Religion and Albert Pike

by James Doss
(Wytheville, V.A., U.S.A.)

Hello,

My name is James Doss. I have always been fascinated by freemasonry. My great grandfather was a Mason. He received a Masonic Bible and a gold ring and I thought that was the coolest thing ever when I was a small child. He passed away before I could really talk to him about it and my family has told me nothing but good things about the organization, though they don’t know much about it and have their own speculation. I was hoping you could answer some questions I have. One, if not the biggest, issue is do the beliefs or ritual contradict my religion. I know one of the requirements is to believe in any God and I’m ok with that. I am a Christian and really get “put off” by the notion of having “Worshipful Masters” and “Rituals”. Is there any way you could calm my speculations on the subject. Another “red flag” if you will, is what Albert Pike wrote of Lucifer. Although Lucifer is Latin for Light at the time Pike wrote that it was known for the Christian Devil. I would love to join but these issues keeping popping up. I am attending Radford University in V.A. and don’t have the time or money to join right away but it is still in my future. Hope you can settle my nerves. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Take care.

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May 21, 2013
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by: Tom

Keep in mind that Freemasonry is pretty old and has retained much of the terminology and phrasing in common usage when it formed centuries ago. What you are seeing are archaic usages, not religious terms.

'Worshipful' is just a very old term meaning 'honourable'. (Please feel free to check all of this out in a good dictionary.) In some parts of the world, a mayor or county official is referred to as 'Your Worship', just as a judge would be referred to as 'Your Honour'. Nothing religious about it.

Ditto 'master'. In context, there is no meaning of ownership or ultimate power, just an elected head of a local organization (like a 'branch president'). Think of choirmasters, bandmasters, the master of an old ship, medieval guild masters, etc. Nothing religious out that one, either.

Albert Pike was an interesting and colourful fellow, but not - not - the head of Freemasonry (there isn't one). An amazing man in some ways, bit of a pompous a** in others (his writings are generally very, very dull from what I have seen). It is in any case most unlikely Pike used the name Lucifer to refer to Satan. Few men have had as many lies told about them as Pike.

As a Christian, I have seen absolutely nothing in decades in the Craft that conflicts with mainstream Christianity (can't speak for some of the smaller sects as beliefs vary widely) - Masonry will if anything reinforce your faith.

Congratulations on your link to your great grandfather and good luck in school.

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