Masonic Nomenclature And Profanes.

Masonic Nomenclature and profanes .

By W . Bro . The Rev . J GEORGE GIBSON , I 8 ° , P . M ., Past Prov . Grand Chaplain , Rector of Ebchester .

IT is amusing sometimes , and often even pitiful to observe the floundering of some non-Masonic scribes when they seek to explain , confuse , and discredit the noble science to which Freemasonry owes so much of her freedom , of her tolerant spirit , and of her ascendancy in lands affected by

theologians of the obscuratist type . Perhaps a few suggestions of causes , and a few explanations of effects may be useful in clearing the air . It is hopeless that we should expect denominational bigotry to understand the Catholic spirit of Freemasonry , for

the points of view of the two disputants , or inquirers , are as wide as the poles asunder . The Roman Church which is not the Catholic Church although it may be , or become , a part of it , attempts to set up a universal hierarchy- and a common creed , by reducing all thought , practice , and ideal , to the

terms of a single denominator . Freemasonry , upon the other hand establishes her claim to Catholicity by recognising the general denominator and the greatest common measure of all philosophies and all experiences . Freemasonry never unchurches the Roman or any other body of thinkers , believers , or servers of mankind and God . A Roman Churchman may

become a Freemason without casting away the Crucifix , or discrediting the Font , or denying one single article of religion essential to the Christian Faith . But such a man would enter upon the basis of theistic assurances , and upon the sanctions of that condition and opportunity would become loyal as a

Noachian Son to the brotherhood which includes the Hebrews , Methodists , Anglicans and Shintoists—the level being the reverence of the Creator—although the wall-stones might become denominational .

A recent writer in the Catholic Times , who evidently regards the theistic basis of the brotherhood as insufficient , tries to suggest a contrast between what he calls " aslipshod Theism" and ' * the firm Trinitarianism of the Christian Faith . " It is a miserable travesty of facts to attempt any such contrast . Even comparison is as impossible as it

otherwise would be proverbially invidious . There is no reason in the wide world why an honest Trinitarian may shrink from a common obedience to the Creator just because the various worshippers appear to found their faith and practice upon those vital facts upon which all are agreed rather than upon

bases which appeal only to one or more schools of thought , however numerous these may be . However great and however true Trinitarian Doctrine may be , it does not include the whole of Masonic men and thinkers , and cannot do this in accordance with the essential conditions of freedom . Nor is

there anything " slipshod " in the faith and doctrine of Freemasons . In the authority of T . G . A . O . T . U . we vest all our Charter , and all our trust . If any lack reverence for Him , or slight His sacred Law , they must cease to be Masons . Possibly , amid the ferment of mind which ensues after the exodus of Roman congregations from France supposedly at

the instance of a popular movement fomented and engineered by a quasi-masonic body like the Grand Orient , the denominationalist may confuse Freemasonry with Grand Orientism . If this be the case , chaos must result . Two mistakes are almost inevitable . The members of the Orient lodges

mayfall into the error of supposing that the hierarchy is the Christian Life . On the other hand , measures aimed by the Orientists against the bigotry of an ultramontane and obscurantist hierarchy may be treated as being an attack upon the principles of the Christian Life .

If arrogance of a masterful and scheming clergy , the unmercifulness of a trading monastery , and the repeated attempts made by the Clericals upon the newly won liberties of France , represent faithfully and particularly " the Christian Life , " we cannot wonder that free men and free citizens

declare upon this cult an endless war . And we do not deny that we have a great deal of human sympathy with these free men and free citizens . Nor need we wonder if , under the influence of hatred to tyranny , Orientists revolt from outward religion in all rite and ceremony . We do not wonder ,

although we mourn as Freemasons , since Masons cannot be " stupid atheists " or * ' lawles libertines . " And we repent that Freemasons cannot be opposed to any religion which is a denomination of the universal religion which includes as its basic factor the Creator of mankind . Nor can we be compared

with these since we include all in germ form . Further , the Roman and the Masonic ideal of Religion itself may be very different . The Roman hierarchy claims all power , general and particular , of interpretation . The claim of Papal Infallibility , so often made ludicrous , is yet in

all cases insisted upon . The Sacred Law is only committed under certain restrictive conditions to tbe Human Race , whom it concerns . Human traditions and decrees are binding upon otherwise freemen , and the final court of appeal is not invariably the " Universal Wisdom and the Great Light of Freemasonry , " while large numbers of non-Roman Christians are absolutely debarred from what are called the privileges of

Communion by the hierarchy , although the Founder of Christianity did not exclude them . We write in no spirit of bitterness , but we are compelled by the Truth to state the matter fairly , and there is no doubt , unfortunately , of the facts . Freemasonry , upon the other hand , regards with the deepest respect and admiration all true lives , lived in any

denominational way . Even the practice of auricular confession to a priest need not exclude Roman or other Christians from Membership in a Masonic Lodge , since this practice being a later innovation upon the primitive Church may be dispensed with as not having apostolic authority , and so

Roman Churchmen may become consistent Freemasons . It is evident that only ignorance of the true significance of Masonic statement and creed can make it possible for the frequent blundering attacks of clerical Roman papers . If all Freemasons now constituting the whole of the Order were

today Christians , the attitude of Freemasonry to the question of religion could not alter . Freemasonry finds her level ready to her hand , and she dares not become so inclusive as to shut out any Jew , Unitarian , Moslem , or other non-Christian pilgrim who comes to Freemasonry in search of light , provided always that he is properly prepared .

Would it not be better that profanes should cultivate a little caution when they try to be " funny " ? The reference to the proposition of equal squares should suggest more to a mathematician , and a student of Euclid's work , than a fog and a South Kensington ' s series of equal squares . The Freemason who has before him the jewel of the P . M ., and Euclid's theorem ,

knows what is meant by the reference . But the Roman apologist , naturally , is unable to get out the fogs of South Kensington . Is it possible that this is because he is only a " profane , " a " Man in the Street" ? The atrocious statement about Freemasons that " one day they tell us through

the medium of their journals that it is not a religion in more than the vaguest sense , and the next , that it is a real composite spiritual community , " is too bad even for the Catholic Times . We should like to know where he obtained either Masonic statement . We were not aware that there was any

" vagueness " in the basic character of the religion of Freemasonry , nor do we remember having ever heard that it claimed to be a " real composite spiritual community . " Perhaps the writer of the notice is still feeling his way round one ot the equal squares . When , and if he finds his own door at last amid the fogs it would be interesting to hear what his authorityis for the above remarkable descriptions of Freemasonry .