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A Pastor and Freemasonry: What’s a Pastor to do?
AUTHOR: Taylor, Harmon R.
PUBLISHED ON: April 24, 2003
DOC SOURCE: CCN

A Pastor and Freemasonry: What’s a Pastor to do?  by 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 teenagers 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 and 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
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