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18 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA in 1867, published in New York by Maynard, Merrill & Co.: “Hail! Masonry Divine, Glory of Ages shine; Long may’st thou reign! Where’er thy Lodges stand, May they have great command And always grace the land; Thou art Divine.’’ I would refer you to page 268 of Dr. Mackey s “Symbolism of Freemasonry” for his view of “Masonic Worship,’’ in which the “labor” of the Lodge consists. While Dr. Mackey is perhaps the most eminent au thority on the American or York Rite of Masonry, Dr. Albert Pike is admittedly the most eminent in respect to the Scottish Rite, and from his book, “Morals and Dogma,’’ prepared for the Supreme Coun cil of the Thirty-third Degree for the Southern Juris diction of the United States, and published by its au thority by the Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Company, 34 Park Row, N. Y., Charleston, A. M., 5641, I quote you the following (page 161): “Masonry teaches, and has preserved in their purity, the cardinal tenets of the old primitive faith which underlie and are the foundation of all religions. All that have ever existed, have had a basis of truth; and all have overlaid that truth with errors. The primi tive truths taught by the Redeemer were sooner cor rupted, and intermingled and alloyed with fictions than when taught to the first of our race. Masonry is the universal morality which is suited to the inhabi tants of every clime, to the man of every creed.” From all of which, it must be very clear that the Catholic Church, bespeaking for herself divine origin and infallible and divine guidance in every truth per taining to faith and morals, could not consistently admit of her children belonging to your society. There are other objections that the Church urges, which, however, are not such as go to the essential nature of Masonry and need not be entered into here. It may be interesting also for you to know that so long as Freemasonry was an operative society, that is, so long as it was made up of persons who followed the occupation of masons, the Church protected it, blessed it, and its members were mainly engaged in building her cathedrals, monasteries and the struc tures that sprang up around them. It was only when Masonry became speculative, that is, it began to teach philosophy, religion and all that pertains to “in effable truth,” as it so repeatedly reminds the candi date on his entrance to the various degrees it was only then that the Church placed Masonry under the ban. The Forbidden Orders. In other words, the Church did not forbid Masonry to her children as a fraternal society, but as a re ligion, and there are any number of fraternal socie ties which do not mix religion with their ritual to which her children belong today. In fact, only five of the three hundred or so distinct fraternal societies in this country are forbidden to Catholics. They are the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Good Templars, Sons of Temperance. The Masons were put under ban in 1738, which was only a few years after the first Lodge of Masonry (speculative) was es tablished. The Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Good Templars were put under the ban in 1 894, for about that time they, too, changed their constitution so as to provide a religious service in their ceremonies, while the Sons of Temperance, banned in 1 899, has been a religious society since its very beginning. I hope this information in regard to the attitude of the Church will persuade you that she is neither unreasonable nor intolerant in forbidding her children to be members of your society. She goes no far ther than that, although some of her members may at times leave the impression that she does, but the following adopted by the Knights of Columbus in its convention of August, 1916, will show you the atti tude of the Catholic body: “In regard to societies forbidden to Catholics: Some seem to think that the Church does not regard the members of these organizations as good persons and that Catholics are taught to shun them. This is a very great error and it excites resentment. There is no reason for such an error; for while an indorse ment of these societies as such is clearly incompatible with our faith, the same as would be any indorse ment of a religion not our own, nevertheless, Cath olics may associate with their members, trade among them, vote for them, work for them, assist them and be asssited by them, as freely and as fully as any other persons.” “Catholics as a body thoroughly understand this matter, as their relations to their fellow citizens all over the country clearly show, and any action of a few implying the contrary is usually traceable to some selfish design and is not in accord with the true Catholic spirit or teaching.” And now if there is anything more in connection that you would like to know, I am, Very Truly Yours to Command. SISTER MARY’S FUNERAL. The funeral of Sister Mary Cyril, who died early Saturday morning at St. Mary’s Home was held yes terday morning from the chapel at 3 o’clock. The remains of this much beloved Sister of Mercy lay in the chapel and all during the day hen many friends were present to pay a tribute to her memory. In the death of Sister Cyril the community of the Sisters of Mercy has lost one who was ever devoted to duty, and St. Mary’s Home has lost a member of that particular community whose place it will be hard to fill. For thirty years Sister Cyril has been with this institution. She had watched with pride its growth and improvement. As a young girl she was there as a postulant and novice and was professed in the chapel of St. Vincent, returning to St. Mary’s Home to take up her duties in caring for and loving the girls who came to be cared for.—From the Savannah Press. During May Mr. Joseph Haverty, second son of Vice-President J. J. Haverty, was married to Miss Idelle McKennon, of Dumas, Ark.