Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-10-11

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to be believed when you affirm that you
are not conscious of any hostile spirit to-
wards masons, or of n disposition to dis
turb the peace of society. Why then
should you not pay some respect to the
solemn Declaration" bearing date Dec.
81, 1881, which was signed by more
than 400 Of our masonic brethren?-
Must not that man have an exalted opin-
ion of himself, who thinks his single de-
claraton to be worthy of more respect
than the testimony of all those 400 wit
nesses' | shall quote the first paragraph
Of the "Dcclaration.
"Whoreas it has been frequently as
serted and published to the world, that
in the several degrees of Freemasonry,
as they are conferred in the United States,
the candidate on his initiation and subsc-
quent advancement, binds himself by
oath to sustain his masonic brethren in
acts which are at variance with the fun
damental principles Of morality, and in
compatible with his duty as good and
faithful citizen; in justice, therefore, to
themselves, and with view to establish
Truth and expose Imposition, the under
signed, many of them recipients OF eve
,ry degree of Freemasonry known and
acknowledged in this country, do most
soicmrly deny the existence of any such
obligation in the MASONIC INSTITUTION
SO far as our knowledge respectfully ex-
tends. And we as soLEMNLY AVER that
no person is admitted to the, Institution
without first bong made acquainted with
the nature Of the obligations he will be
required to incur"
The third paragraph declares that
"every citizen who becomes Mason is
doubly bound to be true to his GoD, his
COUNTRY, and his FELLow-MEN-he is
required to keep and obey the Moral
Law; to be quiet and peaceable citi-
zen; true to his government and Just to
his country" In our Bibles we have
this maxim, "In the mouth oftwo or three
witnesses shall every word be establish
ed" To certify the truth of the above
"Declaration" we have more than 400
witnesses, among whom are as many as
two or three Episcopalan Ministers
two or three Orthodox Congregational
Mlnisters-two or three Unitarian Min
listers, and two or three Ministers of 9TH
or denominations. To these we have ad-
ded many respectable civil characters,
and many members Of Christian Church
es. 1t is not to be supposed that the ex-
istence of the masonic Declaration" Of
last December, was unknown to the wri-
ters of the anti-masonic "COrrespon-
deEce," which was SO recent as to the
month Of August. would then serious
ly ask, Docs not the anti-masonic "Cor-
and the doings Of the anti
convention imply that the anti
masons believe that there are not so ma
ny as two or three witnesses among the
400 in whom confidence can be placed?
And that the whole number ought to be
regarded as false witnesses? Can such
treatment of the public testimony of so
great number ot.witnesses fail OF dis
lurbing the peace of society?
The Honorable Mr. Lathrop, in his
Letter to the anti.masonic committee, at
ter expressing "wish to have thunder
stood" that he has "no hostility or un-
Nliu toN dIt HICIhDCi VI wv
adds" Nay more, there
are many masons who still retain their
connexion, nominally at least, with their
respective Lodges, for whom entertain
the highest respect, in whom l could
place the most implicit confidence, and
who are among my most intimate per-
sonal friends. 1t is the institution only |
condemn" 1t would be gratifying to
me to know whether of "the many ma
sons" in whom MIR Lathrop could place
"the most implicit confidence" there are
not two or three whose names are found
in the list of subscribers to the Masonic
/ can hardly doubt that
such is the fact; and yet such is my con-
fdence in that gentleman, that cannot
suppose he is aware of the Inconsistency
of what he has said of them, and what he
has said Of the dangers to be apprehen-
ded from the Masonic INSTITUTION, in
contradiction to their testimony.
1t was known to others, as we'll as to
yourself, that prior to the murder Of Nor
gan, my estimate of masonry was not
very high. | have ever regarded the
Institution rather as frivolous than as Pc
culiarly dangerous. The occurrences
in relation to Morgan excited in my
mind, serious apprehensions OF t'danger.-
Still | was aware that vicious men had
been often associated with valuable insti-
tutions, and very good men. l could not
but rccollect that in Christ's little family
Of t,relre disciples, one ofthem was a troi-
lor; and that it would be very unjust to
reproach the eleven on account Of the
conduct Of Judas, yet l could not easily
suppress my fears, that the oaths and