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

has grossly misrepresented Masonic law and morality as we have seen in
examining its claims to benevolence, and in scrutinizing their oaths and their
profane use of Scripture. But that Mr. Town has not misrepresented the claims of
Masonry to be a saving religion has been abundantly shown in these pages by
quotations from "Light on Masonry." I might quote many pages from the body of
Masonry where it teaches the candidates that the observance of Masonic law,
principles and usages will secure his salvation. The Gospel professes no more
than this, that those who obey it shall be saved. Surely Masonry claims to be a
saving religion just as much as the Gospel of Christ does.
Just take the following from the degree of "The Knights of the East and West."
"Light on Masonry," first edition, p. 217, already quoted in another place.
In explaining the ceremony of sounding the seventh trumpet, and conducting the
candidate to the vacant canopy, we find the following: "This canopy it will be
recollected is at the right side of the All Puissant who represents JEHOVAH. The
sounding of the seventh trumpet, and the conducting of the candidate to the vacant
canopy, is a representation of the end of the world, and the glorification of all true
Masons at the right hand of God, having passed through the trials of Freemasonry
and washed their robes in their own blood." If Freemasonry does not claim to be a
saving religion how can such a claim be made? The compiler adds: "If this is not
Antichrist what is?" But I must beg of the reader to examine the books that reveal
Masonry for themselves, since to quote the claims of Masonry on this head further
than I have done, would not only be useless and tiresome, but would swell this
work too much.
This brings me (3) to the third inquiry: Are the claims that Masonry is a true and
saving religion valid?
To this question I reply that it is utterly false; and in this respect Freemasonry is a
fatal delusion. From the quotations that I have made from Town, it will be
perceived that he represents Freemasonry as identical with Christianity.
Mr. Preston is another of their standard writers. I quote the following note from
Stearns on Masonry, p. 28: "Mr. Preston's book, entitled 'Illustrations of
Masonry,' has been extensively patronized by the fraternity as a standard work.
The copy before me is the first American, from the tenth London edition." Mr.
Preston says in his book, p. 30: "The universal principles of the art unite in one
indissoluble bond of affection men of the most opposite tenets, of the most distant
countries, and of the most contradictory opinions." Again, p. 125, he says: "Our
celebrated annotator has taken no notice of Masons having the art of working
miracles, and foresaying things to come. But this was certainly not the least
important of their doctrines. Hence, astrology was admitted as one of the arts
which they taught, and the study of it warmly recommended."
"This study became, in the course of time, a regular science." . So here we learn
that Masons formerly claimed the power of working miracles. I quote again from
Bradley, p. 8. He says: "We leave every member to choose and support those
principles of religion and those forms of government which appear consistent to
his views." In the work of Preston, p. 51, we have the following: "As a Mason,