10. The Knights of Mystery (Cont.)

Concerning the Masonic society in a religious respect, there are vague conceptions. It is certain, however, that to it belong many pastors of American churches, who evidently consider compatible their representation in the Christian church with membership in the Masonic society. There are, however, also opponents of such a state of affairs. In this respect, the discussions which took place at one session of the general synod of Reformed churches are not without interest. From some communities there was sent to the synod a declaration expressing the decisive rejection of all societies bound by oath as un-republican, anti-Christian, and anti-Reformed. “We, priests and elders,” said the declaration, “do not permit Masons to be members in our churches. We forbid them to participate with us in the performance of the sacrament of the Eucharist. But when we attend private or general synods, we sometimes have to listen to a sermon and receive communion from the hands of those whom we excommunicate, which places us in an awkward position and offends our conscience.” From this declaration one can see that, while some Reformed priests excommunicate Masons from the church, others are members of the Masonic society. When the question was proposed for discussion by the synod, the same diversity of views on Masonry appeared. Thus the reverend Winter attacked Masonry with harsh criticism. He depicted “the humiliating ceremonies upon admission to the lodges” and argued that these ceremonies are anti-Christian, since they teach that a brother Mason, having passed through the Masonic school, living for Masonry, and receiving Masonic new birth, thereby secures for himself the right to the kingdom of heaven. Then he spoke of the oaths of various degrees and argued that in them Masons swear to protect murderers and criminals from the law, if such should turn out to be a brother Mason. No Mason, in his opinion, can be true to himself, to his family, to his church, or to his God. It is impossible for a man to be at one and the same time a good Mason and a good Christian. He was answered by the “divine doctor” Porter in no less harsh terms. He said that he himself was a “royal grand master” and at the same time a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and denied that Masonry prevented anyone from being a good Christian. “I before God wish,” he said, “that the Christian church had enough wisdom to act after the manner of Masonic lodges, and then it would do more good. You will never find widows and orphans of Masons in poorhouses.” After him rose the reverend Lepeltac—and again attacked Masonry. Masonic prayers, rites, and teachings, in the opinion of this orator, are contrary to the idea of one true God. Masonry, he said, makes mockery of God’s word and fosters unbelief. He began to tell how Moses is depicted among the Masons before the burning bush and how a candidate for the third degree is initiated in a half-naked state,—but the adherents of Masonry would not let him finish. One of them angrily interrupted Lepeltac with the question whether he knew what he was talking about from his own experience or had heard it from some Masonic apostate, and another jumped from his seat and cried: “Every word said by the brother about Masonic rites is false, every word is a lie!” A terrible commotion arose, all were shouting, and no one was listening, the bell rang hopelessly and pitifully in the chairman’s hand. The forces of the contending sides proved to be equal, and therefore the commotion ceased only when everyone grew tired of the fruitless struggle. Without a resolution, however, the matter could not be left, and the synod worked out the following definition, which could be accepted by both disputing sides: “The synod, on the basis of the information and data at its disposal, cannot give its official decision either for or against Masonry and other oath-bound secret societies. Considering it sacred and inalienable the right of all its priests and members to personal conviction of conscience and freedom of speech, with submission only to Christ and His church, the synod nonetheless hereby declares that no member or priest of the Reformed church in America should have anything to do with any society, secret or open, whose principles and activity are contrary to Christianity or contrary to the faith and activity of the church to which we belong.”

This definition, of course, did not resolve the disputed question, but thanks to its indefiniteness it satisfied both sides. Opponents who just before had been inflamed, now conversed with each other in a friendly manner and as a sign of peace lit cigars for one another.

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