(benches). The names of the few brethren who, being invited, neither attended nor sent apologies for non-attendance; will be sent to their respective lodges, according to the promise made by the Council. The Masonic secret has been

respected, and no indiscretion has been committed."

The evidence accumulated in the Report of the Commission goes to show that the same pressure is brought to bear upon ministers and higher officials to secure for the brethren of the lodges posts in the civil service, in the army, in the University; that the officials who owe their positions to Masonic influence can count upon the same influence to protect them against the censure or the punishment which they may incur in the discharge of their duties, that an "Intelligence Department" is maintained by this Grand Orient, lists of trustworthy candidates for the various ranks of the public service are carefully prepared, and the local lodges are invited to keep the Council of the Order supplied with the information which will enable it to carry on its work without mistakes.

The work of the "Propaganda Committee " of the "Foreign Relations Committee" of the Order cannot be described, as all details of their operations are veiled in the most profound secrecy, no information in this connection is given in the printed documents of the sect, and the brethren are assured in their meetings that no such information could safely be given. With this assurance they seem to be satisfied. But the public and the Parliamentary Commission have not the same reasons for confidence.

The findings of the Parliamentary Commission are the following:

From the statement presented by the 'rapporteur,' and on the preliminary report in which are tabulated and set forth the extracts from secret documents which it has been possible to bring together and to consult, the Commission hold it proved :

"1. AS TO THE FACTS.

"That the Masonic associations and their allied bodies are secret societies which conceal with the greatest care the objects at which they aim and the means of action employed;

That the immediate end which they pursue is the control of the public authority; that they are endeavouring thus to

establish their domination in order to impose on all citizens, in social life, their philosophical and political doctrines; that their purpose-as revealed in 1890 by an orator' who was officially charged to formulate their aspirations-is to bring it about that no person shall stir in France without their license';

“That the said associations, contrary to all law, and by the most reprehensible means, exercise an undesirable influence in the State, and that this influence is manifest in acts which affect the liberties and rights of the citizens by invading the sphere of the constituted authorities, and by a constantly growing interference with the public services;

"That they induce their adepts to enter into engagements 'on their honour and conscience' which restrict in perpetuity their liberty of conscience in family and social life, and their individual and political liberty also;

"That they endeavour, by means which no right of propaganda can justify, nor any political or other association can lawfully adopt, to exercise pressure on the Government, and to secure from it favours and services which go to secure their own supremacy;

“That without the knowledge of the electors they claim to impose upon those of their adepts who are representatives of the nation, obligations and instructions which constitute a genuine attack upon the national independence, and on the principle of the independence of the elected of the people;

"That, contrary to the principle of the equal eligibility of all citizens, they endeavour to reserve for their own creatures the employments and functions of the State;

"That they gather into their lodges, and into the societies, affiliated more or less secretly to their lodges, a large number of the officers of every branch of the Administration, that they procure for these officers the favour of the heads of departments, rapid promotions—a scandal in themselves, prejudicial to their fellow officers and to the public well-being; that they obtain in return, in violation of the principles and rules of public right, in virtue of undertakings given at the moment of initiation, and by threats of Masonic penalties and punishments,

information, favours, and services of all kinds, notably electioneering services;

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That by themselves, and by means of the societies of which they have secretly assumed the control, they have insinuated themselves into the department of national education, and employ the teachers whom they have made adepts or ready agents to propagate their philosophic doctrines;

That they exercise, or endeavour to exercise, through their connection with foreign Freemasonry and by their ramifications in the colonies, an intolerable influence on the foreign policy of France;

"That they recommend their members to make gifts to them by means of trustees, and that they create for themselves mortmain property held, in appearance, by civil societies;

"That they continue to escape the payment of five per cent. income tax on their income and the registration tax, to which they are also liable;

"That, in spite of the formal requirements of the Press Law of July 29th, 1881, they do not deposit with the administration or the judiciary copies of their printed documents and their periodical publications, notably the pamphlets containing reports of their proceedings.

"2. IN MATTER OF Law:

"That these associations doing or proposing to do acts contrary to the law,' 'acting to the prejudice of rights guaranteed by law,' 'causing acts which violate these rights,' form, according to the terms of Art. 3 of the Act of July 1st, 1901, associations that are 'null and void as having an illegal purpose and an illegal cause ;'

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That pursuing the object of securing 'the control of souls and the direction of consciences' (in family and social life, if not in foro interno), of forming the young generations, of distributing public posts, of placing officials in the various State departments, of combining a special faith (the Masonic) with individual interest, of placing wherever there is influence and power an individual who holds by a common belief,' the Masonic associations are contrary to public order, and, as such,

are null by common law (Articles 1131 and 1133 of the Civil Code, Article 3 of the Act of July 1st, 1901);

"That they violate the provisions of the fiscal law in reference to associations of the Act of July 29th, 1881, and the laws regulating the Press."

This is a definite judgment on the character and aims of French Masonry. It will be interesting to note what action will be taken by the ministry to whom the Commission has submitted its findings.

R. MASTERSON.

an déirc.

Éan-uair aṁáin agus mé ag lorg pinginne dó, do tosnuig an dáisteać; d'oscail an dall ceanglaċán do bí le n-a ais, agus ĉonnac gur brat beag d'éadAČ tarra bí ann; cuir sé uime é. Bí an oiread soin cótaí orm féin gur deacair dam éan-þrás d'faĠáil agus dubairt liom féin go mb’fearr dam leigean dom' déirc an turus so agus maċtnaṁ ar an gceist.

(6 A hoċt nó a naoi d'uairib gaċ éan-lá ag feiteaṁ le déirc annso, sin é an rud atá i ndán dó,” arsa mire liom féin. Do gluaiseas anonn go dtí an balla ar Bruaċ na habann, do leagas mo dá uillinn air agus d'fiafruiġeas díom féin cad n-a taob nár tugas an déirc dó. Ar aitin sé mo coiscéimeanna agus mé ag gabáilt tairis, agus má dein ar tug soin an Pinginn do-ġeibead ċum a cuiṁne? Caidé an mait dó coiscéimeanna daoine áirite d'aitint, dá n-aitneoġad is aṁlaid béad sé ag braiċ ar rud éigint d'faġáil agus do meallfaide é? . . B'furaist a tuigsint cionnus d'féadfad sé maireaċtain dá mbéad madrad aige, agus ¿romas annsoin ar ṁaċtnaṁ ar an gcomrádaideaċt neaṁ-ġnátać úd, an caoċ agus an balb le cois a céile, do ċeapas gur mór an lutgáir do lasfad mar adéartá tré dorċadas na daille gaċ uair do léimfead an maidrín suas timċeall ar an ndall boċt; nár mór an t-átas dó corp teasaide an ṁaidrín do beit le n-a ais i gcoṁnaide, nó béal an ṁaidrín dá sátad go hobann ann. Béad an madrad n-a ċeangal idir an dall boċt agus an saoġal. Cad 'n-a taob ná fuil madrad ag an bfirín dall so na gnúise báine mar Plannda ná feaca riaṁ an Ġrian, agus gan de ċeangal aige leis an saoġal aċt srangán fuar na déirce ?

Bain sé a braitín de arís mar bí deiread leis an