The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-12-19

| system Of Morals. All fgurative Language il
Translation. The words may say one thing anC
intend another-but translation must not coniount
| moral distinctions. and Irony and DELEGATIONS are
! the only figures of speech which are permitted in
! human intercourse TO q wash an Ethop white"
Your own exposition of this penalty is more can
did, and more plausible. You consider the words
IN which the penalty expressed as unnedning-
because the candidate has been told that the obi
CATION contains nothing contrary to law and be-
cause the Society neither possesses nor exercises
the power to authorize the execution of the penal
v. This, OF course, considers the penalty as null
and void.
And So one would think it must be considered
by every far-minded, and honorable man. And
why, then, DO fair-mnded, and honorable men ad-
here to this penalty! Is it worthy OF fair-minded
and honorable men to words full of sound
and fury. sgniylng notMng-to use them as the
sanction to promise Ito use them with an APP
peal to the everlasting God Are the words so
charming in themseves-is the thought conveyed
by them to the mind SO irresstlbly fascinating that
even now twelve hundred lairminded and honora-
Bile men of Massachusetts declare in the face of
their country and Of mankind that they will not
renounce The use OF them. O, say not what fair
minded and honorable men will or will not do -
Twelve hundred men Of Massachusetts, men of
lar and honorable minds. even now, after all the
arts parts and points Of the mysteries of Free Ma
s0nry have been revealed and published to the
y,
to them for their protection against the intrusion
of Book Masons upon their mysteries had been d.
vuged with all the rest-ater all this, twelve hun
bred Masons of Massachusetts have declared that
they will not renounce abandon the mysteries of
Free Masonry that they will still continue to
hold their meetings, to lyle their Lodges to bran
dish their drawn swords for the exclusion of Cow
ans and Eavesdroppers, and TO swear the knave or
slmpleton who will henceforlh submit to take the
Oath, never to reveal, never to write, print cut,
carve, paint, stain, or engraye, secrets known to
every one who will take the trouble to read-se-
crets, in their own estimation, insignificant and
puerle-secrets, IN the estimation Of great multi
tndes of their fellow-ctzens, disgusting and BIAS
phemous that they will continue to swear the
candidate to this Oath Of secrecy under no less a
penalty than that of having his throat cut across
from ear to ear his tongue torn out by the roots
and his body buried in the rough sand of the sea
at low water mark, where the tide GIBBS and flows
twice in twenty-lour hours. But that they will
take care to explain to him, that this only means
he will rather die than reveal to any person under
the canopy Of heaven these secrets known to all
the world that his Oath is not to interfere with
his religion politics, nor with any of his duties
to his neghbor, his country, or his God. For thus
speaks the mystic Muse Of Masonry -
And many Holy text, around she strews
To teach Masonic Moralists to die.
Have | proved that the entered Apprentices
Oath is a breach of Law, human divine 2 That
Its promise is underlined, unlawful, and nugatory
That its penalty is barbarous inhuman-m urderous
in its terms. and in its least obnoxious sense null
and void lfso--my task is done. The first step
in Free Masonry is false step. The entered APP
prentice's Obligation is a crme-and like all vi
cious usages should be abolshed,
JOHN Q. ADAMS.