The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-11-03
!" WHAT ARE MAsoNIc cRIMEs,.

Extract from the address of Grand
Master John Fl. Brown, before the Ma
sonic Grand Lodge of Kansas:
HThe question has probably caused
more discussion than any other that has
agitated the Masonic mind. am sorry
to record the fact that there is Q grow
ing tendency in many quarters to class
ify crimes and arrange offeDses, to suit
particular cases, or to crafty. personal
pique. Given in q particular case, and the
requisite amount of prejudice and law
will be found and SO construed that in
nocence, or inadvcrtence will be visited
with the punishment due only to the
basest crime. However, this question
was answered long since, andlwell, teo,
by one of the best learned and ost en-
inent writers OH Masonic Jurisprudence.
DIR. Maekey says: "Every offence is q
crime, because in every violation of q
Masonic law, there is not only some
an individual, but always superinduced
upon this q breach and violation of pub
lie duties, which affects the whole COM
munity," and let me add, our order in
an especial manner.
When brother embarks in an enter
prise immoral, and prohibited by the
laws of his country, he knows-he can
not help knowing-that he is guilty of
crime, and amenable to. those laws. To
plead ignorance is but to proclaim his
own laziness or imbecility. Besides,
such plea is neither valid in the courts
of the country, nor before the alter of
his lodge. Since poverty is not a crime,
II should not be offered as an excuse for
the commission of crime. To maintain
ones family requires no personal deg
mn Sfxr-4
to vice, and excuse for vicious conduct,
which looks to any of these for support,
is alike false in fact and insulting to the
common sense of mankind. In land
like ours, where the avenues open to
honest industry are numbeFless, no man
need to stoop to base vocation to get
a decent livelihood, and no Mason,
though reduced to the last shreds and
standing at the lowest ebb, will go down
from his high calling to wallow in
wickedness, to handle the unhallowed,
or belle his profession. No, he will
stand fast and t1rmly by the teachings
of his order, and everywhere by his
every act illustrate their principles.
This being indisputable, what shall we
say, or even think, of the master of q
lodge who not only drinks to intoxica.
ton, but plays games of chance, and
thus undermines health, Injuries his own
good name, and damages the good name
of Freemasonry? But his example
ends not here the younger and less ex-
perienced brethren of his lodge are liza
Bile to be affected by his course, and no
marvel should it be deemed, if critical
community, pointing to such g lodge,
shonld say, Cleanse thine own courts,
purify thine own alters" .t
One who said he had for years been
q working Mason, declared that he had
never heard mans right to get intoxi-
Gated, or even to gamble, questioned,
were he so disposed nor did he know
of any law or rule forbidding him thus
to do; at least he did not regard one,
though grossly and openly intoxicated
q hundred times, liable to Masonic dis
cipline. Shall we say such brother
if he deserves the name-has been bad
Iy, wretchedly instructed? Or rather
shall we not say that he has yet to learn
and practice the elements of Masonry?
Let me say, and in all sincerity, that no
thoroughly instructed Mason will fos-
ter such sentiments, or cherish such
opinions for they are not only radical
ly opposed to the teachings of to-day,
but in direct conflict with all the in
structions of Ancient Craft Masonry"