The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-02-06

with his religious or political freedom whether
or not they teach the word OF God and ex-
emplify the acts OF many OF the Biblical characf-
ers:'' whether not their benevolent deeds or
charitable works when done IN accordance with
their principles are really "acrs OF Christian
charity and great aid Ego d works All
TINS the FREE PRESS has averred and al this
deny. But when We simmer 1t all down, we
shall hnd that the essence OF the whole matter
Is contained IN TINS one question: Whether or not
the teachings % those orders prepare to recctce
and appreciate true CTrrlStiGHlty
The FREE PRESS Is positive IN answering: Yes
and am positive IN answering: MOI And here
MY REASONS.
In the first place Those orders are founded on
anti Christian principles, and. owing TO the very
nature OF the Case they cannot be otherwise; for
they ann TO admit members belonging TO the
dlnerent religions ID the world and 20 unite
them IN the worship OF an imagined God" or
supreme Being that has no existence
For there as other God bit one. (See also
l Tim, 2,5-l God the Father, God the son and
God the Holy ost three distinct persons IN
one eternal, undivided and indivlsabe essence
see Matt 3, 10, IL, comp. Jon. !, =, z, and
Mat IL. .. Mat. Is, 10. Jon. ., 4 Mum. Q,
24-26. is. q, B. Jor. ID, ID Rom. IL. SO
Comp. Gen. l, 1-3 and j on IL 3, also rs. $500
See also thefoAow1ng Passages. where eTod SPEAKS
himself II the plural: sen- i, 20, BE-, II, =
Is. 8, 3. The three persons are distinguished
from each other II the following Passages: Jon
., 81. 81. and Jon ID 10 But that they never
LheieSs Inseparably united IL ole essence is
seen. Dent. o, ana Epn- 4, O.
Hence GOD is continually presented ii the n.
7. as tine Father OF our Lold, jesus Christ z
Cor. !, J /; mo man cOmeDn unto the Father
but BY Him" IJoh. IA, 81, and III any man
have not the spirit OF Christ, ms Is none OF his
Rom. 3, 9
Tbose who worship any other God worship
only an Idol, whether il be real Or imagined;
and those VINO reject or deny one person in the
Godhead, they reject deny the onIy true GOD
ls-e JON. 5, % and l Joh- =, %
Now, jesus Christ Is made the chief corner
stone IL Zion: teen 40 % Ps- lis, %. Is. %,
Is. Maui. p, A. Acts. 4, IL Rom 9, So
Enh. = 20 and Pet 2, 6-S), SO that those
who do not believe in Him can never share His
blessings Joh. ,, Is, SO; L, As Mar ID, 16l.
But III Free Masonry ana Oud fellowship this
great headstOne OF the corner Is rejected ana pun
aside, while another stone OF al eliIlreiy OIItf
enU quality Is put IN rs place Namely, tins
broad principal that difference 1n jam snail moi
make difference an scoTSllzp SO that Jews ana
Heathens, Catholics and Professionals may all
kIieel at the same alter and worship the same
God without discarding their unDellet or relee
ton OF the urue GOD
This principal Is Taught by the Masons ID their
s'book on constitution IN the following words
Though III ancient times Masons We're charged
III every country TO be OF The religion OF that
country or nation. whatever il Was; Yet il L
now Thought expedieuU only 10 Obige them 10
That religion II winch al men agree, leaving
their particular opinions TO themselves"
The same broad principle Is Taught by the
the Odd Fellows IL their Pocket Manual,
where the CORNER stone OF that institution i
stated to be. The tathrrhOOd OF God and
brotherhood OF man, ana they are Taught To
leave their ''prejudices" or sectari.ln opinions
aJ the door.
For such particular and sectarian opinions or
prejuCicrs as they call them. that divide the
different religions III the world and separate
Christians tor Instance from Jews and heauhels,
in that they believe III Jesus Christ az Their only
Saviour from SIN death aud he'll; their only
way TO truth and lie, and Is their only hope OF
giory and immortality, white heaUiiens know
Him not ana Jews openly reject Him. SQeh
'.preiudicas' and sec1Arlan opinions" are ex
cluded from the lodges ana no sound OF them
must De heard there.
still they shall worship God together, pray to-
ge1hsr and use the Bible together. Hence II
necessarily follows that they cannot worship
the true God VINO Is the Father OF our Lord,
Jesus Christ for that would be secrarian.
They cannot pray a Christians prayer II the
name OF Jesus Christ, III Whom, alone, We can
have access unto God, tor tlat would be All
Offensive prejudice and against the rules Of the
order; ana they cannot Use LIE Bible II a OhrIs-
Uian way as the only inspired Word OF God, con-
tanning the only perfect and certain rule Tor
man : faith and lie, Tor that would be REGARDED
a particular opinion, that those who
might have il, must Keep 10 themselves.
The most precious and fundamental Gospel
truths of redemption, Justification, sancUl1ictt-
ton ana salvation through Jssus Christ our
blessed Lord and Savior are virtually denied
and rejected through such d false principal OF
religion.
For those who in any way bind themselves TO
conceal or silence the truth III order TO form
spiritual brotherhood with those VINO openly
only the truth itself, but also its Lord and
King, even 0hrist.
But those lodges will admit men into brother
hood and communion with them even though
they 40 not believe a word OF the precious Cos
pei of Jesus christ. For they do not require
laith ID Jesus Christ and his Gospel. but only III
a supreme being or d higher InLe-igehce, WIhch
they call COD And YET The editor OF the FREE
PtlEss can say that they leach precisely what
Webster defines 10 be true Christianity. (Look
at Luke 10, Is. JON 5. "a. Acts IL, 43: 4, IL
u. Rom. 10, $40. Mat. ;, 1o.j
Those who IN any act or deed or religious ex-
ercise bind themselves to conceal their relation
Jesus Christ or to silence and hide their taIrn
III ana love OIL HIN, they deny CHRIST Just az
much as one who IN word denies that he knows
Him Peter dld. Maui 10, 1898. Lue. 8,
%, 70 Lue %, 81 Rom. 10, Sill
THOSE who consciously ana wlhuiiy are III
different IN their relation TO ca lst ana his
truth, so that hey Tor instance regard one re-
ligion or worship Just good as other and
DO not regard the gospel oI Jesus Christ as The
only correct, trne and saving gospel. they have
already denied Christ, or else they have never
known Him. Matt l, 21. ACTS 4, L. Luc- II,
5. 9
Those who in any way bind themselves TO ex-
cIude The Lame OF Jesus from their prayer, they
deny Jesus christ and VIII be heard; Tor such
prayers an abomlnalOn 10 the Lord. Heb.
II. q. Job. Is, Z. Pro. 2s, g..
II anyone Uses The Lords prayer or any other
prayer found III Scripture with this thought or
opinion in MS mind that snch PRAYER need not
be founded on the name and merits OF Jesus
calls down The curse OF the Almighty upon him
self. Let every man beware OF sucn serious
mistake; Tor o prayer Is heard III heaven With
out Jesus Christ. lion. 10. IL; 10. 23; 10, 3;
IA. 9; Cor. IS, %
Now or d Christ an TO unite with such VINO
openly deny Jesus Christ as tor eX. the jews or
VINO he knows DO not believe in CHRIST as the
heathen IN order TO obtain mutual help or I'M
provement in virtue, religion and sound moral
NY" by worshiping an unknown God or nigh
est intelligence the maker and preSerV6r OF
the universe III the hope OF being CROWNED with
glory and of retiring INTO the grave ii peace
with the full assurance OF a blessed future,
expecting to find such work approved" IN
heaven and TO ..attain unto its perfection and
rejoice IN It's benefits throughout all eternity;
that is in itself denial OF the true God Jon.
81, 26-2Sl and OF all true Christianity and
hence Il Is also expressly forbidden III the WORD
OF God: Y Cor. 9, LIS 2 Thes. 3. o; Joh- .,
%; l5, %: L JON. 2, %.
But TIM is lust what these orders practically
do when following their fundamental principles.
Hence they are not God-given, The FREE
and they are b-Christian TO the very core
They teach not the W ord or GoG' but doctrines
OF men, and they worship God IN vain, because
they GO not respect His Word
The Bible is used only "a symbol OF truth,
while its principle doctrines set aside and
Jesus Christ is denied and rejected IL principle
and practice, as have already shown They
find place for Him only an example OF VIRTUE;
but as the son of God, the great Prophet,
Priest and King they deny and reject Him
Those orders have no right Whatever 20 claim
the Christian name but are delsClc INSTITUTIONS
through and through.
The five fundamental principles of DeiSm as
laid down by Lord Herbert OF CherDury cover
their system of doctrines better than anything