Milford chronicle., 1901-08-02

lou SOmeIlIneS see q nun Win no OUT
brAnchings Of sympathy. His nature is
cold and hard, like a ships mast ice
glazed, which the most agile sailor could
never climb. Others have a thousand
roots and a thousand branches. Innu-
merable tendrils climb their hearts and
blossom all the way up, and the fowls Of
heaven sing in the branches. In conse-
quence of this tendency we find men
coming together in tribes, in communi-
ties, in churches, in societies. Some gath
er together to cultivate the arts, some to
plan for the welfare of the state, some to
discuss religious themes, some to kindle
their mirth, some to advance their craft.
So every active community is divided
into associations Of artists, of merchants,
of bookbtnders, of carpenters, of mAsons,
of plasterers, of shipwrights, Of plumb
ers. Do you cry out against It? Then
you cry out against a tendency divinely
implanted. Your TRADES would accom-
plish no more than il you should preach
to a busy ant hill long sermon against
secret societies.
Here we find the oft discussed question
whether associations that do their work
with closed doors and admit their men,
bers by passwords and greet each other
with a secret grip are right or wrong.
answer that it depends entirely on the
nature Of the object for which they meet.
Is it to pass the hours in revelry, was
sail. blasphemy and obscene talk or to
plot trouble to the state or to debauch
the innocent. then l say, with an empha-
sis that no man can mistake, No! But is
the object the defense of the rights of
any class against oppression, the i'm
provement of the mind, the enlargement
of the heart, the advancement of art, the
defense of the government, the eXtirpa-
ton Of crime or the kindling Of a pure
hearted sOciality, then | say, with just as
much emphasis, Yes.
There is no need that we who plan for
the conquest of right over wrong should
publish TO all the world our intentions
The general of an army never sends tC
the opposing troops information Of the
coming attack. Shall we who have en-
listed in the cause of God and humanity
expose our plans to the enemy? No; We
will in secret plot the ruin of all the en-
terprises of satan and his cohorts. WheI
they expect US by day, we will fall upoi
them by night. While they are strength
enilg their left wing we will fall on thei
right. By plan of bnttle formed in Sc
cret cOnclave we will come suddenly upOl
them crying. The sword of the Lord an,
r of Gideon" Secrecy Of plot and execu
, ton is wrong only when the object au
ends are nefarious. Every family is
r secret society, every business firm an
every banking and insurance institution
3 Those men who have no capacity to kee
4 a secret are unfit for positions of trus
n anywhere. There are thousands of me
n whose vital need is culturing a capacit
: TO keep secret. Men talk too much, an
= women too. There is a time TO keep S
e lence as well as time to speak.
d Although not belonging to any of ii
o great secret societies about which thel
h has been so much violent discussion,
# have only words of praise for those ass
st Citations which have for their object Il
IF maintenance of right against wrong
It the reclamation of inebriates or, like Il
le score of mutual benefit societies called
IS different names, that provide temporal
relief for widows and orphans and f
s. men incapacitated by sickness or ace
e. dent from earning a livelihood. Had
v, not been for the secret labor organic
Of tons in this country monopoly won
Id long ago have, under its pOnderO
wheels, ground the laboring classes in
N al luIOlefdDle sefNlluues Lue men W
r. want the whole earth TO themsely
g would have got it before this had it 1
!. been for the banding together Of gre
he secret organizations, and while we
ed plore many things that have been dc
Ter by them, their existence is a necess
nd and their legitimate sphere distinc
pointed out by the providence Of G.
. Such organizations are trying TO dism
80, from their association all members "
~ are in favor Of anarchy and social cha
! They will gradually cease anything
!yt tyranny over their members and will
! i1 n5 bid violent interference with any ma
10, work, whether he belongs to their un
ain or is outside Of it, and will declare IL
~ X, disgust with any such rule as that pas
NC in England by the Manchester Brick
80 REs' association. which says any Z