Ninthly.  These orders—­the things now alleged being true—­impede the cause and kingdom of God, and are, therefore, hostile to the largest, best, and deepest interests of mankind.  Recognizing this, churches, conferences, associations, synods, and many eminently godly men, living and dead, have put forth their solemn testimony against them.  Great lawyers, like Samuel Dexter; great patriots and statesmen, like Adams, and Webster, and Everett; great communities, like the American people from 1826 to 1830, have united to declare them not only “wrong in their very principles,” but “noxious to mankind.”  But many Christians, rising higher and standing on “a more sure word of prophecy,” have discovered in them the enemies of the Gospel and of the cross of Christ.  Following him, their great exemplar in philanthropy as in godliness, who did nothing in secret, they refuse to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, choosing rather to reprove them.

Shall Christians join secret societies?

Will it pay?  Are they under obligation to do so?  Fellow-disciple, brother man, have you doubt on these questions?  If it will not pay; if you are under no obligation to do it; if you have any doubt of its rightfulness, it is most assuredly your duty to refuse any connection with them.

We have no wish to press our reasoning beyond just limits.  We have sought to avoid extreme statements.  We now ask you whether, in the light of what has been brought to view, the weight of argument is not against your joining these orders and lending them aid?  Even should you be able to stand up against their tendency to lower your personal piety and injure your Christian character, have we not here one of those cases where many brothers are offended or made weak?  The Lord Jesus has said, “Whoso offends one of these little [or weak] ones, it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.”  Will you, then, however safe yourself, be the means, by your example, of bringing weaker brethren into such dangers?  “We, then, that are strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak, and not please ourselves.”  “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended [caused to sin] or is made weak.”  These words are not ours; they are God’s.

Christian disciple, decide this question of secret societies with candor, with solemn prayer, and with a purpose to please God.

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A PAPER ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES, AT THEIR MEETING IN OTTAWA, 1866.

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The topics committed to us involve the following points: 

  1.  The moral character of secrecy.  Is it an element of an invariable
  moral character? and, if so, what? and, if not, what are the
  decisive criteria of its character?