Some time ago, I was invited by the founder of O.F.F. to start a thread listing the Christian references/interpretations and biblical content that can be found in Masonry, and "let's talk about them." On this thread, I seek to respond to that invitation. At the time I received it, I began work on locating as many of them as I could. But I had no idea at the time that it would be as monumental a task as it has proven to be. In fact, at this point, some 3 years or so since undertaking it, it is far from being complete. For one thing, I have made no constraints upon this effort. Our critics have had a habit of trying to restrict what we may put upon the table, by insisting on either Grand Lodge publications, or limited further to only monitorial materials, or even further, to the rituals themselves. But at the same time, they have no reservations about posting material as though it were authoritative, from every source imaginable, even from pure web-surfing to find proof-texting citations. Yet another limitation has been sometimes insisted upon by them, to produce "current" materials. This retstriction, too, they themselves have flouted when presenting their own positions. For that reason, I have placed absolutely no limitations upon this concerning types of materials, degree of authority accorded the sources, or time frames.
The sheer bulk of it alone, if I am to make any headway presenting it, will prevent very much commentary upon it, other than to highlight some of the key references, so I will keep my comments brief and intermittent--though I do invite any and all commentary upon it.
A good place to start would be the Graham Manucscript, date estimated at about 1725, not very long after the establishment of Grand Lodge Masonry:
THE WHOLE INSTITUTIONS OF FREE MASONRY OPENED AND PROVED BY THE BEST OF TRADITION AND STILL SOME REFERENCE TO SCRIPTURE
Leader First observe that all our signs is taken from the square according to every subject in handling. This is proved by the 9th verse of the 6th chapter of the first Book of Kings. The salutation is as follows:
Bro 2 From whence came you?
Bro 3 I came from a right worshipful Lodge of Masters and Fellows belonging to God and holy Saint John, who doth greet all true and perfect brothers of our holy secrets. So do I you if I find you to be one.
Bro 2 I greet you well, brother, craving your name.
Leader Answer J, and the other is to say his is B.
The examination is as follows:
Bro 2 How shall I know you are a free mason?
Bro 3 By true words, signs and tokens from my entering.
Bro 2 How were you made a free mason?
Bro 3 By a true and a perfect Lodge.
Bro 2 What is a perfect Lodge?
Bro 3 The centre of a true heart.
Bro 2 But how many masons is so called?
Bro 3 Any odd number from 3 to 13.
Bro 2 Why so much ado and still having odd numbers?
Bro 3 Still in reference to the blessed Trinity, to the coming of Christ with his 12 apostles.
Bro 2 What was the first step towards your entering?
Bro 3 A willing desire to know the secrets of free masonry.
Bro 2 Why was it called free masonry?
Bro 3 First, because a free gift of God to the children of men; Secondly, free from the interruption of infernal spirits; Thirdly, a free union among the brothers of that holy secret to remain for ever.
Bro 2 How came you into the Lodge?
Bro 3 Poor and penniless, blind, and ignorant of our secrets.
Bro 2 Some reason for that?
Bro 3 In regard, our Saviour became poor for our redemption; so I became poor at that time for the knowledge of God contracted in the square.
Bro 2 What did you see in the Lodge when you did see?
Bro 3 I saw truth .the world ..and justice .and brotherly love.
Bro 2 Where?
Bro 3 Before me.
Bro 2 What was behind you?
Bro 3 Perjury and hatred of the brotherhood for ever if I discover our secrets without the consent of a Lodge except (they) that have obtained a trible voice by being entered, passed and raised and conformed by 3 several Lodges and not so except I take the party sworn to be true to our articles.
Bro 2 How stood your Lodge at your entering?
Bro 3 East, west and south.
Bro 2 Why not north also?
Bro 3 In regard we dwell at the north part of the world, we bury no dead at the north side of our churches, so we carry a vacancy at the north side of our Lodges.
Bro 2 Why east and west?
Bro 3 Because churches stand east and west, and porches to the south.
Bro 2 Why doth churches stand east and west?
Bro 3 In four references.
Bro 2 What are they?
Bro 3 First, our parents was placed eastwards in Eden; Secondly, the east wind dried up the sea before the children of Israel, so was the temple of the Lord
to be builded; Thirdly, these who dwell near the equinoxial, the sun riseth east and setteth west on them; Fourthly, the star appeared in the east that advertised both the shepherds and wise men that our Saviour was come in the flesh.
Bro 2 Who conducted you into the Lodge?
Bro 3 The warden and [the] oldest Fellow Craft.
Bro 2 Why not the youngest Fellow Craft?
Bro 3 In regard our Saviour exhorted the chief to serve at the table, that being an exhortation to humility to be observed by us for ever.
Bro 2 What posture did you pass your oath in?
Bro 3 I was neither sitting, standing, going, running, riding, hanging nor flying, naked nor clothed, shod nor barefoot.
Bro 2 A reason for such posture?
Bro 3 In regard one God/one man makes a very Christ, so one object being half naked, half clothed, half shod, half barefoot, half kneeling, half standing . being half of all was none of the whole . This sheweth a humble and obedient heart for to be a faithful follower of that Just Jesus.
Bro 2 What were you sworn to?
Bro 3 For to hale and conceal our secrets.
Bro 2 What other tenors did your oath carry?
Bro 3 My second was to obey God and all true squares made or sent from a brother; My third was never to steal lest I should offend God and shame the square; My fourth was never to commit adultery with a brothers wife nor tell him a wilful lie; My fifth was to desire no unjust revenge of a brother but love and relieve him when its in my power, it not hurting myself too far.
Bro 2 I pass you have been in a Lodge, yet I demand how many lights there are?
Bro 3 I answer 12.
Bro 2 What are they?
Bro 3 The first three jewels is: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Sun, Moon, Master Mason; Square, Rule, Plumb; Line, Mall, and Chisel.
Bro 2 Prove all these proper.
Bro 3 As for the Blessed Trinity, they afford reason; As for the Sun, he renders light;
As for the Moon, she is a dark body of water and doth receive her light from the Sun, and is also the Queen of Waters, which is the best of levels; As for the Master Mason, he teaches the trade and ought to have a trible voice in teaching of our
secrets if he be a bright man, because we believe in a super-orritory power, for although the 70 had great power yet the 11 had more, for they choosed Matthias in place of Judas; As for Square, Rule, Plumb, Line, Maul, and Chisel, they are six tools that no mason can perform true work without the major part of them.
Bro 2 What reference can be pressed on these 12 Lights?
Bro 3 We draw reference from the 12 Patriarchs, and also from the 12 oxen we read of at the 7th chapter of First Kings, that carried up the molten sea of brass, which was types of the 12 disciples [that] was to be taught by Christ.
Bro 2 I pass you entered, yet I demand if you were raised?
Bro 3 I was raised into knowledge of our primitive, both by tradition and scripture.
Bro 2 What is your foundation words at the laying of a building where you expect some infernal squandering spirit hath haunted and possibly may shake your handiwork?
Bro 3 O Come , Let us , and You shall have
Bro 2 To whom do you speak?
Bro 3 To the Blessed Trinity in prayer.
Bro 2 How do you administer these words?
Bro 3 Kneeling, bare-headed, facing towards the east.
Bro 2 What mean you by the expression thereof?
Bro 3 We mean that we forsake self-righteousness, and [difference ourselves] from thoseBabylonians who presumed to build to Heaven. But we pray the Blessed trinity to let us build true, high, and square, and they shall have the praise to whom it is due.
Bro 2 When was these words made, or what need was for them?
Bro 3 I answer into the primitive: before the Gospel spread, the world being encumbered with infernal squandering spirits, except that men did build by faith and prayer their works were oft assaulted.
Bro 2 But how came that the works of the Babylonians stood before all this, or [before] yet the brightness of the Gospel?
Bro 3 I yet by your own question answer you. Because the presumption of the Babylonians aforesaid had vexed the Godhead, insomuch the language was confounded for their sake so that no mankind for ever was to do the like again without a divine licence, which could not be had without faith and prayer.
Bro 2 Tradition that.
Bro 3 We have it by tradition, and still some reference to scripture [for it caused] Shem, Ham and Japheth to go to their father Noahs grave for to try if they could find anything about him for to lead them to the vertuable secret which this famous preacher had
Bro 4 (acting as a spiritual commentator) For I hope all will allow that all things needful for the new world was in the Ark with Noah.
Bro 5 Now these 3 men has already agreed that if they did not find the very thing itself, that the first thing that they found was to be to them as a secret
Bro 4 They not doubting, but did most firmly believe that God was able and would also prove willing, through their faith, prayer and obedience, for to cause what they did find for to prove as vertuable to them as if they had received the secret at first from God himself at its headspring.
Bro 5 so came to the grave, finding nothing save the dead body almost consumed away. Taking a grip at a finger, it came away so from joint to joint so to the wrist so to the elbow so they reared up the dead body and supported it setting foot to foot knee to knee breast to breast cheek to cheek and hand to back and cried out Help, Oh Father
Bro 4 As if they had said Oh Father of Heaven, help us now, for our earthly father cannot
Bro 5 so laid down the dead body again and not knowing what to do
Leader so one said:
Bro 2 Here is yet marrow in this bone.
Leader and the second said:
Bro 3 But a dry bone.
Leader and the third said:
Bro 4 It stinketh.
Bro 5 So they agreed to give it a name as is known to free masonry to this day so went to their undertakings, and afterwards works stood.
Leader Yet it is to be believed, and also understood, that the virtue did not proceed from what they had found, or how it was called, but from faith and prayer so thus it continued they will pass for the deed.
The sheer bulk of it alone, if I am to make any headway presenting it, will prevent very much commentary upon it, other than to highlight some of the key references, so I will keep my comments brief and intermittent--though I do invite any and all commentary upon it.
A good place to start would be the Graham Manucscript, date estimated at about 1725, not very long after the establishment of Grand Lodge Masonry:
THE WHOLE INSTITUTIONS OF FREE MASONRY OPENED AND PROVED BY THE BEST OF TRADITION AND STILL SOME REFERENCE TO SCRIPTURE
Leader First observe that all our signs is taken from the square according to every subject in handling. This is proved by the 9th verse of the 6th chapter of the first Book of Kings. The salutation is as follows:
Bro 2 From whence came you?
Bro 3 I came from a right worshipful Lodge of Masters and Fellows belonging to God and holy Saint John, who doth greet all true and perfect brothers of our holy secrets. So do I you if I find you to be one.
Bro 2 I greet you well, brother, craving your name.
Leader Answer J, and the other is to say his is B.
The examination is as follows:
Bro 2 How shall I know you are a free mason?
Bro 3 By true words, signs and tokens from my entering.
Bro 2 How were you made a free mason?
Bro 3 By a true and a perfect Lodge.
Bro 2 What is a perfect Lodge?
Bro 3 The centre of a true heart.
Bro 2 But how many masons is so called?
Bro 3 Any odd number from 3 to 13.
Bro 2 Why so much ado and still having odd numbers?
Bro 3 Still in reference to the blessed Trinity, to the coming of Christ with his 12 apostles.
Bro 2 What was the first step towards your entering?
Bro 3 A willing desire to know the secrets of free masonry.
Bro 2 Why was it called free masonry?
Bro 3 First, because a free gift of God to the children of men; Secondly, free from the interruption of infernal spirits; Thirdly, a free union among the brothers of that holy secret to remain for ever.
Bro 2 How came you into the Lodge?
Bro 3 Poor and penniless, blind, and ignorant of our secrets.
Bro 2 Some reason for that?
Bro 3 In regard, our Saviour became poor for our redemption; so I became poor at that time for the knowledge of God contracted in the square.
Bro 2 What did you see in the Lodge when you did see?
Bro 3 I saw truth .the world ..and justice .and brotherly love.
Bro 2 Where?
Bro 3 Before me.
Bro 2 What was behind you?
Bro 3 Perjury and hatred of the brotherhood for ever if I discover our secrets without the consent of a Lodge except (they) that have obtained a trible voice by being entered, passed and raised and conformed by 3 several Lodges and not so except I take the party sworn to be true to our articles.
Bro 2 How stood your Lodge at your entering?
Bro 3 East, west and south.
Bro 2 Why not north also?
Bro 3 In regard we dwell at the north part of the world, we bury no dead at the north side of our churches, so we carry a vacancy at the north side of our Lodges.
Bro 2 Why east and west?
Bro 3 Because churches stand east and west, and porches to the south.
Bro 2 Why doth churches stand east and west?
Bro 3 In four references.
Bro 2 What are they?
Bro 3 First, our parents was placed eastwards in Eden; Secondly, the east wind dried up the sea before the children of Israel, so was the temple of the Lord
to be builded; Thirdly, these who dwell near the equinoxial, the sun riseth east and setteth west on them; Fourthly, the star appeared in the east that advertised both the shepherds and wise men that our Saviour was come in the flesh.
Bro 2 Who conducted you into the Lodge?
Bro 3 The warden and [the] oldest Fellow Craft.
Bro 2 Why not the youngest Fellow Craft?
Bro 3 In regard our Saviour exhorted the chief to serve at the table, that being an exhortation to humility to be observed by us for ever.
Bro 2 What posture did you pass your oath in?
Bro 3 I was neither sitting, standing, going, running, riding, hanging nor flying, naked nor clothed, shod nor barefoot.
Bro 2 A reason for such posture?
Bro 3 In regard one God/one man makes a very Christ, so one object being half naked, half clothed, half shod, half barefoot, half kneeling, half standing . being half of all was none of the whole . This sheweth a humble and obedient heart for to be a faithful follower of that Just Jesus.
Bro 2 What were you sworn to?
Bro 3 For to hale and conceal our secrets.
Bro 2 What other tenors did your oath carry?
Bro 3 My second was to obey God and all true squares made or sent from a brother; My third was never to steal lest I should offend God and shame the square; My fourth was never to commit adultery with a brothers wife nor tell him a wilful lie; My fifth was to desire no unjust revenge of a brother but love and relieve him when its in my power, it not hurting myself too far.
Bro 2 I pass you have been in a Lodge, yet I demand how many lights there are?
Bro 3 I answer 12.
Bro 2 What are they?
Bro 3 The first three jewels is: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Sun, Moon, Master Mason; Square, Rule, Plumb; Line, Mall, and Chisel.
Bro 2 Prove all these proper.
Bro 3 As for the Blessed Trinity, they afford reason; As for the Sun, he renders light;
As for the Moon, she is a dark body of water and doth receive her light from the Sun, and is also the Queen of Waters, which is the best of levels; As for the Master Mason, he teaches the trade and ought to have a trible voice in teaching of our
secrets if he be a bright man, because we believe in a super-orritory power, for although the 70 had great power yet the 11 had more, for they choosed Matthias in place of Judas; As for Square, Rule, Plumb, Line, Maul, and Chisel, they are six tools that no mason can perform true work without the major part of them.
Bro 2 What reference can be pressed on these 12 Lights?
Bro 3 We draw reference from the 12 Patriarchs, and also from the 12 oxen we read of at the 7th chapter of First Kings, that carried up the molten sea of brass, which was types of the 12 disciples [that] was to be taught by Christ.
Bro 2 I pass you entered, yet I demand if you were raised?
Bro 3 I was raised into knowledge of our primitive, both by tradition and scripture.
Bro 2 What is your foundation words at the laying of a building where you expect some infernal squandering spirit hath haunted and possibly may shake your handiwork?
Bro 3 O Come , Let us , and You shall have
Bro 2 To whom do you speak?
Bro 3 To the Blessed Trinity in prayer.
Bro 2 How do you administer these words?
Bro 3 Kneeling, bare-headed, facing towards the east.
Bro 2 What mean you by the expression thereof?
Bro 3 We mean that we forsake self-righteousness, and [difference ourselves] from thoseBabylonians who presumed to build to Heaven. But we pray the Blessed trinity to let us build true, high, and square, and they shall have the praise to whom it is due.
Bro 2 When was these words made, or what need was for them?
Bro 3 I answer into the primitive: before the Gospel spread, the world being encumbered with infernal squandering spirits, except that men did build by faith and prayer their works were oft assaulted.
Bro 2 But how came that the works of the Babylonians stood before all this, or [before] yet the brightness of the Gospel?
Bro 3 I yet by your own question answer you. Because the presumption of the Babylonians aforesaid had vexed the Godhead, insomuch the language was confounded for their sake so that no mankind for ever was to do the like again without a divine licence, which could not be had without faith and prayer.
Bro 2 Tradition that.
Bro 3 We have it by tradition, and still some reference to scripture [for it caused] Shem, Ham and Japheth to go to their father Noahs grave for to try if they could find anything about him for to lead them to the vertuable secret which this famous preacher had
Bro 4 (acting as a spiritual commentator) For I hope all will allow that all things needful for the new world was in the Ark with Noah.
Bro 5 Now these 3 men has already agreed that if they did not find the very thing itself, that the first thing that they found was to be to them as a secret
Bro 4 They not doubting, but did most firmly believe that God was able and would also prove willing, through their faith, prayer and obedience, for to cause what they did find for to prove as vertuable to them as if they had received the secret at first from God himself at its headspring.
Bro 5 so came to the grave, finding nothing save the dead body almost consumed away. Taking a grip at a finger, it came away so from joint to joint so to the wrist so to the elbow so they reared up the dead body and supported it setting foot to foot knee to knee breast to breast cheek to cheek and hand to back and cried out Help, Oh Father
Bro 4 As if they had said Oh Father of Heaven, help us now, for our earthly father cannot
Bro 5 so laid down the dead body again and not knowing what to do
Leader so one said:
Bro 2 Here is yet marrow in this bone.
Leader and the second said:
Bro 3 But a dry bone.
Leader and the third said:
Bro 4 It stinketh.
Bro 5 So they agreed to give it a name as is known to free masonry to this day so went to their undertakings, and afterwards works stood.
Leader Yet it is to be believed, and also understood, that the virtue did not proceed from what they had found, or how it was called, but from faith and prayer so thus it continued they will pass for the deed.