Biblical questions, Secret societies

 

639. What was Christ’s testimony concerning Himself ? 

“In secret have I said nothing” (John 18:20). 

640. What was Paul’s advice? 

“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For It Is a shame even 

to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” (Ephesians 5:11,12). 

641. Why should men seek the cover of darkness and secrecy to carry on their work? 

“Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). 

642. Are there not some good things carried on in the secret chamber? 

Possibly; but what is the use of keeping good things behind closed doors? 

643. What is the objection? 

We know that evil plots are invariably hatched out in secret, and the Bible teaches us to avoid even the ap-

pearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). 

644. What further instruction has the Bible on this point? 

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth lt in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candle-

stick, that they which come in may see the light” (Luke 11:33). “Let your light so shine before men, that 

they may see your good works” (Matthew 5:16). 

645. Are the affairs of secret orders really secret? 

No. Their members say they are not, even though a society binds its members to a pledge of eternal secrecy. 

But the main reason, why they are not secret is the fact that men like Morgan, Bernard, Finney, Blanchard, 

Stoddard and others have shouldered the task of revealing what takes place in the inner chamber and all who 

will may read these things in books for sale by the National Christian Association and other publishers. 

“Nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come 

abroad” (Luke 8:17). 

646. What then, is the first objection to secret organizations? 

The unscriptural rule of hiding light under a bushel. 

647. What is the second? 

The pledge of eternal secrecy before the things which you promise to keep secret are revealed. 

648. Is there Scripture against this? 

Yes. “Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man 

shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one 

of these. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath 

sinned in that thing “Leviticus 5:4,5). 

649. What is the third objection? 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with un-

righteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or 

what part hath he that believeth with an infidel” (2 Corinthians 6:14,15)? 

650. What further great objection to some of the leading secret orders? 

The name of Christ hath no part in their ceremonies? 

651. Does not a man have to believe in God before he can be a Mason? 

There is a confession of this kind required of applicants for membership; but how can a man believe in God 

without believing in Christ? Read John 10:30; 14:6, 9, 10; Acts 4:12. Whoever acknowledges God and de-

nies Jesus Christ, rejects the true God, and the god whom he recognizes is not the God of heaven. 

652. Is not the Bible found in Masonic lodges? 

Yes; a mutilated Bible. The Bible is found there as “furniture,” not as the inspired Word of God. In Turkey 

the Koran has the same place in the Masonic lodges as the Bible has in the Masonic lodges of America. In 

all the quotations from the Bible found in Masonic lodges, the name of Christ is not mentioned. 

653. Why should the name of Christ be kept out of the Masonic rituals when there are so many Christian

professors who belong to the lodge? 

So as not to offend the Jews, Buddhists, infidels, etc., who also belong to the lodge. 

654. What of the claim that Solomon, Christ, and other prominent Bible characters were eminent Masons?Freemasonry had its origin in London in 1717. 

655. Suppose it would have been in existence before Christ, what two reasons are there why Christ would 

not have belonged to it? (1) He could not have belonged to a Christless organization. (2) His testimony, “In 

secret have I said nothing,” does not fit to a secret society. 

656. Are there not many people who think the lodge furnishes all the religion they need? 

Herein lies one of the chief objections to the system of secretism. Christ says, “No man cometh unto the Fa-

ther but by me” (John 14:6). Peter says that only through Christ is salvation (Acts 4:12). Yet there are many 

who reject Christ who are lulled into the belief that ‘lodgism’ is all the religion they need. 

657. What of the benevolent work of the lodges? 

It is faulty. In the first place they collect their money from the people they profess to benefit, and then again 

those who most need the charity are unable to get it, as only able-bodied people, who are able to pay their 

dues, are admitted. 

658. What was the order in the primitive Church? 

They looked after the spiritual and temporal needs of all their members. 

659. How far should this benevolent work extend? 

“Unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). 

660. What of churches who fail to look after this work? 

They are backslidden. 

661. Is there any reason for any member of any Gospel Church to seek associations in worldly organizations 

for benevolent work? 

There is not. 

662. Is there not an advantage socially to belong to a secret order? 

“The child of God seeks the society of the redeemed, not that in which His enemies are on the same footing 

as His friends, as is the case in the lodge.” Stoddard. 

663. Can a man enjoy liberty of conscience and be a faithful lodge-man? 

In the light of the numerous obligations required by lodges, no. 

664. What other objectionable feature is in most leading secret orders? 

Their terrible oaths. 

665. Where may a person get information on this subject? 

By reading Matthew 5:33-37 and James 5:12, and any reliable work exposing secretism. 

666. Can the testimony of seceders be relied upon? 

They who do for conscience’ sake forsake the lodges are the most reliable witnesses that can be found.

667. What is the only way in which secret lodges can vindicate themselves? 

By throwing all the books, records, obligations, history, grips, signs, passwords, etc., etc., etc., etc., open to 

the inspection of the public. 

668. What indictment has the home to bring against the secret orders? 

Though the husband and wife are said to be “one flesh,” expected to be confidential with each other in all 

things, knit together more closely than any other persons on earth, the lodge steps in between them, and 

pledges the husband to keep forever secret from the wife a great many “sublime truths” imparted by the

lodge, which also calls for much of his money, time, care and affections which ought to be spent at home. 

669. What indictment has the nation to bring against them? 

Their hidden secrets often interfere with carrying out justice, and enable conspirators to ply their ruinous 

trades much longer and more successfully than they could without the aid of secret societies. 

670. Is it right to classify law-abiding secret orders with lawless organizations, such as the Mafia, Clan-na-

Gael, White Caps, etc.? 

Only so far as their working under cover of secrecy is concerned. If there were no law-abiding secret orders, 

the other kind could be more effectively and easily wiped out of existence. Besides, no secret order can “ab-

stain from every appearance of evil” until it has lifted the veil of secretism, come out into the open, and 

proved itself all right. 

671. What indictment has the school to bring against secret orders? 

Secretism has entered the ranks of students, and organized many lodges there. As a result, the work of the 

schools is so much crippled, and lawlessness among students has increased to such an extent that school 

boards are getting their eyes open, and beginning to pass resolutions forbidding secret orders among stu-

dents.672. What indictment has the Church to bring against them? 

They have the effect cf robbing the Church of spiritual life, inasmuch as they appropriate the time, talent, 

interest and money that ought to be given to the Church. Even in churches which allow their members to

hold membership in secret orders, there are not many good, wide-awake members who are also active mem-

bers in lodges. Secret Societies are a poison-leech to any church that tolerates them. 

673. What then should be the attitude of the Church toward these orders? 

Have nothing to do with them, but oppose them, and to hold no members who are also members of secret 

lodges. 

674. What is good advice for those seeking admission into a lodge composed, in whole or in part, of uncon-

verted men? 

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1). 

675. What invitation does God give to all who are under the unequal yoke? 

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, 

and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord 

Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:17, 18).