The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1841-07-03

O'' 'H'A' SAAoIl ny III all tlIC various Shapes
assumes, composes its very essence and
enters into the vital principles of the Fra
ternity We kfto'o that its precepts are
not inconsistent with our duty to our God,
our country and ourselves. We kno,c
that 1t inculcates in their fullest extent,
the principles of brotherly love, relief
and truth. We kRoW that it encoura ges
all that is virtuous and repudiates all
that IS vicious among men. We know
also, that with all these virtues, it has
encountered more opposition, more jeal-
ousy, more prescription and persecution,
than any human institution since the
commencement of time.
The secrets of our Order--the mys-
teries connected with our Fraternity,
have been made the ground for much
and serious objection. Why not, it is
asked, extend its benefits and advanta-
gcs to all mankind? By all, | would an
swer, who are worthy and we'll qualified,
and who will seek admittance with the
proper spirit and motives, these benefits
and advantages can be attained. With
out these preliminary requisites they
must remain forever a secret and mys-
terry. And is not this consistent with
the laws ofnature and all human insti-
tutions? All improvements, moral and
intellectual, are subject to the same laws.
The arcana Of the arts and sciences, to
the uninitiated, remain deep and hid
den mystery. The sublime conceptions
Of Newton-the deep and abstruse spe-
cula tons of Locke, of Coleridge, of Des
Cartes, oc Kant, are mystery, which
intellect aided by eXertion alone can de-
velope to the mental vision. MYSTERY
is engraven, in living letters, upon all
the works Of God Every invention and
discovery is the revelation of mystery.
All human knowledge is drawn directly
! from the nell Of mystery. And isit strange
that this knowledge should not be equal
f ly difused among mankind! Is it to be
supposed that the moral and intellectual
/ improvement resulting from our institu-
! ton can be extended to him who will not
use the means for its acquisition?-The
| truth is, the secrets Of the Order are in
dispensibly necessary to its existence,
s and the performance of its deeds of be-
I nevolence and charity. As these secrets
! cannot affect the rights or interests oil
, the uninitiated, either in morals, politics
or religion, we cannot see the force OF
validity of their objections.
Secret societies have existed in all
t ages. The Essences among the early
S Jews--the EIeuSinian and PythdgOredn
mysteries among the Greeks-the Tenn
: pzarS Of the middle ages--the Jesuits, the
RosicrucianS, the illuminate of modern
times, have all successfully risen, -four
a ished and declined. Many of these soci
n cites, like Free Masonry, were based up
on the social and moral virtues. They
Q inculcated benevolence and brotherly
: love, and contemplated the improvement
@ of mankind in religion, science and phi
: losophy. From the society at Eleusi:
J. and the disciples of Pythagoras, especial
v ly, we derive the wisest maxims and the
d most wholesome precepts. Even at tina
+ early day, and amidst the universal su
9 perstitior and polytheism of the time S
they taught the sublime truth ofthe uni
I ty Of the Godhead, and the Immortality
!, of the soul. Their discoveries in science
f and philosophy, their great moral AM
$ metaphysical improvements, are a won
/ der as we'll as blessing, even to the pre-
/. sent age. But unlike our Fraternity, al
those societies contained within them
selves the seeds Of their own dissolution
IF They could flourish only in the par
ticular age and nation, in which each ha'
, its origin. Their benevolent effort
: were confined each to its peculiar pee
o pie. The ties of their union, in shor
n were not, like those of Masonry, founC
It ed upon the immutable laws of natur
!, and true religion which time cannc
t, change.
i The entire exclusion ofthc female Sc
d from our Society, has also been regarde
h as an unjust and rigorous rule. BIZ
e. from whom, let me ask, does this obje'
y ton come? Is it from woman herself
Is Does she seek TO commune with our Fr: