-
Articles/Ads
Article FREEMASONRY AND NOTORIETY. ← Page 2 of 3 Article FREEMASONRY AND NOTORIETY. Page 2 of 3 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry And Notoriety.
mysterious archives of the Order that only vaguely enlighten us of its systems in the preceding age . Is the charm of obscurity to be totally destroyed ? Are we to look upon the small selected bands of men , gathered together in obscure haunts for the practice of Masonic principles , as " old fogeys "
whose ideas are too primitive to form any serious or lasting influence on Freemasons of succeeding ages ? Such notions will endanger Masonry as similar ones are proving disastrous to Religious faith . We know to what inspiration the soul turns on the brink of its final separation ; —not to the parade
of the processional , with crucifixes , and incense , and the burst of trained harmony , —happily no!—at that moment the medium is dissolved : there are only two—the Creator and the creature . The right thinking Mason will not go to the public meeting place for the inspiration of Masonic principles .
Far away into the obscure ages of the past he will find the Alpha of the science , and , as we learn , trace its development to the throne of God Himself . His right hand knoweth not what his left hana performs . This is the Principle . Here Religion and Freemasonry , if they do meet , are analagous .
Freemasonry wants no public defence of its private conviction of what is noble and good . Least of all is the stability of its principles dependant on the rank and fame of its many noble supporters , a fact that seems to be harped on far too much , while publicity will tend to effectually add that contempt which invariably arises from familiarity .
CHRISTIANITY AND FREEMASONRY . A STARTLING INDICTMENT . IN the current issue of the " Indian Witness " ( the leading Methodist paper in India ) " The Professor , " who contributes a Weekly column entitled " Comment and Criticism , " has the fol ' owing remarks on Freemasonry : —
In view of recent utterances concerning Freemasonry which have sounded through the length and breadth of the land , and to which much importance will be attached because of the character and position of the person who made them , the minds of many Christians must be somewhat exercised as
to what course they should pursue in reference to the Masonic cult . Readers of this papar naturally expect some deliverance on the subject from " The Professor "—some expression of opinion by which they may be helped to a decision as to whether they are at liberty to regard Freemasonry with favour or not . Hence this article .
Of Freemasonry , I may premise , I know absolutely nothing by experience . -1 cannot , therefore , attempt to pronounce judgment upon the Fraternity from personal knowledge of its principles and operations . All that I aim at is to express my personal opinion on the question of the relation
of Christian believers to Freemasonry , viewing the subject solely from the standpoint of what I believe to be loyal truehearted Christian discipleship . While it is true that I am personally ignorant of the inner spirit and principles of Freemasonry , I have known many Freemasons with whom I have
had close business , social , and other relations . My opinion is based very largely on what has come under my own personal observation , though I can hardly be uninfluenced by what I have read on the subject from time to time . To facilitate my
examination of the subject , I propose this question : Can one who desires to please God in all things and to live the highest Christian life be an active Freemason ? To this question I answer , No ! My reasons are summarised as follow :
Freemasonry And Notoriety.
I . There is to my personal knowledge a great deal of dissipation connected with the working of Freemasonry . Of this I have had many painful evidences in various parts of India . I recall at the moment a sleepless Saturday night when the fact was indelibly impressed upon my mind , as I lay awake
compelled to listen to the revelry at a Lodge dinner near by my place of abode . It was long past the midnight hour , well into the Lord ' s Day , when " For he ' s a jolly good fellow " was boisterously sung , the saddest fact connected with the tamasha being this : the " jolly good fellow " was none other
than the chaplain of the station , about to proceed to another station , on transfer . He tried to minister at the altar of God on the Sabbath in question , in connection with his farewell service , but by all accounts might more appropriately have been recuperating in bed . Cases of unhappy domestic circles
come before the mind as I write , in which the trouble was laid , and with more or less justice , at the door of the Lodge . Now , it must be conceded that these social festivities are not essential to Freemasonry , but are excrescences which may
easily be lopped off . But it cannot be denied that a great part of the attractiveness of Freemasonry in this country belongs to this aspect of it , and much harm is done thereby in obvious ways .
2 . I object to Freemasonry because it is a secret society . As such it ought to have no place for those who desire to walk as " children of the day , " and to be open and aboveboard in all they do . Its tendency is to foster a most objectionable form of selfishness . Many become Freemasons that they
may secure an adventitious chance to succeed in business , professional life and the public service , because they know their Brother Masons will often be disposed to favour them irrespective of their personal merits . Promotion , or service of one kind or another , is often secured in this way by
Freemasons at the expense of others . In this way it undoubtedly fosters injustice . Ignoble motives often inspire men to join the society . Some do so that'thev may have an opportunity which would never otherwise come to them of hob-nobbing
in Lodge functions with those of higher social position and of attracting the attention of those in high official authority . This spirit is not promotive of a lofty type of manhood or morality , not to speak of spiritual-mindedness .
3 . The trend of Freemasonry is to supplant Christianity . By multitudes of nominal Christians Freemasonry is accepted as a substitute for evangelical religion . Many non-Christians , feeling after God if happy they may find Him , take up with Freemasonry , supposing it will be a satisfying portion for
their restless souls , and many more will do so . There may be large numbers connected with Freemasonry who are still intellectually loyal to the general principles of the Christian faith ; but there are large numbers of Freemasons who avowedly reject and positively hate Christianity . " What
fellowship has light with danoiess ? what communion has Christ with Belial ? " Christians , it seems to me , may find a more congenial and seemly rallying point than that which Freemasonry furnishes . ( I have seen printed burial services arranged by Freemasons , from Scripture passages in which
the name of Christ was deliberately eliminated . ) If it be true that Freemasonry is an unfriendly rival of the Church of God , an accepted substitute by some for the religion of Christ , it
does not approve itself to my judgment that ministers who commend Freemasonry to " the confidence of virtuous , thoughtful citizens" are fulfilling their highest duties as ambassadors of Jesus Christ .
Ad00302
RoyalMasonicInstitutionforGirls. OFFICES— 5 FREEMASONS' HALL , GREAT QUEEN STREET , LONDON , W . C . 20 / 7 Cirts hafe been provided uOith Education , Clothing , and Maintenance , the full number of Girls now ? receiving its benefits being 263 . The 113 th Anniversary Festival will be held on WEDNESDAY , 8 th MAY 1901 , under the distinguished Presidency of THERIGHTHON.THEEARLAMHERST, MostWorshipfulProGrandMasterofEngland, -r , u ^ „ n 00 n * R - ' PROV . G . M . KENT , Telephone No . 2952 , Gerrard . Registered Office Telegraphic Address : "Girlands , London . " ' F . R . W . HEDGES , Secretary do . School do , "Machio , London . " 5 FREEMASONS' HALL , ' LONDON , W . C ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry And Notoriety.
mysterious archives of the Order that only vaguely enlighten us of its systems in the preceding age . Is the charm of obscurity to be totally destroyed ? Are we to look upon the small selected bands of men , gathered together in obscure haunts for the practice of Masonic principles , as " old fogeys "
whose ideas are too primitive to form any serious or lasting influence on Freemasons of succeeding ages ? Such notions will endanger Masonry as similar ones are proving disastrous to Religious faith . We know to what inspiration the soul turns on the brink of its final separation ; —not to the parade
of the processional , with crucifixes , and incense , and the burst of trained harmony , —happily no!—at that moment the medium is dissolved : there are only two—the Creator and the creature . The right thinking Mason will not go to the public meeting place for the inspiration of Masonic principles .
Far away into the obscure ages of the past he will find the Alpha of the science , and , as we learn , trace its development to the throne of God Himself . His right hand knoweth not what his left hana performs . This is the Principle . Here Religion and Freemasonry , if they do meet , are analagous .
Freemasonry wants no public defence of its private conviction of what is noble and good . Least of all is the stability of its principles dependant on the rank and fame of its many noble supporters , a fact that seems to be harped on far too much , while publicity will tend to effectually add that contempt which invariably arises from familiarity .
CHRISTIANITY AND FREEMASONRY . A STARTLING INDICTMENT . IN the current issue of the " Indian Witness " ( the leading Methodist paper in India ) " The Professor , " who contributes a Weekly column entitled " Comment and Criticism , " has the fol ' owing remarks on Freemasonry : —
In view of recent utterances concerning Freemasonry which have sounded through the length and breadth of the land , and to which much importance will be attached because of the character and position of the person who made them , the minds of many Christians must be somewhat exercised as
to what course they should pursue in reference to the Masonic cult . Readers of this papar naturally expect some deliverance on the subject from " The Professor "—some expression of opinion by which they may be helped to a decision as to whether they are at liberty to regard Freemasonry with favour or not . Hence this article .
Of Freemasonry , I may premise , I know absolutely nothing by experience . -1 cannot , therefore , attempt to pronounce judgment upon the Fraternity from personal knowledge of its principles and operations . All that I aim at is to express my personal opinion on the question of the relation
of Christian believers to Freemasonry , viewing the subject solely from the standpoint of what I believe to be loyal truehearted Christian discipleship . While it is true that I am personally ignorant of the inner spirit and principles of Freemasonry , I have known many Freemasons with whom I have
had close business , social , and other relations . My opinion is based very largely on what has come under my own personal observation , though I can hardly be uninfluenced by what I have read on the subject from time to time . To facilitate my
examination of the subject , I propose this question : Can one who desires to please God in all things and to live the highest Christian life be an active Freemason ? To this question I answer , No ! My reasons are summarised as follow :
Freemasonry And Notoriety.
I . There is to my personal knowledge a great deal of dissipation connected with the working of Freemasonry . Of this I have had many painful evidences in various parts of India . I recall at the moment a sleepless Saturday night when the fact was indelibly impressed upon my mind , as I lay awake
compelled to listen to the revelry at a Lodge dinner near by my place of abode . It was long past the midnight hour , well into the Lord ' s Day , when " For he ' s a jolly good fellow " was boisterously sung , the saddest fact connected with the tamasha being this : the " jolly good fellow " was none other
than the chaplain of the station , about to proceed to another station , on transfer . He tried to minister at the altar of God on the Sabbath in question , in connection with his farewell service , but by all accounts might more appropriately have been recuperating in bed . Cases of unhappy domestic circles
come before the mind as I write , in which the trouble was laid , and with more or less justice , at the door of the Lodge . Now , it must be conceded that these social festivities are not essential to Freemasonry , but are excrescences which may
easily be lopped off . But it cannot be denied that a great part of the attractiveness of Freemasonry in this country belongs to this aspect of it , and much harm is done thereby in obvious ways .
2 . I object to Freemasonry because it is a secret society . As such it ought to have no place for those who desire to walk as " children of the day , " and to be open and aboveboard in all they do . Its tendency is to foster a most objectionable form of selfishness . Many become Freemasons that they
may secure an adventitious chance to succeed in business , professional life and the public service , because they know their Brother Masons will often be disposed to favour them irrespective of their personal merits . Promotion , or service of one kind or another , is often secured in this way by
Freemasons at the expense of others . In this way it undoubtedly fosters injustice . Ignoble motives often inspire men to join the society . Some do so that'thev may have an opportunity which would never otherwise come to them of hob-nobbing
in Lodge functions with those of higher social position and of attracting the attention of those in high official authority . This spirit is not promotive of a lofty type of manhood or morality , not to speak of spiritual-mindedness .
3 . The trend of Freemasonry is to supplant Christianity . By multitudes of nominal Christians Freemasonry is accepted as a substitute for evangelical religion . Many non-Christians , feeling after God if happy they may find Him , take up with Freemasonry , supposing it will be a satisfying portion for
their restless souls , and many more will do so . There may be large numbers connected with Freemasonry who are still intellectually loyal to the general principles of the Christian faith ; but there are large numbers of Freemasons who avowedly reject and positively hate Christianity . " What
fellowship has light with danoiess ? what communion has Christ with Belial ? " Christians , it seems to me , may find a more congenial and seemly rallying point than that which Freemasonry furnishes . ( I have seen printed burial services arranged by Freemasons , from Scripture passages in which
the name of Christ was deliberately eliminated . ) If it be true that Freemasonry is an unfriendly rival of the Church of God , an accepted substitute by some for the religion of Christ , it
does not approve itself to my judgment that ministers who commend Freemasonry to " the confidence of virtuous , thoughtful citizens" are fulfilling their highest duties as ambassadors of Jesus Christ .
Ad00302
RoyalMasonicInstitutionforGirls. OFFICES— 5 FREEMASONS' HALL , GREAT QUEEN STREET , LONDON , W . C . 20 / 7 Cirts hafe been provided uOith Education , Clothing , and Maintenance , the full number of Girls now ? receiving its benefits being 263 . The 113 th Anniversary Festival will be held on WEDNESDAY , 8 th MAY 1901 , under the distinguished Presidency of THERIGHTHON.THEEARLAMHERST, MostWorshipfulProGrandMasterofEngland, -r , u ^ „ n 00 n * R - ' PROV . G . M . KENT , Telephone No . 2952 , Gerrard . Registered Office Telegraphic Address : "Girlands , London . " ' F . R . W . HEDGES , Secretary do . School do , "Machio , London . " 5 FREEMASONS' HALL , ' LONDON , W . C ,