The Bible—Its Authority.

leaders will go one step further , and , with Atheistic France , banish both Bible and God from the Fraternity . While we have no desire to see aught which tends to sectarianism admitted into the Craft , yet we do wish to see the

Ancient Landmarks respected hy the leading members , and we moot the matter that all may investigate it with candour , and be prepared to act wisely . Occasionally these matters have been brought up for the action of Masonic bodies , and

they may come up agahi and again . Indeed , France is at this time cut off from connminication with the Grand Masonic Jurisdictions of the World on account of her repudiation of God and tho Bible , and wc are grieved to say that we have quite too many Masons of the French type hi our midst .

To show the action taken by a few of our Sister Grand Bodies , and also to show how the matter has been viewed by leading members of the craft , we give a few quotations as follows : "Resolved , that this Grand Lodge is

clearly of the opinion that a distinct avowal of a belief hi the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures should be required of every one who is admitted to the privileges of Masonry , and that a denial of the same is an offence against the Institution , calling

for exemplary discipline . "— Ohio , 1856 . " The only declaration of faith necessary on the part of the candidate , before initiation , is the profession of belief and trust hi God . But we also say , that a man who declares his disbelief hi the divine authenticity of the Holy Bible , cannot be made a Mason . "—Brown , C . F . C , Fla ., 1858 .

Resolved , that the Grand Lodge of Texas declares that a belief in the divine authenticit y of the Holy Scriptures is an "idispensible pre-requisite for Masonic admission ; and the Grand Lodge does not wean to exclude the . Israelite , whom it does not regard as being disqualified for foe mystel ' ies of Freemasonry . "— Texas , 1857 .

,, ' ^ ° Christian doubts the authority of I ° Bible , and in this country we need not -rouble ourselves much about any other class of people . We placo it upon our | « ars as the Word of God—the initiate is practicall y taught so to regard it—and we

take it , and enjoin others to take it , as the rule and guide of our conduct . This is enough . If any offer who are not willing so to recognize and . take it , wo are not bound to receive them . Every Lodge is the judge of the fitness of its own candidates . Let this sufficeand ' remove not the

, ancient landmarks which our father ' s have set . '"—C . W . Moore . " It is clearly settled that in the first degrees of Masonry religious tenets shall not be a barrier to the admission or advancement of applicants provided they

confess a belief in God and His Holy Word . " —Res ., Ohio , 1820 . " By the usuages and principles of our Order , he who does not believe in and acknowledge the Bible as the rule and guide of his conduct , ought not to be received

into our Order . "—Hubbard , Ohio , 1853 . " Resolved , that Masonry , as we have received it from our fathers , teaches the divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures , and that the views of candidates on this subject should be ascertained by the

committee of inquiry , or otherwise , as well as their other qualifications and fitness to be received into the order . "—Res ., Iowa , 1855 .

" It is the sense of this Grand Lodge that no man can become a Mason unless he can avow a belief in the principles contained in the Holy Bible , and that the demand for such belief does not conflict with the universality of Freemasonry . "—

Res ., Neb ., 1858 . It is understood , of course , that the Grand Lodge of Michigan has decided that a candidate need not avow his belief hi the divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures , yet the eminent author of that

decision has also placed himself ri ght on the record , hy declaring , in no ambiguous terms , that his decision was never designed to convey the impression that brethren of tho Craft have a license to treat the Bible with contempt . " Grand Lodgein no

, shape nor manner , has ever sanctioned , and never will ( as I know from the culture , character , and intelligence of its members ) give countenance to any brother who will speak contemptuously of tho Bible . " " I say , most emphaticallythat a brother who

, speaks contemptuously of the Bible is not a Mason . He may have passed through the forms and ceremonies , taken the K 2