Washington telegraph., 1849-07-25

duct of feuo, ought it not in all reason, to hold
: good in the conduct of the many. Let us in all
J things eiudge righteous Judgement" When
, we find ourselves obliged to blame the conduct
of some belonging to certain Sect party or soci-
ETY., let us not be unchartable and unreasona-
BILE, as to confound all its adherents and followers
, in one general and indiscrmnate censure. To
{ condemn pholc body Of men in srhieh there
are many whose actions, even prejudice cannot
censure, and whose virtues even malgnity dare
not impeach, because of some among them whose
conduct deserves the oe an of all the wise and
good. is surely unfair, ungenerous, and unjust A
4 decision or judgement so perverted is the imme-
diate source OF untold evils. 1t pervertS and mis-
Z, represents the very best of things It tams honor
into Disgrace, merit into mischief. christianity into
superstition, the church into and engine of tyranny
and oppression, or body of winning, canting
hypocrites, and the Masonic Brotherhood into a
band of infides insidious Jacobns, or Incorporate,
profane and atheistical factionsts Alas! for the
cause of truth, virtue and justice! Alas! for hu-
| man nature? How prone are We to censure and
condemn men, principles and practices, without
| having fully examined all the facts involved. In
every case, we should be always willing to put
tho fairest construction, of which will admit, $50
that where doubt hesitates, candOr should prompt,
and where justice balances, mercy and charity
should prepaiL" By these remarks we would not
|
thrown over the conduct of such men as, in truth,
| deserve public censure. By no means. We are
| allowed, on christian principles, to Judge ofmen by
their fruits; yet none with deny that we should be
| allowed defence of the Institution itself; and
that it should be considered, that zoe, 0urselces
are deeply sensible Of the grieUous injury ,oe
| hare receiued from the shamful misconduct of
those who have basely betrayed their trust and
our confidence; and that we no more tolerate such
| conduct and uphold such men; than the most pre-
ud;ced and unrelenting foe to the Masonic Insti-
| tuition. AS proof Of this, signdlty and
| efeetually cypress our disapprobation of such
fogrant offenders than can be found an the cor
rectire or punitive actions Of any other institu-
| ton on the face of the EARTH The name of
grossly offending and expelled member of the
Lodge, is published and made known to the world,
| as man dsgraced, dshonored, and utterly wreck
| ed in misunderstanding forth fearful monu-
| meat of his own infamy, and as beacon light to
the uninitiated as well as the whole world of Ma
sons, to beware of a man so lestto virtue and
| ry noble sentiment Of humanity-to beware of
| man so deeply sunk in crime and iniquty. Some
there are who have been admitted into the Frater
| nity with the proofs oe good faithful, and well
substantiated character; their s'name was beauty
| and their actions praise and Masonry itself
boasted of their uprghtness, constancy and integ-
rity. Rut alas! after having ran well, for while,
| an honorable course, they suddenly fatered and
swerved, shamefuy, from the dignity of their sta
tion-the "pure gold became dim, and the most
| pure gold changed"
Such objections, you must be sensible, are not
unfrequent in all societies. In this fallen world
4, cieties are formed of men, and men fallable,
| imperfect and fra. But whether such disasters,
such apostacy, should reasonably disgrace the en-
tire Institution be taken proofs Of its imElor-
| ality--Judge ye-but judge righteous judgement.
| If you act thus, fear not the result. The fault
will be lodged and fastened where it justly belongs,
and that will be, not on the Institution itself but
the base and unworthy men, Dho haze so fouiy
betrayed their trust, and so deeply uounded the
| hearts of the innocent, who amidst undeserved and
ndiscrmnate reproach, remain firm and unalter-
ed in their devotion to the cause Of Masonry
| Such characters have grossly deviated ,from
the principles of the craft have counteracted their
profession, and are as bad Masons as they are
| bad men.
We do not hesitate to appeal to the world, in-
! justification of the purity of our moral SYSTEM
! Our constitutions are well known. We have free
| ly submitted them to general investigation. We
challenge the most critic, the most
pre- else morast the most pous christian, to point
out anything in them inconsistent with good
manners, fair morals or pare religion. For my
SELF here aver in this sacred place, and be fore
| this enlightened audience, that did l believe that
! Free Masonry, as it is known and cultivated
| amoug us, and l have been acquainted with it
during my membership of FIVE years, had a ten
| dency to weaken destroy, in any
respect, any Of the great principles of NOR
aIity and religion, 1 uould openly and immediate
lu renounce the Order, and spurn, with indig.
nation, its badges and its bonds.
But without OBTAINING you longer in answering
theusuaI objections urged against Masonry, it is
enough for US to know, that the best and noblest
Instit utions among men, in all ages, have had to
pass the fiery ordeal Of public scrutiny and rigid
| investigation. To this we have no objection, in
its application to the subject brought before at
this time; since reason, justice, and every high
prerogative of man, demand that we inquire close
y and diligently into the nature and design Of all
that passes before MS, whether in the ply scal, in
telectual or moral world. fs
Whatever may. or in all future time, will be,
the views and sentiments of men, generally, rela-
tive to the subject of Free Masonry, pretend
not to know, OF to predict; but one thing We know
that in despite of all that has been done by its
proessed but faithless friends, or avowed and open
enemies, to lessen in public estimation, its true
character and Importance, it still remans-t still
stands forth before the eyes Of the world, not as
the shadow of departed greatness, but its hoing
dctiue embodement, at first exhibited amidst
the splendor and magnigifcence of an Eastern
Court, without one stain upon its pristine purity,
without crumble in the stones of its mighty
fabric To this hour, il has withstood the invasion
of the barbarian, the rage of the bigOt, and the
sword of the despot. Even Time beneath whose
touch the marble pillar has mouldered, has passed
with gentle hand over its imperishable structure.
''Nec ignes,
Nee passent ferrum, nee edax
I Evelere vetustas."
Amid the chances and the changes which effect
the world, Masonry, in connection with the more
stupendous fabric of Christianity, remains unsha-
ken. Empires have risen and fallen, desolation,
, like mighty ploughshare, has upturned and con-
founded the kingdoms of the earth-Palestine the
land of Jehovah, where Solomon reigned, David
sung, and the worlds Savior preached, bIed