ARCHITECTURE is man’s characteristic mark on the earth. It is universal and timeless. From the begin- ning man was a builder. He has not been content with utilitarian structure. The builders of Tower of Babel said, “Go to, let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven”. So always man has shown his religious strivings in his structures, the quest of his spirit for truth, goodness, and beauty whether it be in the Parthenon, the Pyramids or in the astounding masonry of Tiahuanaco of the amazing Incan civilizations.

Thus, it is not surprising if a great brotherhood should be formed about something that is instinctive in the most primitive man: his creative urge to build. Indeed, since Masonry is natural to man, it is also the most ancient of the organizations of man. This is denied by some, but any examination of evidence justifies its antiquity. The oldest classic of China, twenty centuries before Christ, urged, “Ye officers of Government, apply the compasses”.

The Great Learning, five hundred years before Christ, exhorted men to abstain from doing unto others what they would not that men should do to them, “and this is called the principle of acting on the square”. The sixth Book of the Philosophy of Mencius relates, “A Master Mason, in teaching apprentices, makes use of the compasses and the square. Ye who are engaged in the pursuit of wisdom must also make use of the compass and the square”. Cleopatra’s Needle, dating back to the fifteenth century before Christ was taken from Heliopolis, centre of the Sun God worship, to Alexandria and in 1878 it was given to the United States by a Khedive of Egypt and  placed in Central Park, New York. The Masonic emblems are found in its foundations. Solomon’s Temple, at its time the wonder of the world, was built by a guild called the Dionysian Artificers, pledged to secrecy, imported from Phoenicia.

In ancient Rome these Dionysian Artificers were known as the College of Architects, with religious rites of initiations and an organization in form like the modem Masonic Lodge. Their influence on Rome was so great that it has been called “A Masonic Built City’.

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The Farm and Ranch Review does not credit Dr. Morley’s Masonic credentials or provide any context for the article. However, Ivanhoe Lodge’s “History of the Grand Lodge of Alberta” identifies him as “Bro. Rev. Dr. Frank S. Morley, Minister of Grace Presbyterian Church in Calgary . . .” but apart from  his being identified as officiating at funerals of several highly-placed Masonic brothers, little else about him is available.

In his article, Brother Morley outlines the major criticisms of Freemasonry and attempts to disarm each one:

[Freemasonry] is not a political party. It does not advocate any social or economic order. Nevertheless, Masonry is severely criticized in all countries. I have received much literature from Britain containing criticisms. Groups of Churchmen in this country have been bitterly critical. Again, why?

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It is accused of secrecy which is held to be socially divisive. But as Newton says, “There is a common notion that Masonry is a secret society, whereas its one great secret is that it has no secret. Its principles are published abroad in its writings; its purposes are known and the times and places of its meetings”. Such organizations are constructive of a good society and certainly not destructive. Masons are good citizens. They have to be.

Some have held that the numerous vows required lead to insincerity. Truly many men are insincere in their vows. But then that is true in the Church. I have known men and women to have their children baptized in Church and they took solemn vows. Many of them have made no effort whatever to keep the vows. They were just plain liars. Others have taken vows on joining the Church. The ink was scarcely dry on their signatures before they had denied everything to which they were pledged. Insincerity is not confined to Masonic vows.

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Masonry is criticized for using up the enthusiasm and spare time of the layman. But would he devote that energy to the Church if he did not give to the Lodge? Masonry is condemned as a social club. Is there anything wrong with being a social club, a good, clean club? Certainly, Masonry is much more than that and when it is merely a club it loses its dynamic.

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As a clergyman, Dr. Morley directly addresses the religious criticisms of Freemasonry. For example (and the capital letters are his own), he says, ” THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THE MASONIC ORDER CONTRADICTORY TO CHRISTIAN FAITH AND PRACTICE,” as a response to those who suggest that Freemasonry “[creates] the idea that salvation can come without Christ.” However, he also firmly admonishes Masonic Lodges themselves:

Now there are some practices of Masonry which distress me. Too often they flout the Sabbath. They hold breakfasts which discourage Church attendance to put it mildly. They hold practices which prohibit Church attendance. But these could be corrected.

The piece ends with a summary of Masonry’s contributions. Dr. Morley focuses on four main points: Masonry stands for UNITY. In a world splintered by racial and national groups, divided by class enmities,

embittered by social and economic strife, Masonry draws all men into fraternity. Certainly, the Church with its emphasis on denominationalism, its rivalries and struggle for power, too often sets a bad example and at times increases rather than diminishes the antagonisms of mankind.

Masonry stands for THE SIMPLICITY OF TRUE RELIGION — the Fatherhood of God, the Brother- hood of Man, the moral laws, the golden rule and Eternal Life at the last. Too often again the Church has brought people into a maze of incomprehensible theology with its “hocus pocus” (originally from “hoc est corpus” — “This is my body”) and its silly superstitions that are often an affront to man’s intelligence and moral nature.

Masonry stands for CHARITY. The charitable work done by Masonry is tremendous. It is not publicized except in such magnificent enterprises as the Shrine hospitals. Not even Masons know how much kind- ness and help are given by their Lodges. The Shrine hospitals, indeed, much of their charitable deeds, are for all people without regard to religion or race. “Not, what is your creed? But what is your need?” is their motto.

Masonry stands for RELIGION CARRIED INTO LIFE. A Masons is commanded to practice rectitude in his life. The foundation of his building is faith in God and from that foundation is to be erected a life of restraint and integrity. Justice and honour in all dealings are demanded of him.

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Unfortunately, Dr. Morley digresses into attacks on churches themselves using words such as ‘silly superstitions’ (above). He also is strongly critical of what he perceives as a general lack of brotherhood in churches and blames such weaknesses for a decline in church membership.

Dr. Morley speaks for a different world and a different Freemasonry. His was a world of growing lodges and of Masonic members who almost certainly attended church every Sunday. It was a world in which travel was still difficult, television was in its infancy and the Internet did not even exist as a concept. That said though, Dr. Morley’s article remains a thoughtful rebuttal of criticisms of our Craft — criticisms that are not always accurate or even fair.

Ed’ I must thank Bro Robin for taking this project on. I asked him to review the article and he has I believe cracked open words written in the mid-20th century and explains them in today’s language.