The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-05-12
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L can expose the workings of an Order
unknown to the uninitiated, and such
an one knows not to what he is OBJ
ijecting. But there are some, objec-
tioas which demand a passing consid-
GRAFTON. --i-' al
s"There is an objection against the
antiquity of Secret Societies." the OBJ
Ijectors saying "They, had no exis-
tence among Gods ancient People
! (the Jews.
i In answering such / simply state
the most brilliant exemplar of the
most ancient Secret Society; (fotnded
upon principles of morality,) organiz-
ed for improvement in the arts and
sciences, and as defense against the
enemies of God, was by God himself
declared "The .wisest among his an
cient People" a. -s
: Yea the exemplar of Secret Soci-
Eety with signs, passwords, and all the
appurtenances of a lawfully constitut-
ed Lodge of,any,Secret Society of our
own times. ...,.--,, -, =t-.,. .
| That such are not entirely heathen-
ish in origin will further appear from.
the fact OF there being found in the
entire work of some such only words
which are. of the f.H Hebrew,Language,
as spoken alone by Gods ancient
People before the Baby lonish captivity.
q. 1t is objected, "Though Holy
Script ures are against such, and quo
tations are made in support of the
same. .- r... .-s.f..-.-s
I An examination of all these, would
be a theme Of more than ordinary in
terest But 1 must content myself
with noticing but few after--the state
ment of this fact, viz: The Scrip
lures nowhere condemn, but inVaria-
bly, sustain the teachings of such soci-
/ eties as Free Masonry "Odd Fellow
ship" Sons of Temperance" "Good
Templars,"L &c. ...s..- ..,.,,.,-,.--.. 9
l now examine some of their lead
ling quotations, Isai 2eI5. Woe un=
to them tt1atlseek to hide their coun-
sci from the Lord and they. say :;
| Who seeth us? and who knoweth us ?
| (Secret Societies by Macdill p. 16.)
In reference to this, ] need only to
say, that SO far as being true when
applied to Odd Fellowship or F. NJ,
is it that as every one can know by a
perusal of the manuals of the same,
that there is no. meeting without a
public acknowledgement of the pres
ence of God and the desire for his ap-
probation expressed. Another quota
ton used as the foundation of the
work from which the other was taken,
you find in PauPs Letter to the Eph.
s., IL, II, And have no pleasure with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reproYe them. ..-..-..
For it is a shame, even to speak of
those things which are done of them
in secret (; hAa. i4.'tN i- .-'4-''- d
That this: quotation could not (by
the Apostle), have been applied, nor
cannot be applied, to such Secret So
cieties, as we to-day represent, is evil
dent to every thinking man alta glance.
l.. These were ''untruitful works of
darkness while that we today repre-
sent is a fruitful work of light, as we
will show you.
2. They were works to which I'M
| initiated were admitted, thence the
saying: s'Speak of those things which
are done of them in secret"
Before this can sever the cause of
our objector he is under an obligation
to show Odd Fellowship to be an
/ ''unfruitful work of darkness" and
that "those things done of them in
secret" are known to the uninitiated.
Thus we wrest from them these quo
tations, and in SO doing lay founda-
ton upon which to take every other
one they may have made, and again
Estate. ''The Scriptures nowhere con-
|, denim but uniformly sustain the same.'
| A. Another objection arises from
the secrecy of the same :;i}i!lr ii
l. Above. we saw the author of such
an objection ,corl oding all for (which
we contend. Now he furnishes an il
lustration in these words. ga family
may properly keep some things Sc
I cret" (liacdai, p.;i 91.-. -s;d s,''a ~
Here is a concession of all we con-
tend for in Odd Fellowship; p. .s.-
5. Another objection arises from
the institutions of "Grips, Signs Pass
words, &c, the objector stating such
to be of Heather origin. It would
indeed be a pleasant task to trace,
such modes of conveying IDEAS, by in
dividuals occupying responsible posi-
tons in life. But I Will content my
self in answering briefly, that part OF
the objection alleging such to be strict
ly. of Heather Origin, and practice.
l go to the history of the Jews. and ]
find that among them was an Order,
having all these, from whence l con-
clide such to have been under the
Divine sanction. An illustration is
afforded in Judges, 1861 Here then
We perceive our objector arraying'him-
( self against Infinite Wisdom
But. will he admit the propriety OF
the same then I? Then he admits all
for which we contend, and his otjec-
: ton becomes valueless, himself being
judge
,, 5. Another objection presents itself
against their ''Oaths and Promises
How does an objector know of the ex-
istenee of any such9 But admitting
/. there to be in some Secret Societies,
"Oaths and Promises" these are strict
I Iy voluntary upon the part of the can
didate I say admitting this to be true
of some Secret Societies, / cannot say
4 true of Odd Fellowship, wherein is
/ there anything Objectionable Herewith
, connected
a God himself, man in his intercourse
| with his fel owman has ever acted up
II n,, such a principle, and why not ad.