The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-07-01
SENATOR POMER0Y ON MASONRY

Il
The Chicago Tribune of June 9th publishes
the speech made by Senator Pomeroy, of Kan
sas, in the recent National Christian Anti-Se.
cret Society Convention, held in that city,
which we copy as follows:
Senator POmeroy was called for and took the
platform. This was the first meeting of the
KIND he ever attended For many years he
had been opposed to secret organizations
Applause. He could not be accused of being
iaise to pledges or having betrayed secrets, for
no never belonged to any order. Secret sOcie-
Ties are opposed to American institutions (Ap-
plause. All secret societies are doing some
thing which they are trying to cover up, and
that was enough tor him. They are all of the
same paternity. He proposed to slaughter the
kings of secret societies, such as Masonry and
Odd Fellowship. He heard Union General
say the other day, that he escaped from rebel
prison because he was Mason, and 80 was
his guard.
When eleven years old he signed the pledge
and kept it ever since. Total abstinence from
drink and secret societies are the only safety
The question Is if this country will tolerate any
oath-bound orders that will interfere with JUS
tlce or the execution of the rights of citizens
They are dangerous to liberty and to law the
offspring of monarchy and desp0tisn, and
should not be allowed in a republic where all
citizens are equal. He said that citizen of
jacksonville told him that Robinson would not
be convicted of the murder of Mcconnell be-
cause he was Free Mason The speaker
contended that these organizations were an-
tagonstc to the country, and had no Christ.
They have taken away the Lord, and we
know not where they have laid him" He did
not see how ministers could leave their congre-
cations and go into lodges. Applause; and a
voice, " How can they do it7"1 He regarded
man going into II lodge as turning his back on
Christ He wanted the convention to take
high and clear ground. [Cries of "Amen."l
4 voice u want TO ask the Senator which
is the Oldest, Masonry or Christianity 7"
Senator Pomeroy SAID he could not answer
the question, no more than the man who was
asked who pastured Nebuchadnezzar when he
was turned out 10 grass. Laughter. 1t was
said that secrecy had acquitted Andrew John
son The courts have become q mockery, and
justice will become a by-word IN the streets of
the city. II men are acquitted because they be-
long 10 lodges
A gentleman said Masonry and Christianity
existed about the same time, for forty men
bound themselves by an oath not 10 eat bread
and drink wine until they had Killed Christ.
Another gentleman said, iacctlously, that,
perhaps. Masonry was older than Christianity,
because Christ said " all that come before Him
were thieves and robbers" Laughter
The speaker went on Ia read what proiessed
10 be- Masonic secrets and oaths lie said that
he quoted from a Masonic manual. The cita.
tions were arranged together. and the speaker
asserted that they proved that treason in
Mason was not regarded as crime by brother
Masons. He said the Southern Masons had
left their Northern brethren and gone into the
rebellion, and before the smoke of war had
cleared away. the Northern Masons extended
the olive branch OF peace 10 the Southern Ma
sons, although they were rebels. The deepest,
most damnlng treason that ever cursed ma
tlon was not received as a crime. Davis, Lee,
or Breckenridge would be- received in any Ner-
thern lodge as brother Mason He under
stood that pamphlet had been published in
this city by a man who had made pilgrimage
to the Holy Land to get Masonic relics, blam-
ing Northern Masons because, in battle they
refused to recognize the grand haiGng sign of
distress in the day Of battle. [Cries of shame.
Mr.. johnson was invited, when he was a trait
ar, to make speech over the cornerstone of
the Masonic Temple of Boston, and the consc-
I"'"NS WOO t""e "io P''SFS1ti'C
was postponed When his trial really came on
he was acquitted. and Senator Ross, OF his
own State, voted for his acquttal 1t was re-
that exactly the number of men nee
essary to acquit johnson were found He did
not directly accuse Masonry Of this, but these
were remarkable facts. He did, however,
charge Free Masonry with the acquittal of JEFF
ferson Davis, and he runs at large to-day be-
cause he was a high Mason. He said the Kan
sas Border Rufians, the Knights of the Golden
Circle, and the Ku-Klux klan were Masons
He charged Masonry with the skeptcsm of
France and modern Deism. He believed it
tended to universal Deism and universal anar-
chy. He did not know how ministers of the
Gospel could sanction Masonry, any more than
he could tell how they attended abomnable
theatres. He hoped, however, that all Masons
would be rescued, not only from the lodge, but
from everlasting wrath and dannation.
A vote of thanks was passed to Senator
Pomeroy, and the benedction was pronounced
BEECHER on RELIGION.-A New York pa
per of late date says: