Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Secret Societies by Edward Beecher;Jonathan Blanchard;David MacDill
page 31 of 60 (51%)
receiving members; not only do they utterly refuse to admit a man,
however good, and wise, and patriotic he may be, in case he is
diseased or infirm, or is disabled by wounds in the service of his
country, and is too poor and feeble to maintain himself and his
family; not only do they exclude all such persons from membership and
from the boasted privileges, and honors, and pecuniary benefits
pertaining thereto, but also their regulations in regard to their
internal affairs manifest an unchristian, anti-republican, exclusive,
selfish spirit. For instance, Masons will not, and, indeed, according
to their regulations, can not, bestow funeral honors upon deceased
members who had not advanced to the third degree. Those of the first
and second degree can not thus be honored. They are not entitled to
funeral obsequies, nor are they allowed to attend a Masonic funeral
procession. (Webb's Monitor, pp. 132-133.)

Again: Though Masonry makes professions of universal benevolence on
the ground "that the radiant arch of Masonry spans the whole habitable
globe;" though it declares that every true and worthy brother of the
order, no matter what be his language, country, religion, creed,
opinions, politics, or condition, is a legitimate object for the
exercise of benevolence, (Masonic Constitutions, by Grand Lodge of
Ohio, p. 80); still it is declared that "Master Masons only are
entitled to Masonic burial or relief from the charity fund." (Masonic
Constitutions by Grand Lodge of Ohio, p. 39.) The rulers of Masons can
not be chosen from the members of the first or second degree. It is
thus seen that the first two degrees serve as a sort of substratum on
which the other degrees rest, and the "honors and benefits" are not
intended for persons of the former.

The exclusiveness and selfishness of other secret associations are
DigitalOcean Referral Badge