Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-06

affirmative, active. altruiStic one. The
resultants of that factor are schools. hos
pitfalls, sanatar ruins. charities, phiIaRthro-
pies. and all those varied and innumer-
able institutions which have for their lam
and object the betterment of the mental
| physical and moral condition of mankind
These constitute the modernism Of which
am Speaking. My major premise is that
the IrtestaLt church should be interest
ed in everything which originated with
the Christ. My minor premise is that
our modernism is founded on the law OF
| Jesus. If these two premises are correct
then TIE Protestant church should be in
! tcrestel in each OF the resultants just
! enumerated. To discuss all these result
ants in the abstract would be too great
a task for the limits of single essay
| Much more So the discussion Of each OF
them in their concrete form. 1t is my
purpose TO discuss one. and only one. and
that is so-called secret, fraternal orders.
| Probably no one will deny the truth OF
our ma jor premise, namely, that the Pro
testant church should be interest,d in ev-
erything which originated with the
Christ. Perhaps il msy not be so readily
corrected that fraternal orders are con-
crete example of the effects of the new
commandment Of Jesus II we can estab-
lish the truth Of this premise then our
syllogisrl is again complete and you must
concede that the Protestant church should
be interested in fraterEal orders
First. then, it mag be roticed that fra
ternal orders flourish almost GiclusiN oily
i'll those countries where the people pro-
fess tie christian religion. In so-called
heathan or pagan countries the counter
part of our fraternal orders is practically
unknown. In our own Christian land,
counting only such as have membership
of over .J.GN. there are Is different fra
ttrnal orders, while the total membership
of recognized fraternal orders in the
United States and Canada falls only 4
little short of 10 G00,ot
To this mighty army the Odd Fellows
contribute a million and a half. the Ma
sons million and a quarter, while the
Modern Woodn1en of America and the
Knights Of Pythias swell tie numbers By
over $4,000 and over GOO respectively.
Bringing the figures little nearer home.
We have in Maine almost 27,GG Masons.
nearly AGO Odd Fellows and over 1900
Knights Of Iythias. Again looking at the
totals given for the larger territory OF
the United States and Canada, and COM
pairing them with tie membership of our
Methodist Episcopal church in the Unit
ed States. which numbered 2,9l0,.i9 in 1876
according to the figures given by DR.. III.
X. Carroll, We see that the Odd Fellow
ship alone is an institution onc-half as
large as your beloved religious body.
Thus have fraternai orders grown to their
mighty Proportions side by side with the
Protestant church and in lands where the
influence OF that church is miSiitieSt. 1t
is the proud boast OF every loyal Chris
tan that no other institution yields such
an influence upon its environment as the
Christian church Indeed, we often as
Sert, without se;tr OF Successful contradict
ton that no institution can greatly thrive
or long exist unless its roots sink deep
into the soil of Christian truth and Its
branches wave IL the atmosphere of the
Christian virtues. II this ha true. ana
who would here or now diScrodlt the in
luence of the church by denying Ii, then
we cannot escape the conclusion that fra
ternal orders are akin to Christianity. else
they could not flourish, as they have done,
in Il Christian land.
That fraternal orders are concrete ex-
ample Of the effects OF the new command
ment is further shown from an eEamina- |
ton of their ritual and vows l violate
no altar secrets when l say that not only |
do these rituals and VOWS require an ac-
acknowledgement of the existence OF deity |
but they demand pledges from the neo- |
phyte Which. IL kept. would be the most
complete Obedience to the new command |
ment of Christ. Nay, more. they adnon- |
ish also a literal observance of the re- |
ligion of love taught by the brother of |
our Lord when he commanded us Ito |
visit the fatherIess and Widows in, their |
affection" Perhaps YOU may wish to |
remind me that Odd Fellows and AIasons |
and Pythians not only forget their vows
but do even worse. With shame and hui
plead guilty to the Indictment.
With sorrow also for the frai.ty and per-
fidy Of man, you will remember that while
the words of the new commandment we're
yet war1r upon the lips Of the Master one
of his own disciples left the table OF the
last supper and went out into TIE night
where he was to meet and plot 18th those
whose purses contained the price of the
field of AceIdan1a. Without regard to
W hon the accusation may apply. let it be
said that he is worse tllan JUDAS was
who will take upon himself tho vows and
make the professions. of our fratcinal Or
cers and then by profane end obscene
language or by dishonest and impure con-
duct be recreant 10 these vows and 10
those proft ssions The effect of the ne"
is not JUDGED by Tie act OF
JUICES. Neither should fra,ern.:l orders
be- Judged by their worst members. The
word spoken in the secluded chamber Of
The city over against Rethany has gath
cred force and influence through ali the
years which lie between then and now.
SO also do the altar vows taken in the
quiet lodge rooirs of today sound 4 pre-
ude to that ever increasing anthem which
shall sometime find In the ha-monies of
OF charity. and Of benavolence.
loves trinity, mans happiness, Gods
aw.
Thus have briefly attempted to show
hat our modernism. or that feature Of it
which has its Development In secret fra
ternal orders, is founded on the law OF
Jesus. If have succeeded in any degrees
hen, to such extent. II follows that the
Protestant Christian church should be in