superstition, which treats Jesus Christ with no more regard and
veneration than it does Mohammed, Confucius, or Joe Smith, and whose
only religion is the religion of infidels?

If secret associations did not pretend to have _any_ religion or _any_
religious services, but would, like bank and railroad companies,
conduct their affairs without religious forms, it would be infinitely
better.




CHAPTER V.

THEIR EXCLUSIVENESS.


1. Another objection which may be urged against secret societies in
general, is their selfish exclusiveness.

It is well known that the Christian religion has often been subjected
to reproach by the bigotry and sectarianism of its professors. If the
_Bible_ inculcated bigotry and sectarianism, it would be a
well-founded objection to Christianity itself; but Christianity is
eminently catholic and democratic, and is diametrically opposed to an
exclusive and partisan spirit. The command of Christ to his church is
to make no distinction on account of class or condition, but to
receive all, and especially to care for the poor, the unfortunate, the
oppressed, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and the diseased.
Sometimes men calling themselves Christians act so directly contrary