" Fools Hate Knowledge."

" FOOLS HATE KNOWLEDGE . "

FBOM THE VOICE OF MASONRY . " T ^ OOLS ** knowledge , " said Solomon of old , bnt let us inter--T polate the words fear and , ancl then the sentence will read , " Fools fear and Itate knowledge . " If Solomon , in his wisdom , could with justice speak such plain truths to the men of that a ^ o , cannot thoy bo applied with an equal force to tho men of tho present age ?

" Fools hate knowledge ! ' How terse the sentence ! Analyse it as you will—it remains the same , while its truth is displayed iu our everyday experiences . If one will bnt turn his attention toward the lower ranks of mankind , where ignorance and her co-worker superstition predominate , he cannot fail of seeing it forcibly illustrated in their various actions .

The ignorant fear as well as hate tho infusion of knowledge into their absurd brains ; they seemingly strenuously avoid all attempts towards knowledge , and why ? Because new ideas wonld be shown them which would change the whole tenure of their lives . Superstition is the outgrowth of ignorance ; both the fool ' s abiding place . Webster defines FOOL as " one destitute of reason ; an idiot : one

¦ who acts absurdly . " The epithet root , is one we are loth to apply to any one , especially those who are " destitute of reason ; " yet when we take the meaning of the word as it is given , we find that there is a class to which it can be applied withou t detracting from its meaning , and that class is that portion of humanity whoso name as yet , fortunately , is not legiou , but whose every action illustrates the

whole meaning of the sentence , especially the first word of it . The class to which I refer is that bigoted , fanatical , foolish one who , calling themselves a " National Christian Association , " alias anti-Masons , who , in their limited vision , see all the evils of which human nature is heir developed iu the members of the Masonic Institution . In their extreme selfishness they are not willing to so see

much less appreciate , any of the good things of which Masonry is so replete . The question arises , what has Masonry done that it should merit such denunciations as it has received from its traducers ? We have often attempted to answer the question in onr own mind , bnt so far unsatisfactorily , yet we have found the exact reverse of what they assert . What they claim as facts , wo have found to be devoid of even

a semblance of truth . Among the absurd accusations brought against us is the one of being opposed to Christianity , coupled with that of attemping to overthrow free government . To any one who lays any claim towards intellectuality , such assertions are the very height of absurdity . In what respect does Freemasonry oppose Christianity ? Will some

" crank" please enlighten me ? I never yet have seen one that is satisfactory , or even one which the facts do not directly refute . While the most ardent admirers of the Masonic Institution will not for a moment claim that is it a religious institution , in the sense of attempting regeneration of the soul , yet we do claim that it is a coworker with Religion in its attempts to rescue fallen humanity from

the degradation of sin . The foundation of Christianity is love of Deity and peace towards men . The Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man produces Charity , or Love , and " a due reverence for the Deity and his works . " One of the fundamental laws of Masonry , which cannot be revoked or laid aside by the seeker after light , is an unequivocal belief in

Deity . He must so declare or for ever remain m darkness as to the beauties of Freemasonry . He can stand afar off and view it , but never approach it . If Masonry is thus strenuous in causing its members to declare their belief in Deity , does it not at once show the absurdity of the charge that it is unchristian P It would seem that it would to any one with an unbiassed mind .

"But , " says my anti . Masonic friend , " that is not so ; you cannot mention an instance . " Wait a moment and 1 will prove that it is . The Grand Orient of France said , a few years since , that belief in Deity is not essential to Masonry . She promulgated that doctrine , and what is her Masonic status to-day ? Any well-informed Mason will say that she has none . She stands alone and unrecognised by

the Masonio Fraternity over the whole world ; cut off from her fellows and declared unworthy of the name Mason . In denying the essentiality of Deity she divested herself of all vestige of Masonry . In this instance the ban of non-interconrse was righteously enforced . Does not that prove that Masonry is not opposed to Christianity f If it were would the Masonic world condemn the acts of the Grand

Orient of France as it does ? Most assuredly not . The mission of Masonry is peace towards all . Man iu his fierce struggles for power , or in the advocacy of some issue , resorts to the nse of the sword as the arbitrator of his disputes . Even the Church has not been slow to use it ; but , has Masonry ever called upon tbe sword as the arbitrator of its disputes ? Its members have suffered

untold persecutions by its fanatical enemies ; what is the result of those attacks ? Freemasonry is only the more firmly planted in the hearts of its friends , and stands to-day as an institution unequalled by any , save the Church of God . Its members follow sile-o . ce and circumspection . It advocates brotherly love , and by its every act abides by that law . If its mission is peace , if its members must

profess faith in Deity , if morality is its aim , can thero be the least justice in the assertion that it is unchristion ? It seems to tno that there ought to be but one answer , viz ., that it is not opposed to Christianity in any form , word . < , r act . Again Masonry is accused of attempting to destroy free government , which is equally as absurd an accusation as the others . One of the

charges to the neophyte says * . " In the State you are to be a pcatvful subject , true to your government and just to yonr country , " and , " to conform with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which you live . " What more is wanted ? I defy any ono to point to . my instance where the Masonic Fraternity , as such , has ever attempted to meddle with political affairs . Very true many of its members hold hi g h office under government , but was it Masonry that gave

them that office ? No ; it was their oivnpersonal worth . Masonry , as such , had nothing to do with it . Because I am a Mason , and the Government give me the honours and emoluments of office , does it by iiny means go to shew that Masonry gave me that office ? Yet , fana . tics say that Masons hold all the hig h offices in this free government

of ours . We know that they hold many of them , but it was the in . tellectual ability of the man , not his standing as a Mason , that gave him that office ? Perhaps we can make this boast , viz ., that in intel . leetnality wo stand above onr friends (?) the antis ; such being the case it would only be natural that men of intellect should fill positions

of honour and trust . Lot mo give a few facts , iu the shape of statistics , for unbelievers to digest , if for no other reason than to prove how foolish and suicidal we would be to even attempt to destroy free government . According to the census of 1880 , we have in the United States a population of 50 , 152 , 866 . While the Masonic statistics for the same year show a membership of only 545 , 887- Ab .

cording to these figures we find that there is one Mason to mneti / . titio inhabitants of the United States . Now , that one Mason , against ninety-two who are not Masons , is to do the means of revolutionizing the country—overthrowing the government and destroying Christianity . They must think that the Masonic Institution is invested with superhuman power to perform snob , miracles , aud aa the days of miracles are passed , thoy can safely set it down , that " it can't be

At the presidential election in 1880 there were 9 , 219 , 915 votes cast for all the candidates ( Phelps included ) , wbich would be a ratio of about owe Masonic vote to seventeen who are not Masons , yet that one Masonic vote is to bo the means of counterbalancing seventeen . Was ever such folly heard of ? Candidly , now , are not such

statements , as overthrowing the government , absurd in the extreme ? Fools fear knowledge as well as hate it . Again it is estimated that there are 92 , 011 churches ; 76 , 242 ministers ° and 15 , 136 , 198 members of all denominations professing Christi . anity in the United States alone , whioh would be about the ratio of one Mason to every twenty-eight church members , six Masons to every

church , and five Masons to every minister . Oh my ! that one solitary Mason to twenty-eight church members is capable of overthrowing Christianity ; six Masons to every church are to turn that church into a den of iniquity , and five Masons to every minister have the power to destroy that minister ' s faith in his God . Verily the Masonic power must bo something fearful to behold . Why that one poor

lonely Mason must have his power delegated from "the prince of dark . ness himself ; " no substitutes there . The above comparisons are given simply to show how per . fectly absurd anti-masonic statements are ; how devoid of truth , and how nonsensical they must appear when brought down to their real meaning ! Come now , you fanatical " cranks , " acknowledge that

" fools hate knowledge , " for any one is a downright fool that will abvocate such absurd doctrines as that Masons are destroyers of governments , or strive to overthrow Christianity . Were they for a moment to attempt such a course their defeat would be as instantaneons as it would be overwhelming , and a jnst one it would be , too ; bnt such is nofc the intent or design of Masonry , nor will it even' he .

We find many instances where our opponents are guilty of the same actions of which they accuse us ; or to use a slang expression , where they attempt to " run the machine . " What was the crusade of 1826 but an attempt by political shysters to get into power by the means of that bugbear , anti-masonry ? Sometimes they have succeeded ; but supposing that they have , who cares ? That we do not is certain .

Masonry , as such , makes no issue ou political questions any more than it does on strictly religious ones . It is not its creed , * we do nofc believe iu it ; but we do oppose it by strictly forbidding such discussion in our Lodge-rooms . The tenets of Masonry are Brotherly Love , Relief and Truth j not political issues nor religions dogmas . We will admit that we have

black-sheep in onr ranks , but when we expunge 20 , 315 in one year does it not show that we at least make the attempt to rid ourselves of them ? If there are black sheep in Masonry , are they not also to be found in every organization . Even the chnrch cannot present a clean record ; bnt I suppose that the so-called " National Christian (?) Association , " headed by Blanchard , Phelps and others , can , IN THEIR OWN ESTIMATION . The Church has her worthless members , and we have

ours , with this difference—we admit and deplore the fact that it is so , but do they ? The fact that there are a few who are Masons only in name shonld not condemn the whole Institution , yet it does in the eyes of those who are so blinded by bigotry that they will not believe facts when they are given them . Remember , that it is not as a part thafc we are to be judged , but as a whole . It has no semblance of

right or justice that the bad Masons should be picked out and tue ^ whole judged by them . We do not belong to the " holier than thou class of humanity , but we do claim that the Masonic Institution is as free from blemish as any , and thafc its objects are every thing thafc pertains to Brotherly Love , Truth and Charity . Can our friends ( P ) tbe antis , make the same boast P Are they a charitable instituiu

tion ? If so , show me wherein they ever displayed charity , either relieving the wants of their fellows , or in their actions towards the Institution they so malignantly vilify . Are they truthful in their charges against ns ? If so , why do they so zealously promalgue what they know to be falsehoods ? In fact , what just grounds have fchev for their tirades of abuse ? Mv exnerienoe has been that they

have none in tlie least . Who are their principal workers ( Generally , expelled Masons . They were too contemptible for us keep , so we just turned them over to the tender (?) mercies ot so-called "National Christian Association , " alias an association o political shysters , religions fanatics , and " dead-beats . " That m . y be strano-e lanena- 'e to use . bnt it is extremely mild in companso

some of the sweet (?) words they use when speaking of us . Now , what is the true inwardness of this tirade against ftiaso ^ which has been going on through the country since 1826 ? _ As vi from a Vermont standpoint ( she has had her share of anti- Mason yj , it is a hankering for political power and the" Almighty <»<¦«"»