THE BUILDER APRIL 1916

SECTARIANISM AND FREEMASONRY
BY BRO. GEO. W. WARVELLE, ILLINOIS

BEING myself a Greek pagan of the New Academy, though not without
a strong leaning toward the Stoics, I have always indulged in the
utmost eclecticism in matters of religion. And because I am
unbiased in this respect I have not only been tolerant of all men's
religious opinions, but am enabled to see beauty and truth in many
places where my more circumspect brethren see only idolatry,
superstition and falsehood. In my writings I have always felt free
to roam at my own sweet will through whatever pastures presented
themselves and to cull the flowers that therein grew, without a
thought as to their botanical significance. It is enough for me
that they are beautiful. Therefore, whether uttered by Jesus, Buda
or Mohamed, the message of truth is to me the same. But, I am
digressing. However, that is a fault of my composition that, I
doubt not, you have long since discovered.

Now, what is Freemasonry? Is it something apart from the world, or
is it of it? By becoming Freemasons do we cease to possess
individuality? A serious consideration of these cogent questions
may not be unprofitable to us all. Again, is Freemasonry religious
or is it only ethical? If the former, is it cast in any mould or
does each one make his own creed? If the latter, is its morality
subjective or objective? And if objective, then from what sources
do we receive our morality ? A few more questions worthy of a
little serious thought.

I have many times heard it stated, that inasmuch as the legend of
the Royal Arch is Semitic, therefore the Old Testament canon should
alone furnish the basis of our religious thought as Royal Arch
Masons. Indeed, this seems to be a generally accepted principle by
Grand High Priests, as is evidenced by the pious hortatorical
introductions and fervent conclusions of their annual addresses in
the terms of Old Testament theology. But, while it is true that the
legend is Semitic it is not true that it is Scriptural. On the
contrary, it is distinctly unscriptural. Not only is there not a
line in the Old Testament that supports the legend, but it is
opposed by all the known facts of history. The legend, then, is
only a symbol and as such is compatible with all religions. Hence,
there is, and can be, no sectarianism in Freemasonry, for each may
interpret the symbol for himself and all will be right however much
they may seem to disagree.

The Masonic fraternity of the United States is a composite of many
races, with their differing views of morals and religion. It
assumes, in theory at least, to reconcile these diverse and
oftentimes antagonistic views by reducing them to a common formula
which the old charges call, "The religion in which all men agree."
It assumes to provide a common meeting ground for men of different
races and religions, and thus to promote the harmony of friendship
among those who otherwise "must have remained at a perpetual
distance." But what is the religion "in which all men agree" ? Does
such a thing exist outside of the fertile imaginations of ritual
compilers? Who can define its essence or state its principles? As
a matter of fact is it not a Utopian dream, that never did and
never will become a reality? Notwithstanding that they are all
Freemasons the Christian remains a Christian, the Jew a Jew, the
Moslem a Moslem. They each adore an abstraction which they call
God, but each has his own concept, and this concept utterly
excludes that of the others. So has it ever been, so will it be
while frail humanity retains its present mould.

There is, then, no religion "in which all men agree," but each of
us who would truly and reverently worship the Deity "in spirit and
in truth," must be left to form his own conceptions of that Deity,
and of His essence and attributes. This, as I understand it, is
what is meant by the Masonic doctrine of toleration. Not that we
must all reduce ourselves to the dull level of an undefined
world-extensive creed.

If this be true then what shall be classed as sectarianism in
Freemasonry? If the Jew prays to Yahweh shall he then give offense
to the Moslem who says there is no God but Allah, or if the
Christian seeks his God through the mediation of Jesus, or
perchance the intercession of the Saints, will he thereby become a
stumbling block to the Jew? And how about the pagans, like your
uncle, who look through nature up to nature's God? Must not our
prayers, if they are sincere, be made through the channels of our
own faith not those of another?

I think it may be safely asserted that the all-including universal
church, without denomination, sect or cult, will never materialize.
Indeed, the tendency of the times is in the opposite direction. Nor
do I know that such a church is a consummation at all to be wished.
In fact, it seems as though the religious nature of man requires
this diversity; that creeds, sects and cults are necessary, and
that even those which appear narrow, bigoted or even fantastic may
yet afford outlet for the spiritual life of undeveloped souls.

And so, "let every man be persuaded in his own mind," we may still
be brothers, or, at all events, we can be cousins. However much we
may disagree in articles of faith we may yet be in unison
respecting the import of the symbols.

******

There is an old legend of the good St. Ambrose, told by Mr. Lowell
in his melodious verse but which I in the ruder dialect of my
simple prose. Its application to the matter just discussed is so
apparent that I offer no apology for its introduction.

St. Ambrose, it would seem, was a most holy man who by castigation
of the body, by fasting and by prayer, had made his heart as soft
to God's hand as though it was wax. Ever he sought to know the true
and reject the false; often he wrestled with the blessed Word, to
make it yield the meaning of the Lord; all that he might form a
creed that naught could assail and that would contain the essence
of eternal truth. And finally his work was accomplished; he had
built the formula of perfect faith; and to all around he said "Thus
saith the Lord." And he knew, by that inward but ever sure sign,
that his work was a divine inspiration. And then, so the story
runs, Ambrose said, "All those shall die the eternal death who
believe not as I." And so, it came to pass, in his pious zeal, that
there were some who were boiled, and some burned in fire, and
others sawn in twain, in order that his great desire for the good
of men's souls might be satisfied. But one day as Ambrose was
taking a lonely walk he espied a youth of most graceful mien and
beaming countenance resting himself under the shade of a tree. Then
Ambrose drew near and inquired of the stranger how it went with his
soul. It required but little time, however, to ascertain that the
heart of the stranger was hardened and that it had not received the
stamp of the one true creed. This is what the young man said:

"As each beholds in cloud and fire 
The shape that answers his own desire, 
So each in the Law shall find 
The figure and features of his mind; 
And to each in his mercy hath God allowed 
His several pillar of fire and cloud."

Then the soul of Ambrose burned with holy wrath, and he said:

"Believest thou then, most wretched youth 
A dividual essence in Truth ? 
I fear me thy heart is too cramped with sin 
To take the Lord in his glory in."

Now, so the story runs, there bubbled beside them where they stood
a fountain of water, and the youth advancing to the stream said,
"Ambrose, thou maker of creeds, look here." And then he took six
crystal vases and set them along the edge of the brook, after which
he turned to Ambrose saying:

"As into these vessels the water I pour, 
There shall one hold less, another more, 
And the water unchanged, in every case, 
Shall put on the figure of the vase;
O thou, who wouldst unity make through strife,
Canst thou fit this sign to the Water of Life ?"

And Ambrose stood abashed, but when he looked up, lo! he stood
alone; the youth, the stream, and the vases, all were gone; and
then he knew, by a sense of humbled grace, that he had talked with
an angel, and he felt his heart change as with meekness and
humility he fell upon his knees and confessed the great sin of his
life.
