THE WORK OF THE MASONS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 18, 19 February 1892, Page 20

THE WORK OF THE MASONS.

Thk Annales Catholiques says: A. correspondent writing from Marseilles to V Univert declares that it is by the Freemasons that this blow has been struck at Mgr. Gouthe-Soulard, and the Government has yielded to the orders.

Since he spoke at Tonlon to the workingmen when be said justly : We are not under a Republican G^ernment ; we are ruled by the Freemasons," his persecution ha 9 been resolved oa.

The Masons awaited only the opportunity. Tha attacks on him in the Radical journal of Aix, s^ow plainly the intention, but a few of the politicans of the see hesitated .

No doubt, said on 3 of them, be deserves to be prosecuted, but ha is such an excellent man.

It may be said tint the well-meritel popularity of tbe prelate, his goodness, his charity, bis disinterest* I ness, have caused him to be called the "Archbishop of the workingmao," and this fact alone has thus far arrested the explosion of th? hatred of the Masins.

One of tbe most eminent prelates among the clergy of Paris declared to one of hia brethren that be considered the prosecution of Mgr Gouthe-Soulard tbe most fortunate event that ould happen to awaken the faith of France. He believed, too, that the Government will not stop at that case, for "it needs to create a new danger coming from the clericals now that it is fre^d from the Boulangists.''

M Jules Simoa said to one of our frie vis of Le Cfauloit that it was a great wrong to prosecute tba Archbishop of Aix. It was doubly wrong because it wa§ useless.

"In my opinion," he said, " Mgr Fallierej should have ignored the letter of Mgr Gouthe-Soulard. It was an ast that was neither practical nor politic. Personally, I would not have prosecuted him, because I do not see sufficient cause, and because the Archbishop's reply was both strong and pointed.

" Strictly he may have deserved blame, but between that and bringing him before a criminal court there is a vast gulf, which the minister should not have overleaped.

" Besides, it is always dangerous to enter into conflict with the Church. Its enemies never do it much harm, bat they may do themselves a great deal.