The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-09-30

81, 500. 90. Before the dedication, tn
Masons, subscribed in all $50, at tn
dedication, $40; towards the bell, $780,
making a grand total Of $50: Magnifi
cent sum! to be given for so costly ant
beautiful an improvement to our town
by SO numerous a clan-a clan that ha
held a large majority of the offices o
profit and honor in our midst for years
Well may they boast of "the generosity
manifested" and gravely warn US tina
hereafter We may carry on our enterprises
with our ''oaon funds"
This libelous and ribaldrous article goe.
on to m~isconstrue and defame in foul
mouthed style to its close. No one is sur
prised that the despicable knaYe who
wrote tits ashamed to give his name, mol
that he should assume the name of one
fof the tabled ruffians who assisted in the
murder of the famous Hiram Abiff.
Neither is any upright man or honorable
body of men the least fearful of receiving
any injury from such a source.
l and all who stand with me in church
relation are ridiculed as 'feeblc" and
stigmatized as "yipers." We care not
kpr such slang. Through the blessing of
God, and despite the opposition of the
Masonic craft wethave grown, until there
are over so in our fold, and we are on the
road, we trust, to greater prosperity and
usefulness. We confidently leave our
vindication from the charge of being
''vipefs" to the opinion of our honest
neighbors.
The spirit manifested by the entire
article is base and l readily
understand the occasion of all this. 1t is
from the fact already stated b~y"Jubilum"
himself, "that one Of the tenets of the
U. B. Church Is opposition to secret So
cieties." 1t is simply because our men,
bers have not been cable-towed and hood
winked, and have not stultified them
selves, and sold their religion and man.
hood. If daring to maintain our freedom
as men, and to preserve our conscicnces
as christians, accompanied by the private
or public declaration of our principles,
is to be the occasion for such abuse, then
we shall give this refined writer occasion
to empty himself of his nastiness quite
frequently.
Whether "Jubilum" comes out as the
spokesman for the "Ancient and Honora-
bic Order" Of our city, know not, but am
of the opinion that he is out on his own
hook; for if | am not wholly deceived in
a number of my neighbors who are Ma
sons, they are above debating, or even
endorsing such ~indignity, falshood and
billingsgate.
If indeed Masonry received a wound
from the blows dealt upon il by the gen
tlemen who recently lectured here, it
seems to me that a better plan might
have been devised to heal it, than the
one pursued. am not responsible for
the disgrace that has been brought upon
"Jubilum, IF lie is Il Mason-and the
other members of the craft by the recent
exposure of the character of their Order.
They are themselves responsible-not for
the exposure indeed, but for the disgrace
they should not be found in connection
with such an institution.
I am glad to be able to say further, that
many of the substantial men of the COM
munity, not yet caught in the meshes of
the Lodge, are, with myself, opposed to
Freemasonry, on the ground of its an
tagonism to Church and State.
VIZ. III, HARRISON.