The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-04-05
SECRET SOCIETIES.

/ f..
presumption that they are such, much
prejudice and i'll will has been excited aud
tostered agsinst these useful and benev-
oieut institutions in the minds of the fear
full and ignorant. It may seem useless,
il not impOlitic, at this late day. to con-
test the ProPriety Of an speculation so
generally and so long applied; but as we
are in favor of calling things by their
right names" only, we would ask for such
a strict definition and explanation of the
term, as would coD6ne its application to
where, only, it belongs; or. if that is de-
MED, let 1t be more extensively applied
than it yet has been, as consistency re-
quires. By so doing Cor, at least, BY
showing how this may be done with per-
feet propriety. and should be done in
strict justice, We may remove blind
that has too long been use1 10 hood wink
the prejudiced and uniformed among
our opPO es.
WHAT is the strict and proper meaning
of the term, "secTet sOciety?' what are
the ideas conveyed in the words, TO an IN
sophisticated mind? Evidently, a society
which is secret. One whose very exist |
ence Is attempted TO be coucealed-whose
officers and members are unknown
whose organization. principles, objects. |
and measures are yelled in mystery, and |
their operations concealed from public |
contingencies proceedings, and times
and places of meeting are known only to
its secret mi iates. Is not This definition !
in whole Tor in great part, at Ieast) strict !
ly correct?
Well, let Us inquire whether our lodges
are secret socieuies--or whether our Or |
der as whole, is a secret Order. The !
Society Is not secret for not only is mol
attempt made to conceal it's existence, but
great pains are taken by our members in
dividually and collectively, to bring the
public TO an acquaintance with it. The
names Of our officers, from the subordi-
nate lodge and encampmeut, up to the
Safe and National organic atoms, are pub
lished from time to time in our own aud
other periodicals.; and our members gen.
orally are known to be such, in the places
where they live. even to the children in
| the streets. Our form of organization
and government, from its rise in this coun-
try down to tie present time, aud in all
its numerous rsmi6cations, have been re-
peatedly spread before the public, and
may be ascertained at any time, BIZ those
disposed to inquire of our books, period
icAls, and well informed members. Few
associations Of any kind have labored
more earnestly and constantly than we
have done, to make known the great prin
ciples and general objects and measures
of our Order, and to describe their main
operations fully and clearly. Iodeed, it
is Notifying to US, that our labors In this
respect have not been more extensively
! ettectusl-that so much ignorance gel
exists in regard to our Order, its princi-
pies and objects. And then IN regard to
our times and places of meeting, our fire.
queRuy published directories furnish all
the information; and in every village, the
place and time of the lodge meeting is al
ways generally known. Of our proceed
jngs, every thing except what relates TO
our mere forms and ceremonies, our modes
of recognition, and the character and bus
iness of individuals as private persons, is
freely spoken of By our members, and the
/ procee 1ings Of our State and National
Lodges and Eucampments are usually
published in books, pamphlets and peri
odicals accessible to all who desire to know
what We do. --- -... ts.-.-
We have thus gone through every item
of our definition (even at the expense Of
being tedious to every Old Fellow and
have shown that in no particular or fea4
Lure are We justly chargeable with being
a "secrel society" Il is a perfect mis-
homer. There is not 3 society in the
world that is less obnoxious to the charge
than Odd Fellowship. a- -fz -a,a
But ia despite of this plain and undeni-
ably common sense view of the subject,
there are those who will insist on il, that
We are a secret society, because zoe hare
secrets which concern no one but ourselves,
except in the way of mere morbid eurios-
ity; and into which the pnbGc have no
more right to inquire, than they have to
insist on knowing a merchants private
mark on his goods, or a banks secret
mark on its notes, or 10 pry into family 8
dinner pct, or a man 8 market basket
Well, suppose we admit this application
of the term to be prJper-that society
having secrets IS ga secret soci4ty''--is it
not also proper TO extend the nTm ''ss-
cret'' 10 other associatiotions? The OBJ
jector has secrets-he conceals his pri-
vate papers aud doings from the public
gazs--he is, therefore, q secret indiVidual
aud dangerous man! His family has
secrets which they will not disclose 10 the
public-is it therefore a secret land, OF
course, dangerous family! His church
ifhe belongs to one, has secrets alec,
and is therefore secret church. His po-
litical club (if be is politician has Sc,
: erets alec, and 10 therefore q secret club
but these secrets" he may reply, ''bs
a long only to himself, bis family, TO biz
church, and to his party, and do not
: therefore eudanger ahe public peace am
Z welfare" So We say Of ours. Tbsy arr
9 Our secrets, and not the Pub.ic's-theI
If are as much private affairs as our objsc
tors secrets are.
v And this brings us, at last, to the prop
II er term for all such associations as eur
! are. We seek PRIVACY not seGTscy.-
q Our lodges are rather private societies
or select associations, than secret ones
Our secrets concern no one bat Odd Eel
!, lows, their widows and orphans, and re
4 fiected spplicanis, and are' therefore
~ strictly as priVsts &c lhe secrets of fam
n lily, social circle. mercantile 6rms o
1a any other association possessing secrets
IL But" it may be said the .'obligstion
Sc of Odd FeaOWsby Which they are boun