The Irish standard., 1905-05-20

present conditions and of the COM
plete liberty to establish denomina-
tional schools, though of course
added that those who sent their chill.
dren to these schools besides paying
the tuition necessary were forced also
to pay their share of the taxes for the
support of the common schools. He
realized how precious privilege iu
was to be able to have our own
schools. 1t was not a little difficult,
however. to make him understand
that the American spirit of fair play,
of which he had heard and thought so
much, would impose this double tax
for school purposes, for such it prac-
tically amounts to, on those who
chose to have their children educated
under religious auspices. He seemed
very glad to learn that thought it
possible that development of more
just feeling was coming in this mat
ter and that as denominational hos
pitals now receive state aid, so de-
nominational schools would be event
ually helped by state money.
He referred again and again to the
thought that, though the United
States and France were sister repub-
lies in which freedom was supposed to
flourish with corresponding luxuri-
ance, there was no longer any ques.
tion of liberty of teaching in France.
Religious teaching abolished, it
seemed to him only a short time until
practically all moral education would
be at an end. He repeated several
times that the great buildings of
France had emblazoned on them the
words Liberte, Fraternite, Egalite-
Liberty, Fraternity, Equality-whilst
yet there was no real liberty in the
French republic; that, indeed, the re-
publican government of France was
in certain ways as bitter tyranny as
any under which his loved country
had ever been ground down, and that
as for fraternity and equality, they
were words, words, and nothing more.
For M. Verne the Freemasonic associa-
tions represent the source of most of
the present troubles of France. He was
convinced that the lodges are destined
to work great harm to his country,
unless their influence for evil is rec
ognized and their further progress,
which is practically religious crus-
ade, be prevented. He considered that
they are utterly irreligious in spirit
and that indeed the Freemasons are
endeavoring by substituting certain
quasi-religious observaces and rites to
draw men entirely away from any
other form of divine worship of the
Deity. Their leaders are endeavoring
to usurp the influence held by the
authorities of the church, and to use
the success they may acquire to up
root all dogmatic religious teachings.
To an American accustomed to con-
slider the Freemasons as little more
than a benevolent organization,
this might seem somewhat radical
view. Indeed, one is tempted to think
that there must be some mistake with
regard to the position that the Free
masons hold in the matter.
But very little experience on the
Continent serves to disabuse one of
the notion that the Freemasons are
nothing more than benevolent or
ganization. This is especially true of
the Latin countries. Certain political
revelations of the last few months
make this clear even to demonstra-
tion. The spying system by which
not only all prominent politicians, but
their wives and families, and even
their female relatives to distant de-
grees, wer under surveillance as re-
CARDS their attitude toward religion,
represents secret service worse
than that under any government how
ever tyrannical, and shows the depth
to which Masonry can go, while at the
same time entirely justifying M.
Verne's assertions as to the orders
responsibility for the present politico-
religious situation.
1t was for the freethinkers, how
ever, that M. Verne reserved his stern
est indignation. He said that while
pretending to be Freethinkers
themselves, they seemed not to real
ize that this should also include the
privilege of free thought for others.
A person is perfectly free according
to them to condemn all religious prac-
tices, but he is not free to commend
such practices or to take part in them.
If he does either of these things, he is
to be looked upon as one unworthy of
the privilege of free thought and
therefore to be distrusted and dis.
countenanced in every way. There
must be no freedom of teaching as
regards religion, because that is not
the form of free thought of the free
thinkers. The title "free" to which
they lay claim is a mere satire on
true liberty and is meant to express
only that they are free to enjoy their
way of thinking, but refuse to listen
to, much less try to understand, those
who differ from them in any way.
We had been pleasantly discussing