nd decide for himself in every case of duty and
morals. We should not let the church of Christ even decide for us in
such matters, much less some association, composed, it may be, of
infidels, Mormons, Jews, Mohammedans, and all sorts of men except
atheists. (See pages 37, 31.) A band of such men may have secrets very
immoral in character, and which it would be a violation of God's law
to preserve inviolate. To promise beforehand that any "mysteries"
which they may see fit to enact and practice shall be forever
concealed, is to trifle with conscience and morality. It is useless to
plead that a member can withdraw as soon as he discovers any thing
wrong in the regulations and usages which he is required to obey.
Every one who joins such an association as those under consideration
must make up his mind to do so before he knows what "the mysteries"
are, and he must promise (either with or without an oath) that he will
preserve them inviolate before "the brethren" will intrust them to
him. The possibility of dissolving his connection with the association
afterward does not exonerate him of promising to do he knows not
what--of laying aside his own conscience and reason, and yielding
himself "passively" to others. The promise of secrecy and of obedience
to unknown regulations and customs, required at the initiation of
candidates into such associations as we are considering, is,
therefore, a step in the dark. It involves the assuming of an
obligation to do what _may be_ morally wrong, and is, therefore,
inconsistent with the teachings of the Word of God and the principles
of sound morality.

CHAPTER IV.

THEIR PROFANENESS.

1. Another evil connected with secrecy, as maintained by the
associations the character of which is now under consideration, is the
profane use of sacred things in ceremonies, celebrations, and
processions. This evil has, perhaps, no _necessary_ connection with
secrecy, but has generally in _fact_. The "secret societies" of
antiquity dealt largely in religious ceremonies. It is the frequent
boast of Masons, Odd-fellows, and others, that their associations
correspond to those of ancient times. There is, indeed, a
correspondence between them in the use of religious rites. Those of
ancient times employed the rites of heathenish superstition; those of
modern times are, perhaps, as objectionable on account of their
prostituting the religion of Christ. The holy Bible, the word of the
living God, is