| The roots of
Freemasonry extend at least as far back as the
Middle Ages. The guildsmen and craftsmen of
that time were called Masons. For protection
and credibility, these persons formed primitive
trade unions (lodges). The content and
purpose of this form of Masonry, called operative
Masonry, began to change when the lodges were opened
up to whoever sought membership.
New members, including
politicians, clergymen, and scientists, gradually
began to formulate various rituals and doctrines to
accompany some of the symbols already in use by the
working masons (usually tools of the trade).
It was at this point that occultism also began to be
brought into the lodges. Eventually the
various "grades" workers went through in learning
their craft were replaced by degrees of advancement
in esoteric knowledge. The eventual result of
these changes is modern Masonry - also known as
"speculative Masonry" because it speculates as to
the true meanings behind the original symbols used
in operative Masonry.
The popularity of
Freemasonry has made it a model for hundreds of
other fraternal societies. As far back as
1927, for instance, nearly all of the 800 fraternal
orders of that time had adopted Masonic-like
symbols, signs, passwords, rituals, oaths,
obligations and degrees. The temple ordinances
of the Mormon temple ceremony are also suspiciously
close to the ceremony used in Freemasonry.
Signs, grips, oaths and tokens used in Mormonism are
so close it's almost certain that Joseph Smith
borrowed these Masonic practices from Freemasonry.
Not that surprising considering Smith was a Mason
himself (Documentary History of the Church
4:550-551). In fact the first three presidents
of the Mormon Church were all Masons. The Salt
Lake City Temple also displays designs peculiar to
Masonry, including the All-Seeing Eye, the inverted
five-pointed star (known as the eastern star), and
the clasped hands or grip.
The Masons, like so many
false religions, hold as a core belief one of
Satan's biggest lies. That being that all
faiths and all scriptures lead to the same God.
Freemasonry teaches that there is one God and men of
all religions worship that one God using a variety
of different names. In a Masonic Lodge, all join in
corporate prayer to the Great Architect of the
Universe, (GAOTU) and embrace the scripture of any
and all religions. The following quote is
taken from the Masonic Belief Statement:
"...by the very honor which
Masonry pays to the Bible, it teaches us to revere
every book of faith by which men find help for today
and hope for the morrow, joining hands with the man
of Islam as he takes oath on the Koran, and with the
Hindu as he makes covenant with God upon the book
that he loves best".
The seven volume
History of
Freemasonry, by Albert Mackey,
discusses various pagan gods and the people who
worshiped them. Among those pagan deities featured
in drawings included with the text are Ashtaroth,
Abraxas, Vishnu, Dagon, Nergal and Baal. The text
states:
They were all Characters
of human origin in the Mythologic ages designed as
the Saviors of Men, each one emphatically the
representative Christos, or Christ of his
particular Nation; and the religious system
designed to restore the lost and fallen race of
Man. (p. 1721, vol VI)
The paragraph concludes,
speaking of the men who worshipped those false gods:
Now as Masons we decide
not between these, but take all in as our
Brethren, and the One God as our Heavenly Father,
revealed to us as such in the Great Light of
Masonry.
The God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob makes it very clear that the Bible is the
only Word of God and warns us to stay away from
those who would teach otherwise.
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the
doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and
the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring
not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,
neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him
God speed is partaker of his evil deeds (2 John
9-11)
It is not true that all
those who profess a belief in a higher being are
worshipping the one true God. The worshippers
of Baal learned this truth on Mt. Carmel. In
Matthew God has an answer for those who worship gods
other than the God of the Bible.
Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and
in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works? And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23
MORE
FREEMASONRY INFORMATION:
Freemasonry
Facts
The History
of Freemasonry
The Theology
of Freemasonry
The Masonic Lodge and the Christian
Conscience
(off-site link)
FREEMSONRY'S HISTORY
Modern
Freemasonry dates to 1717, when several members of
four lodges met at London's Goose and Gridiron
Tavern to form the first Grand Lodge. By 1723
the organization had adopted James Anderson's
Constitution as a guide. Anderson's work
clearly reflected a divergence from the Old Charges
of operative Masonry, which had been in use since
the fourteenth century. The Old Charges were
distinctively Christian in tone and, according to
Fraternal Organizations by Alvin J. Schmidt,
dealt primarily with God and religion, the craft of
masonry, and regal duty. The Constitutions,
however, omitted the Trinitarian formula and "spoke
of a 'religion in which all men agree'" (Fraternal
Organizations, p. 121)
In 1738 Anderson produced
another accepted document titled "The Old Charges of
the Free and Accepted Masons." By that year,
operative Masonry had evolved into accepted Masonry.
It continued to evolve until, by the second half of
the eighteenth centruy it had become speculative
Masonry, which interpreted "the symbols and
artifacts of operative masonry in an allegorical,
religious manner". For example, whereas
operative Masons built stone edifices, speculative
Masons seek to build spiritual edifices.
The first Masonic Lodge was
established in the United States on April 13, 1733.
In the United States it yielded great influence.
In fact, many scholars believe that Freemasonry
helped inspire the American Revolution (Revolution
and Freemasonry, 1680 to 1800 by Bernard Fay).
There is also evidence that Freemasonry was
influential in the formation of the U.S.
Constitution. It has even been theorized that
the designs on the back of American currency can be
linked to Masonic signs and symbols (Fraternal
Organizations, p.122). |
