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

The reason of their declining all discussion, and resorting to threats of violence, is
manifest enough. It is sagacious in them to keep in the dark, and to awe people, if
they can, by threats; because they have no argument, no history, no anything that
can justify them in the course they take.
Shame on an institution that resorts to such a defense as this? But it can not live
where the press and speech are free; and this its defenders know right well. If
freedom of speech is allowed on the subject, and the press is allowed to discuss
and thoroughly to ventilate it, they know full well that the institution can not exist.
The fact is, that Freemasonry must die, or liberty must die. These two things can
not exist together. Freemasons have already sold their liberty, and put themselves
under an iron despotism; and there is not one in a thousand of them that dares to
speak against the institution, or really to speak his mind.
I have just received a letter from one of them, which reads as follows: "Dear Sir,--
I merely write you as a man and professed Christian to say that you are doing God
service in your attacks upon the institution of Masonry. I am a Mason, but have
long since been convinced that it is a wicked, blasphemous institution, and that
the Church of Christ suffers from this source more than from any other. You
know that the oaths and scenes of the lodge are most shamefully wicked; and a
Christian man's character, if he leaves them, is not safe in the community where
he lives. You can make what use you please of this; but, perhaps, my name and
place of residence had better not be made public, for I fear for my property and
my person." This is the way that multitudes of Freemasons feel. They have sold
their liberty, and they dare not speak out. Shall we all sell our liberties, and allow
Masonry to stifle all discussion by a resort to violence and assassination? Threats
are abundant; and they go as far as they dare do in executing their threats.
In some places, where Freemasons are numerous and less on their guard, I am
informed that they do not hesitate to say that they Intend to have a Masonic
government, peaceably if they can. That this is the design of many of the leaders
in this institution, there can be no rational doubt in the minds of those who are
well informed. The press, to a great extent, is already either bribed or afraid to
speak the truth on this subject; and, so far as I can learn, there are but few secular
or religious papers open to its discussion. Now, what a state of things is this! A
few years ago it was as much as a man's life was worth to write anything against
slavery, or to speak against it, in the Southern States. And has it come to this, that
the North are to be made slaves, and that an institution is to be sustained in our
midst that will not allow itself to be ventilated? For one I do not feel willing at
present to part with my liberty in this respect--although I am informed that a
Mason, not far from here, intimated that I might be waylaid and murdered. It
matters not. I will not compromise the liberty of free speech on a question of such
importance to save my life. Why should I? I must confess that I have felt amazed
and mortified when so many have expressed astonishment that I dared to speak
plainly on this subject, and write my thoughts and views.
Among all the letters that I have received on this subject, I do not recollect one in
which the writer does not admonish me not to publish his name. And this in
republican America! A man's life, property and character not safe if he speaks the