THE POWER SHOULD BELONG TO THE PEOPLE 53: In our country the people are the only legitimate source of civil power. It is the will of the people by which laws are enacted, and applied to the various rights and pursuits of life. This will calls into employment, elective, legislative, judicial, and executive bodies, which are only the instruments by which it is brought into visible and useful action. But the will of a state, or nation, like the will of an individual, depends upon opinion,---the opinion of a majority of the people of a state, or nation; and the opinion of such majority is PUBLIC OPINION. ---Public opinion, therefore, controlling the will of the people, in every free country, must govern every thing, which is properly subject to governmental power. This is the theory of our government. It is clearly the only theory consistent with the rights of man. And among us, it has been so well applied in practice, heretofore, as to ensure the good anticipated by the framers of our government. But we have recently witnessed an alarming change. The machinery of our government has become obviously disordered. ---Free Masonry has come into violent collision with it; and its healthful operations are now either suspended, or rendered ineffectual. And the great question is now presented to the people of this state, what shall be done to restore it to its salutary and effectual operation…. FREEMASONRY ACTS AS ITS OWN, WORLDWIDE GOVERNMENT Free Masonry is a distinct, peculiar, independent government. It acknowledges no allegiance to civil government, nor alliance with it. It has departments of its own, titles of its own, officers of its own, laws of its own, revenues of its own, oaths of its own, penalties of its own, sympathies of its own, and purposes of its own. All the nations of the earth, however diverse their forms of government, or distant their territories, are but its provinces. It has no jurisdictional limits but the habitable globe. Throughout its whole extent, it secures the loyalty of its subjects, by cords most ingeniously twisted, and of surpassing strength.... The possibility of its existence is dangerous; its actual occurrence demands instant, resolute, continued, and united, though prudent, exertion, till it shall become impossible.... WILLIAM FINN, President…. Rochester, March 15, 1829. THE ANTI-MASONIC PARTY These meetings and speeches directly led to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party, the first “third party” in the history of American politics. William A. Palmer was elected governor of Vermont in 1831, on an Anti-Masonic ticket, and held that office until 1836. Joseph Ritner was elected governor of Pennsylvania from 1835 to 1838. William Wirt ran for President on the Anti-Masonic ticket in 1832, and won all seven electoral votes from Vermont as well as 7.78 percent of the popular vote. After this Presidential defeat in 1832, the Anti-Masonic Party merged with the Whig Party. I heard about the Whigs briefly in grade school, but had no idea of the suppressed history behind them. WORLDWIDE RESISTANCE In December 1996, my knowledge on this subject took a quantum leap when I found New World Order: The Ancient Plan of Secret Societies by William T. Still, at Borders Bookstore in Albany, New York. I still consider this book to be the defining standard of scholarship for this subject. It quotes from Finney’s book and many, many others, forming a much more complete picture of these events: 118: The furor over the murder of William Morgan in 1826 had caused American Masonry to almost cease to exist, and European Masonry was in turmoil as well. Bavaria had forbidden Masonry as a danger to the state in 1784, then again in 1845. In 1814, the Regency of Milan and the Governor of Venice had acted in a similar manner. King John VI of Portugal prohibited Freemasonry in 1816, and renewed it in 1824. In 1820 several lodges were closed in Prussia for political intrigues, and in the same year Alexander I banished the order from the whole Russian empire. A similar occurrence took place four years later in Spain…. 108: As a result of this [Morgan] scandal, the anti-Masonic party was formed. It polled 128,000 votes in the 1830 election and carried Vermont in the 1832 presidential election. Rhode Island and Vermont passed laws against blood oaths. Thousands of Masons burned their aprons. In a few years’ time, membership in the New York lodges dropped from 30,000 to 300 as a direct result of the Morgan incident. [29] [29. William J. Whalen, Christianity and American Freemasonry, (Milwaukee, WI: Bruce Publishing Co., 1958), p. 9.] DUNCAN’S MONITOR ATTEMPTS TO DOWNPLAY THE SCANDAL By 1866, every degree of Masonry had been published and widely scrutinized – particularly by people in the Northern states. In response, the Masonic establishment decided to release Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor. It revealed the first seven degrees in detail – including illustrations of the gestures and handshakes. [Now, Masons tell me they are strictly forbidden from reading this or other books that expose the inner workings of the Order.] Interestingly, the very first paragraph of the book addresses the Morgan scandal, and attempts to downplay it: sacred-texts/mas/dun/dun01.htm 3: [Freemasonry] has, at various times and in several countries, incurred the ill-will of political parties and of religious bodies – in consequence of a belief, on their part, that the organization was not so purely benevolent and philanthropic as its members proclaimed it to be. In the State of New York, many years ago, it was supposed, but we think unjustly, to wield a powerful political influence, and to employ it unscrupulously for sinister ends. The war between Masonry and Anti-Masonry which convulsed the State at that period is still fresh in the remembrance of many a party veteran. The Order, however, has long since recovered from the obloquy then heaped upon it, and is now in a flourishing condition in most parts of the civilized world. KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “LIGHT ON MASONRY” AND “DUNCAN’S MONITOR” Finney’s book reveals that one of the main focal-points of Anti-Masonic sentiment was the oaths that a seventh-degree Royal Arch Mason would be forced to swear to. There is a small but very significant difference between the Masonic oaths published by Ballard as opposed to those in Duncan’s Ritual Monitor of Freemasonry. Here are some of the key quotes from Ballard’s Light on Masonry that created so much distress as to nearly destroy Masonry in America – causing 45,000 out of 50,000 members to quit. Masons must swear on pain of death to uphold these principles. 130: I will promote a companion Royal Arch Mason’s political preferment in preference to another of equal qualifications. [Some lodges also include “I will vote for a companion Royal Arch Mason, before any other of equal qualifications.”] Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that a companion Royal Arch Mason’s secrets, given me in charge as such, and I knowing them to be such, shall remain as secure and inviolable in my breast as in his own, murder and treason not excepted. Ballard reveals that the line “murder and treason not excepted” was only administered in some of the Masonic chapters. It did not appear in Duncan’s Monitor – but it is still implied, as we will see. Furthermore, the line about promoting a fellow Royal Arch Mason politically was completely deleted from Duncan’s Monitor. WHAT DOES DUNCAN’S MONITOR SAY? Since the Masonic oaths are orally transmitted, there are superficial differences throughout Duncan’s Monitor and Ballard’s Light on Masonry. However, despite deleting the phrases about politics, murder and treason, Duncan’s Monitor still maintained much of the original, troubling verbiage – as we see here. sacred-texts/mas/dun/dun08.htm 230: I furthermore promise and swear, that I will employ a Companion Royal Arch Mason in preference to any other person of equal qualifications. I furthermore promise and swear, that I will assist a Companion Royal Arch Mason when I see him engaged in any difficulty, and will espouse his cause so far as to extricate him from the same, whether he be right or wrong. I furthermore promise and swear, that I will keep all the secrets of a Companion Royal Arch Mason (when communicated so me as such, or I knowing them to be such), without exceptions…. To all which I do most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, with a firm and steadfast resolution to keep and perform the same, without any equivocation, mental reservation, or self-evasion of mind in me whatever; binding myself under no less penalty, than to have my skull smote off, and my brains exposed to the scorching rays of the meridian sun, should I knowingly or willfully violate or transgress any part of this my solemn oath or obligation of a Royal Arch Mason. So help me God…. WHAT HAPPENS AS YOU READ THE HIGHER DEGREES? Scottish Rite Masonry goes up to 33 degrees – though the 33rd is an honorary title reserved only for a select few. Light on Masonry reveals data from all 33 degrees – and other offshoots. The Anti-Masonic Party was deeply concerned about Freemasonry’s openly blatant attack on Christianity – particularly in the 28th degree of Masonry, Knight Adept of the Sun (or the Eagle). Here is a direct excerpt of what the initiate hears as he is receiving the 28th degree. 265: Requisitions to make a good Mason.---If you ask me what are the requisite qualities that a Mason must be possessed of, to come to the centre of truth, I answer you, that you must crush the head of the serpent of ignorance. You must shake off the yoke of infant prejudice, concerning the mysteries of the reigning religion, which worship has been imaginary, and only founded on the spirit of pride…. [The reigning religion] employs every matter to satisfy carnal desires, and raises to these predominant passions, altars, upon which she maintains, without ceasing, the light of iniquity, and sacrifices continually offerings to luxury, voluptuousness, hatred, envy, and perjury. Behold, my dear brother, what you must fight against, and destroy, before you can come to the knowledge of the true good and sovereign happiness! Behold this monster which you must conquer – a serpent which we detest as an idol, that is adored by the idiot and the vulgar under the name of RELIGION!!! THIRTY-SECOND DEGREE DIRECTLY TARGETS MUSLIMS According to the author’s written-in commentary on the thirty-second degree, or Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, Prince of Masons, an apocalyptic war with Arabs is highly desired. Historic 1800s-Era 32nd Degree Masonic Apron with Skull and Crossbones 294: The ostensible object of this [thirty-second] degree is the invasion of the Holy Land, and its deliverance from the infidels. This is to be effected by uniting all the Masons, ancient and modern, under one commander, and directing them ‘en masse’ upon the Mahometans, who have wickedly established themselves in that sacred region. Hence the complexion of this degree is military. The draft or carpet contains the plan of this ‘MASONIC ARMY!’… It is believed that the ceremonies of initiation have never been committed to writing, or practiced in North America; hence, though many have received the obligation, words, signs, &c. formally, they remain like the rest of the world ignorant of the peculiar rites of the degree. HATRED IS ONE OF THE ULTIMATE GOALS There is very little about the 33rd degree in Light on Masonry. However, when you read through the 32nd degree, you can clearly see that Masons are being taught to hate. This hate is supposed to become such a passion that it blinds them to all else in life. You may not be aware that the legend of Friday the 13th being unlucky may stem from a mass arrest of Knight Templars, including their leader Jacques De Molay, that occurred on Friday, October 13th, 1307. Not all scholars agree with this, but it was presented in The Da Vinci Code as if it were the truth. What you are about to read is directly spoken to the 32nd degree candidate during his initiation. 300: The captivity of the Grand Elect and Sublime Masons, (i.e. by the Chaldeans,) shows us the persecution of the Christian religion under the Roman emperors, and its liberty under Constantine the Great. It also calls to our remembrance the persecution of the Templars, and the situation of Jacques De Molay, who lying in irons nearly seven years, at the end of which our worthy Grand Master was burnt alive with his four companions, on the eleventh of March, 1314, creating pity and tears in the people, who saw him die with firmness and heroic constancy, sealing his innocence with his blood. My dear brother, in passing to the degree of Perfect Master, in which you shed tears at the tomb of Hiram Abiff, and in some other degrees, has not your heart been led to revenge?... By the degree of Master Elect and Kadosh [30th degree], you are properly disposed to fulfill all your engagements, and to bear an implacable hatred to the Knights of Malta*, and to avenge the death of Jacques De Molay. [*The reader must not suppose that the Masonic Knights of Malta are here intended; the reference is to the ancient order of that name, which, when the order of Templars was suppressed, received their estates.] Your extensive acquaintance with symbolic Masonry, which you have attained by your discretion, leaves you nothing more to desire here.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:45:09 +0000
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