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

Everything else may be discussed. All governmental proceedings, the characters
of public men, all institutions of learning, all benevolent societies, and indeed
everything else in the world may be discussed, and criticised. and held up for
public examination; but Masonry, forsooth, must not be touched. It must work in
the dark. All the moneys received by charitable institutions must be reported; and
the manner in which they dispose of every dollar that they receive must be held
up before the public for examination. Every one sees the importance of this, and
knows that it is right. But Freemasonry will make no report of its funds. They will
not tell us what they do with them. They will not allow themselves to be called in
question. No, that institution must not be ventilated upon pain of persecution unto
death.
Now, it is enough to make a man's blood boil with indignation that such an
institution as this should exist in the land. And what is most astonishing is, that
members of the Christian Church, and Christian ministers, should sympathize
with, and even unite themselves to, such an institution as this.
Suppose the church should conduct in this manner, and the Christian Church
should receive its members in secret, and such oaths should be administered to
them. Suppose Christianity would not allow its principles to be discussed, would
not allow itself to come to the light, should use threats of assassination, and
should actually resort to assassination to establish itself, and should thus create a
feeling of terror throughout the whole world so that no man would dare to speak
against it, to ventilate it, and show up its principles,--what would be said of
Christianity, should it, like Freemasonry, take such a course as this?
The fact is, that Freemasonry is the most anomalous, absurd, and abominable
institution that can exist in a Christian country; and is, on the face of it, from the
fact that it will not allow its principles to be discussed and divulged, a most
dangerous thing in human society. In nearly all the letters that I am receiving on
this subject--and they are numerous--astonishment is expressed, and frequently
gratitude and praise to God, that a man is found who dares publicly to discuss and
expose the principles of the institution. Now, what is this? Have we an institution,
the ramifications of which are entwining themselves with every fiber of our
government and our institutions, our civil and religious liberties, of which the
whole country is so much afraid that they dare not speak the truth concerning it?
What is this, thrust in upon human society and upon Christian communities, that
can not be so much as discussed and its principles brought to light without threats
of persecution and assassination? What honest man can witness such a state of
things as this in our government without feeling his indignation enkindled ?
Everything else may be discussed, may be brought to the light, may be held up to
the public for their verdict; but Freemasonry must not be touched. Other
institutions must stand or fall in the light of reason and of sound morality. If they
are sustained at all they must be sustained by argument, by logic, by standing the
test of thorough criticism. But Masonry must stand, not by argument, not by logic,
not by sound reason, but must be sustained by persecution and murder. And so
universally, as I have already said, is this known and assumed, as to strike men in
every part of the land with such terror, that they dare not speak their minds about