Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-04-17
Carp, VS.. .esecrer Societies.

F~ARMINGTON, April 9th, 1861
EDITOR CHRONICLE: 1T seem that my article
in your last but one has touched a tender point
and soured the iraseible temper Of some of our
Good Templars. Mr., Occasional, good morning,
happy TO meet you. in answering your article of
March Is. 81, i hope l shall not so tar lose my
selfrespect and the respect 1 owe to you as a fell
low man, as to stOop to any such slang as VIC find
/ in your article. Neither have l any remarks to
make in reference to your physical ailments
| Your physicians can attend TO that department.
/ do not think however. that you ought to judge
others BY yourself. IfyOu, Mr. Occasional. think
that you can plaster up the eyes ofthe world
or hush agitation on this subject by ribaldry,
you are sadly mistaken. You evidently intend
this, yea more You look with suspicion and
malice on any one who will dare to raise their
puny arm OF rebellion against your darling in
fare to wage sgaint you as an lndIVlduals Jun
less you make personal remarks), nor against
any person belonging to your order. l believe
in freedom Of thought. and L shall. If L choose.
take the liberty to enjoy my opinion. no matter
how much you may be disposed to spit your ven
ON. There is a principle lyiuE at the founda-
ton Of your cherished institution dangerous
in It's tendencies, and hurtfuli in its consequences.
The defenders Of sidUeryhated agitation. and in
common " It'll you hated the agitators. and they
hated them so much that they Jung many OF
nv friend, their souls are marching on" and
the principlesfOr which they died still live. Oc-
~casional says that a friend suggests. If Carl
had been invited TO become a charter member
of the Order here, or perhaps ifsome one would
now volunteer to pay his initiation fee. his scru-
pies about Secret Societies would vanish In thin
air" Worthy Occasional, lido not know what
kind of friends you have. but if this is a speci-
men l am very sorry for you. for certainly no
gentlemen or lady of truth and honor would
mske such q statement, especially While In lg-
noranee Of whom they spake. Furthermore,
worthy Occasional. it is neither gentlemanly or
just in pos 10 quote such suggestions. In refer
enee to this matter, Mr.. Occasional. have new
er thought 1t worth while to inquire what your
initiation fee is or whether you have one, but
sir all the wortbiness ofyOur official dignity be
you worthy sentinel or worthy Chief, with the
addition of your worldly possessions. would not
induce me to join a society like yours. which
loves darkness rather than light" Occasional
says churches arc secret societies If be makes
thisststementm Ignorance l beg OF hun 10 IN
form himself, That the Christian Church is Sc
cretsociety in any such a sense as is the Good
TemplaTs. is not true There are churches In
our lsBd which viii no more admit a member of
a secret order into then fellowship. than they
would the drunksrd whom you pretend to re-
claim. Allow me to quote the following from the
publications ofthe Western and Book So
ciety OF Cincinnati. These Orders impede the
cause and kingdom of God, aud are therefore
hostile TO the largest, best and anddeepest inter
ests of mankind Recognizing this. Churches, |
Conferences. Associations ynOds and many en-
ineptly godly men living and dead. have put
forth their solemn estimOny against them
Great law ers like Denter, great patriots and
statesmen ike Adams, Webster AID Everett
great communities like the American people
rom 1S26-lSS0. have uuited to declare them
not only WrOngin their very prInclples but ru
fnous 10 mankind" Occasional says that zone
of Chirst's first acts in entering upon his minis
try was 20 form a secret society Of twelve" A
without proof Is a dogma, and this is 4
a specimen. When Chist was Oh trial before the
High Priest, IN reference 10 his aoctrine, he pos
denies any such secrecy. Mr. OCCASION
al wonders whether / would dispense with rail
roads because they collide. oPWith ire because /
it DESTROYS property. HOWchildlsh. My secret
can you not see the difference between
the tHOf These ar G a necessity in our age of pro
gress; your societies are not. These domore good
than harm while your societies do more harm
good. Railroad companies do an open day
light business. while the thousands of money
that 20 into sour societies is IN a measure unac-
counted for. Again Occasional wonder Wheth-
er the tens of thOus nc who are members of Sc
cret orders (amOng them clergymen, church /
members and business mem have all been mis-
taken. Task VOE whether the tens Of Thousands
OF siayerylamong whom were cler-
yymen, church members and business mem !
v ere right, or were they mistaken? Butter your
bread with that and see how it goes down
Ii. friend Occasional, Faith, Hope ami Charity
mas been a resident Of this town as long as lhave
be will remember a very active clergyman who
mas since ms removal from here, spent a
.er N IN thspenitenuary. Even elergymen may
be mistaken.
AGAIN Mr., Occasional seems to think that ev-
cry family is OF ought to be a secret society
now, worthy Occasional, were you living in
New York City. and 1t were known that your
amily was enVlrOned by secrecy as your Society (
s, adelegale from the 10 Metropolitan Police would
1e among your first callers, for suspicion would
asten upon such q family at Unce. Once more.
Faith, Hope and Charity, you are gai-
y floating dOWR the crystal waters OF the river
# life, Ok you remember of reading in Holy
Hrit. ofthaI class Of persons who spread them
elves like a green bay treeI Read ana mediate
again, the righteous foreseeth evil and hideth
himself, but the foolish pass and are punished.
Now dear OccasioQai. Faith Hope and Charity,
have done for the present with the addition Of
quotauonf from Turtulian, Truth fears moth
ng but c0~ReedtneEt. CAhLL