Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-02-05

VIC might ask what is the use of paying pub
lie tax on land and other property? Is it not
to support government by which laws are
made to protect US in our lives and property?
Why pay money to any benevolent cause,
such as foreign and domestic missions,
Boards of publications, Education &C. You
all understand these things very well, ana it
is on the very same princip1e that you pay
your money into this society. But where
you ask does this money go? This question
is easily answered. Five cents of your dol
lar, or one dollar of every twenty goes to the
Grand Division of the State and ten cents of
that dollar, goes to the National Division for
their respective support. Ninety five cents
of every dollar that comes into the Division
remains there until expended by vote of
the majority of the Division, for whatever be-
nevoleut or other purpose, they may think
proper. All share equally in its benefits, as
no officer or member receives any pay for
his service. The quarterly dues are regula-
ted by each Division, so as to make them,
together with the initiation fees, if the men,
bers see fit, barely defray the expenses of the
Division. So much for the money.
The next and last objection that we pro-
pose to notice is the secrecy. This seems to
be the greatest hob, goblin Of all Others
Speak to men, who are not overly scrupu-
lous about secrecy in other matters, and, es-
pecially, if it be for the. promotion of world
ly agrandizement, about joining the Order
and they very bluntly answer that they OPP
pose all secret organizations, because the Bible
says, that we must not light our candle and
put it under bushel, &C.. My friends, did
you ever think soberly on this declaration ?
Opposed to all secret organizations? This is
very broad ground. In thus opposing your
selves, you are sapping the very foundations
of the government under which you live -
Our Legislatures and National Congress have
their secret meetings in which business is
done, with closed doors, for the good of the
State or Nation. Our Military and Navy
have their secret associations, either which is
more strictly secret than the organization of
the Sons of Temperance The Church ses-
sions, Glass meetings &C., are, was going
to say, as strictly secret associations as the
one we advocate the greatest difference be-
ing that We confess our secrecy and they do
not The family circle, that most sacred Of
all human societies, organized for the good
of the race, e,-without whose benign influence
all social order would moulder into confusion,
and the whole race would be ushered into
ruin and wretchedness; this cherished so
ciety of so many subordinate divisions with
the Great, I Am, and his retinue of angels
and archangles for its grand division or head;
this organization, which we so much love
and cherish, issecret from its foundation up.
And the man, who becomes recreant to the
grand principles and laws which regulates its
operations by exposing to public ridicule its
cherished secrets, must inevitably suffer the
consequences of his own folly. Many of the
Literary Societies of the institutions of learn
ing, throughout the world are more strict
ly secret than the institution of the Sons of
Temperance. In all of them, so far as can
learn, the Constitution, n,-By-laws, proceed
ings and other matters are strictly secret
Some of them go so far as not even to permit
any one, except members to look into their
Halls,-thus keeping the society with all its
appendages, initiation and other fees and
ceremonies, profound secret from the world.
And who objects to these societies? No one.
Many who strenuously oppose the Order of
Sons of Temperance are, not only advocates
of these, but even founders and supporters
of them They know the design of them to
be good-and that the secrecy is attached
merely to excite an emulation for the pro-
motion of knowledge. If these things are all
right, why cavil at the innocent secrecy of a
society whose great and only aim is the ele-
walton of the social, political, moral, and
thereby, religious condition of "degraded hu
manity ?" You have been told that the on
ly secrecy that attaches to the Order is its
initiation ceremony and -word-which
are perfectly harmless in themselves. The
password consisting generally in phrase or
short sentence, as 'pcace is happiness" or
ssdown with the liquor traffic." &C., and SINH
lar in every respect. TO the watch.wor of
the camp, given to seutnals and such as have
occasion to visit the grounds, and used as a
signal by which friend is known from a
foe The ceremony is kind of ritual Which
is as chaste as chastity itself, and is beauti-
fully arranged and elegantly attractive in all
its parts It's sentiments harmonize with the
most refined sensibilitics, and coincide with
the strictest notions Of propriety and morali-
ty. What more can we say of it or how
much more public can we make it, without
it "perbotim ct Hferatim,"P IfI
you are not satisfied with this explanation,
We ask you only to be initiated, and if you
are not then satisfied with the truth of what
we affirm, you have the privilege of dissolv-
ing your connexon with US at once.
How many of the very best men of Amer
lea, numbers of whom are most strictly or
thodox ministers, of the Gospel, are now,
and have been, for years, cooperating with
the Order? Among all these, we have uev-
er heard of one, who was, in the least, un-
favorably impressed with any Of its princi
Piles, after having become member. This
we deem the strongest proof of the purity of
the Order, and the unfounded objections to
its operations. But still we are charged