Evening journal., 1897-11-27
SATURDAY, NOV. 27, 1897.
We can only Judge Of secret societies

We can only judge OF secret soclelles
by their apparent effect upon indiyid-
ual members and upon the community
in which they exist. If they are Vi
cious in their rites, teachings and ten
dencies. the utmost secrecy they can
maintain will not prevent the fact from
becoming public property sooner or
later in the life of an organization.
This being true, the good character of
such organizations likewise reflects it
self upon the members and from them
to the community at large. A secret
society cannot fool The public. People
can tell by the men who join It and by
those who consider it worth their while
to retain membership in it whether its
teachings are good and wholesome and
its influence directed in proper and le-
Ultimate channels. In other words,
good men may unwittingiy become
members of bad societies. but after
they are once aware Of the character of
the organizations there Is no power
which can possibly make them con-
tinue either active or passive member
chip. Hence, the best vindication Of
the great secret societies Of to-day is
the large number OF good, honest, So
ber industrious, intelligent and God
fearing men who constitute, support
and uphold them.
The Convention of the Christian Re-
form Association recently held in the
First Reformed Presbyterian Church,
in Philadelphia, recently took a foul
advantage Of the absence Of the fool
killer and adopted the following reso-
lutiOns:
Resolved, That we as a convention
declare It our solemn conviction that
intelligent fealty to Free Masonry and
Kindred organizations can only be
maintained at the cost of loyalty to
Christ, and we therefore call upon the
ministry and church to inform them
selves on the subject that they may in
telligently obey the Divine command
and have no fellowship with the un-
fruitful work of darkness.
Resolved, That the underlying prin-
ciples Of Masonry and of secret socie-
ties in general are in direct conflict
with the policy and example of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who did nothing in
secret; that they endanger the spiritual
life and activity Of their members, and
therefore we feel it our duty TO warn
all Christians against any affiliation
with them.
Resolved That Free Masonry being
a system of false religion, fabulous in
its origin. false in its history, bombas-
tic in its literature. selfish in its char
ity degrading to manhood in it's rites
of initiation, sworn to secrecy in its
membership, impious in It's oath, bias
phemous in its assumptions of titles
childish In its regalia. ludicrous in its
ceremonies, demQralizing In its moral
ity. Misleading Vi jts IaeiH hes 1f}f n =
mutiIatins in It's dtficiAiSd Sduotations
Christloss in its prayers and pagan in
its worship, Is radically inconsistent
with the Christian religion.
Resolved, That, while Free Masonry
is, the rival and, therefore, the enemy
OF the church, 1t is equally so of the
state. claiming that obligations arc
the most sacred and binding ever taker
bysman. thus bringing its subjects al
too often into antagonism with boti
church and state as well as with the
family"
This Is probably one of the crueles
pieces of libel ever emanating from +;
body protesting to be called together
for a holy purpose. The resolution
was inspired by ignorance and perhaps
by malice. We are surprised that an!
organization should have lent itself I,
such scheme OF diabolical misrepre
sentation and abuse