By Kenneth E. Thomas
Many good tracts and articles have been written over the years about a Christian and Freemasonry. What I shall write will not be completely new, but will hopefully be stated in such a way as to be a worthy addition to what is already available to one wishing to know more about Freemasonry and a Christian’s proper attitude towards being a Mason, and toward our “brethren” who find themselves involved in this “secret society.”
Something Very Strange!
Several Protestants and not a few Catholics are dead set against any involvement in the Masonic Lodge. Why do you suppose some of my own brethren who are knowledgeable concerning New Testament religion do not and/or will not stand opposed to Masonry? In some cases, no doubt, it is because they are not as knowledgeable about Masonry as they should be to see the inconsistencies of trying to be a faithful Christian and a Mason. In other cases they know but simply choose to overlook the facts and the hard road of dealing with the problem scripturally, as that would require attempting to teach one so involved out of Masonry and if unable to get them to repent and denounce Masonry as an unfruitful work of darkness, refuse to extend fellowship to such an one (Eph. 5:11; 2 John 9-11; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Tit. 3:10).
Some preachers will not teach as they should on these matters for fear of upsetting someone and some churches are so numbers conscious that they will do, or not do whichever the case may require, nothing or almost anything to build up their head count. I was told by a preacher of a local church right near here that he would not ever preach publicly against Masonry. I asked, “Do you mean you will never preach publicly against denominationalism?” He replied to me, “You know better than that!” No, I don’t. We will see that the same reason for preaching against denominationalism requires also preaching against a Christian’s involvement in Masonry as we progress in this study.
Testimony From Masonic Writings
I would never knowingly misrepresent anyone or any organization’s teachings. I would not be benefitted, nor would anyone else by such, but rather harmed. If I can show why a Christian should not be a Freemason by faithfully and truthfully using their own materials, saying exactly what they believe and teach, surely no one can bring a just accusation against me of such. I believe that I can show any honest person that it is a sin for a Christian to belong to or participate in the things peculiar to the Masonic Lodges. Please read on!
A Religion Other Than Christ’s
That Masonry is a religious organization and teaches its adherents a way which they claim will prepare them for an eternal reward in the heavens, no well informed person and especially no informed Mason should even attempt to deny. We will look at some quotes in a moment, but I want you to recall, if you will, a Masonic funeral. Have you ever been to one? I have and that would have convinced me that a Christian could have nothing to do with Masonry even if I had known nothing else of the system called “Free and Accepted Masonry.” Why? Because of the claims made by the deacon who conducted the services! You say you did not know they had deacons. Well, they do, and I should think this would lend to the idea of some religion connected with Masonry. The first Masonic funeral I ever witnessed was when I preached the funeral of a brother of a lady who was a Christian. This man refused to have Bible study with me when I had urged him to, saying, “No thanks, I am a Mason, I don’t need it! ” Someone had led him to conclude this in Masonry and at the funeral I knew who. I preached the funeral with the express understanding that I was not having what I did a part of what the Masons were doing. I did my sermon, closed with a prayer and left from under the tent and stood by to watch and listen to the Masons. There were the white aprons symbolizing purity, a sprig of evergreen symbolizing everlasting life, and a ritual which stated (that this one who had rejected Christ, the gospel and the church of our Lord as non-essential to his spiritual needs) that this man had entered into the celestial lodge above. I knew from that, if I never had any other information in my possession, the Masonic Lodge offers its membership Heaven without Christ, the gospel or the blood-bought church, making the sacrifice of Christ meaningless and useless!
Albert Pike, a noted Mason, wrote in the publication Morals and Dogma (p. 213), “Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion; and its teachings are instruction in religion. ” I don’t see how any honest Mason can say that Masonry isn’t a religion.
“Coming From Darkness Seeking Light”
Christians are already “children of light” (1 Thess. 5:4-8). Christ said that his disciples are to be the “light of the world” so as to illuminate the way for others as a candlestick set on a lamp stand (Matt. 5:14-16). Can you imagine yourself being inducted into the first degree of Masonry (and those that follow as well) as a Christian and admitting that you have been in darkness (as a Christian) and are seeking to be brought to the light? The following is an actual passage from my copy of Hand Book of Freemasonry so you can see for yourself what one must confess in his “Work On The First Degree.” Read on.
Hand Book of Freemasonry
Work On The First Degree Senior Deacon: “Who comes here?”
Junior Deacon: “Rev. James Hunt, who has long been in darkness, and now seeks to be brought to light and to receive a part in the rights and benefits of this Worshipful Lodge, erected to God and dedicated to the Saints of John, as. all brothers and fellows have done before.”
Senior Deacon: “Mr. Hunt, is this of your own free will and accord?”
Mr. Hunt: “It is” (p. 57).
Why Christians Oppose Masonry
Faithful Christians stand opposed to Masonry for the same reasons, plus additional ones, leading to our opposition to Protestant and Catholic denominationalism. Each is a system of error and each would supplant the church of our Lord, and offer eternal rewards to all who become a part of them. Masonry has this added distinction that it offers heaven without Christ as well as without the need of obedience to the gospel as already mentioned. I just want to give you these additional quotes from Masonic sources. The following was in a recent article announcing the death of a Mason by a fellow Mason. He wrote, “Once again a Brother Mason, having completed the designs written for him on life’s trestle board, has passed through the portals of Eternity and entered the Grand Lodge of the New Jerusalem and hath received as his reward, the white stone with the new name written thereon.” Christians will recognize in the quotation what the Lord promised to those who overcome in Revelation 2:17. The above quote is without any doubt intended to assure heaven to the departed Mason and if this does not leave a clear impression that the practice of Freemasonry will take one to heaven in the end, how would you say it if you did want to leave that impression? Now one does not have to believe on Christ to be a Mason, yet one cannot please God the Father without believing and obeying Christ (John 14:1-6; Heb. 5:8-9; John 8:24). Masons have another savior, his name if Hiram Abiff! Read on, “All antiquity . . . believed in a future life, to be attained by purification and trials; in a state or successive states of reward and punishment; and in a mediator and redeemer, by whom the Evil Principle was to be overcome and the Supreme Deity reconciled to his creatures. The belief was general that he was to be born of a virgin and suffer a painful death. The Hindus called him Krishna, the Chinese, Kioun-tse, the Persians, Sosiosch; the Chaldeans, Dhouvanai, the Egyptians, Horus,- Plato, Love; the Scandinavians, Balder, the Christians, Jesus; THE MASONS, Hiram” (emphasis mine, ket; Kentucky Monitor, p. XV).
Bids God-Speed To Error
Because we are commanded to “contend earnestly for the faith once delivered” (Jude 3) and not to “bid God-speed to error” (2 John 9-11); and to “rebuke and exhort those in error” as well as “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11; 2 Cor. 6:14-18), Christians cannot be a party to what is advocated by denominationalism or Masonry. Masonry recognizes as spiritual equals the various religions of the world. “Masonry, around whose altars, the Christian, the Hebrew, the Moslem, the Brahmin, the follower of Confucius and Zoroaster, can assemble as brethren and unite in prayer to the one God” (Morals and Dogma, p. 226). And yet the Masons say that being a Mason in no way interferes with one’s practice of one’s religion. Oh yes it does! A Christian cannot please Christ and embrace those who reject him as spiritual equals. Salvation is in no other name than Jesus the Christ (Acts 4:1-12; 1 Cor. 3:11; Acts 3:22-23; John 12:48). Masons are taught that “. . . God is equally present in the pious Hindu in the temple, the Jew in the synagogue, the Mohammedan in the mosque and the Christian in the church” (Masonic Manual of Alabama, p. 318). Yet when the apostle Paul attempted to convert the Jew to Christ at Antioch of Pisidia, they rejected and spoke against those things Paul taught, contradicting and blaspheming. Paul said that they had “judged themselves unworthy of eternal life” (Acts 13:45-46). Truth must be accepted and anything that is contrary to truth will not save and will not please the Lord (2 John 9; Matt. 12:30). Masons are told that if they follow Hiram they will be translated “from this imperfect to that all-perfect, glorious and celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides” (Alabama Manual, p. 62).
An Interesting True Story
Recently in a phone conversation with a preacher friend of mine, we discussed the word used in Masonic circles, Mah-Hah-Bone. It is used among other ways in the ritual called “Raising of a Master Mason.” This word is to be whispered in the ear of the candidate and he is instructed to never give it in any other way. My friend was in a discussion with a brother in Christ who was a Mason. This man bragged of the secrecy of Masonry and to show that not all they are told is secret is unknown to non-Masons, my friend spoke the word Mah-Hah-Bone. This deluded brother in Christ said, “Oh, you shouldn’t say that word! Don’t you know you could be killed for that?” My friend said, “I’m sure you know that it would be the Masons who would do that, don’t you?” Now look where you find yourself, a member of an organization that threatens to kill people who reveal its “secrets”! I don’t know if the brother renounced Masonry or not but he at least should have.
Threat of Death In Masonic Oath
Work on The First Degree
“I, James Hunt, of my own free will and accord in the presence of Almighty God and this Worshipful Lodge, erected to Him and dedicated to the Saints John, do hereby and hereon (here the Master places his right hand on that of the candidate), most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will always hail, ever conceal and never reveal any of the secret arts, parts or points of the hidden mysteries of Ancient Freemasonry, which have been heretofore, may at this time, or shall at any future period, be communicated to me as such, to any person or persons whomsoever, except it be to a true and lawful brother of this degree, or within a regularly constituted Lodge of Masons, and neither unto him nor them, until by strict trial, due examination, or legal information, I shall have found him or them as lawfully entitled to the same as I am myself.
“I furthermore promise and swear that I will not write, print, paint, stamp, stain, cut, carve, mark nor engrave them, nor cause the same to be done upon anything movable or immovable, capable of receiving the least impression of a word, syllable, letter or character, whereby the same may become legible or intelligible to any person under the canopy of heaven.
“All this I most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, with a firm and steadfast resolution, to keep and perform the same without any equivocation, mental reservation or secret evasion of mind whatever, binding myself under a no less penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by it roots and buried in the rough sands of the sea at low water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I ever knowingly violate this my solemn obligation of an Entered Apprentice Mason. So help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same.”
“In token of your sincerity, you will detach your hands and kiss the Bible.”
The Deacons removes the candidate’s hands, and he kisses the Bible.
While often today the Masons say they would never carry out the threats, yet history proves that it has been done both in this country and abroad. I will give you one case in point from history and tell you of a case of which I am personally aware of this past decade or so. A preacher friend of mine was preaching on a radio station in a town in Indiana on the evils of Masonry and why a Christian should not become involved, and if involved why he should renounce it and speak out against it as he repents of his activities in Masonry, which resulted in repeated phone calls issuing threats on his wife and children if he did not cease and desist his opposition to Masonry. Recently on the John Ankenberg TV program he told of threats on his life, his family and his staff by Masons.
A Mason Murdered By Masons
In 1826, William Morgan, a leading Mason, became convinced that it was his duty to denounce Freemasonry and expose the so-called secrets of the Masonic Order. His book was published by the Miller Publishing Company and was called Freemasonry Exposed. It is still available from the Ezra A. Cook Publishing Company in Chicago, IL. I have this book in my library.
William was murdered by the officials of the Masonic Order, being drowned in the Niagara River. Some of the murderers of Morgan later being conscience strickened, confessed their part of this crime. When all this became known, you can imagine the public outcry! Thousands left Masonry. This murder is confirmed by the inscription on Morgan’s tombstone in Batavia, New York and by court records.
Morgan’s Tombstone
“Sacred to the memory of William Morgan, a native of Virginia, a captain in the war of 1812, a respectable citizen of Batavia, and a martyr to the freedom of writing, printing and speaking in truth. He was abducted from near this spot in the year of 1826, by Free-Masons and murdered for revealing the secrets of their order. The court records of Genesse County, and files of the Batavia Advocate kept in the recorder’s office contain the history of the events that caused the erection of this monument.”
If you desire to read this whole story, a copy of the book, The Morgan Abduction is available also from the Ezra A. Cook Publishing Company, P.O. Box 795, Chicago, IL 60690. I have this book also in my library.
You see it isn’t enough for a Christian simply to cease to participate in Masonry. If a person still pays dues, even if a non-attender of their meetings, and ceases all activities, yet does not renounce and denounce it, he is still a Mason and a part of everything it represents. Ephesians 5:11 not only says have no fellowship in works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 2 Corinthians 6:17 says “come out from among them.”
Often Masons learn that they can’t be a Mason and a faithful Christian too, but are afraid to renounce it! See Matthew 10:28!
Masons’ Attitude Toward The Bible
The Bible is put on a par with the writings of Plato and Philo by Albert Pike, a leading light in Masonry. See Morals and Dogma for a number of quotes to this effect (pp. 99-100, 252). This denies the verbal inspiration and the perfection of the revelation from God. See 2 Timothy 3:1617; 1 Corinthians 2:7-13; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter 1:3; John 16:12-13.
A Summary
Some Reasons Why Christians Will Oppose Masonry
1. The Masonic Lodge is a religious institution opened for many religious purposes.
2. Masonry has a redeemer in the form of Hiram Abiff.
3. The Lodge promises to unfold the beauties of God’s truth and to promise salvation without the shedding of Christ’s blood.
4. The Masonic Lodge teaches that one who isn’t a Mason is in darkness and comes to the Lodge seeking the new birth.
5. Masonry has one common altar at whose shrine the Christian can kneel with the Jew, Mohammedan, Persian, etc.
6. The Lodge promises that all good Masons hope to arrive in that “Great Masonic Lodge in the sky.”
7. The Masonic handbooks are filled with prayers, but they never use the name of Christ.
8. Masonry is a system of paganism and idolatry, demanding belief in a god, not the God of the Bible. They call him Baalim, an idol god.
9. Masonry demands that those coming into its order swear an oath that is wrong for any man to take, supporting their right to take his life if he divulges their secrets.
10. Masonry offers heaven to its adherents without belief in the one true God or the Son of God. Therefore, it stands opposed to the religion of Christ and the church planned by God from eternity.
11. Masonry admittedly deceives its membership and withholds some of what they call truth from them.
12. Masonry refers to all those who believe on Christ as the “Christian” church, and says, “The Christian church needs Knights Templar” (Boyd Hopkins, Most Worshipful Grand Master, North Carolina Knight Templar, Vol. III, No. 9, Sept. 1984). See Colossians 2:8-10.
13. Masonry gives titles to some of its leaders which are unlawful for any man to wear such as Most Worshipful Master, whereas God alone is the object of our worship and devotion and the Lord forbids wearing of titles to exalt men (Matt. 23).
14. Masonry claims to be greater than the Lord’s church.
15. Masonry denies the Bible alone to be the inspired word and infallible revelation from God, sufficient for all men of all times.
16. Masonry teaches that only Masons will be saved eternally.
17. Masonry teaches evolution regarding origins. See Genesis 1:1 for truth.
18. Masonry teaches salvation by works of human merit (Lightfoot’s Manual, p. 17). Read Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5.
19. Masonry bids God-speed to most all false religions. Masonry does require belief in “a Supreme Being.
20. Masonry is a good example of the blind leading the blind and both will fall into the pit.
Below is the admonition given at the close of brother Norman Gibson’s book Opposing Freemasonry. It is timely advice and should be heeded by us all as we “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27b).
Masonry, being error, should be opposed as any other error. Although it is not the only thing wrong, it is wrong. Brethren who are partaking of its evil should be admonished, and thoroughly taught. When occasion indicates, we should speak plainly about the matter in a public way though I would not recommend that this become a hobby, any more than opposing any other one evil. We should use all kindness and love of which we are capable – but we must stand firm for the truth. And may the glory be given to the Lord, in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, as we echo the prayer of the Apostle Paul.
With all this before us, I plead with my brethren in Christ, if you have gone into lodges, leave them at once. Be content to be a Christian; do not rob God of His rightful glory and honor, by giving it to men. Do not blaspheme the word of God by fellowshipping those who revile Christ. Do not detract from the glory of the church, the divine institution, by bowing at an altar other than the one we have a right to (see Heb. 13:10). I say again, be a Christian — no man in truth can be more.
Do not consider me, or any other who attempts to teach you and your Masonic friends the error and evils of that organization. We do not oppose all of the good things Masons do, but the end does not justify the means. You can do all of the things that are admirable about Masonry as simply and only as Christian and people will glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). If done as a Mason, the Lodge and Masonry in general receives the glory of men.
If any who reads this desires to study these matters further, I shall be happy to arrange for a time and place where we may engage in such a study.
Thanks for hearing me out! May God be with you as you consider your next step!
Guardian of Truth XXXI: 17, pp. 528-531
September 3, 1987