Phoenix weekly herald., 1897-11-25
SONORA MASONS
Bishop Lopez of HermOsillO ! ceives Reply to his Pas
 tOraI Letter.
An Open Letter by AlejandrO D. Ainslie of HermOsilIo to Bishop Lopez in Which He Makes Some Plain Statements for
 His Benefit.

ILLUsTRIoUs SIR.-YouF pastoral lst
 ter, dated at Msgdalens on the 18th oi
 the past month has produced a painful
 impression in the minds of some.
 I tske the liberty illustrious sir, tc
 ask this question: "Whst wrong have
 She Msaous done you?" and hope that
 you will favor me with reply.
 Have the lodges of the State of Son
 ora meddled with or in any way dis
 surbed your religious Pitee? Have they
 contradioted or oeneured by word or
 pen any of your acts as bishop? Please
 answer these questions SIT, but answer
 them loyalty and honestly ss becomes
 your exalted station.
 You will bs obliged to confess ths9 i the lodges of Sonora have done you no | Wroag for the reason that not one of
 them hes bsen occupied with you or your affairs. You state in your pastoral
 letter that Masons use the dagger and
 poisoned o0p-in other words that they
 are essaesins.
 Gan you before God and man prove this terrible accusation that you have publicly expressed against persons whom you do not even know? On what do you base such en accusation. Osn you name single case that will sustain suoh 8 statement or that proves or shows in any manner that Mssone have used poison OF the dagger?
 The Masonic lodges that exist in So- nora today work under the ancient and accepted Scottish rite, and you have made dsplorsble error in confoupdiDg Masonic institutions with Itslisn secret societies, like the CarbonaFi, etc., which are purely political bodies, and your erroF Is deploFable for the reason that in writing about 8 subject is is necessary to understand it.
 All kinds of weapons have been used against Masonry; it has been and is nov (zee your pastoral letter. lied about and csluminated. 4 case among many others thas csn be cited of this. assertion is She compact entered into by Pope Clement " and King Phillip to destroy the or der of Knights of Malta, iu order to sp- propriste it's property, causing many distinguished men to be burned by the fires Of the Ioquisision; the REossest calumnies that wickedness could sug> gest served es 6 presext for this infsmy, | and this, sir, is no idle tale OF supposi- ton; it is Figidly historical truth. Rad | the history of England and Fsanos and | you will see how James de Molsy and | his illustrous companions. peRished. l i fear, sir, shat I have used in these lines stronger language than should be dl- | rooted to princs of the church; but do | not forget that you have accused us of | bsing sssassins, and the defense has the right to use at last as strong language ss the prosecution.
 I find, sir. your pastoral letter, foreign to your attachments, to your ability and to the moral code that you teach. What do you mean by i:? Do you wish to defeme the reputation of honorable men who have done you no hsFmf !, That would be grstuitous, that would be tFuitless! Do you wish to convert the Masons and lead them away from the path that you consider erroneous? The system that you have adopted does not appear very persuasive to me, as you begin by insulting them. Do you in this msnneF cultivate peace and harmony in ths society in which you direct many souls? do nos think so. Your pastor il letter tends to SOW dis cord at our hearthstones and in the bosoms of our families. It would lead l our wives, ouF sisters and our daughters to loose for us their respect, their af- lection, their regard. It would cause the ignorant and the fanstical to re- gard us with horror and with hate.
 Place, illustrious sir, your hand upon swer: Are you doing what Is right? | Is it honorable? How can you harmon izs the nsxims of Jesus with the poison | distilled from every thought expressed | in your pastoral letter.
 Presch virtue, do not doubt bus that | your words will clear the way and will | reach the yelled chambers of Masonic | lodge rooms, ss the divine words of | Jesus reached all nations of the | earth, making themselves heard with | harmonious socord in the humble csbiu, | or with loud blast shaking she throne | of the despot and the tyrant; bus do | not uss mesne oondemued by Christian | morals sad which are doubtless repel- Isn't to your own conscience.
 The iutenss coufi'ot and hatred en- gendered by religious questions have cessed ip our land; enough blood has ruo, iiioesrious sir, sad yon know be- oas'-7 J afs 6 ' .. D. yon want tao'. ,a sun? D i v.u count on the eousf quence snas youg letter night nave E. D 'ues .f sfn~l misds? They might De vs'y sravei Goe zsaa5 that they may not be.
 Yaa y thas Bfssanry is cfsnsive 10 5'v'i society. As.os ms to caiI your st- 5ention to the fo.lov,eg facts: Mas 5nio wsra promulgated by the Enpesor I 'exan4er tbs Great, asc all he empsrors of Gsrmsay have been Ma sons. Ine Peiace of Wai.s, heIr to th4 'hruns of Er rglsod,i ersud master of all 'he Mason in the BrIsIsn empire; but