The Bible—Its Authority.

THE BIBLE—ITS AUTHORITY .

From the "Michigan Freemason . " How does Masonry regard the Bible 1 This is the important question which is now forcing itself upon , the Graft in this jurisdiction . We do not wish to agitate this

matter : it is already agitated . What appeared in the Freemason several months ago was in answer to questions , and a wish to have this matter so settled that Masons could not but know just how Masonry regards the Bible .

Masonry lays this volume upon her altar , and on it she obligates her members . She teaches in her Ritual that " the Holy Bible is the inestimable gift of God to man . " Now , if this be true , Masonry does regard the Bible as of divine origin—that it came from God , and is of inestimable

worth as a priceless gift from Him to his needy creatures . If this be true , Masons should respect the Bible , should read it , and never speak disrespectfully or sneeringly of it . If Masonry thus regards the Bible , the scepticism which we sometimes meet with in members of the fraternity

, does not come from the inculcations of Masonry—far from it . But more , Masonry places the Bible among the indispensible articles of furniture with which she decorates a lodge , and without which no lodge can be opened for

work . When at work hi the E . A . D ., it is opened at a certain place in the Psalms ; when in the F . C ., at another place in Amos ; and when on the M . M ., at still another in Ecclesiastes . Now Masonry is said to he the same tho world over .

Query : Suppose the Koran , or a volume of the Bedas to be substituted for the Bible , at what places would the Deacon open those volumes when at work in the different degrees ; and when giving the lecture on the E . A ., coming to the furniture of the lodge , how would he get along

with that portion - which teaches the candidate that the Holy Bible is the inestimable gift of God to man , that on it wo take our obligations , & c . ? If Masonry is identical in all parts of the world , is this language to he used in reference to other books than the Bible ? And if so , does not Masonry indorse the Koran as a

revelation from God ? How are those questions to be answered ? But we are told that " Masonry is found in all parts of the world , and amon « people who never heard of the Bible , and who believe none of its teachings . " How

astonishing ! Wonder if that is really so 1 We have heard , just such affirmations , quite often , but as yet we have never been convinced of their truthfulness . That a few Masonic Lodges have been organized among heathen nations is true , but they

who organized them were of the civilized , Christian nations , and we have no proof that the Bible was not there quite as soon as Masonry , and that it prepared the , way for our modern speculative or moral Masonry is quite probable . At least there

is no proof to the contrary , or we know of none , save the mere assertions of parties who have read but little , travelled less , and are illy qualified to be witnesses hi the

premises . " Who never heard of tho Bible , and believe none of its teachings ! " What ! believe none of its teachings 1 Then they do not believe in God ; for the existence of one God is a cardinal doctrine of the

Bible . " Li the beginning , God created the Heaven and the Earth , " is the very first declaration of that Holy volume , and he who believes not in God is an atheist , and an atheist cannot be a Mason . By hypocrisy and falsehood he may so far impose on our brotherhood as to gain

admission , kneel at our altar , and take our vows , but in so doing he is false to himself and to Masonry . It is an easy thing for a certain sceptical class to make such unguarded assertions as the above , when they do not seem to appreciate the

full meaning of theirdeclarations . We quite recently heard the Biblo denounced as a lie by one who had not only taken all the lodge degrees , but also those of the chap ter and presided as W . M ., and at the present time is acting as Secretary of his lodge .

We could not but wonder if these brethren esteemed that order very highly , which makes the Bible—the Book of Revelation —• our spiritual and Masonic trestle-board . And when wo hear these denunciations of the Bible—the Great Light of Masonry —by those whom our lodges place w offices of honour , we sometimes inquire ot ourselves , how long will it be before those