Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-05-01
talk Of Rev. suckow OF this CITY,
who spoke as follows:

NSAA oASouiZdblOu. Inc whole
aovement of political life and
bought thus familiarizes us with
he idea of organization, suggesting
md necessitating it on every hand.
md so it very naturally comes
.bout that, when we wish to give
orm and expression to ideas other
hen the political, we should resort
o the machinery of organization to
effect our purpose. 1t is for this
reason that our country, perhaps
above all others, affords congenial
soil for the foundation and growth
of innumerable organizations land
also because our larger political
freedom and the absence of annoy-
ing surveillance.
There lives in the heart of every
human being the sentiment of fra
ternity, the fellow-feeling for the
fellow-men. Amid conditions of
savagery and barbarism, this senti-
ment exists only in the germ; but
with advancing civilization it grows,
developes, finds larger expression
and comes to larger fruitage. The
question of our text as asked by
Cain, and during the stage of devel-
opment represented by Cain, is the
question of a savage, 1t is the sur
ly growl of a wild beast suddenly
brought to bay; and is to be follow
ed by a cruel, pitiless negative. But
when civilization. especially civil
ization permeated at least to some
extent by the benignant influence of
the Christian religion. asks the ques-
ton, it is that an affirmative answer
may be given and the fraternal spirit
may find Expression. Thus we have to-
day, the Masonic, the Odd Fellows,
the Pythian, the Woodmen, the
Good Templars and many other
fraternities as the visible and tan
gible embodiment of the affirmative
reply to Gains question. Here,
then, in this fraternal sentiment,
slumbering even in the heart of the
savage. coming to fuller recognition
in civilized man, we have the top
root Of all such organizations.
Here, also, must be sought their
justification, their right to exist.
Those two great twin truths the
paternity of God and the fraternity
of man, are fundamental to all civil
lization and every order or organi-
cation that will emphasize these
principles more clearly and cause
them to stand forth more prominent
. ly in the thoughts and lives of men
has thereby proved its right to exist
and its title to the goodwill and
sympathy of society at large.
4 There was once current of for
midable opposition against all such
societies. Much of this prejudice
yfgrew out of ignorance. Often ii
was zealously fed, famed into a
: blaze by the spite Of some discarded
member. Sometimes there was
ground for it, no doubt. Any orga.
nization may be perverted from its
true purpose and becomes an instru.
ment of evil in the hands of de-
signing men. History furnishes
but too many melancholy instances
where the church itself has been
prostituted to ignoble ends-ends
utterly foreign to their true pur-
pose. 1t would not be surprising
if similar misfortune has at times
befallen these other organizations
But this prejudice is rapidly melt
ing away. Occasionally we heal
the echoes of some wordy attack
upon secret societies." now and
then some solitary minister of the
Gospel lifts up his voice against
them under the sincere but mis-
! taken impression that the most sue
cessful way to accomplish the up
building Of the institutions with
which he is identified, is to tear
others down; but on the whole ii
may be said that the days of this
sort Of warfare are over. Society
can no longer be easily convinced
that many of its most respectable
members are plotters of treason and
> and murder, because they belong TIC
some society that has secret pass
words and signals. There may be
secret societies inimical to the poll.
: teal or social safety Of the country
, [ am not personally familiar will
any. but | can conceive Of such q
> possibility. l think, however, tina;
: no one under the sway of a mos
! blind and violent prejudice would
lay such charge at the doors O.
the organizations | have mentioned
. in the course of my remarks. AS
whole they today enjoy the respect
and esteem of the outside world.
Let us now look little moro
!. closely into the mission of these
= fraternal societies, whose names, a
least, are familiar to US all. The,
= have mission. a purpose more o
I less distinctly understood and de
: fined. That purpose does not fine
its fulfillment in the meeting OF tn
I members at stated intervals t
= humble over the words of SOM
. ritual, or to go through with Ger
= round of ceremonies initiatory o
= otherwise. The real purpose lies be
: yond all this. What is it?
: We all, at least in this country
u :, believe theoretically that birth, rank
Il fortune, are accidents, externals
:. that essentially, on the plan Of GU
;. common human nature, in the sigh
. Of our common Creator, all men ar
: equal, but in our practical dealing
= with one another it is not SO easy t
~ keep out of sight those artificial dis
;. tinctions of society.
u Now there lisa passage Of Scriptur
i. that applies with great force to al
u these fraternal societies, expressing
n