The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRYAND KNIGHTS TEMPLARbook which is believed by the Mason of any particular religion to contain the revealed will of GodAnd therefore, whatever to any people expressesthat will may be used as a substitute for the Biblein a Masonic Lodge. Thus, to the Christian Masonthe Book of the Law is the Old and New Testaments;to the Jew, the Old Testament; to the Mussulman,the Koran; to the Brahman, the Vedas;and to the Parsee, the Zendavesta. They all conveythe same idea that of the symbolism of theDivine will revealed to man.alone has no secret doctrine. ItsFreemasonryphilosophy is open to the world. Its modes of recognitionby which it secures identification, and itsrites and ceremonies, which are its method of instruction, alone are secret. All men may know the ,, ,{/>tenets of the Masonic creed. This creed consists/^/)of two articles: First, a belief in God, the Creatorof all things, who is therefore recognized as theGrand Architect of the Universe; and secondly,a belief in the eternal life,to which this present lifeis but a preparatory and probationary state.At the revival of Masonry in 1/17, the GrandLodge of Fngland set forth the Law, as to the religiouscreed to he required of a Mason in the followingwords, to be found in the charges approvedby that body: "In ancient times, Masons werecharged in every country to be of the religion ofthat country or nation, whatever it was; yetit isnow thought more expedient only to oblige themto that religion in which all men agree, leaving theirv/*ir/*particular opinions to themselves."This is now considered universally as the recognizedlaw on the subject.108