6.  The promise required of candidates at their initiation, whether there be an oath or not, is also, at least in many cases, improper and sinful.  For instance, the “candidate for the mysteries of Masonry,” previous to initiation, must make the declaration that he “will cheerfully conform to all the ancient established usages and customs of the fraternity.” (Webb’s Freemason’s Monitor, p. 34.) Grosch, in his Odd-fellows’ Manual, directs the candidate at his initiation as follows:  “Give yourself passively to your guides, to lead you whithersoever they will.” (P. 91.) Again, in regard to initiation into a certain degree, he says:  “The candidate for this degree should be firm and decided in his answers to all questions asked him, and patient in all required of him,” etc. (P. 279.) In the form of application for membership, as laid down by Grosch, the applicant promises as follows: 

“If admitted, I promise obedience to the usages and laws of the Order and of the Lodge.” (P. 378.)

These declarations, by reliable authors, plainly show that both in Masonry and Odd-fellowship obligations are laid on members of which, at the time, they are ignorant.  Candidates for Masonry must promise to conform, yes, “cheerfully conform to all the ancient established usages and customs of the fraternity.”  The application for membership in the association of Odd-fellows must be accompanied by a promise of obedience to the usages and laws both of the whole Order and of the lodge in which membership is sought.  No man has a right to make such a promise until he has carefully examined the usages, and customs, and laws referred to.  While he is ignorant of them, he does not know but some of them or all of them may be morally wrong.  Before the candidate has been initiated, he has not had an opportunity of acquainting himself with all the laws, usages, and customs which he promises to obey.  Is not such a promise condemned by the divine injunction, “Be not rash with thy mouth?” Is not the man who promises to obey regulations, customs, and usages before he knows fully what they are as blameworthy as the doubtful eater of meats, who, the inspired apostle tells us, is damned for doing what he is not confident is right?  The candidate for initiation into Odd-fellowship must “give himself passively to his guides.”  Such demands indicate the spirit which secret associations require of their members.  They must surrender the exercise of their own judgment, and permit themselves to be blindly led by others.  No man has a right thus to surrender himself passively to the guidance of others.  Every man is bound to act according to his own judgment and conscience.  Before a man promises to obey any human regulations, or to conform to any usage or custom, he is bound to know what that regulation, usage, or custom is, and to see that it is morally right.  To do otherwise is to sin against conscience and the law of God.

7.  Besides this, the promise to “preserve mysteries inviolate,” made before they have been made known to the promiser, is condemned by sound morality.  He may have heard the declaration of others that there is nothing wrong in “the mysteries,” but this is not sufficient to justify him.  A man is bound to exercise his own reason and conscience in regard to all questions of morality.