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

that degree, murder and treason excepted, be a safe man with whom to entrust an
office? Can he be trusted as a witness, a juror, or with any office connected with
the administration of justice? Can a man who has taken and still adheres to the
oath of the Royal Arch degree be trusted in office? He swears to espouse the
cause of a companion of this degree when involved in any difficulty, so far as to
extricate him from the same, whether he be right or wrong. He swears to conceal
his crimes, murder and treason not excepted. He swears to give a companion of
this degree timely notice of any approaching danger that may be known to him.
Now is a man bound fast by such an oath to be entrusted with office? Ought he to
be accepted as a witness, a juror--when a Freemason is a party, in any case--a
sheriff, constable, or marshal; ought he to be trusted with the office of judge or
justice of the peace? Gentlemen, you know he ought not, and you would despise
me should I not be faithful in warning the public against entrusting such men with
office. But further: Take the large class of men who have sworn, under the most
awful penalties, to take vengeance on all who violate Masonic obligations; to seek
their condign punishment; to kill them; to persecute them, and to ruin them by
representing them wherever they go as worthless vagabonds. Now, gentlemen, I
appeal to you, is a man who is under a most solemn oath to kill or seek the death
of any man who shall violate any part of the Masonic oaths a fit person to be at
large amongst men? Why, who does not know that Freemasons are in the habit of
violating various points and parts of their Masonic oaths, and are not Freemason
bound by oaths to kill them, or seek their death? There are many seceding Masons
throughout the land. Adhering Masons are under oath to seek to procure their
death. Now if they adhere to their oaths and thereby affirm that they design to
fulfill their vows, if an opportunity occurs, ought they not to be imprisoned or put
under the heaviest bonds to keep the peace? No one can face the public and deny
this, admitting as he must that their oaths are truly recorded in these books. No
one can think this conclusion harsh unless he assumes contrary to all evidence,
either that no such oaths have been taken, or if they have, and are still adhered to,
there is no danger that these vows will be fulfilled. Take these books and say
wherein have I dealt harshly or uncharitably with Freemasonry as herein
revealed? Ought a Freemason of this stamp to be fellowshiped by a Christian
Church? Ought not such an one to be regarded as an unscrupulous and dangerous
man? I appeal to your conscience in the sight of God, and I know that your moral
sense must respond amen to the conclusions at which I have arrived. Be not
offended with my telling you the truth in love. We must all soon meet at the
solemn judgment. Let us not be angry, but honest.
THE END