The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-08-10
Uhe Uribune.
A FEW WORDS ON FREEMA-
SONEY.

SONEY.
1t IS not our desire to force the abov
subject upon the readers of this jourua
in fact it would be going beyond gu
province to Go so-we merely wish t.
say few words on the subject, that .ha
now become household word to ev
cry reader of the literature of the day
and as we are led to believe that mason
ry has commanded the most profound
admlration-the most searching investi
CATION; and the most studious thought.
OF the great and good minds Of every age
aud that the mind power, so exerted has
given it an eternal impulse. And from
careful study of it ourselves, we have
become satisfied that when man cans
from the hand of the Great Creator
the impress of divinity was placed upon
his heart-hllIng it with all the tender
emotions that masonry free from any
sectarlanism-pure and unsullied in po-
lltical strlfe-with charity as broad as
the ether surrou nding us-and, infuenc-
ed by none but motives of purity-truth
and faith in an Allwise Being, aims to
bind together the whole human family
with the easily worn and pleasant cords
of fraternal love.
With objects SO glorious-with motives
so pure, and with precepts SO elevating,
the question is often asked why masonry
has been In the past and is yet subjected
60 persecution. In answer, we point to any
or all, of the institutions ever devised by
the mind of the philanthropist, wherein
they pointed out a way whereby the hui
man family might be benefited. Not
withstanding the volcanoes of vitupera-
ton. that its enemies have opened
against it while the church has become
,sectionalized ana riven-while other in
situations have had their morning of
glory, their meridian of splendor and
passed away in their night of death
while empires. Kingdoms, nations, cities
masonry to-day stands pure, untarnished
and unchanged-its charity undated,
Its principles unaltered, and the parity
ot its objects. and its fraterniziug power
is the same yesterday, to-day and forev-
CT. Masonry stands to-day as firm as
ever lin the past" and we have every
convincing reason to believe that to it the
church even owes its preservation through
dark ages Of our own first great light
the Holy Bible
Among the many objections that haze
been made to Masonry, that of it's socie-
ties have existed in every age, and in
every cline. Masonic principles, Ma
sonic objects. Masonic ends are pro
claimed aloud in the world-their bust
ness meetings only are secret. The
church, the theological conventions, from
cur State Offices to the Senate of the
United States, Cabinet and commi ttee
meetings are secret. Even county
caucus, or nominating conV ention are Sc
cret in many or most Of their important
convocations. Every family is or ought
10 be secret society Of the most sacred
character. The minds Of every man wo-
man aud child are to themselves a secret
society Of thought, desire and ambition,
Every man IS sealed book to his neigh
Dor. ~ hat arc ali business partnerships
but secret societies? aud what would a
business man take for partner or en-
~, y
his business secrets2 Even Christ and
has Disciples on the eye Of every eight
day closed the door on intruders and ca
vesdropers.
Another objection is that Masons hay e
secret signs and pass words. This SIM
ply shows the total absence of rehectio n
in the objector, for secret signs enter in
to every relation Of iife Who has not
given the sly wink, the sneer, the mo-
ton, to others, only intended for the
persons so addressed Where would be
our national indie pendence but for secret
passwords and countersigns? BY the
use Of signs and words thousan us have
oSCh 9oNCo tiOtti uCath, anu VIC liuSt Dy
Masonic signs and words unborn millions
may yet be rescued.
Other objections are, oaths and penal
ties, exclusive charities, political corrup
ton and danger to the government, ba
members, exclusion of females, &c A
t',ese objections could be answered al
length, as easily as the foregoing, ant
the ignorance of Masonic institutions il
the one great bug bear to and in those
who make them.
Masonry teaches both the existence
and worship of a Supreme Being, the
resurrection of the body aud the immor
tality of the soul; it institutes no liturgy,
but recognizes revealed religion anc
leaves mankind to determine each fo
himself his duty to God, his fellowmal
and himself as revealed in the Holy 81
BILE, to warn from peril and guide u
through the rolling ages to a rest beyon,
the skies, eternal III the heavens
We now leave the readers to dra'
such conclusions as they deem best, ask
ing only that they do so without preju
dice, frankly ami heartily" SO mote
be-
ECHO ANSW ERS.