Who is the masonic christ

For example, Pike states:. Masonry is not a religion. He who makes of it a religious belief falsifies and denaturalizes it.

The Brahmin, the Jew, the Mohometan, the Catholic, the Protestant, each professing his peculiar religion, sanctioned by the laws, by time, and by climate, must needs retain it, and cannot have two religions; for the social and sacred laws adapted to the usages, manners, and prejudices of particular countries are the work of man. Masonry is willing to humor those brethren who go along with the local and tribal cults so long as they realize that the sectarian doctrines of these cults are simply necessary evils.

Pike explains:. But Masonry teaches, and has preserved in their purity, the cardinal tenets of the old primitive faith, which underlie and are the foundation of all religion. All that ever existed have had a basis of truth; and all have overlaid that truth with errors. Masonry is the universal morality which is suitable to the inhabitants of every clime, to the man of every creed.

He adds, "Religion, to obtain currency and influence with the great mass of mankind, must needs be alloyed with such an amount of error as to place it far below the standard attainable by the higher human capacities. While religion gathers the barnacles of superstition and error, Masonry remains pure and undefiled. Some Masonic partisans seem to believe that Masonry could not qualify as a religion because it lacks the complex dogmatic systems of the denominations in their hometown.

The lodge demands only belief in a Supreme Architect and in the immortality of the soul. As Mackey states: "The religion of Masonry is pure theism. They are darkened by no perplexities of sectarian theology but stand out in broad light, intelligible and acceptable by all minds, for they ask only for a belief in God and in the immortality of the soul. Although Freemasonry is not a dogmatic theology, and is tolerant in the admission of men of every religious faith, it would be wrong to suppose that it is without a creed.

On the contrary, it has a creed the assent to which it rigidly enforces, and the denial of which is absolutely incompatible with membership in the Order. This creed consists of two articles: First, a belief in God, the Creator of all things, who is therefore recognized as the Grand Architect of the Universe; and secondly, a belief in the eternal life, to which this present life is but a preparatory and probationary state.

Simply because Masonry reduces its theological statement to these two propositions we may not deduce that it does not constitute a religion. This bare minimum compared to the dogmatic structure of Christianity is nevertheless more than is asked of many religionists: Unitarians, Reform Jews, Buddhists.

A Unitarian in good standing may doubt the existence of a personal God and flatly deny the immortality of the soul; his Unitarianism nevertheless constitutes a religion.

Like Unitarianism the Masonic sect denies the need to accept the Christian gospel but allows its initiates to entertain their own peculiar theological views outside the lodge room. Human reason becomes the only guide to religious belief and the gospel of Christ stands on a par with the scriptures of Hinduism, the Koran, and the Book of Mormon. The lodge unwittingly confirmed the religious nature of Masonry in a court case in A certain Robert Kopp, who had been expelled from the fraternity, appealed against his former brethren in the civil courts.

He lost his case but the counsel for the Grand Lodge of New York presented the following statement in his "Briefs and Points":. The right to membership in the Masonic fraternity is very much like the right to membership in a church. Each requires a candidate for admission to subscribe to certain articles of religious belief as an essential prerequisite to membership.

Each requires a member to conduct himself thereafter in accordance with certain religious principles. Each requires its members to adhere to certain doctrines of belief and action.

The precepts contained in the "Landmarks and the Charges of a Freemason" formulate a creed so thoroughly religious in character that it may well be compared with the formally expressed doctrine of many a denominational church.

The Masonic fraternity may, therefore, be quite properly regarded as a religious society, and the long line of decisions, holding that a religious society shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction to determine matters of membership, should be deemed applicable to the Masonic fraternity.

Look at its ancient landmarks, its sublime ceremonies, its profound symbols and allegories-all inculcating religious observance, and teaching religious truth, and who can deny that it is eminently a religious institution? Masonry, then, is indeed a religious institution; and on this ground mainly, if not alone, should the religious Mason defend it.

We should not be disturbed by the frequent denials of the religious character of the lodge offered by ordinary members. They either do not understand Masonry or they do not know what constitutes a religion.

Many other cults are as insistent on denying their religious nature. Jehovah's Witnesses have railed against "religion" for decades and flatly deny that their eschatological sect resembles religion in any form. A faith healing cult such as the Unity School of Christianity and an occult mail order sect such as the Rosicrucians also have their reasons for rejecting the name "religion" although they must be so classified by anyone working in the field of religious sociology or comparative religion.

If Freemasonry were to acknowledge its religious status, it would compromise the position of thousands of Christian Masons and Protestant ministers who wear the apron. The Masonic strategy is simple enough. First deny that Masonry is a religion and then proceed to prove that it is. For example, the same Pike who told us "Masonry is not a religion" also tells us, "Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion; and its teachings are instruction in religion. Not Christianity or Judaism or Islam.

In the main the committee has restricted its study to that society which is known as the Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons. It should be borne in mind that Freemasonry, which is the oldest of the larger secret orders in this country, is generally admitted also to be their mother.

Their rituals, secrets, terms of membership, objects and purposes have in varying degree characteristics like those of Masonry. It follows that, if the objections which have been taken to Masonry are well taken, then these same objections apply also in the main to the other orders mentioned and to whatever smaller orders of similar character may exist.

An objection frequently raised to any study of secret orders by non-members takes the form of the statement: You cannot get any reliable information. It may be said categorically that, in the case of the major orders, particularly the Order of Free and Accepted Masons, this statement is not correct.

Reliable information concerning all points of major importance, and concerning many others that are not important, is accessible to any who will make a proper study of the matter. The so-called secrets of Masonry constitute only a portion of the total activity of the order. The general ideals of Masonry and the history and philosophy of the order have been developed by numerous Masonic and non-Masonic writers in books designed for the general public as well as for Masons.

Of course, even Masonic writers do not always agree fully with one another about these matters, but that is true of any field of research. On the whole the agreement among them is striking. Much of the Masonic ritual is of a non-secret character, and handbooks concerning speeches, statements, prayers and similar matters are published without secrecy.

A great mass of useful information concerning the relationship of the order to Christianity is available from volumes of this character. Further, the so-called ceremonies, grips, passwords and such matters are very largely available through printings by recognized Masonic publishing houses in cipher code. These cipher codes, at least some of them, are not difficult to read. They can be used as original sources of information, and also as checks by which to determine the accuracy of the plain English rituals which have been published by non-Masonic sources.

Among the texts and descriptions published by such sources are those emanating from individuals who, for one reason or another, have demitted their membership in the Masonic order. When their evidence agrees with that from Masonic sources something of a check in both directions is provided. This committee has had the privilege of personally interviewing and questioning a former member of the Masonic order who was anxious to provide as much information as desired about the body.

It is worth noting that a Mason, Eugen Lennhoff, who has written one of the most comprehensive and well-balanced books about Masonry, admits that the signs, words and grips, and copies of the Ritual and explanations of the symbols, are obtainable by anyone The Freemasons , p, Claudy, also a Mason, says: "There is no obligation of secrecy regarding the truths taught by Freemasonry, otherwise such a book as this could not lawfully be written" vol.

Masonic libraries containing books by Masons of high degree and excellent standing are open to the public. One of these is the Scottish Rite Library of Chicago. For further information on these particular matters the following books, among others, may be consulted:. Certain criticisms are sometimes offered with relation to secret orders which do not seem to this committee to be of such weight as to constitute valid reasons for objection.

One of these is the objection to secrecy as such. Obviously, there is nothing wrong in secrecy at the proper time and place. Every family has its secrets. Without secrecy in their preparation, academic examinations could hardly be conducted in our institutions of learning.

The pastors and sessions of our churches often deal with personal matters which are much better not divulged to the congregation. Our Lord Himself occasionally commanded His disciples not to reveal to all men things which He told them privately.

To be sure, in certain circumstances secrecy is sinful, but it may not be said that secrecy is evil in every instance. Another objection in the minds of some is to the taking of any oaths whatsoever. Whether or not the oaths required of Masons are reprehensible will be considered at another point in this report. Just now the committee contends merely that the taking of an oath is not to be condemned under any and all circumstances.

The Westminster Confession of Faith states that "a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters, ought to be taken" XXII, 2.

Still another objection sometimes brought against Masonry concerns the alleged frivolous character of the symbols, garbs and ritualistic articles used.

In particular instances criticism of such matters may be and, as will be pointed out later on, actually is well grounded. But a sweeping charge of frivolity should, in the opinion of this committee, be avoided.

The actual meaning, significance and value of symbols, as measured in terms of emotional power, are difficult for a non-participant correctly to gauge.

What seems frivolous to an outsider may in actuality not be so at all to the initiate. Fault has been found with Masonry for barring from membership women, negroes and the physically deformed. The worst that can be said about this provision is that it belies Masonry's boast of universalism.

There does indeed seem to be an inconsistency here. But, apart from that, care should be taken not to stress this objection out of measure. Prominent Masons have founded the Order of the Eastern Star for women. The fact that some lodges offer certain insurance benefits to members may be one reason among others for restricting membership to reasonably "good risks. There are those who interpret "the separated life" so as to rule out the membership of believers together with unbelievers in any organization whatever.

They customarily quote 2 Corinthians to substantiate this view. But that is a serious error. The passage of Scripture just cited condemns the fellowship of Christians and pagans specifically in the matter of religion and worship. To assert that believers may not hold membership with unbelievers in a book club or an automobile club, for instance, savors strongly of Anabaptistic separatism. The apostle Paul took pains to tell members of the Corinthian church that he did not mean that they should have no company with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or idolaters, for then they would needs have to go out of the world 1 Corinthians Therefore, to condemn membership of a Christian in the Masonic order on the sole ground that this order contains unbelievers, in unwarranted.

The foregoing paragraph has named the point on which this investigation must be centered. Is Masonry a religious order, or is it not? That is the crucial question. If it should prove that the answer to this question must be affirmative, then the further question, no less crucial than the first, will arise, what the religion of Masonry is.

If it is Christianity, well and good. If it is anything but Christianity, the religion of Masonry is necessarily false, for it is axiomatic that Christianity is the only true religion. And in that case no Christian may have communion with Masonry. On this score the evidence is overwhelming. There is no room for any reasonable doubt as to Masonry's being a religion. Not only do the symbols, rites and temples of this order point unmistakably to it as a religion, but a great many Masonic authors of note emphatically declare it to be just that.

Of almost numberless quotations that could be given here the committee has selected a few. Ward, the author of several standard Masonic works, defines religion as "a system of teaching moral truth associated with a belief in God" and then declares: "I consider Freemasonry is a sufficiently organized school of mysticism to be entitled to be called a religion.

The religious tenets of Masonry are few, simple, but fundamental. No lodge or Masonic assembly can be regularly opened or closed without prayer" p. Albert G. Mackey, General High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, and the author of numerous works on Masonry, has this to say: "Freemasonry is emphatically a religious institution; it teaches the existence of God.

It points to the celestial canopy above where is the Eternal Lodge and where He presides. It instructs us in the way to reach the portals of that distant temple" The Mystic Tie , p. And in his Lexicon of Freemasonry the same celebrated authority asserts: "The religion, then, of Masonry is pure Theism" p. Extremely significant is the testimony of Joseph Fort Newton, a zealous advocate of Masonic principles.

He deplores the fact that within the lodge there are many who regard it as "a mere social order inculcating ethical ideals and practicing philanthropy. With this agrees A. Mackey's declaration: "The truth is that Masonry is undoubtedly a religious institution, its religion being of that universal kind in which all men agree" Textbook of Masonic Jurisdiction , p. His predecessor, Rowan Williams, was an opponent of Freemasonry.

However, in he became embroiled in controversy after appointing a known senior mason as the bishop of Ebbsfleet. While the church has had an uneasy relationship with the Masonic movement, we do share a common humanity, and no one would doubt its commitment to charity and community. The differences between the God of the Bible and the pagan deities are far greater and significant than the name used to refer to God. No Christian should have any part in a ritual that honors or glorifies a pagan deity.

I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. Rituals that contain excessive oaths are used. So help me God and keep me steadfast. The Bible warns against making excessive oaths. Therefore, Christians should avoid the kind of oaths found in Freemasonry, which are far worse than the oaths warned against in the New Testament.

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Many of the recommended readings for advanced degrees contain pagan and occultic teachings. Several of these Masonic writers deny the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. In addition, some of these writers confuse false pagan beliefs with the teaching of Christianity.

The words of Hebrews apply to Jesus and Jesus alone. The Bible teaches that Jesus is unique. He is not just one messiah among many. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is only one God.