Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-07-03
GALLIPOLIs.soHIo JULY s.s1s5L

ciples are founded on the immutabl
laws of truth and justice" On a
other occasion he said: al am con
vinced that a just application OF tn
principles on which the Masonic fra
ternity is founded must be promotiv
Of private virtue and public prosper
ity, because they lead TO purity Q
morals and are beneficial OF action.
The great metaphysician Lock
in speaking Of the principles OF Ma
sonry said: alt was his wish that al
mankind were in possession OF then
as nothing was more conducive L
perfect happiness than what Mason
teach"
The great charge brought agains
the Institution is that its rights az,
performed in secret, and hence it i
taken for granted that whatever i
done in secret is wrong. The OBJ
lection lies against the simple fact o.
secrecy inasmuch as it is necessarily
impossible for them TO know ,ohat il
done in the lodge room and hence
they can predicate no character o.
the things there done. According
to this principle Of judgment many
things daily and hourly transpiring
in the various departments oil reli.
gious. social and political life must
fall under the ban Of condemnation.
Religion commands the performance
of some things in secret and makes
them only acceptable and praisewor-
thy on that account. The Great
Master says that to pray in secret
and TO beStolU aims in secret is the on
" way TO secure the appreciation and
blessing OF Him who seeth in secret
and rewardeih openly. The Bible
SAYS: alt is the glory OF God to con
ceal a thing" while mysteries kept
secret from the Gentiles and revealed
to the Jews formed fruitful theme OF
remark in the Old and New Testa>
ment dispensations. 1t brands that
man as a traitor who discloses Sc
crets and commends him faithful who
them. Our Saviour instruc
ted Peter and James and John in
which were hidden from
the other deciples. Paul when
caught up 10 the third heavens heard
things which il was not lawful for
him to reveal. When the chosen
three were inken TO the summit of
Tabor and wrapped in beautiful WIS.,
ion they were charged TO tell no man
,Dhat they had heard and seen. At
Ihe institution OF the holy Eucharist
The twelve met secretly in an upper
chamber. After the resurrection the
eleven met frequently in secret
History informs US that in the first
Our centuries Of the christian era
.he sacramen;s were administered in
secret retreats, and often in subter-
-anean abodes and cemeteries. The.
discipline of the secret was prac,iced
by the apostolic church. This is
by no less than eighteen
jathers. Minutius Felix who lived
n the third century states that chris
ians knew each other by secret signs.
Pliny writes to the emperor Trajan
concerning the christians and says:
They met in secret in the night sea-
ION, sung hymn, celebrated the
and took an oath not 10
commit any crime"
The very word sacrament signifies
IN oath and is similar TO that taken BY
soldiers TO be true TO their general and
So the early christians bound
themselves by this scaling SaerGmentum
o be true to Christ and their religion.
md sooner than act as the traitor Judas
hey would cheerfully submit to spolia-
ion, exile and death.
They were suspected by their enc
nies of resorting to dark recesses for
he purpose of practicing every abomi-
nation. Everything atrocious and vile
vas charged to them that superstition
,ould conjure up. Horrid tales were cir
,ulated about them and as an excuse for
he prosecutions heaped upon them eve
" evil that happened to the country
where they resided was charged to them.
During the ten Pagan prosecutions they
we're charged with every thing that the
malice Of men and demons could in
rent. They had trials Of cruel mock
ngs and scourgings, bonds and impris-
they were stoned, sawn asun-
Ter, slain with the sword; they wandered
about in sheep skins and goat skins,
destitute, afflicted, tormented, dwelling
in deserts and mountains and in dens
and caves.
Tertulian, in his defence of Christians
1t that time, says: 'slt would be more
ust to judge of cur secret aetions by
hose that appear than TO condemn what
is evidently good and praisworthy up
on suspician of priuate faults."
Tho apostle speaks of the great mys-
Iery of godliness which had been hidden
for ages and enumerates the six success
sive degrees of this mystery. In this
be alludes to the Elasiniaa mysteries.
ceremonies of the festival Ceres
ElHsina were called by way of emil
hence the mysteries, from their being