The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1895-12-08
LODGES AND CHURCHES.
Remarks Of a Chicago Divine Dis
cussed by Sam P. Jones.
why the secret Society Il More Popular
with the Men Than the Church
Need of warmer-Hearted
Brotherly Love.

the Chicago dailles as having uttered
the following;
MANY men who are antagonistic TO
the church will not unite with It be-
cause they feel their religious wants
better satisfied in the lodge. Who is at
fault that women constitute so per
cent. of the church membership? In
Chicago there are 200 churches and 200
lodges with an average membership OF
zoo men. We cannot say women are
more superstitious than men and hence
unite with the church. The rabid
social democrat extols the religion of
Christ, though denouncing the church
Of to-day. But lay not the blame TO
the religion Of Jesus Christ. 1t, is
charged that the pulpit of to-day
emphasizes the sovereignty of God and
has absolute knowledge concerning the
world beyond, and loves to denounce
the sins of Cain and other ancients, but
dare not raise it's hands against the
vices of to-day. Yet who dared to face
Tammany, but the churches of New
York; Christian charity has assumed
an official air, and the philanthropy of
the church has become the distribu-
tiou Of aims. The church must return
TO the apostolic days in the care of her
sick and the providing OF her gifts. The
society man does not regard itas charity
to be taken care of. He has paid his
assignments and his dues. His visit
ors come not as paid secretaries or as
official clergymen, but as brethren. Lay
of the authoritative robes, and let heart
touch heart. The democratic spirit
which predominates in the control of
affairs in the lodges is in marked con-
trast with the ecclesiasticism OF some
OF the churches. All men desire au-
thority, and in the lodge every mancan
exercise his authority. In the lodge
men know their widows and orphans
will be taken care Of They have no
assurance of this in the church. Yet it
is in Christian countries that we find
orphan homes and asylums. The deal
secret societies are manifest or dor
mant in the Christian churches, and to
the external must be added the relation
Of the soul to it's God. Let the church
claim her rights and exercise them.
Let ner live the life of her Master, and
she will fulfill not only the demands of
the lodge, but also lead men TO salts
faction of the yearnings of their hearts. "
Without approving or disappearing,
without agreeing altogether with or
differing altogether from Rev. Mr..
Manss, there are many suggestions to
a mind wlfieh thinks in the q,lptgisons
above which have given from his SER
mon. In my perigrinations over this
country l find the lodges in most quar-
ters hourishing, with large and grow
ing memberships and with constant in
terest squirting them along. The
masons, the odd fellows. the Knights
of Pythias, the Shriners, the Order of
Red Men, and so on and 80 on, flourish
almost everywhere. The interest in
these secret societies seems to be abid-
ing. 1t is not an unusual thing to at
tend a masonic fraternity on a Tues
day night and find 200 men present;
and then attend the average Wednes-
day night prayer-meeting at a church
and 40 is full house, 60 is perfect jam,
and nine-tenths of these are women and
children.
Does the pastor aforesaid give the
reason for such state of things? Like
the reverend gentleman from whom
quote, l belong to several of these Sc
cret societies myself. Men get very
close to each other in a lodge. Having
touched each other in the lodge they
walk closer to each other on the street
Their words and signs and grips KEEP
them close together; and yet it is in a
Christian land that secret societies
flourish most. The light of the Gospel
the truth of the Bible makes it possibl;
for brotherhood to exist and closest
affinity to work. Do men get closer to
gether within the house of God? Ar,
they more in touch with each Othel
next day because they were together il
church the day before2 A ehurcl
without it's Christ, though it may have
its Bible and its preacher, is cOlde
than lodge, aud there is less fraterni
" than we find in a lodge. What breth
rem in the same church look after eacl
other in sickness and in distress2 d.
they care for the widow and olalmn
Of tneir brethren in the church n the!
do N the lodges? Have the i9dge
enough of the spirit OF Christ to max
them brotherly and generous 70 tn
widow and orphans? And yet tn
church, which ought to embody tn
Christ. is charged with neglect to
brother in need and a widow an
orphan in want If the clergy an
officials Of the church put the churc
abo,e Christ and make the church big
GER than its Christ, this is the state Q
ecclrsiasticism which drives men I
the secret orders and makes them fec
that at the lodge I meet my brethren
at the church l am stranger anon
strangers.
Do men meet more on a level in
lodge than they do at the church
What lodges ever have rented pew
and a place set apart for the Sanh fdrim
Does a member of the lodge er fee
that his clothes are not goot noug
To wear to the lodge, or by reason G
poverty he would not be Nelcom
! among them? know it is not seeml
in this Christian land for secret order
10 prosper and the church drag i
length along from year to year.
I YIIa .IaItsf n