Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-02-14

whom we truly honored while living
and sincerely mourn now he is
Dead" etc. Then the widow and
children were remembered in a res
olution with a pledge of support and
protection. This was followed by
resolve to wear the usual badge of
mourning (?) for thirty days. And
for whole month that "saloon
keeping master was seen with black
and blue ribbons on his coat, pro-
claiming his sorrow for the death of
his Brother, whom he had murdered
whom he had promised to help,
aid and assist, but whom he had
aided and assisted in finding and
filling drunkard's grave. We have
observed there is, nothing mean or
small about ''saloOn-keeping' Ma
sons ! A desperate in the noun
tains of the West deliberately killed
his man. Being generous and noble
in his nature, he raised money
among his gambling associates to
buy coffin and purchase a mourn
ing veil for the widow! Our ''sa-
loon keeping" Masons murder their
Brethren. attend their funerals with
mourning badges prominently dis
played, pass resolutions of sympathy
for those whom they have robbed of
husband and father, resolve to care
for the helpless ones left behind.
This they do generously and nobly
by selling poison to the son of the
Brother they destroyed. 0, yes, a
''saloon-keeping" Mason is a para
gon of excellence. He will actually
give money to the woman bereaved,
and the children he robbed of home
and father and support. There is
nothing small about such fellows.
And it is quite refreshing to see
with what complacency they ere
solve" that "0ur Heavenly Father"
was responsible for the death of our
"beloved Brother The ease with
which the crime of Masonic homi-
eide if shifted, by the "saloon-keep-
ing" Mason, from MS own door and
laid upon the Almighty, furnishes
reason and justification for making
drunkards of the sons of the decea--
ed, and all other Masons, who may
have means sufficient to kill them
selves and enrich their murderer.
And the heartiness with which the
Lodge unanimously adopts, by a ris-
ing vote, the resolution that GOD
had called away the deceased Broth
er, and thus relieve the "saloon-kcep-
ing" agent of the responsibility Of
the job, is always marked, feature
in the case. 1t makes the Lodge a
party to the lie that COP had killed
the deceased instead of the saloon
keeping" Mason. There is thus much
consolation offered him. But a
change is taking place. There is a
good time coming. The moral sem
timent of our Brotherhood in this
jurisdiction is rapidly developing,
and boom-in opposition to the
vice of drunkenness and drunkard
making-is swelling all over the
State. AS it was said in California
concerning John Chinaman, che
must co." so say we of the saloon
element in Missouri Masonry. In a
few years none will be found in the
Order, because they can not gain
admission while engaged in their ne
farious business. Those that are in
now will soon find their level. Ma
sonry is either a good institution or
it is not. fit is what thousands
claim-a good, moral institution-lt
is no place for man who will des-
troy the happiness of families, ruin
the health, take away the life and
damn the souls of men for money.
Out with such breathing libels upon
the Masonic name. IfMasonry ex-
lists to furnish association for such
men, it ought to die. fit tolerates
them it is unfit to live.