death of the righteous," though he persisted in living the life of a heathen!

Another fraternity is called Knights of Pythias—a significant name borrowed from heathenism, because Christendom could not furnish one as suitable and congenial to the spirit and aims of this order. Its religious character is of the same general type with that of Masonry and Odd-fellowship. When a candidate applies for admission, he is asked: "Do you believe in a Supreme Being, the Creator and Preserver of the Universe ?" With this latitudinarian creed, all the religious principles, forms, and ceremonies of the order coincide. Hence Jews, Turks, idolators, deists, and free religionists of every species, may be admitted to membership on a platform broad enough for all !

But why occupy time in discussing these societies one by one in detail? They all agree, substantially, in their first principles. They all teach the same religious doctrines. They all belong to the same family. Hence the exposure of one is vir. tually the exposure of all. One feature especially is common to all-the denial of the Lord Jesus Christ, from which follow by legitimate inference and logical development, all the false, unscriptural, anti-Christiau doctrines which we have found in Oddfellowship!

And now the important question arises: What relation should Christians sustain to these societies, which teach a false religion and admit to membership unbelievers? We answer, the Word of God clearly and emphatically forbids religious fellowship with unbelievers. To unite with them as brethren in these secret orders, necessarily involves such fellowship. And hence union with them cannot exist without sin. Even if a particular lodge in a particular locality has no infidel members, that does not alter the case of Christians in that particular place, because they are in communion with the whole fraternity, and all the unbelievers connected with it.

Fellowship with unbelievers in mere temporal or worldly things, is quite different, and is not forbidden. It is right for Christians to mingle freely with all men in the ordinary affairs

and transactions of life. To avoid all intercourse with men of the world, we must, as Paul says, “needs go out of the world." The common interests of society, in which we are mutually dependent, necessarily brings us in contact and sympathy with our fellow-men of all classes and conditions, whom we must treat with civility, whose rights we must respect, and whose welfare we must promote. Hence, it is lawful to have dealings with all as neighbors, and as members of the community in business, trade, commerce, civil affairs, and all matters of public interest. The Word of God commands us to "do good to all men as we have opportunity," giving help or relief to every one who stands in need of our kind offices, no matter of what creed or country he may be-whether he is a Jew or Gentile, infidel or atheist. God himself has bound us all together in one great human society or brotherhood, including not merely a select number who are best able to care for themselves and their families, but also the young, the poor, the sick, the infirm, the aged, and the helpless of both sexes, and of all complexions! It is therefore both proper and necessary to have more or less intercourse of a temporal or worldly nature with human beings in general, be their creed or character what it may.

But believers are not allowed to mingle with unbelievers in religious fellowship in common acts of worship. Such fellowship is fraught with evil to both parties. It is liable to pervert believers gradually from the pure truth, and confirm unbelievers in their soul-destroying errors. It identifies the friends of God with his enemies in the guilt of their unbelief and rebellion. It implies toleration of doctrines and principles, which the Bible severely condemns. It conveys the idea that God approves of false religion and false worship, which he hates. Hence, Paul warns Christians against it in the strongest terms. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness; and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive

you." In another passage he says: "Be not partakers of other men's sins." And the Apostle John says: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (of Christ,) receive him not into your house, neither bid him God-speed; for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds."

This settles the question of religious fellowship with unbe lievers, to the satisfaction of all who accept the supreme authority of the Word of God. These passages demand a complete separation in this respect. As Christians, we are here positively forbidden to have any religious communion or agreement with infidels. We are required even to close our doors against false teachers as such. We are not allowed to bid them God-speed-to wish them success, or show them any countenance in their evil works. In short, we are carefully to avoid giving the least help or encouragement to those who hold and teach false doctrines. And this applies with special force to these secret orders which deny the Lord Jesus Christ, reject the Triune God, pervert the Gospel plan of salvation, put conscience above the Bible as a rule of faith, and equalize Christianity with the false religions of the world. We dare not be identified with them in these errors under any circumstances, or for any purposes whatever-not for the sake of "pecuniary benefits, success in business," or temporal advantages of any kind-not even for the sake of aiding and reliev ing the needy and suffering, who can be helped in other ways and by other means not condemned by Scripture. Right ends never justify wrong means of attaining them. We are not to "do evil that good may come."

Since union with these unchristian societies necessarily involves religious fellowship with unbelievers, how can Christians justify their connection therewith? How can they reconcile it with the plain teachings of the Divine Word Do they not thus become partakers of other men's sins? By unit. ing with workers of iniquity, either directly or indirectly, we share their guilt. He who aids a murderer in any way, becomes particeps crimini:—a partaker of his crime, and also of his punishment. And the same principle applies here. If you belong to a society whose doctrines you know to be false and unscriptural, you are responsible for any evil fruits and consequences flowing therefrom. If you sin ignorantly, it lessens

your guilt. But you are utterly without excuse, as soon as you get proper light on the subject.

If you remain in it, after you know the true character of the society and the sin of belonging to it, then you sin wilfully, deliberately, presumptuously-because you sin with your eyes open. Those who have founded these societies and made them what they are, have to bear the main burden of responsibility. But God also places a responsibility upon you to examine these institutions carefully and candidly, without pride or prejudice, and with the earnest prayer that you might “know the truth," and that the truth would "make you free."

To unite with unbelievers in the false worship of the order, may seem to be a matter of little importance in itself, but it involves a great principle. Thousands have suffered martyrdom, rather than do something which seems trifling compared with that. During those terrible persecutions in early times, Christians had the choice of dying at the stake, or of casting a small piece of incense upon the altar of heathen gods. By simply doing that, they might have avoided a horrible death. And why did they refuse to perform that simple act, when their very life depended upon it? Ah! that simple, little act, was nothing less than an act of worship paid to false gods, and really involved a denial of Christ. It was so regarded. And for this reason they firmly refused to obey the command, knowing full well that the fires were already kindled to burn ur their bodies.

It is no light matter to be identified with a society that you know denies the Lord Jesus Christ. Your connection with that society, if continued and persevered in contrary to God's Word, leaves your soul in imminent danger. "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, which is in heaven."

GRAND LODGE MASONRY

Its Relation to Civil Government and the
Christian Religion.

Opening Speech Before the National Convention at Monmouth,
May 14th, 1873.

BY J. BLANCHARD, PRESIDENT OF WHEATON COLLEGE.

Fellow Citizens, Ladies and Gentlemen.-We are met to consider the secret "orders" spread throughout our land and world; more especially those of our own country; and, particularly, Freemasonry, their modern mother and type. A separate consideration of each is unnecessary. The author of the "Philosophical History of Freemasonry" properly observes, that "a discussion of one is a discussion of every one, fashioned after the same idea."

The statistics which creep into the public prints from the veiled recesses of the lodge, are fragmentary and imperfect. But we have enough to inform us that there are something over half a million Freemasons, or about one sixteenth of the voters of the United States. As were the slaveholders, they are a small minority of our population. But their rivals, copyists and imitating "orders" are much more numerous. Lodges, chapters, encampments, councils, army posts, centers, divisions, granges; like clouds of invisible insects, to which some philosophers attribute epidemic diseases, they light on every popular virtue, industry and reform, until there seems to be danger that no "order" of American citizens will be left,

For, notwithstanding they are a meager minority as yet in the rural districts, in our towns and cities, where are the caucuses which really rule the country, one out of every three or four voters is a Freemason. They form a brotherhood not based, like that of Christ, on regeneration and love, but on oaths, interest, and intimidation. They have sworn