The Arcana of Freemasonry (1915) - The Masonic Trowel

74 THE ARCANA OF FREEMASONRY
great nation and then fallen and been destroyed,
except for these two causes. This is now being
enacted again in this Empire, the greatest the
world has ever seen. Are there any persons—any
Brothers in our great fraternity — so foolish as to
think that we can escape that doom and destruc-
tion which are awaiting us by continuing on such
a course? The result and effect on Freemasonry
cannot be expressed and demonstrated adequately
in this work. Every Freemason who has had any
experience knows the bitterness and vindictiveness
with which the Roman Catholic Church
treats the Brotherhood— and how much greater,
if possible, will be the effect of the intro-
duction of Socialism, which is fast pervading and
threatening to eat the life out of our country.
This is one phase of imminent and actual danger
that is threatening our Brotherhood in a very
acute form ; it is actual, it is real, however much
we may wish to close our eyes, or however much
indifference we may assume.
Only a few years ago we, in this country, went
through great and acute tension— that danger which
threatened war between us and the United States
of America. That has passed, and will never
return in an acute form again. Why? Because
the Brotherhood sent their great representative, the
Grand Master of Illinois, to this country, and I
had the great pleasure to meet him at the Q. C.