Dr. John W. Boettjer
Managing Editor, Scottish Rite Journal
Recently and regrettably, Freemasonry has been misunderstood
and then, for whatever reason, demonized and vilified, sometimes by
members of churches, to the extent that a response to the critics of
Freemasonry is necessary.
We all cringe at the words of some Masons, even well-
respected writers, and, in particular, when anti-Masonic writers select
quotations from supposed Masonic authorities. In fact, there is no accepted
Masonic authority except for the Grand Master of each Grand Lodge or
state, and then he is only an authority within his jurisdiction and
only for the year or years of his term in office. Worse yet, Freemasonry's
critics tend to twist what ever juicy quotations they have found, taking
them out of context, editing them, and so slanting them that they say
just about anything the anti-Mason wishes the quotations to say.
First a bit of history. Freemasonry has, by tradition
and, in some cases, by rule, not responded to its critics. This silence
has been misinterpreted by many. They presume that silence gives consent
or that Masons do not have the facts to refute attacks and, therefore,
remain silent. Recent attacks on Freemasonry have became so virulent
that a response is necessary. Please understand, Masons do not object
to differences of opinion or reasoned criticisms. Freemasonry is not
perfect. There are many things to correct or improve. We are working
to resolve many of these problems and thus improve Freemasonry.
Historically, the right to private judgement is as much
a part of Freemasonry as it is of most faith traditions in America.
As early as 1798, Charleston, South Carolina, Southern Baptists advised
the matter of Southern Baptist membership in Freemasonry "be left
with the judgment of the individual." Similarly, George W. Truett,
one of the greatest leaders of Southern Baptists, and a Freemason, said:
"The right to private judgement is the crown jewel of humanity,
and for any person or institution to dare to come between the soul and
God is a blasphemous impertinence and a defamation of the crown-rights
of the Son of God."
Let me say this clearly and emphatically: Freemasonry
is NOT a religion. It is a fraternity based on moral principles and
dedicated to the overall ethical and educational improvement of its
members. If it has any relation to religion at all, it is as a complement
to faith. We often say, "Masonry makes good men better." Many,
many new Masons become more active in their church after becoming Masons.
Why? Because Freemasonry stresses values central to most churches and
to our nation. Also, Freemasonry was a crusader for "family values"
before the term became politically correct. In addition, Freemasonry
was been a defender of personal conscience, political freedom, and individual
liberty long before George Washington and Benjamin Franklin took Masonic
vows to support and extend the Masonic ideals of Brotherhood, Relief,
and Truth.
Because Freemasonry stands squarely for the Constitution
and all the fundamental freedoms bequeathed to us by the writers of
that great document, 13 of the 39 signers being Masons, Freemasonry
has always been attacked by those who would limit liberty. Freemasons
were among the first to be persecuted by Hitler, Mussolini, Franco,
Stalin, and the Ayatollah Khomeni. And so it has always been. Freedom
is the lifeblood of Freemasonry. That is why Freemasons were central
to the creation of the United States and why tyrants and dictators of
every sort, upon coming to power, immediately stigmatize Freemasonry
and persecute its members. Today, as in the past, Freemasons are defenders
of First Amendment rights and the concept of liberty. We are not opposed
to differences of opinion, but we are opposed to lies and deliberate
manipulations of the truth.
We believe the attacks on Freemasonry have come to malicious
slander and the unjustified and unconscionable tearing down of one's
neighbor rather than the building, with him, of bridges of understanding
and cooperation. Undoubtedly, some of the anti-Masons are sincere. Possible,
they cannot see beyond the misconceptions foisted on them by those who
promote themselves at the expense of others. Freemasons are saddened
to see this exploitation.
We are outraged, however, when men of God promote what
they must know to be falsehood. What excuse can one offer, for instance,
for the Reverend Pat Robertson's book The New World Order? Despite the
ready assistance of a research staff, Robertson trucks out, with no
qualifications at all, what we Masons often call "the lie that
will not die," the assertion that Albert Pike, a late 19th-century
leader of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, advocated a "Luciferian
doctrine" advising Masons to worship the Father of Lies, Lucifer.
Pike never wrote these words. They come from a notorious
atheist and pornographer, Gabriel Jogand-Pages, who wrote under the
pen name of Léo Taxil. Taxil wrote some bogus "Instructions"
to Scottish Rite Masons, supposedly from Pike, as a device to expose
the credulity of the Catholic Church, an institution he hated as much
as the Masonic Lodge that had, with good sense, rejected his application
for membership.
Taxil publicly exposed his own hoax on April 19, 1897,
but the hoax lives on, savored by anti-Masons who never tire of trundling
out this hoary story though even the slightest of research efforts would
reveal it was unmasked by its inventor and disproved nearly a century
ago!
Similarly, the Reverend Ron Carlson of Eden Prairie,
Minnesota, in one of his radio broadcast sermons, quotes Albert Pike's
Morals and Dogma. (Ironically, Pike is read by more of Masonry's foes
than by Masons.) Rev. Carlson in what must be the 10,000th expose of
so-called Masonic secrets, quotes Pike as saying on page 545 of Morals
and Dogma:
"All the mysteries [meaning Masonic "mysteries"]
should be kept concealed, guarded by faithful silence, lest it should
be inconsiderately divulged to the ears of the Profane. He sins against
God who divulges to the unworthy the Mysteries confided in him. The
danger is not merely in violating the truth, but in telling the truth."
[Then Carlson continues saying,] "Albert Pike says
it is a sin to divulge the truth. Now how different this is from what
we read in God's word."
Ironically, the truth is that the Reverend Carlson is
not quoting Albert Pike. Here is what Pike actually wrote in Morals
and Dogma. Previous to the quotation noted above are the words, "St.
Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, who was born in 340, and died in 394,
says in his work De Mysteriis." In fact, the words Carlson attributes
to Pike are actually the words of St. Ambrose. Pike was quoting St.
Ambrose on what that Christian Father taught regarding the Christian
Mysteries, NOT any alleged Masonic mystery.
This is what Masons object to: not differences of opinion
or open, fact-supported discussions, but the fabrication of slanted
truth, half truth, and outright untruth. I do not know if the intent
of such anti-Masonic authors as Robertson (whose father was a Mason)
and Carlson may be to deceive the gullible or if they themselves are
deceived by their biased view of Freemasonry.
Most certainly, Freemasonry is not about paganism or
devil worship. Most certainly it is not un-Christian or anti-Christian.
Most certainly it is not "secretive" or "closed."
All men of good character who believe in God are welcomed to Freemasonry.
Then, through a series of Masonic lessons, called "Degrees,"
moral principles are taught that support a man's personal faith, whatever
his denomination; that enhance his dedication to his family and country;
that encourage his participation in the life of his community in a variety
of civic and philanthropic ways.
Masons, for instance, are justifiably known for their
support of orthopedic hospitals, burn centers, childhood language disorders
clinics, Alzheimer's and schizophrenia research, programs for the unsighted,
and many, many other charities. Masonic philanthropy today extends more
than $750 millon per years or $2 million per day to charity, and 70%
of this goes to members of the general public, all totally free.
Nor do we claim this Masonic philanthropy outreach as
any means of personal salvation, any way by which a Mason might believe
he is paving his way to Heaven. Salvation, grace, and faith are within
the province of the Church. Freemasonry, as a fraternity, has nothing
to say about salvation. The Bible is guide enough for every individual
when it says faith without works is dead.
Clearly, faith without understanding or toleration can
only divide people. Religions, transformed into single-minded zealotry,
become fiercely competitive. Many claim for themselves the exclusive
mandate to speak and act for God. In contrast, Masonry believes religious
differences between human beings are how we respond to God, the Father
of all, Who is continually pouring His love and His blessings on us.
The Masonic Fraternity has its deepest roots in Christianity and, therefore,
espouses the central teaching of the "New Law" as taught by
our Lord Jesus Christ, "to love one another." Freemasonry
is dedicated to helping men of every faith to live by principles fundamental
to Christianity. The attacks on Freemasonry, in my opinion, display
little of the love, joy, and peace of Christ. Instead of love, they
offer hate; instead of knowledge they offer bias; instead of the joy
of spiritual self-fulfillment, they offer a thirst for battle; instead
of peace and harmony, they offer violent verbal attacks.
If I may be so bold as to offer my voice as that of
all Freemasons and Americans, I again offer the truth so well stated
by that great Southern Baptist and Freemason, George W. Truett: "The
right to private judgement is the crown jewel of humanity, and for any
person or institution to dare to come between the soul and God is a
blasphemous impertinence and a defamation of the crown-rights of the
Son of God."
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