Freemasonry and the Church

The following is a sermon preached to Cherokee Lodge No. 66, F. & A. M., and the Masons of Rome by Reverend J. G. Hughes, pastor of the South Broad Street Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia. It was printed in the March 1911 issue of The Masonic Herald, a Masonic periodical privately published in Georgia from 1894 to about 1925. It is provided courtesy of  Dr. Gary Leazer.

A Sermon by the Reverend J. G. Hughes, pastor of the South Broad Street Baptist Church, Rome, Georgia.

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that came down upon the skirt of his garments; like the dew of Hermon, that cometh upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." — Psalm 133.

I feel it needless to assure the Masonic brethren present this morning of a most cordial welcome. I trust that you already feel a welcome which no words could express. We are honored by your presence, and trust that our coming together as a church and lodge may be mutually helpful.

On such an occasion as this it is natural for us to think of the church in the light of Freemasonry, and of Freemasonry in the light of the church. Accordingly, I have decided to speak on the subject — "What the Church May Learn from Freemasonry, and What Freemasonry May Learn From the Church."

The word "church" I use in a sense broad enough to include all the various denominations represented here this morning. But it must be borne in mind that what I have to say will apply more to some sections of the church than to others, and more to the church in some places than in others.

Can Anything Be Learned?

The question may arise in some minds: Is it possible for the church to learn anything from Freemasonry, or for Freemasonry to learn anything from the church? So far as the teaching and work of the church and Freemasonry are coextensive, I do not know that the ideal church can learn anything from, or teach anything to, the ideal Masonic lodge. But there are many things which the church, as she actually exists, may learn from the ideals of Freemasonry; and there are many things which actual Freemasonry may learn from the ideal church.

In discussing this subject, I shall not try to please you, though I shall try not to give needless offence. My paramount object on this occasion, as in all my preaching, is to say those things which will make us better men — better church members and better Masons.

Coming now to the question: What the Church May Learn from Freemasonry? I would say that, for one thing, the church may learn from Freemasonry to make membership mean something. This may be done in several ways. One is by care in the reception of members. Before a new member can be received into a Masonic lodge a committee must to appointed and time taken to investigate his character; and, if found unworthy, he is rejected. But during all the years that I have been in America I have not seen a single applicant for church membership rejected. As a consequence of our careless and slipshod methods we get large numbers of unfit persons into our churches; and every now and then we have what we call

" A Back-Door Revival,"

when we withdraw fellowship from those whom we should never have received. But, in the meantime, having these persons on our church roll lowers the value of church membership; so that it is no recommendation to say of a person, he is a member of the church.

Another way in which the church may learn from the lodge to make membership mean something is by mutual helpfulness. Those who know anything about Freemasonry at all know that it stands for mutual helpfulness among its members. A poor, distressed Mason may call on a brother Mason for assistance, and that brother is under solemn obligation to assist the one in distress to the full extent of his power. I was speaking to a brother Mason, who is also a brother minister, on this very point this morning, and he said: "If you were to come to me in the middle of the night seeking assistance, I should get up without hesitation and help you because you are a brother Mason. If you were not a Mason I would help you because you are a brother in the Lord. But, the general run of church members do not assist their fellow church members as Masons assist fellow Masons." We all know that this is true.

Masonry Means Something

at the polling booth, and in the store, and in the office, and on the streets.

Not only Masons, but their wives and families receive benefits from the Masonic order. This morning a friend of mine told me of a lady who left Nashville, intending to go to Florida; but, by mistake, she took the wrong train. When the conductor came around, she learned of her mistake. She had a ticket to Florida, but she had not enough money to pay the expenses incurred by her mistake. She stood up in great distress and asked: "Is there a Master Mason on this train?" Before my friend could get to her, several other Masons had relieved her distress. My friend asked her if there was anything that he could do for her, but she thanked him and told him that she had received all the assistance she needed. My friend said he never saw so great and sudden a change come over any person. A minute before, she had been filled with distress and grief, now she was filled with joy and contentment. Masonry means something in a practical way. And church membership should mean no less. In the Word of God we are commanded to "do good unto all men, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Another lesson that the church might well learn from Freemasonry is to love brethren who differ from us in religious belief. The Masonic lodge does not break down the wires which separate us from one another in creed, but it takes the

Barbs Out of the Wire

In this respect the lodge sets the church a good example. We have not forgotten the acrimonious debates that were so common between contending religious parties a few years ago. But we are glad to notice that a change is quickly taking place in this regard, and different denominations are being drawn closer together in the bonds of brotherly love. For this desirable change, Freemasonry is largely responsible.

Another lesson, which the church may learn from the Masonic lodge, is loyalty to the institution. You seldom or never hear a Mason speak disparagingly of his lodge. Would that I could say the same of the church member in regard to the church! Not here, but in other communities where I have lived, I have known churches in which there was hardly a member who did not run down his church. The fact that the church has suffered such internal strife and calumination1 and yet continues to exist at all is, to my mind, good evidence of her superhuman origin.

I confess to a secret admiration of the old woman who made it the rule of her life to say the best she could of everybody and everything.

One day a person said to her: "I believe that you would find something good to say about the devil." "Well," she replied, "you must admit that he is a very industrious old fellow."

The story is old that many years ago a man, followed by another man, walked down the streets of Jerusalem. Seeing a dead dog lying by the roadside, the former person observed aloud:

"What Pearly Teeth He Has!"

The latter, overhearing this remark, said: "That must be Jesus Christ." The story is very suggestive. I believe that the Christ spirit will lead us to see the best that there is in everything.

Then the church may learn from Masonry lessons in applied charity. We admit that it is the duty of the church to care for the widow and orphan, the poor, the destitute, the afflicted. But we must also admit that the church has not attended fully to her duty in this regard. This has left the field open for other organizations to step in and do the work. If the Masons, and the Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias, and the Woodmen, and the Y.M.C.A., and the Salvation Army, and other organizations step in and take up the work that the church has neglected, the church has no reason to complain that these organizations are usurping her place. Rather, she should cooperate with them and rejoice that the work is being done at all. I bid Godspeed to every fraternal and benevolent organization that is working for the uplift of men.

There are many other lessons that the church may learn from Freemasonry, but I must pass on to the other phase of my subject:

What Freemasonry May Learn From the Church

Here I shall mention only two things — but they are of the utmost importance. First, the lodge may learn from the church the value and importance of religious convictions. The best members of our churches and Masonic lodges are the men who have the deepest religious convictions.

As Masons we believe in God, and the Bible as the revealed will of God. Let me read you one of the main principles or

Landmarks of Masonry

"The law of God is the rule and limit of Masonry." As Masons, we recognize that the only ground of moral obligation is God; the atheist cannot become a Mason, because he has not moral principle that would bind him to his obligation or to keep inviolate the secrets of our order. Apart from the revealed will of God there can be no such thing as morality. If we deny the existence of God, and reject the Bible as His law, we are forced to conclude, with Bolingbroke1 that "Right and wrong are mere quibbles of the imagination."

Herbert Spencer2, in his "Data of Ethics," holds that which contributes most to the sum of human happiness, and not the will of a Supreme Being, should be the governing principle of our lives. I protest that there can be no morality in theory or practice based upon such a principle. The question, which naturally arises, is: What obligation is any man under to seek happiness rather than unhappiness? Apart from a sense of obligation to a moral Lawgiver there can be no moral obligation.

The second lesson, which Freemasonry may learn from the church, is the value of religious impulse. This book on Masonry which I hold in my hand has on the cover a picture of the square and compasses, but there is not G,

No All-Seeing Eye

no Bible, nothing symbolical of God. That is a serious omission. We can have no square and compasses except as we get them from the Word of God. And if we had the square and compasses we should be unable to use them without the power of God. How is a man to use the compasses to circumscribe this conduct and to keep his passions within due bounds apart from that "Power not ourselves which make for righteousness?" Or how shall we square our conduct with our fellow men if the fear of God is not before our eyes and the love of God in our hearts? We need the power of God-consciousness before we can ply the tools of our craft. Nothing can fill the soul with power like a realization of the presence of God.

A modern writer has said that the religion of the future will consist of these three elements: Deepest reverence for the moral worth; tenderest pity for human frailty; and a belief in the ultimate perfectibility of human nature. It is very beautiful to theorize about these things, but the practical question is: How are we to bring them about in real life? I once heard Rev. J. H. Jowett of Birmingham, England, say that he sometimes received catalogues from seed merchants, which contained beautiful cuts of flowers. But the problem, which confronted Mr. Jowett, was —

How to Grow Them,

and in such an atmosphere as that of Birmingham. Birmingham is in the heart of "The Black Country" and it was simply impossible to raise such flowers amidst the smoke of the surrounding furnaces. It is one thing to produce beautiful flowers on paper but another to produce them in real life. So we may write and talk of virtues and graces, but the questions is how to grow them in such a moral atmosphere as that in which we live. The power of God, and that alone, can accomplish the desired result. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto the salvation of everyone that believeth."

I have it in my heart to pronounce a eulogium3 upon the Masonic lodge and upon the church. But that is not really necessary. A more eloquent eulogy that I could pronounce is the work you are doing. As a result of this service I trust that both lodge and church will do better work — and more of it.

Let me say a word in closing to the Masons. Speaking on behalf of the church, I want to say that we need you. You have stood by us in the past in our struggles against the saloon, the brothel, and the gambling den; to you is due largely the carrying of prohibition for our State. We need you now to assist us in the enforcement of law; and we shall need you yet more in the future. The forces of evil and of righteousness are gathering for a terrible conflict,

A Great Armaggedon4

and we shall need to present a solid phalanx to the foe if we are to be victorious. Shoulder to shoulder let us march right up to the throne of God.

Now let me say a word to the church members. I speak as a Mason; and I am proud to wear my apron and button on this occasion. As you need us, we also need you. We look to the church for recruits. We cannot receive the atheist or the drunkard or the sot until the church has first rescued them from unbelief and sin and made suitable material to build into the Masonic temple. We need your religious convictions; we need your God, your Bible, and your cooperation in our work.

In the words of Ruth to Naomi, the church might say to Freemasonry and Freemasonry to the church: "Entreat me not to leave thee; for whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people; and thy God, my God."

Notes:

1 Lord Bolingbroke (1678-1751) was an English politician, philosopher and deist. Deism is a philosophy that says God created the universe but now allows the universe to continue without His direction involvement. Bolingbroke’s deism is seen in this quote which implies that there is no moral law beyond the individual. Rev. Hughes rejects Bolingbroke’s deism.

2 Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was an influential philosopher who believed that evolution or progress would bring mankind to happiness and perfection. He advanced the theory of evolution before Charles Darwin published his Origin of Species in 1859. Rev. Hughes rejects Spencer’s philosophy.

3 "eulogium" is a speech or article of praise.

4 Armageddon is mentioned in Revelation 16:16 where John the Apostle spoke of a final battle between good and evil.