Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/674

 660 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

business on a sound basis do not seem to be able to control the system, and nothing but the most radical changes can prevent many others from moving steadily to certain destruction which has so often heretofore brought the whole system into disrepute. Secrecy is another source of opposition both on part of some churches and on part of private citizens. Attacks based upon this ground generally find much of their inspiration in the litera- ture of the anti-masonic agitation following the abduction of Morgan, as anyone who will take the trouble to compare maga- zine articles of the last ten years with the pamphlets and articles of that period may convince himself. Some critics seem to assume that everything secret is bad and of the evil one, and everything open is of the light and good. "Disloyal oaths" even are mentioned. There is absolutely no evidence available anywhere which would even arouse the suspicion that secrecy as now practiced by fraternal societies is anything more than a prudent method of self-protection against imposters and design- ers. It is the most convenient and efficient method by which a person may establish his identity with a certain order in an unmistakable way in every part of the world. The oath, too, comes in for its share of the condemnation. The form in which some oaths are expressed is said to be barbarous and revolting. The investigations of history easily dispel such notions, by show- ing that these forms are survivals, and that all the oaths aim to accomplish is to impel every member to do his very utmost in living up to his obligations. No covenant is to be left unful- filled so long as there is a single thing untried in the attempt to redeem a pledge once given. Some of the orthodox denomina- tions object to the threefold count of secrecy, ritualism, and insurance. Ritualism is " counterfeit religion ; " hence the church cannot tolerate it. "Insurance is against the first command- ment, because it takes a man's trust from God and places it on the insurance company ; it is against the eighth commandment, because by it the beneficiary gets something not paid for by him, therefore it is stolen ; and it is against the tenth commandment, because the person who invests in life insurance is taught to covet something not his own .... Money procured through life