BRAZIL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 12, 16 July 1886, Page 16

BRAZIL.

For a long series of years, the apathy and simplicity of Catholics in this Empire enabled the Freemasons to exercise a paramount influence in the Government. And this influence enabled them to work a vast amount of mischief to education and religion. Emboldened by success and impunity, they at last thought themselves sufficiently strong to overthrow religion altogether. But they have woefully miscalculated . Ab soon as the Catholics fully understood their object, they promptly condemned them, and let them know how utterly powerless they are after all. The moment it became a question of religion or no religion, the Catholics rose in their strength and routed them. The result of the last election shows this, and they who had so long constituted a majority in the Legislature, now find themselves reduced to very small dimensions indeed. Out of 101 members returned, the Freemasons arenowonly 15. This is a lesson for the Catholics of Italy and France, who, though the overwhelming majority of these nations, have for years allowed themselves to be made fools of by the secret societies. It is to be hoped that the time for awaking is at hand. When it does come, the retribution will astonish the sectaries.