Secret Band of Brothers | Page 4

with others, a
secret villany, driving them to such ultra positions, a mere tattered
garment to cover their own moral deformity. They must oppose the
reformation, or be held up to public disgrace. In nine cases out of ten,
the opposer of this class, is, or has been, a participant in the works of
darkness whose exposition he so much dreads.
Finding many disposed to act thus, and to teach their children to imitate
their own pernicious examples, I have made it a study to demolish, if
possible, the foundation of their positions. The success attending my
efforts to trace them out, assures me, that I am correct when I affirm
that two-thirds of all opposers are influenced in their conduct by the
basest of principles; one-sixth act through ignorance, united with vice,
and one-sixth are wholly ignorant and cannot be morally accountable, if
their want of information is in any way excusable. But what may be
still more startling, about one-fourth of the whole are members of the
various churches, yea, even men of this class are found in sacerdotal
robes. This fact came within my knowledge long since. I felt it my duty
to publish the same, but delayed, till I should gain experience in
defending my position. I was satisfied, however, that the efforts of a
certain New Light minister to traduce my character and hinder my
influence, must have been prompted from some of the foregoing
considerations. Would the world know who this man is? It will be
necessary to go to the very town where he lives to secure the
information. I doubt whether his name would ever have appeared in
print, but for his newspaper controversy, or in case of his death. His
unwarrantable attack put me on my guard, and caused me to search out

the ground of his base and unchristian treatment. One thing is very
certain, he is no gambler. It may not be a want of disposition, but rather
a sufficient amount of sense, to make him a proficient in the business.
He may be an ignorant dupe--a mere tool of the designing, the "cats
paw" of some respectable blackleg, who thinks to cover his own crimes,
by exciting public opinion against me, through an apparently
respectable instrumentality. But I did not wish to bandy words with him,
being impressed with the propriety of a resolution I made while a
gambler, that it is only throwing away time to attempt to account for
the different actions and opinions of weak and prejudiced minds; and
therefore I dropped the whole affair. I would have remained silent, but
for the position taken by other divines from his false and garbled
statements. Many have condemned me unheard, listening willingly to
my accusers, without hearing a word in my own defence. Not satisfied
with such an expression of their EXCESSIVE CHRISTIAN CHARITY,
they have even thrust at me through the public prints, for which, no
doubt, they will have the hearty amens of all gamblers, and it may be
several dollars in their pockets. Certain editors have joined in the same
"hue and cry" with their worthy compeers. The reasons were evident in
their case. They knew I was invading their dearest worldly interests.
There were others who only knew me from hearsay. Why should they
become my enemies? It was because I held in my possession secrets,
whose exposition would make many of them tremble. It would be to
them like the interpreted handwriting upon the wall. Hence they were
ready to contribute their talents and wealth, to sustain certain
individuals as honourable men. I could not have deemed it proper to
expose "THE SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS," had not duty, and
my obligations to society, urged me forward. The allegiance I owe to
God is paramount to all other. The result is yet to be experienced, by
the better part of the community. Heavily was the oppressive hand of
this notable brotherhood laid upon me. My soul was sorely vexed by
their daring villany.
In the county where I was bred, I have numbered, in one day, thirteen
who sustained honourable places in society, nine of whom were rich,
strangely rich in view of their facilities for acquiring wealth in a newly
settled country. Not one is a professional man. Few bear the callous

badge of industry and physical exertion upon their hands. Several are,
by an outward profession, Christians,--but invariably opposed to all the
benevolent institutions of the day and works of reform, unless their
views of what is the right course are fully met, which are generally so
extravagant as to preclude all hope of co-operation. With these I had a
severe contest. Well did they know, there was something behind the
screen which, brought to light, would expose their villanous
transactions,