Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-05-26

For the Bulletin.
Mr.. ED1ToR:-Much is said nova
days about Masonry, and many seem
good deal alarmed about the
naughty and dangerous institution
that it is going to destroy the under
pinning of our civil and religious in
situations. never was afflicted with
that kind of fear. l never could en-
terrain such thought as that our
civil and religious institutions were
built upon SO flimsy a foundation that
few aproned men, with their grips
and tokens, could shake. During
past years of excitement, when such
telling thrusts have been made at
the life of that "secret and oath-bound
ORDER" and when there has been
some noise as of far distant thunder
threatening storm of some kind, l
have lived IN calm; cared but very
little which way the wind blew if it
was not attended with q tornado
Perhaps my sympathy has been more
Oh the side of Masonry, as they
seemed to be the prosecuted party,
and like many others l have been al
most inclined to join them, that I
might know for a certainty of their
"dark and damnable plots" But not
being thief or q murderer, | did not
feel any special need to seek protcc-
ton from the craft. But lately l got
hold of an important anti-Mason doc
ument, "Morgan's Exposition of Ma
sonry," from which l was told I
could learn all about it. / at once
applied myself to a thorough investi-
cation. | am decided now-I no
longer halt between two opinions.
The following are some of the
grave charges which l have to bring
against the institution; and the things
| mention as ground for said charges
must be true, because they are pub
lished by the anti Masons.
My first grave charge against Ma
sorry, as learn from Morgan's book,
they make BELIEF and trust in God
a cornerstone to the institution; and
thus their principles, which they
claim to be good, debars multitudes
from enjoying it because they do not
believe and trust in God.
My second charge is, they take the
Holy Bible as their guide in faith
and practice, and thus many needy
persons are shut out from the inesti-
mable good of the order.
My third charge is, they cnjoin up
on their members a life of prayer,
and especially to implore Gods aid
in every lawful undertakings thing
which is very unpopular in these
days.
Again, charge them of urging
their members to lives of virtue and
honesty; to abstain from lntemper-
ance, profanity and Sabbath break
ing; to live lives of benevolence; to
do unto all men as they would be
done to, and to help the needy, es-
pecially a member of the craft, to the
extent of their ability.
Again, they seek a compliance to
Gods procepts, and through the mer-
its of our Redcemer, possession of
Gods promises, and finally an en-
trance through the gates and
into the temple and city of our God,
and thus giving kind of Christian
character to their institution,
Sixth, all disloyalty to the govern
ment under which they live is not
allowed, and every member is under
obligation to admonish his brother
of his errors aud to see that the laws
Of his country are faithfully kept.
Finally, they recognize holiness IS
the end to be reached by the aid of
their art and divine wisdom; that
alter life of faith and service of
God, and the trials of their probation
season are over, they may be admit
ted into the "temple not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens"
Such are some of the charges | am
obliged to make upon Masonry, pro-
viding the anti-Masons print the
truth. And with these charges be-
fore me, not being a member of the
Lodge, | think l cannot consent to
join and take upon myself its obliga-
tons, especially as l can find no pun
ishmcnt is to be inflicted by the
craft in case of any malfeasance. S.