The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-11
COLORADO CATHOLIC: JANUARY H. 1902

at Milwaukee Wis. In a recent issue
the Citizen says:
According to the Encyclopedia Brit
tanica there are 342 lodges of the Free
! Masons in France. Possibly the num-
/ Der has been increased since the ninth
edition of the Encyclopedia was issued:
! but, assuming the lodges average It.
members each "a fair average in this
country, We are safe at placing the
number of French Free Masons at
about $4,000. The little country of
Scotland has more Free Mason lodges
than France, and, of course. the United
States has more Masonic lodges than
the rest of TIE world combined Now,
while there are $40 Free Mason lodges
| in France. there are three times that
number of religious houses. The mem
bership of the French religious orders
| is estimated at from 10000 to 100 600.
These figures are interesting in en-
abling us to discuss the question
whether the Law of Associations on
the French statute books is the work
of the Free Masons: whether it is leg
isla ton imposed upon the millions of
the Catholic French by a fraction of
per cent Of the French population.
And if 10000 Free Masons in France,
bound, it is true by the compact of
oaths, can be so effective. why cannot
some $4,000 or 100000 French priests,
monks and brothers. bound by VOWS
no less positive. be similarly effective
in checkmating such legislation?'
That is question for the religious
orders themselves to answer. and the
answer may give some solution to the
present attitude of the ATTY of France
1t may also give some reasons for the
silence of the bishops and secular
clergy. who have so far not manifested.
any displeasure over the enforcement
of the Law of Associations, nor raised
a hand in warning. AS American Cath
olics we intuitively perceive a differ
ence in sentiment of the faithful here
with that of the people of France re-
garding the monastic orders; and when
that difference in sentiment is analysed
it will be seen that the internal govern
ment of the orders in France is apart
from that which characterizes the
strenuous and patriotic Paulists Of this
country The latter are not pension
ers of the state nor do they owe their
livings 10 endOwments and patents con-
ferred by royalty The French people,
or the large majority of them. are re-
publican to the core and they may
have their own suspicious regarding
the loyalty of those whom generosity
compels to remember the king. They
recall some of the causes which
brought about the French revolution,
We do not make this assertion in the
way of direct charge but merely give
it by way of explaining the GOODNESS of !
the French people towards the religious
orders and to knock out the credit Free
Masons receive for bringing it about
This feeling is too general to be as
cribed to Masonic investigation. 1t is
evidenced by the recent French mu-
nicipal elections, and it is further evil
denced by the action of numerous To-
cal political bodies to which the gov
eminent, under the terms of the Law |
Of Associations, refers the question !
certain religious orders in such |
localities shall or shall not be author |
lied. Says the London Tablet, a Cath |
Ole paper:
Not the least painful feature of the /
French situation is the part which To- |
cal option plays in the campaign |
against the religious orders. Not only |
has the national parliament declared |
against them, in spite of their magni- |
fcent record of French patriotism, but !
the municipalities and local boards vie
with each other in soliciting the exile
and confiscation of congregations
which should have been treasured as
local benefactors and we'll wishers. One
Of the provisions of the Associations
Law is, in fact, a clause requiring the |
of local municipalities
upon the retention or appropriation of
the local converts; and it is dismaying |
to note how the local expression of |
opinion pronounces in favor of perse-
cution and confiscation with a sort of
regularity. The municipal
ty of Lille. in the extreme north,
speaks with the same voice of hostility
and hate as the department council of
the Bouches-du-R hone in the extreme
south"
The true basis upon which to dis
,uss this whole matter is to assume
hat the French people are not the tools
Of an Insignificant little secret society, /
out they are acting deliberately. Like
the Catholic Citizen, we are to consid-
ar and inquire into the real motives ac-
Iuating an Overwhelmingly Catholic
people in this unexpected opposition to
religious orders. It is the sign of
childish intellect to direct our atten-
ton to the Mosonic goblin as the in
stigator of the deed. We simply allow
ourselves to be deceived and gain no
useful lesson out of the episode. We
help neither ourselves nor the Church.
In studying the mortmain legislation
Of the middle ages we have no Mason
&c orders to saddle with the RESPONSE |
oility. If the real key of the situation
De sought, there is a truer hint in these
medieval laws of association, of the
causes back of the French law of to-
lay, than in any hob-goblin tales, told
by people who woll1 fain disguise the
facts.
Effect of Vigorous Protest.