REA
die
La distinction, facil» à saisir, donne au mandement son caractère odieux et en fait un document tout à l'avantage de la franc-maçonnerie.
20. Et ce qui confirme admirablement notre thèse ce sont ler éloges bien mérilés que distribue à Sa Grandeur l'un des organes de la press” maçonnique et protestante : ‘ UE S
Nous lisons en effet dans le Vapanee Standard, journal publié dans l'Ontu--
rio, numéro du 16 juin 1883 :
“The Roman catholic Archbishop of Quebec has recently shown a considerable disposition to discountenance the anti-mansonic spirit which prevails so extensively among the Roman catholic French population of that Province. À very strong prejudice, for which clerical influence is no doubt responsible to some extent, prevails especially among the lower classes of the French catholics in that l’rovince against Freemasonry so that to “hint that a man is a freemason is to practically shut him out from all soial and politi ‘al privileges where these classes are in the ascendant, Many recent, exxmples have: been given of the power of this prejudice and of the extent to Which it is allowed to influence the social relations of life. Itis but fair to say that the more enlightened catholics of the province do not share in the prejudice to so great an extent and that lately even the clergy have been more tolerant than formerly of opinions favorable to masonry. Recently the finger-of suspicion having been pointed against even some of the clergy as being allied with the masonic body, His Grace of Quebec has deemed it proper to rebuke the spirit which is at the bottom of this prejudice su to express his confidence in certain #f the clergy who had been aceused 6 masonic associations. The broad christian spirit by which His Grace is acthated in the discharge of his high oflice, teaches him, no doubt, that to a very\large'extent, the prejudice againsr masonry and some other secret societies wi not bear rational serutiny and he naturaly desires that it should be banished\as unworthy of the age in whi‘h we live. ”
