• The Origins and Teachings of Freemasonry


    Dr. Robert Morey
    A book review
    With additional thoughts and quotes
    by
    Dr. Stanford E. Murrell
    For many conscientious Christians one great concern is
    whether or not to join the Masons. Dr. Robert A. Morey has
    written an excellent book to help formulate a decision.
    Dr.Morey is the executive director of the Research and
    Education Foundation, which is committed to examining
    issues influencing Western culture. A prolific writer and
    quality scholar Dr. Morey has used his considerable talents
    to examine the origins and teachings of Freemasonry with
    some non-traditional conclusions.
    Between a brief introduction to the topic and selected
    bibliography at the end of the book Dr. Morey traces the
    origin of the Masons, the corruption of the secret society and
    two possible solutions as to what the future of this
    organization should be. Eight short but readable chapters
    cover this general historical survey. Every major point is
    fully documented for independent verification. Prior to
    reading The Origins and Teachings of Freemasonry it would
    be beneficial if the reader were familiar with some leading
    Masonic figures, specific concepts, and specialized words.
    The author assumes his readers will know many religious
    terms that are part of antiquity. Perhaps the following short
    definitions of people and places, religions and rituals will be
    of help.
    • Ancient Mysteries. The mythologies associated with
    polytheism (belief in many gods) varied among the Greeks,
    Romans, Egyptians, and Teutonic (German) peoples. There
    were gods for every aspect of nature and of human life..
    From such mythologies developed the mystery religions of
    Greece and Rome. These secret cults had common meals
    and initiation rites that symbolically celebrated death and
    resurrection. “In the late 18th and early 19th centuries many
    Europeans, Masons among them, found their way to the
    Middle East, where they discovered the relics of those
    cultures which had practiced the Ancient Mysteries. Masons
    with a philosophical turn of mind recognized the similarities
    between their Order and the ancient traditions. The similar
    symbolism, some of which, like the ladder from a Temple of
    Mithras, is shared with Masonry, encouraged the idea of
    Freemasonry's direct connection with those ancient
    rites."(W. Kirk MacNulty, Freemasonry - A Journey through
    Ritual and Symbol)
    • Freemason. “The term freemason appears as early as
    1375 in the records of the city of London. It referred to
    working masons who were permitted to travel the country at
    a time when the feudal system shackled most peasants
    closely to the land. Unlike the members of other crafts of the
    time - smiths or tanners for example - the masons gathered
    in large groups to work on majestic, glorious projects,
    moving from one finished castle or cathedral to the planning
    and building of the next. For mutual protection, education,
    and training, the masons bound themselves together into a
    local lodge - the building, put up at a construction site,
    where workmen could eat and rest. Eventually, a lodge
    came to signify a group of masons based in a particular
    locality” ("Freemasons; Mortar and Mysticism", Ancient
    Wisdom and Secret Sects).
    • (Cabal) Kabal refers to a small number of persons
    organized for the purpose of engaging in
    secret or private intrigue is a cabal. Cabal was originally a
    Hebrew word that meant "a secret."
    Today it is usually a term of reproach with a sinister
    connotation. In England the word was used
    throughout the 17th century to describe certain secret or
    extralegal councils of the king.
    • Deism as a religious movement began about 1688-1790
    by advocating a natural religion based on reason rather than
    revelation. Followers of deism included Benjamin Franklin,
    Thomas Jefferson, Rousseau, and Voltaire. Deism argues
    that God is entirely apart from the world. He created it,
    established its laws, and set it to operating without
    interfering in its operation. Natural laws make the world selfsufficient
    in nature, and moral laws are all that are needed
    for human life. These laws are discoverable and usable by
    human reason.
    Druids Celtic priests were called druids, and their religion,
    druidism. Little is known of the druids because their rites
    were never written down. Apparently their gods were similar
    to those of other early peoples. The druids of Gaul (France)
    were both judges and priests who sacrificed criminals to
    their gods. The druids of Britain were chiefly religious
    teachers. Only men of good family could become druids.
    Membership was highly prized because druids did not have
    to fight or pay taxes. The druids taught that the soul was
    immortal, passing after death from one person to another.
    They deemed the mistletoe sacred, especially if grown on an
    oak tree. The oak was also sacred, and druids often held
    their rites in an oak forest. Wise in the lore of plants,
    animals, and stars, the druids were also magicians and
    astrologers.
    • Hinduism. The major religion of the Indian subcontinent
    is Hinduism. The word derives from an ancient Sanskrit term
    meaning "dwellers by the Indus River," a reference to the
    location of India's earliest known civilization in what is now
    Pakistan. Apart from animism, from which it may have partly
    derived, Hinduism is the oldest of the world's religions. It
    dates back more than 3,000 years, though its present forms
    are of more recent origin. Hinduism is unlike any other
    religion and is difficult to define with any precision. It has no
    founder. Its origins are lost in a very distant past. It does
    not have one holy book but several. There is no single body
    of doctrine. Instead there is a great diversity of belief and
    practice. Many doctrines would be at odds with each other in
    any other religion. Hinduism, however, has always tended to
    be inclusive rather than exclusive. There are many sects,
    cults, theologies, and schools of philosophy, and all of them
    find a home within Hinduism. It is a religion that worships
    many gods. Yet it also adheres to the view that there is only
    one God,
    called Brahman. All other divinities are aspects of the one
    absolute and unknowable Brahman.
    • Illuminati. The Illuminati refers to a rationalistic type of
    religious society founded in Bavaria in 1776 by Adam
    Weishaupt (1748-1830). It claimed enlightened religious
    views, but was banned in Bavaria in 1785. The term
    "illuminati" was also used for other rationalistic-type and
    anticlerical religious sects from the 16th to 18th centuries.
    • Jacobites. When used in a political context as a slur the
    word is equivalent to a pretender or
    someone who claims to be the legitimate sovereign, though
    another occupies the throne. In British history the name is
    applied especially to the son and grandson of the exiled
    James II (1633-1701). Many English and Scottish nobles
    remained faithful to this Roman Catholic branch of the
    House of Stuart. They were called Jacobites, from the Latin
    Jacobus, for "James."
    • Landmarks. In ancient times, boundary stones were used
    as landmarks, before title deeds were known, the removal of
    which was strictly forbidden by law. With respect to the
    landmarks of Masonry, some restrict them to the sign,
    tokens, and words. Others include the ceremonies of
    initiation. Some think that the Order has no landmarks
    beyond its peculiar secrets. (Duncan’s Ritual of
    Freemasonry)
    • Luciferian Conspiracy refers to an anti-Masonic charge
    that Masons secretly pledged their allegiance to the devil
    himself who then empowered his devotes with super natural
    abilities. This is an unworthy charge.
    • Mackey, Albert was a prolific writer and able champion of
    the Masonic order though not always accurate in his
    historical development of the movement. To his credit he did
    repudiate the Masonic writers who went before him and
    denounced their attempts to establish a historical link with
    so called antiquity manuscripts alleging to prove that the
    Masons existed prior to 1717. The truth of the matter is that
    Masonry began on June 24, 1717, when the Grand Lodge of
    London was organized at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern.
    • Masonry may be divided into two general classes:
    Operative and Speculative. Operative Masonry refers to
    those men who were actually engaged in the craft of stone
    masonry. They built stone houses, churches, bridges, and
    government buildings. Speculative Masonry is just that, a
    philosophical mystical identity with true masons.
    • Mayans. Dwelling in Central America the Mayan Indians
    lived within the Mesoamerican region enjoying an advanced
    culture. Mayan culture had begun to decline after AD 900,
    possibly due to overpopulation, stresses in the social
    structure, and deforestation. Nevertheless, as a people they
    were able to resist the Spanish conquests of the region
    longer than did the Aztec of Mexico or the Inca of Peru. In
    the end many Mayans did flee to northern Guatemala to
    establish the city of Tayasal as a place of refuge. They
    maintained autonomy until 1697. Then Indians were
    congregated into villages and towns where they were
    converted to Roman Catholicism. Sheep, pigs, horses, and
    cows, unknown to the Indians, were introduced as were new
    grains, fruits, and vegetables. Indians were also shown how
    to use metal implements such as hoes, plows, and saws, and
    they were taught how to craft products of fiber, clay, wood,
    leather, and metal. The Spanish in building their new cities
    needed these products. A major contribution was the rise of
    the mestizo (often called the Ladino in Guatemala), a racial
    group made up of mixed white and Indian blood.
    Unfortunately, the arrival of the Spanish also ushered in a
    host of diseases--such as measles, smallpox, and malaria--
    against which the Indians had no immunity. Their numbers
    decreased dramatically so that by 1600 no more than 1
    million Indians remained. The population stabilized near that
    level for the following two centuries. It was not until the
    early 1800s that the population began to increase again.
    • Newman, John Henry (1801-1890) was the eldest of six
    children. He was born on Feb. 21,1801, in London, England.
    His father was a banker. At Ealing Academy Newman
    mastered his lessons easily and spent much of his time
    editing the school paper. He was 16 when he entered Trinity
    College, Oxford. Newman won a fellowship to Oriel College,
    Oxford, in 1822. In 1824 he was ordained a priest in the
    Church of England. John Henry Newman attempted to
    reform the Church of England in the direction of early
    Catholicism—the church as it had existed in its first five
    centuries. Failing in this, he eventually joined the Roman
    Catholic Church in 1847 and rose in its ranks to become a
    cardinal. In 1847 Newman became a Roman Catholic priest
    in Rome. He founded congregations near Birmingham and
    London.
    • Oxford Movement. Led by John Henry Newman who
    served as curate of an Oxford parish while a fellow of Oriel
    College the Oxford movement sought a renewal of
    "catholic," or Roman Catholic, thought and practice within
    the Anglican Communion. His zeal for a church with the
    power and grandeur of medieval times led him to join the
    Roman Catholic Church in 1845. He was convinced that the
    Protestant element in the Church of England would never
    accept his traditionalist views. He was right.
    • Pantheism is a view that says God is identical with the
    world.
    • Pike, Albert (1809-1891), lawyer and soldier, was born
    on Dec. 29, 1809, in Boston, Mass.He moved to Arkansas
    and became a teacher in 1833. The Arkansas Advocate hired
    him and later became sole owner of the paper. Pike sold the
    paper in 1837 and began to practice law. He was a brigadier
    general in the American Civil War but was released from
    duty in 1862. He had meanwhile become a Freemason and
    was elected Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme
    Grand Council in 1859. He was in that position for 32 years
    during which time he rewrote the rituals of the Freemason
    order and produced many poems. Pike was almost singlehandedly
    responsible for the creation of the modern form of
    Scottish rite Freemasonry. Wealthy, well read and
    possessing an extensive library, he served as Grand
    Commander of the order from 1859 until his death and
    wrote a number of books on history, philosophy and travel,
    the most famous being Morals and Dogma.
    • Rosicrucianism and the Rosicrucian Manifestoes are
    members of a worldwide brotherhood claiming to possess
    esoteric wisdom handed down from ancient times. The name
    derives from the order's symbol, a combination of a rose and
    a cross. The teachings of Rosicrucianism combine elements
    of occultism reminiscent of a variety of religious beliefs and
    practices. (Encyclopedia Britannica)
    • Scottish Rite. All Masons are initiated in the “Blue Lodge”
    consisting of three degrees. Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft
    and Master Mason. These steps are commonly called the
    'Blue Degrees' because the color blue is symbolically
    important to them." Upon completion of the third degree the
    candidate attains the rank of “Master Mason.” At this point a
    Mason is eligible to progress by secret oaths and rituals and
    pursue further degrees through one of two paths: the “York
    Rite” or the more popular “Scottish Rite.”
    • Theosophy comes from the Greek Theos, meaning "god,"
    and Sophia, meaning "wisdom." Loosely translated, it means
    "divine wisdom." Theosophy is a religious philosophy with
    strong overtones of mysticism. Mysticism is the belief that
    beyond the visible material world there is a spiritual reality--
    which may be called God--that people may experience
    through meditation, revelation, intuition, or some other
    state that takes the individual beyond a normal
    consciousness.
    • Vedas. Sometime between 1500 and 1200 BC, the period
    of Aryan conquest and consolidation, the Rig Veda was
    composed. It is the oldest religious scripture in the world.
    The Rig Veda is a collection of 1,028 hymns to the gods.
    Three other collections—the Sam Veda, Yajurveda, and
    Atharvaveda--were added later. These were all composed
    over a period of several centuries and collected in their
    present form sometime during the 1st millennium BC.
    Between 800 and 600 BC a body of prose writings called the
    Brahmanas as attached to the Vedas. These contain
    explanations of the ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas.
    Even later additions, called the Aranyakas and the
    Upanishads, presumably written between 600 and 300 BC,
    were added to this body of literature. All of these texts,
    along with some later books, became the sacred scripture of
    Hinduism as it evolved in the second half of the 1st
    millennium. Of them the Rig-Veda is the most revered,
    though its contents are not
    much known by most Hindus today.
    • York Rite. The York Rite, like the Scottish Rite, is an
    appending body of Masonry, and offers degrees beyond the
    Blue Lodge's three degrees. It consists of nine degrees
    additional degrees: Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent
    Master, and
    Royal Arch Mason; the Cryptic Degrees of the Royal
    Master, Select Master, and Super Excellent Master; and the
    Chivalric Orders of the Order of the Red Cross, Order of the
    Knights of Malta and the
    Order of Knights Templar.
    Chapter One: Opening Principles
    Striving for historical accuracy and scholastic integrity Dr.
    Morey openly sets forth the
    foundation principles that guided his research.
    ! The First Principle: Objectivity
    ! The Second Principle: A Commitment to the truth
    ! The Third Principle: Dismissal of anything but documented
    evidence ! The Fourth Principle: An attitude of skepticism
    toward Masonic writers Note. A healthy skepticism is
    essential for the Masonic writers have not always been
    careful with the truth. In fact, there has been fraudulent
    documentation in order to give credibility to the movement.
    Fraudulent Documentation has included the
    following.
    • The Antiquity Manuscript
    • The Leland/Locke Manuscript
    • The John Moore 1715 Letter
    • The Henry Bell 1754 Letter
    • The Charter of Cologne
    ! The Fifth Principle: An attitude of skepticism toward anti-
    Masonic writers
    Note. A healthy skepticism towards anti-Masonic writers is
    necessary for some unscrupulous critics have engaged in
    unworthy criticism and accusations.
    • The Norton Affair
    • The Luciferian Conspiracy
    ! The Sixth Principle: Rejection of the idea that Freemasonry
    can be traced back to a
    single origin With these six guiding principles Dr. Morey
    methodically began researching
    Freemasonry; by reading the vast body of material available
    in chronology order. The wisdom of
    this approach was duly rewarded as a thesis merged which I
    have taken the liberty to summarize
    in the following statement.
    While Freemasonry was established as a Christian
    organization Generally speaking, Freemasonry has became
    corrupted by so many philosophical elements it is now
    essentially a pagan organization
    which should be redeemed by concerned Christians or
    abandoned by the same.
    Chapter Two: Christian Origins
    Citing a surprising display of evidence Dr. Morey argues that
    “from the very beginning, Freemasonry was viewed as a
    Christian institution and its symbols, degrees and
    ceremonies were all interpreted according to fundamental
    Christian doctrines. The founders of Masonry did not view
    themselves as pagans, cultists, occultists, Mayans, Druids,
    witches, Hindus, or Buddhists. They never claimed that
    Masonry descended from ancient Mystery cults or the
    worship of Isis. They knew nothing of such ideas.” If this is
    true, then on what basis is the Masonic order challenged?
    The answer in part is that Masonry has radically changed.
    Since its initial inception in June 1717 Masonry has officially
    been de-Christianized.
    Initial Attempts to De-Christianize Freemasonry
    According to Albert G. Mackey, the first attempt to de-
    Christianize the Craft was by Hemming in 1813 (History of
    Freemasonry, Masonic History, Co., NY, 1898, I: 136). This
    early attempt to transform the Lodge was rejected but other
    men emerged. Starting in 1871 Albert Pike tried but failed to
    shake Masonry free from its Christian heritage. His pagan
    views were ignored for the most part in his own day but
    weeds were sown that were to spring up to choke the
    Christian life of the Lodge in years to come. A critical time
    period was the 1920’s when an avalanche of Masonic books
    were produced seeking to trace Masonry to pagan origins.
    Surprising enough, while the leader was moving in a pagan
    direction the majority of those led were conservative in
    nature—and Christian. There in is the problem, the Masonic
    Lodge is philosophically schizophrenic. For the vast majority,
    the Craft is a Fraternity and not a religion. In particular, it is
    not some kind of pagan religion, which would contradict
    their Christian convictions. This is why they feel insulted
    when a modern anti-Mason reveals the dark side of the
    movement. Nevertheless, the tough questions have to be
    asked. In particular is the question that deals with the roots
    of the organization. Is Masonry a modern religious political
    movement of the eighteenth century or is it rooted in
    antiquity?
    Is Freemasonry Rooted in Antiquity?
    The simple answer is no. “The attempts to find the origins of
    Freemasonry in a pre-biblical religion or in the Bible itself; is
    an exercise in futility. There is absolutely nothing in the
    Bible about Freemasonry. That say that Adam’s fig leaf was
    a Masonic apron stretches all credulity. Masons have
    traditionally been told that the Craft began with the building
    of Solomon’s Temple. But there is nothing in the Biblical
    record that even remotely by any stretch of the imagination
    hints of this idea” (Robert Morey). The earliest historical
    records of the practice of Freemasonry date no further back
    than 1717 with the first minutes of a Masonic meeting being
    held in 1723. James Anderson, who lived at this time, is
    credited with writing his Constitutions, a revision of a 14th
    century stonemason’s Christian guidebook.
    Chapter Three: The Legacy of Albert Pike
    “Much of the writings of Albert Pike are extracted from the
    books of the French magician, Eliphas Levi, one of the
    greatest transcendentalists of modern times. Levi was an
    occultist, a metaphysician, a Platonic philosopher, who by
    the rituals of magic invoked even the spirit of Apollonius of
    Tyana, and yet Pike has inserted in his Morals and Dogma
    whole pages, and even chapters, practically verbatim.”
    Rather than renounce Pike he is exalted to an extraordinary
    degree within Masonic history. “To Pike the following
    remarkable tribute was paid by Stirling Kerr, Jr., 33? Deputy
    for the Inspector General for the District of Columbia, upon
    crowning with laurel the bust of Pike in the House of the
    Temple: 'Pike was an oracle greater than that of Delphi. He
    was Truth's minister and priest. His victories were those of
    peace. Long may his memory live in the hearts of the
    Brethren.' Affectionately termed 'Albertus Magnus' by his
    admirers, Pike wrote of Hermeticism and alchemy and hinted
    at the Mysteries of the Temple. Through his zeal and
    unflagging energy, American Freemasonry was raised from
    comparative obscurity to become the most powerful
    organization in the land." (Manly P. Hall, Rosicrucian and
    Masonic Origins pp 413-414)
    Chapter Four: Pagan Origins
    Trying to defend the principle of antiquity for their order
    Masonic writers appeal to ancient mystery cults for
    validation. Trying to discredit Masonry anti-Masonic writers
    do the same and yet both groups are wrong to do this.
    Simply enough, the Masonic order began along Christian
    lines but was deliberately transformed by men such as
    Albert Pike into a pagan temple complete with its own
    religious ceremonies such as Hindu baptism (Masonic
    Baptism: Reception of a Louveteau: Adoption, 1871). The
    Masonic baptism used water, oil, salt, and incense. After the
    Master Mason sprinkled the water on the head of the child,
    he was to use the oil to make the sign of a triangle on the
    forehead of the child. The triangle was used instead of the
    cross because the triangle referred to the Hindu trinity of
    Siva, Krishna and Brahma. During his lifetime the majority
    of Masons were Christian and they simply refused to be
    converted to a heathen religion. Pike’s Masonic baptismal
    ritual was seldom used and was eventually discarded. Most
    Mason’s are not even aware of its existence. However, the
    larger point is that Pike was successful in sowing the seeds
    of Hinduism into the lodge. His book Moral and Dogma
    published in 1871 is nothing more than a presentation of the
    doctrines of classical
    Hinduism with a mixture of astrology, magic, and
    reincarnation. Albert Pike has never been
    renounced by present day Masons. Indeed, a large statue of
    him stands in Washington DC on the
    corner of 3rd and Indiana Ave., N. W. The continuing
    influence of Albert Pike in de-Christianizing the Masonic
    order is reflected in the fact that The Temple Publishers now
    produce books that use non-Christian principles to interpret
    its rituals. In addition, it is because of the influence of Pike
    and others that Masonic writers can argue for the antiquity
    of the order and anti-Masonic writers can follow suite.
    However, on this latter point, the reality is that a new order
    has super imposed ancient
    pagan rituals and concepts into its flow of consciousness in
    order to give historical validity.
    Confirmation that Freemasonry is not an ancient religion
    from the dawn of time is that the Masonic writers contradict
    each other as to time, identity, nature, teachings and
    location of this religion. Because this is true anti-Masonic
    writers need not labor to find a historical connection as to
    the origin of Masonry with Stonehenge, the occult arts,
    mother India, China’s Buddhism, Egypt, Assyria, Palestine,
    Greece Italy, France, Sweden, nor South or North American
    Indians. That these elements were found within the writing
    and thinking of its leaders. And is due to a recent embracing
    of eastern mysticism (1832 to present), not an ancient one.
    Chapter Five: Historical Origins
    One immediate problem that Masonic writers face when
    appealing to antiquity for the origin of Masonry is that they
    must embrace paganism with zeal. Surprisingly enough
    many Masonic writers do not hesitate. One author boldly
    notes that "According to a very old Masonic tradition, the
    Egyptian god Thoth "had played a major part in preserving
    knowledge of the mason craft and transmitting it to mankind
    after the flood...." (The Origins of Freemasonry, David
    Stevenson). Another writer, Malcolm C. Duncan (Duncan’s
    Ritual of Freemasonry, page 266), in the attempt to find
    historical confirmation for masonry is bold enough to declare
    that Achilles was a Freemason! The evidence that is set forth
    for this preposterous position is when Homer has Achilles
    giving Priam THE HAND, when the latter is supplicating for
    the body of his slain son:
    “Thus having spoken, the old man’s right hand oat the wrist
    He grasped, that he might not in any respect be alarmed in
    mind.”
    Chapter Six: Conspiracy Theories
    Unfortunately, in an attempt to discredit the Masons anti-
    Masons have claimed that Freemasonry was and is part of a
    secret political or religious conspiracy. Most of the
    conspiracy theories can be dismissed—except those
    proposed by the Masons themselves—these need to be
    challenged. Consider some of these Masonic Myths.
    • It is a myth that all the signers of the Declaration of
    Independence were Masons. Out
    of the fifty-five signers, only five or six were Mason
    according to any concrete
    evidence.
    • It is a myth that the Boston Tea Party was a Masonic act of
    a Boston Lodge.
    • It is a myth that all of Washington’s general were Masons.
    • It is a myth that George Washington forced General
    Lafayette to become a Mason in order to fight in the
    Revolution. Lafayette claimed that he had become a Mason
    in France when a young man.
    • It is a myth that Washington was a loyal Mason, who
    faithfully attended his lodge,
    dressed in fully regalia, or laid a single cornerstone in the
    nation’s capitol as a Mason.
    Note. The simple fact is that while Washington was elected
    to various Masonic honors and even had his portrait painted
    in full regalia without his knowledge approval or presence he
    always withdrew from the honors conferred. After being
    informed that he had been elected Grand Master over all the
    Lodges in America, Washington refused to accept the office.
    In a letter dated September 25, 1798,
    Washington stated “And which allows me to add little more
    now, than thanks for your kind wishes and favorable
    sentiments, except to correct an error you have run into, of
    my Presidency over the English lodges in this Country. The
    fact is, I preside over none, nor have I been in one more
    than once or twice, within the last thirty years” (The
    Writings of Washington, Vol 36 p. 453).
    Chapter Seven: Anti-masonry Movements
    Many motives make people into anti-Masons.
    • First, there are those who have personal reasons as to
    why they are against Freemasonry. Perhaps the language of
    calling another man Worshipful Master offended them.
    Perhaps they detected racial prejudice or maybe they simple
    did not get their way in a particular matter.
    • Second, there are those who have political reasons for
    attacking the Lodge. In France Masonry gained a unique
    political character due largely to the intense hatred of the
    French people against the Jesuits who dominated and
    exploited them for so long.
    • Third, there are those who have sincere religious
    objections to the secret oaths, symbolism, degrees and
    teachings of modern Freemasonry. The motivation to oppose
    Masons is expressed in three ways.
    • First, some anti-Masons have taken it upon themselves to
    publish all the secrets of the Lodge. Samuel Prichard did this
    in 1730 in his book Masonry Dissected, Being an Universal
    and Genuine Description of all its Branches From the Original
    to the Present Time. Since 1730 books, pamphlets, and
    videotapes have revealed all the secrets in the ritual of the
    Crafts.
    • Second, some anti-Mason attack Freemasonry for being a
    secret society. In all fairness it is safe to say that it is and is
    not a secret society. The group does not try to keep its
    existence a secret. Indeed, there is an active campaign to
    recruit new members. The temples of the Masons dot the
    land and a special ring displays who may be a Mason. On the
    other hand, like every business and organization the Masons
    do have certain secrets that they try to keep among
    members.
    • Third, some anti-Masons focus on certain objectionable
    elements found in the rituals, symbols and teachings of
    modern Freemasonry. There is room for concern. The
    conservative Missouri Synod Lutheran Church issued its ban
    on Masonic membership in 1964 for valid reasons.
    1. Freemasonry is a religion—as many Masonic writers
    declare.
    “For every Masonic writer who says that Freemasonry is not
    a religion, there are five Masonic writers who claim that it is
    a pagan religion.” (Robert Morey) The terminology of the
    Masonic Lodge also testifies to its religious nature.
    2. Freemasonry claims to have come from ancient pagan
    mystery religions, which deny Christian doctrines.
    Note. "The ancient Mysteries did not cease to exist when
    Christianity became the world's most powerful religion.
    Great Pan did not die! Freemasonry is the proof of his
    survival. The pre-Christian Mysteries simply assumed the
    symbolism of the new faith, perpetuating through its
    emblems and allegories the same truths, which had been the
    property of the wise since the beginning of the world. There
    is no true explanation, therefore, for Christian symbols save
    that which is concealed within pagan philosophy. Without
    the mysterious keys carried by the hierophants of the
    Egyptian, Brahmin, and Persian cults the gates of Wisdom
    cannot be opened." (Manly P. Hall, Masonic, Hermetic
    ,Quabbalistic & Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy)
    3. Freemasonry officially teaches the doctrine of
    universalism or the salvation of all men.
    4. Freemasonry is officially anti-Christian.
    “That this is true can be seen if we ask when was the last
    time that a Christian interpretation of the Craft was
    published, supported and recommended by high officials,
    state lodges and supreme councils? We have seen hundreds
    of Hindu, Buddhist, Gnostic, Druid, occultic, New Age,
    Hermetic, etc. interpretations! If we have missed such a
    book, please let us know.” (Robert Morey)
    5. Freemasonry teaches that salvation comes through good
    works or worse yet that man is god!
    Note. "One who would walk in the Way of the Craftsman
    must do one thing more. He must remember, always, that
    he is building a temple to God. He is building an edifice in
    consciousness in which he, himself, is an individual stone. In
    time, each human being will square his stone and place it in
    that temple, and when that temple is complete, God will
    behold God in the Mirror of Existence
    and there will be then, as there was at the beginning, only
    God." - W. Kirk MacNulty, The Way of the Craftsman
    6. Freemasonry downgrades the name of Christ."...During
    the years between 1723 and 1813 the invocation of the
    name of Christ in the endings of prayers gradually died out.
    In Masonic quotations of scripture the name of Christ came
    very pointedly to be deleted from the text. "It is perhaps
    because the Freemasonic God, as revealed to Royal Arch
    Masons, is so far from being 'that Religion to which all men
    agree' that it was determined that Holy Royal Arch workings
    should not be conducted in Lodges but separately in
    'Chapters' under the control of a Grand Chapter and not of
    Grand Lodge." (The Brotherhood, Stephen Knight)
    7. Freemasonry has a false view of God.
    Note. The God of Masonry was at the beginning the
    Christian Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But then as
    the British Empire spread itself over the world and the rich
    and power of the earth wanted to be in the Lodge room had
    to be made for rich Muslims and Hindus whose views of God
    did not come from the Bible. So the rituals of Masonry were
    changed to accommodate Muslims and Hindus.
    8. Freemasonry denies the supremacy of the Bible by using
    other books such as the Hindu Vedas or the Muslim Koran.
    9. Freemasonry officially forbids people to pray in the name
    of Jesus.
    10. Freemasonry does not reflect Christian values with its
    own bloody oaths and secrets.
    Note. Most Masons today to not take these oaths seriously.
    If they did they would be on the same level as Jim Jones or
    Charles Manson for the oaths are to commit murder by
    slitting someone’s throat and then disemboweling him. It is
    interesting that these oaths were not part of early
    Freemasonry but are the remnants the political conspiracies
    of the Illuminati and Jacobites.
    Chapter Eight: Concluding Thoughts
    The challenge many Christians face is how to respond to the
    Masonic order. Dr. Morey suggests that practicing Masons
    either reform the organization throughly or withdraw
    completely. While Dr. Morey’s book does not dwell on this
    next point at length it can be noted that a voice of protest
    should arise from within the organization concerning many
    of the Masonic rituals and teachings for outside the lodges
    the Christian community has not been officially silent. Many
    Christian churches forbid members to belong to or be
    involved in Masonic Lodges.
    Among the Protestant denominations the Lutheran Church of
    Austria has stated that “all
    organizations, whether secret and oath-bound or open,
    which are either avowedly religious, or
    practice the forms of religion, without confessing as a matter
    of principle the Triune God and
    Jesus Christ as the Son of God comes in the flesh and our
    Savior from sin…are anti-Christian.”
    (Doctrine Statements and Theological Opinions, 1956).
    The Baptist Union of Scotland concluded that “total
    obedience to Christ precludes joining any organization such
    as the Masonic movement which seems to demand a whole
    hearted allegiance to itself, and at the same time refuses to
    divulge all that is involved in that allegiance prior to joining.
    The initiate is required to commit himself to Masonry in a
    way that a Christian should only commit himself to Christ.”
    The Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland concluded its
    investigation into Freemasonry by declaring that “there is an
    inherent incompatibility between Freemasonry and the
    Christian faith. Also that commitment within the movement
    is inconsistent with a Christian’s commitment to Jesus Christ
    as Lord.” Similar statements have been articulate by the
    Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1942, the
    Christian Reformed Church in 1974, the Wesleyan Methodist
    Church of Australia, the Salvation Army, and the Anglican
    Diocese of Sydney. In short there is worldwide concern in
    the highest echelons of Christendom that the Masonic Lodge
    is not the place where God’s people ought to congregate.
    Nevertheless, the Masonic Lodge continues to attract
    Christians because of an unclean message illustrated by the
    position the Southern Baptist took in May 1993. In March
    1993 the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist
    Convention published a report on Freemasonry.
    The report recommended Freemasonry
    • For its works of charity and education and
    • For upholding values such as honesty, integrity, industry,
    and moral character.
    At the same time the report noted several incompatibilities
    between the Christian faith
    and Masonry such as
    • The use of offensive titles such as ‘Worshipful Master’
    • The taking of bloody oaths and obligations
    • The pagan and occult nature of many of the writings of
    past Mason leaders
    • The Bible’s shared role among other items in Masonic
    temples
    • The doctrine of salvation by works
    • The doctrine of universalism
    • The historical absence of African Americans to
    membership.
    It is somewhat disconcerting to many Christians to hear a
    major denomination officially charge—with documentation—
    the horrendous beliefs of Freemasonry and then leave the
    final decision to stay in the movement to the individual’s
    conscience without a pastoral note of exhortation to come
    out and be separate. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore
    come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the
    Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive
    you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my
    sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” What some
    will not do, I will. I will exhort God’s people to disassociate
    themselves from Freemasonry. Let the Church be the
    Church— and let the people rejoice.
    Appendix
    Questions for Masons
    1. Question. Would you be surprised to learn that many of
    the Masonic symbolism are
    Identified with ancient mysteries as well as occult rituals and
    practices?
    The twelve star signs on the roof of a Masonic Lodge
    The serpent eating its tail
    Circumambulation (lit. to walk around)
    The inverted five pointed star
    The equilateral triangle
    The point within a circle
    The speaking of mantras and of sacred words not mentioned
    in the Bible
    The east-west alignment of Masonic Lodges
    The three basic degrees of initiation
    The practice of striking a blindfolded initiate on the head
    before giving him new light "The ancient Mysteries did not
    cease to exist when Christianity became the world's most
    powerful religion. Great Pan did not die! Freemasonry is the
    proof of his survival. The pre- Christian Mysteries simply
    assumed the symbolism of the new faith, perpetuating
    through its emblems and allegories the same truths, which
    had been the property of the wise since the beginning of the
    world. There is no true explanation, therefore, for Christian
    symbols save that which is concealed within pagan
    philosophy. Without the mysterious keys carried by the
    hierophants of the Egyptian, Brahmin, and Persian cults the
    gates of Wisdom cannot be opened." (Manly P. Hall,
    Masonic, Hermetic, Quabbalistic & Rosicrucian Symbolical
    Philosophy)
    A Biblical Response. The Bible forbids believers to be
    involved in any form of witchcraft or
    occultism.
    Deuteronomy 18:10-11 There shall not be found among you
    any one that maketh his son or
    his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
    divination, or an observer of times, or an
    enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with
    familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
    Leviticus 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits,
    neither seek after wizards, to be
    defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.(cf Exodus 7-8; 1
    Samuel 28)
    2. Question. Would it surprise you to learn that George
    Washington was never a practicing
    Mason as President neither of the United States nor for two
    decades before that?
    3. Question. Is the sacred name for God “Jahbulon”? Did
    you know that this name really unites
    two pagan gods with the special name of Jehovah?
    In the ritual of exaltation, the name of the great Architect of
    the Universe is revealed as JAHBULON....
    Each syllable of the 'ineffable name' represents one
    personality of this Trinity:
    JAH = Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews
    BUL = Baal, the ancient Canaanite fertility god associated
    with 'licentious rites of imitative
    magic
    ON = Osiris, the Ancient Egyptian god of the underworld
    Note. Using clever words some Masonic writers sensitive to
    the Christian community try to
    distance themselves from the reality of uniting these two
    well-known pagan gods to the
    sacred name of the Lord. But it cannot be done. The
    indictment stands.
    4. Question. How can the Masonic Lodge’s advocacy of a
    religious order that rivals Christian
    be justified? How can the Koran of the Muslim faith and the
    Vedas of Hinduism be placed
    on the same altar and be held with the same esteem as the
    Word of God?
    5. Question. Why won’t the Masons just remove the
    offensive bloody and violent oaths from
    their ceremonies? How can such language even be utter in
    light of Colossians 3:8 which says
    “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
    blasphemy, filthy communication out
    of your mouth. “? Then there is Philippians 4:8 “Finally,
    brethren, whatsoever things are true
    , whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
    whatsoever things are pure,
    Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
    report; if there be any virtue,
    and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
    6. Question. Does the Masonic triangle still represent the
    Christian Trinity of the Father, Son,
    and Holy Spirit as the founders of Freemasonry believed or
    does it now represent the Hindu
    trinity of Krishna, Shiva, and Brahma as claimed by modern
    pagan writers?
    Note. Words do have meaning and so do symbols. The
    Masonic triangle cannot be meaningful to both the Hindu’s
    and Christians at the same time. There is a principle of logic
    that says that if something means everything it means
    nothing.
    7. Question. How can there be a Revival of Masonry in
    1717 when there is no evidence that it
    existed prior to June of that year?
    Note. As partisan as Albert Mackey was for the Masons he
    was honest enough to confess
    that “prior to the year 1717, there never were Grand
    Masters or a Grand Lodge except such
    as were mythically constructed by the romantic genius of Dr.
    Anderson…We cannot,
    therefore, in these points call the organization which took
    place in that year a Revival”
    (History of Freemasonry, IV: 890-891).





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