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

ecause, of its nature, designs, principles, oaths, doctrines, secret practices, she
knew nothing. Hence God did not require the church to bear any testimony on the
subject as long as Masonry was a secret. The world did not expect the church to
take any action, or to bear any testimony on the subject, as long as Masonry was a
thing unknown, except to the initiated. In those circumstances the unconverted
world did not expect any testimony from the church, and they had no right to
expect it. The well-known fact, that many professed Christians were Freemasons,
was then no disgrace to the Church of God, because the character of Freemasonry
was not known.
3d. But the state of the case is now greatly changed. Freemasonry is now
revealed. It is no longer a secret to any who wish to be informed. Its nature,
character, aims, oaths, principles, doctrines, usages, are in print, and the books in
which they are revealed are scattered broadcast over the land. As long ago as
1826, Wm. Morgan published verbatim the first three degrees of Masonry. That
these degrees were faithfully published as they were known, and taken in the
lodges, no man can truthfully deny. Two, or more spurious editions of this work
have been published, for the sake of deceiving the public. To obtain a correct
edition of this work is at present difficult. Just previous to the publication of this
work, EIder Stearns, a Baptist minister, and a high Mason, one who had taken
many Masonic degrees, a man of good character who is still living, had published
a volume entitled "An inquiry into the nature and tendency of Speculative
Freemasonry." In 1860 the same author published a volume entitled "Letters on
Freemasonry, addressed chiefly to the Fraternity," with an appendix. He has
recently published another volume, entitled "A new chapter on Freemasonry."
Soon after the publication of Morgan's book, already referred to, a body of
seceding Masons, appointed a committee of sixteen, if I do not mistake the
number, upon which committee were several ministers of Christ, to prepare and
publish a correct version of forty-eight degrees of Freemasonry. Elder Bernard
had taken a large number of degrees, I know not exactly how many. The degrees
ordered to be published by this committee were carefully collected and arranged
and published under the following title, "'Light on Masonry;' A collection of all
the most important documents on the subject of Speculative Masonry, embracing
the reports of the western committees in relation to the abduction of Wm.
Morgan, proceedings of conventions, orations, essays, etc., etc., with all the
degrees of the order conferred in a Master's lodge as written by Capt. Wm.
Morgan, all the degrees conferred in the Royal Arch Chapter, and Grand
Encampment of Knights Templar, with the appendant orders as published by the
convention of seceding Masons, held at Leroy, July 4th and 5th, 1828. Also, a
revelation of all the degrees conferred in the Lodge of Perfection and fifteen
degrees of a still higher order, with seven French degrees, making forty-eight
degrees of Freemasonry, with notes and critical remarks by Elder David Bernard,
of Warsaw, Genesee County, New York, once an intimate Secretary of the Lodge
of Perfection. This book soon passed through seven editions. An eighth, but an
abridged edition, has been recently published in Dayton, Ohio." Since the
publication of Bernard's book, a volume has been published, entitled
"Richardson's Monitor of Freemasonry;" being a practical guide to the ceremonies