GOOD TEMPLARISM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 41, 7 February 1874, Page 11

GOOD TEMPLARISM.

SHOULD CHRISTIANS BELONG TO THE ORDEB ? The ostensible object of this great confederation is the spread of total abstinence practices : and, so far, so good. In our judgment Good Templarism— as a professedly religious organisation— is open to several grave objections, and ought not to receive the sanction of Christian men and women. Let it be be distinctly understood that we have no controversy with total abstinence from all alcoholic drinks. There are some features of this order with which we propose to deal : — Its religious character; its secret practices ; and its injurious influence. Ist. Its religious character. It has a creed, a worship, and a ritual Its creed is Theism — i c., a belief in the existence of a God, in opposition to Atheism. We avoid the use of the word Deism, which has been employed by some writers, since that implies a rejection of the Christian revelation— a charge which probably the great majority of Good Templars would indignantly repudiate. But we have the admitted fact, that a candidate for admission to the " Order" must subso ibe to a single article of faith. A dostrinal test meets him at the very threshold of the lodge, that teßt being the profession of his " belief in the existence of Almighty God as the ruler and governor of all things." Thus a lodge is in reality a church, but of a different order of the Church of the New Testament — a church composed of believers in one sreat truth— a church in which Deists, Jewa, Eomanists, Rationalists, and — it might be — Mohammedans, can find admission Thi3 is, unquestionably, the broadest of all the broad churches which the present la< lUtdinarian age has witnessed. The reader is requested to reflect on t 1 anomalous position in which Christian people place themselv sb> ..i alliance with such, an elastic organisation. The disciples of Clint g^e the right hand of religious fellowship to those who are found "denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ " (Jude 4) Tho Anos'le John plainly teaches that the rejection of Christ iuvolvcs a practical denial of the Father. '• Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father." (L John ii. 42). By such fellowship Christians give their sanction to " heresies" which the Bible calls damnable. If the order existed for simply philanthropic ends, the union of Christians with it would assume quite another aspect, but identity of religious bi lief is one of the chief bonds of union among the fraternity. We put it seriously to the members of our churches, whether such a fellowship with avowed unbelievers is not a compromise of their Christian profession, and an act of disloyalty to their only Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Very explicit are the instructions given to disciples in the New Testament, in. -c tew nee to their social and religious associations. One quotation will be sufficient — "Be not unequally yoked together v.ith unbelievers ; ior what fellowship hath nghteousuess with unrighteousness, or wli-it communion hath light with darkness, or what part hath he ilist beiieveth with an infidel ? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, suith the Lord" (2 Cor. vi. 14, 15, 17.) Of all people, the disciples of Christ should be tho last to incur the grave responsibility of removing " tho ancient landmarks." Further, the religious pretensions of Good Teniplarism are apparent in tho provision which it makes for worship at the lodge meetings, and in the appointment of a " Woithy Chaplain '.' to conduct it. It is a fundamental law in the kingdom of Christ, that The Father can only bo approached through the mediation of The Son. But doos Gold Templarism anywhere recognise and insist on this essential condition of acceptable worship? Certainly not. In its formulas of devotion, the instance i are very rare in which the name of Christ is mentioned. So seldom is it introduced, ana then — apparently — with such reluctance, that its use seems intended ratluT lo satisfy the scruples of Christian people, fian the expression of a hoarty and devoted acknow-

ledgement of our blessed Ldrd, us tho "new and living way" into the "holies* of all." In no sense can tho " set forms of prayers," used by this " Order," be regarded as-a manual of Christian devotion. Extempore prayer is permitted, and when an earnest Christian fills the office of Worthy Chaplain, he will rise above the trammels imposed by the " Coas'itution." But suppose a Deist or a Jew to bo appointed chap lain—and what is to prevent, if those with whom the election rests are so minded ? Why, the Christian portion of the lodge would have to l»nd their sanction to an act that excluded Christ from his proper place in worship, and which would amount to a denial of His own words, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John xiv. 6). From the " Book of Odes--' the name of Christ is carefully excluded. There ore hymns addressed to God — such as " God of the temperance cause," " God of mercy, be Thou near," " Heavenly Father, give Thy blessii g," " Great God, hear Thou our prayer," &c , &c, but in not one of them i* there the most remote allnsion to Christ. There seems to be no reom for Him in the Good Templars' Inn, In one notable instance, t J*o compiler of the " Odes" has taken the unwarrantable liberty of expunging '• Father, Son. and Holy* Ghost," and substituting his own inspiration. It is as follows :—: — "P'raiee God from whom all bleesing3 flow, Praise Him All creatuies here below ; Piaiae Him for all goodne-s shown, For health, for friends, for joy, foi home.''* Shade of Ken! if thou couldst see this mutilation of the glorious Doxology, what pity and indignation you'd fill thy glorious soul ! Surely, ministers, deacons, and Sunday school teachers who arc Good Templars, must be dumb with shame, whon this second of the " openrug odes" is sung. Secondly. The secret practieea-of tho Order demand a b.ief notice. The mystery- whiclvsurrouErls a secret society constitutes, to many, one of its chief attractions. Curiosity is excited. People want to pass behind the curtain ; to explore the Arcana; to witness and acquire a knowledge of signs, passwords, mystic lites, ceremonies of initiation, &c Admission to such a fraternity increases a man's self-appreciation immensely. To be received within the charmed ciicle of Worthy Chief Templar, Worthy Secretary, Marshal, Inside and Outside Guard, and Janitor, besides a number of other worthies ; to strut about in the authorised regalia of the Order, to be entrusted with its secrets, and to feel that he can keep then., must exalt a man — and especially a joung man— in his own eyes. Hi socfety heis regarded with special interest^ from tiro fact that there is lock*d ispin his«breast something which he dare not divulge. That eueh things should exercise a fas ination over men of the world is not to be wondered at ; but we are triable to see upon what principle those who aie' called "children of light" can identify thomselves with a secret organisation. Secrecy is opposed to every part of the teaching and practices of Christ and His Apostles. In the church of Hie Good Templars this 19 one of the main features and props of the system. Every person, on being received into fellowship, enters into a solemn vow " That in all things he will yield a cheerful obedience to all our laws, lules, and usages, and will not reveal any of the private work or business of this Order to anyone not entitled to know the same.'* The Church of Christ imposes on its members no vow of secrecy. Concealment is-repugnunt to the genius of the Gospel. Pub licity marked every pail of Our Lord's ministry. Most of his miracles ■vrore wrought, and not a few of his d^.'ours-es were spoken before mjiiy witnesses, and those which were comparatively piitafee were afterwards made known to the world. Christianity has no inne? material s.inctary. Mie is tho child of the day, and not of the nigkt. She admin'sters no rites on which uninitiated eyes must not gaze ; she communi'•ates no secrets which disciples muse not divulge. The spirit of thoGospel is embodied in what Christ cays in his own defence — "I spake openly to the world ; I ever taught iv iliesynagogue-and in the tomple vt hither tho Jews always resort, and in 'secret have I paid nothing" (John xvni. 20). Lot Chriatim 1 men and women ponder tho question whether, iv becoming members of a secret religious fraternity, they are not a ting contiary to the spirit an<! precepts of the book to which they ns«i^u such a prominent place in their meetings. j Thirdly, irorae of the evil tendencies of Good Templari3m must engage our attention. To address those who are clothed with a brief and ihnd'jwy authority — from the Chief Templar clown to the outside guard— by tli o prefix woithy, is not favourable to the cultivation of that lowly spirit which is one of the chief ornaments of a Chri-tian. There aio few persons to whom the incense of flattery is not grateful. It ministers to Ihe growth of a vniu and egotistical spirit. Where do we find that Chiisiian ministers are ever spoken to iii a wny similar to that in which the officials of a Good Templar lodge are addressed? It wou'd be worse than ludicrous to hear a precentor on a Sunday morning say — " Keveiend sir, have you selected the hymns ?" or a' deacon — " lti-vf"icnd pat- or, it js within a minute of the f.me for coinibincing service." Yet such formalities ore an Csseutiul part of tkc proceedings of i. Goo'l Templar lodge. The following are spec mens : — Inner Guaid : '' Worthy Vu-c- Templar, there is an alarm at the inner t;ate." The Worthy imar.cial Secretary reports tho payment of a fee thus — " Wui'liy Chief iVmjilar, the fee is paid" All this might do very well us a pastime for chiklien, but for grown men to make it a part of ihc serious business of life, and to connect it with n ligion, is unaccountable. Such tilings wiuld piovoko a smile, but for the grave; con-B-qucncts which they involve. 3. The vow of tecey win h is z« acted irom every number— befoie he can possibly know the nature oi many secrets he may bo required to keep — piomotes a spirit of servility to the lodge autlionly, and pledges him to do v hut his conscience may scne day condemn. Anyone with a fine Rcrse.of honour, and i» btiong rci?p. ct fur his own word, may one day find himself in a position in which he will have to choose between violating n solemn and 9*ll imposed engagement, and a continuance in that w)>u h he has d: - ooveiuil to be wrong. Betore a raa'i plulgee himself to keep secrets, he ought to know whether they are bucl. us he can consi-teiuly ob- * Praisa God from whom all I lessings flow, Praise Hun all dentures heru below, Praise Him above ye heave-ily host, I'iaisa I'Vt.hei, Sou, autf iloly Ghost.

serTe. 4. Good '1 emplarism contravenes the rights and authority o parents. A girl must not divulge to her mother, nor a youth to hi father, the secrets of the lodge. Thus the lodge sets up a rival jurisdio lion 'to parents. Comment is unnecessary. Let pnrents see to it, that" no power outside the family circle deprives them of the control whichthey have a right to exercise over their children. Teetotnli«ro is quite able to stfmd alone, without leaning on the arm of Good Templarism-. 1 It can fulfil its own mission, apart from any such adventitious aid;; and the sooner it escapes from its trammel* the better for the great' and good cause in which it is engaged. — 'Baptist Magazine.