Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-12

i.f.---------------
Freemasonry, according TO the Duke
of Connught, who. on the accession OF
his brother, King Edward. to the
throne, succeeded him as grand master
of the craft in England, is playing a
very important part in bringing about
a friendly and even brotherly feeling
between the Bocr and the Briton In
South Africa. The duke. who I'm his
capacity of inspector general Of the
army, has recently been making an ex-
tended tour of that particular portion
of the Dark Continent, declares that
whereas formerly the Dutch and the
English Masons held alOof from one an
other they now work amicably i'm uni
son together and that numbers of Beers
are i'm English lodges and British colo
nists i'm Dutch lodges He describes
how in many towns which he visited
the Dutch. the Irish and the Scotch
lodges united with their English broth
ers to present to him a joint address
| of welcome and fratcrnal greeting as
grand mastcr of England and at a
Masonic banquet given I'm his honor
by the lord mayor at the Mansion
House OH his return to England, the
duke walked enthusiastic concerning
the Importance of Frecmasonry as Il
political factor in rcconcilinS the Afri-
can Dutch elements to their British
fellow citizens and to English rule.
These statements on the part of the
| Grand Master of England are worthy
of note, for they proclaim an altogeth-
er new departure in British Masonry.
Until now the latter has always prided
| itself upon remaining entirely aloof
from politics. Not that il diScourages
its members from taking part in po
ltical life as individuals. But politi-
cal action by the lodges has been dis
countanced. Political discussions and
strife We're barred from the meetings
as calculated to interfere with the cul-
| tivation of those sentiments Of broth
erhood. which is the principal aim of
the craft among Masons of the English
speaking world. From the time when
| the institution was first brought into
| existence in its present form. between
| two and three centuries ago, until now,
| Masonry has never at any time been a
| factor, either great or small. in the po-
| litical life of England. True, il may
| be argued that the South African
| lodges in endeavoring to reconcile the
rival political factions are, after all.
only pursuing the avowed aim of Ma
| sonry. which is q cosmopolitan broth
erhood, and the consequent peace of
mankind. But having once entered
upon the political field their trans
formation from ii benevolent associa-
| ton int" political machines is bound
to follow. This being the case il is
idle to expect that the change will be
| restricted to South Africa. Indeed. il
| rs certain in the natural course of
things to spread not alone to the moth
er country. but to all her other colonies
thus bringing British Masonry into
| line with the craft on the continent
of Europe.
Whereas. in Great Britain and in
North America. the activity of FREQ
| masonry has been purely phiIanthron-
| &c and SOcial-nOt to say cOnyivi,I i'm
| France. in Italy. and. indeed. in near
ly all the countries of the old world
| it is primarily and essentially political.
In France the Royalists and the
Clericals claim that the country is
being governed by the order and that
the policy of the administration is
Palace of the EIyScc, but from tho
headquarters of the Grand Orient i'm
the Rue Cadet. While this is per
maps an eXaggeration it cannot be
oehIed That the influence of Masonry
upon tn" public life of France is very
great. indeed. and that it contributed
IN no small degree to the separation of
church and state last year. From
inc very moment when the overthrow
OF Napoleon Ill. in 1870. emancipated
II from the control which he had been
careful to impose upon it throughout
his reign by forcing it to accept as
grand masters. successfully Prince
l'ucien Mlrat, Marshal Magnan and
General Mellinet il adopted politi-
cal platform of which one most i'm
rortant plank was the repeal of tho
t"ncor1dt and the separation of
church and state. Another aim which
it may bo said to have ACCOMPLISHED
has been the expulsion of the re-
ligiCu@ orders the enactment by mar
lament of gratuitous secular and com
pTlSorv education and tho inaugural
ton Of equality in military conscrip
ton. Moreover. during the admin
istratinn Of ". Colnbcs. whose, cabi-
net included NJ less than 10 F'reema
sons. the fact was brought to light
thai General Andre tho minister Of
wa. had awaited himself Of Masonic
assistance to investigate the private
political sympathies and religious
IDEAS Of the officers of every degree
in order to drive oI;t Of the army all
those whose devotion to the republic
was luk"Warm and who were SUSPECT
ed of being subject to Clerical in
fucnccs.
Whether Masonry will continue in
the futur" to play as important "A role
IN the politics Of France as during
IN" g years that have elapsed since I,
the foundation Of the Third Republic
in 1870. it is difficult to say. For q
new element is making itself felt in
th' CART. namely. that Of socialism I,
which is distinctly inimical to the |
forces that have hitherto controlled
the action of the lodges. Until re-
Gently the tendency of the craft was
essentially bourgeois. using the word /
in its social sense. That is to saw
" represented the property owning |
Glasses. IA Their than tho ,paccou ,,,I