My Masonic Travels
CHarris141
AM I started an unknown journey into something that I have come to love and
respect. My maternal grandfather is a 38 year Mason who also is an ordained
Southern Baptist Minister who was involved in the Jail minstry for 41 years.
It is from this very Godly man that my curiosity about the Masons came. I have
heard lots of pro and con about the masons and have asked many questions about
the things those who dis-approve say. The most popular one to me is that
Freemasonry offers a plan of salvation which is based on works and not on the
Bible. In the EA degree I learned that:
1. The Holy Bible is given us as the rule and guide of our faith and practice.
2. the Square means we should have honest actions with our fellow man
3. the Compasses to keep our desires in tact and not let them run astray.
4. The Apron does not admit us to heaven but is a symbol of the purity of life
that we should try and lead. As a Christian this makes perfect sense because
you try and live a good upright life and we use the Cross to represent the
ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us. The apron then is a secondary symbol of
the life that I as a Christian should try and live. It does not garuntee me
entrance in heaven.
There is a refrence to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah in the MM degree and what
is said about it does not conflict with my Christianity, in fact it is saying
what the Bible says.
Everything that is taught in ritual (in my jurisdiction) points to what should
be done to live a good moral life. The Bible is very the most important part
of the ritual as it should be as well as the most important part of our daily
life. It talks about what happens when we die and comments about eternal life
but not defining the means to achieve it beyond living a good moral life. The
church is the only institution which a person uses to define how to get to
heaven. Freemasony can not and will not do that.
York & Scottish Rite:
More is learned in these lesson about what is taught in Blue Lodge with added
emphisis put on the philosophy behind it. Again, although it may draw upon
ancient teachings to put forth a lesson, nothing goes against the Bible. More
of a course in comparitive religious teachings. The person is never told they
have to accept them but is told rather this is what the ancients thought about
such and such.
Well, I have said my peace and have stated what I think about Freemasonry. I
hope all good men of character will find a desire to join the lodge and enter
into a fraternity of good men and good times.
Christopher A. Harris, Christian & Master Mason
McDonald Lodge # 324 AF & AM (Senior Deacon & Education Officer)
Knight Templar York Rite, Valley of Kansas City - 32° Scottish Rite;
homepage: http://members.aol.com/CHarris141/mason.html
MasonTruth
That was a very nice post and dispells much of what anti-masons saay about the
Fraternity.
Thanks
Bro. Manny