The Arkansas banner., 1849-05-22
A DEFEMCR NND ExpOSrTIov


 or THE PRINCIPLES PRACTICES or THE rxDE-
 PENDENT ORDER oF ODD FELLOWS.
 REV. s. ADAMS.
 If am iraduced by tongues which neither know Ny faculties, nor person, yet will be The rhronIclers ot my doiags, let me ssY 'Its bat the fate ct place, snt tise rough brake That virtue must go thrOogh.-SkaksptGre How little jo they see what i., who frame TbeIf. .has'y judgments upon that which seems.
 SOalkrg. Iis claimed bJ our traducers " that We have i eapsbility to be brought in our influences as an institution in contact with the interests of one or the other of the political parties, at the will of the institution as expressed hy the general head of the Order or that in like mAnaer 10 favor the interests of Christians R particular denomination, or inf. delity" To this we reply, that it Is impossible in the very nature ofthiRgs. as shall proceed to show IL impossible. beeause first, in our institution all parties both political and religious are represented We have whigs, democrats, free soilers, native Americans. northern men, and southern men. We have PresoyteIans. Bapiiss. Me;hodists, Episeopa- Hans. Assoeiate Rsfermsd, Reformers, Quakers, unlyersalIsts, aud in fact, all denominations are represented. Now. I ask, how could the influence of this vast brotherhood be brough, in contact with the ihterest Of any denomination, or pnjitic al party, without producing an immediate disruptnre. for II house be divided against itself it mus, fa' There s no way in which the most ethereal imagi. na''On eouh conceive of the production of results 90 irielgioas and anpatrotc as are intimated in the above charge. without the presumption of dishonesty aud corruption upon the part of oLr beloved Order. which insnuatioa we repel, and east back with characteristic zeal, produced by con, ciousness of innocence.
 Yves t is impossible io' the Independent Order ct Odd Fellows 10 be a society of 'he cspabii,ry ssesieed te t in The above charge because second h's'oFy proves that society having such "capabiI. i'y could moi be otherwise iisa sef-ies;ruetiy- We have an instance of this in Europeas history IIluminah was the name of a secret society which was founded m the first of May, i776, by Adam Wsishaups, Professor oG CaBoG Law in the Univer. sity ot tingcidsadf. The avowed object of this Older was to ddase from secret societies, as from so many centres the light Of science over the word to pro- pagate the Purest principles of virtue and to rein- state mankind in ths happiness which they enjoyed during the golden age fabied by the poe,, Prof. Robson and Abbe BaTrcsl assure us that th. real object of this society wss by cIaudrsne arts ts overturn every government. and every religion; to bring the science of civil life into contempt and to reduce mankind 10 that imaginary state Of nature where they lived independent of each other on the spontaneous production of the earth" Whether the above be iastice to the ' IiIaIninsti " or not will not now say. Some historians discredn the account oi Prof. Robinson others give it fui force and effect. Whether the charge be true or false, WeishauPt and hIs coadwlnrs had not character sufficient, d,d not possess enough of public eon6- dence 10 secure hts institution from just suspicious c the mpious and rebeitous Ter oi hts designs This society was prescribed and abolished by law m l7ss. by the elector of Bavaria. Tiis item of history depoBsratrs that society of the character ascneed 'o Odd Fellows, m the above charge, could got exist.
 v This society of Weishalp' being convicted ofthe eaPsoility of interfering with the interests of chris ttanity or political parizanis'n. could not exist. f. cannot be said that the suppression of the Iumi nail was the result Of wiss opposition te all secret associations. for there never was iiae when Free Masonry vas enjoying a higher reputation. G,
 
 haupt organized his " IllnminAti'' |, was then PaIonZed by Kings, Admirais, Generals. and peopIe alike Even Prot Robisnn, aceuses Weishasp pt of the grea'ef dishonesty and bypocnsy. because he had stolen the design and reputation of Free Mason- y as his ssowed purpose II il had beea a wi.e opposition 10 secret societies m general aad 10 he grrat principle Of secret association. that directed this opposition to and prescription of the Ilulnins taen would Masonry have come in for a share; and il ton must have suffered the iot-e and eect of opposition.
 The existence of secret societies Is traceable in the history of the world in uamistakeahle iaes (pt many hundred years, and this is The only on. instance ia which any has been thought worthy of deaih st the hands of the eisIl government
 Of the 'des m tbe charge yet remaining. 10 wi,, eapabiii'y of favo'ing ibddeiy. ~s have only to gay thai every principle of nst,s,ioa is at vsr anee with ii All our teschiags sss drawn from the Bible. snd is God s revered ss the ountain oi ar truth and excellence. No inhdel can be an Odd Fellow.
 l' IS sad " You have mauy bad men among you h is no place for chIistisn, or aeceni man" We are free to admit ;hs, lhere are some men who bear the name of osd Fellows, aad who are in possession oi our secrets, who are unworthy the eoohGenee that has been placed ia then But we ask where IS the society or church numheriag ahyta'as near so many members as ooss who may not iamea, more delipquen,4 than we. i4dging each by tAeir own standaris, Take any one ss our lodges in town where you live, and compare il ~'sh cAa'eh oi the same namsreal strength. and zee how each wiii compare with the standards of