Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-30

Wsoxa. Christian brethren, who
have not been ,nedifed BY Masonic teach
inks, occasionally object to Israslites being
received into our fraternity.
D'Israeli most appropriately rebuked this
intolerance when asked, why, when one
half OF Europe worships jew (Chriss) and
the other half Jewess (ths Virgin Mary,
the worshipers are to be accounted nobler
than the worshipsd:'
Sidonia, in 7ancred, repeated the rebuks
when he said: The Church Of Rome,
which says ii shall last forever, and which
converted this island to the faith OF Moses
aud Of Christ, vAnquishing the Druids,
Jupiter, Olympus. and Wooden, who had
SUCCESSFULLY invaded il, was founded by .
native Hebrsw."-Nationa Freemsson.
TIE WORD OF A MAsoN.-Ths word Of .
Mason ought in reason to DC ofss much val
ne as his bond, and for that reason ought
to be seldom pledged, and never lightly
Ii was never intended that the privileges Of
the craft and the mutual confidence engsn-
dered BY the mystic tic should be degraded
into matters Of merchandise or used 20 give
sanction to business contracts. The prinei-
pies and inculcations Of Masonry arc 20 be
ever present with W, and should regulate
our conduct in the world ~ in the Lodge,
but their influence should be made manifest
in the rsctitude Of cur lives rather than in
special pledges given and uuhesitatingly
broken. In other words, Mason should 80
sxsmplfy tho institution in his daily walk
and conversation that his brethren would
need no gilded token upon his coat lapel
to recognize him IS craftsman, nor de-
mand the pledge Of his word for . email
loan. We are happy in believing that, -
general principle, there 10 sufficient elevation
in the tone OF Masonic mind to prevent men
from mingling Masonic sanctions with pro-
fame transactions; but, We know from long and
even very recent experience that there is q
class Of men who unscrupulously ask you
to lend them ten dollars, and quite as freely
pledge the word Of Masonry for its repay
nant on Thursday, which particular dav
Of the week never arrives, leaving you with
nothing to show for your money but pro
tested bond wor, HESS than the muscular
effort required for its creation. Hence.
forth W are determined to taboo the gents
who 20 glibly offer to pledge the word Of .
Mason, and 70 act upon principle that .
man who offers Il % security has already
lost those attributes Of which il 10 the sum,
and regard him % enc who seeks 10 obtain
value under false prstsnsss. We cannot
better conclude this article than by quot
ing from the report Of Bro. W. +. Sanders.
Chairman Of the Committee on Foreign
Correspondents Of the Grand Lodge Of
Montana, the following pithy remarks on
the same subject:
"Ons other subject, TO, il may b safely
asserted, has become the great and growing
evil Of oil our mountain country. Upon oil
occasions, and in the most insignificant and
trifling matters, members are found plsdg-
ing their word ~ Masons.
1.-The word cfa Mason is not stock in trade.
The confidence il secures from the cfaft 10
not rsposed that profit may Be mads-it 10
not 90 much capital on which to do bust
ness IS often ~ enc can on the principle Of
''quick sales and small profits" Not every
cuIprit caught in fagrsnts. dslicts should b
permitted: upon his sacred word to assert
his innocence.
"Ths promise Of brother ought not to
b. the oft taken mortgage for the security Of
debts, or the performance Of contracts be
has undertaken. There has always seemed
S0motnIu8 pIOtauO III thtS PtsCliC0 ~
very frequent-of mixing things sacred
with tribes light - air. Az - result, We
are panied to know that such security has
failed, and the word Of Mason to his BROTH
Or, promise never to be broken, is esteem
cd more lightly. Its familiar use nscsssari.
y breeds : disregard Of its solemnitv. A
thing so sacred mixed into the trifes Of
earth exhibits . wonderful confusion Of
ideas As TO the propristies of life and the
character Of Masons.
"How is this habit to be remsdied. 1t 10
too evident that it will never be voluntarily
abandoned by those who have become habit
uated to its use, whose greed ovsrrid .
their love for the institutions of Masonry,
or whose blunted ssnsibilitiss do not permit
them TO view it as a wanton violation Of the
prophecies of the fraternity. The better
brothers to whom it is thus proffered, be-
fore whom it 10 hawked about by these Ma
sonic bucks srs, ought to meet i, with the
severest condemnation. In no other way
may We hope to eradicate the evil. y NJ
tional Freemason.