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                          A PASTOR AND FREEMASONRY 
                           WHAT'S A PASTOR TO DO? 

                              Harmon R. Taylor 

   International Director H R T Ministries, Box 12, Newtonville NY 12128 

I write this article as a pastor and as a former Mason.  I served as head 
of Welcome Lodge in Amsterdam, New York in 1980, and as Grand Chaplain of 
the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York from 
1983.  Then a Christian brother's witness caused me to flee and to study 
the roots of Freemasonry.  The more I have studied since November 25, 1984 
when I renounced Freemasonry, the more embarrassed I have become that I was 
ever a member, much less spiritual supervisor of 150,00 Masons in New York 
State. 

Pastors need to consider the relationship of their church, their ministry 
and their flock relative to Freemasonry.  Masons are in the pulpits, in 
other positions of leadership in the church and in the pews.  In every case 
they are either grossly deceived as I was for eleven years, or they are not 
truly Christians. 

Charles G. Finney, the greatest of the 19th Century evangelists, left 
Freemasonry when he acknowledged Christ as Savior and Lord of his life.  He 
wrote a book on the subject of Freemasonry.  It has been reissued by Crown 
Publication, Burlington, Ontario, Canada under the title, The Antichrist of 
the Masonic Society.  On page 139 he states correctly: "God hold the church 
and every branch of it, responsible for its opinions and actions in 
accordance with the best light, which, in His providence, is afforded them. 

"While Masonry was a secret, the church had no light, and no responsibility 
respecting it ... Hence God did not require the church to bear any 
testimony on the subject as long as Masonry was secret.  "Freemasonry is 
now revealed.  It is no longer a secret from any who wish to be informed. 

"Since these revelations (the rituals) have been made, and both the church 
and the world can know what Masonry really is, God demands, and the world 
has a right to expect, that the church will take due action and bear a 
truthful testimony in respect to this institution.  She cannot now 
innocently hold her peace.  The light has come.  Fidelity to God, and to 
the souls of men, require that the church, which is the light of the world, 
should speak out, and should take such actions as will plainly reveal her 
views of the compatibility or incompatibility of Freemasonry with the 
Christian religion. 

"...How can we fail to pronounce Freemasonry an anti-Christian institution? 
... Its morality is unchristian, ... its oath-bound secrecy is unchristian, 
... taking  of its oaths are unchristian, ... Masonic oaths pledge its 
members to commit most unlawful and unchristian acts, deliver each other 
from difficulty whether right or wrong, favor Masonry in political action 
and business transactions, sworn to retaliated, to persecute unto death the 
violators of Masonic obligations, ...its oaths are profane, the taking of 
the name of God in vain, ...the penalties of these oaths are barbarous and 
even savage, ...its teachings are false and profane, ...its design is 
partial and selfish, ...it is an enormous falsehood. 

"Every local branch of the Church of Christ is bound to examine this 
subject, and pronounce upon this institution, according to the best light 
they can get.  God does not allow individuals, or churches, (or pastors), 
to withhold action, and the expression of the opinion, until other churches 
are as enlightened as themselves. 

"If churches who are known to have examined the subject withhold their 
testimony; if they continue to receive persistent and intelligent 
Freemasons; if they leave the public to infer that they see nothing in 
Freemasonry inconsistent with a creditable profession of the Christian 
religion, it will be justly inferred by other branches of the church, and 
by the world, that there is nothing in it so bad, so dangerous and 
unchristian as to call for their examination, action, and testimony. 

"It is almost universally conceded that persistent Freemasons, who 
continued to adhere and cooperate with them, ought not to be admitted to 
Christian churches." 

                            WHAT CAN PASTOR DO? 

What shall we as pastors say to our flocks that contain perhaps a great 
number of professed Christians who are Freemasons?  Again we look to 
Brother Finney: 

"Let them (Freemasons) have no more to do with it.  Let Christian men labor 
with them, plead with them, and endeavor to make them see that their duty 
is to abandon it." 

To these words of Brother Finney I can lend an "AMEN!"  What can pastors 
do?  They can receive this article into their hands, perhaps from one of 
their lambs, and prayerfully consider it.  They can study at their library.  
Albert Pike, Albert Mackey, 33rd degree, Henry Wilson Coil, 33rd degree, 
and Arthur Edward Waite are all recognized authorities by State Grand 
Lodges.  They may contact me or this ministry for further information.  
They can read an excellent sermon, "Freemasonry and Christianity" by Dr. 
Alva J. McClain, founder and first president of of Grace Theological 
Seminary. 

You will find and excellent resource in a six-part series on Freemasonry 
which aired across the country in April and May of 1986.  The series is 
entitled, "THE MASONIC LODGE; Behind closed doors."  It is available 
through The John Ankerberg Show, Box 8977, Chattanooga, TN  37411 in audio 
or VHS cassettes as well as in written transcript form. 

              THE ONE THING THAT PASTORS CAN'T DO, IS NOTHING! 

A pastor is accountable to God Almighty for Christ's sheep in their flock.  
I would never become involved in Freemasonry if a pastor had preached even 
the poorest of sermons against Freemasonry in my youth.  If he even 
whispered in my ear!  I spent eleven years in Masonry.  I defended it to my 
family, my church, my colleagues.  God forgive me! 

Thank God my teen-agers didn't swallow my line.  One went and educated 
himself and both of them prayed, one for four years, and one for two years, 
that I might be set free from the abomination of the cult of Freemasonry.  
The day came when a Christian brother and former Mason, had the courage to 
risk our friendship.  He opened up his Masonic bible and shared the Light 
as he there had found it in Jesus, the Light of the World.  That Light 
showed the light of Freemasonry to be darkness and deception.  Each verse 
he shared brought out Masonic debris like "Salvation by Works" from the 
closets of my life.  With the living room of my life now cluttered with the 
false doctrines of Freemasonry, I renounced it that very day!  I will never 
forget the joy in the voices of my children as I told them over the phone!  
I will never forget the tears on my mother's cheeks as she exclaimed, 
"Another prayer answered!  One more to go before I die!"  Yes, and the 
joyous embrace of my obedient wife! 

                            WE MUST RENOUNCE IT 

In the year after I renounced Freemasonry, I personally sat with each Mason 
in my congregation and shared my testimony.  Most defended the Fraternity.  
Some even began a campaign against their pastor.  So be it!  "Greater is He 
that is in me than he that is in the world!"  Some left their positions of 
authority in the church without ever being asked.  On October 13, 1985 I 
delivered a sermon entitled, "Mixing Oil With Water -- Christianity & 
Freemasonry."  That light exposed the darkness of Masonry and unrenouncing 
Masons still in positions of authority fled in shame.  In their place God 
sent new people literally from across this country to take up the slack.  
Finances that were threatened by these Masonic families, instead, increased 
by 40%!  The pledging units increased by 25%!  Pastor, stand for God and He 
will bless! 

I thank God for Bible-believing pastors.  If you are one, know that in love 
I say to you, "Pastor, you preach the Word with me!  Yes, there will be 
opposition.  In the world you will have tribulation, said Jesus, but be of 
good cheer because I have overcome the world." 

Preach boldly as we are instructed in Acts 18:9, Col. 1:28, 2 Tim. 4:2-5, 
Heb. 2:11.  Know that there will be rewards for any persecution that you 
may face as recorded in James 1:3, 12. 

Pastor, did you know that Freemasonry will not permit the Name of Jesus to 
be used in any regular and well governed Lodge?  Did you know that when 
they use a passage such as 1 Pet. 2:5 or 2 Thes. 3:6, they delete the 
phrase that includes the name of our blessed and only Saviour, Jesus 
Christ?  That is not just an oversight, as reference to it states (*slight, 
but necessary modifications have been made).  Would you call deleting Jesus 
Christ a "slight" or "necessary" modification?  No!  No Christian should!  
1 John 2:22-23 says "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the 
Christ?  He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.  Whoever 
denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son 
has the Father also."  Read also 1 John 4:2 in relation to this same 
thought. 

Pastor, Hosea 4:6 declares, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being 
priest for Me;  Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will 
forget your children." 

                              LET NONE PERISH 

As fellow pastors, we must agree that we do not want to see anyone perish.  
Certainly, not the lambs in our own flock!  Labor with me.  As I share with 
you, 433 men have renounced Masonry and are living more productive 
Christian lives.  They discovered that the "friendships" of the Lodge were 
based on a Masonic bond and not upon genuine friendship.  In every 
instance they found Christians coming forward who had held back from 
fellowship with them, not knowing how to confront their Christian brother 
in his error.  Without exception, they have confessed that their present 
friends are more genuine and more fulfilling to their lives than what they 
thought they had in the fraternity. 

If you have Masons in the membership of Christ's church, you, as pastor, 
need to become educated and confront them in love.  I was delivered from my 
love of Freemasonry and left with an abiding love for Masons.  I pray daily 
for their release from the cult of Freemasonry.  With prayer, preparation, 
and sharing, they will come out of either Freemasonry or the Church. 

                         DWIGHT L. MOODY SPEAKS OUT 

Dwight L. Moody said, "I do not see how any Christian, most of all a 
Christian minister, can go into these secret lodges with unbelievers.  They 
say they can have more influence for good: but I say they can have more 
influence for good by staying out of them, and reproving their evil deeds.  
Abraham had more influence for good in Sodom than Lot had." 

For this, D. L. Moody was challenged, "If you talk this way, you will drive 
all the members of secret societies out of your meetings and out of our 
churches." 

To this the bold pastor proclaimed, "But what if I did?  Better men will 
take their places.  Give them the truth anyway, and if they would rather 
leave their churches than their lodges, the sooner they get out of the 
churches, the better.  I would rather have ten members who are separated 
from the world than a thousand such members.  Better one with God than a 
thousand without Him." 

                WHAT'S A PASTOR TO DO REGARDING FREEMASONRY? 

        - Pray for guidance and direction. 

        - Study Freemasonry together with your Bible. 

        - Write down your thoughts. 

        - Share them with Masons when you're sure enough not to be deceived 
          by their uninformed or misinformed tales. 

        - Proclaim from your pulpit the dangers of the double walk of a 
          Christian in Freemasonry.  Let your flock know again that they 
          cannot serve two masters, nor can they have any other God before 
          them.  (Masonry permits any and every god at the altar.) 

If you are a pastor, thank you for listening and may God bless you as you 
serve Him and your flock for the glory of God.  If you are a layman, your 
pastor needs your support and your help.  Pray for your Pastor; then share 
this article.  Continue to pray with expectation for your pastor and be 
ready to assist your pastor in proclaiming the Truth and setting free the 
oppressed. 

                              Free The Masons 
                               P.O. Box 1077 
                            Issaquah, Wa. 98027 


