listened to the words of our pre-
decessorl Would 10 God that in so serious u
matter they hsd acted less feeblyl In truth,
| neither We nor our fathers would then have had
| 10 deplore the many seditlous movements, the
many incendiary wars which have set the whole
of Europe in flames, nor the many bitter misioT-
tunes which have afflicted and still afhct the
Church. But the rage Of the wicked being far
| from appeased, Plus VII, our predecessor, struck
with anathema a sect of recent origin. Carbo-
narism. which had propagated itself, particularly
in Italy: and. inhamed BY the same zeal for
souls. Leo MI condemned by his apostolic let
tiers. not only the secret societies We have just
mentioned. but all others, of whatever appella-
ton, consoiring against the Church and the civil
power. and warned all the faithful 10 avoid them
under penalty of accommodation. Neye!the-
less these Efforts OF the Apostolic See have not
had the success expected. The Masonic sect of
which we speak has not been vanquished or
oyerthrown: On the contrary, II has so developed
itself that in these troublous days II exists every
where with impunity, and carries an audaclous
front. We have therefore thought It cur duty
to return TO this matter. since, perhaps. from
ignorance of the guilty intrigues clandestinely
carried on, an erroneous 0piUl0n may arse mat
the character OF this society is inofensivc, that
this institution has no other object than that OF
succoring men, and assisting them in adversely,
and that ia this sOciety there is nothing to fear
for the Church IF God. But who does Dot com
Drehend b.. this sect departs from the truth
What is the object of this association OF men
belonging to all religions and every oelleif 10
what end those clandestine meetings and the
rigorous oath exacted from the initiated, oinoing
them never to reveal anything Of what may be
discussed? Wherefore that unheard of atrocity
of penalties and chastisements which the initla-
ted bind themselves to accept should they fail
20 keep their oathl A society which thus avoids
the light of day must surely be impious aud
criminal. He who does i'll. says the Apostle,
hates the light How different from such an
association are the pious societies OF the faithful
which flourish in the Catholic Church. WITH
them there is no retcence or o~bscurlty Inc
law which governs them il clear to all. clear
also are the works OF charity p~ractised according
to the Gospel doctrine. Thus it is not without
grief that we have seen Catholic societies
of this nature, so salutary and so well calculated
10 excite piety aud succor the poor, Attacked
and even destroyed in some places. while, on the
CONTRARY, encouragement is Afforded 10 secret
Masonic societies. so inimical TO the Church ana
TO God, 30 dangerous even Tor the security OF
kingdoms. Venerable brethren, We feel PAIN ana
bitterness TO see tina, when il is requisite 10
rebuke this sect according 10 the con
~stitu,ions OF our predecessors, some persons
shoS themselves indulgent, almost supine, where
as, IL 30 grave a matter, the exigencies OF toelr
functions and their charges demand that they
should display the greatest activity. 1t these
persons think that the Apostolic constitutions
Illuminated under penalty Of anathema, against
occult sects and their adopts and abettors'
have 10 force in the countries where the
said sects are tolerated by the CIV
powes they are assuredly very greatly in error
As YOU are aware, venerable brethren, we have
already rebuked. and now anew rebuke and con
dem. the falsity OF this evil doctrine. In effect.
can i, De tha, the supreme power Of pasturing aud
guiding the universal aock. which the Roman
Pouiins received from Christ. in the person Of
the blessed Peter, aud the supreme power they
must exercise in ,bs Church should depend upon
tue civil power. or could they, for any reason.
be constrained and done violence 10 therebys
Under these circumstances, for fear lest youth
and unthinking men should ALLOW themselves 10
be led away in principle, and for fear our silence
should offer al Opportunity for protecting error.
we have resolved. venerable brethren. 10 raise
our Apostolic voice aud confirming hire 10 your
presence the constitutions of our predecessors. on
the part of our Apostolic authority We Febuks
and condemn this Masonic society and the other
societies of the same description, which, although
differing il form tend 20 the same end and