Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-06-27


lodges have been represented as pollut-
ed recepticles of vice, and blasphemy.
Who is there here that does not believe
that does not know, that masonry
now IS, what masonry was in the days
of Washington and Franklin? None
have yet dared to impeach their char
acters as bright summaries ofthe craft.
No, policy Eorbids such a step. For
the populace who are to be deceived
and gulled by the anti-masonic clamor
are not prepared to swallow the dose.
But we are told that the institution as
it exists is not such as the great Frank
lin first introduced into Pennsylvania,
that it is not such as the father of our
country the heroic Washington cult
waited and presided over, and recon-
mended to the officers of the Army of
the Revolution. There is not mason
within the sound Of my voice who
would not hurl the falsehood into the
teeth oftheir accusers and call his Gre
ator to witness the truth of his profess
sion. If conviction of the innocence
OF masonry were alone necessary to-
the disarming Of the opposition, its tri-
umph would be easy and sure. For
when sacrelige and blasphemy and in
ordinate riotings are charged against
us we point to the pious and the moral
who frequent our meetings, we point
to the ministers Of God who are found
in the bosom of our lodges and whose
walk and conversation are Il commen-
tary as well upon the principles of ma
sonry, as the doctrines of their divine
master; when treason to government
and revolutionary designs are charged
upon us, we point 10 those ofour order
who have stood at the helm of our
vessel of state and guided our nation
through dangers and difficulties opros-
pcrity and glory; we point to-masons
who have adorned our armies and ma.
vles, who have driven the foes ofliber-
~ from our land entwincd around
their brow, wrcaths of glory which
shall never wither.
Fellow Citizens: in every age,-in
every CLINE ambitious spirits have ex-
listed, who wanting merit for their
political advancem mt, have bceneager
to seize upon any thing, however base,
however despcable, that could blind
and deceive the populace and wait
them into power and authority. Such
character ! do unhesitatingly assign
to the leaders of the Anti.masonic as
socjatlonin these United States. They
have sought to prescribe and exclude
from Offices of honor and trust those
who have been initiated into the mys-
teries OF masonry, unless they would
obJure their principles and their pro-
LESSONS and blacken their consciences
by false accusations against an institu-
ton of whose purity and innocence
THEY at least, are not ignorent; and
men who have been luried from their
masonic allegiance, by the hope Of
temporal rewards, with the guilt and
lntamy Of perjury, stamped upon their
hearts have been received with plaud.
It's, and honored as heroes. This, my
fellow Citizens, is picture Of the char
acter OF those who have professed to
testify against masonry.
In the attempt to array public opin-
ION against us, the crimes committed
by individual masons have been char
ged upon the whole fraternity as sane
toned and required by their laws. 1t
is needless to repeat the denial Of the
sanction of crime Q immortality, but a
passing notice, may not be amiss, to
the argument that the crime of an in
diyidual mason should affect the insti-
tuition. We profess no exemption from
human frailty, we claim no power to
scrutlnize the heart, and we do not de.
ny that the unworthy and the wicked
have gained admittance into our lodg-
es, but we do deny an encouragement
OF wlckedncss or q willingness to screen
from punishment a mason who has Of
Tended against the laws of his country.
Our institution is the workmanship of
man; and what human institution ever
existed which could guard against the
entrance of the unworthy. Has not
the church in all ages fostered in her
bosom the hypocrite, the murderer,
the perjurer, the blasphemcr. Yes: and
although the eye of God was upon
them, the scrutiny of man could not un-
veilcrimes covered by hypocrisy. How
unjust then would it be to prosecute
the whole Christian Church on account
ofthe crimes Of few that lurkcd with.
in her pale under the assumed mantle
Of religious devotion!
Brethren: however unjus: and un.
charitable are these fulminations a.
gainst our order on account of the
vices and immoralities of It's members