THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

of their brotherly love. But is this consistent with right and good government? The
fact is, that it is impossible to engage in any business, to travel, to do any thing, to
go anywhere, without feeling the influence of this and other secret societies.
Wrongs are constantly inflicted upon individuals and upon society, of which the
wronged are unaware. We can be wronged any day by a favoritism practiced by
these societies, without being aware how or by whom we are wronged. I was
informed of late, that in a large manufacturing establishment, poor men,
dependent for their daily bread upon their labors in the factory, were turned out to
give place to Freemasons who were no better workmen than themselves. Indeed it
is inevitable that such a society should act upon such a principle. But it may be
asked, can not Masonry be essentially reformed, so that it shall involve no
wrong.? I answer, no, unless its very fundamental principle and aim be reversed,
and then it would cease to be Freemasonry. In its workings it is a constant wrong
inflicted upon society. It is an incessant and wide-spread conspiracy for the
concealment of crime, to obstruct the course of justice, and, in many instances, to
persecute the innocent and let the wicked go free. To reform it, its ends and its
means must both be reformed. It must cease to be exclusive and selfish. It must
cease to promise aid in many forms in which it does promise it. I have said that it
was more than an innocent mutual aid society. Its members are pledged to aid
each other in concealing iniquity, and in many ways that trample upon the rights
of others.
And it is because this society promises aid in so many ways, and under so many
circumstances, that men unite themselves to it. I have never heard any better
reason assigned for belonging to it, than that, in many respects, one might reap a
personal advantage from it. Now reform it, and make it a truly benevolent society;
reform out of it all unrighteous favoritism, and all those forms of aid which are
inconsistent with the universal good, and the highest well-being of society in
general, and you have altered its essential nature; it is no longer Freemasonry, or
any thing like Freemasonry. To reform it is to destroy it. In this view of
Freemasonry, it is easy to see how difficult, if not impossible, it is for a man to be
a consistent Freemason and yet a Christian. Just conceive of a Christian
constantly receiving the preference over others as good as himself, in traveling, in
railroad cars, on steamboats, at hotels, and everywhere, and in business
transactions, and in almost all the relations of life, allowing himself to be
preferred to others who have equal rights with himself. To be sure, in traveling, he
may bless himself because he is so comfortable, and that so much pains are taken
to give him the preference in every thing. If at a hotel, he may have the best seat
at the table, and the best room in the house, and may find himself everywhere
more favored than others.
But can he honestly accept this? Has he any right to accept it? No, indeed, he has
not! He is constantly favored at the expense of others. He constantly has more
than his right, while others are deprived of their rights. In other words, he is
selfish, and that continually. He finds a personal benefit in it. Yes, and that is why
he adheres to it. But again, if true to his oath, he is not only thus constantly
receiving benefits unjustly, or to the injury of others, but also conferring them.