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                  ATTACKS on FREEMASONRY
                     Truth and Fiction

                 By Robert C. Barnard, MPS

Opposition to Freemasonry seems to have existed as long as the Craft. The
earliest known attack by a government seems to have occurred in 1425 in
the reign of Henry VI of England when operative masons were forbidden to
confederate in chapters or congregations. For many years after Freemasonry
became speculative in the early 18th Century, the Roman Catholic Church
was anti-Masonic, but this may no longer be true. For instance, it has
become common for Masonic groups such as Scottish Rite or Knight Templars
to work hand in hand with Catholic groups in projects for the betterment
of their communities or even to celebrate an event such as the Feast of
the Paschal Lamb in conjunction with their Knights of Columbus brethren.

The most serious and successful attack on Freemasonry in America took
place in the early l9th Century. William Morgan, of Batavia, New York, who
claimed to be a Mason, disappeared in 1826 after writing a book exposing
the secret rituals of the lodge to public view. He had been angered
because Masonic brethren doubted that he was a bonafied member and removed
his name on a petition to start a Royal Arch Chapter in Batavia; authoring
the book was his revenge.

Masons claimed that they had paid the "n'er-do-well" a large sum of money
to disappear into Canada. Opponents of the Craft claimed that he was
kidnapped by Masons and drowned in the Niagara River.

The disappearing became a national cause celebre' to the extent that
communities, churches and even families were split on the "Morgan Affair"
on only a slightly smaller scale than at the time of the Civil War.
Morgan's book became an instant best seller and its believing readers all
over the country formed the Anti-Masonic Party to elect their presidential
candidate, William Wirt, Attorney General of the United States, to lead
the country the next four years. Their intention was that President Wirt
would prosecute every Mason and wipe out all lodges .

A humorous side to the situation was that Wirt was a Mason himself and did
not believe that Morgan was murdered. He merely wanted to gain these
"fringe votes" in his fight to take the presidency from Andrew Jackson, a
strong Mason. Jackson easily defeated both Wirt and the Whig candidate,
Henry Clay, also a Mason.

With Mason Jackson's election, the Anti-Masonic Party and the bulk of the
united antagonism for the Craft disappeared. Thousands of Masons in every
state who had dropped out of the lodge returned to their fraternity and
many more candidates sent in their petitions. By 1860, the State of New
York, where the incident occurred, had ten thousand more Masons than
before Morgan's book publishing and disappearance. Freemasonry not only
survived; it prospered in the late l9th Century and into the present one.
In more recent times, Freemasonry had usually been persecuted in countries
with totalitarian regimes. Dictators dislike secret organizations,
especially when they teach democratic or Christian ideals such as
brotherly love.

As a result, Masonry ceased to exist in the entire Communistic World of
Russia and its satellite countries after their revolution in 1917. Fascist
dictators such as Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Francisco Franco
banned Freemasonry from Germany, Italy and Spain, largely for the same
reasons, as did a multitude of South and Central-American dictatorships
during the 20th Century Period. Normally, when citizens lose their
individual freedom, Freemasonry disappears from that society.

With the fall of major Communist and Fascist governments, Masonic Lodges
have again appeared as democracy returns. When governmental opposition is
withdrawn, however, Freemasonry is still often attacked by religious or
other special interest groups and by individuals.

In the present day in America, opposition is mostly in the form of expos's
written by "fundamentalist" Christian groups who claim to show that
Freemasonry in anti-Christian. To a thinking person completely familiar
with the Holy Bible and the doctrines of Freemasonry, the charge is
absurd. However, because the Craft is constantly under attack, Masons
should be aware of both the accusations and the true facts about Masonry.
A knowledge of the history of the Craft is essential, for one who doesn't
know our past is in no position to defend Masonry now or in the future.

While proud and imaginative historians of Freemasonry at one time laid
claim to antiquity equal to that of Adam, followed by a relationship with
Enoch and then with King Solomon, this present discussion concerns known
truth and such tales as these will only be mentioned in passing. The story
of the operative Masons at the time of King Solomon and the building of
the Lord's Temple form a valuable part of Masonic ethical and moral
teachings, but also cannot be factually proven as the origin of our Craft.

In the history of the Middle Ages in Europe, there is proof that the
Masons who built the great cathedrals formed themselves into guilds or
lodges. Members of these associations were awarded rights and freedoms not
given to peasants attached to the land. For instance, they could move
about and take jobs where they were available. They disseminated technical
secrets to their entered apprentices, held meetings called to order by a
blow of the hammer, and their proceedings might be terminated by a lecture
by the master of their lodge.

Lodges established formalities to admit new members and assigned grips and
passwords whereby one member of the group might know another brother.
Fixed milestones were reached in the life of a member before he could
advance to higher ranks with their rights and freedoms. So flourished the
operative Masonic Lodges in this period of history.

Careful research seems to show that the shift from operative to
speculative lodges began in Scotland about the year 1700. By this date,
the guilds had lost most of their strength and authority. Another major
factor was that Great Britain had begun to govern by a national
constitution.

The Masonic Guilds decided to admit a number of merchants and gentlemen
not connected with the building trades into membership of their lodges,
with the accompanying rights and privileges extended to them. These new
"accepted" or speculative members, perhaps to some extent because they
were largely from a higher social class, began to take over the leadership
of the lodges.

By 1730, this practice of accepting speculative Masons to Masonic ranks
had spread throughout Great Britain; and England became the center of
Freemasonry with London as its headquarters. Seven years previously, the
first Masonic Constitutions were published in London to govern all lodges.
The Craft was prohibited from having any quarrels about religion or
politics. The highest ideals and morality were to be practiced in every
sphere. All members had to profess a belief in God; and brethren of all
religions would meet together in the lodges in friendship and brotherhood.
Far from being anti-Christian, these first speculative lodges received
their rules directly from a Presbyterian minister, James Anderson, and a
French Protestant clergyman who moved to London, England, Rev. John
Desaguliers, who is often called the "Father of Speculative Masonry."

Dr. Anderson seems to have written most of the Masonic beliefs which char-
acterized the new speculative lodges and Dr. Desaguliers supervised the
work and with his high social rank and influential friends was able to
ensure that the first edition of the governing constitutions was adopted
in lodges all over Great Britain. We are told that in these documents for
the first time Masonic teachings were broadened to elevate the morals of
the fraternity, and their working tools were given symbolic meanings by
which beautiful moral lessons could be taught. Thus began the Masonic
system of morality, veiled sometimes in allegory, and illustrated by
symbols.

Operative Masons used their aprons to protect their clothing, but
Speculative Lodge Members wore their aprons as a reminder that they must
keep themselves "unspotted for the world" and as a protection against the
vices and superfluities of life. The trowel no longer was used to spread
cement to hold buildings together; now it would be used "to spread the
cement of brotherly love" which united Masons all over the world into a
common brotherhood.

The Constitutions were approved by the British Lodges in 1722 and printed
in 1723. Modern Masonry may be dated from that year.

Brethren reading this record will note that in no way did these
Constitutions transform the lodges into a religion. Their purpose was both
social and moral, teaching high ideals calculated to promote virtue among
their members. Brethren who refused to abide by the rituals and the
Constitutions faced reprimands, fines or even expulsions. The rituals
aided brethren to "live in order and harmony."

Having become established in Great Britain in the 18th Century,
speculative lodges soon spread to France, Germany, Holland, Italy and
throughout Europe. As the century advanced, they multiplied in France and
had a profound effect on the future of the nation with their teaching that
inside the lodge, king and peasant were equal. Many brethren began to
believe that they should also be equal before the law of the land.

The ideals of "liberty, equality and fraternity" are said to have been
propagated in the Masonic Lodges of France. Thus, although Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette were wrong in their belief that the Masons were
responsible for their downfall in the French Revolution, it was true that
the ideals of liberty did prosper there and were carried out of the lodge
setting to the national scene.

In Dutch lodges of the 18th Century, members were accused of many crimes
by their enemies. These included a supposed plot to banish all religion
and not allow anyone to speak of God or the Ten Commandments. Another
charge involved mass sodomy ! Needless to say, the Dutch brethren hastened
indignantly to assure the world that they had love and respect for God and
were "just as normal as other people. "

A number of lodges in Great Britain and France had both men and women
members for a while in the 18th Century, but the practice never really
gained momentum. During this period, modern Masonry had become
international in scope, spreading the cultural vocabularies of its members
to many countries and bringing them a shared and common experience with
political and civilizing effects.

In no part of the world did Masonry prosper to a greater degree than in
the British Colonies of America. When the Revolutionary War was being
fought, General George Washington made multiple contacts with important
men through Masonic affiliations. The little Continental Army boasted over
a dozen field Masonic Lodges and the British Army also had them. Lodge
property was respected and courteously returned when captured in battle.

When Philadelphia was recaptured, General Washington marched with a
hundred brethren in full Masonic regalia, jewels and insignia, to a
special Masonic service of celebration. The young Marquis de Lafayette who
arrived from France at this time was rather coldly received until he
joined the Masons. Then, the Americans knew they could trust him!

Washington in America and Benjamin Franklin, special envoy to France
during the war, kept Masonry flourishing in both places. It is said that
many of Dr. Franklin's accomplishments in bringing France to the aid of
the Americans were due to the shrewd use of Masonic prerogatives .

There is one theory that much of the slowness and laxness of many of the
highest British generals to prosecute the war was due to a Masonic desire
of the commanders to reach a peaceful settlement with their American
Masonic brethren with as little bloodshed as possible. This idea is not
provable as a fact of history.

From the beginning of our modern lodges to the present time, ministers of
many religions have been Masons. This was true of Catholics in the
earliest days, and has always been true of many Protestant Christian
religions. They have felt that one can belong to our great fraternity and
lead in the practice of the Christian Religion at the same time. However,
some fundamental Christian groups continue to attack Masonry as "Devilish"
and "anti-Christian."

Some attacks center on the idea that Masonry is an actual religion, in
competition with Christianity. Albert Mackey and Albert Pike, Masonic
writers and leaders of l9th Century Masonic thought, often have their
words quoted as proof of the charge. We will examine the statements of
both men.

Albert Pike ( 1809-1891 ), was Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme
Council of the Southern Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite for many
years. He authored the famous book, Morals and Dogma of the Scottish Rite
in 1871 and it is accepted as an authoritive source by many people over a
century later.

Brother Pike is charged by some writers as making Lucifer a god of
Freemasonry, along with Jehovah or Yahweh. In reality, in Morals and
Dogma, Pike refers to Lucifer as the evil force or Devil representing
falsehood; also as Lucifer, Son of the Morning, bearing the light whose
splendors blind feeble, sensual or selfish souls. He never refers to
Lucifer as a god of Masonry.

Jehovah or Iaheweh is called the Father; Adonai, the Son of God; and Agla,
the Holy Spirit; thus forming the Trinity. While Albert Pike is extremely
mystical, imaginative and difficult to understand, his works are not
Satanic as claimed. Neither should these writings by an elderly brother a
century and a half ago be taken as a paradigm for today's Masonic Lodges.

Albert Mackey (1807-1881) was a prolific Masonic writer of the same l9th
Century period, his greatest work being the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry,
first published in 1873. Bro. Mackey is accused of admitting that Masonry
is a religion in competition with and against Christianity.

In his encyclopedia, Mackey assures us that "the teachings of Masonry will
never be substituted for the truths of Christianity." However, in some re-
spects, he admits that Masonry has religious overtones. The brotherhood
teaches a belief in God and a practice of moral duties. This and allied
attributes cause Masonry to be a "religious institution. "

However, says Mackey, Masonry has "no pretention to assume a place among
the religions of the world as a sectarian system of faith and worship in
the sense that we distinguish Christianity from Judaism or Judaism from
Mohammedanism." One "cannot" speak of the Masonic Religion, nor say that
a man is not a Christian, but a Mason in religion. In other words, Masonry
teaches fundamental religious truth. It does not meddle with sectarian
creeds or doctrines. Masonry is not Christianity, but there is nothing in
it repugnant to the faith of a Christian. It points its members to the
path of righteousness, but it does not claim to be "the way, the truth and
the life" (John 14:6). Thus, to Bro. Mackey, Masonry is a religious
institution in that it teaches ethics, morals and belief in God. It is not
a sectarian religion.

While Bro. Mackey is wordy and may go around Robin Hood's Barn, or in this
case, Solomon's Temple, to reach his objective; he finally makes his
point. Masonic critics, please note!

Having reviewed the history of moral and religious teaching in
Freemasonry, the writings of some major Masonic authorities and the
charges of Masonry's antagonists, we have an idea of where we stand. In
finality, we may ask, "What should we do about anti-Masonic charges?" Of
course, they should be refuted and the truth shown in a courteous manner.
Should we actively attack the attackers? Such actions do not reflect the
Masonic ideal of brotherly love or Christ's admonishment that we should
love our neighbors and do good to them who persecute us, pouring coals of
fire on their heads.

Probably the best solution was given to us by Jesus when he said, "By
their fruits we shall know them. " Our Masonic Brotherhood should strive
to literally prove by our actions that our fruits are the worthy
accomplishment of the honest, upright and true objectives worthy of the
world's first and greatest fraternity.

So mote it be.

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