The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1865-03-21

4H = ffAaattHIt aA Ftat @t|at att'As+ ~ ttttht
makes o. MasoBs The prolane swear.
er wrongs his brother ! suffer ia
my good name and 10 nay influence as
a man, a Christian sal a preacher, ou
account Of oalbs uttered by brolher
Masous. aud nor ! alone, but SO also,
10 greater or less extent, docs every
other brother Masonry Is tho. made
a rcfruaca, and this reproagh falls
upon It's members ! have right o
demand Of every brother, from the
youngest Entered Apprentice TO tie
w. Nj. in the East. thal he cease
from ali profanity; a right 10 demand
it, not only on the ground Of reverence
toward God, and regard for society
in general, but right TO demand II on
the strength Of on, sacred obligation.
No man has right thus to disgrace
Masonry and 50 wrong every brother.
Take my money, if you wiIl--cheat
me in this respect and | will forgive
the dishonesty, for il Is a little thing
Of which you deprive ne; but when
you strike blow At my good name
and influence, you do me a deep wrong
you take from me that which is be.
youd the value Of gold.
The same argument applies to intem-
perance. SAID one who dislikes Ma
sonry and certain member Of this
Lodge in about equal degrees, "rhe
difficulty with him is,that be is in with
all these drunken Masons.' Said
lady Of intelligence and refinement in
neighboring town to a clerical broth
er, 'What! you a Mason!' adding
Immediately, "Well, | don't know any
thing about Masonry itself, but the
Masons here are a drunken SET
Since that time one, at least, has been
expelled from the Lodge in that town.
II, in that neighboring Lodge, there
are a drunken set oil men, il was but
natural that pure and noble lady
should be surprised to find a minister
Of the Gosrel among such. Ii were
not strange that those who know moth
ing Of our principles and other rules,
should lose confidence in one who
voluntarily associates with such.
/, for one, am willing TO bear all
the reproach which comes through
Masonry as such, but am not willing
to bear the reproach which comes
through the abuse OF Masonry by its
own members. Look at this matter.
/ am travelling with friends who know
me to be Mason, and the letter G
goes winding and staggering through
the car. Ny friend says, "Oh,a broth
er Mason !" Or behind us sits one
bearing the badge Of our Order,
who fills our ears with oaths. My
friend looks around and says, "Ah,
brother Mason !" This staggering
man has no right to that badge, and if
| could remove it ] wonld do 50, and
send it to the Lodge Of which he is
member, with an account OF his unma-
sonic conduct. That profane traveller
has no right TO that badge. Il is a
lalsehood for him TO wear it. He Is
not Mason in his heart, and he acts
not the Mason in his life. This is
what / urge here, that by immoral
conduct the Mason brings reproach
upon our Order, and thus Injuries the
whole brotherhood.
have dwelt upon these two vices
- profanity and intemperance- be-
cause it is by these, | think, that we
suffer most at present, and from these
We are generally in the greatest dan
ger, for they are common, and to
certain extent, fashionable vices.
do not believe t hat any merely
human society can make fairer show
Of virtue, honor and integrity than our
Lodge. i am not ashamed, rather /
am proud, of my associations with Ma
sons. The father Of pure and no
bic boy, if he detects a spot upon his
character, or danger which threat
ems it, is led by his very affection and
honest pride to correct the one fault
he does see, or to warn Of the one
danger which threatens; and in doing
this, he would speak to him plain, ear
est words. From similar motives,
though not a father, but only youn-
ger brother, | have uttered these plain,
earnest words. ! am sure Of this, how
ever, that a due regard for truths ut
tered, will secure Us, as a body,againat
threatening danger, and render US
notler men and better Masons. Hence
in closing, ! again enjoin upon you
the daty Of guarding well the door By
faithful employment Of All the va
ried tests Of character which are com
miiied 10 your hands, giving your
names only 70 those worthy, patiently
and carefully investigating, honestly
and frankly reporting, and proving
faithful at the ballot-bo1. Let it
henceiorlh be, that no man who Is not
in very deed worthy and well qualid-
ed. shall ever there wait the orders Of
tie ". NJ.
And then, my brothers, by pure
and upright lives, By The constant
practice Of every virtue and resistance
Of every vice, especially those dan
gerous ones of irreyerence and intem-
perance, let Us challenge the admira-
lion Of our enemies, or Al least compel
Them 10 silence, and thereby prove
ourselves faithful 10 the noblest part
Of Masonry, and faithful to our obli-
cations 10 God, our fellows, and to
each other.
Thus doing, and hamblY trusting ID