CANTERBURY CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 10, 29 June 1883, Page 21

CANTERBURY CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

Christcharch, June, 22. At the meeting of the above Society on Monday evening, June 18, two candidates were balloted for and elected, and two more nominated. The election of four members to fill the vacancies in the Council then, took place, there being thirteen nominations. The successful candidates were Messrs.. Geegan, Nolan, O'Connor, arid Eoban. The programme for the evening consisted of an address by Mr. R. Loughnan, junr., on " Sec* et Societies" The lecturer first described the necessary qua'ities which constitute a secret society. Secrecy was the ground-work on which they rested, and no sooner were their secrets made known than their influence became weak, and their power gradually diminished. There was a fascination in secret societies which has exerted a great influence over the minds of men in all ages of the world. He then considered the objects of such societies, what they were working for, and have they added anything to the intelligence of the world. He grouped these secret bodies into five great divisions,— the religious, military, civil, political, and scientific. The religion of Zoroaster wai the parent of most of the religions of antiquity, and though these may differ in other respects, there was one fact common to all, which w.ts the use of rites, symbols, and oi deals of initiation. The practices of these religions brought profit and power, so that after a while the original was lO3b to the mass of the people, and was known only to the initiated. The Magi were the oldest religious sect of antiquity, and was the only one represented at the Incarnation. It was they who devised the system of ordeal, in order that they might be able to procure firm and trustworthy members. From this sprang the Brahmio, Egyptian, Druidical and other lesspr religious societies. . In summing up, it might be said that those religious societies laughed at the people for their credulity, and robbed them at the fame time. Nothing better could be expected from them, for if their intentions were good, where was the need of secrecy? The Templars wore the greatest of military secret societies, and were founded by two knights who were so poor that tbey had only eye horse for both. Butthat was an age of faith, of cbiv-dry, and daring: deeds. They eventually increased to thirty thousand. It was difficult to g^t at the truth concerning them!' They were clever, and, it is said, aspiie<l to universal power, whilst a great many ciimes were attributed to them. The speaker then referred to several secret societies, especially those in America, which came into existence after the conclusion of the civil war. The Inquisition was the most abused institution that ever existed. A gang of robbers in Spain gave out that they were allied to it, and by that means managed to carry on thpir depredations with impunity. Politicians got hold of it, .and worked it for their own private ends : so that after a while it was taken out of the hands of those who first introduced it, and, finally, many, persecutions were enacted by the evilminded under a pretended zeal for religion. The Freemasons are a half-civil half-religious, society. The Freemasons claim great antiquity for their order, especially as their rites have a special reference to the building of Solomon's Temple. It •was difficult to say when the order of operative mason? ended or the present one began, but that now existing was reconstructed about the beginning of the last century. Masonic guilds were formed among the Greeks in the time of the republics, some of which are iv existence in Constantinople at the present tim >, bt-ing composed promiscuously of Christiaus and Motammedaus. The first heard of them in England was as builders of cathedrals in ibe tenth century ; and in Scotland in the time of James 111., as builders of the Abbey of Kilwinning. In France and Hussia they became subservient respectively to Napoleon and Catherine. The lecturer then gave a very interesting 1 account of the rise of Fenianism and Nihilism, and various other political secret societies of the present century ; and also their objects, methods of accomplishing those objects, and their fruits. Dr. Bakewel) proposed a vote oi thanks, to Mr. Loughnan for his able and interesting address, which was seconded by Mr. Nolan, after which the meeting closed in due form.