Are Freemasonry and Christianity Compatible?

To begin this paper I think that it would be appropriate to quote
from the first English Book of Constitution, 1723, - in the first
charge therein concerning God and religion is stated 'A Mason is
obliged by his tenure to obey the moral law, and if he rightly
understands that Art, he will never be a stupid Atheist, nor an
irregular Libertine' and this charge was revised in 1815 to read
'let a man's religion or mode of worship be what it may, he is
not excluded from the order, provided he believe in the glorious
architect of heaven and earth, and practise the sacred duties of
morality' and so it still stands today - the first condition of
admission into, and membership of, the order is the belief in a
Supreme Being.  This is essential and admits no compromise.  A
belief in the Existence of God as the Great Architect of the
Universe and the Immortality of the Soul and a life hereafter are
some of the important landmarks of the Order.  Masonry is a
Brotherhood which seeks after truth, encourages our members to
uphold one another in the highest moral principles and having
strict honesty of purpose and integrity in all matters of
business and community endeavours.

Throughout the years since organized masonry has existed, the
Christian Churches have had a number of concerns with Freemasonry
some of these concerns to be well founded and some misguided to
say the least.  One concern is that Masonry is frequently
referred to as being a secret society - certainly we do have a
tradition of privacy but in actual fact modern Freemasonry is
really very open and clearly anything but a secret society, with
meetings usually advertised in the local press, unlimited volumes
of published Masonic material available in libraries and book
stores and our members proud to make known their affiliation as
Freemasons.  Another concern is that Masonry is a religion and
that for some members salvation is attained by good works alone -
Masonry is neither a religion nor a substitute for religion - nor
a competitor with religion - though in the sphere of human
conduct it may be hoped that our teachings will be complimentary
to that of religion - Masonry requires a man to have a belief in
God, or a Supreme Being before he can be admitted as a member,
and expects him to continue to practise his religion thereafter -
Actually Freemasonry may be said to be a system of Morality - we
as members are free to profess any religious faith which enables
us to express a belief in the Great Architect of the Universe -
Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of a religion, we have no
theological doctrine and by forbidding religious discussion at
our meetings there is no opportunity for a Masonic theological
doctrine to be developed.

One of the most important landmarks of our order is that which
forbids us to participate as Masons in any form of religious or
political discussion. The reason for this important landmark is
that Freemasonry exists for the sake of and is devoted to and is
dedicated for Brotherhood. This Brotherhood means that many of us
men , drawn from all walks of life - with a variety of various
racial and political opinions are brought together and kept
together in a relationship of friendship, harmony and goodwill.
There is nothing else more likely to divide and alienate men than
religion and politics and for the welfare of our Brotherhood this
has been and always must be one of the most important of our
landmarks.

What then is it that leads men and organizations in society to
attack us - From the early beginnings of our order we have
continually been attacked by those outside of the order. Some of
the great Christian Churches maintain an enmity towards us and
many governments, particularly communist and non-democratic
states, have outlawed Freemasonry and forbidden their peoples to
become members. In all probability this will continue and is not
likely to change - but what is the attitude of our Craft to these
attacks - the attitude of the Craft is to ignore them. We do not
fight back, we have done nothing to warrant or to invite such
attacks and therefore it is no concern of ours. Our faith in the
truth of Freemasonry is so certain and well founded that we only
need to continue on as we always have in order to silence any
false charges or untruths that may be made against us.

Freemasonry is not a Christian organization although many of us
are professing Christians, and the God we worship is the
Christian God - Salvation can only be attained by a belief in the
divine revelation which exists in the form of a Sacred Volume for
every religion and of course for we Christians this is the Holy
Bible.

What then does Masonry and Christianity have in common? Masonry
is not a religion but it is religious - it is not a church but is
a worship in which men of all religions may unite - It is the
friend of all, having emphasis upon those truths which underlie
all religions. Masonry seeks to instill in its members a standard
conduct and behaviour which will be acceptable to all creeds and
hopefully that its teaching will be complimentary to that of any
religion. The basic tenants of Masonry, brotherly love, relief
and truth are complimentary to any man's Christian beliefs and
must become a part of a Christian's search for more light in his
continual search for truth - that true Spiritual Light who for a
Christian is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Many of our Christian leaders in our Churches are also dedicated
Masons and find no conflict in being members of both. Our Parish
Priest at home is a Past Master of his Lodge and has taken the
Christian Orders in Preceptory and has found nothing to be in
conflict with his Christian beliefs and Ordination Vows. His
problem is time the same problem we all have - There is always a
conflict with time when a person belongs to a number of different
organizations.

I have been a Licensed Lay Reader in our Parish for almost as
many years as I have been a Mason and I know that Masonry has
been a strong support and influence in my long and gradual
journey to my coming to know my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
There is only one area in which I have found some unhappiness and
a feeling of unease and that is in the obligations in the three
degrees, when the candidate is taking his vows on the Holy Bible.
It has always given me a feeling of repugnance to swear on the
Volume of the Sacred Law a completely ridiculous and impossible
penalty which is not only archaic but never can be carried out.
There is no reason why these penalties could not be moved to some
other part of the ceremony and keep the obligation as solemn and
sacred as it should be.

Are they compatible? Of course Christianity and Freemasonry are
compatible and should be and are complimentary to each other in
Man's continual search for truth. Freemasonry does not offer any
teaching to the Christian member that he cannot find within his
church - We do not recruit new members, only those who are
motivated by a favourable opinion preconceived of the
Institution' and sees such an opinion as being generated by the
good examples of public and charitable
concerns by the members.

It is essential that we as members of the order continue to carry
out voluntary community activities, participate in our church and
worship services,and put our faith into practise in our daily
living of and try to keep a fuller relationship with our family
and close friends. In this way can Masonry and Christianity
continue to be compatible in each of our individual lives as
Christians and as Masons.

Brethren, these are some thoughts on Christianity and Masonry,
which, hopefully, you can accept in the spirit in-which they have
been presented - for your consideration and discussion. Masonry
has always steadfastly held that freedom of thought and religious
worship is there are sole right of every individual. As members
of the Fraternity religion encouraged to put into daily practise
the precepts of our own as well as the moral teachings of the
fraternity.

J. P. Brooks - Grand Senior Warden, Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan


Acknowledgements:

Quatuor Coronati Transactions
Workman Unashamed - Christopher Haffner Freemasonry and the
Christian Faith - Harri Heino
General The Report on Freemasonry & Christianity - The Working  
Group, Grand Lodge of England Synod of the Church The Clergy and
the Craft - Forrest D. Haggard

Freemason's Pocket Reference Book - Pick & Knight

The Pocket History of Freemasonry - Piek & Knight

Christian by Degrees - Walton Hannah

The Holy Bible - Masonic Edition