Blanchard J (anti-masonic) - Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated Part I

484 ROSE CR055 hELL, A MASONIC CARICATURE.Andersonville, with Lincoln in the distance looking ousmiling.Doubtless the Hell of the Bible, which is a hell of sinand wrath made by sinners, and preferred by them toHeaven, is hotter than flames, and more offei~sive thanbrimstone. But this Rose Cross Hell is a Masoniccaricature invented by priests, to scare sinners and keepthem paying Peter’s Pence, to support them in luxuryand vice. Such a Hell is in short a stupendous Masonicfalsehood; a double-acting caricature, to manufacture aRomish population of weak and timid’ dupes; andsturdy, stujid atheists.But the use Masons now make of it is succinctly explainedin the expose (p. 476) where the Muter ofCarqmonies “leads the candidate around the room threetimes ~“ calls his attention to the “representation. of thetorments of the damned,” and then tells him:“The horrors which you have just seen are but a faintrepresentation of those you shall suffer if you breakthrough our laws, or infringe the obligation you havetaken.”This degree thus cl~rly proves and shows the identityand oneness of Popery and Masonry; both in theirorigin and their~ object. Both are the invention ofpriests. Both are false religions. Both farm men’s interestin eternity that tyrants may tax and govern themin time.Both this degree and the 17th, preceding, are calledby Masonic Authorities, “entirely philosophical,” (Note182,) and they are. They lay hold of the Apocalypsewhich has been largely a sealed book to Christ’s Churchand they thus use “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” forthe purpose of Devils; who, by entering Judas Iscariot,IMPUDENT AND DETESTABLE IUMICBY. 485procure the crucifixion of Christ; and then seize theCross on which the world’s horror was enacted; to turnIt into an idol, draw away the sinner’s attention fromthe sufferer; and cheat mankind out of salvation by hisdeath.Now when you have waded through the gewgawa andtrumpery of these two devil caricatures of the Revelation,ma(le by these 17th and 18th degrees, whcre the,most sublime and awful realities are degraded by themost impudent and detestable mimicry; as “the angelsholding the four winds of the earth.” (Rev. 7, 1,) per-~onifiodby men, called Masons, holding, and whiskingbladders filled with wind; with which more diabolicalbalderdash; then open your Bibles and read the Revelationitself, which wonderful book is a series of tableauxor plates, in the war against idolatry; down to the finalgathering of Gog and Magog to the great battle-day ofGod; and you will clearly discern “the Philosophy ofthese two devils’ degrees which is to degrade the Revelationof Jesus Christ.”