White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1871-10-26
"wHAr ARE MASONIC csIMkssn

Extract from the address of Grand Master John
H. Brown, before the Masonic Grand Lodge Of
Kansas:
"This question has probably caused more dis
cussion than any other that has agitated the Ma
| sonic mind. am sorry to record the fact that
there is growing tendency in many quarters to
classify crimes and arrange offenses, to suit par
ticular cases. to crafty personal pique. Given
in particular case, and the requisite amount OF
prejudice and law will be found and SO construed
that innocence, or inadvertence will be visited
with the punishment due only to the basest crime.
However, this question was answered long since,
and well too by one of the best learned and most
eminent writers ON Masonic Jurisprudence. DR..
Mackey says: "Every offence is q crime, because
in every violation of Masonic law, there is not
only sometimes an infringement on the rights of
an individual, but always superinduced upon this
breach and violation of public duties, which af-
feet the whole community" and let me add, our
order in an especial manner.
When brother embarks in an enterprise i'm
moral, and prohibited by the laws of his country,
he knows-he cannot help knowing-that he is
guilty of crime, asd amenable to those laws. To
plead ignorance sibut to proclaim his own lazness
imbecilty. Besides, such plea is neither valid
of his lodge. Since poverty is not crime, it
shonld not be offered as an excuse for the COM
mission of crime. To maintain ones family re-
quires no personal degradation, no immortality, no
panderng 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 a land like ours, where the avenues
open to honest industry are numberless, no man
need to stoop to q base vocation to get q decent
livlihOOd 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 wicked
ness, to handle the unhollowed, or belle his pro-
fession. No. he will stand fast and firmly by the
teachings ofhis Order and everywhere by his every
act illustrate their principles. This being indis-
putable what shall We say, even think, of the
master of lodge who not only drinks to intOxi-
cation, but plays games of chance, and thus I'M
dermines health, Injuries his own good name and
damages the good name of FreemasOnryf But
his example ends not here; the younger and less
experienced brethren of his lodge are liable to be
affected by his course, and marvel should it be
deemed, if q critical community, pointing to snch
q lodge, should say, Cleanse thine own courts,
purify thine own altars."
One who said he had for years been working
Mason declared that he had never heard q mans
right to get intoxicated, even to gamble, ques-
toned, 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 a hundred times liable to Ma
sonic discipline. Shall we say such brOther-if
he deserves the name-has been badly, wretched-
" instructed Or rather shall we not say that he
has yet to learn and practice the elements of Ma
sonryf Let me say, and in all sincerity, that no
thoroughly instructed Mason will foster such SEN
timents, or cherish such opinions; for they
not only radically opposed to the teachings of to-
day, but in direct conflict with all the instructions
of Ancient Craft Masonry