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

and persuasively exhibited to the mind."--P. 184.
Again: "Principles and duties which lie at the foundation of the Masonic system,
and are solemnly enjoined upon every brother; whoever, therefore, shall
conscientiously discharge them in the fear of God fulfills the whole duty of
man."--P. 48. Then he claims for Freemasonry all that is or can be claimed for the
law or Gospel of God.
Again he says: "The Divine Being views no moral character in a man with greater
complacency than his who in heart strictly conforms to Masonic requirements."
"The more prominent features of a true Masonic character are literally marked
with the highest beauties."--Pp. 33, 185. Then again he represents Masonry as
forming as holy a character in man as the Gospel does or can.
Again he says that "every good Mason is of necessity truly and emphatically a
Christian."--P. 37. Then he represents Freemasonry as identical with Christianity.
A true Mason must necessarily be a true Christian. That Masonry professes to
conduct its disciples to heaven we find affirmed by Town, in the following
language. Of the inducements to practice the precepts of Masonry he says: "They
are found in that eternal weight of glory, that crown of joy and rejoicing laid up
for the faithful in a future world."--P. 188.
By the faithful here he means faithful Freemasons. This same writer claims that
Solomon organized the institution by inspiration from God. On page 187, he says:
"So Masonry was transmitted from Enoch, through Noah, Abraham, Moses, and
their succ[e]ssors, till Solomon, being inspired of God, established a regular form
of administration."
This will suffice for the purpose of showing what is claimed for Masonry by their
standard authorities. The same in substance might be quoted from various other
standard writers. I have made these quotations from Elder Stearns' book, not
finding in my library a copy of Town. In another place I shall find it convenient to
quote sundry others of their standard writers, who, while they claim it to be a
religion, do not consider it the Christian religion.
This conducts us (2) to the second inquiry: What does Freemasonry claim for
itself?
And here I might quote from almost any of the Masonic degrees to show that this
claim is put forth in almost every part of the whole institution. As Town claims
for it, so it claims for itself, a power to conduct its disciples to heaven. Any one
who will take pains to read Bernard's "Light on Masonry" through, will be
satisfied that Town claims for the institution no more than it claims for itself.
I beg of all who feel any interest in this subject to get and read Bernard on
Masonry; to read it through, and see if Town has not rightly represented the
claims of Freemasonry. I deny, observe, that he has rightly represented its
principles, and that which it really requires of Masons. That he has misrepresented
Masonic law I insist. But in respect to its promises of heaven as a reward for
being good Freemasons he has not misrepresented it. It claims to be a saving
institution. This certainly will appear to any person who will take the pains to
examine its teachings and its claims as revealed in "Light on Masonry." Mr. Town