Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts.

been commenced for the payment of thafc debt . Many of those , he said , who afc first had expressed an adverse opinion to the method which had been adopted for raising the necessary funds , had , npon reflection , and

more careful examination , become satisfied , and were now working with zeal and energy to carry it out . No further business offering , the Grand Lodge was closed in ample form , -with prayer by Rev . Joshua Young , Grand Chaplain .

The Biblical Foundation Of Freemasonry.

THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION OF FREEMASONRY .

FROM THE VOICE OV MASOHBTT .

" TXTHERE in the Bible can I find the princi ples or groundwork » V of Masonry ? " said Anthony Trollope to me one clay , as the topic of conversation turned npon that thought . " I am nofc aware that there is any particular point or part of the Bible thafc becomes its foundation more than another . "

" I supposed that if it had a foundation upon the Bible it should point a particular command or fact . " " Have you ever found any place where ifc has been said by Christ or the Apostles , * Thou shalfc organise a church ? ' " " No . "

" Where do we found the organisation of the Christian chnrch of the present day ?" " Upon a number of facts , viz . ; the promise of a Messiah , the com . ing of Christ , His baptism , life , suffering , death , resurrection , and finally His command , ' Go ye into all the world , ' & o . After that , the meetings of the Apostles , their organization into societies , and step

by step until we have the Church in its present form . " " From this , then , I learn thafc you have no direct command , bufc a chain of circumstances and the growth of history . " " True , but I have never been able to find such a chain of circum . stances as these to favour the organizationof societies like Masons or Odd Fellows . "

" To organize a society upon the Bible , does ifc follow thafc there must be a command ? Certainly nofc , for that you have already developed . Does it follow that ifc must be a single thought or historic fact ? No , for thafc is seen in the many that enter into the

organieation of the church . Must it be based on a certain principle ? No , for one principle cannot embody all . " " Thafc may be true , bufc in Masonry I do nofc find any chain of circnmstances leading me back to the days of the Savionr , as I do in the chnrch . "

" Well yon are aware of the claim for the ancient orgin of Masonry . " " Yes , bufc I do not believe it . " " Well , I do nofc know thafc its ancient or modern origin is of any importance or value to the argument of a Bible origin . Suppose , in reading the Bible , I find a beautiful thought , allegory , parable , or

historic fact , in which I see a principle which I can illustrate in a number of ways , and by which I can impress men in a way to do them good . I enter into the work of developing it , in doing which I bring out a set of forms , ceremonies and truths that make men better , and I gather a number of men together to assist in administering them to others , and after awhile find thafc I have quite a society around me , havo I nofc founded thafc society upon the Bible ?"

" Certainly , upon a principle taught therein . " " That being the case ifc does not matter whether Freemasonry is of ancient or modern origin ; whether ifc was commanded or oro-a - nized by Moses or Solomon , or some ono of later date , impressed with some one or more truths found in the Bible , bnt as its foundation is upon principle and facts found there and nowhere else it is certainly founded upon that sacred volume . I havo , then , no need of any argument of its antiquity to establish the evidence of its foundation . "

" I see , bufc even then there must be something more than mere truth or principle ; for I find thafc certain truths in the Bible were also the trnths of ancient Greek and Koman philosophy , and if you havo merely truth and precept it may be a relic of ancient heathenism , as is claimed by many of its opposers . " " Bnt yon have already agreed that a fact may enter into this

organization as well as principle . If , now , I find a precept or principle common to heathen philosophy and Bible teaching , and then find a fact , or history , that is peculiarly biblical , I am justified in the asser . tion of its biblical origin . " " True , bufc tho forms and ceremonies were things belonging to heathenism . "

"Bnt do we not also remember that the forms of worship , their ceremonies , sacrifices , circumcision and purifications , were inductive and sacred means attending the work of tho Jewish Church ? Was nofc baptism a means of induction into the Christian Church after circumcision was done away , and was nofc the sacrament of the Lord ' s

Supper introduced as a means of worship in the later church ? Because we find things of similar character in heathen religion we do nofc charge Christianity as being the relic of barbarism ; we can , therefore , with no more reason lay thafc charge to Masonry . We therefore , do nofc have to point to any single thing or thought to establish a Bible foundation . "

" I understand , then , thafc Masonry has for its foundation a number of facts peculiar to the Bible alone j that its principles , though found in the Bible and heathen philosophy , were taken because they were in the one without reference to tho other ; that your ceremonies are inductive and for the purpose of inculcating the divine principle ; if that is so I cannot see any justice in the charge of its being a relio of barbarism . Am I correct ?" " You are . "

The Biblical Foundation Of Freemasonry.

" That being correct , where do you point to the facts ? I cannot take virtue , because I find thafc in ancient philosophy j nor faith , for that is a natural principle evidenced in all men ; nor charity , for I find that , m certain conditions , everywhere ; nor love , because I find thafc a constitutional element in man and animals . To substantiate your statement you must produce other matters that I find only in

the divine writings , and that must be a divine command or ifcs result . " I may direct you to tho prayers to the Almighty , bufc you will meet the argument by saying the heathen prayed to their gods ; but if I direct you to the words used in the work , * Behold how good and how pleasant ifc is for brethren to dwell together in unity ! ifc is like the precious ointment upon the head , that ran down upon the beard ,

even Aaron ' s beard , that went down to the skirts of his garment ; as the dew of Hermon , and as the dew that descended upon the moun . tains of Zion ; ' you have thoughts and references thafc are peculiar to none but GOD ' S word . If I refer you to the name Boaz , one of the pillars in Solomon ' s temple , you will nofc recognize ifc as belonging to any heathen , nor modern temple : nor if I refer you to its constant

references to Jerusalem will you find any heathenism there , because that city was peculiarly GOD ' S city . I turn your thoughts , then , to the incidents of Ruth and Boaz , as being peculiar to the Bible , and Jewish customs ; also to the constant reference to the many things connected with Solomon ' s temple . I grant that there were temples among other nations , but we are to

bear in mind tho fact that no temple reference in Masonry will at any time apply to any other than Solomon ' s , neither in its symbols nor facts . Then as to Freemasonry's acknowledgment of the Sn . preme Architect of the Universe , that can apply to nothing but the ancient Jewish thought . Although ancient philosophy recognized a great creative , unknown power , yefc it was not so specific in its

reference as what we find in this . Then , referring farther back in his . tory to the crossing of the Bed Sea by Moses and the children of Israel ; to the character and work of St . John the Baptist aud St . John the Evangelist ; to the dream of Jacob where he saw the angels ascending and descending the ladder ; to the plumb-line spoken of in the prophecies of Amos ; to the valley of Jehosaphat , the wailing

place of the Jews ; to the altar in Solomon's temple , and to its middle chamber ; to the character of its pillars , * to the Jewish Sab . batic year ; to the crossing of the river where the distinction in pronouncing Shibboleth was the death warrant of the enemy in the Ephraimitio and Ammonitish war ; to the character of Hiram of Tyre in his alliance with Solomon King of Israel ; to the expressions of

Ecclesiastes , * Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth , while the evil clays come not , nor the years draw nigh when thou shalfc say I have no pleasure in them . * * ; ' and to the circum . stances of tho death of the masterbuilder of the temple . All of these take a wide range of Bible history , and a history that is found , nowhere else . Now , if these are the principal parts of Masonic organiza .

tion , can it be denied that so far it has a foundation in Bible history , nofc to say precepts ? for in this I have purposely omitted the precepts , because , as you have said , they may be found elsewhere . Now , if for its foundation Freemasonry has these facts , and tho corresponding precepts and principles which are also found in that book , is any one justified in separating these and charging even a combination of

biblical and heathen origin ?" " No , because tho principles are perfectly consistent with the facts . " " We will , then , carry the thought a littlo further , and in the SAVIOUR ' S parables we find the workman who began afc the close of the day receiving the wages of him who had borne the heat and burden of the day ; then we return again to the thoughts , ' The earth ia

the LORD ' S , and the fulness thereof . * * Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD ? and who shall stand in His holy place . * * This is the generation of them that seek Him , that seek thy face , 0 Jacob ! * * The LORD , strong and mighty ; the LORD mighty in battle . Lift np yonr heads , 0 ye gates , ' & c . A perfect acknowledgment of GOD ancl tho coming Messiah ; besides numbers of other

quotations from the written word . Then the representation of the holy fire that came down and consumed tho sacrifices upon the altar of tho temple . So we pass on to the admonition ' to be fervent in our devotions to GOD , ' to tho rebuilding of the temple , and on , in higher degrees , to the crucifixion and finally to the resurrection of CHRIST , embodying also the teachings of a life in immortality , or a faith in

GOD , and the redeeming principles of a divine faith . Now , in all these , I have delineated only a part , a mere synopsis of the foundation principles of Masonry , and in none of them do I recognize anything that I find is allied to the principles or practices of heathenism . I therefore , after a thorough examination and study , have been unable to detect anything but that which is taken from the Word , save only

such forms or words as are necessary to connect the different words or facts for the purposes of the work . " " You have a larger groundwork than I thought . " " Yes , and you will also see that the same thing you showed to bo a foundation of the Church , * a number of facts , ' is the groundwork of Freemasonry . Tho main principles are the same . "

" Will yon argue , then , that the organization of Masonry is by divine authority , as we argue for the chnrch . " " No , I will not take that ground . " " Will you argue that it is a church , and necessarily a form of religion ?" " No . Though there have been arguments that it was the ancient

chnrch , I will try nothing of the kind . I do not believe ifc to be a church , nor do I believe it a form of religion , and I think him mistaken who does . Nor do I think it a means of salvation , notwithstanding its beautiful precepts , teachings and examples j bufc I believe if a man desires spiritual salvation he must receive ifc through the medium of the church . I believe Masonry to be a voluntary

organization of men , founded upon some of the grandest teachings of GOD ' S word and designed to lift men np into better lives , if they will follow what they are taught . I see men led into better thoughts , and , thongh they are nofc always better men in general practice , I find them better in their fraternal action , in taking a wider and deeper thought in charity . "