THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

elonging to the institution, who are heartily sick of it, and would fain be rid of it;
but who dare not open their mouths or whisper to any individual in the world their
secret abhorrence of the institution. But it is time to speak out. And I do beg my
brethren in the ministry, and the whole Christian Church, to examine it for
themselves, and not turn away from looking the evil in the face until it is too late.
CHAPTER X
PERVERSE AND PROFANE USE
OF THE HOLY BIBLE
In this number I wish to call the attention of my readers to some of the cases in
which Freemasons misapply and misrepresent, and most profanely, if not
blasphemously, use the Holy Scriptures. I will not go far into the sickening
details; but far enough, I trust, to lead serious persons to reflect upon the nature of
a society that can trifle with such solemn things.
The "Knights of the East and West" take the following oath, and then pass
through the following ceremonies:--See pp. 214--220 of the first edition, or eighth
edition, 230--240, of Bernard's Light on Masonry-- "I ----, do promise and
solemnly swear and declare, in the awful presence of the only One Most Holy,
Puissant, Almighty, and Most Merciful Grand Architect of Heaven and Earth,
who created the universe and myself through His infinite goodness, and conducts
it with wisdom and justice; and in the presence of the Most Excellent and Upright
Princes and Knights of the East and West, here present in convocation and grand
council, on my sacred word of honor, and under every tie both moral and
religious, that I never will reveal to any person whomsoever below me, or to
whom the same may not belong by being legally and lawfully initiated, the secrets
of this degree which are now about to be communicated to me, under the penalty
of not only being dishonored, but to consider my life as the immediate forfeiture,
and that to be taken from me with all the tortures and pains to be inflicted in
manner as I have consented to in my preceding degrees. I further solemnly
promise and swear that I will pay due obedience and submission to all the degrees
beyond this, &c. All this I solemnly swear and sincerely promise upon my sacred
word of honor, under the penalty of the severe wrath of the Almighty Creator of
Heaven and Earth; and may He have mercy on my soul in the great and awful day
of judgment agreeably to my conformity thereto. Amen. Amen. Amen. The All
Puissant then takes the ewer filled with perfumed ointment, and anoints his head,
eyes, mouth, heart, the tip of his right ear, hand, and foot, and says, "You are now,
my dear brother, received a member of our society. You will recollect to live up
to the precepts of it; and also, remember that those parts of your body which have
the greatest power of assisting you in good or evil, have this day been made holy."
The Master of Ceremonies then places the candidate between the two Wardens,
with the draft before him. The Senior Warden says to him, "Examine with