St. Paul daily globe., 1895-05-20

lily feeling so characteristic of the So
ciety man. The former do not show
the same interest in visiting the sick,
and relieving the distressed. There are
many forces in man, some for good,
some for evil. Those for good are vari-
Gus in their particular nature, but none
should be neglected, none should be
stunted or rendered ineffective. The
church does a igreat unappreciable
work, but it is on a. high plane. 1t be-
longs to the spiritual nature of man.
The secret orders labor rather for
mans physical benefit, yet their labors
are not to be despised.
'"There are no atheistical principles
in the secret orders. One would often
imagine In the lodge room that DR..
Smith here was delivering one of his
ablest efforts. / wish to ask those
present here to believe that there is
no antagonism between the church and
the societies. Each does an important
work, and both should be encouraged
to develop it's possibilities to the ut
most by developing in man every power
and possibility for good"
Mr.. Johnson began by stating that
udice Secret societies." said he, "are
such an active and powerful influence
in society that at least their nature
should be fully understood. This is
.3. AN AGE~OF LODGES.
Secret societies have always exist
ed, but they have have never been
so numerous or so powerful as at pres
Tn hn nit
churches by hundreds, and while the
lodges are filled by the men, the
churches are left almost entirely to
the women and children. Charles Fran
els Adams has said that no more pow
erful or effective instrument could be
devised to conspire and execute plots
against the civil government than the
secret society. The supplement to the
Encyclopedia Britannica states that
previous to 1880 no man could aspire
to an influential political position in
this country who was not a Mason
The latter order for many years con-
trolled every avenue to fame or power.
President Jackson was undoubtedly
elected mainly through the Masonic
influence. President George Washing
ton, in his farewell address, had
warned all Americans to be on the
watch against the insidious influences
of the secret society. The secret orders
are opposed to Christianity. Their
rituals mutilate texts from the holy
Gospel for purposes of their own. In
Masonry Christ is never mentioned
until the candidates arrives at the ninth
degree. At the end of the third degree
1t is sacreligiously announced that the
Mason possesses all that is needed by
the soul of man. Masonry thus seeks
to supplant the church. The Mason
says, The lodge is a good enough
church for me-
''The Odd Fellows deny the Trinity.
Their ritual expressly says that belief
in Christ shall not be required of any
applicant. Thus they take in, on equal
terms, the Jew, the Monfammedan and
the Christian. The Bible is- placed on
the same level as the TaImud, the
Koran and the Zend Avesta. Yet the
Scripture expressly forbids our having
religious fellowship with unbeliryers.
There are many profane oaths in
the ceremonies of the secret orders.
Some would not dare to repeat here.
But 1t was formerly, if not just now,
the practice for the Royal Arch Mason
to swear that he would take the part
Of another Royal Arch Mason, whether
the latter was right or wrong, in any
difficulty, and that he would keen the
others secrets even if it was a con-
feSS1on of murder or of treason. Be
sides all extra judicial oaths are con-
trary to right and to religion. The
Masons pretend to be a charitable
Christian order, yet they exclude all
but we'll formed, healthy men and give
aid to no other.
FINALLY the secret societies are.
wrong because they not cnIy an
tagonize religion but seek to SUD-
plant religion; they violate the com
mands of God, they desecrate the name
OF Christ and they veil all under a
speclous disguise of benevolence.'
THE CLOSING BOUT.
Mayor Eustis rose to add a few
words on his side of the question. Mr.
Johnson objected, claiming that the
mayor was violating the agreed nro-
gramme. DR.. Smith ATTEMPTED to ston
the mayor, but the latter good-na-
turedly insisted. and amidst consider
able laughter the Minneapolis orator
exclaimed that there were three Ma
SONS on the Hayward jury and the ac
cused was Mason, yet he was con-
vlcteo. The mayor then read from the
masonic ritual certain prayers. show
ing the distinct recognition Of the
trinity and of the mediation of Christ
LII. Smith summed up the argument
py saying that both sides were right
Mr. johnson had made a remarkabIv
good speech against the societies vet
ne had quoted from one or two works
not recognized as authentic authorize
LOT masonic ceremonials Besides the
uanger from the societies was nor
political in this country. The orders
were too numerous for that Fear oe
the secret orders was, in fact, foreign
Importation, because in Europe the de-
signs and workings of many scorer
societies are very different from ,Vbo+
they are here. The chief trouble with
the lodge is that it is too salf-snf-
nclent. 1t thinks that it can do tho
work OF the church. There it is mis-
taken. The church, on the other hand
Is apt to be somewhat narrow. Manv
CHRISTIANS are unwilling to reco,nile
any power for good that does mt
eHanate from the church. This is not
the true spirit of Christ The docror
aoded that he was himself a. memhar
IN several societies and had failed
10 hotlce many of the objections ad-
vanced against them by outsiders
THE MEW GLOBE