New-York tribune., 1907-12-25
INITIATED KING EDWARD.

Free Nasons lose an enthusiastic member of their
craft through the death of King Oscar, VINO hao
belonged to.the brotherhood from the time OF MS
attaining manhood and who was the grand master
of the order in his dominions. 1t was he by-the-
bye who initiated King Edward. then Prince OF
Wales as Free Mason in le5S, the ceremony rah-
ing place at Stockholm. All King Oscars sons
are Nasons though none of them has been TO
such an extent identified with the order or mas
taken SO active part in fits affairs as himself
may say here that the objection Of the PaI'acF
20 the election of the oxford graduate and natu-
raIized Italian citizen Ernest Nathan, to the office
Mayor of Rome is not because he is a processing
Jew. but because he has been grand master of the
Free Masons of Italy. In Italy. as in France, ,he
craft has devoted more attention TO poliucs than
charity, and has been a revolutionary rather
than q benevolent association Moreover, 1t has
taken the lead in the warfare upon the Roman
Catholic Church in Italy, well as in France.
an is largely responsible for the conflict between
Church and State in the latter country and for the
abolition of the temporal sovereignty of the Papacy
in Italy. Finally both the Italian and the French
lodges have identified themselves to a great extent
with atheism. by abjuring the Great Architect
10 whom all orthodox Free Masons appeal 1t Is
for this reason that British German. Scandinavian
and. L believe, American lodges not permitted
10 hold any Masonic intercourse with those Of
France Italy
Not that Ernest Nathan is an atheist for, as
have mentioned above, he is processing Jew. The
members of his faith have always been favored at
the Vatican During the reign OF Gregory XVI
the RothschiIds were held in the highest honor at
the Vatican, their financial advice and assistance
proving of the utmost importance 10 the Papacy.
The Jew Samuel Alatri played an even still more
providental role during the reign Of Plus TX, who,
during a communal election gave all the weight OF
his influence in favor of Alatri's candidature on
she ground that in spite of his being Jew he was
The most Christian OF all the candidates" The
present Pores intimate friendship with the Depu-
~ Ronaanin Jacur. g universally respected Jewish
citizen of Venice. is well known while it may be
recalled that XIII, in acknowledging the tele-
sraphic message received from the anti-Semitc
Mayor of Vienna DR.. I-ueger. when presiding at
Catholic congress in the Austrian capital, stated
that he had received with profound satisfaction the
Eood wishes of the and of its president for
-he re-esfabIishment of .he temporal power or the
Ioanacv but that he deplored and strongly disap-
proved DR.. I.ueger's agitation against the Jews.
which he regarded calculated TO bring about
what he was pleased to describe as "a ratr1c1oai
war"
The first member of the Hebrew race VINO ever
obtained European title of nobility received II AT
1he hands of a Pope namely, Leo XII VINO III
115s raised to the patriciate Jew or the name OF
ferleon The latter at the time OF his death lliieo
,ba office of Prefect of Rome, while sun d pro-
fessinp Jew dignity which may be regarded as
she r,,eds.vaI counterpart of that now filled by MS
co-elieforIst Ernest Nathan One or ferleoih
eons who had become converted TO the fionldI
catholic Church assembled the Papai throne uoWaio
=ba middle of the twelfth century under the ule
of anacIetus IL while a daughter of old Perieoii'
also q convert married King Roger of SICILY 10
whom almost every of the now relghins houSe7
of Europe trace their ancestry.