Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-04-16

sh0 Soufofut Ttu NurUftuhCto 70 fit
government, in which you lise.' Such are the
principles laugh, in nasoniek lodges. & | dc
" the world 10 prove, N a single instsncc,
that the reverse are taught.
1t IS said, however that masons are bound 10
punish even with death, thoss who violate
their secFess--that they sre bound TO sustain
each Other IN law suits, and 20 support bro.
Their ~ preference 10 any other, fer office.
Before implicit credit IS given TO TINS SANDER.
Gus tale, II may perhaps be well to pursue and
inquire from whence II originates.
Ihe depravi,y or folly Of y few misguided
men, has lately brought the mssonick ira,ernI.
ty Into scandal ana disgrace. A number OF
brethren, who connected themselves with the
institution when il was in the tutl tide OF sue
oessiui experiment. and could discover moth.
ing IN It wrong SO long as it wss popular, with,
out Rejecting that, like the purga,ion Of pre-
ctous metal, Il has risen from ssoh successive
ordeal auh renewed CLAIMS 10 admiration from
hs augmented brillnncy and worth, have re
Gently withdrawn; and not being content with
having done 50, have of late become IT'S mos,
brtes prosecutors. Charity to all mankind Is .
part OF he masonick creed; il does not there.
tore become US, and especially on this occs-
sion, 10 censure or condemn. The world will
do them jnssice--iheir motives will shortly be
deveioped--and the sealof APPRECIATION, or OF
intamy, will ere long be stamped upon each OF
Their forehead. II their motives be pure, they
viii Be regarded as patriots---f events shall
hereafter bring their motives into jeopardy,
and IT shall lily appear tbs, mercenary OBJ.
Jccts induced them in the first place to solicit
admission. which object not having been at
tanned, have led them at last to prove seereant
to a csuse which they bad espoused for years,
and whose principles have uniformly been the
sane, then thsy will be regarded by an i'm
partial werld as traitors 10 their trust
The dec pies OF our blessed Lord sdherd TO
his cause, so long as the miracles which he
wrough, gathered an admiring multitude d.
round him; but, no sooner did that multitude
cease to lis with rapture TO the honied &C.
cents which flowed frer, his lips, and armed
men pursued him into the Mount Of Olives. to
ares, snd bring him before the chef prie SITS
and elders, then these very disciples forsook
him and Aed.' Peter, being latse bsder, or
having perhaps little more CURIOSITY thse the
rest, followed him stsr eff. As soon, however
as he found his Lord snd Msster in disgrace,
he promptly denied all knowledge of his Sa-
v,eur. And on being charged second time
with having been with Jesus of Nazareth, he
deoied It with an osthi and on being charged =
third time he began TO curse and swear, say
bow natural it ia, even for the best OF men, TO
desert their friends in tie hour OF peril:
The man whom royal eyes cisown,
When was his form 10 courtters known.
Whether the charges alluded 10 have oriei.
mated with recreaDt mssons OF not, is Of little
or 40 Importance. Every mason, and every
man who vii! take the trouble TO inquire with
a view TO ascertain the truth niust be conyinc.
GU -. -. A. r.
lodge sitting in judgment on guilty offenders,
and imposing any other penalty than thai Of
espnisioD!-if any, when wherei The must
inveteraie adversaries at Our order do not l
believe, prete nd IL. But it 10 said that masons
are bound TO susisin each o,her in law suits -
The experience Of the whole world trium.
phantiy refutes the charge, and amid all the
ISLANDERS which have been uttered, not a single
case has been adduced 9hicb affords the alight.
est presumption OF is truth. And lss'ly, u IL
said that mason 10 bound by oath TO vote for
brother in preference to stranger, where he
is Q candidate Ter office. The msscns, by as
socis,ing with each other in lodges, and by
thus acquiring knowledge of each others
character, have Ia particular cases, been Undue.
ed to give each other 3 preference. is not inn
probable. The same thing occurs, day after
day, among members Of the same church;
but thst masons are bound by oath to support
each other, is as false as the Alcorsn The
only evidence, believe, in support Of this
charge, IS pretended obligation rsceptb pub
lisiied on the authority Of some recrean: breth.
rem in nsigbbouring village, ana which has
lately, for The FIRST time, met my ear. The au.
tbors of this publication have seen proper ii EN-
selves to insert ii in note. The experience
of sges concur in pronouncing j, ealnuny,
for mssons have always been found in opposing
ranks IN the field al politieks, snd of var, and
the brother who should inquire whether the
candidate whose cause he espoused WAS ma
son or not, would be violating as web his duty
to the mssonIck institution, as to tho country
which cherished him within her bosom, II is
unquestioDably true, that individual masons
have at times permitted considerations hike
these, TO influence their conduct. Their exam.
Piles, I trus', willnever be initiated by men
who regard thsir duty, their conseiences, or
their os,hs.
An attempt, my brethren, has often been
made to compare The Masonick societies with
those Of the illumpsti III Germany & France,
which paved the way for that revolution which
afts rwards deluged Europe in blood. 40 at
tempt has also been made TO extract from the
farewell address OF the immortal Washington,
a caution to beware OF he institution over
which he had presided for wears, and which he
nevet ceased TO cherish, even on bis dying
pillow. The attempts. however. in both cases,
have proved 50 entirely abortive. and been so
lriumphantiy refuted. that any efforts Of mine
to rsfute them again, would be hks burning
,spers at noon day TO assist the sun ia enlghten-
ing the world.
The conclusion, therefore. my brethren.
seems to be irresistible, that the institution il.
seifis well enough. The period allotted by
common consens 60 its existence, and the char