3.  Exclusiveness in about the same degree characterizes other secret societies.  The Constitution of the Odd-fellows’ Grand Lodge of Ohio provides that the candidate for membership must be “a free white person possessed of some known means of support and free from all infirmity or disease.” (Art. 6, Sec. 1.) Substantially the same qualifications for membership are required by the constitutions and laws of other secret associations. (Constitution of Ancient Order of Good-fellows, Art. 6, Sec. 1; Constitution of Improved Order of Red Men, Art. 5, Sec. 1; Constitution of United Ancient Order of Druids, Art. 8, Sec. 1.)

4.  Not only are these associations exclusive and selfish in regard to receiving members; not only do they utterly refuse to admit a man, however good, and wise, and patriotic he may be, in case he is diseased or infirm, or is disabled by wounds in the service of his country, and is too poor and feeble to maintain himself and his family; not only do they exclude all such persons from membership and from the boasted privileges, and honors, and pecuniary benefits pertaining thereto, but also their regulations in regard to their internal affairs manifest an unchristian, anti-republican, exclusive, selfish spirit.  For instance, Masons will not, and, indeed, according to their regulations, can not, bestow funeral honors upon deceased members who had not advanced to the third degree.  Those of the first and second degree can not thus be honored.  They are not entitled to funeral obsequies, nor are they allowed to attend a Masonic funeral procession. (Webb’s Monitor, pp. 132-133.)

Again:  Though Masonry makes professions of universal benevolence on the ground “that the radiant arch of Masonry spans the whole habitable globe;” though it declares that every true and worthy brother of the order, no matter what be his language, country, religion, creed, opinions, politics, or condition, is a legitimate object for the exercise of benevolence, (Masonic Constitutions, by Grand Lodge of Ohio, p. 80); still it is declared that “Master Masons only are entitled to Masonic burial or relief from the charity fund.” (Masonic Constitutions by Grand Lodge of Ohio, p. 39.) The rulers of Masons can not be chosen from the members of the first or second degree.  It is thus seen that the first two degrees serve as a sort of substratum on which the other degrees rest, and the “honors and benefits” are not intended for persons of the former.

The exclusiveness and selfishness of other secret associations are also apparent from their regulations.  As shown above, they exclude all diseased and infirm persons from membership, and of course from all the “benefits.”  They generally provide that, in case of sickness or disability, a member shall receive three dollars per week, and in case of the death of a member, the sum of thirty dollars shall be contributed toward defraying his funeral expenses.  But all the associations making such