The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-19

The war being wsge4 on sseze. socis-
ties. and Mzsons In particular. by The
Pacific Coast Aa-i-Secrecy Association,
has reached Seattle, the l2itiato-v session
being held az RAnke nal last night. ths
convention 20 De continue: today. Dele
gates from different parts Of ths county
wers present last nLght, an1 with those in
tere<ted IL the matter from this city, made
Up fsir-s.zeo audience.
Rev. P. 3 Williams. OF Portland, Is the
leading speaker. In his address last night
be was especially severe on the Masons
and ODD Fellows. although he character
lied al secret societies as foes of TIE
church, the home and the government
His remarks were especially severe when
speaking OF the caths administered 70 iri-
tiates. In stern tones ne reitsrafed an
cfrer be had made or several occasions
before during his tour that he woula give
= warranty deed OF his home in Portland
20 any man who would show him an in
stance where the words Jesus Christ"
were used once In any Of the oaths ad-
ninlstered He claimed that secret soci=-
ties robbed men Of their salvation and
weansd them away from their homes. In
short, they were the dessroyers OF human
happiness.
President ". II. Howle. Of the United
Presbyterian church, called the meeting
70 order and Introduced Rev. NJ L Lar
son who gave an address OF welcome, ex-
planning the purposes Of the convention
and ending with short prayer. Rev. p
3. Williams was then introduced. and for
fully two hours talked about the iniauitous
practices OF secret societies He pre-
faced his remarks by stating that II was
a pleasant mission In bringing TO Seat
a movement which, though very unpopu-
lar. seemed % be steadily growing.
ssr.sfs 81.
speaker. is running paraasi to the anti
slavery movement, or abolition question.
The men who are engaged in this move
gDent are no more unpopular than were
Thurlow Weed and Wendell Phillips We
are ss yet a feeble foe. but Seattle should
not despise our earnestness. Great things
have grown from incipenf movements. so
We do not despair. for we have humanity
and God on our side and we can 90 for
ward with His aid.
During the session Of this convention
you viii hear things that you have never
heard before. There are reason. for op-
posing secret societies II they are not
wrong we are on fools e-rand, but we
VII be able 70 prove TO you that we be-
lfevs secret societies 10 be wrong We Co
not pretend 70 be In possession OF facts
that positively show what Is done within
those secret precincts but IN the conduct
OF secret societies and their members we
are given facts TO know something that
Is going on at least.
'sIf you canaot learn anything about
hodges without going In It Is best that a
Christian should not so In. The whole
secret lodge system is not compatible with
the teachings OF Jesus Christ. No society
Is lawful which imposes unlawful duties
on it's members. Why. the first step II
unlawful. A man must promise TO obey
an order that be knows nothing OF. II such
Sc - rE -fsf fc~o+ Ion Il rtsru -
The speaker spoke OF the baneful In
fuence secret societies had on the home.
OF the misery they caused among the
working classes in dragging from them
money that should go toward supplying
the necessariez OF life The benevolent
portion Of the societies WAS reked fore ana
aft
DO you suppose a member who is I'M
fortunate enough to fail behind In bis
dues would be cared for by the benevolent
people banded together for common
goode No. They would be dropped from
the roll and 81 interest n any Insurance
forfeited I say that these insurance
schemes as practiced BY these secret So
cieties are the basszt OF frauds and the
sooner they are shown up IN their true
light the better II WI b for humanity"
The speaker told % the many Instances
where men were acquitted OF crime sim
Div because the jury was composed Of nasa
sworn 20 secrecy IN some lodge. He then
proceeded 20 give what was intended 10
he an expose Of the different degrees OF
Missionary and Odi Fellowship.
President HOWE announced the follow
ing programme for today's session:
Forenoon-f0 To-.sThs Scriptures and
Secret Societies" Rev. Alexander Beers
I5.so-Report Of secretary and field
agent.
l. ,oo-''Benevolencs OF Secret Societies"
Rev. P J. Mcdonald.
fl.so-'"The Citizen and Secret Societies"
Rev. .. z NcReynoids.
Aftsrnoon-s:se-'-Tae Raiwsoa % III.
Church and the Lodge" Rev. ". III.
Howie
2sS0-'Best Method Of Opposing Secret
Socistfes" Rev. Kirkpatrick. OF Tacoma
s.oo-''The Lodge Hia6rance 70 the
Growth az Christianity" Rev. W. G. VI
Hayes. p ..
S.2a-"A Review Of Free Masonry" Rev.
p 3 Williams.
S:1s-Testimony et tAoe. who have left
the lodges.
Evening". so-''afasoa;o oaths." Pew. :.
c Scott
s.i5-Aa8rsss Rev. P B. Williams
Election Of officers
ASSESSED FOR THREE STREETS.