should be repeated a thousand times. I then and there declared some of my then principal objections to Freemasonry. They were not removed. I finally told them to take their own course, such were my views, and if they chose they could expel me. It has been said that I begged them not to do it, but this is false, and I can prove it. I told them I did not ask them to expel me, but they could take their own course. I finally left them, hoping and praying that they would forever disown me, as I did them.

When I left the Church in Covington, they gave me a good letter of recommendation. I also received letters from the 2d Le Roy, 1st York, 1st Middlebury, 2d Elba and Warsaw churches, all of which justified and approved the course I have taken; and I hope I may ever conduct so as to merit their confidence and that of the public. I have ever been ready, and am still, to meet my accusers or any body else, before the churches with which I am connected. I preach to the first church in Middlebury and the church in Warsaw. I hold my standing in the second church in Le Roy, where I united last winter. My reason for uniting with that church is, it was the first in the country that came out from Freemasonry, and as I could not conscientiously walk with those who practised it, I became one of them. I wish to injure no man. I trust I am a friend to all men. But I am a decided enemy to Freemasonry; and it is because, from a thorough investigation of its principles before and since I left it, I fully believe that it is not only the most abominable but also the most dangerous institution that ever was imposed upon man; it is anti-republican and anti-christian. It is somewhat imposing, owing to its borrowed garments, but this renders it more dangerous, for like the wily serpent, it lures but to destroy. Man never invented, hell never devised, wicked men and devils never palmed upon the public a more foolish, corrupt, awful, soul destroying and Heaven daring institution, than Speculative Freemasonry! It may truly be said to be HELL'S MASTER PIECE.

Having thoroughly investigated its ceremonies, its oaths, and its principles, as in the light of eternity, I feel fully warranted in making these statements. The condition on which the oaths are taken, and their evil tendency, being opposed to the glory of God and the best interests of man, render them far from being binding.

I solemnly renounce all fealty to masonry, and do most earnestly beseech my brethren in Christ Jesus, of every name, to come out and bear unequivocal testimony against it. Think, O think, dear Christians, that hundreds and thousands of precious and immortal souls will be lost forever, unless they return and repent, but that the name of the precious Jesus is rejected, your Saviour, your precious and adorable Saviour taken away-the cause of your bleeding Redeemer injured-the hands of the wicked strengthened, and the Almighty God dishonored! And O, let me entreat you in the mercy and bowels of Jesus Christ, to reflect that you have to answer for the blood of those who shall find also, when it shall be forever too late, that masonry is not a Saviour! And while I entreat you, let me warn the wicked. O wicked man, thou shalt surely die-your house is built on the sand-the winds, rains, and floods of Jehovah's wrath will soon beat upon your naked soul in one eternal storm! Though you may expect to mount up as the eagle on your boasted god, you

will find that the Almighty will dash you to pieces like a potter's vessel. Be warned then, be wise and flee from masonry-flee from the wrath to come-flee to the gushing side of Jesus, whose blood you are ever trampling under your feet. He can save you, for he is merciful-he can save you, for he is Almighty. Farewell, dear sinner; if you choose, you can still slander me, still calumniate my character. Recollect when I pray to my Lord I always remember you; though you hate me, I love you; though you blast my reputation, though you kill my body, you cannot kill my soul. This is secure from all your machinations, and will in the blood of Christ triumph forever.

Farewell, dear sinners: But we shall meet again, when the last trump shall sound we shall meet. At the retribution of the great day, we shall meet and hear our final doom, we shall receive our everlasting reward-masonry then, and its adherents will eternally perish, while Christ and his people will reign forever.

DAVID BERNARD.

Renunciation of Rev. Joshua Bradley, Principal of Rock Spring Seminary, Illinois.

In a letter to a friend in New-York.

I was brought into existence and educated in a region where masonry was cherished and respected, and where I never heard any cogent arguments offered against it; I therefore was early inclined to think it an institution worthy of my attention. After I left college in 1799, I became acquainted with many masons, who were amiable, benevolent, influential in society and government; also, some ministers whom I highly esteemed, were members and zealously engaged in recommending its morality, virtues and utility to mankind. All I read, heard, or saw of the progress of this denomination, had a tendency to incline me to join them. In 1814, I visited Newport, R. I., where I was first settled in the ministry. An opportunity was then presented to accomplish my wishes and gratify my curiosity. There I took all the degrees that I ever considered important to myself and others. Some terms in the obligations and the titles of their officers, I never liked, but these were so explained by those who presided, that I finally passed onward, as all had done who had gone this way before me, without much difficulty.

I then considered, and have ever since, that the Knighthood has no affinity to masonry. I never had a thought that masonry was religion; for God in his infinite mercy had brought me by his Holy Spirit to believe in Christ, at the age of about 17 years. That pure religion which I then experienced, has been replete with every thing that I or a world needs in time or eternity. But masonry is a human, and cunningly formed system of deception. Is it not rightly named, "Speculative Freemasonry?" Millions have been drawn within its veil, and led away captive by its false pretensions and exhibitions of

morality, charity and brotherly love. And many may still rejoice for a season in their delusions, despise reproof, and perish without remedy.

While I lived in New England, I saw nothing very alarming in the transactions of masons; but in 1817 I settled in Albany, N. Y., where I formed an extensive acquaintance with the fraternity from all parts of that State, and began to take an active part in their lodges and chapters, till May, 1826. During this period I tried in all laudable ways to enlighten and turn the attention of thousands, to found academies and educate in all the useful arts, the children of poor masons and their orphans-to expel unworthy members, to lay out their large and accumulating funds for the benefit of those to whom they were obligated, and to save themselves from fraud and every species of deception. I was well aware from documents obtained, and from oral information, that the craft were in imminent danger of overwhelming themselves in a sea of difficulties, which would rise and sweep through that State, if not over the Union-bearing on its waves the iniquities of many of the order that might be seen and known by every individual of discernment. I was no prophet, neither the son of a prophet, nor did I need a messenger from the skies to inform me of the future destiny of the fraternity in NewYork, or any other part of the globe, when I knew from history and the revelation from heaven, that the destruction of every society slumbered not, which would foster within its embraces, members, who would spend their funds in riotous courses and every scene of abomination. Many have done this in every country where masonry has been permitted to erect her edifice, and entice to her dark recesses all whom she may devour. Should any consider me advancing upon ground doubtful, and altogether beyond the regions of possibility, I would only ask masons to open their archives and read for themselves. What occasioned the existence of the Lodge of Reconciliation in England? Was it not to bring into union the terrible parties of masons who arrayed themselves against each other, and were trampling upon every particle of reason, and setting at naught every thing worthy of our existence? Who robbed No. 31 of their jewels, implements, charter and every book? Their Deputy Grand Master. What did that lodge write to their Grand Master, who is the king of Great Britain? How did he treat that lodge? English masons know, and some of us in this country have read the letters that were written upon those base transactions. But I will put a few questions that can easily be answered by masons in the State of NewYork. What treasurer of T. Chapter in Albany, squandered $1450 away in a manner too injurious to himself to be described by me? How many hundreds did the same individual receive from country brethren, for charters, which he did not return, nor refund their money? What treasurer of the Grand Chapter put all his property out of his hands, and kept back $5000, which he had received while in office? Who were the representatives of about thirty lodges in and about the city of New-York, who tried all possible arts of deception upon the representatives from the country in Tammany Hall, till midnight, and then seized all the funds, clothing, papers and implements, and retired to St. John's Hall, and there elected officers, contrary to the laws of the Grand Lodge and all usages among masons, or any

class of mankind under the influence of reason? About $20,000 were held by them, and about three hundred country lodges treated contemptuously. Who received from June, 1824, to June, 1825, more than $900 for charters, and kept the whole from the treasurer? These fraudulent transactions were practised upon the fraternity from 1818 to 1825, and none of the violators of their solemn obligations could we get expelled: And as to inflicting any other penalty upon them, never entered my mind, or was ever hinted by any one with whom I associated; neither do I believe that any good man could be so blinded as to consider the fraternity possessing power to destroy a member who had violated their laws. When a certain master mason a few years since, published all the lectures in a very singular way, that was supposed by him and some others impossible to be read without his key; but finally the whole was found out by some who were not masons; what was the penalty inflicted upon him in 1826 ? Nothing but expulsion from the Grand Chapter of New-York.

I cannot admit that Washington, Franklin, De Witt Clinton, and many other virtuous and discerning statesmen in America, and more than two hundred learned and pious ministers of the gospel, ever believed that the obligations imposed on them at their initiation and advancement in the order, either made them guilty of blasphemy or laid them under any necessity of removing any violater from his family, country, or inflicting any corporeal punishment upon him. Therefore, I have not received my conviction from the expositions that anti-masons have given upon the oaths or obligations taken by masons. My conviction commenced from my preparations to answer some recent anti-masonic writers. Ever since the excitement began, I felt a strong inclination to defend the system.

The indescribable wickedness of some masons in the Morgan affair, had waked up a host of new, learned and scrutinizing enemies, who were penetrating every region around them, and seizing every weapon to destroy the whole fabric. In surveying the vast field of their occupancy, I found only two positions of strength and importance, viz. 1st, that secret societies ought not to exist; 2d, that obligations taken by their members are not binding. Could these two be fairly removed, every other might, and masonry again rise and gain a triumph. In 1827 I was solicited to deliver an address in St. Louis on the 24th June; I accepted, and then briefly exhibited my sentiments on masonry, to a large congregation, in which were a number of the order from different parts of the Union, of respectable standing and holding offices of great responsibility in our national government. This discourse was approved and published. Some of my remarks against anti-masonic performances and exertions, put forth against this mystic society, I now detest. For some months I stood prepared to meet their advance upon the fraternity, spreading over the vast valley of the Mississippi. I almost came to a determination to send some of my views to be published in your region; but my distance from the seat of opposition, and my knowledge of men in the order of greater ability and erudition than myself, who resided in the midst of the contest, prevented me. I fondly hoped that some would enter the field and come off triumphant. None have yet appeared sufficiently clothed in truth, to overthrow the two positions above mentioned, and I am now fully persuaded that they are

founded in righteousness and cannot be demolished. That lively confidence, which once appeared to glow among masons, now withers and must finally vanish away.

The commotions in the east have awakened me to consider anxiously what I must do as an individual. I have tried to persuade myself to hold a neutral position for some months past, on account of the afflicting hand of Providence upon my wife, that must soon lodge her in the grave, if not removed, and my present residence in a city where masonry is respected and moves onward without any annoyance. Neutrality, in this day of prevalent divisions, is unpleasant and unreasonable, in my estimation. Therefore, I am willing it should be known with whom I can associate, for the happiness of mankind, and the glory of God-" Magna est veritas, et prevalebit."

Should my friends in your vicinity deem this communication of any importance to the public, for the promotion of anti-masonry, it is at their service. My next will be an address to professors of religion who are still in the fraternity, and others whom I may have grieved with my former publications on masonry, and my zeal and labors among them.

May 9, 1829.

JOSHUA BRADLEY.

Renunciation of Rev. Mr. Mann, of Suffield, Con.

THE following renunciation will be read with interest and pleasure throughout the country. The author of it is extensively known in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. No man's character stands fairer than his does, as a man, a gentleman, a Christian, and a Christian minister.-A. M. Intelligencer.

MR. EDITOR,-The subject of Freemasonry, affecting as it does the reputation of individuals, the welfare of the churches, and the peace of the community, is a subject of great importance. Every movement in regard to it, whether on the part of its friends or of its enemies, should be made with due consideration. In deciding on the merits of an institution which has a mixture of good and evil in its composition, and against which popular opinion has arrayed itself, and that too, with uncommon energy, we are liable to misjudge. Realizing the truth of this, I have endeavored for some time past to examine seriously and candidly the nature and tendency of Freemasonry. The result of this examination, I now communicate under a sense of the duty I owe to my friends, to my country, and to the church of the Redeemer.

I became a member of this institution in my native town, and was raised to the degree of Master mason within a year after completing my course of education at College; and some time previous to my settlement in the ministry I was advanced to the degree of Mark