Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-11-18

the institutions; the degrees OF the NnapteL ~
thought sublime, and too good stoAt5erin the
hands of bad men. My good opinion Of the in
stitution, however, was certainly owing TO,
frst, my having determined to think well OF
il; secondly, nv masonic obligations had their
influence upon me and forbade my respecting
it; thirdly, knew was left the only alterna-
tive of Withdrawing in silence in case | should
ever discover its errors and frauds : for l
thought from the first, as l now more fully
know, that without strong counterbalance OF
public opinion and prejudice, it was unavailing
and dangerous for any one man to oppose this
institution, however tenable and righteous the
grounds of his opposition might be. saw no
reason, however, to suspect It, for the master
of the lodge told me the obligations and PEN
alties were only kept in use because OF their an
Itiquity. and that the Morgan excitement was
lall a Yankee speculation. believed all that
this man said, because mason, thought him
then an honest man; was therefore strong
Iadhering mason, until the day that consen-
ted to read Elder Demands book entitled,
Light on Masonry At first | had not a
Thought of being influenced by it, only cx-
ipected to be treated with the higher degrees of
masonry. Unexpectedly soon saw the de-
positions of Morgan's abduction, which to me
were entirely new. These read with interest,
Iuhtli my ndu HiC
beyond the connections of the masonic order.
The suferings of two children left fatheress;
a widow going from place to place, poor and
friendless, weeping for her lost husband, the
destruction of the liberty and life of free cit
izen; and all this by an awful conspiracy, au-
thorized and supported by the Lodges, Chap
tiers, and encampments of masons, was to me
an astonishment had never expected to wit
ness or feel.
4 / at once resolved to have no longer connex-
ion with the institution; in this | was conhr-
lined by its almost innumerable false preten-
Isions exhibited in this book, which, though un-
noticed before, now appeared self-evident. In
lstead of it having existed from the days Of Sol
lomon, found itnot 100 years old. This fact
with the SANDER on John the Baptist. Solomon
fthe scriptures, and the arguments offered in the
: book respecting the obligations. satisfied me,
that masonry was false. gross imposition, anc
r1every way contrary to the character given o
LOT it by the worshipful master, when entered
{ the lodge; that the obligations and penalties
E were contrary to the civil law, and even saw
: Iage barbarism. .fhe master told me, in takin;
/, them, that they should not interfere with m,
Y religious or political principles; am now sat
8 ished fully, that they will destroy both. Or
d the whole, am convinced that it is my duty, a
\ la citizen and christian, utterly to renounce
f and so tar as necessary to expose, this strang
: system, which | believe to he more dangerou
v to christianity, and our blood-bought civil lib
S critics. than all other conspiracies ever known
or heard of. IN
u In all this am no mans enemy. view tn,
f masons, generally, as honest mistaken men, anc
, with few exceptions. far better than the inst
tuition; and sorry am, that this British, blood,
system. should control the free citizens of thes,
|, United states as far as it has.
Yours, with respect.
THOS. BEACHAM.