The Legend of Adam's Grave: Revisit

by Midnight Freemason contributor

Robert H. Johnson

Editors Note: As intense as the worlds is at the moment, I offer you a brief escape into a mental land of adventure. I first wrote this as a new contributor to the Midnight Freemasons back in 2012. I've not done any further research, but the story still fascinates me and many others. There may be some allusion to the Noachite mysteries here as well. I hope you enjoy. I do say, enjoy. 

  

In 1868, German-American adventurer Heinrich Schliemann arrived at Troy’s location. Before this, it was thought that Troy was only a legend. Of course it was an amazing discovery to find out that the Iliad spoke of a real city. There are thousands of ancient legends, one of which, I stumbled upon one day while reading Macky's Masonic Encyclopedia.

As I was flipping through the pages, I came across "Adam" the supposed first man or at least the first modern man according to Hebrew and Christian texts. I am not inclined to share my religious beliefs, at least not in the short essay, however when I reveal to you this short passage which set my mind on fire, you will know why I chose to write about it. 

Here is the passage:

"Upon the death of Adam, says traditional history, the pious Gregory declared that the "dead body should be kept above ground, till a fulness of time should come to commit it to the middle of the earth by a priest of the most high God.'' This traditional prophecy was fulfilled, it is said, by the body of Adam having been preserved in a chest until about 1800 B.C., when "Melchizedek buried the body in Salem (formerly the name of Jerusalem), which might very well be the middle of the habitable world."

Interesting right? Especially when you do the math. This means that Adams body was laid to rest a mere 3,812 years ago. I don't need to tell you that we dig up bones older than this all the time. And there would most certainly (hopefully) be bones, since it says the body was "preserved". Further research reveals a kind of time line. At some point Noah went to the land of Eden and retrieved the case containing Adam's remains. 

"When Noah died, he commanded Shem concerning the bones of Adam, for they were with them in the ark, and were removed from the land of Eden to this earth."

Next the legend continues saying the bones were distributed among Shem and Melchizedek. Some accounts say that Shem was given the skull of Adam and the body of Adam to Melchizedek. Shem then took the skull and buried it in Jerusalem, in the place of the skull also known by other names in the Masonic system and to some as Calvary. And the body was placed in a tomb, supposedly the very same tomb where Jesus was later laid to rest. Another account varies slightly, saying that Shem and Melchizedek went to the ark and retrieved the bones.

"And he journeyed by night with the angel before him, and Melchizedek with him, until they came and stood upon the spot where our Lord was crucified. When they had laid the coffin down there, the earth was rent in the form of a cross, and swallowed up the coffin, and was again sealed up and returned to its former condition."

Some crude maps have been drawn showing where this hill is and the land has not seemed to change, at least in description. There is a good chance something could be found if a joint effort was established. Coincidentally this hill is very close to the dome of the rock, which as we are all aware is the site of the western wall of King Solomon's Temple, the place where Mohamed ascended to heaven and perhaps the real spot where the body of Adam was laid to rest. 

Regardless of your religious views, this story propagated in Masonic lore is fascinating. No doubt there has to be more information available somewhere. I have been reading on the subject for months now, but information has been elusive to say the least. Like Troy, perhaps this legend may trigger a research and archeological mission.  Who knows, we may find something of value to the world. 

~RHJ

RWB, Robert Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He also serves as the District Deputy for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

St. John the Evangelist - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor

W.B. James E. Frey

My Brethren, December 27th marks the hallowed feast day of St. John the Evangelist. St. John is an important and distinguished figure within the symbolism of the Craft. St. John was one of the main apostles of Jesus Christ and is renowned with receiving from the Christ, a secret mystical doctrine which would define the Johnannite tradition. The word evangelist means writer of the gospel and St. John is accredited with writing the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and the book of Revelation. Bro Mackey states that St. John is venerated in Masonry because “His constant admonition, in his Epistles, to the cultivation of brotherly love, and the mystical nature of his Apocalyptic visions, have been perhaps, the principle reasons for the veneration paid to him by the Craft. “ (Mackey, Masonic Encyclopedia)

St. John supposedly lived in Galilee and was the brother of St. James. They were considered “hired men” which most likely means they were craftsmen doing a variety of work and odd jobs. The brothers were said to have lived in poverty and renounced material possessions. This is in part due to the fact that both brothers were followers of John the Baptist when he preached in the wilderness of Jordan. Both were baptized and initiated into the Baptist’s religious order which was most likely connected to the sect known as the Essenes. John and James were both on the banks of the river Jordan and witnessed the baptism and initiation of Christ. Which means they beheld the descending of the Holy Shekinah, or Holy Spirit in the form of a dove when the Baptist exclaimed with prophetic perception, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

It is said of all those in attendance, that it was only John and James that stayed after the ceremony to talk with Jesus of his experience. John then invited his new Master to his home in Galilee. He traveled with Christ to attend marriage feast of Cana. At the feast, John witnessed the miracle of water being turned to wine. This miracle solidified John’s dedication as a disciple and follower of Christ through out his travels. It is said that he was within Christ’s innermost circle and was one of the first disciples to be invested with the power to heal the sick. John suffered with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and sat at his right hand during the last supper.

He is referred to as, "disciple whom Jesus loved.” John was the one whom Mary Magdalene went to with news of the Resurrection. And when John and Peter were on the Sea of Galilee they witnessed the Vision of the Resurrected Christ. He appeared as an astral figure on the shore in the first light of morning. Peter could not recognize him but John could. Possibly signifying that John had a greater understanding of the spiritual perception over the physical senses, or material world. St. John witnessed the Ascension and received the spiritual fire of the Holy Spirit at the Pentacost. This indicated that St. John was baptized both by fire and water.

Irenaeus states that after the death of Peter and Paul, St. John settled in Ephesus. From there, Saint Jerome says that John supervised and governed all the Churches of Asia. Around 97 A.D. John was exiled to the Aegean island of Pathmos where he received apocalyptic visions, which he recorded in the Book of Revelation. The date of his death cannot be determined but John was the only Apostle of the original twelve that did not die by martyrdom.

St. John’s connection to the craft is vague and shrouded in mystery. St. John the Baptist was the patron saint of the builders’ guilds and St. John the Evangelist was not adopted into the craft until after the sixteenth century. This would place the adoption of the Evangelist around the time of the shift from operative Masonry into the speculative craft. According to Masonic historian Kenneth Mckenzie “although it has been urged that the dedication to these saints did not arise out of the circumstances to the doctrine of Christianity… that the custom of dedicating lodges to these saints arose from astrological reasons.” (Mckennzie, Royal Masonic Cyclopedia).

These astrological reasons are to correlate the symbolism of the St. Johns for the summer and Winter Solstice. The Sun enters Cancer about the 21st day of June, which is correlated to the 24th and dedicated as a feast day to St. John the Baptist. In the winter, the Sun reaches Capricorn on the 23rd of December, which is correlated to the 27th of December and dedicated to St. John the Evangelist as a feast day. This placed the two feast days of the St. John’s when the sun is lowest and highest peaks of its yearly cycle showing both the astrological meridian height of the sun in the south and the lowest point of darkness in the north, the shortest and longest days of the year.

Within the speculative craft the Saints John are called the parallels of Masonry and between them we see the point within a circle. From the oldest times, the point within a circle was a symbol of the sun and has been adopted in various cultures as such. Mackey states “The two days are the limits of its circle, therefore the circle is shone set between the lines. The Point Within the Circle represents the year, a year of work, a year out of a man's life; at least it does if the history of its use is a true guide to its symbolic meaning.” (Mackey, Masonic Encyclopedia)

It we look at the St. John the Evangelist symbolically within the context of the Masonic journey, John is every individual initiate. John is initiated by John the Baptist into the mysteries and purified, similarly how the entered apprentice is given a white apron to represent a new sense of purity. John travels with his Master and it indoctrinated in the parables of truth, similar to the Fellowcraft traveling the different compartments of the Temple being indoctrinated with the spiral staircase leading to truth, Similar to the Master Mason John is witness to the death and resurrection of his master.

Fitting in the mythos of the Masonic lost word John makes reference to Christ as “the Word.” With the death and resurrection of the Christ the true word of the gnosis is lost. But the word is found again within his own soul through the mystery of the spiritual fire of the Pentecost. The lost word is the individual soul of the initiate and the connection to the redemptive energy of the Christos. Elementally the Johns are the parallels that the Baptist represents the mystery of water and the natural or material world, the Evangelist representing the mystery of fire and the supernatural or spiritual world. With this interpretation the Master Mason dwells in the center balanced between his physical and spiritual, aware of his inner Christos in the spirit but bound to his obligation to his fellow man in the physical.

It is also important to note that the book of Revelation shows the revelation of a new name of God identified as Alpha Omega. I only mention this because there are old rituals, and some modern cryptic rites, that see the restored lost word being Iota Alpha Omega, IAO. Which correlates to the famous verse from Revelation 22 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.” (St. James Bible) In certain neo-Rosicrucian groups IAO is considered to represent the process of life, death, and resurrection.

This is often also attributed an Egyptian symbolism. I is for Isis, giver of life, A is for Apophis the destroyer, and Osiris risen which is also given solar meaning. From a psychological perspective this formula is important because our sense of identity is ever changing as we experience new things and grow as a person. Those who are afraid of destroying who they are in order to grow often become stagnate in psychological growth and develop neuroses around this painful transition.

Over all the dedication of lodges to the St. Johns dedicates the lodge itself as a solar temple representing the yearly course of the Sun. It places this subconscious symbolism on each initiate as they travel from the shortest to longest day on a search for both external light of the intellect and internal light of the spirit, or Word. On an exoteric level you have a representation of the Evangelist being a reminder of steadfast duty to one’s faith. Esoterically the Evangelist is the Initiate who becomes the master, and through astrological correlation is symbolic for the Masonic journey.

~JEF

James E Frey 32° classifies himself as a gentleman of the old world, which means he is known to stand in the great forests reciting poetry to fair-haired damsels while wrestling bears for sport. He is a District Education Officer for the Grand Lodge of Illinois, a Past Sovereign Prince of the of Danville AASR, member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, Royal Order of Scotland, Quram Council Allied Masonic Degrees and initiate of the Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He is also a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in Masonry for the R.E.B.I.S Research Society.

Fruit of the Spirit

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Brian L. Pettice, 33°

"...so far interwoven with religion...”

Lately I’ve been contemplating the symbolism of the nine pointed star. In Masonry it is usually created by three perfect triangles interposed over each other. It is a part of the jewel of the Thirty-Third degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite as well as the jewel of the Royal Order of Scotland and is portrayed in many other places in Freemasonry. It is a major emblem of the Bahá’í faith. It symbolizes many things, completeness, unity, balance, perfection, the Trinity of Trinities, Deity, and companionship with Deity.

One of the things the nine pointed star is symbolic of for Christians, is the Fruit of the Spirit as written by Paul in his letter to the Galatians when he said,

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Previously in his letter he had chastised the Galatians for wanting to return to being subjects of the law rather than accepting that Christ’s Grace had freed them from that law. He also said that,

 “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”

Now I know some will say that this pretty overtly religious for a Masonic subject. I agree. It is religious, but it is not dogmatic nor proselytic. I believe Paul’s letters and thus the nine pointed star alludes to a couple of universal truths hinted at in the ritual of our fraternity. One, that there is a “Supreme Intelligence that pervades an animates all nature and that can never, no never, die.” And two, that there ought to be a goal to the work we do in learning to subdue our passions and improve ourselves in Masonry-- the work we do on our own rough ashlars. For me the Supreme Intelligence pervading each of us certainly sounds like the Holy Spirit that I believe resides in me. And the Fruit of the Spirit are certainly gifts we all hope our Masonic work bears. If we as Freemasons can exhibit love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in our interactions with others; imagine how much better the world would be.

I recognize that, as the Galatians in Paul’s letter, I’ll never be justified through the law. The immortality of my soul is a gift of the Grace of God. For me obtaining the Fruit of the Spirit will be a constant struggle as I battle to surrender my will to the Spirit in residing in me. But it is a worthy goal--the worthy goal.

As I have contemplated the meaning of Masonry over the years, I began to make this part of my daily prayer to God and the Spirit, “More of you and less of me.” If I can surrender and allow the Spirit to lead me, then might I might I bear those fruit. This is religious. But might it also be the goal of Masonry, the object of our esoteric search? Might manifesting the gold of these spiritual gifts, no matter our religion, be the only alchemy that matters?

~BLP

Brian L. Pettice, 33° is a Past Master of Anchor Lodge No. 980 and plural member of Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 in Danville, IL and an Honorary Member of a couple of others. He is also an active member of both the York and Scottish Rites. He cherishes the Brothers that have become Friends over the years and is thankful for the opportunities Freemasonry gives and has given him to examine and improve himself, to meet people he might not otherwise have had chance to meet, and to do things he might not otherwise have had chance to do. He is employed as an electrician at the University of Illinois and lives near Alvin, IL with his wife Janet and their son Aidan. He looks forward to sharing the joy the fraternity brings him with others. His email address is aasrmason@gmail.com

A Fine Paradox: Christianity and Freemasonry - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Steven L. Harrison, 33˚, FMLR

Editors Note: This one came out way before Illustrious Bro. Harrison was a regular contributor here at the Midnight Freemasons. It was published back in April of 2012. In fact, you may have even heard this on the "Whence Came You?" Podcast. I think this piece will still speak to many. I think Bro Harrison hits on some very poignant ideas. Read on, you won't be sorry. 

Masonic altar with three books of faith

I am a Christian. It's none of your business, mind you, but it probably is pertinent to any slant I might put on what I'm about to say.  And apparently, the jury is still out on my belief system anyway. Why? Well, I've been personally told, "You're not really a Christian because you're a __________ (insert any Christian denomination which is not your own)." And we've all heard this one: "You can't be a Christian because you're a Freemason." 

I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank anyone who has ever told me those things for clarifying to me what I think and believe.  There was a time in my life when I thought that was between God and me, but I'm so grateful you have set me straight.  Sarcasm aside, some Christians, it seems, want me to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but get really upset when I keep it personal.

Having said all that, let me drop the bombshell: Freemasonry is not a Christian organization. When the cries of "heathen" die down in response to that I'll continue to say there are many reading this who would think, "Well, that's so obvious I don't even know why he would say it." The rest of you are probably the ones shouting "heathen."

What a fine paradox. Some think we can't be Christians if we are Freemasons and some think Freemasonry should promote Christianity.

Without dropping some dry statistics, let me just acknowledge I live in an area which is predominately Christian. Many even include it in the so-called "Bible Belt." So being a part of an organization that requires a belief in God and living where I do, it's not much of a surprise to see many of my Brothers emphasize the Christian influences in our fraternity; not just in our ritual, but also in our activities. How many times have you been to a Lodge dinner when someone wraps up a prayer "in the name of Christ?" This happens so often in my area that a couple of years ago two former Grand Masters (one a minister in a Christian denomination, one Jewish) along with an eminent RWB asked me to reprint a Masonic Service Association "Short Talk" article about its inappropriateness. The gist of the article was, "Stop praying Christian prayers in our Lodges... it embarrasses and perhaps even humiliates our Brethren of other faiths."

Another  piece from the Masonic Service Association of North America puts it concisely: "Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members a belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates no sectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual's dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings."

The same, I might add, is true for the publications I edit: No discussion or promotion of religion.  And if you're sitting there thinking, "He just said we shouldn't talk about religion but wrote a whole column about it," respectfully, you missed the point... that point being Freemasonry certainly includes Christianity, but it is an ecumenical group.  Those among us who have a hard time with that should heed this observation from one of our most famous Brothers, especially when sitting in Lodge:

 "So much blood has been shed by the Church because of an omission from the Gospel: 'Ye shall be indifferent as to what your neighbor's religion is.'  Not merely tolerant of it, but indifferent to it. Divinity is claimed for many religions; but no religion is great enough or divine enough to add that new law to its code." 

 ~Samuel Clemens 

 ~S.H.

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33° is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft & Freemasons at Oak Island. Both are available on amazon.com.

Letting Go of the Self

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Tech

I am not a very social creature. I am an introvert, a self-described hermit. I work, I go to Lodge, I take care of family and I ride my motorcycle (with the VAST majority of my miles being alone, how I tend to prefer). I have never been a person for parties or group outings, instead preferring a few close friends or just time alone to recharge. If I had my way, a cave with a refrigerator and wifi would be my ideal. However, life is not about me, it is about He who sent me and His plans for my life. And so it is with you.

Man is, by nature, an egocentric creature. We start out in life with ourselves as our only focus. This can be justified, perhaps, by our total dependence on another for all aspects of our life. What other recourse do we have but to be focused on ourselves when we are so incapable of providing for ourselves?

On a physiological level, a newborn is mentally unprepared to have a concept outside of their perspective. As we develop, we begin to first understand that objects can exist outside of our direct sight. Later we learn that sounds associate with thoughts and these objects gain names. As we grow further, we begin to learn about intangible concepts. In adulthood, we learn what abstract concepts like justice and love truly mean.

As we grow to completion, in terms of our mental development anyway, we ought to find ourselves letting go of the egocentric creature within us. Instead, however, we find ourselves clinging to that same self-centered perspective.

As I look at the rough ashlar, I see the self – the ego-driven and selfish man. It is not rough and irregularly shaped because there was no plan for its development. The Creator's plan was evident and in existence long before every stone was formed. It is rough and irregularly shaped because of Ego. The egocentric nature in us wants to shape our lives by what gives us pleasure, or what we want in that moment. Every moment of our lives, we work on our ashlar. We build and shape ourselves into what we will eventually become. When we are our own guide, we will never find ourselves matching the true plan and purpose for us. It is only when we let go of the self, and put God in charge in our lives, that we begin to shape ourselves by God's plan. By that Holy Plan, we become part of something larger than ourselves, and fit that role perfectly. That is our Perfect Ashlar.

~BT

Brother Tech is the author of A Christian's Perspective on Masonic Symbols: The Square and Compasses. He is an active member in the craft, loves motorcycles and prefers to remain anonymous.

Religious Opposition to Freemasonry: A Christian Mason’s Perspective

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Jason Richards

Several weeks ago, I received a long-awaited present to myself: Rob Morris’ The Poetry of Freemasonry, published in 1884 (for those of you who don’t know, I’m an avid collector of antique Masonic books). As I leafed through the pages in hopes of finding a good patriotic poem to read as part of this week’s Americana-themed episode of The Masonic Roundtable, I was caught by surprise when I found a Confederate twenty-dollar bill (printed in 1864) between the pages. On a whim, I took it down to a collectibles shop to verify the bill’s validity as counterfeits abound on today’s market. The shopkeeper, a large, loud, elderly gentleman, verified that the bill was indeed real, but quickly turned his undivided attention to my book inquired why I would purchase—much less own—such a thing. I told him that I was a Freemason who collected antique books on the subject. He quickly interjected: “So, do you have any of those antique Masonic books that tell you that Masonry was actually a CULT when it was first founded?!?” Partially out of shock, and partially out of pragmatism, I concluded that there was no point in arguing with him, and threw up my hands dismissively. He pointed an index finger squarely at my chest and said “Ah ha! Didn’t think about that, did you?” I thanked him for his time and walked out of the store. I won’t be returning.

I wish I could say that events like this are isolated and/or few and far between. But they are not. Several weeks ago on Reddit.com, a gentleman started a thread asking about whether or not Freemasonry conflicts with Christianity. While he received a lot of good advice from Christian brethren at the outset, a number of Christians swarmed the thread slinging the usual diatribe: “I have no experience with Masonry, but I know they worship Satan!” etc. Over the course of my three years as a member of the Masonic fraternity, I have read a multitude of similarly barbed comments damning any and every Christian who is openly a part of this organization. It’s a real shame. The purpose of this article is to not only attempt to explain the relationship between Freemasonry, philosophy, and religion in easily understandable terms, but also break down—based on my experiences—my understanding as to why Freemasonry is so unfavorably regarded in some religious circles. 

My personal comprehension of Freemasonry can be summed up thusly: Freemasonry is a fraternal organization to which strong philosophical and moral elements have been attached. But it is not a religion if for no other reason than the simple fact that it prescribes no religious dogma. There’s nothing hidden in the rites and rituals of this fraternity that tells you where to go to find religious and spiritual fulfillment. Masons are not told who to worship, how to worship, or even where to worship. Instead, the moral and philosophical elements of the fraternity are designed to assist brethren in strengthening their own respective faiths, whatever they may be. To me, the moral allegories taught through explanations of stone-masons’ working tools serve as a daily reminder to emulate love, compassion, and trust to my fellow human beings—something repeatedly exhorted by Jesus during his ministry on Earth. My close friend, brother, and fellow Methodist Jon Ruark said it best: “Masonry directly enhances my Christian faith.” I fail to see how spending time with men of high moral caliber, and participating in rites that—for the most part—take their inspiration directly from the Old Testament could do anything except help a man grow in his own respective faith (especially true if he is a member of one of the three “religions of the book”—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—which draw heavily from various parts of the Old Testament). If Masonry is an aid to a man’s moral compass and faith, then why is it often the subject of hatred and consternation in religious circles? Based on my experience with religious anti-Masonry, I propose the following as three reasons. 

First, freemasonry is complicated. Masons don’t know when or how it emerged, though a myriad of theories have been developed to answer those questions. It is even difficult to boil down the basic structure of the fraternity into something vaguely comprehensible to a person of casual interest. When such persons ask seemingly simple questions (e.g. “Is Freemasonry a religion?”), they can often be turned off by the philosophical, caveated, seemingly convoluted, and varied responses they might receive. Case in point: A favorite response by Freemasons to the question: “Is Freemasonry a religion?” is “Freemasonry isn’t a religion……but it IS religious.” There are few explanations of Masonry that drive me crazier than that one, because it makes absolutely no sense to the casual questioner. In fact, the overall lack of simple language concerning Freemasonry is precisely the reason why I started my blog The 2-Foot Ruler: Masonry in Plain Language. This so-called “lack of plain language” on the part of well-intentioned Masons makes them appear cagey and insincere to those casual questioners with short attention spans. Much of the religious opposition to Freemasonry that I have observed has come directly from men and women who simply find it more convenient to denounce Masonry as a false religion/cult/bunch of Satanists than to conduct a full analysis of the complexities of Freemasonry and the philosophical elements contained within the symbolism of the fraternity.

Second, Masonry’s ecumenism—tolerance for men of all faiths, within certain parameters—seems to attract a great deal of religious criticism. Masonic ritual does not encourage one religion over another.  All Masons are encouraged to seek out their own spirituality and religious faith. For me, that faith is Christianity. For others, it might be Judaism or one of a myriad of other religions or walks of life. Personally, the fact that Freemasonry fails to promote Christianity over other religions or walks of life bothers me very little as secular fraternal organizations are in great supply all over the world. Some religious anti-Masons misconstrue this ecumenism as the promotion of Deist dogma. There is a clear difference, however, between a fraternity that brings men of different faiths together to encourage them to live out those disparate faiths as best they can, and a religious organization that teaches men to worship a faceless, nameless Deity. Again, Masonry prescribes no religious dogma and the men in this fraternity are encouraged to utilize the moral lessons taught in the degrees to enhance their own particular faiths. 

Third, much like Freemasonry’s tolerance of religious preference, its “tolerance” of each brother’s interpretation of symbolism and his search for “truth” can be upsetting to religious circles. As a result of Masonry’s encouragement of each brother to seek out “truth” for himself, it could appear to outsiders that Masonry actively discourages moral and religious absolutes. But determining, encouraging, and/or discouraging moral/religious absolutism is the job of a religion, and not a fraternal organization. As Masonry, once again, prescribes no dogma (Are you seeing a trend yet?)—and goes as far to forbid talk of religion in lodge—how can it inherently encourage or discourage religious absolutism?  The fact that Masonry, in and of itself, leaves interpretation of “truth” and other Masonic symbolism open to each individual brother can also lead to allegations Masonry encourages research on the occult. I know several Masons who delve into occult philosophy and ancient religions in their personal interpretation of Masonic symbolism. As we’ve discussed on The Masonic Roundtable, philosophy is a pillar of Masonic research and—as I have mentioned more times than I can count—I will take empirical historic research over esoteric philosophical research any day. Yes, much of the Masonic ritual and symbolism is rooted in Enlightenment philosophy, but just as much of it comes directly from the Bible. It’s up to the individual Mason to decide what he wants to research, and what correlations can draw between his research and Masonic symbolism, keeping in mind that correlations do not inherently equal causal linkages. 

I haven’t covered nearly all of the arguments that religious anti-Masons have levied against the Masonic fraternity. Instead, what I have attempted to do here is to distill the arguments that have personally observed into broad, easily understandable trends. The first trend in religious opposition to Freemasonry arises from the unfortunate fact that some curious and/or skeptical men and women simply cannot get a straight answer to their questions due to the inherent complexity of the fraternity. Instead, Ockham’s razor may lead the casual questioner to ascribe to other seemingly simplistic, unfavorable accounts of the fraternity—a favorite one used by anti-Masons being that of Leo Taxil’s discredited and disavowed writings stating that Masons worship Lucifer. The second trend present in religious anti-Masonry today is opposition to Freemasonry’s inherent ecumenism. This opposition may lead religious anti-Masons to insist that Freemasonry encourages Deism, when in fact, Freemasonry neither encourages any particular religion nor prescribes religious dogma. It is the duty of every single Mason to decide his spiritual fulfillment and religious path for himself. The third trend present in the arguments of religious anti-Masons falls along the same lines as the second. Freemasonry’s insistence that the individual brother seek out “truth” and the meaning behind Masonic symbolism for himself has led to allegations that the fraternity discourages religious absolutism and encourages occultism when, in fact, the ritual inherently does neither. 

Personally, I pride myself on my tolerance of other world views and my membership in various organizations that promote the same. I hold very staunch views on my particular religious faith, and it is both my right and prerogative to hold them;  but I refuse to allow my views to infringe upon the right of other human beings to make up their own minds about the world around them, so long as they treat me with the same courtesy. If you are someone who cannot extend that same courtesy to your fellow human beings, then Freemasonry is not for you, and I’m glad that you have chosen not to take part in it.

~JR

Bro. Jason Richards is the Senior Deacon of Acacia Lodge No. 16 in Clifton, Virginia, and a member of both The Patriot Lodge No. 1957 and Fauquier Royal Arch Chapter No. 25 in Fairfax, Virginia. He is the sole author of the Masonic weblog The 2-Foot Ruler: Masonry in Plain Language, and is a co-host on the weekly YouTube show and podcast The Masonic Roundtable. He lives in Virginia with his wife, cats, and ever-expanding collection of bow ties.

For further reading on the subject of Christianity and Freemasonry, Jason recommends the following scholarly works:

1. Workman Unashamed: The Testimony of a Christian Freemason by Christopher Haffner
2. A Pilgrim’s Path: Freemasonry and the Religious Right by John J. Robinson
3. Is It True What They Say About Freemasonry? By Arturo De Hoyos and S. Brent Morris