Why Would a Pastor Condone Freemasonry

[O.F.F.]

Worm,

Since you are a woman and have never seen the inside of a Masonic Lodge -- as myself and others here have -- when is comes to understanding Masonic Principles, I suggest the readers here rely on the firsthand experience of those who have practiced Freemasonry and the declarations of Grand Lodges who are the highest authority in the Masonic Order:

To the altar of Freemasonry all men bring their most votive offerings. Around it all men, whether they have received their teachings from Confucius, Zoroaster, Moses, Mohammed or the founder of the Christian religion - just as long as they believe in the universality of the fatherhood of God and universality of the brotherhood of man - meet upon a common level.

Louisiana Masonic Monitor -- Grand Lodge of Louisiana

SpiritualMadMan,

I think you hit the nail on the head! Freemasons, even "Christian" ones show no exclusivity or absolute allegiance to Jesus Christ. Instead, they'd much rather compromise by maintaining allegiance to the syncretistic amalgamation of the religion of Freemasonry.

Every Mason must believe in God and in the immortality of the soul. The VSL must be open on every Lodge Altar. A candidate takes his Obligations upon his knees. Before engaging in any important undertaking a Mason seeks aid and guidance through prayer from the Sovereign Grand Architect of the Universe. This is religion, but it is not a religion. It is faith, but it is not a faith confined to any one creed. It is worship, but it is not a worship chained to any one Altar. In the great words of the First Book of Constitutions it is the religion in which all good men agree. It is the ground which underlies all religions, all churches, all creeds.

Lodge System of Masonic Education, Booklet 1, pg. 11 Grand Lodge of Florida

And, let's not ever forget prominent Freemason, Henry Wilson Coil's statement about the Masonic Religion. Coil was being critical of the Craft in claiming to be religious, but not a religion. He said:

Some attempt to avoid the issue by saying that Freemasonry is not a religion but is religious, seeming to believe that the substitution of an adjective for a noun makes a fundamental difference. It would be as sensible to say that man had no intellect but was intellectual or that he had no honor but was honorable.

Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, page 512

He also said:

Religion is espoused by the Masonic Ritual and required of the candidate; and, Freemasonry is undoubtedly religion; and, many Freemasons make this flight [to heaven] with no other guarantee of a safe landing than their belief in the religion of Freemasonry.

Henry Wilson Coil, A Comprehensive View of Freemasonry, p. 186

Mike

 

[frewtloop]

Some attempt to avoid the issue by saying that Freemasonry is not a religion but is religious, seeming to believe that the substitution of an adjective for a noun makes a fundamental difference. It would be as sensible to say that man had no intellect but was intellectual or that he had no honor but was honorable.

Obviously, you have not noticed that Coil stands alone in saying this. Or actually, it appears you have noticed, but quote him anyway, just as you do little snippets and snatches of things that reflect small segments of Masonry but not nearly the whole. It appears to be a stock-in-trade of being an antimason.

Shall I bring in masonicinfo.com and share their opinion of certain antimasons, you included, and portray it as representative of the truth of the whole? I daresay you would be up in arms to defend yourself, that the accusations were false, etc. etc. And in the final analysis, it amounts to the same thing.

TW

 

[Jacob Webber]

(Since you are a woman and have never seen the inside of a Masonic Lodge -- as myself and others here have)

Since you come from a lodge that is not recognized by the Grand Lodge know as clandestain. Mike I can not really say you have an understanding of Masonic Principles.

 

[Jacob Webber]

Mike
If I showed up at your church as a Mason would you welcome me with open arms or turn me away.

 

[frewtloop]

Since you come from a lodge that is not recognized by the Grand Lodge know as clandestain. Mike I can not really say you have an understanding of Masonic Principles.

Thanks, JW. I've really had to bite my tongue to avoid giving in to the temptation to say the same thing. It takes a lot of effort sometimes to curb my ignorance.

And of course, nothing seems to be said to certain others who post here, to whom the same standard would apply. Does that mean, Mike, that you depend upon yes-men/women to support your position? I mean, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with an amen corner now and then, but by the standards you have just imposed upon me, you have at least two members of your own hallelujah chorus whose credibility you also have just called into question.

TW

 

[Gina B]

Let's not make this a personal issue between people please.
This topic is getting long again, so let's dedicate the last few pages to final points. If the discussion still isn't over we can start a continuation of it after this one is closed, same as the last.
Gina

 

[O.F.F.]

JW, you asked:

If I showed up at your church as a Mason would you welcome me with open arms or turn me away?

Corey, you know that I would welcome you wholeheartedly and embrace you openly. But, I would also ask you to remove your Apron, assuming this is what you mean when you say "show up as a Mason."

As for your comment about my credibility as a former Prince Hall Mason, it shows the deep rooted racism instilled into you by your Grand Lodge. Last time I checked, 75% of the Grand Lodges in the U.S. recognize my former Grand Lodge as "regular," and not "clandestine." Therefore, that puts your Grand Lodge of Tennessee among the minority who still doesn't.

Besides, I have not quoted Prince Hall Grand Lodge information. Most of the quotes I've used to discredit the heretical teachings of Freemasonry come from Grand Lodges YOUR Grand Lodge acknowledges and recognizes as legitimate.

So your issue or complaint should not have anything to do with my former status as a Prince Hall Mason. If you have an issue with what's been shared, take it up with them. Shifting to personal attacks and ad hominem merely makes you look worse than you already do by compromising the gospel trying to defend the indefensible.

Mike

 

[Jacob Webber]

Mike
I do not mean showing up dressed in an apron. Thou I would disagree with asking to take the apron off to a point. I would not ware it to church anyway. By to the point I mean in some churches women are turned away becuase they have a pair of pants on or a Man is covered in Tatoo's. Now I would ask someone if they came in wareing something reveiling to please find some more covering cloths and would offer to help them out if they could not afford it. Were should not turn away people due to the way they dress if a wiccan came to my church dressed in Goth and dark makup and such I would welcome them as they are offer them a sit and let them see what Christ is about.

(As for your comment about my credibility as a former Prince Hall Mason, it shows the deep rooted racism instilled into you by your Grand Lodge. Last time I checked, 75% of the Grand Lodges in the U.S. recognize my former Grand Lodge as "regular," and not "clandestine." Therefore, that puts your Grand Lodge of Tennessee among the minority who still doesn't.)

Mike I did not question your credibilty as a PH Mason I only stated that PH is not recognized by my Grnad Lodge and is consider Clandestian. As far as racism now where in the requiremnets of becoming a Freemason does it ask your skin color. And I would gladly welcome any good man to my Lodge no matter what the color if they wanted to join and as I stated Early the Grand Lodge of TN states we have intergrated Lodges so that means men of all skin shades.

You said earlier that there is no Lodge in the South that recognizes PH I posted to that you were wrong and presented Evidence for it and you seemed to overlook it.

(Besides, I have not quoted Prince Hall Grand Lodge information. Most of the quotes I've used to discredit the heretical teachings of Freemasonry come from Grand Lodges YOUR Grand Lodge acknowledges and recognizes as legitimate.)

How do you know them to be what the Lodge teaches if you have never been thru them.


(So your issue or complaint should not have anything to do with my former status as a Prince Hall Mason. If you have an issue with what's been shared, take it up with them. Shifting to personal attacks and ad hominem merely makes you look worse than you already do by compromising the gospel trying to defend the indefensible.)

I am not sure why you would take it as a personal attack when I just stated the Truth. You said that TW did not have any real say because she did not go thru the Lodge. I stated that you went thru a clandestian lodge which is not recognized by the Grand Lodge and does not consdier you a Mason. So you and TW are on even ground when trying to talk about The recognized Grand Lodges.

 

[frewtloop]

The explanation of how Masonry came to be what it is and why is a very simple story. It remains an institution devoted to preserving its long-standing traditions, methods, and symbols. The following is an excerpt from one of the most clearly told accounts of the reasons for the rituals and symbols of Freemasonry:

It has never been conclusively determined how Gothic architecture originally arose. Many think that it was borrowed from the Arabs and that it was introduced into Europe by Crusaders or Knights Templar returning from the Holy Land where they had seen Arab architecture. It is ironic that something borrowed from the people whom the Crusaders sought to destroy could so revolutionize construction in Europe. The knowledge of this system of construction was acquired by the stonemasons of the time who kept their system of building as a secret and thus obtained an entire monopoly of both temporal and ecclesiastical architecture.
Some trace the origins of Masonry to the building of the Gothic Cathedral of Strasbourg in France in the year 1275 A.D. when the architect of the work gathered stonemasons from Germany and Italy and formed them into a brotherhood for the construction of the building. Of course, stonemasons existed and plied their work before the rise of Gothic architecture. However, Gothic architecture and its increased flexibility in construction contributed to an explosion in the construction of cathedrals throughout Europe during this period. This increased building required a tremendous increase in the number of stonemasons available to construct such monumental structures.
The craftsmen of these early days left no plans or drawings. How they arrived at the knowledge of counterbalancing forces is not known. The secretes[sic] of their art were transmitted orally, learned by example, and closely guarded. These stonemasons met in entitled or guarded Lodges and took apprentices only after careful appraisal of their work and character. The primary purpose of this privacy was to maintain the reputation of the craft and to assure honest work for wages received by those who, attracted to the craft, might apply for admission and become initiates. Only those properly trained by an accomplished Master in the principles of architecture were permitted to call themselves master Masons.
To assure honesty and fair-dealing, philosophical lessons to inculcate those principles were taught the apprentices through the symbolism of the Mason's working tools. As the practical use of each tool was taught, the philosophical lesson symbolized by the tool was explained. Because of the possibility of accident and therefore death or disability of members of the craft, the ancient brothers provided for relief or charity for those distressed members of their order.
The apprentices or newest members of the craft were entered on the records of the Lodge and did the roughest work, such as mining the stones at the quarry and conveying them to the building site. They might, after several years, learn the trade sufficiently to become journeymen or fellows of the craft who were permitted to cut and fit the stones under the direction of the Master Masons. This structure of Freemasonry, in three classes or degrees of Entered Apprentices, Fellowcrafts and Master Masons, continues to this very day.
Although the exact date is unclear, sometime around 1600, Lodges began to admit members who did not actually work for their livelihood as stonemasons. They were said to be non-operative or "speculative" Masons who joined to speculate on, or rather study, the symbolic and theoretical principles of Masonry, as opposed to the operative techniques of the stonemasons' profession. This change was the result of two developments.
First, most locales with the resources to build and maintain a large Gothic cathedral had one. As the cathedral building boom receded, so did the need for operative stonemasons. Second, theoretically inclined scholars and professional men were intrigued by the philosophical nature of Freemasonry: the tools and the techniques of architecture as they symbolized philosophical lessons of brotherly love, charity, truth, temperance, fortitude, prudence and justice.
These non-operative initiates who joined to learn and study the philosophical side of Masonry became known as "accepted" Masons because they were accepted without the operative skills of the craft. Hence, there developed the term "free and accepted Masons" which we use today. Gradually, over the next century and a half, the composition of Masonry shifted and Lodges became increasingly speculative and theoretical in their approach to the lessons of Freemasonry.
Modern Freemasonry dates from 1717 when four Lodges in London banded together to form a Grand Lodge to promulgate rules for the governance of the institution. They saw that Masonry was capable of much better organization through cooperative effort and could thus be better adapted to inculcate moral virtues by its transformation into a purely speculative and symbolic order. The laws, customs and tenets of the old operative stonemasons were closely followed and the ancient working tools, such as the plumb, square and level, preserved. From this beginning, Freemasonry spread quickly and came to the United States in 1731. Today, it may be found around the world. In California, there are more than 130,000 members in more than 480 Lodges.
Wherever Masons may be found, they continue, as Masons were at the order's founding, to be builders. They seek not to be builders of material edifices as were their ancient brethren but builders of those spiritual edifices which the lives of every man and woman should be.
While our meetings are open only to members, there is no secrecy as to where we meet or the principles taught during our ceremonies. By analogy to the symbolic meanings of the working tools and techniques of the old operative stonemasons, we teach those moral tenets and virtues which transcend all ages and times: brotherly love, relief or charity, truth, temperance, fortitude, prudence and justice. These are not secret teachings limited to our members alone but are universal principles of upright living that each Mason should help foster among all peoples with whom he comes in contact through the example of this life in accordance with those principles. We strive symbolically to perfect the spiritual edifice of each person with those principles common to every Creed.
It is said, metaphorically, that Masonry is supported (as would be the roof of a building) by three columns, denominated wisdom, strength and beauty. With wisdom or knowledge to guide us, strength or self-reliance to support us and the beauty of righteous purpose to adorn our labors, the spiritual edifice or life of each of us shall be devoted to all that stands for good and the glory of our Creator.

R. Stephen Doan (Past Grand Master of California Masons), "Origins of Masonry," Education, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1993), p. 24+ (emphasis mine)

TW

 

[frewtloop]

One fact a lot of people forget, and which the above author does not address, is that Freemasonry before the 1717 establishment of the Grand Lodge was thoroughly Christian. Many of the rituals and symbols contained within Freemasonry are at the root and heart of them founded straight from Christianity and the Christian Bible, not haphazardly or by accident, but by intention and design. It was not until the establishment of the Grand Lodge that other influences, particularly Jewish esotericism, began to gradually remove the Christian influences.

TW

EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION: Can anyone tell me what was the origin of the EA ritual's proclamation of "neither naked nor clothed, barefoot nor shod?"

 

[Jacob Webber]

TW
Not so much removed just reworded to say the same thing. The name YHWH was replaced with God (Due to Jews can not say the name of God) and God was replaced with GAOTU because they thought the name more befitting since the Frat is called Freemasonry. (Took from John Calvin). Morning Star or Lion of the Tribe of Judah point to Christ. But to the Jews it points to the Messiah(Which is Christ). Even thou others twist it into a different meaning the True meaning remains Christ and YHWH.

 

[Gina B]

TW, how did you come to know so much about freemasonry? I noticed this is the only topic you've posted on here and it's got me wondering why/how it interests you to this degree.

Gina

 

[frewtloop]

TW, how did you come to know so much about freemasonry? I noticed this is the only topic you've posted on here and it's got me wondering why/how it interests you to this degree. (Pun intended? Lol)

I'm the youngest in my family of six children, my dad abandoned the family when he ran off with another woman. Mama probably never knew I saw it, but when we went to church and the deacons came up to shake her hand, they had money that would change over from their hand to hers. I found out later these men were Masons, and I suppose that kind of thing is bound to leave an impression on you. Had it not been for these men and their loving concern, I don't know how we could have made it, certainly not on Mama's salary as a store clerk. When her car died, she was provided a new one, not literally "new," a used car in very good condition, at no cost and no questions asked. I guess the interest is partly because it's hard to ignore such caring people who see a need and respond in caring ways. And I suppose, in a way, an organization of men of character is attractive to someone abandoned by the man who should be the most influential man in her life.

And by the way, this is not the only place I've posted.

TW

 

[Bro Tony]

One fact a lot of people forget, and which the above author does not address, is that Freemasonry before the 1717 establishment of the Grand Lodge was thoroughly Christian. Many of the rituals and symbols contained within Freemasonry are at the root and heart of them founded straight from Christianity and the Christian Bible, not haphazardly or by accident, but by intention and design.

I had intended to stay off this subject, because of the warped nature of those deluded by freemasonry. They way they have changed truth to fit their agenda. The clear way they have, even though they deny it, replaced biblical Christianity with this perverted teaching of the lodge. But, I can't let this statement go by. Not that I think it will do any good for those confused by the darkness of freemasonry.

Masons did not get their ritual, at any time in history, from Christianity of the Christian Bible. Christians don't have rituals and the true Christian church does not teach rituals or promote symbols. And certainly the Bible does not. While there maybe some practices in some churches that are put forth as ritual and some churches may promote symbols. The Bible never does.

Again, if you want to be in freemasonry or promote it because of some good they have done toward you, that is your business. But it is not Christian and has no place in the Christian Church, and members of the Church who partake in it bring defilement on themselves and reproach on the name of Jesus.

I will not debate with those who refuse to uphold God's Word as their standard. They have chosen to believe a lie and willfully disregard the truth. I will pray for you but will not debate you, but I will not stand by and let you revise the truth to meet your agenda. There is no reconciling freemasonry and biblical Christianity, so quit making these blasphemous statements.

Bro Tony

 

[preacherchris]

recently i asked several masons at the church i teach sunday school to show me how it lined up with the bible. not a single one even remotely tried to,but what they did do was get vicious and lie about me and try to stab me in the back.

 

[Jacob Webber]

Bro Tony
Who is refusing to uphold God as their standard. The Holy Bible is mine I like the NIV my self and the NLT.

As far as symbols I guess it depends on how you look at it. The Church uses a Lamb to represent Christ thou He is not an animal but the Living God. Also the Lion is used to represent Christ


John 1:29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Num 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

A Star and Scepture are used to represent Christ the Star is known as the Star of Jacob which is a five pointed Star.

The Bible uses many symbols to represent Christ.


Bro Tony
Are you a former Mason. If not than how do you know for sure it did not get its Ritual from them.

13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s,
14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.
15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:


1Kings 7:13 ¶ And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
15 For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.
16 And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
17 And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
18 And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.
19 And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.
20 And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter.
21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
24 And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.
25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
26 And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
27 And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
28 And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges:
29 And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.
30 And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.
31 And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round.
32 And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.
33 And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten.
34 And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself.
35 And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same.
36 For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.
37 After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.
38 Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.
39 And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south.
40 And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD:
41 The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars;
42 And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars;
43 And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
44 And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;
45 And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass.
46 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.
47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.
48 ¶ And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was,
49 And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold,
50 And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple.
51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 4:16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.

 

[Jacob Webber]

preacherchris
I just posted the above for Bro Tony it may help you as well. It talks about Hiram and what he done at the Temple which is what Freemaosnry aslo says. Althou the Bible only gives us what Hiram done in the Temple Freemasonry develope a story around this character to teach lessons of Charity, Brotherly Love and Keeping Your Word.

 

[frewtloop]

Masons did not get their ritual, at any time in history, from Christianity of the Christian Bible. . . . There is no reconciling freemasonry and biblical Christianity, so quit making these blasphemous statements.

This is exactly what a lot of people believe, and it is only because they are not acquainted with its history. If you go back to some of the earliest known Masonic manuscripts, particularly the Regius and Cooke manuscripts, the Christian influence is unmistakable. (Please pardon the length, but I quote in entirety the relevant portion, because (1) there are significant statements interspersed throughout, and (2) being one who is naturally suspicious in debate when I see " . . . . ," I am generally disinclined toward omissions):

We shall center on the information yielded by the two medieval manuscripts belonging to the large family of masonic documents known as the Old Charges: the Regius manuscript and the Cooke manuscript (respectively end of the fourteenth and beginning of the fifteenth century).*[see footnote] The reason for this choice is that these documents provide an almost continuous link between medieval Operative Masonry and modern Speculative Masonry. indeed, much of the content of the two medieval manuscripts reappears in the Old Charges of the seventeenth century, and even in Anderson's Constitutions of 1723 (Anderson knew the Cooke manuscript and used it as a source).

The craft of masonry in the Middle Ages was not organized in the form of municipal guilds** as most crafts were. But according to the Regius and Cooke manuscripts, they had a particular form of organization, consisting of annual or triannual provincial assemblies. At such assemblies new fellows of the craft were admitted; they were instructed in the regulations of the craft and swore to observe the same, while masons who had committed faults were tried and punished. The manuscripts yield the regulations in form of "articles" and "points" with a legend explaining their origin. According to the simplest and oldest form of the legend, the regulations had first been given to the masons by Euclid, who founded the craft in Egypt, and had later been confirmed in England by King Athelstan. A more elaborate version, which appears in the Cooke, displayed a history of the craft from antediluvian times.
Although an obligation of secrecy is mentioned--the object of which is only vaguely defined as the "counsel" of masons -- there is no clear evidence of an esoteric character in the strict technical sense (communication of secret means of recognition). As for the problem of the esoteric doctrinal content, or at least of the spiritual content of medieval Operative Masonry, the most interesting feature to be noted is the importance of the relations between masons and clerics, and interference of the clergy in the affairs of the craft. Both manuscripts were clearly written by clerics. They contain (especially the Regius) a set of moral and religious instructions that express the clerics' concern to moralize and catechize the masons. The mention of the seven liberal sciences tries to fill the gap between the empirical knowledge of the masons and the scholarly knowledge of the clerics; the legends combine elements of a craft folklore that probably originated in important ecclesiastical building yards, with purely clerical notions such as the foundation of the craft by Euclid. The history of the craft displayed in the Cooke is a typical piece of monastic scholarship of the time.
Adding to the evidence of the manuscripts the fact that the masons had to work out, under the direction and control of the clerics, the carved ornamentation of the churches, which was mainly a plastic expression of clerical lore and teaching, it is not difficult to guess what the spiritual content of medieval Operative Masonry must have been. It could only have been thoroughly Christian and certainly reflected the teachings of the clerics; that is to say, it was founded on the Bible and biblical exegesis, which the masons knew not from reading the book or commentaries on it, but from hearing the clerics' sermons about them and carving historical or symbolic scenes taken from them.

Some masonic symbols are derived from medieval iconography, for instance, the triad of the sun, the moon, and the Master Mason or Master of the Lodge (to be understood in a mystical sense). This is clearly derived from the well-known representations of Christ between the two luminaries. Another example is a symbol that was known to early speculative Freemasonry as the "broached thurnell" and is still to be seen in French lodges as the "pierre cubique à pointe." Although it cannot be traced continuously through the operative period, there is little doubt that it goes back to a set of illuminations in eleventh-century manuscripts of Beatus's commentary on Revelation, in which it appears as a representation of the ark of the covenant and as a symbol of the church. It is interesting to note that the freemasons of the eighteenth century had lost all memory of this origin and meaning.
It is only in this context that one can reasonably imagine what the esoteric content (if any) of medieval Operative Masonry may have been. It can only have consisted of such speculation about the Bible as took place among the clerics themselves, of research into the arcana of the holy book and of the Christian religion. Everything that was not of Christian origin must have been, at least formally and superficially, christianized. The medieval manuscripts give no evidence of such esotericism. However, a later document, the Graham manuscript (dated 1726, but the content of which is, at least in part, probably much older), gives perhaps some insight, though obscure, into the practices and speculations of medieval Masonry.*** The text mentions an exorcism ritual which masons are supposed to perform when undertaking a building, in order that their work may not be shaken by infernal spirits. The ritual makes use of "foundation words" which form the "primitive [secrets?]" of Masonry. It may go back to a pagan origin but appears here in the Christian form of an invocation to the Holy Trinity. Moreover, the text insists strongly on its Christian orthodoxy. Later, the text explains how the secrets of Masonry were "ordered" at the building of Solomon's Temple:

"So, all being finished, then were the secrets of Freemasonry ordered aright as is now and will be to the end of the world for such as do rightly understand it -- in 3 parts in reference to the blessed Trinity who made all things, yet in 13 branches in reference to Christ and his 12 apostles, which is as follows: one word for a divine, six for the clergy**** and 6 for the fellow craft."

The modern reader is not in a very good position to "rightly understand it"! However, the text clearly reveals the existence of an underlying doctrine of the power of words and numbers in connection with the inner life of the Godhead and the occurrence of numbers in scripture -- that is to say, something very similar to classical kabbalistic speculation, though in a purely Christian context.


* [The Two Earliest Masonic Manuscripts, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1938.

** Knoop, Douglas, and G. P. Jones. The Mediaeval Mason. 3rd ed. Manchester: Manchester University Press; New York: Barnes & Noble Inc., 1967.

*** Knoop, Douglas, G. P. Jones, and Douglas Hamer. Early Masonic Catechisms. 2nd ed. London: Quatuor Coronati Lodge no. 2076, 1975.

**** This mention of the clergy in close connection with the craft is the reason why I think that this part of the text goes back at least to the pre-Reformation period, though the present manuscript is much later.


SOURCE: Edmond Mazet, Modern Esoteric Spirituality, Chapter 8. "Freemasonry and Esotericism," ed. Antoine Faivre and Jacob Needleman, New York: Crossroad Publishing, 1992, pp. 248-275.

(QUOTED: The entire section of the chapter under the subheading "Medieval Operative Masonry"; bold emphasis mine}

TW

P.S. Any takers yet on the source of "neither naked nor clothed, barefoot nor shod?"

 

[Bro Tony]

Jacob,

First, I will answer your question about whether I am a former mason. The answer is no. I am a pastor who preaches and teaches the Gospel of Jesus. I am offended by any group that adds to or takes away from or alters that beautiful message. I cannot understand even the need for a Christian man to be involved in masonry. If they were serving the Lord and His church they would have the time or the inclination to be involved in masonry. Masonry claims to make good men better. That is not the truth. If one worps the Word the result cannot be better, no matter what they worp the Word with.

I am familiar with masonry through much study and in dealing with it in my church. I have attempted to do the simple thing that preacherchris spoke of, that is ask professing Christian brothers to examine freemasonry in light of Scripture and if there was no conflict I would have no problem with it. The result was pretty much the same as preacherchris.

I have read ritual manuals given to me by former masons who saw the light and came out of masonry. I have their personal testimonies. I even possess a masonic bible, which is the KJV, with much information in the beginning that explains freemasonry. I have thoroughly studied it and find that it is a clear abomination and adulteration of truth.

As to your myths of Hiram King of Tyre and Solomon's building of the Temple. This is another cases of taking biblical truth and expanding it with no biblical evidence to create a basis for your false belief system. Hiram was a worker of metals not masonry. Solomon used many people from many lands to help in building the Temple, and myths can be made of all of them. From this passage the masons have created another mythilogical individual, Hiram Abiff, which is part of the initiation ceremony to become a master mason. Again with no biblical evidence, but misusing the Bible to make ignorant people believe that it is the basis for your system. A blasphemous system at that.

I do not have to be a mason to know what goes on. I have thouroughly studied it and know that it has nothing to do with biblical Christianity, and that it is leading men away from Christ. If "The Worm" who is supposedly a woman, can speak to it, I certainly can.

I will not debate with you, for you have chosen to walk in the darkness of freemasonry. I will continue to pray that the Lord will bring you into His marvelous light. He is your only hope. If you have Him you need nothing else.

Bro Tony

 

[Bro Tony]

TW

More masonic propaganda, with no Scriptural basis. Just because in the past apostate masons who claimed to be Christian wrote these words do not make them truth. Just because a select portion of Scripture is used in the lodge, does not make the lodge of God.

After all the enemy of God, Satan, did not mind using Scripture in his temptations of Jesus. That is what makes this so insidious, the blasphemous attempt to turn the work of Satan into the work of God.

You can quote your masonic revision of history until your blue in the face and it will not make any difference. I do not receive the words of unbelievers and heretics as a source of authority on truth. Every cult group that exists worps the truth of the Scripture to justify their system of belief, the same is true of masonry.

Why don't you just follow Jesus in the institution He established--His Church.

Bro Tony