T\IaboutMASONRY

0

4G

This emblem and the organization for

which it stands has provoked the curiosityof many.

Before you become entangled within it,

read carefully the FACTS contained in thisbook.

by Jack R. Elliott

What Church Membersshould know about

MASONRYEDITOR’S NOTE: An intensive and extended examination and thorough re-search into the FACTS was necessary to reveal the TRUTH, too long con-cealed from the Church. The facts brought to light from many authenticsources are astounding. This startlingly revealing book was written as aThesis, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master ofArts in Theology conferred on Mr. Elliott, June 6th, 19.58, by AmbassadorCol l ege .

‘k70u will find it to be an astonishing and eye-opening revelation. We feelit is breathtaking in interest, intriguing, and shocking-but it is all theTRI-TH, carefully documented.

\Ve feel it is high time these little known facts be published for ourChurch members. We need to know HOW it came about that, even in ourmodern times, as the Word of God foretold: “all nations were deceived!”

Is MASONRY a Christian organization!Do they have the truth? Why are

they so secret? Is it all right to remainin the Lodge? Is it all right to join theMasons?

This dissertation is designed to helpyou answer these questions, give thereasoning behind the answer, and pro-duce the evidence to back it up!

It is important that members of theChurch know something about theMasonic Lodge-its teachings and itsbeliefs-so that they can answer qucs-tions on the subject with understanding.Many persons who are interested in theWAY OF LIFE ask questions that need atrue and accurate answer, not the eva-sion they get when they ask informa-tion from a Mason.

The Mason cannot answer most ofyour questions because he has sworn,under penalty of death, not to revealMasonic secrets. Since the details can-not be revealed, he merely assures youthat “Masonry is a Christian organiza-tion based on the Bible.” He furtherassures you that Masonry is in accord-ance with God’s laws and a candidate

is not required to take any actionagainst nation, state or family.

Is this true? You had better makesure before you gamble away your lifeon it.

Part IBEGINNING OF A DILEMMA

W E HAVE all heard a lot aboutMasonry and Masons. Many of

the things we hear are contradictory.What are the REAL FACTS aboutMasonry?

Definitions of Freemasonry have beennumerous. Seldom do you find two alike.Here are quoted some of the most cele-brated ones which were composed byinfluential Masons and, as you mightexpect, they heap much praise upon theLodge.

“Freemasonry is a beautiful system ofmorality, veiled in allegory, and illus-trated by symbols.“-Hemming.

“Masonry is an art, useful knowledgeand learning, and stamps an indeliblemark of pre-eminence on its genuineprofessors, which neither chance, power,nor fortune can bestow.“-Preston.

4 What Chrch hlenzbers Need to Know Abozlt hfA.SOA’RY

“The grand object of Masonry is topromote the happiness of the humanrace.“-George Washington.

If such statements can be made ofthe Lodge by such noted people, thensurely it is a worthy organization! “Howcan belonging to it be a discredit toanyone?” they ask.

Take a closer look and you will seethat while these definitions are impres-sive, they still leatje the reader if2 thedark as to the what, why, and how ofFreemasonry.

Confusion in DoctrineMasonic doctrine is very pliable be-

cause it is so loosely knit together andembodies such a tremendous scope ofChristian as well as pagan ideas. Further-more, it is cushioned with allowancesfor those members who wish to disagreewith either or both because the Lodgeembraces men of all religions. Theseallowances also absorb or explain awayany accusations brought against Masonicdoctrine. It makes no difference whetherthe accusation is pro-Christian, pro-Mohammedan, pro-Pagan, or pro-any-thing. To be more specific, Masonicphilosophy is very inexact, vague inprinciple and so devious in applicationthat it can mean almost anything to any-one. Its basic teaching method is bysubtle suggestion which allows the can-didate to warp his former beliefs intothe Masonic framework.

Masonry can be more revealingly de-men. banded tamer

. first andforemost, their PERSONAL INTERESTSand second, the interests of certainothers of their fellowmen. They set astheir guide, morals thatare as high asother man-made codes. The fact thatthey are man-made is not considered adegradation by the brotherhood.

They set as the highest and simplestof these morals “brotherlv love”- ( thebrother referred to, however. is a brotherMason). The s irit of Masonry is thatwv.&mp and ceremonyand intemperate revelry. They searchancient writings, Christian and pagan,

in order to find the mysterious secretsof life.

The teachings of the Holy Bible andthe ancient (pagan) mysteries are ac-cepted alike and constitute their mainsources of information. From these theyselect the principles which most appealto their desires. They have worked outten of their own commandments whichare an amalgamation of some of God’slaws, and some gleaned from the “an-cients.”

Membership Is LucrativeBelonging to the Lodge is profitable

for a number or reasons. Among these

ter informed than the average personon community and civil affairs. Masonsare of every profession imaginable. Theyhave a vast storehouse of knowledge attheir command which they share withone another at refreshment” and durini_speclals. Furthermore, they donot content themselves with the knowl-edge that is already among them, butcertain members make a life work ofseeking out the uncommon, and pro-claiming it from lodge to lodge atspecial meetings. Not all informationis edifying, however. Much error is in-troduced by the “informed.” (Amongthese is the erroneous teaching aboutthe construction and architecture ofKing Solomon’s Temple. Illustrativedrawings of the structure while veryimpressive usually show it adornedwith objects of pagan worship.)

Another helpful nrinciple is that ofextending aid to a brother &on. Eachmember is dedicated to helo a needy

brother wherever or whenever he isable. Membership in the Lodge is there-f& very useful to those who seek po-litical office, political favor, employmentopportunities. business connections,travel accommodations, or a privilegedposition in the community. So pro-nounced are some of these aids that allwho do not enjoy them are greatly

. handicapped when they compete forcertain offices or favor. Political office isa good example, and the Presidency ofthe United States is not excepted. Most

What Church hfembers Need to Know About MASONRY 5

of our Presidents have been Masons,either active or honorary.

Secrecy

Our definition could not be completewithout mentioning the secrecy ofMasonry. Smybolism, which meansnothing to the average person, is usedto remind the Mason of his duties andmorals while hiding the allegoric mean-ing and “beauty” from the “vulgar eyeof the uninformed.” Lodges meet insecret behind guarded doors. Secretsigns, handshakes and utterances revealone Mason to another regardless of hislodge, rite, or country.

Membership in the Lodge is, there-fore, a ticket to favoritism in any cityor any state or any country, and is ahiasonic promise to happiness and pros-per i ty .

In actuality, Masons find that altruis-tic ideals of the Lodge break down inpractice. Brother Masons are not muchmore trustworthy than the “unenlight-ened.” Some do not find the oaths theytake binding enough to keep them fromdefrauding even a brother.

At least two Church of God brethrenhave confided to this author that theyhave been seriously defrauded at thehands of brother Masons. One put itthis way: “In swearing to give aid andassistance to a brother Mason, an up-right member falls prey to dishonestmembers of the Lodge and is frequentlydefrauded. I hare found the word ofmost Masons is just so much wind, andthey would not hesitate to defraud ifthey could do so successfully. They fol-low hiasonic teachings just as far as isconducive to their own gain.”

Size and Importance

One does not ordinarily realize thescope or importance of Freemasonry inour country. Its different rites, all inan interdependent system, boasted 4,-175,000 members in 1939-3,300,000of which were in the United States.There are probably between five and sixmillion members in the United Statestoday.

The various rites have upon theirrolls the names of emperors, kings,princes, priests, and governors, togetherwith scholars, statesmen, and men oflesser stations in church and state. Hereare a few famous men who have beenMasons in the United States: BenjaminFranklin, Presidents Washington, Jeffer-son, Monroe, Adams, Jackson, Polk,Fillmore, Harrison, Buchanan, Johnson,Garfield, McKinley, Taylor, Pierce, Taft,Theodore Roosevelt, and Truman. Otherprominent members were Lafayette,Fulton, Montgomery, Sherman, Burr,Rush, Whipple, Paine, Hamilton, Gerry,Steubon, Stark, Livingstone, Dekalb,Warren, Paul Jones, Witherspoon, Re-vere and Hancock. Most of these areproclaimed Masons by no lesser author-ity than the Encyclopedia Americana.

Most local, state and federal officialsare Masons. Realize that when you ap-ply for employment, the man who mayor may not employ you is likely tobe a member of the Lodge. By hand-shake or other Masonic sign, you wouldbe able to greatly increase your chancesof -securing that job because he hassworn an oath to extend aid and com-fort to a fellow Mason if it is withinhis means to do so.

You are, likewise, in a much betterposition to have a favor granted fromapublic official ..lv_ho belongs t o .theLodge when you are a member.Throughout the United S&es, manyMasons admit that they know or haveheard of brothers guilty of a crimeagainst society who were never broughtto trial because of their affiliation withthe Lodge, and because of “aid” ren-dered by an oflicial who was a Mason.Others who have been brought to trialwere either acquitted by a jury con-taining Masons or were given light sen-tences.

In one such instance which occurredrecently, a man killed one of his closefriends. He was convicted of “premedi-tated murder without malice,” and sen-tenced to only two years in prison. Aftertwo months’ imprisonment he was outon a 30 days’ leave. The man was a

6 What Church Members Need to Kfzow Aboat IUASONRY

Mason and so were a number of thejurors and law enforcement officials.

Anti-Masonic LiteratureOne seldom sees anti-w-

ature, even though much has been wrkten. Because prmters are orten Masons,dedicated to conceal the secrets of theLodge, it has little chance. Bookstoreowners or librarians seldom stock bookseither pro- or anti-Masonic. Laymenwho are Masons are unwilling to di-vulge secrets because they have beensworn to secrecy.

Nevertheless, even in the face of allthese obstacles, anti-Masonic literaturedoes exist. Certain organizations havebeen very zealous in their fight againstthe Lodge. Today, though their zeal isgone, some continue to publish lodgesecrets. Masons, more than anyone else,buy their books because they find thema convenient aid to learning the longlist of lodge secrets. This is againstlodge rules, however, because Masonsare not allowed to write down thesesecrets, but new members are supposedto be taught by word of mouth only.The arduous and grueling task of in-structing the uninformed is simplifiedgreatly by this underhanded method ofusing available written material.

One example is the Ezra A. CookPublications, Inc., P.O. Box 796, Chicago90, Illinois. A letter to the Ezra A. CookCompany requesting publications on thesubject of Freemasonry will bring you alengthy list of available books whichaccurately reveal Masonic secrets. Thesebooks are available to anyone.

Structure of MasonryFigure 1 is the symbolic representa-

tion of Freemasonry in America. It isrepresented by a square and compasssupported by two pillars, Jachin andBgaz. The illustration has been con-sidered highly secret and was allowedonly to Masons of high degree. It wasgiven to me by a church member whohad formerly been a Mason. Recentlyhowever, an article appeared in Lifemagazine (October 8, 1956, pages

104-122) in which the structure ofFreemasonry was represented in similarmanner. The fact that Masons decidedto let the “vulgar eye of the public” seethe different but accurate illustration,demonstrates their inconsistency.

The apprentice enters the structure,symbolically, between the two columns,Jachin and Boaz, which are said to rep-resent the two columns of Solomon’sT e m p l e ( s e e I I C h r o n . 3:15) a n dprogresses by degrees toward perfection.All this happens under the “All-SeeingEye” shown at the top of the figure,“whom (they say) the sun, moon andstars obey and under whose watchfulcare even the comets perform theirstupendous revolutions, (who) pervadesthe inmost recesses of the human heart,and who will reward us (Masons)according to our merits.” (Lightfoot,page 3 3. ) The reward supposedly comesafter death releases him from this worldand his soul progresses upwards towardheaven and perfection.

When the apprentice enters Masonry,he is compared to a rough ashler (orrough building stone), and as the ashleris shaped and polished before it is readyfor use, so must the candidate becomeperfected during the first three degreesuntil he becomes a perfect ashler andmay be used as a building block in thehouse of God (the house of God assymbolized by the Masonic Temple). Thusperfected the Master Mason may enterinto and work within the Holy of Holies.The Holy of Holies is symbolized by thecentral part of the structure surroundingthe letter “G”. The letter “G” stands forGod; therefore work in all degrees fromthe master’s up is done symbolically inthe presence of God, in His most holyplace. (Note: Fig. 1 shows that all ofthe degrees from the master’s to thethir ty-third are in this part of thestructure. )

After one has successfully masteredthe first three degrees, or the Blue Lodge,he proceeds up through the Grand Lodgeby way of either the York or the ScottishRite.

The Scottish Rite accepts members of

-

What Church hIembers Need to Know Abozdt MASONRY 7

8 What Church Xembers Need to Know About MASONRY

all faiths, so long as they profess acreator God and believe in a life afterdeath. The York Rite is just as liberal,except in its higher orders an oath hasto be taken that affirms a belief in Christ,thus excluding conscientious Jews fromdegrees beyond that point.

More information can be attainedfrom the Encyclopedia Britannica bythose who wish to pursue the technicalorganization of Freemasonry in theUnited. States.

Masonic Interest

or about itse Theyare interested instead in such questionsas how important it is to be a member;therefore, how big, important andrighteous Masonry is; how to join; howto climb to the top; how to keep othersfrom getting to the top without dueprocess; how to keep enemies out, etcetera.

majority embrace Free-=-F=masonry or the purpose of enhancing

then busmess prestige. As long as theycan pass themselves as Masons and makeuse of the secret lanpuaee which Masonryputs within their reach, thev are per--fectly satisfied and desire nothing more.

A Mason is not required to knowabout the structure and organizationof Masonry mentioned above unless hesits m one of the governing councils.It IS only when his ambitions spur himin that direction that a Mason is willingto expend the effort to learn it, plus amass of other laws, doctrines, andphilosophies.

The following information is concernedwith what the candidate for the variousdegrees is exposed to and what he isforced to learn. Every attempt will bemade to show you Masonry as the candi-date sees it. Therefore, few remarks willbe made to expose fallacies or to criticizethe Lodge at this phase.

As the candidate proceeds thru thedegrees, no one points to any of thefacets of Masonry and says, “That is

condemned by God Almighty.” On thecontrary, each aspect is drawn up inbeautifully phrased allegories-the high(human) morality being greatly empha-sized. Who would dare question this“holiness”?

Who Can Belong?

If a person wishes to become a mem-ber of rhe Masonic Lodge, he must befreeborn, under no bondage, of at leasttwenty-one years of age, m the posses-sion of sound senses, free from anyphysical defect or dismemberment, andof irreproachable manners, or, as it istechnically termed,of good report.”

“under the tongueNo atheist, eunuch,

cripple, or woman can be admitted. Eventhose who possess all these necessaryqualifications can be admitted only undercertain regulations.

Masons’ wives or children may notattend the regular meetings, but onlysuch special functions as may be plannedfor them.

TO satisfy the desires of wives andchildren to take part in Masonic func-tions, special or side orders were adopted-such as the Eastern Star ritual, theDe Molay for boys, and the RainbowGirls. These orders have their ownsecrets and functions apart from theregular Lodge, but follow its generalpattern. They are supervised by Masons.Indeed, their meetings cannot be heldwithout a Mason present to supervise.

Joining the Lodge

Because Masons are forbidden tosolictt new members, a man must re-quest admission for htmselt.

The usual procedure for petitioningthe Lodge is to have another Masonrecommend the candidate. He does soby presenting a formal petition, signedby the candidate, to the particular lodgewhich he wishes to join.

The applicant must be vouched forand recommended by one or moreMasons. Once submitted, his petition isread before the assembly, and a com-mittee is appointed to inquire into hischaracter. If nothing is found to dis-

LiJht Cbzrrch Members Need to Know About MASONRY 9

qtr,tlify him and the committee giveshim a favorable report, his petition isagain presented to the assembly onemonth later and voted upon by thebrerhren.

Once the applicant has been accepted,he becomes a candidate for the first, orEntered Apprentice, degree.

Preparation for InitiationBefore attending any meetings or

taking any part in Masonic rituals, thecandidate must be initiated. On his firstv.isrt to the Lodge, he is kept outside inthe anteroom (see Figure 2) while thefirst part of the meeting takes place.Neither he nor anyone else has a chanceto know what is going on in themeeting because the door is closed anda guard-usually with drawn sword-isstanding beside it.

Finally, three raps are heard at thedoor and the euard (whom he will latercome to know as the TYLER”) returnsthem in like manner.

A short silence follows, then threeMasons emerge to interrogate him. Allwear short white aprons. These men arethe Secretary and the two Stewards.

The Secretary then proceeds to ques-tion him in a routine manner and tocharge him with the great importanceof belonging to the Lodge and theseriousness of his undertaking. At thesame time the candidate is promised thathe hvill not be required to do anythingcontrary to the laws of God or duty tohis king, country, state, family or self.

The reader must keep in mind thatrhe c.mdidate knows nothing of the rulesand customs of the Fraternity. He canoniv t&e rhe \vord of Masons that thereis nothing in those rules contrary to the!aa s of God. etc.

After the Secretary leaves, the JuniorDeClcon, another official who had servedas inside door keeper, joins the candidate,lnd the Stewards and takes charge ofpreparing the candidate for initiation.He is taken into the preparation room,is divested of his coat, vest, pants, boots,stockings, drawers, neck-tie, collar-infact, everything except his shirt. He is

then handed a pair of drawers (alwaysfurnished by the Lodge) which he putson .

All the studs, sleeve-buttons and otherfurnishings are taken off his shirt.Everything of a met&c kind is takenaway. The left leg of the drawers isrolled above the knee, so as to makethe left foot, leg, and knee bare; theleft sleeve of his shirt is raised abovethe elbow, so as to make the left armbare; and the left breast of the shirt istucked back, so as to make his left breastbare. A slipper is put on his right foot,with the heel shpshod; a hoodwink(blindfold) is fastened over his eyes;a blue rope, called a cable-tow, is putaround his neck, and he is then duly andtruly prepared to be made a Mason.

The candidate has no idea why thisis done, except he is told that it isnecessary-the explanation must comelater. The candidate is kept in a state ofprofound darkness and all is calculatedto confuse and bewilder him. Once thehood-wink is placed over his eyes, he cansee nothing and must rely totally on hisother senses.

Next, the candidate is conducted bythe Junior Deacon to the door, wherehe is caused to give, or the Junior Dea-con gives, three distinct knocks, whichare answered by three from within. Whatgoes on behind the closed door is stillan enigma to the candidate-all thisfor the purpose of filling him with aweand cultivating an air of mystery. Thedoor is then partially opened.

Senior Deacon (from behind thedoor) calls, “Who comes there? Whocomes there? Who comes there.?”

The Junior Deacon answers, “A poorblind candidate who has long been de-sirous of having and receiving a part ofthe rites and benefits of this worshipfullodge, dedicated (some say erected) toGod, and held forth to the holy orderof St. lohns. as all true fellows andbrothers have done who have gone thisway before him.”

Thus the initiation begins and thegullibility of the candidate is taxed to its

Treasurer

Worshipful Master

Senior Deacon

A L T A R

Square and Compass on open Bible on altar

Senior Warden

Boaz Jachin

P R E P A R A T I O N ROOIvI

A N T E R O O M

PLAN OF THE LODGEFigure 2

e\-:re!ne in the performance of weirdriru.115.

in the rough sands of the sea. lo addsolemnity to this gruesome oath, thecandidate is made to kneel before analtar with both hands on the Holy Bible.The entire program for this initiationis included in the Handbook of Free-masonr) by Ronayne available thru theEzra A. Cook Publishing Company.

Once initiated, the new brother isallowed to attend meetings of the first,or “Entered Apprentice,” degree only.He is not allowed to attend or to learnany of the secret work of the higherdegrees. To attempt to do so is agrievous sin in Masonry.

A Lodge meeting consists of threeparts: The oflening, the closing, and thegeneral Lodge business in between. Theopening is an elaborate, monotonousroutine primarily concerned with ex-cluding all but bona-fide members fromthe meeting. The close, also routine andlengthy. must surely tax the patience ofLodge members. The central portion ofthe meeting is concerned with Lodgebusiness such as lodge dues, finances,charities, passing, raising, initiating can-didates, and finally “work” in each of thefirst three degrees.

Secret Work

The first part of Lodge business isthe reading of the minutes by the secre-tary. The second is the reading of peti-tions of applicants for admission intothe fraternity, and the assigning of acommittee to search into the character ofthe applicant. Third order of business isthe consideration of reports made bycommittees assigned one month earlierto look into peti t ions entered then.Fourth, is the report from standing com-mittees.

Fifth part is the business of votingon a prospective candidate on which the

Figure 4

committee has reported favorably (afterone month’s consideration). Voting isdone by secret ballot, worked out byplacing black or white balls into a box.A white ball is a vote for admitting him,and a black ball is a vote ugainst admit-ting him. If a candidate receives onlyone black ball, he is rejected. Theseventh order of business is unfinishedbusiness from the last meeting. Theeighth is new business. The ninth is thework of the individual degrees. This iswork of a SECRET NATURE, and proceedsthrough the first three degrees.

If there is work to be done in the

first degree, all remain present sinceall members are of the first degree orhigher. The “Worshipful Master” sim-ply “reduces” the Lodge down to thefirst, or Entered Apprentice, degree. Themembers then proceed to initiate thecandidate.

Once finished with “work” in the firstdegree, all first degree Masons are dis-charged because they are not allowed tosee what goes on in a higher degree.Then follows the “raise” to the second,or Fellow Craft, degree. This is done insimilar fashion to the act of lowering tothe first degree.

Once finished with work in this de-gree, the officers discharge all but MasterMasons (the officers, especially the“Worshipful Master,” hold much higherdegrees )

Finally, when the initiation of MasterMasons and all other work is completed,the Lodge goes through the elaborate“close” ceremony.

AdvancementOnce our candidate has become a

member of the Entered Apprentice de-gree, he is eligible to become a candi-date for the next, or Fellow Craft. Beforehe can do so, however, he must masterthe art of giving the secret signs, pass-words, and the examination.

The part referred to as the examina-tion is often called by other names suchas “lecture.” The word examination willbe used here to keep from confusing itwith the lecture delivered by the “Wor-shipful Master.” The examination is aritualistic catechism of the signs, tokens,and working tools of the degree.

There is an examination to be memo-rized for each of the first three degrees,but none for the degrees beyond that.The degrees above the third or Masterdegree are very recent in origin and arein actuality adoptive - the first threeoriginally comprising the total of Free-masonry.

Because the examination must betaught orally, a “bright” member of theLodge is assigned to “post” the candi-date in the examination. That means

that one who has already mastered itmust teach the candidate, supposedlywithout the aid of written material, thewhole examination. This examination isso long that when written out it coversseven typewritten pages.

When the candidate has learned theexamination of the first degree, he isready to apply for the Fellow Craft de-gree. Here he is initiated, introduced tonew “working tools,” taught the newhandshake, due-guard, distress sign,secret words, and given a lecture on theirsymbolic meaning. Then he is requiredto memorize another examination.

The same is true when he becomes acandidate for the Master Mason degree.

It is only after a man has completedthe Master Mason degree that he is aMason in the true sense.

Before he has received the “Master’ssecrets,” he is considered an apprenticeor learner. These secrets are drawnaround a legend about a man namedHiram Abiff, and its setting is supposedto be Solomon’s Temple.

It is interesting to see what theMaster’s secrets are, and for those whocare to take the trouble they can befound in Ronayne’s Handbook of

Freemasonry.

Grand Lodge MasonryProgress becomes easier for the candi-

date after he passes the first three degrees,or the “Blue Lodge.” There are no exami-nations to learn, and he can take wholeblocks of degrees at one time. In fact,one brother in the Church related to methat he took all the degrees from thefourth through to the thirty-second infour days.

In the case of the brother above, heand a group of Master Masons receivedthe fourth through the fourteenth degreethe first day after arriving in the city inwhich the Grand Lodge was located.After a night of fun and revelry (andvery little sleep), they went through theconferring of the “Chapter of RoseCroix,” which is the fifteenth throughthe eighteenth degrees for the Scottishrite (Southern Jurisdiction). After

1Pbnt Clcw~ci~ Xembers Need to Know About MASONRY

Figure 5

another night similar to the first, hereceived the Council of Kadosh, or thenineteenth through the thirtieth degrees.Finally, on the fourth day, he receivedthe “Consistory,” or the thirty-first andthe thirty-second degrees. The fact thatthey received little sleep at night seemedto be planned on the part of the officials,perhaps for the purpose of dulling thecandidate’s senses during the rituals. Aclear head would seem inappropriate forreceipt of these “honorable mysteries.”The brother related that he had a hardtime even remaining awake.

After a man has reached the thirty-second degree, he can, if he chooses,become a Shriner. The Shriners areprobably familiar to you. They are thatgroup of jolly individuals who take overwhole towns at convention time, wearingred hats adorned with tassles and

“sausage knives.” They engage in muchcelebration and revelry.

Shriners, as you probably also know,can point with pride to their hospitalsfor crippled children, which open theirdoors to all the underprivileged, nomatter what race or creed. The Shrineis the order, above all others, whichattracts the public’s attention to Ma-sonry. As an advertisement, it is veryeffective.

The Shrine, then, is a side order ofthe thirty-second degree. There remainsonly one degree higher than the thirty-second: that is the thirty-third or “In-spector General,” which is honorary. Itcan only be conferred for some act ofbenevolence, endeavor, or esteem far andabove the line of duty. It is usuallyconferred on presidents and kings andcertain other dignitaries.

With this introduction we are readyto plunge into an expose of the mysteryand deceit of Masonic philosophy andpractice.

Part II

THE INNER SANCTUM

I T IS our responsibility to take theseseemingly harmless proceedings and

examine them in the light of theHoly Bible. The results will be shocking.

The average member of a populardenomination would see absolutelynothing wrong with Masonic proceed-ings. They appear wholesome and up-right to him; and unless a member ofGod’s true Church is alert, he may seenothing wrong either-especially if thatmember is a new convert.

We should realize that the average

or symbol in the TRUE I.&I-IT of Scrip-ture. & rere~verl all tea&ne.s at the

hand of m wise wleader. The leader nearly always pointed& Bible to prove that certain symbolsare in accordance with God’s teaching.Meetings are always opened with prayerand a Holy Bible is always open beforethe Lodge. To question Masonry wouldseem to hiin sacrilegious.

Who Can Be a Mason?No place in the Bible can it be found

where knowledge of the way to liveobedient and enlightened lives in serviceto God is limited to those over twenty-one, who are free from physical de-fects, and of irreproachable manners;nor are wives and children prevented,nor men who are unable to pay heavydues. God does not even keep His truthfrom the ears of the weak-minded; in-stead, they are responsible for all thatthey can comprehend.

If Masons do have such truth, theywould be selfish indeed to zealouslywithhold it from the weak, the lameand the blind. Furthermore, they musteither be guilty of this or be liars, be-cause they do claim that Masonry isa way to happiness and immortality.

Swear an OathOne nf the most oredominant traits

candidate swears, without reservation,not to reveal the secrets of Masonryunder the penalty of death. He does sowith both hands on the Holy Bible. Inthis holy book are the words of Christhimself, “But I say unto you, swear notat all; neither by heaven; for it is God’sthrone; nor by the earth; for it is Hisfootstool; neither by Jerusalem; for itis the city of the great King. Neithershalt thou swear by thy head, becausethou canst not make one hair white orblack, But let your communication be,Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever ismore than these comet11 of evil”-or“the evil one,” as many translations ofthe Bible afirm (Matt. 5:33-37).

Do the Masons not read this? Surelythey do! They insist that it refers onlyto the use of profanity. They even makea pretext of keeping profanity out ofthe Lodge. The Scripture shows veryclearly that profanity, as well as oaths,comes from the evil one.

SecrecyOne might ask, “If Masonic teachings

and morals are so high and pure, asMasons claim, why must they be secret?”

Masons answer, “Because the Biblesays, ‘Pure religion and undefiled beforeGod and the Father is this: To visitthe fatherless and widows in their af-fliction, and to keep himself unspottedfrom the world’ (James 1: 27). We Ma-sons do take care of widows and orphansand we do keep ourselves apart fromthe world by means of seuecy.”

If the Mason really &rows his crafthe will not have to stop here. He willquote Matthew 5 : 16, “Let your light soshine before men, that they may see yourgood works, and glorify your Fatherwhich is in heaven.”

He will be confident that every goodMason will be doing just that, and anyreference you might make to the factthat his Lodge meets in secret and carries

15

on business in secret will only reassurehim that his action is according to theScripture. If he is of the intelligentsiahe may also remind you that Christtaught the disciples in parables to hidethe meaning from the rest of the world( see Matt. 11, : 13 ) . He will give thisas the reason his Lodge uses secret wordsand symbols so that the uninformedwill see or hear and not understand.

Even if the Mason is not well versedin Masonic teachings, he at least hasheard them and will be convinced thatif the “Worshipful Master” or someother officer were present he could refuteanything said against Masonry.

Your task of showing him that Ma-sonry is not scriptural is further compli-cated by his belief that you are notenlightened if you are not a Mason andthat he should cease talking lest hereveal Masonic secrets to you and beZL’O&J of death. He cannot tell youMasonic teachings; and if he feels thatyou are not truly familiar with them,further discussion is futile. The factthat you question Masonic teachingsis enough to convince him that you don’tknow much about them.

What is the answer to all these highlyconvincing arguments? Can you refutethem?

The true ministers of God’s Churchdid not teach in secret, nor hide the factthat they were Christians.

Paganism has always been a practiceo secret and mystic rites. Masons makeuo bones about the f-issystem which they follow. They pointwith pride to the fact that most of theirphilosophies and symbols are borroweddirectly from the “Ancients.” They seeno wrong in doing so. They only attemptto prove them to be in accordance withScripture too. This is not too hard todo if the one to whom they are attempt-ing to prove it is somewhat careless.

Christ spoke in parables because itwas not given for the world to under-stand. K’hy xvas it not given for themto understand? Verse 15 of hlatthew 13explains, “For this people‘s heart is~v,lsed ;!ross ( h,u&ned 1 and their ears

are dull of hearing, and their eyes theyhave closed.”

Why would a person harden his heart,close his eyes and refuse to hear God’slaws and learn of His ways, unless hedoes not like them? Men have proventime and time again that they will notfollow God’s way or take His plan seri-ously. They will only do what they likebest and try to reassure themselves thatit has God’s sanction.

Jesus knew that if He spoke plainlythey would understand Him, they wouldrepent as before and again agree tofollow God; but as before, they wouldfall back into worldliness. To keep themasses from doing that and losingeternal salvation by failing to fulfill theNew Covenant, they were kept in ig-norance.

It is not God’s plan to save the worldnow. He is merely calling out some-the “first fruits.” Large scale salvationis reserved for the Millennium and GreatWhite Throne Judgment when Christwill be here in person to s@ervire andrule with a firm hand.

Do Masons know this? Is that whythey use secret signs and symbols?

No! Freemasons use secret signs be-cause their whole philosophy is centeredaround giving and receiving aid froma fellow Mason to the exclusion of allothers. As stated above, they borrow thispractice from the ancient pagans.

Legendary records show that ancientpagans held public and secret assembliesin honor of their gods. The secret cere-monies and doctrines were known onlyto those who had been initiated andwho possessed signs and tokens by whichthey were able to recognize each other.It is this practice that Freemasons copyand very few Masons are ignorant ofthe fact. Pagans took advantage of theallurement of secrecy to attract the gulli-ble and because their lewd and licentiouspractice could not bear the light ofpublic witness.

The references to meeting places inthe initiatory “work” of the first degreeof Masonry is very significant. It states,“Our ancient brethren met on high hills

What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY

or low vales, (why?) the better toguard against the approach of cowansand eavesdroppers ascending or descend-ing.” (This is not what Christ did.He let them hear, but they could notunderstand because of the hardness oftheir hearts. )

But this is exactly what the pagansdid-worshipping atop high hills or inthe depths of valleys! Read what Godsays about i t in Jer. 2:20-23 and IIKings 17:9-11.

Freemasonry uses secrecy to accom-plish much the same that the ancientpagans did. While they do not practicesexual immorality in their meeting, theirfoolish eccentricities cannot bear thelight of public observance, and the gulli-ble are attracted to their ranks by prom-ises of secret enlightenment. Further-more, they accomplish the exclzcsivenature of the Lodge by its use, and areable tOPROFITABLY exchange their”broth-erly love” among the initiated.

Their claim that thev use secrecy tokeep from being a part of “this world”,IS quite absurd. Masons take an activepart in government, polltIcs, economics,law enforcement and anv other depart-ment of this world’s society. Their at-tempt to explam away their purpose forsecrecy in this manner only demonstratestheir ignorance of what God meant whenHe said that we must come out of thisworld and be separate.

This ignorance is due to the hardnessof their hearts, and the true mysteriesof God which they claim to possess areactually hidden from them.

Christian or Pagan?Many of our brethren are shocked

when i t is shown them that Mas-onic teachings and practices are notas wholesome and perfect as they hadbeen led to believe.

Ex-Masons had been introduced alongwith other new members to Masonicdoctrine only after careful preparation.

Their leaders took every precautionto make it look good and upright. Eachpart was unveiled and explained withreverence and solemnity. The Bible.

among Christian nations, was quotedoften to show divine sanction. TheLodge seemed beyond question. It wastruly a shocking awakening to some tofind Lp44p rear-fpagan-not Christian-or&&.

Some are not vet convinced &at ALLMasonry is pagin even though it hasbeen proven that i ts oaths are anti-scriptural and that its secrecy is like-wise contradictory to the Bible andpagan in origin. They reason, “If youlook hard enough, you c+an find a littlesomething wrong with any organization.Certainly the other practices and sym-bols with their allegoric meanings aresanctioned by God’s word!”

It is therefore necessary for us toexamine other Masonic doctrine andpractice to see if they are scripturallyinspired as Masons claim.

What is the Source of Their Symbols?To prove that Masonic symbols and

philosophies are borrowed from the an-cient pagans is not difficult. The Masonsprove it for us! Here is part of the offi-cial lecture for the first degree:

“The Sun and Moon,” says thelearned Brother Delaunay of importantMasonic symbols, “represent the twogrand principles of all generations. theactive 4 nas~vp the mnlP thefemale. The Sun represents the actual

-ligh;rHe’ pours upon the Moon hisecundatznP raJrs; both shed their light

tne LIlazIng Star,rm the great Equi-e center of which

is the omnific letter of rhe Kabalah bywhich creation 1s said to have beene ecte . (flree-mzsonr), by Albert Pike, pp. 13-14.)

He did not find this in the Bible!The sun and the moon are importantMasonic symbols, just as they were mthe old Babylonian mysteries! This doc-trine concerning them comes fromANCIENT SUN WORSHIP. The offspring,a blazmg star;7S6?Q$ptian origin-that same offspring which has beenworshipped by pagans for generationsunder many different Ilalnes, one of

What Church /Menzbers Need to Know About MASONRY

them being Horus, another Anubis.Another quotation from the same

lecture adds further confirmation ofthese facts. “The ornaments of a Lodgeare said to be the Mosaic Pav

1 and the Blazin Star”-&dented Tm,ent, the

,“g .e Mosaic Pavement (see igure 6),

chequered in squares, or lozenges, issaid to represent the ground floor ofSolomon’s Temple. The lecturer showsclearly that iUaso9z.r know that it doesnot. In their own words, “To find inthe Blazing Star of five points an allu-sion to the Divine Providence, is alsofanciful; and to make it commemo-rative of the Star that is said to haveguided the Magi, is to give it a mean-ing comparatively modern. Ori,&zallrit represented Sir&s. or the Dog-Star,the forerunner of the inundation of theNile; the God Anubis, companion ofIsis in her search for the body of Osiris.himself symbolized also by the Sun,the author of the season, and the Godof Time; Son of Isis, who was the uni-versal nature, himself the primitivematter, inexhaustible source of Life,spark of untreated fire, universal seedof all beings.”

There is no question that these sym-bols have their origin in paganism. Asshown above, Masons prove it for us;in fact, they are proud of such an originbecause of its ANTIQUITY.

The Masonic Temple VersusSolomon’s Temple

The lodge room is supposed to be atrue representation of King Solomon’stemple. Since the temple built by Solo-mon faced east and west, the MasonicLodge is supposed to face east and west.The “Worshipful Master’s” station is inthe east, the Senior Warden in the west,the Junior Warden in the south, asshown in Fig. 8.

Masons further claim that their tem-ple is symbolic of the universe, havinga cloudy canopy as its covering.

At first glance all this seems rightand in accordance with the Bible. Bzltlet’s take a closer look.

God’s temple (often referred to asKing Solomon’s temple) faces east.

Figure 6

Why? Because Christ’s coming, at thetime He enters the new temple, willbe from the east toward the west (seeMatt. 24:27). The over-all account ofthis is found in Ezekiel 43. “Afterwardhe brought me to the gate, even thegate that looketh toward the east: And,behold, the glory of the God of Israelcame from the way of the east; and hisvoice was like a noise of many waters;and the earth shined with his glory. . And the glory of the Lord cameinto the house by way of the gate whoseprospect is toward the east . So theSpirit took me up, and brought me intothe inner court; and behold, the gloryof the Lord filled the house. And Iheard him speaking unto me out of thehouse; and the man stood by me. AndHe said unto me, ‘Son of man, the placeof my throne, and the place of the solesof my feet, where I will dwell in themidst of the children of Israel for ever,and my Holy Name the house of Israelshall no more defile.’ ”

Now study the arrangements of theTabernacle (Fig. 7 ), which is a shadow,or type of God’s throne in heaven, thegeneral arrangement of which was re-produced in the temple built by Solo-

18 What Church hfenzbers Need to Knozu About MASONRY

Altar

q

court

BASIC PLAN OF THE TEMPLEFigure 7

J

mon. Contrast it with the Masonic Lodgein Fig. 8.

While there is some similarity inform, they are exactly opposite in ar-rangement, The entrance to the templeis in the east. In the Masonic Lodgeit is in the west. The Holy of Holies,where God’s presence was manifest isin the west in God’s temple. The “Wor-shipful Master” whose seat is under the“G” to represent “god” is in the cartof the rMasonic Lodge.

When we understand that the templeof God represents God’s throne, weshould be able to see the symbolism ofChrist as our High Priest sitting on theright hand of God. Upon becomingspiritual Israelites, we may boldly ap-proach that throne through Christ, sincethe veil which separated the Israelitesfrom God is rent in two. The Gentilewas not even allowed in that part ofthe temple and, until this day, cannotapproach God without first becoming

Altar

Worshipful Master

Junior Warden

/aiq

PLAN OF THE LODGEF i g u r e 8

What C6urch Members Need to Kfzow About MASONRY 19

.>)I Itraclite. This is represented by thecourt of Israel being between that ofrhe Gentile and the Holy of Holies.

The Masonic Lodge, therefore, repre-senrs a PnKarz temple which symbolizesthis universe. The setting being theearth covered by a “canopy of cloudsand the starry heavens,” where thesepagans worship the sun, which theycall the father of all living; the moonwhich they call the mother; and all thestarry hosts of heaven. They hope toascend into this heaven by means of aladder which Masons call “Jacob’s Lad-der,” but which the pagans called byother names.

If one visualizes this Masonic templein its true symbolic meaning, they seethat it is actually OUTSIDE THE TEMPLEof God as demonstrated by the place-ment of the two pillars Jachin and Boaz.The only places in the Bible wherethese two pillars are mentioned byname are I Kings 7:2 1 and II Chron-icles 3: 17. Here the pillars are de-scribed as sitting in the porch of thetemple with Jachin on the right andBoaz on the left , as they would beviewed from God’s throne. The latter isborne out and made clear by the Jewishand the Revised Standard translation ofthe Bible which render it as Jachin inthe south and Boaz in the north.

Masons have these reversed by plac-ing the pillar they call Jachin on theright as you ezter their temple andBoaz on the left.

The only way a person could passthrough the pillars of the remple ofGod so that Jachin was on his rightand Boaz on his left would be whenlen!ming the temple (going away fromGod). On the other hand, this hap-pens only when entering the Masonictemple.

It follows, symbolically, that a personenters a Masonic temple by leavingthe true temple of God. Once there,he worships the sun in the east withhis back to God.

When one pictures Masons in thissituation, he cannot help but remem-ber Ezekiel 8: 15 where God points

out to Ezekiel the WORST OF THEABOMINATIONS--“And he brought meinto the inner court of the Lord’s house,and behold, at the door of the templeof the Lord, between the porch andthe altar were about five and twentymen, with their backs toward the tem-ple of the Lord, and their faces towardthe east; and they worshipped the suntoward the east.” This is exactly whatthe Masons are doing. Is it possiblethat the future fulfillment of this proph-ecy will take place when some JewishMasons will be in the temple of Godand will actually turn their backs onHim to worship other gods?

Masonry Symbolized by a Ladder

The Masonic ladder, introduced tothe candidate in the lecture of the firstdegree as having three rounds-faith,hope and charity-is only for the nov-ice. Masons use other “Jacob’s Ladders”with greater numbers of rounds andwith different names in the lectures ofthe higher degrees. One has sevenrounds and is also supposed to reach toheaven. The first round (or gate) wasmade of lead and represented Saturnbecause of the “heavy nature” whereofhis “dull slow progress” was symbolized.The second, of tin, was that of Venus,symbolizing her “soft splendor” and“easy flexibility.” The third, of brass,was that of Jupiter, emblematic of his“solidarity” and “dry nature.” Thefourth, of iron, was that of Mercury,expressing his “indefatigable activity”and “sagacity.” The fifth, of copper, wasthat of Mars, expressing his “inequali-ties” and “variable nature.” The sixth,of silver, was that of the moon. Theseventh, of gold, that of the sun.(Morals and Dogma, p. 414.) Need-less to say this doctrine comes from theancient pagans, and if we take its sym-bols literally, it means that Masons at-tempt to reach heaven by means ofhonoring these pagan gods and beingaided by them along the way.

The candidate for the Knights Ka-dosh of the York Rite is made to

2 0 What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY

climb up a ladder of seven roundsTvhich a r e n a m e d : ( 1) T s e d a k a h

( righteousness), ( 2 ) Shorlaban (whiteox ), ( 3) Mathok (sweetness), (4)Emunah (?), (5 ) Hamal (great la-bar), ( 6 ) S a b b a l ( p a t i e n c e ) , ( 7 )G e m u l a h , Binah, T e b u n a h (retribu-tion, intelligence, prudence). This lad-der is borrowed from an ancient paganone containing nine steps, but wasmade to conform to the system of sev-ens by including the last three in theseventh round.

The ancient pagans believed that theycould, by perfecting themselves throughpracticing “virtues,” proceed step bystep up the ladder of life. Each rungrepresents a higher state of existencethan the one below. By diligent effortone could finally become like the godwho abode in the sun and share hisglory. That is why the last rung is oftensymbolized by the sun. This is a dia-bolical counterfeit of God’s plan ofsalvation.

Figure 9 is an interesting example ofhow Masons adapt these ladders to theirneed. They have selected a ladder ofnine rounds and renamed three princi-pal rounds “faith, hope and charity.”

“FREEMASONRY ITSET.F IS XM-BOLIZED BY A LADDER OR CIR-LULAK STAIRWAY OF 13 STFJ’SUK LJEGREES.” It is also suvvosed tob h e XIP~~Q hy &b Macnns .~+XUZb%all* climb to hexes- Through itthey are supposed to perfect them-selves, degree by degree, until theyare worthy of eternal life in heaven.

“Worshipful Master”

“Worshipful Master” is a title thatbeiongs only to God. To call the pre-siding officer of a Lodge by that titleis putting God’s name to a wrong use.

This is not the only way in whichthe master of the Lodge usurps thatwhich is God’s, He is literally supposedto stand in the place of God when hestations himself under the letter “G”in the lodge room. His station sup-posedly represents the Holy of Holiesor rhe throne of God. His actions while

in this office are also significant. Fewcandidates catch on when he asks themduring initiation, “In whom do youput your trust?” The answer is, “InGod.” Then the master says, “Give MEyour right hand. Your trust being inGod, your faith is well founded. Arise!Foiiow 3 0261’ conilz4ctor. a n d f e a r 920danger.”

By such words and actions, does notthe master imply that the candidate isalso to trust him? Then he must con-sider himself either an agent of Godor actually standing in the place ofGod! Certainly he does! But, let us lookinto another official Masonic work tosee which is the god in whose officethe master stands.

T h e Gelzeral FIistory, Cyclo$ediaQ& Dictionaq of Freemasonry makesthese statements in its reference to thesun: “The sun rises in the east, andthe east is the place of the WorshipfulMaster. As the sun is the source of alllife and warmth, so should the Wor-shipful Master enliven and warm thebrethren in their work.”

This is even made clearer in the cere-mony of the first degree when the SeniorWarden informs the candidate “as thesun rises in the East to open and gov-ern the day, so rises the WorshipfulMaster in the East (here the “Worship-ful Master” rises to his feet in demon-stration) to open and govern his Lodge

,?

dan anything be plainer? He standsin the office of the Sun god!

Is Masonry a Religion?Much of the conflicting thought in

any controversy is erased when theparries involved define the terms theyuse. All people do not attach the samemeaning to a given word. The wordreligion conveys more than one mean-ing. Webster’s unabridged dictionarylists six related but different definitionsfor religion. One of them is, “Devo-tion or fidelity; conscientiousness.” Weare aware that true religion teaches dWAY TO LIVE zisefd, h a p p y andpurposeful lives through obedience toGod’s laws.

W’hat Church nlembers Need to Know About MASONRY21

F i g u r e 9

22 What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY

Enough evidence has already beenpresented to prove beyond a doubtthat, according to either definition,Freemasonry is a religion, but a falseone. It teaches a way of life whichis supposed to guide one’s -path towardheaven. It claims to be a ladder ofth i r ty - two s teps which provide% theway to some Utopia . Most of theprominent Masonic writers call Masonrya religion, yet we find many Masons inAmerica who deny this.

As one man stated it in a recentarticle of the official Scottish Rite maga-zine, “He who truly understands Free-masonry knows that it is a moral@%losofihy, and not a religion.” (V. N.Burrows, 32nd degree, K.C.C.H., “TheMoral Duty of a Mason,” The NewAge, 63:6, June, 1955.)

Can the two be distinguished? Whatis the real answer?

The belief that Masonry is not a re-ligion is supported by a statement inMorals and Dogma (Pike, p. 6) :“Though Masonry never usurps theplace of, nor apes religion, prayer is anessential part of our ceremonies.” HereMasons use the word religion to meanDENOMINATION, or one of the systemsof faith and worship whose fnain pur-pose is teaching about God. They claimthat Masonry does not require its mem-bers to have any one creed, but ratherthat each be bound by a “moral law”(of brotherly love) in accordance withhis own religious philosophy.

Masons take pride in the fact thatmen of all denominations dwell to-gether in their Lodge. They teach thattheir theistic doctrine is a broad over-all doctrine that includes all denomina-tions and creeds within its framework.

They therefore look upon themselves,not as an organization dedicated to teachany form of worship, but as a fraternityof “brethren” dedicated to help oneanother in a Masonic version of “broth-erly love.” According to Albert Pike,“Once enrolled among the children ofLight, every Mason on earth becomeshis brother, and owes him the duties,the kindnesses, and the sympathies of

a brother. There is not a Mason in theworld who is not bound to go to hisbrbther’s relief when he is in danger,if there be a greater probability ofsaving his life than of losing his own.What so many thousands owe to him,he owes to each of them. He has sol-emnly bound himself to be ever readyto discharge this sacred debt. If he failsto do it, he is dishonest and forsworn.”

When we understand the Masonicview, we should be able to see whyMasonry does not want to be classedamong the religions, or denominations,but pictures itself as encompassing themwithin the “brotherhood.” If the “broth-erhood” should grow to encompass thewhole earth, then would be the fulfill-ment of the Masonic ideal-the philos-ophy known as “The Brotherhood ofMan and the Fatherhood of God.”

From this viewpoint leaders of theLodge in guiding the “brotherhood,”picture themselves as something likescientists who are seeking to understandand explain the wal. purpose and resultof life in this chaotic civilization. Thiscivilization Masonry pictures as beingnot chaotic, but harmonious and beauti-ful by virtue of its variations and con-flicts which, to them, have the result ofcomplementing one another. For ex-ample, sin in their view complementsrighteousness and hate complementslove in the same way that opposite col-ors accent and complement one another.

Even though this encompassing viewof Masonry does include many religionswithin itself, it is nevertheless a wayof life, and therefore a religion.

With this usage of the word, Mason-ry will admit being a religion, andmany of its proponents define it as such,but it does not want to be classed asjust another religious denomination orcreed!

Separation of Church and State

Masonry is emphatic in its teachingthat the church and state should beseparate. This stand is surprising untilyou understand what is meant. In everyway it is obviously a religion; and since

What Church Alembers Need to Know About IVASONRY 23

a church is merely a congregation ofpeople banded together by a commoncause, they are technically a church.Even the building in which the Lodgeis located is called a temple! Most suchbuildings have “Masonic Temple” writ-ten above their entrance. Furthermore,we find Masons taking a very active partin politics and government. In somecountries they even run the govern-ment. It does not seem reasonable thatthey should believe in separation ofchurch and state.

Basically what iMasons mean by thephrase, separation of church and state,is that they do not want the CatholicChurch ruling over the state in whichthey reside. Catholicism and Freema-sonry are mortal enemies. Catholicshave excommunicated all who are Ma-sons, and declared them anathema. Ifit were in the power of the CatholicChurch to do so, it would have Mason-ry abolished. Catholicism has succeededin driving Masonry from some coun-tries. Masons who reside in countrieswhere Catholicism is weak do all theycan to cause it to remain weak. Theirsis basically a fight for $ower.

If the Catholics’ claim that they havethe divine right to rule over nationsand kingdoms were accomplished,where would that leave Freemasonry?

Is there any wonder that these twoshould be mortal enemies since eachtries to control, or at least influencethe government of the country in whichit resides!

The Real Secrets of MasonryMuch has been said about the REAL

SECRETS of Masonry. Masons are per-haps in as much disagreement as towhat these secrets are as anyone else.One noted Masonic writer states: “Theonly secret of Masonry is that enjoinedupon its apprentices which exists solelyin the obligation to observe silence re-garding the various signs of recogni-tion and certain customs.” (Lennhoff,p. 18.) There is much truth in thestatement because most Masons are onlyinterested in the social and economicadvantages gained from the Lodge.

They do not become enlightened in thedeeper secrets because they are not in-terested in them. Lennhoff’s book isobviously evasive however. It is writtenprimarily for public consumption. Itis not a secret ufork of Freemasonry.

Other writers claim that there areno REAL secrets in Masonry becauseany or all of their secret signs, hand-shakes, due-guards, morals, symbols, phi-losophies, dogmas, and customs havebeen published, and can be purchasedfrom the bookstores. This is also true.The only catch is, most people do notknow what to look for, or what it meanswhen they find it!

Those Masons who do search fordeeper secrets in the Craft usually pointro the dogma and morals underlying theMasonic symbols as their secret. Thesephilosophical principles “veiled in beau-tiful allegories which hide them fromthe general public” are an empty secretindeed. They are nothing more thanthe secrets of the ancient mysteries.Even when explained they remain aconfusing mass of unrelated paganmorals. Other, more intellectual mem-bers, try to fathom their depths in questof a deeper, underlying principle onwhich the secret of life rests. As thosewho understand the purpose of life willagree, they are doomed to failure.Paganism, no matter how lofty itsclaims or how beautiful its symbolsmight appear, is not the true waj oflife. It is the way of darkness and death.

To demonstrare the futility of thateffort and the worthlessness of its emptyfindings we quote a noted Masonicwriter. His name is Oliver. His book,Theocratic Philosophy . “Masonsmay be fifty years (Worshipful) Mas-ters of the chair and yet not learn thesecret of the Brotherhood. This secretis, in its own nature, invulnerable; forthe Mason, to whom it has becomeknown, can only have guessed it andcertainly not have received it fromanyone; he has discovered it becausehe has been in the Lodge marked,learned and inwmdly digested. Whenhe arrives at the discovery, he unques-

24 What Church Members Need to Kmu~ About MASONKY

tionably keeps it to himself, not com-municating it even to his most inti-mate Brother, because, should thisperson not have capability to discover itof himself, he would likewise be want-ing in the capability to use it, if hereceived it verbally. For this reasonI T W I L L F O R E V E R R E M A I N A S E C R E T . ”(Lennhoff, pp. 19-20.) The keeping ofsuch an august secret from even yourclosest brother seems foolish indeed.Lennhoff finds excuse for this action be-cause, as he says, “the mob fastens onto the heels of the proclaimers and onlytoo often tread underfoot what has beenthe philosopher’s highest ideal.”

The fact that the brother should neverpass his secret to another insures twothings: the sublime secret won’t bearthe light of inspection, and that secretw i l l be D I F F E R E N T for each Mason.

One man, Wilmshurst, felt that hesaw the deeper meaning of Masonry andbroke silence to go from Lodge toLodge teaching it to brother Masons.His lectures have been published underthe title, The Meaning of Masonry. Inthem he shows that his great secretis the answer to “three great questions”which he says press inexorably uponthe attention of every thoughtful manand are the subject around which allreligions and all philosophies move:” Wbnt a m I?” “Wbeme c a m e I ? ”“Whither go I?”

He further states, “It is a truism tosay that in our quiet and more seriousmoments we all feel the need of somereliable answer to these questions . . .The Masonic candidate is presumed toenter the Order in search of light uponthese problems; light that he is pre-sumed not to have succeeded in findingelsewhere.”

In his course of lectures Wilmshurstgave his answers to these three ques-tions. His answers are essentially these:( 1) Man is an immortal soul that isevolving spiritually toward perfection;(2 ) He existed in a higher state beforehe was born into this world but he lostsomething which left him in this lowerstate; (3) He will again attain that

higher state of existence after death,provided he continues to perfect him-self.

These “secrets of iife” are not takenfrom the word of God recorded in theHoly Bible, but from the same pagansources from which the other Masonicsecrets are borrowed. Neither are theynew, because the “ancients” believedand taught them thousands of yearsago.

In Wilmshurst’s words, “this---theevolution of man into superman-wasalways the purpose of the ancient Mys-teries, and the real parpose of modern.fi/lasonr> is, nor the social and charitablepurposes to which so much attentionis paid, but the expediting of the spirit-ual evolution of those who aspire toperfect their own nature and transformit into a more god-like quality. Andthis is a definite science, and a royalart, which it is possible for each of usto put into practice; whilst to join theCraft for any other purpose than tostudy and pursue this science is to mis-understand its meaning.” (Wilmshurst,p. 47.)

This is, of course, not the true answerto life’s questions as revealed by theBible. Adam was created by God andgiven the same choice which you andI face today: Obedience, and life-ordisobedience, and death. Adam, just asyou and I, had no immortal soul; and,as you and I, he grew old and died. Godwould. have raised him to immortality;however, he chose the way of disobedi-ence and God left him to its reward-death. Thereby Adam set the exampleof disobedience which mankind has fol-lowed ever since i see Rom. 5 : 14-15 j.‘Brethren you and I should turn fromthat example and follow Christ’s ex-ample of obedience to God that our re-ward might be life through the resur-rection.

Wilrnshursr sees that there is some-thing missing in man that he wassupposed to have had before the fall.He says that in our pensive momentswe are aware that there is somethingmissing in us.

What C/~UI.C/J hiembers Need to K~zozu About MASONRY 25

Truly there is a very important thingmissing in every one of us until we areconverted. You and I know it is theSpirit of God which we must have ifwe are to overcome and grow in theways of God.

Wilmshurst, of course, did not cometo this answer. Following the philoso-phies and symbols of the ancient paganshe looked for a mysterious, magicalsomething which only the secretly in-formed could know. This mysterioussomething, he came to believe, was thegenuine secrets of the Master Mason.

These secrets are all connected withan ancient legend which Masons call“The Legend of Hiram Abiff.”

I will not embarrass ex-Masons of ourChurch brethren by exposing the ab-surdity of the “secret rites” connectedwith this legend. Let it suffice to saythat they are merely a rittialistic acting-out of the legend in which certain pass-words, distress signs, grips etc. are intro-duced and demonstrated. The Masonsthen learn these secret tokens and usethem to identify themselves and conveycertain information to one another ineveryday life.

The candidate, without any attemptat rehearsal, is required to act out therole of the ancient Grand Master ofMasonry, Hiram Abiff. This is not diffii-cult because the role consists mainly ofsupposedly being killed and playingdead while he is moved here and thereby Lodge members.

Hiram Abiff, the hero of the legend,was supposedly murdered by the FellowCrafts, fifteen of whom entered into aconspiracy to extort the secrets of aMaster Mason from him, or take hislife. But reflecting with horror on theatrocity of the intended crime, twelveof them recanted; the other three, how-ever, persisted in their murderous de-sign.

The fantastic legend, as the “Wor-shipful Master” recites it to the candi-dates, is as follows:

Chief Masonic Legend“Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff,

was slain at high twelve while the craft

were called from labor to refreshment.It being his custom at that hour to enterinto the unfinished ‘sanctum San&rum’or ‘Holy of Holies’ of the temple, there

to offer ap his decotion to the Deity alzddraw his designs on the trestle-board.The three Fellow Crafts who persistedin their murderous design knowing thisto be his usual practice placed them-selves at the South, West and East gatesof the inner court of the temple andthere awaited his return. Our GrandMaster, Hiram Abiff, having finished hisusual exercises was about to retire bythe South gate, where he was accostedby the first ruffian, who thrice demandedof him the secrets of a Master Mason orMaster’s word and on his refusal he gavehim a blow with the twenty-fogr-inch

gauge across his throat after which hefled and attempted to pass out of theWest gate where he was in like manneraccosted by the second, who thrice de-manded of him the secrets of a MasterMason or the Master’s word, and in alike refusal he gave him a blow with asquare across his breast. Whereupon hefled and attempted to escape by the Eastgate where he was likewise accosted bythe third, who thrice demanded of himthe secrets of a Master Mason or theMaster’s word, and on a similar refusalhe gave him a violent blow with a set-ting maul on his forehead which felledhim dead on the spot.

“They then buried the body in therubbish of the temple until 102~ twelveor twelve at night, when they met byappointments and conveyed it a westerlycourse from the temple to the brow ofa hill west of Mount Moriah, where theyhad been and dug a grave due East andWest, six feet perpendicular, and thereburied it. In the head of the grave theyplanted an acacia to conceal it and thatthe place might be known, should occa-sion ever require. and made their es-cape.

“Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff,was found to be missing on the dayfollowing, from there being no designson the trestle-board. King Solomonbeing informed thereof, at first supposed

26 What Church kwzbers Need to Know About MASONRY

him to be indisposed, and ordered strictsearch and due inquiry to be made forhim in and about the several apartmentsof the temple. Strict search and due in-quiry were accordingly made, but hecould not be found. King Solomon thenfearing that some fatal accident had be-fallen him ordered the several rolls ofthe workmen to be called.

“At roll-call three Fellow Crafts werefound to be missing, namely, /abela,Jzlbelo. and Jmbelum, who from thesimilarity of their names were supposedto be brethren and men of Tyre.

“At this t ime the twelve FellowCrafts who had recanted from theirmurderous designs appeared beforeKing Solomon, clad in white gloves andaprons, in token of their innocence,acknowledged their premeditated guiltand most humbly implored his pardon.King Solomon then ordered the twelveFellow Crafts to divide themselves inparties and travel three East, three West,three North and three South (withothers whom he should appoint), in.rearch of the rufians and return notwithout tidings. They traveled and atthe point while pursuing a westerlycourse coming down near the port ofJcppa, they fell in with a wayfabng ma?2of whom they enquired if he had seenany strangers pass that way. He in-formed them that he had, three, whofrom their appearance were workmenfrom the temple and men of Tyre seek-ing a passage into Ethiopa, but not hav-ing King Solomon’s pass could not ob-tain a passage and turned back into thecountry. They returned and reported thisintelligence to King Solomon, whoordered them to disguise themselves andtravel as before with positive injunc-tions to find the ruffians and with posi-tive assurance that if they did not thetwelve Fellow Crafts should be deemedthe murderers and severally suffer forthe crime committed. They traveled andas the party which pursued a westerlycourse a second time were returningafter several days fruitless search, onebrother being more weary than the restsat down at the brow of a hill west

of Mount Moriah to rest and refreshhimself.

“ O n attempting to arise he uc-cidentall3, caught hold o f an acac iawhich easily giving way excited hiscuriosity, whereupon he hailed his com-panions, and on their return and ex-amination, they found the appearanceof a newly made grave. While medi-tating on this singular circumstancethey heard the following horrid excla-mations from the clefts of an adjacentrock. The first was the voice of Jubela,who exclaimed, ‘Oh, that my throat hadbeen cut across, my tongue torn out byits roots and buried in the rough sandsof the sea at low water mark, where thetide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-fourhours, ere I had been accessory to thedeath of ~0 great a man as our GrandMaster, Hiram Abiff!’ The second wasthe voice of Jubelo, who exclaimed,‘Oh, that my left breast had been tornopen, my heart plucked out and given asa prey to the beasts of the fields andthe fowls of the air, ere I had conrentedto the death of so good a man as ourGrand Master, Hiram Abiff!’ The thirdwas the voice of Jubehm, who exclaimedin tones of greater horror than theothers, ‘Oh, that my body had beensevered in twain, my bowels taken fromthence and burned to ashes and theashes scattered to the four winds ofheaven, so that no trace or remembrancemight be had of so vile and perjured awretch as I, ere I had caused the deathof so great and JO good a man as ourGrand Master, Hiram Abiff! Ah, Ju-bela and Jubelo, it is I who am moreguilty than you both; it was I who gavethe fatal blow, it was I who killed him!whereupon they rushed in, seized andbound them and took them before KingSolomon, who, after a due confession oftheir guilt ordered them to be takenwithout the gates of the city and thereexecuted according to their several im-precations, in the clefts of the rock.They were taken out and executed ac-cordingly.”

The Legend Continues“King Solomon then ordered that the

What Church Members Need to Know About NASONRY 27

Figure 10

Traditional marble monument in honor of Hiram Abiff.

twelve Fellow Crafts go in seurch of thebody of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff,and if found to observe whether theMaster’s word, or a key to it or any-thing appertaining to the Master’s de-gree were on or about it. The body ofour Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, wasfound in a westerly course from thetemple in a grave dug due East andW’est six feet perpendicular, in the browof a hill where our weary brother sat

down to rest and refresh himself. Noth-ing was found but the jewel of hisollice by which the body was designated.King Solomon then ordered the twelveFellow Crafts to go and assist in rais-ing the body, and as the Master’s wordwas then lost, it was agreed betweenhimself and Hiram, King of Tyre, thatthe first sign given on arriving at thegrave and the first word spoken afterthe body should be raised, should be

2s What Church i\lenabcrs Need to KPZOU AbozAt IUASONRY

adopted as the sign and word for theregulation of all Master’s Lodges untilfuture generations should find out theright word.

“On repairing to the grave KingSolomon ordered one of the FellowCrafts to take the body by the EnteredApprentice’s grip (one of the secretMasonic handshakes) and see if it couldbe raised, but owing to the high stateof putrefaction the body havin? beendead already fifteen days. the skinshpped and it could not be so raised.Kmg Solomon then requested Hiram,King of Tyre, to take the body by theFellow Craft grip and see if it could beraised, but owing to the reasons alreadyassigned the flesh cleaved from thebone and it could not be so raised. KingSolomon at length took the body by thestrong grip of a Master Mason, or the‘Lions Paw’ and raised ir on the fivepoints of Fellowship. which have al-ready been explained to you (the candi-date). They then conveyed it back tothe temple from which it was buried indue form.”

All of this the “Worshipful Master”recites with great solemnity and thegullible candidate listens in awe. Thenthe “Worshipful Master” continues:

“The body of our Grand Master ,Hiram Abiff, was buried three times:first, in the rubbish of the temple, sec-ond, on the brow of a hill west of MountMoriah, and third, and last time with-out the gates of the city, as near the un-finished ‘sanctum sanctorum’ or ‘Holyof Holies’ as the Jewish law wouldpermit; and Masonic tradition informsus that they erected to his memory amarble monument, consisting of a beau-tiful virgin weeping over a brokencolumn [see Fig. IO], before her abook open, in her right hand a sprig ofacacia, in her left an Urn and Timebehind her, standing unfolding her ring-lets and counting her hair.

“The beautiful virgin zc,eepi?lg ocerthe brokez colum?z. d e n o t e s t h e lln-finished temple and the untimely deathof our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff.

“The Book o$en before her. that his

virtues there lay on perpetual record.“The sprig of acacia in her right hand

denotes the timely discovery of the body.“The Urn irz her left, that his ashes

were there safely deposited to perpetu-ate the remembrance of the amiable,distinguished and exemplary character.

“And Time behind her. .standing un-folding her ringlets and counting herhair, that time, patience and persever-ance will accomplish all things.”

The Master points to each of theabove emblems on the chart as he pro-ceeds with his explanation. All the fore-going, it will be observed is a rehearsalof the Temple Legend, and is of courseesoteric or secret z~,ovk and must belearned orally from the Grand Lectureror other lawfully constituted teacher.

Counterfeit of Christ’s SacrificeWilmshurst pictured Hiram Abiff as

the symbol of Christ, and his death asthe portrayal of Christ’s death and resur-rection. The Mason. when he dies, saysWilmshurst, will be raised to heaven byChrist with the strong grip of the Mas-ter iVa.ton.

Wilmshurst’s philosophies are widelyaccepted in the modern “Christian”Lodges of America. Anyone familiarwith the teachings of the popular de-nominations can readily see where sucha philosophy is congruous with tyadi-tional “Christian doctrine”on the subject.Consequently, after hearing this ex-planation, few consciences are disturbedas Masons act out this legend again andagain, each time a new member under-goes the initiation of the third degree.

But, is that real11 what is pictured bythe Legend? Chrjst was not secretlymurdered by three ruf5ans. His body didnot decompose ( Acts 2:27), and Hewas not raised back to life by the “stronggrip of a Master hIason.”

There is a more revealing answer!Let us compare the main points of thelegend of Hiram Abiff, with the chieflegend of the Ancient Mysteries.

Hiram Abiff is Nimrod !This legend stems from the exploits

of Nimrod, a son of Cush, described in

What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY 29

Genesis 10:8-10 as a mighty hunter andruler.

In organizing the people under hisrule, Nimrod usurped one of the pre-rogatives of God, because God is thecreator and sustainer of all the universe,and thereby its rightful ruler.

Alexander Hislop in The Two Baby-ions gives some of the reasons for Nim-rod’s fame. On page 52, he writes thatall tradition, from the earliest time, bearstestimony to the apostasy of Nimrod,and to his success in leading men awayfrom the patriarchal faith. He deliveredtheir minds from the awe of God andthe fear of the judgments of heaven.Hislop showed also (p. 50) that Nim-rod was the object of high popularity,and through setting himself up as king,invaded the patriarchal system and cur-tailed the liberties of mankind. Yet,Nimrod was considered a hero and lib-erator to all his followers. NO doubt itwas because he “freed” them from fol-lowing the way of God by giving thema counterfeit way-one which allowedthem to follow their own lustful imagi-nations.

Scripture does not reveal how Nim-rod died: but all ancient traditions showthat he came to a violent and early end!

“Now,” says Hislop on page 57.“when this mighty hero, in the midstof his career of glory, was suddenly cutoff by a violent death, great seems tohave been the shock that the catastropheoccasioned. When the news spreadabroad the devotees of pleasure felt asif the best benefactor of mankind weregone . Then began the weeping forTammuz (identified as Nimrod) in theguilt of which the daughters of Israelallowed themselves to be implicated(Ezek. 8: 14) . . .”

Doctrine of Trinity ConceivedNimrod’s wife, Semiramis, apparently

wasted no time in influencine the neo-ple to begin worshipping bin;’ as a ‘god.It was claimed that the Darts of the mu-tilated body were found and put to-gether again and that Nimrod wasresurrected: that he ascended up intothe heavens and dwelt with the gods.

The sun was adopted as his symbolpicturing his being overcome at night,and rising again the next day.

As time and imagination continuedhe became accredited as being the lightbringer, sustainer of life, and judge ofthe living and the dead.

Semiramis, in her exalted position aswife of this mighty king who becamegod. played an important role in thenew religion. She became the mother ofa child which she claimed was the sonof this god. And as time passed, allthree were deified. In later years theson became confused with his father andthe worship of one was attributed tothe other, giving occasion for this god-dess’ having been worshiped as bothwife and mother. This was the origin ofwhat came to be called the “BlessedTrinity”: the father, the mother (holyghost) and the son.

This is a diabolical counterfeit ofGod’s plan of salvation for mankind asrevealed in the Holy Bible, which planGod undoubtedly made known to thepatriarchs with whom “He walked”(Gen. 6:9). With the knowledge ofthis plan, mankind, under Satan’s in-spiration, took matters into i ts ownhands instead of waiting on the salva-tion of the Lord. Thus, the “AncientMysteries” began to evolve.

While similarities exist between thiscounterfeit system and God’s plan forthe salvation of mankind, it should notbe overlooked that important differencesdo occur. One of these is that the son,not the father, was resurrected back tolife.

After the dividing of languages atthe tower of Babel (Gen. 11: l-9)) andthe scattering of the nations, the namesof these deified persons were changedand the legends about them grew in de-tail in each nation. New and differentfeats, characteristic of the nation inwhich they developed, were attributedto them and more symbols were adoptedto picture these feats.

Furthermore, the adoption of newgods did not end with these three. Othergods and goddesses continued to be

created in human imaginations. Today,any study of pagan beliefs and customsis made extremely difficult by this greatconfusion. An accurate description ofthe worship and doctrine about any oneof these gods would have to be limitednot only to the nation, but to the local-ity and sect within that nation and theyear of its occurrence, because every-thing was constantly changing. Yet,through it all, the central theme whichdeifies the person of Nimrod, Semiramisand her illegitimate son was retainedin practically all ages and nations. It isthe chief tenet of all the “Ancient Mys-teries.”

Masonic Symbols Adopted fromPagan Egypt

Freemasonry borrowed most of itssymbols from the ancient Egyptian sys-tem. To be consistent with this fact, andalso to reduce confusion, we shall com-pare the legend of Hiram Abi,f withthe central legend of the Ancient Mys-teries as they were observed in Egypt.Here the gods were called Osiris, Isis,and Horus.

From Webster’s Dictionary caption“Osiris,” we read that Osiris is said tohave been a wise and beneficent kingof Egypt (i.e., Nimrod was king beforethe languages were confounded and thenations were formed. Each nation claimshim to be its founder or king and itsgod, but each under a different name).Osiris, with the aid of Isis, taught hissubjects agriculture and all the arts andcrafts, conquering the rest of the worldto civilize it. His brother Seth (whomGreeks called Typhon) treacherouslymurdered him, and cast the coffin con-taining his body into the River Nile.Drifting away to Byblos, it was discov-ered by Isis and taken back to Egypt.Seth again found the corpse, and cuttingit in pieces, he cast them into the Nile-but Isis found them (more thoroughaccounts of the legend show that all butone part was found, the genital organ,for which she substituted the “Phallus”).Then came Horus to avenge his father

Osiris, and the gods justifying Osiris,restored his body to life and immor-tality.

This death and resurrection was sym-bolized daily by the setting and risingof the sun, and also yearly by the sea-sons during which the sun receeds untilthe winter solstice, then begins to beslowly “resurrected back to life.” Seth(or Typhon) was the symbol of winterwhich destroys the fecundating and fer-tilizing powers of the sun, deprivinghim of life. When Seth was killed byHorus, the sun began to climb higher inthe sky, as if being resurrected by thegods. It was a time for rejoicing. Thiscustom of rejoicing at the time of thewinter solstice has continued to ourpresent day when people who call them-selves Christians celebrate this pagancustom thinking they celebrate Christ’sbirth.

When we examine the legend ofHiram Abiff we find that he possessedthe valuable Master’s Work& a badge ofhighest authority, just as Osiris (or Nim-rod) possessed a kingdom and was ane~zligbtened one.

There was also conspiracy againstHiram just as there was against Osiris.Hiram, like Osiris, was attacked andkilled, and this at the hand of a brother.The body was buried twice, not in thewaters of the Nile, since this is identifiedonly with Egypt, but in a more appro-priate place under the rubble of thetemple and later under an acacia tree.It was also discovered twice by the Fel-low Crafts, this time not just as Isisdiscovered Osiris’s body, but in a more“convenient” method for Freemasonry.

As the legend says that Seth was killedfor his crime by Horus, so were theruffian murderers of Abiff killed by theFellow Craft. A new twist is given theMasonic legend, however, for each ruf-fian is killed in a different manner be-fitting the degree of his crimes. Themethods of death represent the penal-ties a Mason promises and sweuys to payif he reveals the secrets of the jirst threedegrees. (i.e., in the initiation of the

What Church IlLembers Need to Know About MASONRY 31

First degree the candidate swears to paythe same penalty as the first ruffian paidif he reveals Entered Apprentice se-crets)

In the initiation of the Second degreethe candidate swears to keep the secretsunder penalty of the same death thatthe second ruffian suffered! etc.

When Isis found Osiris’s body onepart was lost-the genital organ. Whenthe Fellow Craft finds Hiram’s bodyone part also is lost-the Master’s Word.Isis substituted the Phallus; Masons sub-stitute Mah-hah-bone. From Masonicwritings Masonry Defked, pp. 643, 608,M&-ha6 means literally, “What is thisthe”-and hotze. coming from the He-brew word bolzeb, means “builder.”Mah-hah-bone then means, “What isthis the builder?”

In all appearances the “Master’sWord” in Masonry symbolizes the samecreatit.e force that the phallus does;both are pagan symbols for the creatorof life.

Meaning of Term “Hiram Abiff”

Even the name “Hiram Abiff” is sig-nificant. Hiram it literally “most noble”and is therefore a title. Abiff, accordingto Masons, means “his father”; so thecomplete translation of the ti t le is.“most noble, his father.” Who couldthis refer to other than Osiris, father ofHorus?

Is this pagan explanation of the“mystery of life” contained in the sym-bolic legend of Hiram Abiff the z&i-mate of all the “genuine secrets” ofMasonry?

For some it is! Others prefer theRomanized version of the same fairytale. But for those Masons, bright enoughto have their faith in this world’s“christendom” shaken by observing itsparallelism with the ancient pagan mys-teries, the Lodge has one more super-secret.

Most Coveted Reward

All through thirty-two degrees theMason was promised a reward to be re-ceived at the top of the toilsome “wind-

ing stairs.” Not money, nor corn, norwine, nor oil. All these are but symbols.His wages were to be Masonic trtith.This truth is one of the most concealeddoctrines of the “science of Masonicsymbolism.” This most coveted andcostl?, Masonic reward, “desired by themarzy, attained bl’ the few,” the object ofmany years diligent preparation, is atlast fully realized. It is the humiliatingadmission that Masons must ahayssearch for truth but necer find it!

In their official words, Machey, Ma-sonq Defined. p. 561, “This divinetruth, the object of all his labors, issymbolized by the Word, and this isintended to teach the humiliating butnecessary lesson that the knowledge ofthe nature of God and of man’s rela-tion to Him, which knowledge consti-tutes divine truth, can never be ac-quired in this life.”

Thus, in one fell swoop, Masonryabolishes all pretext of encouraging itsmembers to believe in the Holv Scrip-tures upon which it claims to base itsallegories and upon which its oaths areadministered. By this final secret theyconfirm what was always implied in theLodge-that the way of life revealedin the Bible and God’s plan of salvationoutlined in it are lies-that man cannotknow God nor understand his relation-ship to Him.

WHAT IGNORANCE ! “Becausethat, when they knew God, they glori-fied him not as God, neither werethankful; but became vain in theirimaginations, and their foolish heartwas darkened. Professing themselves tobe wise, they became fools” (Ram.1:21-22).

Part III

HISTORY OF MASONRY

W HERE did Masonry originate? Somesay Solomon originated it, others

say Moses. Can this be true? Here isthe shocking answer from the writingsof the Masons themselves!

32 What ChurcI3 hIembers Need to Know About MASONRY

Masons place much stress on the state-ment that “Freemasonry is both honor-able and ancient.” But when we searchinto the recorded history of the Lodge,the picture is somewhat confused, andone is not overly impressed with eitherits honor or its age.

“The precise origin of the societyhas yet to be ascertained,” says the En-cyclopaedia Britannica, “and is not like-ly to be, as the early records are lost.”

Origin Obscure

Nevertheless, much has been writtento justify the claim of its antiquity andhonorable character. Some writings arebased upon actual records which dateback to the sixteenth century, but mosthave served only to amuse or repel in-quirers.

The earliest work on the subject waspublished in London in 1723 by the“Rev.” James Anderson, and it states:“Grand Master Moses often marshalledthe Israelites into a regular and generalLodge while in the wilderness . . . KingSolomon was Grand Master of the Lodgeat Jerusalem . . . Nebuchadnezzar be-came the Grand Master Mason.” Manymore similar absurdities are to be foundin its pages. These statements arequoted and declared absurd, ridiculous,and extravagant by no Iess authoritythan the Encyclopaedia Britannica (see“Freemasonry,” p. 732). Undaunted, Ma-sons continue to make such claims, andmany members of the Lodge believethem implicitly.

Other “appeals to antiquity” writtenduring the eighteenth and nineteenthcenturies and offered in abbreviatedform by the Encyclopedia Americana(under “Masonic Fraternity,” p. ‘348)are (a) that the history of the race wasthe story of Masonry, beginning with themigration from the Garden of Eden;(b) that Freemasonry sprang from thePatriarchal period; (c) that the societywas the successor of the ancient mys-teries of the Orient; (d) that the templeof Solomon was its cradle; (e) that theCrusaders and the Knights Templar car.ried it forward from their times; (f)

that the Roman colleges of artificers andbuilders of the Middle Ages handeddown the craft to posterity.

Workmen’s Guilds

When we examine the form andceremony of Freemasonry, we find amarked resemblance between it andthe old guild systems which flourishedin Europe at the time Freemasonry cameinto existence.

These guilds played an important partin the social, religious, and political life.They, in turn, were patterned after theearlier Roman guilds or fraternities. TheRoman guilds seem to have been chieflyreligious and political societies, whilethe associations of workmen known asthe Roman colleges of artificers were he-reditary castes enjoying certain privilegesand bound to certain duties-Encyclo-pedia Americana, caption, “Guild.” Eventhese Roman guilds and colleges are notthe oldest forms of such societies, butseem to be a connecting link betweenancient pagan societies and the moremodern ones.

Freemasonry is merely a modern fra-ternity carrying on the outward form ofthese ancient societies. One did not neces-sarily develop into the other, but eachhas had a part in maintaining the earlypagan doctrines and social practices.Some of the practices commonly foundamong them are: oaths of admission,strict requirements for admission andcontinued membership, special privilegesfor the initiates which are zealously pro-tected from outsiders, closed meetingsfor members which are often of socialand’ religious nature, tokens and secretsigns by which they recognize one an-other, and mutual assistance amongmembers in time of need.

Since these practices are so commonto Freemasonry, and since Freemasonry,as we know it, apparently came intobeing at the time the guilds were goingout of style, the Lodge has obviouslyborrowed their structure. It is a con-venient framework in which to concealthe practice of the ANCIENT MYSTERIES.

It was not until 1717 A.D. that the

Mother Grand Lodge of England wasformed. This central lodge was estab-lished in order that there might be cen-tral authority and standardization ofpractice. The smaller local lodges mighthave existed for several centuries priorto the establishment of this MotherGrand Lodge.

Shortly after the local lodges becameorganized into grand lodges, Freemason-ry came into the contempt of the RomanChurch.

Off ended Roman Church

Their independent attitude towardchurch authority, which had supportedthe earlier guilds, undoubtedly broughtabout the schism. The Old Charges of.@Iu~onr~~ written about 1738 states: “Inancient times the Christian Masons werecharged to comply with the Christian(Roman Catholic ) usages of each coun-try where they traveled and worked:but Masonry being found in all nations,even of diverse religions, is now gener-ally charged to adhere to that religionin Uhich all n2ez agree.”

This attitude, along with the threatit imposed, infuriated the RomanChurch. Forbidding loyal Catholics tojoin Masonic ranks was not enough,for to do so cut off its source of infor-mation, and the Catholic Church nolonger knew what went on behind Ma-sonic doors. Lodges could then be a realthreat to Catholic supremacy and couldbecome foreign outposts in Catholiccountries.

In 1738, the same year that the Ma-sonic charge was written, Pope ClementXII issued a Bull of excommunicationentitled, The Condem?aation of the So-ciety of Conventicles de Liberi r\Iuratori,or of the Freemasons.

The reasons for the condemnation areprinted in the Catholic EFZCJ clopedia un-der the caption, “Masonry,” and repeatedin abbreviated form in a booklet en-titled, May Catholics Be Masons?, asfollows:

(I) “Freemasonry has peculiar ZUZ-sectaria?z, pzatuvalistic character. by whichtheoretically and practically it under-

mines the Christian faith (or Catholicf a i t h ) . creating religious indiffer-entism and contempt for orthodoxy andecclesiastical authority.

( 2 ) “The inscrutable secrecy, and theoaths of secrecy and fidelity of Masonryand Masonic work, cannot be justifiedin their scope. their object, or theirform, and cannot, therefore, induce anyobligation.

(3) “Such societies involve a gravedanger for the secwity afzd tranquilityof the state ami for the s;bihzal healthof sozrlJ.”

From the time of Clement XII, sevensupreme pontiffs of the Catholic Churchhave repeated the condemnation ofFreemasonry for substantially the samereasons. This accounts for the enmitybetween the two organizations.

There may very likely have been an-other more important reason for theCatholic action which the Pope wouldnot dare mention. The Masonic devotiontoward searching out the ancient mys-teries makes him immediately aware ofthe great similarity between these Cath-olic mysteries and that of the Ancients.Rome could not afford to encouragesuch an open exposure of the source ofher doctrine. Her symbols of crosses.circles, trinities, holidays and statues to-gether with her customs stand as starkreminders that her doctrine did not be-gin with Christ, Peter or any of theapostles. Instead. they were in commonusage for centuries before Christ wasborn and stood condemned in both oldand new testaments. Rome could notafford to have their origin and mean-ing revealed outside her most privatechambers.

Modern Masonic HistorySoon after the formation of the

Mother Grand Lodge in England in1717, grand lodges were set LIP in Ire-land, 1725, and in Scotland, 1736.These lodges became the centers ofMasonry and began to establish othergrand lodges all over the world.

The Grand Lodge of England insti-tuted its first lodge in Paris in the year

3 4 What Church Alembers Need to Kfzow About iMASONRY

1732, but one was formed still earlieron the Continent at Gibraltar 172%1729. Others were also opened in NorthAmerica in 1730, Germany 1733,Portugal 1735, Holland 1735, Switzer-land 1740, Denmark 1745, Italy 1765,Russia 1771, and Sweden 1773. In mostof these countries, grand lodges weresubsequently created and continue tothis date, except in those RomanCatholic countries, such as Italy, whereno Masonic Lodges are permitted.

Lodges were constituted in India from1730 (Calcutta), 1752 (Madras), and1758 (Bombay); in Jamaica 1742, An-tigua 1738, and St. Christopher 1739,by the grand lodges of England, Ireland,and Scotland.

Shortly afterward these grand lodgeshad representatives at work throughoutthe whole civilized world.

In North America, Masons flourishedin individual lodges from a very earlydate. They had little regard for warrantsand charters, and no attempt at organi-zation was made until the Grand Lodgewas established in Pennsylvania in 1730.This grand lodge, the first in America,was over the territories of New York,New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

It was under the direction of DanielCoxe, who was appointed “ProvincialGrand Master” on June 5, 1730 by theDuke of Norfolk, Grand Master of thePremier Grand Lodge of England.

It became known as the York, orAmerican, Rite.

The rival grand lodges in England,together with those of Ireland andScotland, chartered lodges everywhere inthe new country.

After flourishing for almost a century,Freemasonry in the United States suf-fered a severe setback in 1826.

William Morgan Murder

In this year (1826) an ex-Masonnamed William Morgan attempted toreveal the mysteries of Freemasonry andgive to the outside world a descriptionof the ceremonies observed in the Ma-sonic Lodges of the first six or sevendegrees.

Morgan had presented the material toa printer by the name of David C. Millerto be published in book form whenthe thing became known. The contentsof this expose are still available fromthe Ezra A. Cook Company in a bookentitled Freemasowy Exposed, by Cap-tain William Morgan.

The mere rumor that such a book wasto be published created much astonish-ment and indignation among the Mason-ic fraternity of western New York.Particularly incensed were those whohad associated with Morgan in the meet-ings of the Lodges.

Great efforts were immediately madeby a large number of Freemasons tostop publication of the book. First, theyhad Morgan arrested for debt, then theyswore a complaint against him forlarceny. While he was being prosecuted,they searched his apartments for themanuscript, but in vain. Finally, theykidnapped him from a jail at Canan-daigua and took him forcibly by meansof a closed carriage to Fort Niagara,which was then unoccupied, and theremurdered him in cold blood.

Even this drastic action of theMasonic brethren did not succeed insuppressing Morgan’s expose. Part of ithad already been put to press by Miller,and the remainder of the manuscriptremained undiscovered by the Masons,who searched his premises. This andother outrages, among which were theburning of the printing office, alarmedthe citizens of western New York. Sev-eral arrests of the supposed kidnapperstook place, and persons arrested werebrought to trial. These records couldbe verified by checking the court files.

Among those arrested, five men, in-cluding the sheriff of Niagara County,were found guilty of participation inthe abduction, and were sentenced tovarious terms of imprisonment. Themurderers, however, remained un-punished.

Meantime, the whole book had beenpublished, and its contents had madepublic the somewhat ferocious oaths ofFreemasons. Excitement was immediate

What Church iliembers Need to Know About MASONRY 3 5

and immense. It spread all over thecountry and lasted many years. Free-masonry became unpopular and manypersons, including a great number ofministers, withdrew from the Lodge.Many lodges and chapters were dis-banded, while their officers and mem-bers publicly renounced all future con-nection with the Masonic order.

The murderers of Morgan, althoughknown, were never prosecuted. Thisfact, kept before the people by a power-ful political party which arose at thattime, fanned the growing anti-Masonicfeeling.

Patience and persez’erance on thepart of the few remaining Masons paidoff, however. A few years later the thingdied down and Freemasonry began againto flourish. It was explained that themurderers of Morgan were simply ruf-fians and by no means representative ofthe main body of the fraternity.

As the years passed and the Societyonce again gained repute, its mem-bership grew to nearly six millionmembers and boasted some of the mostfamous and important men of our na-tion. Most presidents of the UnitedStates have been Masons. In its rankstoday we find ministers, doctors, lawyers,jurists, politicians; in short, the mostinfluential men of our time. Free-masonry is no inzonsequenttal secretSociety!

Masonically Preferred History

While this is all that history givesus on the origin of Masonry, the ac-cepted origin among Masons varies fromlodge to lodge. The origin accepted byany particular group seems to be theone preferred by most of the membersin that group. Most of the lodges inthe United States claim to be Christianin character and therefore claim a Bibli-cal origin. Even here they cannot agreeas to specific time or founder. Some sayAdam was its founder, others say Mosesor Solomon.

Some of the more earnest, and serious-minded claim the Ancient Essenes orig-inated Masonry largely because of the

similarity of their doctrine. The Esseneswere noted for their early practice ofmixing Old Testament teaching withthe traditions of the ancient mysteries.They apparently followed the Cabalisticdoctrines, the written form of which isreferred to by Masons as the Kabala,and is admittedly a chief source of Ma-sonic doctrine. The Kabala is admiredby Masons as being “a doctrine so logi-cal, so simple, and at the same time soabsolute” (Morals and Dogma, p. 745 ) .They picture the Bible (Old Testament)as containing “allegories expressed inan incomplete and veiled manner andas being the religious science of the He-brews.” “The Pentateuch and the pro-phetic poems (Psalms) were merely ele-mentary books of doctrine, morals, orliturgy”; according to them, “and thetrue secret and traditional philosophywas only written afterward (in theKabala) .”

Today in modern “Christian” lodgesit is becoming more popular to acceptthe two Johns-John the Baptist andthe Apostle John-as the ones whostarted the first lodge. This absurditycomes from a confusion of ancient andmodern interpretations of the symbolspictured in Figure 11.

With tongue in cheek Lodge “Mas-ters” teach their “Christian brethren”that the Lodge is dedicated to St. Johnthe Baptist and St. John the Evangelist,who are pictured on the border of acircle.

The large circle supposedly circum-scribes the candidate who is representedby the dot in the center. These so-calledpatron saints of Masonry represent two“perfect parallels” in Christianity as wellas Masonry. Upon the vertex of thecircle rests the book of the “Holy Scrip-tures” which points out. the whole dutyof man. They moralize that a Masonshould guard his actions so that he doesnot stray outside the guidance of thesegreat authorities. “If he keeps himselfthus circumscribed,” they reason, “it isimpossible that he should materiallyerr.”

36 What Chrrb ,\lcmbers Need to Knot About IIIASONRY

If this were the true meaning of thesesymbols and if Masons lives were trulypatterned by them, the Lodge wouldhave the upright character of which itboasts. In reality it is only the popularmeaning used to satisfy the large num-bers who go through the Lodge withoutseeking the deeper meanings of Masonicphilosophy. These are only “vulgar”members who, according to Masons,have swarmed into the Temple for self-ish gain (see Morals and Dogma, p.37) and are not capable of learning thedeeper meanings.

Adept Claim Paganism “Polluted” bythe Bible

Most of these modern Bible additionscame into the Blue Lodge through theYork Rite. The adept of the ScottishRite deplore their introduction as pol-lutions of the ancient (pagan) rites.

Albert Pike, the great Scottish Riteauthority, said in his book, Morals andDogma, p. 17, that it was a waste oftime even to comment upon this in-congruous (Bible) meaning. He showed(p. 105) that the parallel lines do notrepresent the two Johns at all and thatthe Bible was added only recently. Hesaid the parallel lines represent thesame thing that the two columns, Jachinand Boaz, do. All have a more reconditeand frui+uL meaning in ancient sym-bol. For the true answer he suggests thatthe adept should look in the Kabalah(the supposedly entire, “perfect,” uniquetheology in secret traditions which areexpressed by the half-pagan Kabala, orCabala).

Later in his book (p. 429) Pike re-vealed that “two parallel lines whichsupport the circle of the Lodge” arefrom an ancient symbol consisting of aring supported by two serpents. This wassupposedly “emblematical of the world,protected by the power and wisdom ofthe Creator.”

You and I of course know that aserpent represents Satan the Devil. Thissymbol then shows that the ancientpagans were actually worshiping Satanas the creator and sustainer of this world!

Pike further shows (p. 506) that thetwo columns called Jachin and Boaz andthe parallel lines actually represent olderpagan symbols: the solstices, Cancer andCapricorn, the two gates of heaven, thetwo pillars of Hercules. He furthershowed that the point in the circle rep-resented the sun god (Osiris). Theseparallel lines represent limits-good andbad, positive and negative, active andpassive, light and darkness-beyondwhich the sun god will not go.

This proves conclusively where Ma-sonic symbols come from and that theirleaders kfzow where they come from.Their meaning is derived from the samediabolical tenets by which Satan hasposed himself as an angel of light torule over men. Men of all ages haveflocked into these temples to worshiphim; many in ignorance, but some know-ing full well what they were doing.

Why would they do such a thing?Because men of this understanding andability can become “Masters” and even“Grand Masters” of the Lodge. Theycan gain great power and influence inthis world which they could not accom-plish in any other way. It is the pricethey pay for greatness.

Why the Wolf Wears Sheep’s Clothing

Albert Pike expressed Masonic un-derstanding of the practice whichcloaked the Ancient Pagan Mysteries inChristian sounding names. In his in-structions (Morals and Dogma, p. 247)to the Knights of the East and West,the seventeenth degree of Masonry,he said that at the time of John theBaptist the old philosophical and re-ligious systems were growing much alikebecause, in the great world ruling em-pires which existed since Alexander,the walls of separation between Greece,Egypt, Persia, and India were throwndown and the people intermingledeverywhere.

He claimed the West eagerly con-nected their faith with those of theEast, and the Orient hastened to learnthe traditions of Rome (this should nothave been too difficult because they

What Chwcb r\hrzberr Need to Know About MASONRY 37

Figure 11

The Two Johns-So-Cal led

both came from the same old Babylon-ish source). The Jews and Egyptians-be-fore, the most exclusive of all peoples-yielded to that eclecticism which pre-

vailed among their masters, the Greeksand Romans.

Thus men who embraced Christianitybegan to mingle the old mysteries with

38 What Church hfernbers Need to KFZOLL, About NASONRY

the new-a mixture of Christianity andPhilosophy, or Apostolic teaching andtraditions of Mythology.

Truth for the Simple-Mystery forthe Wise

Pike went on to explain the Masonicview (p. 248) that the Apostles, speak-ing to mankind in general, stressedonly the articles of the uzJgar f&h; buttransmitted the mysteries to “superiorminds” from generation to generation inesoteric traditions. To this new scienceof mysteries was given the name Gnosis(or Gnostic).

Pike confirms the fact that their basicdoctrine and ideas were derived fromP l a t o , Philo, t h e Kabaluh, a n d t h esacred books of India and Egypt.

What this amounts to is a bold-facedadmission that most Christian andMasonic doctrine is a mixture of Bibleteaching and pagan mysteries, and thatthe wise among them favor the mysteriesas being deeper and wiser and spurnthe plain Bible Scripture as being fitonly for the vulgar masses. A rite, par-able, letter, number, figure, word, etc.became a symbol, and he who had thekey of science would interpret each ac-cording to the light he possessed.

The uneducated and narrow-mindedwithin their ranks heedlessly take themat face value while those who haveears to hear receive the “divine mys-teries” because they have received the“sacred initiation” and have the intel-ligence to understand the deeper mean-ing.

This thinly veiled admission byMasonry’s most famous apostle, AlbertPike, explains why Masons call theirtemple Solomon’s Temple when it wasin actuality patterned after the greatestof pagan temples-the earth covered bythe cloudy canopy of the heavens. Thedivinity which they worship within itswalls is the sun, of which they blandlywrite.

“There is no splendor beyond thatwhich sets its morning throne in thegolden East; no dome sublime as that of

Heaven; no beauty so fair as that of theverdant, blossoming earth; no place,however invested with the sanctities ofold time, like that home which is hushedand folded within the embrace of thehumblest wall and roof.”

By the same practice they call HiramAbiff the &dow’s son and quote I Kings7:13-14. His name and situation havecertain similarities which can be twisteduntil they almost appear to fit, eventhough many absurdities exist.

Hiram was a very skilled artificer.and the building of the temple wouldbe a convenient project for the charac-ters of the legend to be engaged in,since the early Lodge was supposed tohave been engaged in the buildingand decorating of splendorous stonestructures.

A careful study of the Holy Scriptures,however, reveals that this Hiram Abiffhas nothing in common with the Hirammentioned in I Kings. Neither is thetemple around which the legendarystory unfolds, the temple of Solomon.The temple of God, built by Solomonwas finished, but the one in the legendremained tinfinisbed. The names werejust added in “friendly” pagan-Christiantradition.

There is a temple in antiquity, how-ever, which is famous because it wasnever completed. The account is givenin Genesis 11. It is the tower of Babel!It was built so that its top (also thehead or ruler) might reach unto heav-en (rule supreme), and to make forits builders a name, lest they be scat-tered abroad upon the face of the earth(see verse 4).

Over the incomplete state of thistower, one so-called virgin may wellafford to weep, because it wrecked, fora time, her plans and those of her hus-band who hoped to be that head. Thesetwo are the Nimrod and Semiramismentioned earlier.

Virgin, Column and Time Significant

The symbol of the Virgin, Columnand Time presented at the end of the

What Church AIembevs R’eed to KTZOW About MASONRY 39

legend, represented in Figure 10, isalso quite significant. In Masonic al-legory, “The beautiful virgin (Semira-mis) weeping over the broken column,denoted the unfinished temple (tower)and the untimely death of our GrandMaster Hiram Abiff (Nimrod) .”

Albert Pike continues: “The bookopen before her, [means) that his virtuesthere lay on perpetual record.”

“The sprig of acacia (the pagan sym-bol of life which, in one account, ledher to discover her husband’s grave) inher right hand denotes the timely dis-covery of the body.” (The body whichthe ancient pagans tried to preserve,and which action gave rise to anotherpagan philosophy-that so lofzg as abody remailzed in a state of preserua-tion, the person’s spirit continued toexist. )

“The urn in her left, that his asheswere there safely deposited (attemptsto preserve the body otherwise musthave failed) to perpetuate the remem-brance of the amiable, distinguished,and exemplary character.” (It was ex-plained earlier that this fallen god wassupposedly raised to immortal life andbecame the sun god.)

“And Time behind her standing, un-folding her ringlets (she grew older)and counting her hair (Other, moresecret accounts show him anointing herwith Ambrosia, the food of the gods,which supposedly gave her eternal life.).that Time (the god of time, Osiris),patience and perseverance will accom-plish all things.” Thus it was that pagansmade a noble attempt to cover up theirdisgrace, and Satan patched up hiscounterfeit that he might continue topalm himself off as the god of theuniverse.

Pagans have continued to use theidea that time, eatience and pevsever-ante will accomplish all things. By it(theory of evolution) they try to denythe creation of the universe by a Su-preme Creator, and in so doing theypracticr their teaching by patiently

forcing the theory upon a gullible, hap-less generation.

Part IV

THE AWESOME CONCLUSION

F R E E M A S O N R Y is living proof thatno teaching of man, regardless ofhow innocent or righteous appear-

ing, can be taken for granted-that noteaching can be assumed good, just be-cause it looks good-that no teachingcan be assumed righteous, no matterhow solemnly it declares itself so-orjudged honorable because its own cher-ished records suggest honor.

In many ways Masonry is the exactopposite of what it claims to be!

Masonic ClaimsTo its initiates the Masonic Lodge

teaches:“Masoq is txrefd to all men: to the

learned, because it affords them the op-portunity of exercising their talentsupon subjects eminently worthy of theirattention; to the illiterate, because itoffers them important instruction; to theyoung, because it presents them withsalutary precepts and good examples,and accustoms them to reflect on theproper mode of living; to the man ofthe world, whom it furnishes with nobleand useful recreation; to the traveller,whom it enables to find friends andbrothers in countries where else hewould be isolated and solitary; to theworthy man in misfortune, to whom itgives assistance; to the afflicted, onwhom it lavishes consolation; to thecharitable man, whom it enables to domore good, by uniting with those whoare charitable like himself; and to allwho have souls capable of appreciatingits importance, and of enjoying thecharms of a friendship founded on thesame principles of religion, morality, andphilanthropy” (r\lovals and Dogma, p.113).

NOW let us compare this with theiractual practice.

The Real TestGod has set before each one of us a

What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY

choice - a proving ground-to seewhether we will love and obey Himand be allowed to live in the Kingdomwhich will be set up-or whether wewill refuse and go our own way, intothe lake of fire (Deut. 30:19-20).

Other plans of salvation which teacha different reward and a different wayof getting eternal life are without God’sauthority. Those foolish who waste theirlives in pursuing such “wind” are un-fortunate indeed.

Freemasonry is just such a counter-feit. Its members waste untold hoursacting out foolish rituals which accom-plish nothing, and memorizing endlessdialogue which helps no one. They pon-der the moral philosophies of the an-cients to discover wisdom, but theyacquire only a hodgepodge of deceptiveand foolish pagan reasonings.

God declares there is only one WAYto live happy, useful lives. And that isthe way HE has appointed for us. Anyother-such as Masonry-no matterhow good it may look, is at best a coun-terfeit and serves only to dupe peopleinto thinking that they have what theyhave not.

Man-made Codes

They set up their code of morals ac-cording to human understanding, notknowing that only God’s laws shallstand. They revel in the idiocy of pa-rading before relics of ancient sun wor-ship in great solemnity, foolishly hold-ing the sacred Word of God in nogreater respect than they do any otherancient writing.

Their work in the community is notthe proclamation or upholding of God’sKingdom; it is, instead, the upholdingof the system around them. They do notpromote God’s rule, but ignore it andset themselves up as the wise leaders,pretending to build character and feign-ing benevolence by giving charity tothe ornhans and widows, while theyprivately endeavor to build their ownprosperity.

The following example will serve toillustrate the enormity of their mistake

of following what looks good to maninstead of simply obeying their Creator.

Masonic Ten CommandmentsYou are all familiar with the Ten

Commandments recorded in Exodus 20and Deuteronomy 5 of your Bibles. Youwould normally assume these to berecognized by Masons especially whenthey claim that their moral philosophyis based on the Bible. Again this is notthe case. Masons have embraced anotherset of ten commandments which lookbetter to their eyes than the ones Godhas given.

For brevity only the first two needto be discussed, though all ten are re-produced from Morals and Dogma inFigure 12 on the next page. Read themcarefully before you continue with thisarticle. They appear to be very whole-some and good, don’t they? 1

When we remember that the adept inillasonry gaila m o r e kfzowledge f r o msymbols thafz from plai?a statementsof their sacred writings we should beaware that certain key symbols are in-cluded which will &lock these depthsof meaning.

Notice the little circle with the crossinside it at the beginning of the firstcommandment. Regardless of any beau-tiful phraseology Masons place on thesesymbols, their deeper meaning mustinvariably lead to ancient sun worship.The circle or disc symbolizes the sunand the cross symbolizes immortality.The three dots in the form of an equi-lateral triangle represent the first causeand trinity of the pagan godhead.

So if the Mason is truly adept hewould see that he has borrowed fromthe ancient sun worshipers symbols andcreeds which would read this way forthe first commandment of Figure 12.“God [the god whose symbol is a circleand a cross and triangular dots-thesun god] is the Eternal, Omnipotent,Immutable WISDOM and Supreme IN-TELLIGENCE and Exhaustless LOVE.(Wisdom, Intelligence and Love arecapitalized to remind Masons of theirdeeper meanings and that each in turn

What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY 41

JIa\onr!, has it, decalogue. lvhich i.; a law to its Initiates. Theseare it< Ten Commandments :

I. @.‘. God is the Eternal, Omnipotent, Immutable !iTISDOM

and Supreme IsTKLr.rGExcK and Exhaustless LOVE.

Thou shalt adore, revere, and lo\-e Him !Thou hdt honor Him by practicing the J-irtues!

II. 0.‘. Thy religion hall be, to do good becau*e it is a pleas-ure to thee. and not merely becau.qe it is a duty.

That thou mayest become the friend of the Ivise man, thoushalt obey his precepts!

Thv soul is immortal ! Thou shalt do nothing to degrade it!III. a.‘. Thou shalt unceasingly war against vice!

Thou shalt not do unto others that \\hich thou xouldst notwish them to do unto thee!

Thou shalt be .submis+e to thy fortunes, and keep burningthe light of wisdom !

IV. 0.‘. Thou shalt honor thy parents!Thou shalt pay respect and homage to the aged!Thou shalt instruct the young!Thou shalt protect and defend infancy and innocence!

V. $.‘. Thou shalt cherish thy wife and thy children!Thou shalt love thy country, and obey its laws!

VI. 0.‘. Thy friend shall be to thee a second self!hlisfortune shall not estrange thee from him!Thou shalt do for his melnory whatever thou wouldst do

for him, if he \vere living!VII . @.‘. Thou shalt avoid and flee from insincere friendships!

Thou shalt in everything refrain from csce~s.Thou shalt fear to be the cause of a stain on thy memory!

VII I . 0:. ’I’hou shalt allolv no passions to become thy master!Thou shalt make the passions of others profitable lessons

to thyself!Thou .shalt be indulgent to error !

IX. @.‘. Thou shalt hear much : Thou shalt speak little: Thoushalt act well !

Thou shalt forget injuries!Thou shalt render good for evil!Thou shalt not misuse either thy strength or thy superiority!

x . 0 : . Thou shalt study to know men; that thereby thoumayest learn to know thyself!

Thou shalt ever seek after virtue!Thou shalt he just!Thou shalt avoid idleness !

F igure 12 The Masonic Ten Commandments

42 What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY

has been worshiped by their paganancestors. )

“Thou shalt adore, revere, and loveHim!

“Thou shalt honor Him by practicingthe virtues [of the ancient pagans]”(see p. 2 I Morals and Dogma).

What greater blasphemy could therebe than this? How this must stink inthe nostrils of the Living God! Whenthey attribute the name and office ofGod to any other they break the first,second and third of God’s Command-ments.

The second of these Masonic com-mandmefzts, as well as the remainingeight, are likewise contrary to the Com-mandments of God. By it the Masonis told to do “good” without definingwhat good is. Yet you can surely seethat it is not referring to obedience toGod because the next instructs him toseek out the wise MAN and obey hisprecepts. But Proverbs 14: 12 states,“There is a way which seemeth rightunto a man, but the end thereof arethe ways of death.” Masons in theirignorance have pursued the way ofdeath.

Prestige and Prosperity TheirReal Goal

Few members of the Lodge couldtruthfully deny that their reason forbelonging to the Lodge is the personalbenefits which raise their communitystanding and financial prosperity.

Members of the Lodge may already beprosperous and active members of theircommunity before joining the Lodge.In fact it is usually after they obtain acertain measure of prestige within thecommunity that they are allowed tojoin a fraternity. It is there, among themore prominent citizens, that they hopeto farther their prosperity. Such an hon-or usually aids one’s social position, andalso gives a social outlet, but this doesnot exalt God; it exalts only the man.When a man embraces the Lodge, otherprominent men of the community be-come his brothers. Together they prac-tice this doctrine of “brotherly love”assisting and encouraging one another

while reaping the general good fortuneof having a close set of influential andlike-minded friends. It is here thatMasonry pays off. A member who hasan acceptable plea for help or a favorneed only mention his need to the prop-er brother and the requested “aid” comesforth as if by answered prayer. Masonshave more faith in receiving this peti-tion from other members than they doin receiving answers to prayers fromGod.

Short of the Glory of God

Even if the brothers understood andattempted to live up to Lodge teachingsof moral conduct, and strove ever sohard to be considerate of their brethren,they still only attain a hzbman righteozLs-ness which is far from the righteousnessof God.

In actual practice their humanmorals and ideals break down becausehuman righteousness can extend only asfar as the human character can back itup. Many are able to help and encourageone another as long as doing so remainsprofitable to themselves, but who amongthem can afford to help others at hisown personal expense, especially overan extended period of time; and whoamong them has the character to with-stand al l the temptations of vanity,greed, and lust which life presents?

During their conventions, Shrinerstake over whole towns, influencing po-lice and officials so that they are freeto do whatever they please. Who amongthem is seeking law and order? Whoeven tries to put aside foolishness,drunkenness, and fornication?

These men would do well to pondertheir actions, not in the light of thepagan doctrine of the “Brotherhood ofMan,” but in the true light of God’sWord. The fourth and fifth chapters ofEphesians should convince any of theopen-minded in their ranks that theirway-Masonry-is wrong. In Chapter 5,verses 1 through 5, Paul instructs thebrethren:

“Be ye therefore followers of God,as dear children; and walk in love, as

What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY 43

Christ also hath loved us, and has givenHimself for us an offering and a sacri-fice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.But fornication, and all uncleanness, orcovetousness, let it not be once namedamong you, as becometh saints; neitherfilthiness, nor foolish talking nor jesting(ribaldry), which are not convenient(befitting) : but rather, giving of thanks.For this ye know, that no whoremonger,nor unclean person, nor covetous man,who is an idolater, hath any inheritancein the Kingdom of Christ and of God.”

Without the practice of some of theseforbidden characteristics there would beno masonry!

Ignorance Understandable

With this expose and explanation ofFreemasonry, it is hoped that the func-tion of the fraternity is not only clear,but that the ignorance of its membersmay be made understandable. The Lodgerituals, as seen by the average initiate,appear harmless. He is not told whathe will encounter in the Lodge beforehe is admitted-only that nothing willbe required of him which is against thelaws of God and his duty to his state orfamily. The fact that this is a lie is sel-dom discovered by him because nothingis revealed until he has been psychologi-cally prepared to receive it. This is doneby the use of solemn prayer before eachundertaking, and scripture quotationsare read which seem to give divine sanc-tion. All is done in such a way that itseems right and good to the gulliblecandidate who is blinded by his desireto receive new and mysterious light andto be counted among the wise, honor-able, and prosperous.

It is further hoped that this writingwill provide church members with clearand accurate answers to questions onMasonry, and that they might be ableto help others who are truly seeking toobey God. Such men, when their rnzndshave been opened, can surely be shownwhere membership in the MasonicLodge, as much as membership in anyof the denominations, is incompatiblewith obedience and service to God.

Avoiding Unnecessary PersecutionAs was stated earlier, this series is

not written for general publication, butfor those members of the true Churchwho seek God’s way of life. It would bea pointless waste of time and truth totry to convince others. They are satis-fied with their status and would onlyturn again to rend you.

If the material contained herein werepublished in such a way as to threatenthe popularity of the Lodge, retaliationsuch as was brought against the ApostlePaul at Ephesus (see Acts 19:24-41)would surely result. The craftsmen whobuilt the pagan shrines to Diana, whichwere mentioned earlier, were angry withPaul because he persuaded many to turnaway from heathenism. The reason forthe craftsmen’s anger is given in verse27. These are the words of the silver-smith, Demetrius, who reasoned, “.not only our Craft is in danger to beset at naught; but also that the templeof the great goddess Diana should bedespised, and her magnificence shouldbe destroyed, whom all Asia and theworld worshippeth.” (This temple toDiana was one of the so-called “sevenwonders of the world.“)

The fact that Masons proudly claimthese ancient craftsmen such as Deme-trius for their progenitors is recordedin the General History, Cyclopedia andDictionary of Freemasonry, an authen-t ic , Masonic work. I t says that thetraveling Masons (ancient craftsmen),from whom they supposedly derivetheir origin, built this same temple toDiana for the Kings of Asia (p. 11).

If these early artificers persecuted theChurch in Paul’s time because theyfeared that their craft and religion wouldsuffer, their modern counterpart willnot hesitate to do so today. Therefore,each one of you must use wisdom inorder that unnecessary persecution maybe prevented.

DemittingIf it becomes your duty to advise a

Mason to quit the Fraternity, do NOTtell him to stir up trouble for himself

What Church Members Need to Know About MASONRY44

by going to the Secretary of his Lodge( or any other member) and announcinghis opposition. This action would prob­ably cause him to receive needless per­secution. Usually it is better to with­draw by simply ceasing to pay dues andceasing to attend meetings. The Lodgewill drop him from its rolls quicker fornonpayment of dues than for any otherreason. This, in itself, is a clue to thereal motives behind the Craft!

This method might cause Masons toencourage his resumed participation, butit will not bring the persecution thatMasons have sworn to bring againstthose who oppose them or their teach­ings.

The ex-Mason should realize, how­ever, that withdrawing membershipfrom the Lodge does not of itself re­lease him from the many oaths he hastaken. If he really believed, at the time,that he took the oaths to Almighty God,and unless these oaths prevent him fromserving God and obeying His Laws, heshould consider himself bound by them(Numbers 30:2).

Satan's Hapless Victims

One cannot pass from the subject ofFreemasonry without reflecting on thefutility ofthe struggle of its victims, andfeeling sorry for the gullible ones whohave been led into its inner chamberslike sheep to the slaughter.

All they have for their efforts is cer­tain material advancement which doesnot endure past the grave. As they la­boriously ascended the "winding stairs,"they were promised rich rewards fortheir labor. But instead of eternal truth,they were given fables. Instead of de­veloping the righteous character of God,they grew in the unholy character ofselfishness and greed through seekingextra privileges for themselves to theexclusion of others. Instead of growingin true knowledge, they tickled theirvanity with mysterious phrases and sym­bols which meant nothing, but wereempty and void, only to be told at theend of their wearisome journey that theMason must ever be in search of truth,but will never fi11d it.

This august secret, the object of alltheir labors, is indeed, a humiliating re­ward.

It is the reward of a cruel god(Satan) who deceives his worshipersinto believing that divine truth cannever be acquired in this life. Diabolical­ly, his victims are taught by Masoniciristrumenrs that their ignorance mustremain until they are raised from theirgraves and the knowledge of life isrevealed.

They never suspect that the reasonthey will not know truth in this life isthat they have chosen the WRONGWAY AND THE WRONG GOD!

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