Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-02-17
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A FATHER AMI
HIS SON 30 WEARS HENCE.

Son-Father what is the meaning of the word
Preemasonry?
ted in Europe, in the early part of the Eighteenth
Century.
S.-Was it a religious society,"
F.--No there religion in it. 1t made use of
the profession of christianity charity and science, as
cloak to cover its wicked purposes and actions, and
TO deceive mankind. This society imposed upon its
members the most terrible oaths of secrecy, viola
tion of which, was punished with the cruel death
imaginable. BY their oaths they were mutually bound
to conceal each others crimes, even "mulder and
treason" not excepted.
S-your narrative surprises me! / did not think |
that there ever had been such wicked Institution in
the world. But how, when and where did they hold
their meetings, and how did they pass their TING;
F.-They built houses, which they called Lodges,
for the purpose Of holding their meetings in Becauset
their principles and actions were very bad and wicked,
they choose the hour of darkness for assembling to
rether In their Lodges they generally spent their
time in giving and listening TO idle, unmeanng lectures
i'll learning the new members the signs, grips, and
passwords and in singing drunken songs, which were
usually succeeded by prayer.
S-NVhy was such profahe, dsgraceful, and de-
bauched association permitted to exist sol long in mo-
raj and religious community
FL can give you the reason in few words. Not
,v;thst.nding Masonry had always been suspected by
the discerning and better part Of society, it had exist
ed long time before its real character was fully and
generally detected and exposed. The circumstance
Of MANY Minister'S of the Gospel, and processing
Christians belonging to the Masonic Institution, gave
it an apparent sanctity, and tranquized the appre-
tensions OF the public mlhu IL was nut uHi INC year
1896 that Masonry become subject OF notorious m
trguc crimnality, and blasphemy member OF the
flfernty in the State of New York, presented to the
world an accurate exposition of the three first de
rees of the Order For this act lie was torn from
his family and subjected to barbarous death, by hi:
Masonic brethren. This hgh-handed act of cruel in
Justice excited the solcitude, and aroused the ndg
nation of the public, whose previous creduy had i'm
ared boldness the band of Masonic assassons ant
consprators until they ventured to trampe upon TIN
dearest rights of FREEMEN. prosecution wa
,taJb hut the emf natr
intelligent citizens of New York State; of tn
principal agents in that nefarious homicide al
raipned, and closely examined 1t was during tina
judicial process, that Masonry was disrobed OF he
fictitious mantle of religion and charity and presente
TO the world in all her naked dctormity, most fu
some sight TO every sensitive mind Murder, Treason
intemperance debauchery, blasphemy, perjury, pt
Itcal intrigue and arisocracy were all united IN tn
Masonic Institution In the trial alluded to- Mason
witnesses after being sworn, refused to TESTIFY, ar
were imprisoned and fined for contempt OF Court,
ther than answer the questions put to them. Aft
rhns openly perjurng themselves, they received Il
audits the highest commentators, and the fraeril
embraces of their Masonic brethren. judicial di
closure of those traits of Freemasonry and the unpa
allied mendacity and vulgarity Of the whole syster
Induced thousands of good men to renounce all CO
nexion with and allegiance TO, the Institution. III
blessed spirit progressed rapidly, good men OF all q
nominations united in making SUBJECT OF paramou
Observation-Disclosures papers were instituted
sverv section of the United States--Masonry was e
cry where regiously, morally, politically, and phil
sophically opposed until the year lS44 when the
remnant was banished from human existence sin
shat time, or during period OF IL years. we nave
Soyed union tranquility liberty and equality In eve
beneficial sense of the terms