Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-01-06

ouhl0hlSheu tnat she VIII De ushered int
the everlasting torments of hell, unles
she renounce her ancient faith an
adopts the creed Of the establisbe,
church of England. The fatal morlen
has arrived. She gives her weeping at
tendants her blessing, and asks theiI
prayers for her soul. A handkerchief
is placed over her eyes, she Laws hrl
head upon the block, and '.that head once
the most admired and beautiful in the
worId' is severed from her body. The
executioner holds it up still conyulsed
and streaming with blood. One voice
alone - and that too Of Protestant
priests heard 10 breathe the words.
$50 perish all Queen Elizabeth's enc.
miles," and only one to give the response
"amen,' to his heliish impreca,on.-
This Is no fancy sketch, but the record
ed facts Of sober and impartial history.
ain more suspicious circumstances"
says the historian, "she would have
adorned nature and her age. 1t was her
misfortune to be cast among the fierce
elements Of social bafbarism, and the
still more savage furies Of religious ia.
naticsm." This was tragedy, com.
pared with which that Of Morgan dwin.
dies into insignifcance. And yet, you
might as well ask condemnation of the
Christian Religion, because its princi-
pies were perverted and abused in this
instance, as TO denounce Masonry for the
act Of q few Of the members
Of our fraternity.
Who that has not read the history of
the scores and hundreds and thousands |
of martyrs, who have been the victims
of religious intolerance and persecution;
who have been consigned 10 the faggot
and the fame, because, although they
the true God, yet, thoy did
not hold TO the peculiar creeds Of those
n powerf And, yet, if you urge the
abuse of Masonry as an argument a
gainst the institution, you may with,
equal propriety, urge the abuse of chris.
ani'y by religious intolerance and per-
'ecutlon as an argument against your
religion.
Those who urge as an objection to Ma
'onry, that it is dangerous to our !iber
les, are, surely, ignorant OF the fact.
hat the first bloed which was split in de.
rence Of American free dom and indepen.
ience was drawn from Masonic veins:-
that the first Banker Hill monument was
erected by King SoIomon's Lodge Of
Masons, at Boston, in commemoration of
The virtues Of Gen. Warren, who, at the
lime he fell, was Grand Master of the
Free Moson's Lodge in New England.
That monument was, by consent Of the
Lodge, removed 10 make room for the
noble structure which has been recently
reared by the grateful patriotism of a
free people.
1t has been seriously contendcd, that
Masonry has been superseded by the in.
PRODUCTION Of the Christian religion, and
is therefore wholly useless. But. with
as much justice might it be contended
that your governments are superseded
and useless; for, what are governments
designed for, but to curb the vicious dis.
positions and promote the moral happi {
ness of mankind? Yet, this is what Ma. {
sonry is, also, designed to accomplish.
in mods somewhat different. If every T
human being would act up to the golden
rule of the Saviour, "Do unto others as 7
you would that they should dounto you," 1
and this, too, without the aid of govern =
ments, or Masonry, then. ! admit, Ma 8
sonry and governments would be alike t
and useless. I
Did King Solomon, whom the Bible $
teaches US. God in an especial manner .
endowed with wisdom, think 1t superse. c
led by the revelations of the will Of t
Deity to the prophetsi s
Did St. John the Baptist, who was his I,
orerunner, believe that it was superse-
led by the advent Of the Saviour and ..
he preaching of his gospeI7
Did 81. John the Evangelist, the Cos =
'el historian, the last surviving Apostle, =
md the writer of Revelations, whose