SERMON -ON MASONRY, -BY REV. JAMES WILLIAMS. Presiding Elder of Dakota District, A SECEDING MASTER MASON. Delivered in the M. E. Church, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: EZRA A. COOK, PUBLISHER. METHODIST EPISCOAL PREACHERS vorsus SECRECY. In the Union County Courier of July 14th the following was published: A responsible gentleman informs us that a week or two since, Rev. James Williams, the Presiding Elder (or the "proscribing elder" is suggested as the name by a friend at our elbow,) of Dakota District,took occasion,in a sermon at the Clyde school-house,to brand the persons belonging to secret societies, as anything else than pure-minded gentlemen, and the sermon was followed by a prayer by Rev. S. T. Moore, who upon his arrival in our city less than one year since, represented himself as a Mason, in which he adopted the sentiments of a preacher. No objections have been raised to discussing the principles involv. ed in secrecy, but men of small calibre and narrow views, who are unable to discuss principles, enter upon a personal tirade, and call that slang preaching. The sermon was delivered in a community where there are but few, if any, members of secret orders, and knowing that if the members of these societies were as bad as represented, they should be exposed, a number of the citizens of Elk Point and vicinity have united in a request to have the sermon repeated in Elk Point. We hope the Rev. gentleman will find it convenient to comply, as an anxiety exists to know what new revelation he has received on the subject. The following is To Rev James Williams: THE REQUEST. The undersigned residents of Elk Point and vicinity, not having been fortunate enough to hear your sermon delivered at Clyde's school-house on the 4th day of July last, against secret societies, and having a great desire to listen to the same, would respectfully ask you to reproduce it at your earliest convenience, in Elk Point, D. T. W. M. Vinson. A. H. Stringer. C. F. Mallahan. THE REPLY. ELK POINT, July 20, 1875. Messrs. Vinson, Mallahan, and 22 others: SIRS-On my arriving home this morning I find a request published in the Union County Courier for me to preach a sermon on Secret Societies. I have the honor to state that I shall be happy to comply with your request and name Thursday evening, July 29th, at the M. E. church. Yours truly, JAMES WILLIAMS. [NOTE.-The sermon will not be the same as the one preached in the Clyde school-house, as in that one I only gave expression to my convictions in one division of my subject.1 BY REV. JAMES WILLIAMS. Presiding Elder of Dakota District, Northwest Iowa Conference. Delivered in the M. E. church, at Elk Point, D. T., Aug. 11 1875. Acts iv. 11-12.-"This is the stone which is set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there saivation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." In appearing before you this evening, it is with some anxiety, not as to where the truth lies, and final victory, but as to my ability to do justice to the subject, as it is one of vital importance to our holy Christianity and our great Republic. We find in our midst a system despotic in its government, unchristian in its character; binding its votaries by unlawful oaths, with death penalties annexed, “to forever hail, never reveal, and ever conceal" the secrets of the system and its adherents; crime not excepted. A system professing to be charitable in its aim, yet excluding all from its pale, except those who are perfect in body, sound in mind, young in years, and in comfortable circumstances for money. A system professing to take our Holy Scriptures as its rule of faith and practice, and yet carefully excluding Him of whom "Moses in the law and the prophets did write"; Him who is the "all in all," the "alpha and omega,' the "beginning and the end" of the New Testament. A system professing to be ancient and honorable above all others, and yet for its defense forces its adherents to calumny, slander, and misrepresentation. Professing to interfere with no man's religious views, yet says to the Christian who prays within its sacred halls: You must not approach the throne of grace in the name of Him who has said, “No man cometh to the Father but by me." In approaching the subject for discussion a perplexity arises as to what it is. So strange and contradictory is it that if you ask six different men of equal intelligence, and they members of the order, you will receive almost as many different answers. It reminds me of the dispute over the color of a certain reptile: Tis green; I saw it with these eyes." "I've seen it, sir, as well as you, And must affirm again, 'tis blue." "Tis green! 'tis green! sir, I assure ye." "Green !" cries the other in a fury, "Sirs!" cries an umpire. "'cease your pother; It's neither one nor yet the other. 'Tis red! I canght it yesternight," He ope'd the box, and lo! 'twas white. So in treating it all that I can do is to refer to the system itself and to its authorities to determine what it is and what it professes to do. One thing is certain: Freemasonry professes a religious and saving_character, and this without Christ or the conditions of the Gospel. I do not say that it brings railing accusations against the Gospel; sometimes it comes with words that sound favorable thereto, with many beautiful passages taken from the Divine word, but so the great Arch enemy came in ages past, with the words of God in his mouth, to overthrow our Saviour. So in the last days he comes in like manner, to the overthrow of the church that Christ purchased with his own blood, rather than submit to the shameful conditions of peace which Satan offered in the wilderness. But we will listen to what Masonic authors say concerning its religious pretensions. Masonry has its doctrines, its prayers, its hymns, its altars, its covenants, its priesthood, its rituals, its burials, its temples. It professes to be Divine and inspired of God. "Hail Masonry divine. Thou art divine."-Sickel's Monitor page 144. It professes to save its disciples forever. "The common gavel is an instrument made use of by operative masons to break off the corners of rough stones, the better to fit them for the builder's use; but we as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and glorious purpose of divest ing our hearts and consciences of all the vices and superfluities of life, thereby fitting our minds as living stones, for that spiritual building, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."-Sickel's Monitor, page 34. It is said to be a religious institution. "All the ceremonies of our order are prefaced and terminated with prayer, because Masonry is a religious institution.”—Mackey's Lexicon, page 871. Finney quotes from Town: "Every good Mason is of necessity truly and emphatically a Christian: and is assured of his election and final salvation." The same sentiment I have often heard expressed, and by some in our midst. "In age, as Master Masons, we enjoy the happy reflection consequent on a well-spent life, and die in the hope of a glorious immortality."-Sickel's Monitor, page 114. "In short by diligent observance of the bylaws of your lodge, the constitutions of Masonry, and above all, the Holy Scriptures, which are given as a rule and guide to your faith, you will be enabled to acquit yourself with honor and reputation, and lay up a crown of rejoicing which shall continue when time shall be no more."-Ibid, page 151. Here we have an apparent appeal to the Holy Scriptures as binding on their faith and practice, but let us see what it takes to constitute Masonic saving faith. "It asks only for a declaration of that simple and universal faith in which men of all nations and all sects agree, the belief in a God and his superintending providence. Beyond this it does not venture, but leaves the minds of its disciples on other and sectarian points perfectly |