THE BUILDER MARCH 1926

One-Sided Tolerance

By RALPH T. SCOTT, Washington, D.C.

THE manner in which some Protestants react to Roman Catholic
propaganda makes one feel that broad minds, like broad rivers, are
usually shallow. The Catholic propagandists set up a wail for
tolerance, and immediately our broad-minded citizens of other
faiths take up the refrain.

Toleration of the other fellow's beliefs and ideas is a fine thing-
-provided the other fellow is equally tolerant of our own. But why
should we be tolerant of an organization which, although insisting
upon tolerance towards itself, makes no pretence of being tolerant
towards others? "The Church Militant," an appellation applied by
the Roman Catholic Church to itself, is not indicative of a spirit
of tolerance. It is in truth a "Church Militant", fighting with all
its power and resources for its own glorification. Its doctrines
and teachings absolutely prohibit its being tolerant.

A recent editorial in America, one of the leading Catholic
publications of the country, in a passing reference to the charge
that the Church is arrogant, admitted this to be true, but stated
in justification thereof that it is "Divinely Arrogant". That
probably accounts for its intolerance--it is Divinely Intolerant.
This one statement clearly indicates the attitude of the Catholic
mind, and so long as such an attitude persists it is not hard to
realize that there can be no toleration by the Catholic Church of
those things which are in opposition to it.

Many non-Catholics base their perverted ideas of tolerance on the
fact that they have Roman Catholic friends and acquaintances, also
business associates, whose feelings they do not care to hurt. They
will not take any stand against the Catholic Church as an
organization for fear of offending their Catholic friends as
individuals, quite overlooking the fact that a true Catholic has no
existence as an individual--he is merely a cog in a great machine;
a pawn in the hands of the Roman hierarchy. From birth to death he
is under the control, directly or indirectly, of his ecclesiastical
superiors, who say what school he shall attend, what books he shall
or shall not read, what subjects he shall or shall not discuss,
prohibit his thinking for himself along certain lines, tell him who
he can marry, and so on ad finem. They even say where he shall be
buried when he is dead. And it is to avoid giving offence to such
a puppet as this that certain so-called broadminded persons, like
an echo from Rome, plead for toleration of the Catholic Church. The
similitude might be further emphasized by remarking that an echo is
only a reflected noise.

It is only fair to say that most Catholic laymen are honestly
convinced that the teachings of their Church are incontrovertible,
and, to their credit, they have the courage of their convictions
and are willing to fight for them. It is this courage that is so
badly needed by so many our Protestant citizens. The Catholic
believes Catholicism to be right and everything else wrong beyond
a shadow of doubt; the Protestant thinks Protestantism might be
right, but he isn't exactly sure about it. He says he is convinced,
but, unlike the Catholic, he lacks the courage of his convictions.
Toleration based on respect for another's ideas and opinions is
commendable, but toleration based on morbid sentiment or fear of
consequences is both cowardly and disgusting.

We who are not Catholic should certainly have an equal right to be
as jealous of our faith as the Catholic is of his, and should take
greater pride in being called bigoted for maintaining this right
than some of us do in being termed broad-minded and tolerant
because we have not the courage to stand up for our own
convictions.

We can entertain a feeling of sympathy for the individual Catholic
as one who has been misguided and misinformed, as the Catholic
feels towards all who are not of his faith, but if we try to be too
tolerant of the Catholic Church as an organization it will not be
long before we will be pleading to that Church for tolerance, and
when that time comes we will not find that institution so full of
the same spirit of toleration they are now insisting upon from
others. Or it may be we will not find so many weak-minded
individuals among the membership of that organization.

AN OLD NEWSPAPER REFERENCE TO GEORGE WASHINGTON

Mizpah Lodge, of Cambridge, through the courtesy of Bro. William E.
Parker, has presented to the Grand Lodge a copy of the Dartmouth
Gazette of Hanover, New Hampshire, bearing date Monday, Dec. 30,
1799, containing the announcement of the death of George
Washington. In immediate connection with the news item is the
following paragraph:

In consequence of the heartrending news of the death of the
illustrious and beloved Brother Geo. Washington, Most Worshipful
Grand Master of the Lodges of Masons in the United states, a number
of the brethren of Franklin Lodge, No. 6, holden at Hanover,
convened and came to a resolution to pay a becoming tribute of
respect to his memory on Thursday the 9th day of Jan. next; when
will be pronounced an oration suitable to the occasion; and such
other ceremonies attended to, as the brethren may judge consistent
with the solemnity of the event. Brethren of neighbouring Lodges
will oblige by attending this occasion. Dec. 27.

N. B. The Brethren are desired to meet at Mason's Hall, at 12
o'clock on said day.

This old paper is one of the earliest known newspaper references to
Washington as a Mason. It is interesting to note that it records
the erroneous idea which appears to have prevailed among the
brethren of that time that Washington was a General Grand Master of
Masons in the United states. The error probably arose from the fact
that there was a widespread desire for a General Grand Lodge, and
a unanimous opinion that if such a Grand Lodge were formed
Washington was the one man in the country to be General Grand
Master. The attempt to form such a Grand Lodge, however, did not
succeed. Owing to the slowness and difficulty of communication in
those days the brethren were apparently aware of the desire but not
of the failure.

A similar reference to Washington as General Grand Master appears
in the account of the memorial observances held by Tyrian Lodge, of
Gloucester.

The Grand Lodge is deeply indebted to Mizpah Lodge for this very
valuable gift. The paper has been carefully framed for preservation
between two sheets of glass and is to be among the cherished
possessions of the Grand Lodge where it is safe from theft or
fire.--Abstract from Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts, 1921.

