The Relation Of Theism To Freemasonry.

attempt to prostitute its mighty brotherhood into an organism to propagate scepticism . There has always been a contest in this world between right and wrong , and light and darkness . The cuttle fishes of doubt ancl unbelief have always been throwing out their ink into the sea that men may not be able to find their way to the haven of rest and peace . The Church is the Church militant in this world , girded with the

sword of truth against opposing errors , and the Sons of Light must not expect to get on in this world without a fight for their principles against foes without , and sometimes foes within . We claim , friends , that the attempt of French Masons to abolish the Theistie character of Masonry is as great a revolution in its character as to change a church into an infidel debating school , and we propose briefly to give some of the reasons for this faith .

1 . We say that if anything be a fundamental characteristic—an irremovable landmark of Masonry , it is the Belief in God . Freemasonry began as an association for protection ancl relief among those who where engaged in erecting temples to the glory of God . Hence they were called Masons ; ancl because such work was regarded as the noblest work in which man could engage , they were called " free ancl accepted Masons . " The association became so dignified by the thought that it was a guild of

temple builders that princes and kings entered it as an honour . Finally , from being an operative , it became a speculative society ; and after this , every Mason was regarded as one who is erecting a spiritual temple to Almighty God . > Hence , from the beginning , the demand for belief in God has been universal . No one could be made a Mason who did not avow his belief in God . In the change from operative to speculative Masonry , our Masonic forefathers felt that it would be a farce for any man who was an Atheist to call himself a Mason , it would belie both his name and his character .

2 . God , in Masonic language , is generally spoken of as the Grand Architect of the Universe . He is the Omnipotent Mason , who has built the Universe , and we who are building spiritual temples of character very appropriately recognize Him as the Grand Architect . In the name of this Grand Architect all Masonic deeds have always been done ; a perpetual memento of the Theistie character of the Institution . And to this day the Grand Orient of France itself addresses all of its circulars -. a la gloire

da Grand Architect de I'Univers . No doubt they will abolish this formula when they revise their rituals , but the fact that they always used it up to the year 1879 , and then abolished it , will only serve as an eternal monument that they have been hypocrites ancl are apostates . As you might expect , this fundamental character of Freemasonry—its Belief in Cod—is the web and woof of the whole sj-stem as exemplified in its ritual or work . cannot

I speak of this with freedom before a mixed congregation ; but I can say that every Master Mason knows that the degrees he has taken are full of recognition of , and eloquent instruction upon , the doctrine of God and immortality , and that every Royal Arch Mason knows that the reason why the Craft degrees are called symbolical 's because they are symbolical of deeper mysteries , which mysteries are illuminated ancl explained in the Royal Arch degree . This Royal Arch degree anciently formed a part of the Master

' s degree , without which the Master's degree has but little meaning . The Royal Arch is the summit of Ancient Craft Masonry , and the reason of it every Royal Arch Mason i ^ ows , and perceives at once its bearing on my argument , that Freemasonry and jheism are identically one thing ; that the whole system is an absurdity without it . ft is the keystone which binds the mighty arch of the whole edifice , without which t would fall into of i ruinsAll the di of from

a heap gnoble . gnity Masonry comes s eternal testimony to the truth that there is a personal God , who is the omnipotent factor of aU things that exist , the Eternal Spirit that pervades all things . As Chiller finely says : — TJnd em Gott ist , em heiliger Wille Iebt , W ie auch der menschliche Wanke ;