Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-03-12
Fresnasonry.

A petition from ceuaip citiEens Of Ohio.
was presented to tho Senate Of the United
stssa the Ia'terpar, q las. month, praying
oo"sTess to rsfhse charters to anv .eere,
associations: aud to repeal The law under
which .es Masonic Hall Association Of he
O'''Jpsof Columbia obtained its charter.
abs petitioners based their hostility to
we aac'eot institution Of Freemo sop'rs on
several serious charges, which, ifwsll found
ed. would have fully justified their action
Our duty ss public jOurnalfsts. leads US to
examine these charges, as The organization
thus s.ssailsd extends oyef all the world, and
e!4;ns 10 have been established With the
praisswor.hy object Of inculca,ing the prac
lice Of social and moral virtue. a.. 80.
A careful study Of its history has con-
vincsd US that it is, what it processes to BE-
a beautiful ,system Of morality. Yelled il
sllegory and illustrated by symbols. There
srs no secrets as to it's principles and OBJ
jscls. -" h'H.,.i.
The first Of the charges referred to, i.
that "n'osonic associa hions are dangerous
to republican, ge1ernmtHts.' Nothing can
be more untrue tkah.lhis.. -.
Monarchy is a. hereditary. Freeuasonry
an elective institution. In the one the
,severeign, plaiming tc.rule.b by ahisherited
right divine. is'regarded as the fountain o
all honor and spower, in tho other, the peo-
Ple;are acknowledged to be the only source
Sf controls SO" -
All offices in the masonic fraternity, being
in the gift of the craft; government ia strict.
elective. aud, consequently, republican in its
form and characteE. 49,.
Freemasonry dangerous to Republican
institutions J.: It might as we'll lie asserted
that knowledge was dangerous TO Freedom.
The true model Of ell-ordered republic
isa just and duly constituted masonic lodge.
Our own great Washington, the memory
OF whose virtues, Salor, and patriotism will
remain forever eushriHed in the hearts OF
his countfymen, was one of the greatest
6fnathehts of'the fraternity. Identified, .s
he was, with the institution. If it had been
autagonistic III It's principles or practice to
republican, government; would he have con-
tented himself witha a presidential chair
when he might bayo mounted royal
throne p, * -: II !. - :: Il
The wiseacres of Ohio, whose minds it
may be'impossible To irradiale with the
light Of truth, also assert, that for h long
time. snssonie societies have directed their
efforts, id this country, towards the support
OF slavery and the inception of rebellion in
its behalf. In reply to this, suffice to say
that every mason rs strictly enjoiued "to
be peaceful and quiet citizen, true to his
gorernnsent and just to his eouats,e;; no,
to ecuuteuauee di.loyslty or rsGslliou, bu,
patiently to snPmit 70 legal authority, and
conform With sbssrfulness, to:,he govern
inens of the country in. which he lives
The charge Of iuoi.ihg to rebellion. do. is.
therefors. :'as false as that of "perverring
The nation, and forbiddihg to- give tribute
10 Cesar" which was brought against the
founder Of Christianity.
Who does not know that the essential
ehafacteristic of Maeonry, when not per-
versed;;is charity, Ind that Rrotherly loue.
Relief and Truth, are the corner stones of
tae Masonic Temple? How then can tba.
Tea pro,slavery institution, which teaches
its members to aid in the erection of that
universal and"etsrnal temple; which will
one day; enclose ate humanity within its
precincts 7"r'' " -. -. -
Tile petitioners say that Freemasons are
"bound by barbasous oaths repuguant to
Law, human apd divine." ..t@
This is another infamous falsehood. The
solemn obligations which niasons voluuta-
Tify assume have been entered into by some
Or the widest and most !irtuohs men Of all
ages and countries since the days Of King
Solomon. Would they have bound them-
selsesty "barbarous; and ualawfuf oalGs r.
Again, it Is charged BY the petitioners
that ths ygutH Of sbe country are taesht in
nasso6ic lodges @ihe perhiolous practices 81
conspiracy" and that these institutions,
through the use of vague signs and sym-
bols,;' insiduous'y calculated to deceive,
"habituate the young and innocent 10 the
ways of 'duplioity and Generalization. !"
The allusion tothe young and innocent is
easily disposed Of as no one not Of za,sful
agc can be mads o mason. r. "
As 10 the rest; ws'have the best authori
ty for stating that a desire of knowledge
and a sincere wish Of being seryfceable to
his fellow creatures is ,het"open sesame"
for every man to every masonic lodge .ou
tbe face Of the globe, andit any evil thing
be disconnteuapead BY, Fteeraaaoniy, more
than another, a'fs disloyaAy,. or conspiracy
against. iassal government. Iia sign. and
symbols, Constitute a univsrdai languages
s'nderstood BY all Masons. True. they are
secret and sideviolable. Tbia. however. i. a
tnanifatF necessity, for &ers {. o.bersfse,
how could oas mason kuos japoth hs$.wi,h
whom be- vas 5pies;onsly uinnasqdainsed,
With certainty: The signs and symbols
ase only vfgue to'tbe rninitiated. bit! 10