The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-08-06

daylight; for the torch of tbs
stake and the AK OF tie royA exc
| cutioner would have silenced them
but TOO quickly and too unhesi-
tatingly- Hence, with wise pa
tience and patient wisdom they
awaited the dawn Of better times,
but steadily increased their num-
bers, the number of the workmen
engaged in the erection of the
temple Of free humanity; copfid-
ing their truth and principles.
however, but to those who proved
themselves to be prepared for the
reception into the band of natures
noblemen.
But this importance is lost to all
these associations, since the De-
claratiou OF Independence has pro-
claimed the truth, "that every man
is entitled to life, liberty and hap
piness ;" since civil and religious
liberty and equality have become
the guiding principles Of the civil-
ized world. What they thought
and taught secretly has become
the common property of mankind;
lives in the heart Of every liberal
minded man; is the spring of &C.
ton in every well-governed Com
monwealth.
If Rome and the Convention
want to throw their anathe,nas and
issue their accommodations
against somebody, they must no
longer aim at these secret socie-
ties, bat at the modern State and
it's modern institutions Rome,
with her usual consistency, has
done it. She has mathematical
the whole world. But how Ameri-
cans, raised on the free air of this
God-blessed country, reared under
our Constitution and our free in
stitutions, can indulge in such q
phantom, surpasses at least my
humble conception. It is not only
an anomaly, but ludicrous folly
an indescribable disgrace.
For in what kind of work are
these secret societies now engag-
ed ? Are they perhaps teaching
Atheism 2 Are they promul eating
irreverence to religion? Come
with me into one Of their halls.
There, in Respondent letters, the
name Of God will welcome you.
They open their meeting with
prayers and hymns, which are
unexceptional in any church. At
the initiation of q new member,
they tell him that their institutions
do not interfere, in the least, with
his peculiar denominational creed.
But instead of keeping up the
theological feuds and discussions,
they here invoke God as the Arch
iteot and the Creator of the Uni
verse, and there as the eternal
fountain-head of all love, grace
and mercy. They follow the teach
ings of the Prophet who said
"Have we not all one Father has
not one God created US all why
should we become faithless one to
another by defiling the covenant
Of our fathers? They may indulge
less in theology and sectarian arti-
fee. but they have more of the
good of the true, universal reli-
gion. The Bible adorns their
altar, not less than the pulpit in
any cathedral. But instead Of
openly communicating one an
other. or commiserating and dis
daining one another in bigoted
and pious self-overestimation, they
stand in spite of all these religious
differences, united as band sf
brothers before the throne of the
Most High, and worship Him in
love and humility.
Yes, I ask again, in what kind
of work are these secret societies
engaged? And the answer is: In
love, equality and fraternity. The
rich and the poor, the high and the
low, the prosperous and the unsuc-
cessful meet there on a level, on
common ground. Every one
knows his duties and his rights.
Every one is ready, cheerfully, to
do his duty, and nobody is allowed
to infringe upon his brothers
rights. The rich knows he has to
assist his needy fellow
and the poor has not to blush and
to beg he knows that the help
afforded him Is given with true
brotherly feeling, and, if he Is de-
serving of it, he is entitled to claim
it.
Their work is charity and benev-
olence. Look to the sick, how they
watch over them. how they nurse
and support them. Look at the
numberless widows and orphans,
toward whom they perform the
sacred dptit 8 OF father and mother.
Look at the homeless and friend
less stranger, he gives the sign Of
distress they at once recognize
him as their brother, and without
and vain show, they
are ready to receive. protect and
to help him. Look at their mag.
nificent institutions the charity
offered therein is not tainted with
sectarian and missionary inten-
lions. II is love, universal and
broad as Gods love, that leads aud
inspires them. 1t is h.man. all
Com prie'-o - "1S Si0oSOE VI tu0
universe intended it to be, and not
within denominational
ines and boundaries. Look at
he host of men whom they res
,ued from the drunkard's grave or
he ruin of the gambler and de-
oauchee. by threatening him with
expulsion from the rotherhood,
md promising him every physical
md moral aid. if he promises to
'eform. God, and love, and char
tY and henayolanca In thai.