Masonry V. Agnosticism*

confidence of the conspirators , the red-handed Goldenburg , confesses : " I have resolved to lay open the entire organisation all that is known to me as a preventive against the dreadful future which awaits us , against a whole series of executions and other repressive measures . " Shake Baknnin and Goldenburg in the Nihilistic bag together , and how is

it for choice criminally of even " honour among thieves , " or , agnostically , who is the " wise " that he may profit thereby ? False principles and contaminating colleagues but corrupt and inculpate the innocent and unwary , often . So they exclaim , at last , like the Fleet prisoner ' s starling that from his wretched cage when some one asked his master , " What brought you here ? " would dolefull y drawl out"Poor companypoor company ! "

, , Beware of junto and cabal , the furtive league and congregations for evil ! Hol y Writ warns in the beginning of the Book : " 0 my soul come not thou into their secret ; unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united ; for in their anger they slew a man . "—Genesis xlix ., 6 . See , too , Psalms xxvi ., xxvii ., xxviii ., and note carefull y in Proverbs first chapter , from the seventh verse , how "Fools despise wisdom and instruction . " Scan these

Bible home-truths closely ! Also the beautitudes , as of the Illustrious Master ' s teaching in the Gospel ( Luke , vi ., 20 ) , how they contrast with the infernal summary publirhed of the New York Socialists' platform and programme for murder . " I . Inauguration of the terror system by destroyingall persons injurious to the party of progress , whether public or private persons . II . Vengeance against functionaries for past misdeeds . III .

Assassination of all persons whose death would increase the power of the party of progress . IV . Division of the real and personal property of persons , thus assassinated among the " friends of progress and the children of the Goddess of Liberty . " In other words , kill , plunder , and share the spoils , as the scoundrel

assassins please ! That would be , in un-Masonic style and parlance , a " lay-out " to make the angels weep ; but worthy of the lowest lazzaroni horde of thugs and cut-throat thieves the land were cursed with indeed to gain the upperhand against thrift , sound educational development , religions principle , peace and patriotism . The " DarkAges " were paradise to any Nihilist establishment ! If such excrescences agnostic on the fair face of our civilisation look for success in " this land of libert" they must join issue with Freemasonry in

y , the United States to begin with ; and there are some 50 , 000 of the Craft on " God and humanity ' s side " in Illinois , alone . That sentence contains much , and it will bear putting faith in , as , when the Fraternity moves all eoncerfcedl y to defend and preserve a " landmark , " the great mass is one man . An occasional Achan may be suspected , but the tares are few in the full field . If there be onehere or thereindividuallvacillating or refractory so "fallen

, , y from grace "—degrarledly unmade of and unmaking one ' s self—let all know it was not thus , nor could it have been rightly at " entering " the lodge . Evil doubt , or after defection has since come or been taken wrongly upon the recreant backsliding from the sacred tenets of the Craft . Sad ! if any there be ! so far forgetting their high calling and profession as to blaspheme and retrogradeJudas-like denying that Deity to whom they knelt in prayerthey

, , receive but deserved rebuke . For , however variant else , The Ancient Charges , world-wide immemorial , are those without which Freemasonry " could not exist" simply . The " belief and trust in one God , and in a Divine Revelation , and obedience to the ten commandments of Sinai , are essentials ojiposed to which nothing ' opposite' nor ' contradictory' can be tolerated . " And any Mason , as suchopenly denying the Divine Being renders himself liable to

, presentment and discipline . May that day be far removed that such should prove the forced extremit y in which Fellow Craft were driven to try the Master ! Rather , let all of Masonic membership , from Apprentice to Arch , vie with and emulate each other in bringing honour upon and edif ying