The “2016 Scottish Church Census” shows that regular church attendance in Scotland has dropped from 17% of the population in 1984 to 7.2% at
present. The total number of congregations has dropped from 4100 to 3700 over the same period of time. It is a sad figure, and sadder still when one remembers that many – probably most – of these churches are proclaiming a false gospel. Truly, “narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Mt 7:14).
Those that think of religion as a purely human phenomenon will see these figures as showing nothing more than Christianity going out of fashion in the Western world in the twenty-first century; but those who understand spiritual realities will see the hand of Satan in pushing secularism at present, and the hand of God in largely withholding His blessing upon the work of the gospel. Both these things may change rapidly: Satan may abandon secularism and switch back to Romanism, causing his puppets “who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Tim 2:26) to dance in that direction; and the Lord may pour out the long-awaited blessing and confirm and strengthen His weary heritage (Ps 68:9). Let the declining numbers be a stimulus to prayer, but not a cause of despondency. The promise of the everlasting covenant will not fail: “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many” (Is 53:11). DWBS
Another Election
This month British voters will once again go to the polls for another General Election, called somewhat unexpectedly by the Prime Minister, Theresa May. There has been a spate of elections and referendums in recent years, not least in Scotland, but this should not diminish from our minds the weighty matter of electing the next UK government. In particular, that government will have to shoulder a great responsibility as Britain enters negotiations for leaving the European Union, with another Scottish Independence referendum still a possibility.
We would draw the attention of our readers, however, to an even greater issue, the responsibility of civil rulers to govern in the fear of God, in accordance with the principles of God’s Word. Civil magistrates in every country have a special duty to ensure that Christianity is recognised as the national religion. They have a duty to do as much as possible, within the bounds of their civil sphere, to promote the welfare of the Church of God and the religious instruction of the population, without compromising the spiritual independence of the Church. Of course, there is not one leading politician – in the mainland UK parties at least – who would be prepared to countenance this biblical view of the duty of governments. That this is so is a sad reflection of the abysmally-low state of our society, morally and spiritually.
When we look at the leaders of the various contending parties we see
nothing to encourage us to expect that they will attempt to lead the country in a healthier direction in the moral and religious sphere. The Prime Minister is the daughter of a High Anglican minister and is known to be a churchgoer. She has made reference to the influence that Christianity has had on her outlook. Yet this did not prevent her giving her support for same-sex marriage and speaking in favour of the homosexual lobby at the Conservative Party conference. The leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, is an atheist and a militant socialist, which philosophy has tended to act against the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ whenever it has held the reins of power. Mr Corbyn is now living with his third wife, with whom he cohabited for many years previously. Nicola Sturgeon, the leader of the Scottish National Party, has been described as a “flinty secularist”.
The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, is the party leader who seems to be most active in professing to be a Christian. Yet, when Mr Farron was pressed on his opinion of homosexual behaviour, he stated that he did not regard it as a sin. Whether this truly is his view, or whether he stated it only to avoid the political repercussions which would have followed him stating it to be sinful, Mr Farron failed to stand for the unmistakeable teaching of the Word of God on this great moral issue of our day. If Mr Farron genuinely believes it is not sinful, then his profession of Christianity is a hollow one indeed. If, on the other hand, he went against the light of Scripture and his conscience on this matter, it does not inspire much confidence in his fitness and integrity to hold high office in the land. “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted” (Ps 12:8).
Of course, every voter must make up their own mind according to their conscience. Given the state of the main parties, it becomes even more important to know as much as possible about local candidates. Above all, we need a prayerful spirit that the results of the election, and of the wider issues of national and international significance facing the country, would be overruled by the Most High for the good of His cause and the glory of His name. AWM
Freemasonry Today
June 2017 marks the official three-hundredth birthday of Freemasonry; so it may be timely to consider its members’ beliefs and how this clandestine society operates. As it has kept a relatively low profile in recent years, and its numbers have declined, we may forget just how incompatible it is with Christianity. Superficially it can give the impression of being a benign, brotherly man’s club. It claims to be “the oldest and largest secular, apolitical, fraternal, charitable organisation in the world”. However, on a closer look, we find much that is sinister in its rituals and practices. An array of high-
profile events is scheduled to celebrate the tercentenary, and the increased publicity is no doubt intended to encourage more men to join the society.
At present, it is estimated that there are around 350 000 active Masons in England and Wales – half as many as after the Second World War. (We have no figures for Scotland.) Total world membership is estimated to be around five million. While it is difficult to find out exactly what goes on in this secret society, some practices have been exposed by their books and by former Freemasons, which give us some insight into the evil nature of this “brotherhood”.
The idea of Masonic brotherhood comes from an archaic definition of a brother as “one who has taken an oath of mutual support to another”. Masons swear at each level (called degrees) of brotherhood to keep the contents of that degree secret, and to support and protect their brethren in virtually all circumstances. There are 33 degrees, although many Masons will not proceed beyond the first three, which are called the “Blue Lodge”. These are (1) Entered Apprentice, (2) Fellow Craft, (3) Master Mason. In most Lodges – where Masons meet – the oaths are taken on a Volume of Sacred Law (VSL), which can be “any book of divine revelation appropriate to the religious beliefs of the individual”.
In the initiation ceremony, the candidate is given a copy of the VSL. Written inside is the following warning: “As a Freemason you are charged to consider the V of the SL as the unerring standard of truth and justice and to regulate your actions by the Divine precepts it contains”. As Masonry teaches that any one “book of divine revelation” is as “unerring” as any other, we are already in the realm of relativism and contradictions. Significantly, the Bible is not considered superior to any other “divine book”. At the ceremony, the man being presented has to confess that he is in a “state of darkness”. Through the initiation, he is told that he will begin to enter a “state of light”. The “truths” of Freemasonry alone, it is maintained, can lead him into that light. This belief is symbolised by blindfolding the person for the first part of the ceremony. Light is considered to be one of Masonry’s most vital symbols.
One writer puts it graphically. “To become a Freemason a man must present himself outside the closed door of a lodge in shirtsleeves with the left breast bared, a blindfold across his eyes, a hangman’s noose draped around his neck, a shoe on one foot, a slipper on the other and one trouser leg rolled up. Upon entry, he is confronted with a dagger pointed at his bare [chest] and the chanting of men in blue goatskin aprons with wands in their hands and ornamental chains draped across their chests.” He then takes an oath accepting punishment if he reveals the names of members or breaks other
confidences. The punishments threatened are barbaric: a Mason’s throat would be cut, his tongue torn from his mouth and his bowels burned to ashes.
Another commentator states that “for every candidate, the initiation ceremony implies that, whatever academic or scientific learning he possesses, whatever philosophical ideas he holds, whatever religious creed he professes prior to initiation, there remains something more – indeed something vastly more – for him yet to learn and to which the Craft [of Freemasonry] can help him”. The society therefore travels along the same road as the cults, where each person is viewed as being in a state of spiritual darkness until he gains spiritual light through participation in the mysteries of that cult.
Masons profess to proceed from one level of “enlightenment” to another by the degrees. Complex symbolism is at the heart of the process. For example, at a certain stage in the third degree an allegorical figure called Hiram Abiff (claimed to have been the main builder of Solomon’s temple) is said to have been the only one who knew the secrets of Masonry but suffered death rather than divulge them. He was then raised from the dead “by God” and became a “Jesus-like figure”, or symbolically a saviour. This is accompanied by a host of bizarre rituals and symbols – closely related to the occult, with temples, altars and a worshipful master.
In spite of these rituals, many Freemasons argue that Masonry is not a religion. Their language, however, is filled with religious terminology focusing on “salvation” by supposedly good works, mixed with various false creeds, and a dose of paganism. The Masonic Ritual and Monitor states, “He who wears the lambskin as a badge of a Mason is thereby continually reminded of purity of life and conduct, which is essentially necessary to his gaining admission into that celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the universe presides”. One of their “encyclopaedias” comments on a funeral service: “Freemasonry has a religious service to commit the body of a deceased brother to the dust whence it came, and to speed the liberated spirit back to the Great Source of Light”. At one point Masonry speaks of the name of God being lost but that it will be revealed at a higher degree. The recovered name, it is claimed, is Jahbulon, which is a mixture of Jehovah, Baal, and the Egyptian false god Osiris.
It can thus be concluded that Freemasonry is yet another delusion sent by Satan to seduce men further into his kingdom and into idolatry. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (Jn 14:6). Freemasons, in effect, reject His Word, blatantly claiming that their way is the only way to light. The Saviour assures us that He is the true Light that came into the world and that He alone can lead sinners, by His Word and Spirit, out of darkness into His marvellous light. Masonry is
a counterfeit religion and leads to darkness – even outer darkness if not repented of. Paul solemnly tells us: “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph 5:11). KHM