ur manners and dress, making ourselves
as little conspicuous as possible, but lifting up Jesus everywhere, is the
true Christian life.

Secret Orders.

The present-day institutions known as "Secret Orders," are of an earthly,
worldly origin. They are one of the things of this world which man can not
love and continue in the love of God. Within those secret organizations
are bundled together by strong oaths the professed Christian, the infidel,
the lawyer, the doctor, the saloon-keeper, the gambler, and almost every
character upon the earth. By the bonds of this secret union the preacher
is made a brother with an infidel. The apostle Paul tells us, "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?" 2 Cor. 6:14, 15.

The preacher who professes to believe in God is here having a part with an
infidel contrary to the Word of God. You who are professing to be a light
in the world, how can you in the fear of God take the oaths necessary to
make you a member of a secret order? How can you join in the worldly
hurrah and laughter, and foolish, ungodly pranks as played upon the
candidate within the secret walls? What do you think of a preacher, or
layman, becoming the laughing-stock of infidels, lawyers, saloon-keepers,
drunkards, and gamblers, as he trembles beneath the blindfold? What kind
of light are they letting shine? I appeal to your reason and common sense.
Is it Christlike? Do you think Jesus would engage in such dark works? Some
have charged the Savior with being a freemason. Such is a libelous
statement. In Isa. 45:19, the Lord says, "I have not spoken in secret, in
a dark place of the earth: ... I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare
things that are right." Christ only speaks the things that are right and
never the dark, ungodly oaths and sayings of the secret lodge. Again, the
Savior said, "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue,
and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort: and in secret have I
said nothing." John 18:20. Jesus spake nothing in secret, and to charge
him with having connection with the dark, secret mysteries of masonry is
as slanderous as the charge made by the people who said, "Thou hast a
devil." John 7:20. The Savior not only knew that men would, in order to
def