Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-04-30

with delight upon distinguished instances Of
the practice of this viFtuo. AilrsIigious have
taught il, and it has found . prominent place
in the creed Of every PhiI0sOpher. Nowhere
in any nation, or kiodred, o. tongue, or peo-
pie, has the traitor or betrayer. OF confidence
been regarded otherwise than with contempt
and adherence. But need not exalt, the
virtues which we teach and profess. Natu.
raj instinct and all experience pronounce
them good, and for their approval we need
not the aid Of revelation. They are virtues
in se.
1t viii be seen that our teachings do not In
clude by any means, ell the duties Of men to
each other. We specially teach certain virtues
and prescribe certain duties, but we nowhere
inculcate the doctrine that men blythe obser.
vance Of these are absolved from the obseTv-
ance Of all Others. On the contrary we believe
that those who are good Odd Fellows and con-
form their lives to IT. teachings, will be 90
much more apt TO perform we'll the other du-
ties and obligations resting upon ell as citi-
zens and members of the community. We do
not cOnfinc the practice Of our general doc.
trines within the membership Of the Order
We teach that God hath made Of one blood
all Nations Of men for to dwell on all the face
Of the Earth, and we insist that the virtues
VIC inculcatc are not only to be practised
toward those who have learned our mysteries.
The special duties enjOined may not be neg.
lected toward a Brother, but he who chcerfulIy
carries out the lessons Of Charity toward q
Brother, will bc least apt to neglect their OBJ
servance toward any other person when Occa-
sion may offer. We pretend not to instruct
men how to conduct their secular bsssineAs,
yet he who acts upon the lessons taught I'm
the Order, will not with any one set othsrwise
than uprightly, fairly and hOnorahlys We
give no lessons or statesmauship, yet the
statesman il he practice the virtue Of Fidelity,
will not for personal OF other advantage, do
anything to his cOuntrys detriment, betray her
interests, or act otherwise than consistently
with the dictates Of patriotism. We teach
not the art Of war, and yet the military Chief
who shall practice the lessons Of Odd Fellow
ship may much mitigate its horrors, when he
remembers that men are bfeEheren, and Of one
blood, instead Of pursuing even hts enemies to
unnecessary slaughter, he VIM rather cry Ike
Hannibal at Cannac, stop soldiers spare the
vanquished." We meddle not with religion.
We neither approve or condemn any doctrine
or creed, or faith, OF belief which Processes to
disclose the future Of men IN that " bOurn
from which no traveller returnS'' o. which pro-
fcssCs to teach the manner In which to propi.
tate the Deity. WePramiss The nesphyts no
future happiness 90 reward Tor his adheFenCe,
either in Elysian .Fislds In happy hunting
grounds, in Paradise with, The, Aonries or in
Heaven with Seinta Yet .the doctrines We
teach arc the cardinal doctrines Of every Reli.
giOn; have never been condcmnedb by any, end
any faith which should attempt 70 ignore them
cannot be . ,relIgIOh. The only reward which
an Odd Fellow can expect fSf - 6b3slvanea
Of our creed is an apptUviMk ECHsciSnes. ''sa
But It may be asked, Why n our docstshei
are 90 pure and our teachings 70 advahtagt6e1
VIC do not open our doors 70 lhs whels VOID
and let All share with 'ub our beusA1sei W.
reply that We exclude none bot The 6aWoethy.
Our doors are opsn tOalI who asssvillihg q
take upon themselves the sane noaligmAionl
that we have aasumod~ Those who aas sun.
willing to bind themselves 70 the active dis.
and Mutual Assistance, exclude themaslvel
from reaping any portion Of the benefEa q
our Association. We pledge ourselves b o.
pecinl care for the interest and welfare Of eaci
other, but in no instance 70 th0 detrimont o.
those who arc not united with US A member
Of the Order would expose himself to censure
If he should Gail to render assistance to & Broth
or in distress; and be would bc no less liable
to ccnsure were he to wrong or deftaud any
person who was not & member Of the Order
We in no way injurs those who are not o.
us by the VOWS we take Of mutual assistance
for We do not, by this means, lessen any o.
our obligations to society. In our inte5eours,
with all men, We are governed BY the same
rules and laws Of general society which obtaiT
among those who are not united With ~ II
the brotherhood, We iaEc bound 70 hieherde
gree Of kindness. and attention h AhsR neces
sites and wol(aFe--moFe aa that
which obtains amOns. Kindred I'D sintimal'
frienda by our Organization We directly d.
ninish the public burdens, although We con
tinuc to bear, equally with others, all the Oh
legations which rest upon the community II
which VIC reside and Of which wc form part
Docs sickness invade !-wc arc commanded 4
visit the sick, and It Is one of our most sacroC
obligations. Does famine or other misfortune
ovcrtakc tho community I'VE are command
cd to relieve the distressed. Does the fol
hand Of death rest heavily upon usf-We or,
commanded to bury the dead, and to sec tha
the last solemn rites Of scpulture are perform
ed "deccntly and in order" Are children lef
houselcss, homeless, fatherless?-W are com
mandcd ITO educate the orphan" to see tina
those who como from the lOins OF the Brother
hood are not left alone to tho charities of tn
world. proverbially cold as they are, but ar
trained in the paths Of virtue aud fitted 70
stations Of usefulness and honor.
have already stated the sums that in on
year have been expended by the Order 70
those several purposes Of benevolence, not fo
the purpose OF vaunting our charities, but Il
show how little reason tho world has to complain
of our organization. Indeed while we pcriO4n
all our duties as good and upright citizens, h