Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-03-27
The Sons of Malta 0yerhauled.

/ The Springfield (Mass.) Republican turn its
attention to the Sons of Malta. and treats them
to the following pointed lecture:
/ As mere hoax, a sport for oyergrown boys.
there IL no very serious objection 10 such Of the
performances of the Sons of Malta rs are with
] III the limits of decency. The grotesque dress
es and SILLY munmeries of the lodge room are
/ OF special consequence. 1t does not harm u man
essentially to be masked as donkey and TO
play the part OF n donkey. or To be tossed INTO
blanket, or dropped into tub of wet sponges
or pat through series OF imaginary perIls aud
real dscomtorts. in order To bring out his pluck
The Joke once over the whole thing ends. and
the 'caiIon dies ont when 1t has hocussed ali
the f1ois IN any community. We presume 1t Is
worth 81 To some young t. be put through
a course of sprouts IN this way, for once. that
they may be on their guard against stupidity
and nonsense for the lest of their mortal lives
II this were all there in the order, 1t might
be allowed To liye its brief life and die unnotlc-
ed.
But there is positive mischief and degrada-
tlon in the Order. We do not profess TO DIS
close its secrets It has none. aside from its
mode OF initiation. Bat We know that sonpe OF
It's practices tend To debase ali cunnecte1 with
1t. 10 destroy their selfrespect. This Is TIE tirst
effect of the ritual of the Sons. When
il proposed as Candidate. his name hes over
IA week or two, and III TINT time the members
busy themselves III hunting up the history of
his past life, aud If lie be guilty OF any pecca-
dllloes or indlscretIons they are pretty sure 10
be found out. Then. on MS entrance TOR exam
Ination, when lie Is brought blIudfold into the
lodge. leading questions are put to hIm that
show familiarity with his history that starr les
ham, and Ia hIs alarm and coufus on he Is m
dUced to confess acts which a man should con-
less only to Els own conscience and his God,-
EaTecIally if he has been guilty of any ind.s-
creiIomS with the other sex, particular effort Is
made To bring them out. and In manner to
place wee ia a humorous light. and TO represent
the ruin of female virtue As admirable prac-
teal Joke. The man who has been through
such a confessional as this. must inevitably feel
degraded IN the presence OF those who have
heard and seen ms hufnIlIafion or if he stands
mp under Ii he does it by boduess aud shame
lessnesS which are evidence OF n still more
hopeless depravity-
There also in the regalla and appoint
mente of the lodges things that no decent man
can contemplate without shame-thIrgs positive
~ Disgusting and lisentIous IN their tendency.
No man of proper self respect, no man OF clean
ly habits and pure thoughts, no n'an who hon
virtue IN woman trne galantry in man
will fail TO be shncl<ed and dIsgusted BY the
indecencies tolerated IN the lodge, of the Sons
of Malta. On this account many men "f char
meter who entrapped into the lodges never
ii il them afterwards And this account
young men who ann at re>pectahIlIty should
avoid them altogether. The Sons OF Malta
a grand levelling institution; but they level
dawn. not up. They bring decent people into
fe llowship with the tlth OF the gutter. Young
men who respec; themselves, and do not wish
to lose that pro ecIon to integrity ANA charsc-
.er had better save their five dollars and do
without the information the sons of Malta can
give them. They lose nOth,ug at all by s'av
ing out; they may lose great deal besides
their money by going in.