The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-02
THE OXFORD OF INDIANA.
Masonry Revealed-The Anti-Secref So
ciety Inquired IntO-ZeaIous PrOserfp-
tiOnisfs = Grand Demonstration of
BrOfherhOOds COnseerated Grounds
An Old Time Ifinerant.
ISpeciaI COrrespOndence

Special Correspondence OF the Sentlnell
BLOOMINGTON, April 81, 1577.-A visit to
this place is like coming TO Mecca. The
prophet may not be here, but the light of
his ministry is all about here. For years
science, literature, philosophy and all the
other specialties of intellectual cultivation
have held empire among the natives and
foreigners, and a stranger need not turn
deaf ear to the numerous salutations he may
meet in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and he
should not stand aghast when he hears them
exclaiming "Tenlpas fitqit Ne plus ultra
Telap,ss assiduitGs ct colsstania perpeta oDania
rivielint" To the multitude here these
! terms are all familiar, for they live among
the classics and drink nectar from the lips
OF Jove. The state university is theirs, and
even among the common people, II there
ever is any such thing among sovereigns,
the wonder is that the assembled wisdom OF
the state every now and then fails to see the
in trinsic merits of their state institution and
consequently talked of putting their faculty
on half allowances Surely intellectual
benefaction should not starve; especially in
a land of plenty like ours, where taxes are
luxury, where debts are rayishingly
| sought after, and where even returning
boards are growing into peace preservers.
You may talk about state house in your
| concentric circle city, and of the contem-
plated wisdom and architectural economy
i of the four immortal commissioners who
are yet in embryo, but they are only to be
the builders of an inanimate stone monu-
ment of many years of legislative folly,
while this Oxford university of the state is
moulding and polishing grand organs OF in
| tellect, such as will make music and song,
and exhibit the eloquence of the scholars
and the philosophy of the schools on
thousand rostrums.
The institution, it is true, only may be
| covered with the moss of years instead of
centuries, but it is doing its work among
some 300 students in the spirit of good and
| honest intentions, and we doubt not but the
rolling years will tell for it many good sto
ries of eminent biography and of classical
| accomplishments.
MASONIC REVELATIONS.
We had thought that the spirit of the
| Spanish inquisition was long since dead,
and that the ghost of poor old William
| Mongard had retired to some of the numer-
| Gus mansions of the eternal elysium, but
alas for the narrowness of sectarianism.
They have here a clever and educated cler-
| gyman, pastor OF congregation, who has no
more sense than to be making war upon the
secret societies of the country. We will
not name him, for we wish him no harm,
| but we can not but believe that he is carry
| ing bis pigs to very poor market. Why,
the very idea of Christian minister fight
| ing fraternal institutions, bonded
| brotherhoods, who are doing as much
and more in the line of the
| humanities as all the churches of the land
| put together, is revolving to any sect or de-
| cent religion. ne matter which it may come
| from.
| Just think of it, few evenings ago this
| reverend gentleman read letter from some
OF the parties of Chicago here, who protested
/ to administer the degrees of masonry to a
| voluntary candidate, who was brought in
naked before an audience, many of whom
1 - - L
which the administrator claimed was an
expose of masonry. The ladies blushed and
the men laughed; the whole thing was de-
| signed to bring into contempt and ridicule
the oldest fraternal society of the world.
The Kisses OF scorn and the silence of indig-
nant contempt should be melted out to all
such men with unmeasured fullness for
they personify bigotry in the worst of its
forms and bring disgrace upon the religion
| they profess. True Christianity is never in.
tolerant, never jealous of its kindred. or even
actuated by prosecuting spirit
GRAND DEMONSTRATION.
On Thursday next, the 26th, the odd fell
lows of this portion of the state are to cele.
brate the fiftieth anniversary of their organi.
zation, at this place. They have invited all
the other fraternities to meet with them
Grand preparations have been made. Ora
tors of distinction in the different orders
have been engaged and every arrangement
has been made to have one of those days
when men are full of life and of generous
fraternity.
A little incident connected with this dem
onstration OF the fraternities here shows
how much some men are afraid of their OWL
shadows. The committee grounds asked
the trustees for the state university campus
and the resident trustees granted their re
| quest but the learned faculty interposed
theii veto and rhe committee of course
went elsewhere This little affair shows thai
good common sense does not always distin
0uiah he loornoH Gr,rh man rffor