Washington telegraph., 1849-07-25

| men that uttereth the unwecome sybiline tone
"prochul o, prochul este profan." Men who urg
this as an argument against the mystic Brother
| hood, seem to forget that Masonry has followet
the guidings Of Nature and Grace. There is
sublime secret connected with every thing that i
valuable. The Bible, that first great light o
Masonry, says "1he secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him." There is a secret in ever,
profession of life, in every science, in every beaut
ful art. There is a secret in loue; an unspeaka,
bic language that sometimes glances from the eye
but often hid by virgin modesty, 'funtil the heart
becomes an urn of suffering, in which the fires o
hidden attachment crimson the incense of the
affections. There is a secret in hate, whispered
only to the moon, its pale, cold eye beams on
the assa ssins dagger. There are secrets through
out the vast temple of the universe, from the
pedestal, to the capital of the immense pillar which
sustains it. To divulge the arcana of the Craft,
would be, not only to profaae its sanctity, but
utterly annhlate its existence, because these are
its distinguished features---the chdracteristics of
the Order, ami the means of its preservation.
Without these in the nature of things, it could
not exist. Nor should this excite surprise, since
in many of the ordinary trades, arts and occupa-
tions maintainedand pursued among men their
secrets are communicated only to such are
likely to become profcients in the science connect>
ed with them; Dr then, but with proper caution
and restrictions, and oftsntimes under the guard
of heavy penaltis. Nay, every government
every statesman-every family--every individual,
has secrets whith concealed with prudent
care, and confde1 only to the trusty and the true
1t is objected ktat ,oonaen excluded. That
woman is not admitted to a participation of our
rites and ceremnies, is most true. 1t is not,
however, that We deem her unworthy and un-
faithful, or deny her a mind to understand or
heart to appreciate its principles; nor by reason
of the absurd andsanderous assertion that woman
cannot keep her ongue; but because in the early
organization and still existing form of Masonry,
men alone can fulfil many of the duties it in
cucates, or perform the labor it enjons. The
tolls of the craft ar. incompatible with the powers
and the duties of tie fair At the building
of the Temple, they did not labor, are they
required to do so now. 1t would have been, in
any enlightened age and country, repugnant to
the true nobility, homer, and may add, gallantry
Of our sex, well as the delicacy Of her own,
for woman to have been found welding the tro.oeL
the gapel, the square and the beUeL. No one,
surely, will contend that they ought to have
assisted in removing the huge stones from the
quarry, preparing place for the foundation of
the Temple, temPering the mOrter, Telling and
squaring the timber, and performing other abori-
Gus duties required of operative Masons. Wo-
mans physical strength dsqualifes her for such
a task, and nature intended her for another and
different sphere. Another fact should be taken
into consideration, connected with these earlier
ages of Masonic history-the Craft was expos
ed, at times, to the severest prosecutions, and to
the greatest peril; and out of kindness to the SEX
and with desire which we still posses to enable
them to perform, uninterruptedy, their social re-
lations, for which they are SO admirably fitted,
they were not admitted to membership.
If the exclusion of women were just ground
of complaint, why do we not admit them into
our Congress State Legislature? Why do they
not stand as public messengers on the the walls
of Zion, and herald forth the tidings of saliva
ton? Why do they not command our navies
and lead our armies? The answer is--It is not
her element To her "the pomp and circum-
stance of glorious war" has no charms, and she
desires not "the applause of listening Senates to
command" She delights not in the "tented field,
where cannons and chargers reel" She
delights not to stand amid garments dyed with
blood, the clash Of resoundng arms, and all the
destructive revelry of war. Nowhere Free
Masonry is cherished, they exempt from these
and the severer duties of life. Their exclusion,
however, does not, in any way deny them the
benefit, flowing from Masonry; as the family Of a
Mason is considered one with himself, so far as it
regards the kind Offices of Charity. They are
guarded in danger by a shelter, which though ill.,
visible to them, is strong and mighty to protect
A better reason may be given why they are
not admitted. They do not require the same
incentives t. the moral obligation imposed By
Masonry, as aoe find Nth men In all coun-
trise, civilized or savage, woman is found ever
ready to respond to the claims of humanity. This
is no idle and fulsome eulogy-the character OF
woman, ia every age and country, attests its
truth. The famous traveller Ledyard, bears this
memorable testimony in favor OF woman ''that he
had tfaversed every quarter of the globe, and in
all his travels, and often among tribes most
savage and lnhospitable, he had never found a
soonan and addressed her in language of respect,
from whom he did not receive respectful an
swer. If he was hungary. she gave him meat
if thirsty she gave him drink. With men it was
often otherwise" Man, the rough asher, sub
mits to artificial bonds Ito such influences as
Masonry exerts) that lie may become, in moral
excellence, the counterpart of woman.
Ansiner great, general, (and as by some i'm
aginee, most formidable and unaLswerable objec-
tion) sis that many who belong to the Masonic
Brotherhood grossly Incorporate, profligate
and vicious" This truth need lot, cannot be
denied. We have felt it, and very deeply. Yet
while we admit the fact, We deny it, as forming
any ground of rational argument against Free
Masonry itself. If it be argument against
Free Masonry, then we unhestatingly affirm, thai
there is not solitary institution upon the face o
the earth, whether ciuil, moral or religious that
abide that test, or that would not, long since
have been uprooted, overturned, and utterly des
troyed. 1t will, presume, be readily conceded
by this audience, that the government Of ou'
country, is the most free, happy, best devised anc
regulated, ever known among men; yet beneath
its sheltering arms, and within its fostering bosom
foul spirits have been found to Iurk, ready with
envenomed fang to destroy that aohich secures
to all loyal subjects, peace, liberty and honor
AS Rome had her Caesar, SO America has had hel
Arnold and her Burr.
1t will not be denied that Christianity, not only
merits, but receives the profound veneration o
the wsest and best Of our race. Yet who vii
dispute that hundreds of the most depraved, il
principle and abandoned in practice, have assum
ed the profession of religion, only for the bas'
purpose of more successfully and securely con
| tnuing their depredatons society. Now ask
should the honest portion of mankind rest les
confidently their hopes upon the promises of divine