|
THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL - MAY 1993 SPECIAL EDITION, "FREEMASONRY AND RELIGION," PART II
MASONRY AND RELIGION W. Kenneth Lyons, Jr.
SBC CONTROVERSY Ron Ford
A MASONIC RESPONSE T. Max Tatum and Jim Tresner
HOME MISSION BOARD RETURNS POSITIVE REPORT
POINT/COUNTERPOINT Dewey C. Crutchfield
THE RITE'S PRINCIPLES
A CHRISTIAN MASON John E. Canoose
SPEAKING OUT
CARRYING THE MESSAGE Fred W. McPeake
BOOK REVEIWS S. Brent Morris
CLOSING RANKS: THE BUCK STOPS HERE
The Grand Commanders Frankly Speaking
C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33d Grand Commander Southern Jurisdiction
In 1990, the Scottish Rite Foundation of Missouri donated the original oil portrait of President Harry S. Truman, 33d, pictured on the front cover of this issue. It was the first portrait installed in the House of the Temple's new Temple Architects Hall of Honor.
This is a historic moment in American Freemasonry. We are confronted by a virulent attack on our gentle Craft from a faction within the Southern Baptist Convention. This June, the Convention will vote on the issue of whether or not Freemasonry is compatible "with Christianity and Southern Baptist doctrine."
In the February 1993 issue of The Scottish Rite Journal, the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, broke Masonry's tradition of silence. We responded to our critics via 25 articles. Most were written by prominent clergymen, many of them Southern Baptists. Each stated clearly and strongly one truth: Freemasonry is not a religion, let alone anti-Christian in any way. Instead, Freemasonry complements Christian faith while it enhances each Mason's personal religion, whichever it may be.
This May issue, again, presents essays on this crucial matter. As Masons, we must inform the public and our own members. Most of all, we must stand united.
It is with great pride, therefore, that this Grand Commander's message breaks new ground by presenting not only my message but also that of Ill.'. Francis G. Paul, 33d, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. Ill.'. Paul's message is reprinted on the following pages with permission from the February 1993 issue of The Northern Light, the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction's official publication.
Our unprecedented unity of response to the crisis facing Freemasonry represents a historic closing of Masonic ranks. I invite all Masons of all Blue Lodges and of all Appendant Bodies to join the Scottish Rite, Southern and Northern Masonic Jurisdictions, in opposing the religious extremism which today threatens not only Freemasonry but the most fundamental of American principles, freedom of conscience. Read Grand Commander Paul's message which follows, as well as the following pages of this special issue of The Scottish Rite Journal, to find out how you, personally, can help defend Freemasonry and America today.
Sovereign Grand Commander Southern Jurisdiction
Francis G. Paul, 33d Grand Commander Northern Masonic Jurisdiction
He was a Baptist. He was a Mason. He was the President of the United States. And he was proud of all three. His biographer, David McCullough, writes of Harry Truman's high regard for Masonry:
He greatly enjoyed the fellowship and took the ritual and spiritual teaching of Freemasonry with extreme seriousness. He felt uplifted by brotherhood in an order claiming great antiquity and to which both Mozart and Andrew Jackson had belonged, as had so many presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt and his successor, William Howard Taft. As every Mason knew, George Washington took the oath of office on a Masonic Bible and laid the cornerstone of the Capitol with a Masonic Trowel. (Truman, p. 78)
When it came to accepting personal responsibility for his actions, no one in public life can equal President Truman. On one momentous occasion, he made an unpopular decision. "The buck stops here," he said. And it did.
Why is Bro.'. Harry Truman more admired today than when he occupied the White House? It's clear that he possessed the one quality that makes a difference in life: Harry Truman had character.
It's difficult not to think of Harry Truman-the man, the Baptist, the President and the Mason-at a time when our Fraternity has come under severe criticism from a vociferous group of Southern Baptists who have dedicated themselves to cleansing their denomination of what they consider contamination by Masons and Freemasonry.
When the issue first arose, I took the criticism somewhat in stride. Since the anti-Masonic movement 150 years ago, there have been numerous attempts to show that Masonry is the enemy of Christianity. While these periodic outbursts have been unpleasant, they have soon faded away.
Unfortunately, the current anti-Masonic movement in the Southern Baptist Convention persists, even gaining momentum.
The complaints against Masonry are not coming from the Southern Baptists as a whole. It seems to be one man's goal to vilify Freemasonry, and, at the same time, to drive a wedge of hate into the heart of this great denomination.
Although the perpetrator of the scurrilous and totally erroneous attack on our Masonic Fraternity feels he is on the side of Christianity and that Freemasonry is the work of the devil, we take our stand with the man from Missouri who said,
"I am by religion like everything else. I think there is more in acting than in talking."
This is exactly where the buck stops for Freemasons. We do not talk theology because we are not a religious organization or a church. But our individual lives and the life of our Fraternity are open-wide open-for all to see. Our actions are the voice of Freemasonry.
- There are thousands of young people who have been educated with Masonic scholarships.
- There are countless victims of severe bums who have been cared for without charge in the Shriners' burns institutes.
- There are thousands of children who live healthy, happy, and whole lives thanks to the free medical care they received at one of the Masonically-sponsored crippled children's hospitals.
- There is an almost endless stream of youngsters across the country who have learned to communicate because of the services of the Scottish Rite's Childhood Language Disorder Centers.
- There are major improvements in the treatment of schizophrenia, thanks to the medical studies and research funded by Scottish Rite Masons.
- There are thousands of Americans who, without charge, have had their sight restored or their vision improved, again without cost, because of the commitment of Masons.
Our Masonic Brother, Harry Truman, was right. "There is more in acting than in talking." From where we stand, this is where the buck always stops before men and God.
As Masons, we will not be drawn into a hateful verbal battle over theological or doctrinal issues. A shouting match is not our forum; trading accusations is not our style.
We will not hide, however. We will continue acting as Masons. We will follow the light of faith, brotherhood and truth. We will support the family. We will honor our nation. We will build character. We will care for the forgotten and the needy.
We stand on the Masonic record, and leave the final judgment of theological purity where it belongs-in the hands of God.
Sovereign Grand Commander Northern Masonic Jurisdiction
Religion Are Compatible
Forrest D. Haggard, 33d, G.'.C.'. 6816 W. 78th Terrace Shawnee Mission, KS 66204
After carefully studying the contemporary anti-Masonic movement, a well-known Freemason who is also a Disciples of Christ minister sees three main motives-personal, political, and economic-behind attacks on the Craft, and he advises Masons to respond by understanding and practicing the purposes of our Craft.
THE recent revival, by fundamental Christianity, of anti-Masonry has created a storm within both religious and fraternal circles. Over the past two years, I have listened to, watched on TV or read every program, article, and item concerning the modern-day anti-Masonic movement that has been called to my attention. It has been good for me. I have re-examined my own membership in all of my "other than the Church" commitments. I have reached a considered decision that Freemasonry is not now and never has been detrimental to my Christian faith or to Christian doctrine. In fact my fraternal relationships have strengthened and assisted me in my ministry as well as in my personal faith and life.
I have found three predominant reasons for the existence of the critics:
- Personal and personality conflicts are present. Freemasonry is a human organization with no claim to Divine origin. In any human organization you have human frailties. Where you have a structure you have "assumed power or prestige" and with that you have conflicts. Some critics have had a "bad experience" in their Masonic connections. (Just like local congregations have people who came from some other church where things were "bad.")
- Political, social, or religious dictatorships or hierarchial structures cannot, in fact do not dare, tolerate differences of opinion. They cannot afford any dissension or freedom of thought. Under their rule, Freemasonry and all like groups must be attacked or destroyed. Such systems may claim to be open minded, but they depend on their constituents or followers to have minds closed to all but their own particular "way" or doctrine. Freemasonry promotes freedom of thought and discussion.
- Money: I always listen and watch for the "bottom line" whenever I am watching the "Christian" TV station or listening to a "religious" broadcast. The bottom line is an appeal for membership in their group and for support funds. In spite of all of the revelations of graft, greed, corruption, and immorality on the part of the hawkers of fundamentalist Christianity, their kind continues. They are an embarrassment to the Church. I have to assume that Satan rubs his hands in glee as their message of hate, exclusiveness, and divisiveness goes out to the public.
I call your attention to some other factors:
The same voice that speaks out against Freemasonry often also speaks out against any other type, kind, style, or form of religious faith other than their very own. The same families that have left my congregation because I am a Freemason came to our Church because where they were was not of the "true faith." And they have already left where they went from my congregation because that place was not the "true faith" either.
Remember that Freemasonry is not a single-minded organization. It is a multitude of structures, groups, and units that are tied together by a common historical tradition. We have no "one voice," nor one leader, nor one ritual. Our critics pick and choose their quotations or dramatizations from any era, source, or supply that meets their particular needs.
I have never argued with single minded fundamentalists. They are always, ALWAYS, in their own mind, absolutely right. They must destroy all other systems to prove their own right to exist. They can always justify their stance on the basis of their own interpretation of their Source (such as the Word). And they need money to exist. If they cannot survive on their own, then they must invade or utilize some already proven source (such as the type and quality of people who make up most fraternal groups and, most especially, Freemasonry).
I represent a whole host of competent hardworking ministers who labor in a parish and who really carry the load of pastoral care and concern. Many of us belong to fraternal, civic, or community groups. We do so with personal joy at the sense of unity, openness, and morality that these groups promote. These groups are not organized religions. They not only do not compete with the Christian faith, but in reality are supportive of it. It is disturbing that the opponents of Freemasonry are, in effect, attacking that which is supportive of Christian faith. The "Christian" anti-Masonic leaders are not only inaccurate in their attack on Freemasonry but they also are. in my opinion, making a far more serious attack on the basic Christian faith under whose banner they claim to operate.
How do I respond to these attacks? What do I say? I do not respond directly to the attacker. The attacker is shrewd. He attacks the weak spot of his enemy. In our case that weakest spot is not, as the attacker would have you believe and thus defend, in our rituals, customs, and traditions. It is in the members themselves who have had only ritualistic education about Freemasonry.
Where Freemasonry has instructed its candidates in its history, purpose, and intent and where a local Lodge is going about its business with pride and dignity, there is very little that anti-Masonic groups can do to destroy the Craft.
Forrest D. Haggard was ordained by the Kansas Church of Christ and is the Founding Pastor of the Overland Park Kansas Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where he has served since 1953. He has been in the ministry for 44 years and a Master Mason for 43 years. A Past Grand Master of Masons in Kansas, General Secretary of the World Office of the Churches of Christ (Disciples, Christian. and Church of Christ).
ABRAHAM LINCOLN was accused of being an atheist because of his nonaffiliation with any church. He is attributed with this reply:
I have never united myself to any church because I have found difficulty in giving my assent without mental reservations to the long complicated statements of Christian doctrine which characterize their articles of belief and confessions of faith. When any church will inscribe above its altars, as its sole qualification for membership, the Savior's condensed statement of the substance of both law and gospel, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself," that church I will join with all my heart and all my soul.
Needless to say, Lincoln has enshrined his memory in the hearts of millions for eternity.
Contributed by: Donald Lee. Arnold, 32d Pocatello, Idaho, Scottish Rite Bodies
I Am Proud To Be A Mason
Rabbi Seymour Atlas, 33d 4321 North 41st Court Hollywood, Florida 33021-1823
With nearly 50 years service as a Rabbi and a Mason to his credit, Brother Atlas recalls with pride the highlights of his career as a clergyman and Mason.
AS A YOUNGSTER, one of my favorite dreams and aspirations lingered with me for many years, until my petition was approved for initiation into Freemasonry. Looking back over the years, I realize this desire came from a photograph that I admired and wanted to emulate.
This photograph was one of my father, may he rest in peace, standing with other Masons on the steps of the Masonic Temple in Greenville, Mississippi. As he stood with his Masonic Brothers, it was as if a feeling of pride and joy was emanating from them, as if there were no equals to them. How proud I was of my father, and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a Mason and follow the Masonic teaching as he had.
I was brought up in a religious home, a son of a Rabbi with seven generations of Rabbis preceding me; and yet with this religious background, I felt I could still derive much from and give much to this Fraternity, for the good and welfare of mankind.
When I reached my 21st birthday, one of my first thoughts was to submit my petition to become a Mason! There was no hesitation or second thought, for this was the beginning of fulfilling a lifelong dream. With prayer and trepidation I awaited the call that my petition was approved.
Having been so informed over 40 years ago, I was filled with pride and anticipation that soon I would be welcomed into the Masonic Bodies. I walked on air and thanked God that I would be able to follow in the footsteps of my father and bring him the joy and pleasure of knowing his son was accepted into the ranks of men of integrity and righteousness.
I shall never forget my first thought as I made my initial entrance into the Masonic Lodge that conferred the Entered Apprentice Degree on me, and followed with the Fellow Craft and Master Mason Degrees. I was immediately made to feel that I was surrounded by Brothers. I felt there were no strangers present. This was one big family that seemed to have adopted me, and I, in turn, was elated to adopt them as my family.
Having completed my Symbolic Lodge Degrees and passed all examinations with perfection, I immediately became an instructor for others and became active in Masonry, never failing to attend the meetings and partake of the fellowship as often as my profession would permit, and I must say it was quite frequently on a regular basis.
My cup was running over with pride, and I looked forward to my advancement into higher Degrees. I soon advanced through the Scottish Rite Degrees, being a candidate in several and offered the honor and privilege to speak for the class as to my true feelings and impressions of the particular Degrees for which I was the candidate.
My horizon of Masonry expanded, and my pride and joy were bubbling and effervescent. I couldn't wait to be able to confer the Degrees on others as there was so much I wanted to explain and elaborate about each Degree.
I was offered this opportunity and immediately began to study and memorize many parts, and over the years I became very active, holding office, lecturing, and taking an active part in every phase of Masonry where my talents and abilities could be used. One aspect of Masonry that has made a great impression on me was the ability of all Brothers, regardless of religion, to ask me why did I need Masonry as a Rabbi, because my profession was one of integrity, kindness, honesty, and all the attributes expounded in Masonry. It was difficult for many to grasp my need for this addition and supplement to religion. I worked with men of different religions, as well as of the Hebrew faith, and they were all impressed when I would say that Masonry is not a religion, but to be a Mason we had to believe in God, and if this was the only aspect of our religion and we had no other formal religion, yet we adhered to all the moral teachings of Masonry; this too would have put us in the category of men of integrity. However, Masonry is not a substitute for religion, nor is it a religion.
My experience has shown that Masons are, for the most part, deeply religious men. I am proud to be a Mason and a part of an organization that is devoted to helping, without question or embarrassment, widows, orphans, and those in need.
I am proud to be a Mason and to be a part of a Fraternity dedicated to the upholding of the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights.
I am proud to be a Mason who believes in the freedom of mankind and the sanctity of human life.
I am proud to be a Mason who believes in the dignity of God's children and opposes hatred and bigotry, and stands for truth, justice, kindness, integrity, and righteousness for all.
I am proud to be a Mason and shall always be happy to number myself among those who uphold those cardinal principles and moral standards of life that are so needed if our organization is to continue on the high level that has been its character from its inception. May God grant it continued strength to go, to grow, and to glow so that I and all Masons can exclaim: "I am proud to be a Mason!"
Seymour Atlas retired in 1990 from Beth Judah Temple, Wildwood. NJ. after 46 years in active Rabbinate as a Pulpit Rabbi in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and New Jersey as well as an Auxiliary Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force and Coast Guard. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies and the Shrine of Montgomery, Alabama. He was inducted into the Legion of Honor of the Chapel of Four Chaplains in Philadelphia, PA.
"A fanatic is a man that does what he thinks th' Lord wud do if He knew th' facts iv th' case."
Finley Peter Dunne as "Mr. Dooley," Writer
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."
Sir Winston Churchill, Statesman
"Fanaticism consists of redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim."
George Santayana, Philosopher
"From fanaticism to barbarianism is only one step." Denis Diderot, Encyclopedist
Merry-Go-Round A Response to Mr. John Ankerberg
Jim Tresner, 33d P.O. Box 70 Guthne, OK 73044-0070
"The John Ankerberg Show" has sent out a circular in response to the February 1993 special issue of The Scottish Rite Journal. Near the end of that circular, Mr. Ankerberg invites a Freemason in good standing to respond.
I've been asked to do so.
I can qualify as a Freemason in good standing, so long as good standing is taken, in its Masonic sense, to mean current in my dues and not under suspension. If, however, Mr. Ankerberg means "a Mason who can speak authoritatively," I must beg off. No Mason may speak with authority for Masonry, only for himself.
First, it is a genuine pleasure to see from the newsletter that most of the issues have finally been put to rest. Mr. Ankerberg comments that the February issue of The Scottish Rite Journal dealing with the theme of "Freemasonry and Religion" is "Impressive. Very impressive!" (It is indeed, and as one of the writers in that issue, I can tell you it is a humbling experience to appear in the same pages as such eminent Churchmen and Masonic writers.) Second, since Mr. Ankerberg appears to have dropped the questions, we can gratefully assume there is now agreement (1) that a man can be and frequently is a good, highly placed, responsible, spirit-filled church leader and a sincere, devoted Mason, (2) that Masonry has a long and honorable tradition in support of religion, and (3) that intelligent men have finally put to rest the ridiculous charges that Masonry is satanic or pagan.
The remaining issues Mr. Ankerberg identifies are essentially semantic--that is they center around the meanings of words and symbols.
The first centers around the statement, "We are religious, not a religion." Anyone who has read Masonic writers dealing with this topic knows it is a difficult one. Probably none of us are completely happy with the statement-- but it may be as close as we can come to defining a situation which English does not handle well.
Perhaps it might be better to say, "Freemasonry acknowledges that man is inherently a religious being and celebrates that inherent religiousness, without trying to tell a man how he should worship or the details of what he should believe."
Mr. Ankerberg is in error when he says that "Freemasonry defines religion to suit its own distinctive purposes." Freemasonry, of course, does not define religion at all. Various Masonic writers have defined religion, simply because of the duty of a writer to define his terms. But essentially, Freemasonry is happy to let anyone define religion for himself as he wishes. We only start arguing when someone works out a definition of religion, and then tries to force that definition on us as a way of attacking us.
Ankerberg argues that Masonry defines what God is like and, in the process, defines away many qualities that various religions hold dear. To prove this, he quotes Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia. Doing so proves what Coil had to say, but it does not prove what Masonry has to say. These do seem to be hard points to get across to anti-Masons, but let's try once more.
I. No Masonic writer can or does speak for Masonry; he speaks only for himself.
II. Each Mason conceives of God as his own religion leads him.
Ankerberg insists that it is semantic slight of hand if the candidate and the Mason conferring the Degree have different definitions of God. But that's toleration, not slight of hand. In fact, given a fundamental principle of General Semantics--that each person has his own definition for EVERY word--it is inescapable.
And then, Ankerberg again asserts that Masonry teaches salvation by good works and that the apron is the proof. Since we speak of "purity of life and rectitude of conduct," he concludes that we teach such purity and rectitude are sufficient to gain admission into Heaven.
Masonic Ritual does not say that these are sufficient. Nowhere does Masonry say what is sufficient. That is the business of a church, not a fraternity. The Mason finds that answer in his faith, not in his Lodge. And that's what we encourage him to do. We point him to the Holy Bible (not the Masonic Monitor or his apron) and encourage him to search therein for the foundation on which to build his life.
Also, Ankerberg misses the point. The apron symbolizes or represents purity and rectitude of conduct, but from whence do they come and how are they defined? For me and most Christian Masons, they come from the acceptance of Jesus Christ. My Jewish Brothers tell me that, for them, they come from following the Law of the Covenant. A Brother who is a follower of Islam tells me that, for him, they come from submission to the will of Allah. And that's exactly why Masonry does not define them. Purity and rectitude are defined by faith, not fraternity.
One more ride on the semantic merry-go-round. Ankerberg asserts that if Freemasonry were not a religion and didn't have something to hide, we would not resent investigation of Freemasonry. But it isn't investigation we resent, it's attack. It may be that Mr. Ankerberg has so highly evolved as a spiritual being that it would not distress him if someone called him a liar to his face, or insulted his father by suggesting he were either a practicing pagan or too stupid to know the difference. If so, I honor him for his evolution.
But I have not evolved so far.
Jim Trasner is the Director of the Masonic Leadership Institute. He is also Director of the Thirty-third Degree Conferral Team at his Temple and Director of the Work at the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He holds a B.A. with majors in Communications. Theatre, English and Psychology, a M.A. in Communication Theory, a M.B.A. and a Ph.D in Business Communications. He has served on the editorial board of The Scottish Rite Journal, is on the staff of The Oklahoma Scottish Rite Mason, serves as a video script consultant to the National Masonic Renewal Committee, and is editor of The Oklahoma Mason. He is considered a scholar in the interpretation of Masonic symbols and ritual and has authored numerous articles, video scripts, and booklets on Masonic subjects.
One of Brother Tresner's most recent and effective short works, appearing in the February 1993 issue of The Scottish Rite Journal, is the essay entitled "Conscience and the Craft." This essay, which supplies answers to the criticisms most frequently aimed at Freemasonry, has been made into a fine VHS videotape that makes an excellent Masonic program for any Blue Lodge or Scottish Rite or Shrine Temple. To order copies of the video version of "Conscience and the Craft" please send a check for $25.00 payable to The Grand Lodge of Iowa, P.O. Box 279, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402. For copies of the pamphlet, call 405-282-1281 or write: The Scottish Rite, P.O. Box 70, Guthric, Oklahoma 73044-0070.
Signs, Symbols and Silliness
Rex R. Hutchens, 33d Rev. Donald W. Monson, 32d, K.'.C.'.C.'.H.'. P. O. Box 391, Tucson, Arizona 85702-0391
Anti-Masons who accuse Freemasonry of using pagan or "Satanic" symbols fail to realize that a symbol has only the meaning attributed to it by its user of the moment-not the meaning given it in other times by other persons. If this were not so, neither Christianity nor Freemasonry would have any symbols at all.
One of the more interesting charges against Freemasonry is its use of supposed "pagan" symbols. Common examples cited include the Order of the Eastern Star's inverted five-pointed star and the Cross of Salem, the emblem of the Sovereign Grand Commander of an Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Jurisdiction. The English occultist Aleister Crowley used the Cross of Salem, and it is, supposedly, a symbol of "Baphomet," a pagan god or another name for Satan.
Critics also bring up the parallels between the symbolism of the Rosicrucians and the Scottish Rite's Eighteenth Degree. These claims are particularly ironic, given the overt Christian interpretation used in the Masonic Ritual. Even such common symbols as the sun and moon are given an occult slant in the antiMasonic press.
While the use of different symbols is seldom in dispute, the interpretation of them is difficult. Taking the first example, the inverted five-pointed star, we may come to an understanding of the difficulty. This is the primary symbol of the Order of the Eastern Star, a Masonically affiliated organization that admits women who have close relatives as Masons. The symbol's source, however, is Christianity, not Satanism or the occult. The downward point represents the star seen in the east by the wise men (hence Eastern Star), pointing to the place of Jesus' birth and representing the decent of the divine to partake of earthly existence. However other groups distort the meaning of this profound symbol, its holy character is not affected unless we allow it. After all, the five-pointed star on the Congressional Medal of Honor, like the Order of the Eastern Star's symbol, is inverted, and no one has suggested any Satanic implications.
So many groups and individuals have used the Cross of Salem that it can hardly be said to possess any meaning other than that intended by its user. The same also applies for the sun and the moon- probably the two most common symbols in the history of man. Attaching the name "Baphomet" to the Cross of Salem is totally arbitrary and has no significance. Critics charged the Templars with the adoration of Baphomet as a demonic object of worship, usually described as a disembodied head. The name is thought to be a corruption of "Mohammed," the prophet of Islam, though other interpretations have been suggested. Idris Shah, in his inspirational work The Sufis, suggests it is a corruption of the Arabic phrase which means "father of wisdom." "Baphomet" is used in no Masonic Ritual of which we are aware.
Consider the All-Seeing Eye, commonly identified as a Masonic symbol. The reason for the association becomes clear when one considers Psalm 33:18, "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope for his mercy." The symbol is found on the reverse side of the Great Seal of the United States, and critics claim the All Seeing Eye is evidence of pagan traditions in Freemasonry which have been brought surreptitiously into our national symbols. Its Egyptian origin is a certainty, though it did not represent Osiris, as both Masonic and anti-Masonic works often claim, but rather his son Horus, the Egyptian god of time. Christians adopted the image in the Middle Ages as a fitting symbol of God. While the symbol is used in Masonic Ritual, its meaning is given as representing God, and the early Masons who adopted it from what was then Christian symbolism probably had no idea as to its Egyptian origins. Even the occasionally eccentric interpretations of Albert Pike can give no offense in this regard, for he considers the All-Seeing Eye a symbol of the continuous light of the sun, itself a symbol of the continual spiritual light given by God to man.
The pagan roots of a symbol have nothing to do with its modern interpretation. What Christian would want his faith judged by the adoption of the Persian sun-god Mithras' birthday as Jesus' birthday or the use of the pagan goddess Oestre's name (hence Easter) to name the holiest season in the Christian calendar? The dove was a symbol of the Greek goddess Venus before it became a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Pagan names dot the cultural landscape of Western civilization; automobiles, books, months in our calendar, days of the week, constellations all contain examples of the continuing influence of our pagan heritage. In the Sistine Chapel, the very center of Medieval Christendom, Raphael painted an epic portrait of the greatest pagan philosophers.
A symbol has the meaning attributed to it by the current user-not the meaning given it in other times by other persons. If this were not so, neither Christianity nor Freemasonry would have any symbols at all.
Light is the most profound of Masonic symbols. While not specifically pagan, its symbolic use in the Lodge often causes much confusion. The anti-Masonic press is fond of ridiculing the idea of a Christian being "in darkness" when he has the light of Christ in his life. No Masonic Ritual accuses the Entered Apprentice of being in spiritual darkness. Darkness, to the Mason, represents ignorance just as Light represents knowledge. Masonic knowledge is earthly knowledge and an awareness of the benefits of the tenets of the Craft: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. As the great American humorist Bro.'. Will Rogers, 32d, once said, "Everybody is ignorant, just about different things." Christians attend college and take courses dispelling the darkness in their lives with respect to the subjects they are studying. Freemasonry is the advocate of a liberal education-studying the wisdom of the past to guide actions in the present. The darkness we seek to dispel is intellectual, not spiritual. What Masonry's symbols can do, and have done, for many men is help them to understand their spiritual and moral shortcomings and lead them to seek the answers to their spiritual questions in the appropriate places, whether it be a church, synagogue, or mosgue.
Rex R. Hutchens is a Past Master of Epes Randolph Lodge No. 32 Adobe Lodge No. 41, and South Arizona Research Lodge No. 2. He is also a Past Venerable Master and Past Wise Master of the Tucson Scottish Rite Bodies. Presently Personal Representative of the S.'.G.'.I.'.G.'. in Arizona for the Valley of Tucson, he is also active in the York Rite and several scholarly research societies. Dr. Hutchens teaches philosophy for Pima Community College.
Donald W. Monson is Rector of St. Michael and All Angels- Episcopal Church, Phoenix. Arizona. He is also the General Grand Chaplain of the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International and the Junior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Arizona. Reverend Monson is, along with Dr. Rex R. Hutchens, the coauthor of the new book The Bible in Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma.
WHY I BECAME A MASON
Dr. Alvin C. Rose, 32d 1013 Christopher Lane Ashland City, Tennessee 37015
A member of the Churches of Christ tells of his personal journey from anti-Masonry to membership in the Masonic Fraternity.
I read and hear today of people of some faiths who speak out against being a Mason. They usually say that Masonry is a religion and, therefore, is a rival to other religions, including Christianity.
I know where they are coming from. I grew up in an anti-Masonic tradition myself. I grew up believing that Masonry was a religion, and a false one at that. For many years I believed one could not be a faithful Christian and also be a Mason. And, like many anti-Masons today, I grew up in a judging tradition.
I once believed I had the Bible down pat.
I once believed I knew just about all there was to know about the Bible.
I once believed that I was right in all of my interpretations about the Bible and Bible-related issues. Therefore, anyone who disagreed with any of my conclusions was obviously in the wrong.
I once believed that only myself and those who shared my views on any of the issues that I believed to be matters of faith were truly Christians.
I once believed everyone else was necessarily lost and would never have eternal life with God.
I am grateful to be able to say that, as I have continued to be a student of the Holy Scriptures, I have allowed the Holy Spirit, Who dwells within me, to work within me and allow me to grow spiritually in God's word. The more I study the Bible, the more I have come to realize that I never have known all there is to know about God's divine will, and perhaps I never will. Yet, I intend to continue to study, and grow, and press on toward the higher calling of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Many years ago, I discovered that many men of my religious fellowship, the Churches of Christ, were Masons. I have always considered members of the Churches of Christ to be Christians, and I wondered how men who claimed to be Christians could also be Freemasons.
I began to study Freemasonry to be able to prove to these Christian brothers that they were biblically wrong to also be Masons. While I was doing this, a Christian brother who was a Mason challenged me to continue my study. He told me that if I ever became a Mason and found anything in the Lodge that was anti-Christian, to let him know, and he and I would leave the Lodge together.
As I continued to study what Masonic materials were available to me, I found nothing in Masonry that was anti-Christian, nor anti any other religion for that matter. And during that time, I learned what happened to a boy named Walter.
Walter was about seven years old and was a student at a nearby elementary school. He had taken his household trash outside and was burning it. An aerosol can happened to be in that particular bag of trash, and the heat caused the container to explode, sending burning material over much of Walter's arm and leg.
When some area Shriners learned what happened to Walter, they came to his rescue. At no expense to Walter's family, the Shriners sent Walter and his mother to the Shrine burns hospital in Cincinnati. The Shriners paid for transportation, medical, food, and lodging costs for Walter and his mom.
My parents-in-law live in Cincinnati, and we told them about Walter and his mother being there with no friends and family nearby. My in-laws often visited Walter and his mother and gave them someone to know while they were a long way from home. Like me, my parents-in-law were positively impressed with how well the Shriners provided for Walter and his mom.
I wanted to become a Shriner and help them help kids as they had helped Walter. I knew that one had to be a Mason before one could become a Shriner.
I soon petitioned for membership at the local Masonic Lodge, Ashland Lodge No. 604, in Ashland City, Tennessee. I received the first three Masonic Degrees at Ashland Lodge, and I proudly remain a member of that Lodge today. Some years later, I received the 29 Degrees of the Scottish Rite and then joined the Al Menah Shrine Temple in Nashville.
I have found that Masonry promotes friendship, brotherly love, moral living, and charity. Being a Mason gives me additional opportunities to participate in those attributes.
Masonry in no way replaces or opposes my Christian faith. It does, however, allow my faith to work with people and in situations that would not otherwise be possible for me.
I regret ever having had antiMasonic views. My views were the result of my ignorance about this fraternal organization.
I also regret being a hypercritical judge towards other people in religious matters. The more I study the Bible, the more I realize how desperately all people, including myself, need God's grace and mercy.
God wants all people to be saved. He offers His grace to all who will receive it and who will attempt to the best of their ability and understanding to obey His word.
That is the kind of life I want to live. Whosoever will, please join me.
Alvin C. Rose is a supervisor of secondary education (grades 7-12) for the public schools of Cheatham County, Tennessee. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Nashville, TN, and Al Menah Shrine Temple of Nashville.
Former President Supports Moderate Southern Baptists Compiled from The Washington Post, January 28, 1993. Page A13
Former President Jimmy Carter announced at the end of January that he will leave the Southern Baptist Convention. During an interview with Baptists Today, a biweekly newspaper in Decatur, Georgia, Carter said he will join the more moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). In his announcement Carter said, "Rosalynn and I have become increasingly uncomfortable with the policies of the dominant clique in the Southern Baptist Convention." A life-long Southern Baptist, Carter added, "We will share our personal gifts, time and influence with CBF," while remaining"loyal Baptists."
In addition, President Carter recently sent a letter to his pastor at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. The editor of Baptists Today, Jack U. Harwell, quoted from the letter where the former President says "the political and religious policies of Southern Baptist Convention leaders are no longer compatible with our [the Carter's] Christian beliefs ...."
In a related matter, former President Carter has played a behind-the-scenes role in gaining support for the CBF. Keith Parks, former president of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board, joined the CBF on February 1, 1993. Parks admitted that Carter had talked to him "before I made the decision [to join the CBF] and let me know of his interest." Carter did not influence his decision, but "the fact of his interest certainly was encouraging to me."
According to Bill Leonard, chairman of the religion department at Samford University in Birmingham, Carter and Parks "have enhanced the future and credibility" of the CBF. Leonard, who wrote a recent history of the Southern Baptist Convention, added the denomination has begun to break apart internally. "What I have called in the past 'fragmentation' is the order of the day," he said.
Editor's note: Many believe the Southern Baptist Convention's growing disintegration is tied to its recent pursuit of ultra-nght goals, including its attack on Freemasonry as incompatible with Southern Baptist doctrine. This May issue, like the February, 1993, issue of The Scottish Rite Journal, examines this subject and confirms the compatibility of Freemasonry and Christianity.
CALLING MASONS SATANIC IS FOLLY
Paul Harasim Reprinted with permission from The Houston Post, Copyright 1993
A Houston columnist who is not a Mason describes the criticism of Freemasonry by an extreme faction with the Southern Baptist Convention and calls the attack a "folly."
If Dr. James Holly of Beaumont is right, George Washington, the father of our country, was a devil worshiper. Marvin Zindler has to be one, too.
Ditto for Sam Houston and Presidents James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, James Garfield, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft, Warren Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Gerald Ford.
To take Holly's argument to its logical conclusion, Irving Berlin was under the influence of Satan when he wrote "White Christmas." So was John Wayne when he played in True Grit on the silver screen. And astronaut Buzz Aldrin did devil's work when he flew to the moon.
What makes these people satanic?
Well, Holly says, its because they're Masons, members of the most widely known fraternity in the world-a fraternal group that spends $525 million each year in the United States on charities, including free treatment of children at its network of 22 Shriners hospitals.
Now if we start thinking Holly's way-that Masonry "springs from pits of hell and from the father of lies, Lucifer" because the fraternity accepts people from different religious groups as brothers-chances are our friends would suggest we get our heads examined.
Too Much Time On Hands
But when Holly the Baptist wrote a tract arguing that Masonry is satanic, the Southern Baptist Convention decided a study should be undertaken to determine whether membership in a Masonic Lodge conflicts with its beliefs.
It was not called Holly's Folly. It should have been.
Too many people had too much time on their hands. If they had become Masons, like 1 million other Baptists, they could have found people to help.
In Saturday's Post, you probably read that Masons are breaking their tradition of keeping silent when criticized They've realized ignorance isn't bliss.
They worry that a negative finding against their 4 million-member organization by the 15.3 million-member Southern Baptist Convention when it meets in June could cost membership.
That should worry all of us who care about children. The Shriners hospitals alone have helped more than 500,000 children at no cost.
It's a shame that the Rev. Ed Young, the brilliant preacher at Second Baptist Church and the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, hasn't used his position as a bully pulpit against this nonsense. With America's charities hurting badly, as has been evidenced by United Way's problems, this isn't the time for him to utilize a "don't make waves" leadership style.
Something tells me he understands the five-pointed star sometimes used as a Masonic symbol is not a symbol of witchcraft but the oldest symbol of man-the five points refer to the head, the hands and the feet.
Argument For Tolerance
Holly tries to argue Masonry is a religion. The Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, himself a Mason, says no way.
"Freemasonry has no dogma or theology," he says. "It teaches that it is important for every man to have a religion of his choice and to be faithful to it.... A good Mason is made even more faithful to the tenets of his faith by membership."
Toleration, according to Holly, is Masonry's blackest sin-a definite link with the devil.
Masonic leader Allan D. Large has a memorable response to the charge.
"When you consider," he says, "what intolerance has produced-the Inquisition, the massacre of the inhabitants of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, the burning of Protestants at the stake, the horrors of Hitler, the mass murders of Stalin, the killing fields of Cambodia it is hard to believe that toleration springs from the devil."
Oh, by the way, I'm not a Mason
"A supreme and unchallengeable faith is a deadly enemy to the human mind." Wal Durant History of Civilization
A Letter From Jesse Helms
I have reached the firm conclusion, both as a Southern Baptist and as a Thirty-third Degree Scottish Rite Mason, that far too much has been made of the wrong-headed, albeit sincere, obsession of a Texas Baptist that prompted him to launch a false and unfair vendetta against Freemasonry.
I do not know Dr. James L. Holly, M.D., of Beaumont, Texas. It is not my purpose to attack either his character or his intelligence. Indeed, I give him the benefit of the doubt; I acknowledge that he is probably sincere in his vendetta.
At the same time, I would advise him, and those who may have accepted his unfortunate views, that Dr. Holly is sincerely wrong.
The Southern Baptist Convention is not led by foolish men and women who would allow themselves to be tugged over the cliff by this unfounded and unfair vendetta. Most of SBC's leaders are friends of mine. Moreover, the fact that Dr. Holly's motion at the 1992 SBC Convention asking that a "study" be made of Freemasonry was at best routine and the 1993 Convention is supposed to receive a routine report on that "study."
I have been a Southern Baptist since my childhood. I have served two Baptist Churches as deacon and Sunday School teacher. I have been a Mason for 45 years. I note that Dr. Holly has been described as a "conservative." I too have been so described.
Many hotheaded "liberals" have gone ballistic since their having been deposed from their longtime control of the Southern Baptist Convention. It would be unfortunate if Dr. Holly allows himself to be used by these angry people, resulting in great harm to the Southern Baptist Convention.
My advice to the 1993 SBC Convention, for whatever it is worth, is that the Messengers give Dr. Holly's motion a quick and quiet demise. The Southern Baptist Convention has far more important things to do.
Sincerely and fraternally,
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MASONIC LODGE
A college student from a Masonic family contrasts the good done by Masonic philanthropies to the negative and divisive effects of anti-Masonry.
Paula O'Neal Senior, Political Science Department University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 30612 Reprinted from The Cochran Journal, Cochran, Georgia
In the May 28, 1992, issue of The Christian Index, there was an article published in which several arguments were brought out against the Masonic Lodge. I choose to reply to these because I feel I can provide an informed response to the allegations in this article and also those brought out locally by concerned members in our community.
First, James Holly accuses the Masonic Lodge of causing the demise of many Southern Baptist churches. Amazingly, Mr. Holly refuses to acknowledge any other possible factors that could contribute to the decline in membership. Furthermore, he fails to cite exactly how the Masonic Lodges are causing this phenomena, or even to establish a connection between Lodge membership and the decrease in Southern Baptist Churches. Without solid evidence, I fear Mr. Holly fails in successfully supporting this particular argument. There is something prevalent in human nature that makes it easier to cast the blame for a problem elsewhere, regardless of how futile that action may be, than openly to admit that they are in ignorance of what is really causing the problem and of a solution to the problem.
Second, Mr. Holly states that he is not attacking the individual Masons because most Masons "are not knowledgeable of what they are participating in, and they don't take seriously what the lodge officially says." This statement is flawed for different reasons. It shows that Mr. Holly himself is not as well acquainted with the practices of the Lodge as he professes to be. First, to earn Degrees one must have a very good understanding of the functions, rules, regulations, and beliefs tied to the Lodge. Also, before anyone can even become a Mason, he must believe in a Supreme Being. One special aspect of the Lodge is that it does not discriminate on the basis of color or religion. Baptists, as well as members of any other monotheistic religion, are welcome. By holding in common a belief in a Higher Being, it seems that this would only serve to strengthen Christian faith, not destroy it, because it unites fellow Christians in fraternal bonds that exceed the limitations of one particular denomination.
Saying that the men are not "knowledgeable of what they are participating in" implies that these men are ignorant and incapable of fully understanding the principles behind the Lodge. This is insulting to the mentality of these men and the motives behind their actions. It implies they do not understand what they involve themselves in. The latter part of his statement insinuates that they do not take their commitments to the organization seriously. Perhaps he feels Masonry is wrong because it is not solely based on just the principles of the Baptist doctrine. By mandating that all members believe in a Supreme Being without specifically naming the Supreme Being, this insures against the alienation of any particular religion. Baptists do not share the same beliefs as Methodists, Catholics, Jews or many other religions. This does not mean that these religions, just because they do not follow the exact same doctrine as the Southern Baptists, are satanic or occultic.
The charities that these organizations fund speak for their validity and the good character of the people who are members. The Masonic Lodge sponsors Masonic Children's Homes, one being located in Macon, Georgia. These homes provide care for children who come from broken or abusive homes, or homes where their parents are unable financially to provide the basic needs for the children. Once the child reaches eighteen, the home helps to provide for future schooling should the child wish to continue his or her education. The Eastern Star, which is a Masonic ladies' organization, has a retirement home for widows. The Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, has clinics that treat children for language and learning disabilities. Masons treat all degrees of illness and different kinds of cancers. Masonic hospitals are staffed with some of the best medical personnel in the country and use some of the most advanced medical technology. The York Rite has the York Rite Eye Foundation. This provides medical treatment for people with eye injuries, those needing eye surgery and treatment, and those who cannot afford to buy glasses for themselves.
The Shriners have two kinds of more specialized hospitals that they fund. There are nineteen Shriners Crippled Children Hospitals. These deal primarily with orthopedic problems and surgeries. They provide prosthetics for children without limbs and perform major surgeries to help them function as normal children. The Shriners also have three burn centers where they care for severely burned children. All of these hospitals are recognized nationally as being staffed with the very best professionals in the designated medical fields. Separating these hospitals from others is the fact that these hospitals are free for those who cannot afford medical care. Not only do Shriners provide medical care for the child, but they also provide transportation to and from these hospitals by vans belonging to the Shrine Temples. In cases of emergency, the Temple provides air transportation, absorbing all costs, to fly children to the burn centers. On top of this, they provide food and lodging for the parents to enable them to stay near their children while they are hospitalized.
I was brought up in the Baptist faith, and the one thing that I was taught as being most important is the love for all of humanity. Jesus taught love for all humanity, regardless of sex, race, religion, or class. I was taught that it is the community's responsibility to care for its members and that it is up to the individual to help provide for those less fortunate. That is exactly the primary purpose of these Masonic organizations. They start all meetings and gathering with prayer and end them with prayer. During the meetings, the Bible is open upon an altar, just as in many churches. These are not characteristics indicative of the occult or satanic worship.
My father is a Mason, Scottish Rite, and Shriner. My mother is in the Eastern Star. I have seen the good the dedication of these members has brought about. If one feels I am biased, then I suggest they ask those who have benefited from Masonry's hospitals and foundations to find out how they feel about the organizations. Ask the young girl who recently spoke at the Shrine Temple in Macon about her experience with the Shriners. She was once given little hope of ever walking, but the Shrine Hospital performed operations on her legs, fit her with prosthetic limbs, and she is now captain of her cheerleading team. This is not an isolated incident. There are thousands like her who have benefited from these organizations.
People often fear what they do not understand or have little knowledge of. When others are privy to information they lack, jealousy often arises. This jealousy can take the form of malicious rumors and gossip, slandering the reputation of the innocent. The real truth is out there for those who care to find it.
Perhaps before Dr. Holly so eagerly condemns, he should first try to understand and look beyond his very limited view. This also applies to the others who are anxious to criticize. If these people would put half as much time and energy into productively contributing to those who are in real need of their help, think of how many would reap the benefits! At the same time, they would be much more in line with practicing the doctrines they supposedly espouse. It is hard to respect groups that try to promote themselves by exploiting and destroying others. Upon evaluation of their actions, these groups are, in my opinion, living in contradiction of their faith.
Paula O'Neal is presently a first-year student at the University of Georgia School of Law where she is serving as one of the Vice Presidents of her class. In 1992, she was awarded an internship with U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. Both her father and mother are active in the Scottish Rite, Valley of Macon GA; Eastern Star Chapter No. 400, Cochran, GA; Al Sihah Shrine Temple and Daughters of the Nile, Ha Hisla Temple, both in Macon Georgia.
The National Grand Lodge of Norway and the Norwegian Church
Leif Ottersen Grand Prelate The National Grand Lodge of Norway Olaf Bulls Veg 11 C 0765 Oslo 7, Norway
The Grand Prelate, a clergyman, of the National Grand Lodge of Norway explains that Masonic membership by clergy of the Norwegian Church is not at variance with ordination vows. On the contrary, many clergymen have found in Freemasonry the "inspiration to renew their efforts in the service of the Church."
FROM time to time, the National Grand Lodge of Norway (NGLN) attracts the attention of the media. We are prepared for this and understand it. Unfortunately, however, the articles of some journalists are mere criticism rather than scientific research in its true sense. The result of such criticism has been a strained relationship between the Norwegian Church and the NGLN.
This is a heavy burden for Norwegian Freemasonry, and we are determined to correct misunderstandings by placing much greater emphasis on openness and by promulgating factual information on all activities of the NGLN. The brunt of attacks directed against the Order are based on sources of an unreliable nature. The concoction of partial truths taken out of context and so-called "facts" reminds us of a well-known line from our great national playwright, Henrik Ibsen: "The wrong point of departure gives a corresponding result."
The picture of Freemasonry painted by our attackers is such that we hardly recognize ourselves in it, and the picture itself has become a means of aggression. We disagree entirely with the objections raised against the work of the NGLN, and we refute the following false claims in order to clarify the true stand of Freemasonry in Norway and throughout the world.
The NGLN Is A Secret Order.
We are not and do not wish to be a "secret conspiratorial network within Norwegian society" as we are depicted in some tabloid journalism. In contrast, NGLN is a legally registered organization with all our articles and membership lists open to the public. Our meetings are advertised, our buildings are well marked, and many parts of our buildings, with the exception of ceremonial rooms, are frequently employed for public functions.
Also, the NGLN is a "closed brotherhood" only in the same way that life meets us unprepared and "closed." We learn as we live. Similarly, a school is "closed" until we enter its portals, attend its classes, and learn the wisdom it has to offer. If Freemasonry, like any other educational institution, were not "closed," it would lose all meaning. It would be tantamount to a school not requiring attendance and supplying beforehand the answers to all examinations.
The NGLN Has Rituals Which Are Frightening.
Freemasonry, like Christianity, uses symbols of the hereafter. In our modern world, however, people endeavor to escape from the fact that life must end as it started. Thus the traditional symbols of death have come to be regarded as unpleasant and even unethical. We can give assurance, without going into detail, that the rituals of Freemasonry are in no way a flippant use of symbols that would violate human dignity. On the contrary, the Order seeks to help each individual to meet his mortal condition as a purely realistic inevitability, combined with the consolation which the grace of God can give.
The NGLN And Masonry Are Part Of An Evil International "New World Order."
Freemasonry is international in that the NGLN, like many other Masonic Bodies, maintains contacts and fellowship with numerous foreign Orders. This does not mean, however, that the NGLN or any other Masonic Order, agrees with what takes place Masonically in other countries. Each Masonic Body is autonomous and independent. The desire to participate internationally without being responsible for the activities of other organizations is a familiar problem for all global institutions whether they are fraternal, ecclesiastical, or political.
Freemasonry Is A Substitute For The Church.
It is Freemasonry's express aim NOT to compete with the Church, any - Church. The NGLN is not a creed; it is a fraternity. Freemasonry is a system of teaching without a creed as such, apart from each member's own persuasions. Freemasonry offers no sacraments; its rituals are symbolic, not religious; the Order offers no plan of salvation; the Lodge teaches an acknowledgement of the value of deeds but also stresses their limitation.
The NGLN strives to make Freemasonry a means by which men can join their congregations and participate in their Church activities. The NGLN Article, Chapter 2, section 7, states, in part: "He [the Freemason] must be zealous and industrious by prayer in service, and confirm his sincerity of thought by showing mercy and goodwill to his Brothers and to his fellow man by counsel and deed."
In light of the above, we clergy in the National Grand Lodge of Norway see no conflict between our work within the Church and within Freemasonry. We wish to continue our labors along these lines, which is why we regard it as an asset for parish priests all over the country to be initiated in the Masonic Order. We have observed how the participation of clergy in Freemasonry has proved beneficial. That the majority of the clergy themselves reap personal and moral benefit from their activities in the Order is another side of the matter.
We therefore plead for the confidence of the bishops, not only for the sake of the NGLN but also for the Norwegian Church in general so that closer relations can be established between ow respective institutions. We, for ow part, are open to any suggestions as to how the NGLN can contribute to achieving this goal.
Leif Ottersen has been Rector and, since 1972, Dean of Oslo Cathedral, becoming Very Reverend Dean in 1988. He was ordained in the Norwegian Church in 1959, raised a Mason in 1960, and has served as Grand Prelate (NGLN) since 1979. The King of Norway has honored him with the St. Olav's Medal and the Olav V's Memory Medal.
Editor's Note: The above article is an edited, abbreviated version of a 1992 communication by Bro.'. Ottersen to the Bishops of the Norwegian Church. The Scottish Rite Journal is very grateful to Bro.'. Jens E. Lassen, Grand Secretary, The National Grand Lodge of Denmark, for translating the original article into English.
BLUEGRASS ROOTS: KENTUCKY MINISTERS SPEAK OUT
Summary: Many ministers who are Masons have written to the Southern Baptist Convention and/or The Scottish Rite Journal expressing dismay at criticisms of Freemasonry which are based on the claim it is a religion. Here is a sampling from the "Bluegrass State" of Kentucky.
I am not a Mason, but I want to thank you for publishing the February 1993 issue of The Scottish Rite Journal. It was very informative in helping to confirm what my studies and experiences have revealed concerning Masonry and religion. The recent attacks against Freemasonry are unfounded.
Recently, for the first time in my 18 years in the ministry, a person's qualification for leadership in the church was questioned due to his being a Mason. The questioners had read some books and seen some programs which would cause any concerned Christian to question. If the assertions were true, then certainly no person so involved in antiChristian activities could serve as elder, deacon, or preacher.
The elders and minister did a study. We read the books that labeled Masonry as a religious cult, and found that the basic presupposition that Masonry is a religion did not seem to bear weight. After interviewing Masons I have known in three states (including the former Senior Minister here who is now my Associate Minister of Visitation, A. Paul Reece, Sr., and one of my present elders, Ken Horn), the church leaders met and discussed our findings. We have concluded that these attacks are "much ado about nothing." The Mason was approved. We are glad to have him.
Your magazine has helped me greatly. Along with my respect for Masons I have known, the February 1993 issue of your magazine has prompted me seriously to consider becoming a Mason, if the Fraternity will have me. Reverend Richard D. Dike Kenwood Heights Christian Church, Louisville, KY
I was saved in September 1942, made a Master Mason on February 6 1946, and ordained to the ministry on May 21, 1950, by Hiawatha Street Missionary Baptist Church, Louisville, KY. It is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Freemasonry has never in any way interfered with my work in the ministry. Matter of fact, Freemasonry has strengthened me as a Christian and a minister, reminding me of my duty to God and my fellowman. Freemasonry has also allowed me to witness for Christ to men I never would have met otherwise.
Freemasonry in no way condones or even hints at the worship of Lucifer. Furthermore, if one would follow the teachings of Freemasonry, it will lead him to Jesus Christ. Elder Clifford Ward, 32d Hiawatha Street Missionary Baptist Church, Louisville, KY Aperson Lodge No. 195 Louisville, KY Lexington, KY, Scottish Rite Bodies
I have been a minister for 59 years and a Mason for 52. I have been Master of my Lodge of about 1,200 men and Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky of about 100,000 men. This means I have given a lot of time to Freemasonry, and I can say with certainty that it is not a religion or a cult. It is a Fraternity dedicated to the welfare of those in need.
Masonry does not claim to be necessary for salvation. Its moral teachings are good, but one can be as moral as Cornelius and be lost. It is through our religion and church that we are saved. God is the way of righteousness and truth. I do not feel I have been wrong in being a Mason. The more people a minister can know, talk to and have fellowship with, the better his chances of bringing them to God's kingdom through a church and religion that will save them.
Reverend Ashky Paul Reece, Sr., 32d Kenwood Heights Christian Church, Louisville, KY Plumb Lodge No. 862, Louisville, KY Louisville, KY, Scottish Rite Bodies
I am writing as a Mason and a Southern Baptist concerned about the charges against Freemasonry made by Dr. James Larry Holly.
I am a better man and a better Christian through the bond of fellowship that I have experienced through the teachings of Freemasonry. I have held in my heart the admonition that I received in one of our Masonic Degrees that I, as a Mason, should never allow Masonry to interfere with my service to God.
I was recently recognized, along with several others, for my having taught Sunday School at Gano Avenue Baptist Church for more than 25 years. During those years, I have also served my Lodge in various capacities, and I can say that the teachings of Masonry have greatly enhanced my ability to serve my church effectively.
Not only am I disturbed by the charges brought by Dr. Holly, but by the inability of our Southern Baptist Convention to deal with these false charges.
Charles C. Johnson, Secretary, 32d, K.'.C.'.C.'.H.'. Gano Avenue Baptist Church, Georgetown, KY Mt. Vernon Lodge No. 14, Georgetown, KY Lexington, KY, Scottish Rite Bodies
I am dismayed by the recent action taken by the Southern Baptist Convention.
I became a Christian and a member of a Southern Baptist Church at the age of 14. At 34 I entered full-time ministry as a SBC preacher and pastor. I have always been proud of my calling and never doubted my relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ and Almighty God. I am now 73 years old, and 40 years of my ministry have been in Louisville, Kentucky.
Shortly after I entered the ministry, I also became a Third Degree Mason. Ten years later, I became a Thirty-second Degree Mason and a member of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. I have been very proud of this relationship and never did I consider there to be any conflict whatsoever between being a Christian and a Mason. The accusation of those in the SBC who began a study of Freemasonry that Lucifer is worshipped by Masons is completely out of line and irresponsible, even ridiculous. Personally, I feel the SBC could make better use of time and resources in much more worthy endeavors.
W. Louis Walters, 32d, Master of Divinity Victory Memorial Baptist Church, Louisville, KY Crescent Hill Lodge No. 820 Louisville, KY Louisville, KY, Scottish Rite Bodies
PREACHER WHO REFUSED TO RENOUNCE MASONRY
Reprinted with permission from The Scottish Rite Herald 1330 Linwood Boulevard KansasCity, Missoun 64109-1941
As Masons today are forced by fundamentalist extremists to choose between their Church and Freemasonry, an anecdote from the late nineteenth century carries a particularly significant moral of courage, conciliation, and cooperation.
In 1884 or 1885, an incident happened in Iowa, an event probably without parallel in Masonic history, that indicated the kind of Freemasons who lived then. This influenced Freemasonry in the territory now known as Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Moses F. Shinn, a Methodist minister in Keokuk, Iowa, a member of Ft. Madison Lodge No. 13, is the principal character in this story. A powerful leader in his church and his Lodge, he was greatly loved by all. There came a time when his church coworkers, persons uninformed as to Masonry and its teaching, sought to increase his usefulness to the church by requiring him to renounce Masonry and devote all his energies to the church. At the next general conference of the church, a resolution to that end was adopted, and the church waited for Brother Shinn to respond.
Brother Shinn sat in thought for what seemed to be many minutes. The situation was serious for him. Unless he renounced Masonry, he would be separated from the work of God to which he had hoped to give his life. Also, he would be deprived of the livelihood for which he had prepared. What did Masonry offer in place of that which he must sacrifice?
After the stillness became oppressive, Bro.'. Shinn rose to his feet, looked into the faces of his friends, then spoke in a clear voice: "I have for many years endeavored to perform my duty as a faithful minister of Christ, and I believed I had extended the field of my usefulness, without violation of my vows to the church, by becoming a loyal and zealous Freemason.
"Now you demand that I renounce Masonry or retire from the church. The decision you require is a harsh and painful one. I must sever relations that have been pleasant to me and, I hope, acceptable to others. I have friends in both the church and Freemasonry from whom I wish not to be separated, but you have made the requirement. It is not for me to question whether that requirement is right or wrong, wise or just. So, at your bidding, I separate myself from the Methodist Episcopal Church."
Bro.'. Shinn then sat down to control his emotions.
The silence was oppressive, the Conference was stunned. Finally, one who had been active in proposing the resolution rose to his feet, walked to Bro.'. Shinn, extended his hand and said, &qu |