Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-06-27
MYSTERIES OF THE DARK LANTERN.

/ Questions and Answers about Know-Nothing-
| ism--its doctrines, objects and tendencies.
/ No. 9.
Question-What is the difference between the
Know Nothing organization and the Orders of Ma
| sons and Odd Fellows?
! Ansa0er-Masons and Odd Fellows are bound to-
gether by pledges of honor, and not by oaths-that
| is, these Orders exact pledges from their mem
bers to support certain sort of religion, to hold
certain opinions in politics; but, on the contrary
they not only expressly left free in this respect
but it is enjoined upon them, as good members of
their respective ORDERS to avoid, far possible
all entanglements as Masons and odd Fslzoacs, with
sectarian strfes and political disputes
Q-Very well that is what they do not do-what
| do they doP-what is their object?
A-Their object is charity and benevoence, and
these virtues they practice towards all mankind.
Q-How do they practice these things?
/ A-By administering succor and relief to the wild
ow and orphan-by relieving the dstressed-and by
acts of sympathy and friendship towards each other
They do ask is the person in distress foreigner,
does he entertain peculiar religious opinions
No such thought is suggested and in this way they
follow the divine example of the good Samaritan,
who had compassion the stranger who fell among
theves-who went to him, and bound up his
wounds pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his
beast, and brought him to an inn and took care
of him''-whie the priest and the Levite, though
they the stranger thus wounded and in distress,
passed by on the other SIDE"
Q-AI that, admit, is very praiseworthy; but
do these Orders have their secrets, and do they
not meet by themselves with closed doors?
A.-They do; and that fact would make against
them if their deeds before men, which the fruits
of their secret action did not vindicate and sustain
them They have signs, known only to themselves,
by which they recognize each other when trav
cling or in Distress and by these means many an
act of friendship is performed, many broken heart
is bound up, and many life is prolonged They
have passwords by which they enabled, though
personally strangers to the lodge to enter and greet
their brethren; and if they did not sit with closed
doors, all these passwords and signs, which were
invented necessary aids to charity and benevo-
lence, would be useless Again, Masons and Odd
Fellows, so far from denying that they MEMBERS
take pride in avowing the fact. Out of their lodges
they are seen and known of all men; and to this
hour the most refined malice even has laid serious
charge at their doors. True enough, many years
ago political excitement gotten up against the
Masons in New York; but they went through it
like men, acting only the defensive, and taking
no part except when assaled and hunted down. in
political affairs.
An the first place, their doctrines are known to
be sectarian and political and in the second place,
they bind men by horrid oaths to do bare ma
.jority of council may decide They say in sub
stance, to men who profess certain religon-"we
have no charity for you-aOe are right, aud you
wrong; your views of God and salvation so
absurd and injurious that you unfit to hold civil
Office and so we will turn you out if you in, and
keep you ont if you are not in" They say to all
foreigners, in substance-"you are twenty-oue, or
thirty, or forty years of age, the case may be;
but then you too ignorant to be permitted to vote
and hold Office in the space of five years you must
go down to level with infants and remain
here, they do, twenty-one years, before you shall
enjoy any civil political privileges-before you
shall hold property even and if you complain, we
will repeal all naturalization laws, and you shall
never. the day of your death, be any more eeva-
ted in the scale of citizenship than free negroes
They substitute prescription for benevolence, and
vengeance for charity; and they bind themselves to
their work by oaths unlawfuly admins tered, which
oaths are expressly forbidden by the Articles Of
Faith of at least three leading Protestant Churches
Q.-What is their object?
A.-Ofices and honors This they openly avow;
and if of their members refuses to vote for the
candidate nominated by them, or votes against him,
ne Is e4peH eu, anu IdCcu 81 DIS Ihey Cau uo
it by posting him in all the lodges; and he is also,
according to their rules 10 be dscountenanced in his
business and marked perjurer before God and
man. Even if their doctrines were good, the secre-
cy of their proceedings in free country like this
one of their objects being political not be JUS
titled?
Q.--Why not?
A-Because all power is in the people; and they
have right to know what is said and done in meet
ngs held subjects which touch their political and
civil rights. The government is the peoples; and
they have made it public open government, for
the purpose of hearing what is said, of seeing what
is done, and of deciding upon both, and thereby
trolling it according to their own pleasure. If one
portion of the people, as Know-Nothings, can plan
in secret all other portions of the people, under
other assumed names, do the same; and so this
principle it will be seen, if carried out would des
troy all public WILL and all public action, except in
so far as it flowed from secret meetings. the Consti
tuition itself and the Bill of Rights would be render
ed null and void; and instead of an open, manly,
midday government, we should have silent, irres-
ponsibIe, midnight machine, moved by the fears,
the hatreds, the prejudces and the passions of con-
tending factions; and under its balefu influence all
private right would be forgotten and public liberty
itself would be extinguished. When men attempt