An Anti Secret Society Church Congress.

to becomo Masonized , so he asked " for the prayers of the members of tho congress , that ho mig ht be relieved from tho inflnenco of wicked men . " Rev . R . P . Grant , of Beverly , nttered his protest

against the influence of secret organisations . He would not permit a Freemasons' Lodge to take tbe place of his pulpit . He protested against Masonic funeral services . " Ho did not fear to speak plainly on this matter , for ho Bpoko in a similar way in the pulpit . "

Rev . T . C . Cunningham , of Somerville , said that "the Church of Christ is sufficient to meet the moral and

physical wants of men , and it is the only one that any man has a moral right to join . " The italicising is mine . And now for the last meeting of the Congress , held on Thursday evening . The evening session of the congress was held in Tremont Temple ,

Rev . IT . T . Cheever presiding . Before introducing the first speaker , Mr . Cheever offered the following affirmation of prinoiplee , wbioh he cftid would be considered during the evening : — Tbafc the inception and establishment of a national Christian party of reform on the basal principles of righteousness and humanity , with

confessed allegiance to Christ , the King , has become a necessary step in tho providontial march of events , and in the foreordained progress of a great Christian people struggling to get free from the chronic thraldom of intemperance through the tolerated liquor traffio , from the depraving control of oath-bound and Jesuit orders of seoreoy , and

from all old world or now world usages or abuses incompatible with a true Christian civilization . The first speaker of the evening was President Charles A . Blanohard , of Wheaton College , Illinois , whose topic was "The Clan-na-Gael , or Irish Brotherhood . " He opened his address with a picture of the

oondition of tho people of Ireland as witnessed by him during a viait in that country . To improve their condition many of the inhabitants came to this country , and found themselves surrounded by thousands of secret secietiep , and it was but natural that , desiring to help their countrymen whom they had left behind , they should form a secret

orgnnization , and llins the Clan-na-Gael Bprang up . Tbe speaker then traced what he claimed to be the methods employed by tho Clan-na-Gael which led to the murder of Dr . Cronin , classed all seorot soc . ' eties in tho same category , nnd advocatod the passage of a genornl law prohibiting secret societies .

Rev . IT . IJ . Hastings delivered an address on " The Remedy , " which he said wns investigation , ventilation , information , agitation , immigration and , perhaps , legislation . Tho oommitteo on resolutions , appointed on Wednesday . nnbmitled the following series , and thoy woro adopted : —

1 . As a boily of Christian ? , representing the Christian churches and ministry of tho land , it is the deliberate judgment of this congress ( hut the vnrions orders bound to secrecy in all their multitudinous forms and names—Mormon ism , Masonry , and Jesuitism , the Clan-Da-Gael , & a . —are incompatible with true Christianity , with the oblign .

lions of American citizonship , nnd with tho free institutions of America , and they should be met and overthrown in the name of ropnblicau government and of true roligion . 2 . We recognise the over-ruling providence of God in tbo United States courts at Salt Lnko City , in bringing to light the secret oaths

of tho endowment honse , and in securing a judicial decision that they arc contrary to good citizonship , and those who tako them aro tlwreby made aliens to the government of the United States . We OIHO rrjoico nt the universal popular condemnation of tho Clan-na-Gael as « system which shonld never be allowed to exist in Amorica .

We hail thtso judgments of court and people as premonitions of tho final overthrow of tho secret Lodge system . 3 . As a conference wo approvo the effoits of the National Christian Association to arouse our own people , and extend this reform to foreign lands . The Lodge is ubiquitous , and its pestilential

inflnencu is world-wide . We recommend to the association that every efFort be made at the proposed world ' s fair in 1892 to reach tho multitudes which will be gathered from every land under tho Bun . And if this universal exhibition shall be held in Ctiicigo , tho headquarters of our reform , as we hope it may

be , wo recommend that an international conference be held during its progresp , that shall adequately represent tbe reform against the eecrct Lodges , and wbioh shall enlighton the world by the vigour and powor of its discussions . There was a formal discussion on the resolutions , after which the ongrofs adjourned sine die .

On comparing our Masonic Saints who clamour for expelling every one from Masonry who disbelieves in the inspiration of tho Bible with the saints of the anti-secret congress , I find that both alike attach more importance

to theology than they do to the " golden rule , to justice , or to common sense ; both alike detest liberty of conscience outside of their church ; and both alike would persecute an unbeliever in their isms if they had the power to do so . Bostod , U . S ., 17 th December 1889 .

HOLIOWAT ' Puis . —Tho changes | of temperature and weathor freqnontly hpsct persons who ore most cautious of thoir health , and most particular in their diets . Theso corrective , purifying nnd gcntlo aperient Tills are tho bost remedy for all defectivo actions of tho digestive organs ; thoy augment tho appetite , strengthen the stomach , correct hiliousnoss , and carry off nil that is noxious from the system . Holloway's Pills aro composed of raro balsams , unmixed with hasor mnttor , and on that account nre peculiarly well adapted for tho young , delicate , and nged . As this peerless mediclno has gained famo in tho past , so will it presorvc it in tho future by its ronovating and invigorating qualities , and its incapacity of doing harm .

Reply To Bro. Jacob Norton.

REPLY TO BRO . JACOB NORTON .

BY BRO . WM . H . PECKHAM .

MY attention has recently been directed to a letter by Bro . Jacob Norton , in your issue of 19 th October last , and republished in the Masonic Bevieio of Cincinnati , Ohio , wherein I am unnecessarily and personally attacked . Bro . Norton has for years past assumed the role of a

Masonic Censor , and seems to be afflicted with not only tho cacoethes scrihendi , but also the ignoblo desiro to attack without warrant his brothers and fellows . This failing is doubtless the result of an idle mind , for if he was or had been occupied in attending to his secular affairs time would

not have been afforded him to concoct the diatribes so profnsely circulated ; and as your journal bears the reputation of "justice to all , " I respectfully ask that as you printed Bro . Norton ' s tetter you will do me the justice of publishing this reply .

Bro . Norton stigmatises mo for having " become con . science stricken at the sin committed by hia ( my ) successor ( Bro . P . J . S . Gorgas ) for visiting in Paris tho Grand Orient Scottish Rite concerns , and for receiving acknowledgment from tho Graud Orient . " He further assails rne

with tho remark , " It is rather curious that it took Brothor Peckham eighteen months before ho discovered tho palpable sin committed by Bro . Gorgas . " He continues by saying , " However , Bro . Peckham frankly acknowledged his error , but instead of receiving sympathy he is attacked by all

parlies , with sneers , sarcasms , & c . I defy Bro . Norton to prove what ho writes . He , to give strength to his unwarranted aspersion and ready peu dipped in gall and wormwood , quotes tho Toronto Freemason , which is an organ of thc so-called " Northern Jurisdiction , " to screen himself for his uncalled-for attack on me . He also refers to others of

that body in support of tho lucubrations with which he sought to insult mo through your widely circulated journal . Other portions of his letter I will not waste time in

discussing , as they aro evidently the emanations of au illogical brain , not inspired by tho efforts and amenities of Dojite lifo , or of tbo primary instruction giveu whilo passing through his "first degree" in Symbolic Masonry .

In further reply to Bro . Norton , I may remark that from the return of Bro . Gorgas from Europe , and the issuance of his manifesto detailing his actions while thero , with lithographic copies of his American Masonic patent , copiously covered with foreign " vises " I instantly took

thc alarm , plainly perceiving that ho had porpetrated an egregious and gravo mis tako , assisted by his compagnon dtt voyage ( Bro . J . S . Hopkins ) , aud I did not hesitate to give open expression to my sontiraonts . I acted as every conservative Mason or thinking man would , and patiently

waited for tho full development of facts , so as safely to baso my final action before tho universal Masonic world . Othors of oar Rite who wero intimately acquainted with the relation in which tho Grand Orient was held by tho Grand Lodge of Maryland felt as I did , find awaited as I

did , and ultimately discovered , to their full sat ^ faction , that Bro . Gorgas had violated his obligation aud fealty to tho laws of Freemasonry , and more ospecially to tho Grand Lodgo of Maryland ; and many of these samo brethren , having no sympathy with the elimination of tho

name of Deity by the Graud Orient of France from its constitution and Ritual , withdrew from tho Scottish Rite , holding and feeling , as I do , that fealty to Symbolic

Masonry is paramount . What docs tho sequel demonstrate ? At tho meeting of the Grand Lodgo of Maryland ( in November last ) Bro . Gorgas , Past Grand Senior Warden thereof , presented the following lotter : —

" Baltimore , 14 th November 1888 . " Thomas J . Shryock , Esq , Grand Master of Mnsona of Maryland . MoBt Worshipful Sir and Brother , —As a Past Grand Seuior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Maryland , and in view of the fact thnt . from time to time daring the past year , aoousations have been

published to tho effect that , during a recent visit to Europe , I officially visited tbo Grand Orient of France , with which fraternal relations havo been suspended bj the Grand Lodges of America , and theieby shown disloyalty to the Grand Lodge of Maryland , to wbioh I owe allegiance , I make the following statement ;

During my visit to Paris , France , in April 1888 , I visited an inform d meeting of tbe Counoil of a body which I understood to be , and v . bxh I was informed , by what I considered to be good authority ,

was n purely Scottish Rite body . Since my return homo I have learned , greatly to my surprise , that the official Bulletin of the Grand Orient of France , has published a statement to the effect that my visit was to a body connected with