" Significance Of Masonic Light."

" SIGNIFICANCE OF MASONIC LIGHT . "

By BRO . JACOB NORTON . UNDER tho abovo heading , an editorial review of an address by tlio Rev . Bro . Charles Bntler appeared in this paper , 12 th April this year . Judging from a few quotations from tho said address , Bro . Bntler is evidently a disciple of the Oliver school ; henco ho gave us an abundance of rhetorical assumption , bnt littlo or no logic . The lecturer started with "The undeniable fact that religion and

Freemasonry were ivedded from the first . " But he failed to tell us Avhafc religion ifc was Avcdded to , aud Avhen its first was . If by "first" Bro . Bntlor meant tho building of Solomon ' s Temple , then Masonry must havo been wedded to the JeAvish religion . If Bro . Bntler ' s first meant the Masonry of the middle ages , then ifc must havo been first wedded to Roman Catholicism . Bufc as the religion

of Masonry is neither the Jewish nor the Roman Catholic religion , Bro . Butler may probably mean the timo of 1717 , when speculative Masonry Avas first started ; and if so , tho religion then Aveddcd to Masonry was neither Jewish nor Christian . For all thafc tho 1721 Constitution required for eligibility to Masonry Avas , " That religion in which all -men agree , " Avhich is thus defined , —to be a good and true

man , to practise morality , and to believe in God . To be sure , these tenets form part of tho Jewish as well as the Christian religion ; bufc as no one can bo regarded either as an orthodox Jew or orthodox Christian if his belief is confined entirely to thoso tenets , our modern Freemasonry cannot , therefore , be claimed to have been

" from the first wedded , either to Judaism or to Christianity . Had Bro . Butler undertaken to prove thafc according to the " old charges " in Anderson ' s Constitntion of 1721 , Masons had to believe in God , and had to bo good and true men , no ono could havo disputed his statement .

I am , however , sorry to say thafc Bro . Butler Lad another scheme in his head , and the introduction of his fact , of religion having been Avedded to Masonry , was merely intended by him as a Christianising wedge ; for no sooner was the sharp end of his wedge inserted , than his mallet began to go rap , rap , rap , which drovo the wedge down to Adam's fall , Jacob ' s ladder , Moses aud the burning bush .

& c . Now all those topics are interesting to Jews and Christians only ; bufc even they are afc loggerhead aboufc tho re igious significance of these topics , for tho religious significance attached to those topics by ono party is regarded by the other as mero superstition . Again fcho mallet Avent rap , rap , rap , which drovo tho Avedgo down to "The Light on tlio Altar , " meaning the Bible , Avhich book

Christians believe iu to to , Jews about three-fourths thereof , and tho rest of tho human race have no faith in it at all . There is no doubt thafc the Bible has in it many grand truths ; bufc thero is also no doubt that ifc contains many grand puzzles , which moro than once have caused hatred , strife , Avars , and religious persecutions . The Bible may truly bo compared to a nitro-glyceriue magazine , which continues

harmless as long as it lays quiescent , but the moment ifc is carelessly handled , a terrific explosion may take place . If therefore tho Bible must bo in a Lodge , as far as the Christian soul-saving dogmas are concerned , they must be hid under a bushel when the Lodge is open . Again , Bio . Butler applied hia mallot , and afc last drovo Christianity into the very heart of Masonry , for thus saith our rev . brother : —

"Behoving , as I do , that Christianity is tho highest development of religions light , Freemasonry seems to me to bo moro in harmony with it than with any other form of ancient and modern religion . No brother can fail to recognise tho direct reference in all degrees of Freemasonry to the religion of Jesus Christ . Each succeeding degree increases tho light , aud makes the reference moro clear ancl definite . "

Tho rev . lecturer evidentl y belongs to a school of theological philosophers , Avho can turn every form , shape , or figure into a Christian symbol thus , a lino ancl angle , a circle , a cube , & c , can each bo made to denote Christ . In tho Old Testament , in King James ' s Bible , in every chapter whero thero happens to be a metaphor or puzzle , is intimated in the heading of thafc chapter that ifc refers

to Christ , His holy church , " & c . Masonic luminaries of that school havo symbolised Christ as a lion , a lamb , a pelican , a fish , and what not . Tho late Dr . Oliver got old of an old R . A . Chart , ou which was engraved a seven-branch candlestick ; a small sprig , which ho called Aaron ' s rod , two apothecarv's Avcights , which he called show

bread ; a smoking pot he called " a pot of incense , " and other indescribable figures . The Doctor then learnedly proved that tho candlestick was Christ , that Aaron ' s Rod was Christ , that the show bread was Christ , that tho pofc of inceuso was Christ , and thafc every oi her item ou tho chart was Christ , and ho thus lucidly demonstrated that Royal Arch Masonry was Christian . *

I . ; : < h method of philosophising may have great weight with orth . oi . iox Christians . The } ' may admire it as beautiful , profound , and sublime . But the Jewish and non-orthodox brethren in a Masonic Lo . Ve will assuredly condemn it as frivolous , absurd , and insulting to coimnon sense . Let ns , ho'vevcv , put the shoo upon the other foot . When I visited

"Tho Lodge of Israel , " near forty years ago , I fonnd there twenty or more Jews to ono Christian . Suppose , then , WM . Bro . Cohen had there made a harangue in tho Rov . Butler ' s style , bufc instead of \ aunting the superiority of Christianity , he bragged up Judaism as the highest development of religious light ; had snch been tho case , the Christian brethren then present would have felfc indignant afc the

insult to their religion , and with justice they might have denounced tho address as unmasonic , ungentlemauly , and impertinent . There is a saying , " What is good for tho goose is good for the gander , " and , inferentially , Avhat is bad for one is bad for tho other . If Christian brethren would be angered by Bro . Cohen for insulting their religion in a Lodge composed of twenty or moro Jews to one Christian , they should refraiu from insulting Bro . Cohen ' s religion

" Significance Of Masonic Light."

in a Lodgo composed of twenty or moro Christians to one Jew . Besides which , it is easy to assert tho superiority of a religion , but ifc may be impossible to prove ifc ; and as religions discussion will mar the brotherly lovo which should exist among Masons , AVO must nofc only avoid discussion upon religion in a Lodge , and in tho Masonic press too , but wo must also avoid provoking such discussion both in

a Lodgo and in tho press . The editor praised Bro . Butler ' s address ; bufc yet he seemed cognizant of au inconsistency , ancl ho therefore endeavoured to whitewash ifc , thus : — "And yet ( says the brother ) , be ifc observed , tho interpretation of our Masonio symbols is subject to no inflexible rule . Each brother may interpret thom according to tho light thafc

is in him . So far as possible everything is excluded from the Lodgo which might offend or cast an apparent reflection on the sincerity or intelligent convictions of a brother . The Jew , tho Turk , and tho Christian may minglo freely in tho same Locige , agreeing in tho grand essential and universal principles of religion , recognising and worshipping tho G . A . O . T . U ., " & c .

I do nofc clearly understand the above . As already said , tho editor approved of Bntler ' s address , bufc am I to understand thafc every brother should be allowed to brag up his religion in a Lodge as Bro . Butler did ? Why , if such concession was made , ifc would not bo very long ere tho " confusion of Babel" Avould bear no comparison to the scenes thafc Avould nightly be exhibited in Lodges . Nay , our

brother himself commends thafc as far as possible everything should bo excluded from the Lodge which might offend tho convictions of an intelligent brother . This is apparently an admission , thafc sectarianism should be excluded from tho Lodgo . Tho question then is , if one dare not interpret Masonio symbols according to the light thafc is in him in a Masonic Lodge , of Avhat use can his light bo to Masons ?

There is but one Avay I can solve thafc riddle . I suppose that my brother meant to lay down a rule thafc Avhen none bufc Christians aro present in a Lodge , that then and thero the symbols might bo interpreted according to Christian light , but tho moment a Jew or Turk knocks at the door for admission , tho bushel must bo popped over tho Christian light , and another kind of light must thou be

substituted for ifc . Is it so , brother ? Truth has bufc one meaning , viz ., to mean what you say . Saying what Ave do not mean is called deception . To tell one brother that a symbol means this , and to another ifc means that , is neither moro nor less than deception . Jewish aud Turkish Masons are men of mature age and of sound judgment , and they cannot be humbugged with

sophistical dodges when ( contrary to the solemn promises given them afc their initiation ) their religion is insulted in a Masonio Lodge . I am nofc opposed to religion , but Avith King Solomon I say , " thero is a time and place for all things , " and a Masonio Lodgo is no place to brag up any sectarian religion . If Masonry is sectarian its creed should be defined , and every candidate should be mado to

snbscribo to it before his initiation , but if its religions requirements do not extend beyond thoso laid down in tho Masonic Constitution , then our rituals and our boasted " Masonic universality" aro certainly in antagonism . Tho original and chief cause of our Masonic inconsistency Avas , and is , tho general ignorance of Masonic history among our

brethren ; second , ifc is duo to religious dreamers , who persuaded them , selves that Masonry was somehow connected with the early Christian Church . Somo of theso dreamers Avcnfc so far as to declare that tho first Church of tho Apostles was a veritable Masonic Lodgo ; mon with somo such notions formed our rituals , aud men with such notions , from timo to timo , tinkered the rituals . These rituals in their turn , gave rise to new dreamers aud to new delusions , and tho

result is , tho Masonic press has been deluged Avith thousands of very foolish Masonic articles , and with thousands of equally foolish Masonic lectures ; and third , Masonry from the first , has been plagued Avith a pack of Masonic charlatans , who for self invented any number of legends , any number of degrees , and any amount of humbug . And as long as the brotherhood remain ignorant of true Masonio history , so long will the charlatans and tho dreamers unitedly fight for tho perpetuation of humbug and sectarianism in our Masonic

rituals . I havo thus far reasoned from facts ancl the " golden rule , " bufc as men of theological training aro apt to attach moro importance to authority than they do to facts and the golden rule , I shall , therefore , submit a document issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland , wherein our sectarianising advocates will learn that "Masonry prefers no sect ; " that "a Masonic religion is the faithful worship

of Ciod ; that a Lodgo is nofc appropriated to sectarian teachings , bat " to improve moral duties , correct human frailties , and inculcate social happiness . " And thafc political as well as religious discussions may bo done by Masons " in other places and in other capacities , " but under no pretence whatsoever should those topics be suffered to invade a Masonic Lodge . I herewith give the document in full , Avifch its italicisings and underlinings , just as it is printed in the Sentimental and Masonic Magazine , p 200 . Dublin , 1793 .

" MASONIC ADMONITION . " Several Freemasons' Lodges in tho country , having taken upon them the discussion of political and religions subjects , on Thursday , 3 rd Jannary 1793 , afc tho meeting of tho GUAM * LODGE of IRELAND ( Grand Treasurer on tho Throne ) tho following ADMONITION was resolved , and ordered to bo transmitted to the several Lodges

throughout the kingdom . "THE GRAND LODGE of Ireland , as the constituted authority and guardian of the OKA FT , deem it incumbent on them to remind the respective Lodges in the kingdom , that ifc is utterly inconsistent with the fundamental principles—the ancient charges—and uniform

practices of FREEMASONS to permit any discussion or publication on relig ions or political subjects among them , because these , of all others , are known to arouse the worst passions of men , and excite among the kindest brethren the most rancorous ancl lasting animosities . T RUE MASONKY prefers no sect , and acknowledges no party , — a Mason'a religion is tbo faithful Avorahip of GOD ; his politics , strict