of the “secret societies” which prevailed among the ancient heathen.  They maintained religious rites and ceremonies in honor of their imaginary deities, just as most modern “secret societies” make a profane use of the word and worship of God in their parades and initiations.  He says it would be a shame to speak of the rites performed by the heathen in their secret associations in honor of Bacchus and Venus, the god of wine and the goddess of lust, and of their other abominable deities.  But whether the apostle refers to the Eleusinian, Samothracian, and other pagan mysteries, or not, the principle of secrecy comes in for a share of his condemnation.

The concealment practiced by “secret societies” is inconsistent, also, with such declarations of the Bible as the following:  “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.” (John iii:  20, 21.) “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  These are the words of our Savior, and they certainly condemn the concealment practiced by secret associations, and all the means employed for that purpose—­their signs, grips, and passwords; their shunning the light of day; their secret gatherings in the night, and in rooms with darkened windows; the terrible oaths and solemn promises with which they bind their members to perpetual secrecy; the disgraceful punishments which they threaten to inflict on any member who will expose their secret doings—­all these things are inconsistent with the spirit, if not the very letter, of the commands of our Savior quoted above.

5.  Besides, if the doings of these associations, in there secret meetings, are good, then it is in the violation of the express command of our Savior to keep them concealed; for he tells us to let others see our good works.  In case their doings are bad, it is, perhaps, no violation of Christ’s command to keep them hid; but, most certainly, such things ought not to be done at all.  So far as the moral character of secret societies is concerned, it matters not whether the transactions which they so studiously conceal are good or bad, sinless or wicked.  If such transactions are good, the Savior commands that they be made known; if they are improper and sinful, he commands us to have no fellowship with them.  In either case secret associations are to be condemned as practicing contrary to the teachings of the Bible.

Hence, we conclude that the concealment so studiously maintained and rigidly enforced by the associations whose moral character we are considering is condemned both by the common judgment of men and by the Word of God.

CHAPTER III.

THEIR OATHS AND PROMISES.