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

132 INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL ASHES. MOORE’S DESCRIPTION OF FALSE RELIGIONS. 133Degree of the leading Rite in the United States and inEurope?A careful reading of the propnet Isaiah, 44th Chapter,will show why no absurdities in a system of falsereligion can be s~ absurd as to break the power of thatreligion over the minds of its devotees. The burtien ofthis chapter is a remonstrance against idolatry. Toshow its utter absurdity the prophet supposes a man toplant, and rear an ash tree; warm himself with part ofit, cook his victuals with another part and worship therest as his god. His explanation of this fatuity, how aman of ordinary sense and understanding could do so,he gives in the following words“They see not nor know. v. 9. They have notknown nor understood, for he hath shut their eyes thatthey can not see, and their hearts that they can not undestand.v. 18. He feedeth on ashes; a deceivedheart hath turned him aside; that he can not deliver hissoul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand.” ix £0.Now that the makers of these degreea have manufactnreda religion, is precisely as true as it is that theman made a religion who burnt half of his ash tree andworshiped the other half. Bare inspection proves this;and if he did not, Masonic authority settles it. Cunningham’sManual of this Scottish Rite, in the First or Secre~Master’s Degree, page 20, says, “Genuine Masonryis a pure Religion.” Masonry then is “a religion,” andbeing man-made is a false religion; and, if so, (here issomething in it which disables its worshippers fromknowing the- truth, as did that religion whose god wasmade from an ash tree. Then the words of Isaiah applyto them and explain how these ineffable degrees live,are kept up. That this Provost degree is intellectual andmoral “ashes,” one needs 6nt to read it to know. Ashesand the lodge bite and stimulate but do not nourish.And the Mason who practices it becomes color-blindwhere Masonry is concerned. “A deceived heart hathturned him aside, that he can not deliver his soul, norsay, ip them not a lie in my right hand.” Nothing butthe power and grace of God can deliver a man whosemind is sunk into that fearful condition.Moore aptly describes the devices of the false prophetsand religious imposters in his “Veiled Prophet ofKhorassan,” thus•~~fl~Q shall have mysterise—a7e, predons stut.For knaves to thrive by—inisteries enough;Dark tangled doctrines, dark as fraud can weave,which simple votaries on trust receivewhile th~ crattler teigo belief—thU they beUeve.~Moore resided sometime in Paris while Masonry wasat its height in the French Capital. And as his “FireWorshipers” ore a picture of the wrongs of Ireland,so the Masonic Mysteries of Paris a’e painted tothe life in the mysteries of his Veiled Prophet; thedebauchery, cruelty and fraud of the leaders, and ~hestupid faith of their duped and despised followers, who,like perjured witnesses, repeat their conned falsehoodstill they believe them. But their belief no more excusesthem than suicide justifies murder; when a mankills another and then himself. Men enter secret sooietiesfrom motives of curiosity, gain, friendship orpopularity. They come to believe in them by practicingtheir rites.