Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-03-30

that he IS handling, TO the serpen
that is slowly but surely conrum
ling his vitals, destroying his intel
lect, debasing his manhood M
man can indulge in the use Of liq
uor and be safe II be is a moder
ate drinker, as some call it, il onll
takes a little more time; the fang
of the serpent will soon strike home
No man of good sense will say
that the use Of liquor is benefit t.
himself or his family. Then why
use it? Let each and every one O
Jus who have the interest Of Mason
Try at heart raise our warning voice
against this foul monster, the de.
mon intemperance, who is destroy.
ling its victims by thousands daily,
How many of our brethren, other
wise noble, brave and generous are
slowly but surely Fastening on to
obstruction by the aid Of this most
deadly poison! Brethren, you who
Indulge 10 the use Of it, pause for a
moment, reflect on what you are
doing, ask yourself if the course
you are pursuing will make you
happy, will it reflect credit upon the
Institution, will it make your friends
and family happy to know that one
they love so dearly is fastening
slowly but surely to drunkard's
grave. This may, to some of our
brethren, seem a little too plain
and strong language to use, but dis
ease requires a prompt and sure
remedy; no other will restore the
patient to health, And the Masters
of the several Lodges in our juris-
diction are hereby ordered to en-
force this edict of the Grand Lodge
to the letter, against every offend
ing brother who is guilty of intem-
perance, profanity or any immoral
or licentious habits. The indul.
gence of those vices not only
tends to bring disgrace and dishon-
or upon the guilty and offending
brother, but it casts stain upon
him and he becomes cancer on
the body of Masonry, and it can
only be removed by his immediate
reformation or expulsion from the
fraternity. One or the other must
be done. 1t will not make any diff
ference how high or how low
a position the brother may occupy
in community Of our Order. If
guilty of violating the moral law,
which is the very element and sup
port of our institution, he must
suffer the penalty. Every Master
and member of our Order in this
State will be held to a strict ac-
count in the enforcement of this
edict. If it should strike from the
rolls of the several Lodges one.
third or even half of its member
ship who will not conform to the
law, let it be done, We are making
too many members and too few
Masons. Let every Master and
member do their duty in this. /
assure you will not hesitate to do
my part of the work in enforcing
this law, even to arresting the
charter Of any Lodge in the State
that fails to enforce this rule
against every offending brother,and
the suspension of the Master OF any
of the several Lodges who fails to
comply with or to enforce this
edict. The time has arrived that
requires immediate and prompt ac-
ton by all good Masons to arrest
and stop those vices. 1t is hereby
ordered that this circular be fire.
quently read in the several Lodges
in this State, that none may plead
ignorance of it, The raw is plain
and clear; but one course to per-
suse if the guilty will not immedi-
ately reform; it is the Masters du-
ty to appoint a committee to prefer
charges and expel, for unmasonic
conduct, all who will not conform
to the law, to the end that the hon
or qn' reputation Of our fraternity
may be firmly established, and the
world at large convinced of its
good effect.
Given under my hand and the
private seal of the Grand Master,
the day and year above written.
ALEX. H. NEwcoMB,
Grand Master of Masons in O.