First and foremost, let me make it clear that I hold no candle for freemasonry. It stinks. But judging people who lived 200 years ago, and who were masons, by the standards of today is just ridiculous. Freemasonry, like many other institutions, has evolved, in its case rather badly. It would be quite instructive to investigate whether any of your historical heroes were masons. At least two of mine, Haydn and Mozart, were masons, and not secretively so. Have a quick google and you might just find yourself feeling a little uncomfortable about some of your heroes who just happened to be masons. That is, if you absolutely insist on judging them by today's standards. Alternatively, just cut the old guys a bit of slack, eh?