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A PASTOR AND FREEMASONRY
WHAT'S A PASTOR TO DO?
Harmon R. Taylor
International Director H R T Ministries, Box 12, Newtonville NY 12128
I write this article as a pastor and as a former Mason. I served as head
of Welcome Lodge in Amsterdam, New York in 1980, and as Grand Chaplain of
the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York from
1983. Then a Christian brother's witness caused me to flee and to study
the roots of Freemasonry. The more I have studied since November 25, 1984
when I renounced Freemasonry, the more embarrassed I have become that I was
ever a member, much less spiritual supervisor of 150,00 Masons in New York
State.
Pastors need to consider the relationship of their church, their ministry
and their flock relative to Freemasonry. Masons are in the pulpits, in
other positions of leadership in the church and in the pews. In every case
they are either grossly deceived as I was for eleven years, or they are not
truly Christians.
Charles G. Finney, the greatest of the 19th Century evangelists, left
Freemasonry when he acknowledged Christ as Savior and Lord of his life. He
wrote a book on the subject of Freemasonry. It has been reissued by Crown
Publication, Burlington, Ontario, Canada under the title, The Antichrist of
the Masonic Society. On page 139 he states correctly: "God hold the church
and every branch of it, responsible for its opinions and actions in
accordance with the best light, which, in His providence, is afforded them.
"While Masonry was a secret, the church had no light, and no responsibility
respecting it ... Hence God did not require the church to bear any
testimony on the subject as long as Masonry was secret. "Freemasonry is
now revealed. It is no longer a secret from any who wish to be informed.
"Since these revelations (the rituals) have been made, and both the church
and the world can know what Masonry really is, God demands, and the world
has a right to expect, that the church will take due action and bear a
truthful testimony in respect to this institution. She cannot now
innocently hold her peace. The light has come. Fidelity to God, and to
the souls of men, require that the church, which is the light of the world,
should speak out, and should take such actions as will plainly reveal her
views of the compatibility or incompatibility of Freemasonry with the
Christian religion.
"...How can we fail to pronounce Freemasonry an anti-Christian institution?
... Its morality is unchristian, ... its oath-bound secrecy is unchristian,
... taking of its oaths are unchristian, ... Masonic oaths pledge its
members to commit most unlawful and unchristian acts, deliver each other
from difficulty whether right or wrong, favor Masonry in political action
and business transactions, sworn to retaliated, to persecute unto death the
violators of Masonic obligations, ...its oaths are profane, the taking of
the name of God in vain, ...the penalties of these oaths are barbarous and
even savage, ...its teachings are false and profane, ...its design is
partial and selfish, ...it is an enormous falsehood.
"Every local branch of the Church of Christ is bound to examine this
subject, and pronounce upon this institution, according to the best light
they can get. God does not allow individuals, or churches, (or pastors),
to withhold action, and the expression of the opinion, until other churches
are as enlightened as themselves.
"If churches who are known to have examined the subject withhold their
testimony; if they continue to receive persistent and intelligent
Freemasons; if they leave the public to infer that they see nothing in
Freemasonry inconsistent with a creditable profession of the Christian
religion, it will be justly inferred by other branches of the church, and
by the world, that there is nothing in it so bad, so dangerous and
unchristian as to call for their examination, action, and testimony.
"It is almost universally conceded that persistent Freemasons, who
continued to adhere and cooperate with them, ought not to be admitted to
Christian churches."
WHAT CAN PASTOR DO?
What shall we as pastors say to our flocks that contain perhaps a great
number of professed Christians who are Freemasons? Again we look to
Brother Finney:
"Let them (Freemasons) have no more to do with it. Let Christian men labor
with them, plead with them, and endeavor to make them see that their duty
is to abandon it."
To these words of Brother Finney I can lend an "AMEN!" What can pastors
do? They can receive this article into their hands, perhaps from one of
their lambs, and prayerfully consider it. They can study at their library.
Albert Pike, Albert Mackey, 33rd degree, Henry Wilson Coil, 33rd degree,
and Arthur Edward Waite are all recognized authorities by State Grand
Lodges. They may contact me or this ministry for further information.
They can read an excellent sermon, "Freemasonry and Christianity" by Dr.
Alva J. McClain, founder and first president of of Grace Theological
Seminary.
You will find and excellent resource in a six-part series on Freemasonry
which aired across the country in April and May of 1986. The series is
entitled, "THE MASONIC LODGE; Behind closed doors." It is available
through The John Ankerberg Show, Box 8977, Chattanooga, TN 37411 in audio
or VHS cassettes as well as in written transcript form.
THE ONE THING THAT PASTORS CAN'T DO, IS NOTHING!
A pastor is accountable to God Almighty for Christ's sheep in their flock.
I would never become involved in Freemasonry if a pastor had preached even
the poorest of sermons against Freemasonry in my youth. If he even
whispered in my ear! I spent eleven years in Masonry. I defended it to my
family, my church, my colleagues. God forgive me!
Thank God my teen-agers didn't swallow my line. One went and educated
himself and both of them prayed, one for four years, and one for two years,
that I might be set free from the abomination of the cult of Freemasonry.
The day came when a Christian brother and former Mason, had the courage to
risk our friendship. He opened up his Masonic bible and shared the Light
as he there had found it in Jesus, the Light of the World. That Light
showed the light of Freemasonry to be darkness and deception. Each verse
he shared brought out Masonic debris like "Salvation by Works" from the
closets of my life. With the living room of my life now cluttered with the
false doctrines of Freemasonry, I renounced it that very day! I will never
forget the joy in the voices of my children as I told them over the phone!
I will never forget the tears on my mother's cheeks as she exclaimed,
"Another prayer answered! One more to go before I die!" Yes, and the
joyous embrace of my obedient wife!
WE MUST RENOUNCE IT
In the year after I renounced Freemasonry, I personally sat with each Mason
in my congregation and shared my testimony. Most defended the Fraternity.
Some even began a campaign against their pastor. So be it! "Greater is He
that is in me than he that is in the world!" Some left their positions of
authority in the church without ever being asked. On October 13, 1985 I
delivered a sermon entitled, "Mixing Oil With Water -- Christianity &
Freemasonry." That light exposed the darkness of Masonry and unrenouncing
Masons still in positions of authority fled in shame. In their place God
sent new people literally from across this country to take up the slack.
Finances that were threatened by these Masonic families, instead, increased
by 40%! The pledging units increased by 25%! Pastor, stand for God and He
will bless!
I thank God for Bible-believing pastors. If you are one, know that in love
I say to you, "Pastor, you preach the Word with me! Yes, there will be
opposition. In the world you will have tribulation, said Jesus, but be of
good cheer because I have overcome the world."
Preach boldly as we are instructed in Acts 18:9, Col. 1:28, 2 Tim. 4:2-5,
Heb. 2:11. Know that there will be rewards for any persecution that you
may face as recorded in James 1:3, 12.
Pastor, did you know that Freemasonry will not permit the Name of Jesus to
be used in any regular and well governed Lodge? Did you know that when
they use a passage such as 1 Pet. 2:5 or 2 Thes. 3:6, they delete the
phrase that includes the name of our blessed and only Saviour, Jesus
Christ? That is not just an oversight, as reference to it states (*slight,
but necessary modifications have been made). Would you call deleting Jesus
Christ a "slight" or "necessary" modification? No! No Christian should!
1 John 2:22-23 says "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the
Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever
denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son
has the Father also." Read also 1 John 4:2 in relation to this same
thought.
Pastor, Hosea 4:6 declares, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being
priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will
forget your children."
LET NONE PERISH
As fellow pastors, we must agree that we do not want to see anyone perish.
Certainly, not the lambs in our own flock! Labor with me. As I share with
you, 433 men have renounced Masonry and are living more productive
Christian lives. They discovered that the "friendships" of the Lodge were
based on a Masonic bond and not upon genuine friendship. In every
instance they found Christians coming forward who had held back from
fellowship with them, not knowing how to confront their Christian brother
in his error. Without exception, they have confessed that their present
friends are more genuine and more fulfilling to their lives than what they
thought they had in the fraternity.
If you have Masons in the membership of Christ's church, you, as pastor,
need to become educated and confront them in love. I was delivered from my
love of Freemasonry and left with an abiding love for Masons. I pray daily
for their release from the cult of Freemasonry. With prayer, preparation,
and sharing, they will come out of either Freemasonry or the Church.
DWIGHT L. MOODY SPEAKS OUT
Dwight L. Moody said, "I do not see how any Christian, most of all a
Christian minister, can go into these secret lodges with unbelievers. They
say they can have more influence for good: but I say they can have more
influence for good by staying out of them, and reproving their evil deeds.
Abraham had more influence for good in Sodom than Lot had."
For this, D. L. Moody was challenged, "If you talk this way, you will drive
all the members of secret societies out of your meetings and out of our
churches."
To this the bold pastor proclaimed, "But what if I did? Better men will
take their places. Give them the truth anyway, and if they would rather
leave their churches than their lodges, the sooner they get out of the
churches, the better. I would rather have ten members who are separated
from the world than a thousand such members. Better one with God than a
thousand without Him."
WHAT'S A PASTOR TO DO REGARDING FREEMASONRY?
- Pray for guidance and direction.
- Study Freemasonry together with your Bible.
- Write down your thoughts.
- Share them with Masons when you're sure enough not to be deceived
by their uninformed or misinformed tales.
- Proclaim from your pulpit the dangers of the double walk of a
Christian in Freemasonry. Let your flock know again that they
cannot serve two masters, nor can they have any other God before
them. (Masonry permits any and every god at the altar.)
If you are a pastor, thank you for listening and may God bless you as you
serve Him and your flock for the glory of God. If you are a layman, your
pastor needs your support and your help. Pray for your Pastor; then share
this article. Continue to pray with expectation for your pastor and be
ready to assist your pastor in proclaiming the Truth and setting free the
oppressed.
Free The Masons
P.O. Box 1077
Issaquah, Wa. 98027