The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-24

inch Guage and the Compass, each ap-
piled in their own place, gave symetry and
proportion to that beautiful structure; and
the sacred teachings there given, through
ritual and symbol, were designed to lead
the people to a more perfect knowledge Of
God.
The structure of speculative Masonry
is four sided. and on these sides you may
ndinScribed Secrecy; instruction through
mysteries; Morality, or upright dealing
Mutual protection, and Charity. On that
side which faces the East and on which
we find inscribed secrecy ! would write
over this motto the word -dhti2uated.-
On that side pointing to the North, and on
which is inscribed Mystery and AlegUry,
| wOuld write, Behind tie age BY both
these terms | mean that the world has
outgr6Wn the necessity for SECRECY in mat
terS of education and public interest; and
T That an AHegoricaI method Of instruction
is far behind the requirement Of the pres.
ent day.
In the carly history of the world, when
the numerous little factions and petty SOW
crcignS watched each other with jealousy
! and suspicion, secrecy seemed to be de-
manded as means Of seit.protection. So
was it in regard to the arts aud sciences.
! lie who promulgated some new principle
| in science, or brought out some new dis
covery in art, was frequently an object Of
suspicion. While this state Of things eX-
i>tcd, men protected themselves and pre-
served knowledge of the arts and scen-
ccS, by resorting to mystical characters
and Symb is.
These mystical characters soon became
classified ;is in GSjq,' y2"d Sy'ja And we
| have there the varionS systems Of Hero
! glyphicS " hich expressed series of ideas,
| by representations of visible Objects
These characters were usually itwo kinds
Ideal and Phonetic. In the first, the
picture or character represented one or
series of ideas; and the second the char
actcrS represented a variety Of sounds, by
the combination of which ideas were de-
vploped. As consequence, the literature
of these nations was known only to lew;
and these, in order to exercise monopoly
! in the department of letters, formed them
selves into an organization and took an
oath of secrecy, not to impart knowledge
of their mystical characters save to those
regularly received as members. And in
order to protect themselves in this monop-
oily, they instituted mysterious rites, rep
reSenting the different classes of knowl-
edge. 1t was this same principle that led
| the carly architects and builders, in more
modern times. to form secret organiZa-
tions, in order that they might the better
exercise the monopoly Of an art so essen
{ 80. ! 4 4 I IL \ i
aud Feudal strife But Il new era has
dawned upon the world, and science and
art need no longer hide beneath mystical
/ sign and characters, but they now stand
out bold and clear, and every man may
now hear concerning the wonderful works
/ of God in the tongue in which he was
born. The great aim of the present day
! is to break every fctter by which knowl-
edge has been bound, and open way Of
access to all. Secret organizations in their
early history, created monopolies, and
narrowed the sphere of intelligence. But
our great aim should be the diffusion of
all useful knowledge.
Our government protects and encour-
ages art, science and literature by giving
to the inventor patent, and to the Author
Il copyright which secures to both the
! profits and honor arising from their labors,
and in this way encourages every depart
ment Of knowledge. The need of secrecy
in these respects has ceased to exist So.
ciety by common consent grants to the
man hunting for the Philosophers stone
by which he hopes to transmit all metals
into gold, and he who is STRIVING to solye
the question Of perpetual motion, full
scope in mystery aud SccrcSy. But |
believe these Orders lay no claim to such
an object. -.,F ..,t
When we see how science and art are
taxed to their utmost ability for the diff
fusion of knowledge, we are forced to ask
in earncstneSS-W hat is that knowledge
that in secret societies is so carefully con-
cealcd, and hedged about with so many
mysterious rites! Has the world not ad-
vanced far enough to be safely trusted
with it? Both these questions are of i'm.
p0rtance, when we consider that society
acts on the principle THAT truth need
not fear investigation and open discuss
ion" When these questions are pressed
on the fraternities, they will say" You
should judge of these mysteries and the
knowledge communicated by those to
whom they are committed. The varied
secret societies embrace i'll their member.
stnp seine Of the wisest and best meu OF
our land. The minister Of the Gospel and
the statesman, the lawyer and the pny>i-
clan, the artizan and the man ol science,
are all embraced within their member.
ship; and these should be sufficient
pledge and guarantee Of lis purity. 1t
embraces the fathers, and Sous, aud more
recently the mothers, and daughters. -
But reply OF this kind does not remove
the doubt, does not satisfactorily answer
,ne luvatljh, but creates new doubts, and
presses home new questions no easier t.
he answered than the first and even more
perplcXing. If because that secret socie-
ties embrace in their memberships minis.
ters of tue Gospel, of well known piety
and purity of life, is an evidence that
there is nothing injurious or improper in
them, then there comes the question:
What is the character OF that information
that he cannot impart to his people? II,
has probably spent years in storing hi,
mind with useful knowledge. gathering
information that shall tit him for his work
The literature Of Greece and OF Rome
have yielded their tribute; the sacred
volume of Gods word has been studied
in the languages in which those truth,
were first pcnned; from these varied
treasures Of knowledge he is permitted to
bring forth things new aud old for the in.
struction and editication of his people,
7 From all these sources he is permitted to
draw argument and instruction for the
moral improvement and eternal salvation
Of those to whom he is permitted tc
preach the word of life. But that mystic
lore, handed down through mystic symbo
aud tradition, protesting to be Of great
moral power, embracing great mora
principles, these he may not utter, save in
the traditional way in which he has re.
ceived them. Are these principles more
ancient than Gods moral lawy Are they
more nure than His rpvaalul vpor,lp 80,