September Trestleboard Article

From the West

 

Greetings Brothers,

Many of you know I have an interest in Masonic history. 

 

I’ve taken a look into a political movement in our country called the Anti-Masonic political party and would like to share some thoughts with you.

 

The Anti-Masonic political party

 

The Anti-Masonic political party was a political movement that sprang to life in the northeast part of the United States in the late 1820s. It was a single-issue political party focusing on strong opposition to Freemasonry.

 

The Anti-Masonic Party was created following the disappearance of one William Morgan of Batavia, New York (Batavia is located in the western part of that state). Morgan was a bricklayer by trade and former Mason. He became a prominent critic of Freemasonry and had supposedly broken his Masonic vow of secrecy announcing his intention to publish a book exposing the secrets of Freemasonry.

 

Following this public announcement, Morgan was arrested by the local constabulary on supposed trumped-up charges.  Soon after he disappeared entirely and was believed to have been kidnapped and killed by local Masons.

 

The allegations surrounding Morgan’s disappearance and presumed death sparked a strong public outcry.  Many churches and other public groups in the area condemned Freemasonry claiming Masons posed a threat to America by secretly trying to control the government.  There was also a fear that Freemasonry was hostile to Christianity.

 

Mass opposition to Freemasonry in the Northeast grew and eventually caused people to form the Anti-Masonic Political Party in the late 1820s.

 

The Anti-Masons quickly became an important third-party alternative to Andrew Jackson and his Democrat Party. A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson was a prominent and proud Freemason having been Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee from 1822 to 1824 and a leading Democrat politician. Jackson became President of the United States from 1829 to 1837.

 

In the State of New York the Anti-Masons became the primary opposition to Jackson's Democrats. After experiencing success in the 1828 elections in the Northeast, the Anti-Masons adopted positions on other issues, most notably support the internal infrastructure improvements, such as the building of roads and shipping canals, and a protective tariff to protect the growing industries of the U.S. 

 

Several prominent Anti-Masons, including Willam A. Palmer and Joseph Ritner won election to elective positions in states such as Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.  In 1831 the Anti-Masons Party held the first-ever presidential nominating convention, a practice that was subsequently adopted by all major parties. Delegates chose former US Attorney General William Wirt to be their presidential candidate for the 1832 presidential elections.  Wirt won 7.8% of the popular vote and carried the state of Vermont.

 

As the 1830s progressed many of the Anti-Masonic Party’s supporters joined the Whig Party which sought to unite those opposed to President Andrew Jackson. By the 1840s the party ceased to function as a national organization and most of their members joined the Whig Party.

 

A later political organization called the Anti-Masonic Party was active from 1872 until 1888 in Illinois.  This second group had a more religious basis for its anti-Masonry and was closely associated with Jonathon Blanchard president of Wheaton College and evangelical college in Illinois. Blanchard founded the National Christian Association which focused its efforts on fighting secret societies such as Freemasonry.

 

You might ask, why should we know or care about the Anti-Masonic Party?  After all this happened so many years ago. . . .

The point is . . . by understanding some of the trials and tribulations our fraternity has faced over the years from political opposition, we can better understand another reason why political discussions are not allowed in our Lodge. 

 

And, perhaps, why the penalties for violating the terms our obligations are symbolic rather than actual.

 

Upcoming Events

 

-    FC degree on July 26th

-    Family picnic July 12th  at John Chestnut Park shelter #10

-    TBL Shrimp Boil October 18th at John Chestnut Park shelter #10 from 12 - 3 pm on October 18th.

-    TBL Holiday Dinner December 13th
 

We look forward to seeing you at these events.