The first number of your present volume contains a communication on the subject of "Oaths," in which the writer takes occasion to make some free remarks on the Masonic oath. This might naturally be expected to have an irritating effect on Masons; and it was not, therefore, to be wondered at, that the Masonic Album, should take particular notice of it. The latter complains of the aforesaid communication, as a shameful attack upon the institution of Free Masonry." Similar complaints are made in like For instance, some months ago, a notice appeard in the Albany Advertiser, of the excommunication of a Baptist minister, in the state of Illinois, " on the ground that he was a Freemason:" the notice was as usual, headed "Bigotry," and some corresponding remarks were made. With your leave, I wish to insert in your Magazine, a few thoughts on this subject.

cases.

In the first place, I would vindicate the right of a public expression of sentiment, which is made with due candor and mederation, although that expression should be offensive to many.The word of God clearly shows, that while the world in general "lieth in wickedness," he has in the midst of it, "a peculiar people," who are his witnesses, and who are bound to maintain his honour, at any risk and hazard. They are represented in the Revelation, as overcoming "the Devil by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." If then various destructive errors arise and prevail, they cannot in faithfulness to their Master refrain from solemnly protesting against them. They are bound too, by the great rule of christian charity; for if there be any meaning at all to words, the more lively our compassion is for the souls of men, the more anxious shall we be to warn them VOL. III.

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against ruinous delusions. Acting on such principles, we may cheerfully admit that we attack with hostile intention, any system of error, without yielding to the imputation, that our attack is necessarily "shameful."

are.

Whenever any thing is said or done against Masonry, the Masons immediately intrench themselves behind that secrecy which is a distinguishing feature of the society, and demand what right those who are not Masons have to condemn what they are unacquanted with? For myself, I do not presume to do this. I bring no charge against them from a conjecture of what their secrets 1 am content to speak only of that which is known, which they themselves will allow, yea, which they often publish for the sake of commending their institution. In the American Masonic Register, vol. i. page 330, we have this statement-" The principles of Masonry are not secret,”- "There is nothing secret in Masonry but those rites and mysteries which are essential to its preservation as a distinct order, and which tend to throw light upon the ancient history of the institution." Every one knows that there are many Masonic publications which advocate the cause of Masonry, and which professedly exhibit its principles, that all the world may see how excellent they are. From such exhibitions, made by Masons themselves, wherein their institution is placed in the most favourable light, I derive my principle reason for opposition to it. I shall illustrate the view which I am now about to give, by a few extracts from Bradly on Masonry, which will be a sufficient specimen of Masonic writing.

Page 52. "The common gavel-we are taught to make use of it for the noble purpose of divesting our minds and conscinces of all the vices and superfluities of life, thereby fitting our bodies as living stones for that spiritual building, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Page 56, "The three principle rounds of Jacob's theological ladder, are denominated faith, hope, and charity, which admonish us to have faith in God, hope in immortality, and charity to all mankind."

Page 94, 95, "We should apply our knowledge to the discharge of our respective duties to God, our neighbour, and ourselves, that we may enjoy the reflections consequent on a well spent life, and die in the hope of a glorious immortality."

Page 161, "A reverential awe for the Deity is inculcated, and the eye fixed on that object, from whose radiant beams light only can be derived."

Page 300, "Piety towards God, and love towards mankind,* the two pillars which support the fabric of Masonry."

*This is strikingly exemplified in Morgan's case.-Ed. Mor.

From these extracts, and much more that might be quoted from various publications, if it were necessary, it is evident, that the society is a religious one; for its religious principles are its great boast. Moreover, they tell us in so many words, that they have religious exercises within the lodge, for example, explanations of texts of scripture, and a variety of prayers. This being the fact, the plain Christian, who wishes to act conscientiously, has only to inquire, for his guidance in refererence to this subject, whether this religion be the religion of Christ or not. The evidence is abundant, to those who have any discernment of spiritual things, that it is not; I appeal to the extracts already made in connection with the following:

Bradly, page 8, 9, "We leave every member free to choose and support those principles of religion, which appear consistent to his views, and never censure nor disrespect him for being zealously engaged in what he deems important to Zion, while he keeps himself within the square with all men, and receives the sacred writings as his only sure guide to eternal blessedness. To debar the faithful from our temple, our institutions and our privileges, merely because their minds have been more or less expanded by heavenly influences, would at once demolish our fabric to the ground."

Page 148, "Whosoever desires to be a Mason, is to know that as his foundation and great corner stone, he is to believe in the Eternal God. A Mason must observe the moral law. In ancient times, Masons were charged to comply with the religious opinions and and usages of the country where they sojourned, yet it is now thought most expedient, that the brethren should only be charged to adhere to the essentials of religion in which all denominations agree, leaving each brother to his own judgment, as to particular forms.”

A

The religion of Jesus is not of this accommodating nature.— No Christian can admit, that "all denominations agree" in the "essentials of religion." But here is a society of high-sounding pretensions to all that is excellent, organized on the principle of indifference to truth, in the most momentous of all concerns. man may deny that the Lord Christ was any thing more than a mere creature, may deny that his death was a true and proper expiation of guilt, may expect his enjoyment of an eternal reward, on the condition of his own personal obedience, and pass for one of the highest ornaments of Masonry: for he 'may, according to their loose way of using language, have "faith in God," that is, a general belief that there is a God, "hope of immortality," and who does not hope that it shall be well with him at last? and

charity to all mankind, that is, he may really do many acts of beneficence, and charitably maintain, that it is no matter how far the religious profession of any departs from the system of truth revealed in the scriptures, provided they are sincere and think they are right. Every Christian knows, that such principles are at war with the truth in Jesus.

Again, it is plain that this system of religion is a self-righteous system. It exactly corresponds to those views which are most prevalent in the world, which without due apprehension of the solemn truth, that in our natural state, we are "dead in tresspasses and sins," fairly intimate, that our justification before God, is to be obtained by the work of our own hands. The Masons consider themselves the advocates of sound morality, but the Christian cannot allow that there is any sound morality which is not founded in the faith of Jesus, that any thing but “the grace of God which bringeth salvation," can effectually "teach, to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly."

Farther, this is a religious society, and yet, the evidence of possessing religion, is never demanded as a qualification for admittance. Such a demand would be hooted at as ridiculous and bigotted. There is then, nothing to prevent it from being a society of unregenerate men. Now, as these, according to the testimony of scripture, (1 Cor. ii. 14.) "cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God," their aping of religious service, and their whole pompous profession of love to virtue, morality, &c. must be a solemn mockery, an abomination in God's sight. These things are so evident to my mind, that I cannot believe that any enlightened Christian, who has his mind fairly turned to the consideration of this subject, can conscientiously refrain from entering his protest against so crying an evil; nor can any Christian church, which faithfully acts on the principle that the word of God must govern in all cases, do otherwise than make the subject of Masonic connection, a ground of judicial proceeding against any of its members. In the case of discipline referred to in the beginning of this communication, Dr. Dodson when called before the church, proposed, among other interrogatories, "Is Masonry a sin?" If his church could not answer, as the account states, they at least ought to have answered, to enter a lodge is sinful, because it sanctions indifference to truth, because it countenances a religious system which is utterly inconsistent with the peculiarity of the religion of the Bible, a system of dead works, which is a contempt of Christ the Lord our righteousness. But no attempt at discipline, in such cases, can be made without the

cry of persecution and intolerance being immediately raised. It would seem then, that the liberty must be all on one side. Let a member of a society disseminate principles which are calculated to destroy the existence of that society, and they must not expel him for fear of the reproach of persecution. There are none more intolerant than the advocates for this sort of toleration. They will have no mercy on a society which shall merely claim and exercise the right of governing itself by its own principles.They would pronounce Paul a most violent persecutor for this direction to Titus, "A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject." It is to be desired, that Christians should more and more feel the obligation, to "account the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world," and should in every form manifest their fixed resolution to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." The Lord knows that I have not written these few hints from any ill will to Masons. "My heart's desire and prayer to God for them is, that they may be saved." I desire to add this feeble effort to the advancement of the cause of truth, in the confidence that truth must ultimately prevail.

A.

THE GLORY OF MINISTERIAL SUCCESS, DUE TO GOD ALONE.

A Sermon, from MSS. of the late Dr. Shaw, on 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. (Concluded from page 312.)

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

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IV. Our text lastly and directly asserts, that God alone, and none but He, is the efficient cause of a successful ministry. As to increase, God by his efficacious Spirit, is all in all. "God giveth the increase." This is the first principle of the gospel, which ought to be indelibly engraven on the minds both of preachers and hearers, and therefore, we shall confirm it by a few express quotations from scripture. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." Ps. cx. iii. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Ps. cxxvii. 1. "I will be as the dew unto Israel, and he shall grow as the lilly, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon-from me is thy fruit found." Hos. xiv. 5-8. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace, unto it." Zech. iv. 6, 7. "Behold the Man whose name is the BRANCH;