The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-01-10
For he REPORTER.
A Critic Criticised.

"The Christian Appeal" a small sheer
and, doubtless, well-meaning clergymen
of Sk0whegan, containing an editorial or
leading article headed THE Christian
and the secret order"
The author of that article atfirms that
he wants TO be "sincere and Christian"
and then unfortunately goes on and
makes himself inconsistent by state
ments unwarrented by facts.
Allow me to say In the outset that l,
too, will aim to be sincere and truthful
as well, but as member of almost fifty
years' standing In one of the Oldest
secret orders 10 existence | cannot lei
such statements pass unnoticed, even
though disregard one OF the injunctions
put upon me when became a member
-@"-lujuncYon loot TO suffer my zeal for
4, ~SdsthaLn to lead me into argument
With the lsnorant.n
II the author had understood the first
principles OF one leading secret order, he
would not have said, ut is evident that
the motives which prompt men TO BE-
come members OF secret orders are pri
marily those of self-interest." Let me
cay to this well-meaning but benighted
author that whosoever goes into the
order to which | belong, with such
motive, does so with a falsehood on his
tongue, and often repeats it, for he de
clares upon his honor as man that he
seeks admission unbiased by friend
and influenced by mercenary MI tives"
and freely and voluntarily offers himself
as a candidate.
The author pays a well deserved trib
ute to secret orders by saying "Our eyes
behold much good which the gentle
hand bestoWs upon members"
Are these bestowals of charity the acts
of selfishness? He declares that the
christian has no motive OF seltishness.
Query: Can a pastor who Is faithful to
his duty and church be unselfsh? In
whose interest but his own and that eff
his church does he work | have never
been able as vet to discover on the part
of pastors or people any remarkable
solicitude for the building up of other
churches.
And then this author sees ssmares
nest" in the candidates declaring that
he will fulfill certain requirements before
he knows what they are. But the truth
Is that the candidate is assured that no
obligation he is to take will interfere
with any duty he owes to his God, his
neighsor or himself. With such assur.
ance one would hardly seem to shudder
and quake much in view of the pains and
penalties of perjury. Do not witnesses
in our courts take an oath to tell the
truth and whole truth before they know
what questions will be propounded? D.
not even clergymen subscribe to some
formula or declare before men that they
will be true and faithful to their new
calling?
The author makes frequent use of the
Interrogation mark and propounds these
questions. "Are secret orders right /?
Do they have the sympathy of Christ.
and the sanction of the New Testament :?
Ought as a christian to take oath that
| will not divulge certain secrets and
that | will fulfill certain requirements
before | know what they are? Will
membership In secret orders enable me
to be more devoted follower of Jesus
Christr Important questions, surely,
but it would seem that two of the three
ministerial and editorial staff ought to
be able to give satisfactory and loyal
answers to all these questions, for it is
reported that they are members of secret
orders.
But if these associate critics of secret
orders are unable to give satisfactory
answers, they are respectfully referred
to many distinguished clergymen all
over this broad land, whose names are
rs household words, among whom may
be named DR.. Whitman, formerly presi-
dent of Colby college; Rev. Mr.. Cope
land, once pastor of the First Baptist
Church in Skowhegan; Rev. Webster
Woodbury. and DR.. Smith Baker of the
Congregational Church, and Rev. Charles
A. Hayden and DR.. Bcknell Of the Uni
versalist Church-clergyme who never
have deemed it derogatory from their
dignity to level themselves with the
fraternity and patronize their assemblies
by being "unequally yoked with un-
believers"
Our critic of secret orders finds all
other small "mare's nest" In John
10: 1920. Possibly this wise Bible
scholar does not know that one secret
order dates back to traditions older than
the Christian church, but is nevertheless
founded on belief in the Fatherhood of
God aud the Brotherhood Of man, which
takes the Bible as the guide to all truth.
Hence the Jew and the Gentle, the
Brahmin and the Buddhist, the Moslem
and the Christian, acknowledging the ex-
istence Of Supreme Being and putting
their trust in Him, with the Great Light
(the Holy Bible) upon the altar, as a
guide to faith, can all kneel around one
common altar and together say sour
Father which art In heaven"
Would the reverend writer seek to
drive from his church those who are
tell me from what class have the
churches obtained stronger or more de-
voted members than from the member
ship 10 the secret orders?
| have not a word of severe criticism
on the benevolent work Of the Christian
church, but let me ask how about the
bestowal of charities upon the poor
whom you have with you Away? When
the poor ask aims do you give bread or a
stone? How do its benefactions com
pare with those of the secret orders in
feeding the hungry, clothing the naked
and destitute, and in comforting the
widows aud orphans? | shrink from the
comparison. When some great epidemic
or calamity falls upon a grief-stricken
Galveston, who first responds to the
urgent needs of the sufferers, the secret
orders or the churches?
1t would seem that the average clergy
man cannot be blind to the benefits of
secret orders which, on every hand,
hestow unostentatiousy and silently their
charities on suffering humanity.
The churches have their duties to per.
IL, l. l.