Mozart As A Freemason.

Scbwerter , " after tbe initiation of two Brethren distinguished for musical ability . Translated from the German , by Brother Charles H . Titus , Jr . Perhaps you remember that I some time ago communicated to you a history of our

ROYAL ART , how it spread from England through Hamburg to Berlin , to us and all the northern part of Germany . It would be natural for me now—in spite of such scanty information—to Avish to sketch for you also the spread of Masonry in other

German states , particularly in Austria , under tbe noble , liberal Emperor , Joseph IL , ( whose father , Francis I ., had joined the Society in Italy ) . The material for this , however , is very meagre ; but in this connection another item is foundAvhich

, will certainly address itself to every Brother Mason , and especially to all musicians , ancl those AVIIO are to-day initiated .

What Brother would not at once by that most noble song of the Masons— " In these sacred halls , " " In diesen beil ' gen Hallen , " be reminded of Brother Mozart 1 And what Brother Avould not rejoice to hear that he belonged to our Orderand of the

, influence it exerted upon him ? On this point we find admirable intima-. tious iu the excellent biography of Mozart , by Otto Jahn , who , hoAvever , speaks as one of the profane .

He says : " It is well known that in the last part of the previous century the inclination , through secret unions and fraternal orders , which Avere for the most part in some Avay connected with Freemasonry , to promote intellectual , moral and political advancementwas wide spread in Germany

, , and Avon a mi ghty influence , which was , perhaps , most plainly manifested in the traces which it had impressed upon the literature of that time . A revieAv of the most important events belonging to this period is given in Schlosser ' s History of the

Eighteenth Century , Vol . J 11 ., page 278 , and Gervinus' History of the German National Literature , Vol . V ., page 274 . Ho * vever much or little has been attained in this way toAvards tbe true elevation of mankind bwhatever of

, y excesses toll y or crime , even riotousness and deceit , the alluring forms of a secret society have been abused , we must point out the fact -hat princes—among them Frederick the

Great—that tbe noblest and greatest minds of our nation , Lessing , Herder , Wieland , Goethe , have sought in tbe Order of Freemasonry an effective means of attaining their hig hest aims . It is sufficient here to mention Avhat Goethe said in his eulogy on

Wieland : "If this long-established and ( after many vicissitudes ) oft-re-established Union were in need of a testimony , then could this most welcome fact be brought forward , that a man , rich in talent , Avise , prudentcircumspectexperienced ,

right-, , minded and temperate , believed that he found among us bis equals ; felt , Avbile among us , that he Avas in a society Avhich he , accustomed to the best , gladly acknowledged as the consummation of his natural and social wishes . " Moreover , Wieland

himself declares , " that , by the spiritual temple of Freemasonry , no other or more worthy object could be signified than the earnest , active and constant striving of every pure and honest Mason , by un-Avearied preparationto bringfirst of all

, , , himself , ancl then , so far as possible , those united with him , even nearer to this idea . of humanity -. that man is destined to be a living stone in the eternal temple of

God , and that he has already in his rough nature all the necessary qualifications . " To the golden Avords , which our noble Brother Wieland has so significantly spoken for the encouragement of all younger , newly initiated Brethren , I quote

in addition , from Tanti Sainct Nicaise , the words of the distinguished Brother . Kessler Von Sprengseisen : " To clo good , to relieve the distress of mankind , to spread enlightenment among bis felloAvsto soften human animosities

, , to be continually zealous ; in all this not to grow weary , —this—this is the true duty of the Mason , the secret of the Order . Mysteries of secondary importance are the ceremonies by Avhich one of the profane becomes a Freemason . HOAV much the

Order contributes to the nov / prevailing toleration , especially among the religious parties , is so evident that I need not enlarge thereon " Very conceiveable it is , that in Vienna , alsoas there the striving for

enlighten-, ment ancl improvement Avas actively aroused under the Emperor Joseph , the form of the secret society was found of use , as being particularly effective and serviceable for that purpose . In the year 1781 ,