Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

386 PROFESSOR ROBlSON f S
" All who have seriously employed themselves in the
discovery of truth, have found the great advantage of open
communication of sentiment. And it is against common
sense to imagine that there is any thing of vast importance
to mankind which is yet a secret, and which must be kept a
secret in order to be useful. This is against the whole experience
of mankind. And, surely, to hug in one'sbreastasecret
of such mighty importance, is to give the lie to all our professions
of brotherly love. What a solecism f a secret to
enlighten and reform the whole world. 11 [That is Free Masonry.]
" If there be a necessity for secrecy, the purpose of association
is either frivolous, or it is selfish. 11 [i. e. Free Masonry.]
u Now, in either case, the danger of such secret assemblies
is manifest. Mere frivolity can never seriously occupy
men come to age. And, accordingly, we see, that in every
quarter of Europe where Free Masonry has been established,
the lodges have become seed beds of public mischief
I believe that no ordinary brother will say, that the occupations
in the lodges are any thing better than frivolous, and
very frivolous indeed. [So mote it be.] The distribution
of charity needs be no secret, and it is but a very small
part of the employment of the meeting. This being the
case, his in human nature, that the greater we suppose
the frivolty of such association to be, the greater chance
of its ceasing to give sufficient occupation to the mind, and
the greater is the risk that the meetings may be employed
to other purposes which require concealment. When this
happens, self-interest alone must prompt and rule. [L e.
Free Masonry.] And, now, there is no length that some men
will not go, when they think themselves in no danger of detection
and punishment. The whole proceedings of the secret
societies of Free Masons on the continent, have taken
one turn; and this is perfectly natural. In all countries
there are men of licentious morals. Such men wish to
have a safe opportunity of indulging their wit, satire, and