, 1876-06-25
out, he was at the bottom of the heap. N.x.
time the party managers will choose ,ro.'
-. -eN4Q
TIE ANTI-afAsoN1c s1MpLFrovs

TIE ANTI-HAS0N1C SIMpLEToys
The annual gathering Of goed-natureti md
credulous simpletons who have Masonrv ~
the brain, and have been chasing tbs provs,
bial goat for some years past in the vain =.
tempt to catch that ninlble animal bv u.
horns and throw him, has takcn place. md
the usual farce Of making speeches, passino
resolutions, and nominating candidates tos
the Presidency and Vice. Presidency has ba.a
| played to its denouement, with no verv "a
markable result, except to display the dirtv
| feet Of one of the members in his illustration
! OF the dreadful doings Of Masonry. Ties.
| harmless gatherings have been ridiculed inf
6cisntly and without effect. Pehaps it wonH
be as well now to address few sober, serfonu
words to these people, who seem to have \,
much horror Of ,AIasons, Odd Fellows
Good 1emplars, Knights OF Pytliaa
Sons Of Hermann, and othor secret o,.
ders, as mad dog does of water.
Is it not little curious that these graye
and venerable men, vino in all other respects
are good, honest, sensible people, should
waste their time and their money in getting
together every year, making speeches, pass.
ing resolutions, and denouncing their neigh.
bors, because the younger members OF tht
community choose to meet together privately
for charitable purpose, and choose to recos.
nize each other by certain winks, mods, grips,
aud grimaces not known to the oatsils
world? Even if all they charge be true,
what does it amount to? They do not show
that the work of Masonry is not good work.
They do not give us any proof that Masonry
is not based upon & sound morality. We
may 60 step further and challenge these
people to dispute the assumption that 3Ia-
sonry is based upon the truths of Christiani-
ty; Chat good Mason, who conscientiously
fulills his duties and obligations, is good
Bible Christian; and that bad Mason
is bad--becansc he fails to carry them OUT
the distinction being precisely that between
q good and bad Christian. We wonld like
to ask these men why people have not the
right in this free country to do good in a
private and secret way, if they are SO dis
posed? The Masonic system OF charity is
based upon the Scriptural Injunction not to
let one hand know what the other doeth.
They prefer to do their good and contribute
their charities in secret rather than to blazon
them before the world and if they prefer,
IS accessories to their secret action, to wear
! white apron, or ride goat, or carry tin
sword and q trowel, TINT is a weakness Of
human nature which is more than Offset by
he great blessing they accomplish If they
prefer to relieve their destitute brethren, to
minister to widows and orphans, to help a
'rother pay his rent, to send barrel of
neator load of fuel to his house privately,
without wonndiug his feelings or injuring
lis pride by publicity, we do not see that
my exception can he taken to it, and any
exception that is taken to it is ungracious,
and unworthy of any person
making pretensions to ordinary hu-aanity.
'lillions of money have been expended on
'enefactions by this organization Of which
he world knows nothing, and but for tho
fasons these millions would have been
urden upon the general public.
The active duties of Masonry fall upon thu
ounger members of the community. As
aen reach the graver and moe toilsoma
eriod of Life they naturally drop out of
1asonry. Is it we'll to chill the charitable
ceilings Of the young, to stop the inculca-
ion of the doctrines Of brother1y love aid
harity, based upon the foundation prin-
lp1es laid down by CHRIST Him.
alf2 Suppose these fanatics should
nccced in breaking up Masonry?
'ho would profit by it? Certainly
OF those who are continually attacking it
Tho would suffer by it Thousands Of men,
'ome4 and children, aad the whole public,
ho would be taxed to support them. The
aarges made by these men are bosh- Their
:tion is silly and childish. They have no
urpose, but only prejudice. It is becom-
|g serious question whether their annual
atheungs are not public nuisance.