JOHN ANKERBERG
AND JOHN WELDON
What compels
Masons to be secret is not fear of the Light;
for Light is what they desire, seek for, and adore.
But they fear Profaners, that is to say, false interpreters,
calumniators, skeptics, with their stupid laugh and the enemies
of all belief and all morality.
--Albert Pike, 24º ritual, "Prince of the Tabernacle"(22)
Men never do
evil so completely and cheerfully
as when they do it from religious conviction.
--Blaise Pascal, Pensées (1660)
Perhaps the most impressive-looking modern American anti-Masonic book
is The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge: A Christian
Perspective, by Rev. John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon.(23)
With over three
hundred pages in twenty chapters and 750 endnotes, the book appears
to be a scholarly analysis of Freemasonry. On closer examination, however,
one discovers that the authors lull their readers into a false sense
of security by alleging a reliance on "authoritative" sources of information.
In fact, Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon are satisfied to quote both non-Masons
(such as "Djwhal Khul")(24) and anti-Masons (such as Jonathan Blanchard) while
falsely claiming they are Masons, when they are not. This use of false
witnesses and their manipulation of text is so subtle that it is difficult,
even for objective readers, to avoid being deceived. Indeed, it is as
if they took Charles Darwin's observation as a personal admonition,
when he wrote, "Great is the power of misrepresentation."
Sources
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon
want their readers to believe that their work is objective. To assist
them in this illusion they explain that they (or their research associates)
wrote the following question to the Grand Master of each of the fifty
American Grand Lodges, "As an official Masonic leader, which books and
authors do you recommend as being authoritative on the subject of Freemasonry?"(25)
Twenty-five Grand
Masters responded, each recommending several Masonic authors. Topping
the list were nine names. Henry Coil led the list with the recommendation
of 11 of the Grand Lodges, while Albert Pike was recommended by only
4 of them. In other words, forty-six Grand Masters (92%) had no comments
on Pike. In spite of this, Coil and Pike are cited almost equally, about
thirty times each.
Manly P. Hall,
on the other hand, received so few recommendations that Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon omitted his standing from their list of Masonic "authorities."
Yet Hall is also cited some twenty-five times. Hall's books are presented
as the writings of a "33d Degree Mason."(26) As noted earlier, Hall wrote the books used by Rev.
Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon more than twenty-five years before he became
a Mason. Wouldn't honesty, therefore, require them to inform their readers
that these books were written before Mr. Hall had any personal knowledge
of Masonry? Of course this would have lessened the impact of Hall's
"far out" interpretations of Freemasonry.
Significantly,
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon make good use of unfriendly and questionable
sources: about 250 of their endnotes (33%) include anti-Masonic publications.
Jonathan
Blanchard and the Scottish Rite
Anti-Masons seem satisfied
that if something appears in print and is negative about Freemasonry,
it must be true. The rituals exposed in Jonathan Blanchard's Scotch
Rite Masonry Illustrated (1887-1888) are usually taken as
gospel truth. This is what Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon have done.
Rev. Blanchard's
outdated book was actually an exposure of Cerneauism, an illegitimate
pseudo-Masonic organization founded by Joseph Cerneau and chiefly active
in the 1800s. Oaths of fealty and other references to the Cerneau "Supreme
Council" appear repeatedly throughout Blanchard's exposure.(27)
These references
would have raised red flags to competent researches, but Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon conveniently ignored or misunderstood them. Further,
the article on "Scottish Rite Masonry" in Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia(28) (a book quoted about 30 times by Rev. Ankerberg and
Dr. Weldon)(29) includes a discussion of the various names used by
the Cerneau Supreme Councils.
In pre-1993 editions
of their book Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon claimed Rev. Blanchard was
a "former Sovereign Grand Commander and a 33rd Degree Mason."(30)
The Sovereign Grand
Commander is the presiding officer of a Scottish Rite Supreme Council
and the Thirty-third Degree is the highest degree of the Rite. The truth
of the matter is that Jonathan Blanchard was never a Mason, not even
a Cerneau Mason, much less a Sovereign Grand Commander. He was an anti-Mason
from his youth, as Clyde S. Kilby's biography makes quite clear.(31)
Following a 1992
exposure of Rev. Ankerberg's and Dr. Weldon's misuse of Blanchard,(32) they modified their book by removing the false claims
alleging his Masonic "status." However, no notice of corrigenda
or errata was provided for the new editions, thus concealing
this episode from their readers.
It is sadly ironic
that in their pre-1993 editions Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon took a
life-long anti-Mason and falsely claimed he was one of the two highest-ranking
Scottish Rite Masons in the country. It's easy, though, to see how shallow
research could lead to this mistake. The title page of Scotch Rite
Masonry Illustrated (see Figure 6) states that the
ritual was by an unidentified "Sovereign Grand Commander, 33º"; Rev.
Jonathan Blanchard wrote the historical sketch and analysis. Since Scotch
Rite Masonry Illustrated is virulently anti-Masonic, however, Ankerberg
and Weldon didn't see the need to do any further research to satisfy
their ends.
What is worse,
in current editions they continue to quote from Scotch Rite Masonry
Illustrated as if it were an authentic ritual text, even though
they now know better. Blanchard's text is so critical to Ankerberg's
and Weldon's anti-Masonic agenda that it is referenced by them at least
fifty times. For example, in a chapter entitled "Swearing Oaths" they
reproduce eight oaths extracted from Blanchard in order to demonstrate
that the Scottish Rite rituals include physical penalties. The truth
of the matter is that
Albert Pike,
in revising the rituals of the Southern Supreme Council of the Scottish
Rite about 1855-1860, completely eradicated all such penalties from
the degrees and substituted mental, moral, and symbolic condemnation,
and that example was followed in the Northern Jurisdiction of the
Scottish Rite about the middle of the 20th century.
The above quote is from
an article on "Penalties" in Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia.(33)
Did they somehow
misunderstand this article as well, or rather choose to ignore it because
it reveals a major difference between Blanchard's exposé and
the authentic Pike rituals? It is difficult to believe that Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon misunderstood all the articles which contradict their
claims. Rather, the evidence suggests that they are "proof-texting"
or selectively picking quotes here-and-there which appear to
support their case. Thus, they quote Coil and other Masons only when
they seem to support their case.
Misrepresentation
As noted earlier, Freemasonry
has no individual or universal "authorities" when it comes to the interpretation
of its rituals and symbols. However, it makes sense that Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon want to talk about "authorities." They want something
comparable to the ex cathedra and imprimatur
of Catholicism, i.e. official declarations or publications which are
binding on the beliefs of its members. A rough, but useful, analogy
would be to contrast Catholics (who have extra-Biblical authorities,
such as Bishops, or the Pope) and Baptists (who have none). Just as
Baptist "authority" is limited to the individual's understanding of
the Bible, Masonic "authority" is limited to the individual
Grand Lodge laws which govern the administrative affairs of the fraternity.
This means that the newly-made Mason has as much right to interpret
the symbols to his own
needs as the officers of his Lodge do to theirs. This freedom
naturally results in diverse opinions. Because Masonic rituals vary
around the world, the symbols are likewise variously interpreted. For
example, in much of the United States the trowel is symbolically used
for "spreading the cement of brotherly love and affection,"(34) while in the Grand National Lodge of Germany
it is used to "figuratively wall up and cement cracks and tears in your
heart against the assaults of the vices."(35)
Although Freemasonry
is replete with symbolism, much of it is not interpreted in the rituals
at all. Taking advantage of this, Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon stoop
to quoting the fanciful speculations of non-Masons while representing
them as "Masonic." Examples of this are their citations from "Djwhal
Khul" (a "spirit guide" of occultist Alice Bailey),(36) theosophist Isabel Cooper-Oakley,(37) and mystic Corrine Heline.(38)
The writings of
these three women have never been adopted as "authoritative"
by any Grand Lodge; neither were they among the writers recommended
by the Twenty-five Grand Masters.
The other side
of this coin demonstrates the inequity of this practice. Would Rev.
Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon consider it fair for us to quote the writings
or teachings of "Christian white supremacists" as representative of
mainstream Christianity?
If we apply the
techniques that Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon use against Masonry we
begin to see how unfair their practices really are.
Former Ku Klux
Klan member, and Louisiana political hopeful, David Duke not only considers
himself a Christian, but considers Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon among
his Christian brothers. This is demonstrated in his article "Christianity
and Race" when he wrote:
No race is so
intrinsically Christian as the European, and I view all denominations
that follow Christ whether they be Baptists or Catholics, Russian
Orthodox or Methodist, Pentecostal or Mormons, as brothers in Christ.
We may differ somewhat in our interpretation of the Scriptures, but
all of us share our faith in Him.(39)
It is worth noting that
many self-professed Christians consider Mr. Duke a "leading Christian"
and an "authority" on the Bible and Christianity. As such, we continue
to excerpt from his article, "Christianity and Race."
Innocent children
were killed simply because they were of an enemy tribe. As far as
inter-racial marriage is concerned, there are unmistakable passages
where God commanded, "You shall not make marriages with them," [Deuteronomy]
7:2.
When the Lord
Thou [sic] God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite
them, and utterly destroy them, not show mercy unto them; Neither
shalt thou make marriages with them; your daughter thou shalt not
give unto his son, not his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son...
For thou art a hold [?holy] people unto the Lord Thy God: the Lord
thy God has chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above
all people that are upon the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 7:2-6)
It goes on to
say that if Israelites marry non-Israelites, "so will the anger of
the Lord be kindled against you.
As I read these
words, I remembered my Bible study lessons of the proofs of Jesus'
divinity, one being the "purity" of his line. I found that Genocide
and forbidding of mixed marriages were not the only means utilized
in the Bible to protect the bloodline of the Israelites. Separation
or segregation is also clearly advocated.
Mr. Duke and other "Christian
racial purists" use Biblical passages to oppose "race mixing." Some
of these "Christians" use the Bible to justify the murder of infants
of mixed races.
Although we cannot
say how closely these views reflect the sentiments of Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon, they are nonetheless espoused by a self-confessed, Bible-believing
Christian, who considers them among his peers. On closer examination
we discover that the central religious beliefs of Mr. Duke's Christianity
appear to be the same as those espoused by Rev. Ankerberg and
Dr. Weldon.
If Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon protest that Mr. Duke's opinions do not represent their
views of Christianity, or that merely professing Christ does not make
anyone an authority on Christianity, then we similarly observe that
neither the reception of the 33d Degree, the appointment to a Masonic
office, nor the popularity of a Masonic author makes anyone an "authority."
None of this seems
to matter to Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon, however, for just as they
misrepresented Jonathan Blanchard's credentials, they are satisfied
to use other questionable "authorities" as long as they serve their
purpose (selling their book). For example, as detailed elsewhere in
this work, ex-Mason Jim Shaw was never a Past Master of a Blue Lodge,
a Past Master of all Scottish Rite bodies or a Thirty-third Degree,
as alleged by himself, Rev. Ankerberg, and Dr. Weldon.(40)
However, as his
book serves their needs it is likewise too valuable to discard, even
though it is another false witness.
It is worth noting
that several "authorities" cited in their book seem to have difficulty
keeping facts straight. According to Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon,
Dr. Shildes Johnson lists numerous "occult" groups which supposedly
influenced Freemasonry, including the Rosicrucians, the Golden Dawn,
and the Illuminati. As with many of their allegations, no evidence is
provided, only an accusation. Dr. Johnson's charges are particularly
specious.
Modern, Speculative
(non-Operative) Freemasonry was founded in 1717, well before any of
the modern-day "Rosicrucian" or occult movements. To begin with, there
is much doubt whether an ancient Rosicrucian brotherhood ever existed,
or if it was just a hoax. What is certain, however, is that modern-day
"Rosicrucian" movements have no historical or lineal connection to the
original phenomena.(41)
Some Masonic groups
have borrowed the "Rosicrucian" name and symbolism for their allegories,(42) but they do not assert a historical connection to
the original movement any more than the Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic
Jurisdiction, asserts that its 24º, "Prince of the Tabernacle" has historical
ties to the American Indian allegory which forms the basis of its drama.(43)
The Golden Dawn
was an English occult fraternity begun in 1887, but by 1900 it fragmented
due to internal strife. There are numerous groups claiming to be the
Golden Dawn today, but none of them has influenced Freemasonry.(44)
The Illuminati,
founded in 1776, was the brain-child of the notorious anti-cleric Adam
Weishaupt. Although he infiltrated a Masonic Lodge to attract members,
the Elector of Bavaria outlawed the Illuminati in 1785, and its members
were arrested as Weishaupt fled. His order collapsed and its secret
papers were published. There are no traces of the Illuminati in Freemasonry
today, nor did it influence any other than a few Masonic Lodges in Bavaria
over 200 years ago.(45)
Another "authority"
cited by Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon is ex-Mason Jack Harris, whose
book Freemasonry: The Invisible Cult in our Midst was available
with two booklets for a $20.00 "gift" to The John Ankerberg Show. The
back of Mr. Harris's book touts him as "one of the most knowledgeable
living authorities on the history, symbolic ritualism and purposes of
Freemasonry." Mr. Harris not only uses the bogus Léo Taxil quote, but
also relies on inaccurate exposures. For example, Mr. Harris quotes
an extract (without giving the source) of the Knight Templar obligation
from a reprint of Revised Knight Templarism Illustrated (Chicago:
Ezra A. Cook, 1911).(46) Whatever Mr. Harris's experience in Masonry may have
been, he never encountered the Taxil quote or the bogus Knight Templar
obligation in a Masonic Lodge. These are fabrications he maliciously
repeats.
Even when citing
authentic information Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon feel a need to abuse
it. Thus, when quoting a paragraph from a ceremony used to install the
officers of a Scottish Rite "Chapter of Rose Croix" (15º-18º), they
omit a significant part of the text (omitted text is in bold):
Teach the Knights
to learn something more than the mere formulas and phrases of the
ceremonial; persuade them to read the history and study the philosophy
of Masonry; induce them to seek to learn the meanings of the
symbols; show them how, among the heterogeneous and incoherent
mass of Masonic writings, to separate the diamonds from the worthless
sands; and endeavor to improve them, by counsel and discourse, by
way of conduct and conversation.(47)
The omitted portion clearly
demonstrates that Masons are cautioned concerning the existence of many
worthless "Masonic" writings (just are there are nonsensical books on
scientific and religious subjects). Yet Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon
rely on several of the books in the "incoherent mass" to present their
distorted view of Freemasonry.
One of their questionable
sources is W.L. Wilmshurst, whom they label a "Leading English Mason."(48) It would be interesting to know what criterion was
used to arrive at this honor, because Wilmshurst's writings were challenged
during his lifetime, and continue to be criticized by members of the
leading Masonic research lodge (Quatuor Coronati, No., 2076, London):
Even in the contexts
of their times [J.S.M.] Ward, [A.E.] Waite, [W.L.] Wilmshurst et
al. got it wrong and were reading into Freemasonry a great deal
that is not present. Masonic writers of any period cannot, of course,
forecast what a future generation's attitudes will be but they still
have a duty to be accurate and to say when they are giving factual
information and when they are speculating or giving personal interpretations.
That is my complaint against such writers: their writings give the
impression that they are speaking for Freemasonry and that theirs
is the true interpretation--and it is not just a complaint with the
benefit of hindsight but also one that their contemporaries lodged
against them for so doing.(49)
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr.
Weldon have a fondness (perhaps even a borderline fixation) for titles
which sound authoritative to the non-Mason, and they often use irrelevant
appellations when referencing the writers they quote. For example, they
are quick to mention when a Masonic author holds an honorary 33d Degree.
If the cited author does not hold this honor he is likely referenced
by flattering appellations. For example, in addition to Wilmshurst,
we find A.E. Waite and Joseph Fort Newton called "leading Masons", although
no reason is indicated why they should be considered such. If "leading
Mason" means a Past Master, or other officer of a lodge, then the ranks
swell by tens, if not by hundreds of thousands. Other examples include
R. Swineburn Clymer, who is called "a high Mason" (whatever that means),
and H.V.B. Voorhis, who is denominated "a true Masonic giant."(50) After studying their "authorities" it is difficult
to avoid the conclusion that one becomes a "leading Mason" or "Masonic
scholar" other than by simply making any statement useful to their purposes.
The
"Masonic Religion" and Jabulon
There are few things which
incite as much passion, or fanaticism, as religious zeal. The history
of the Inquisition, the witch-hunts of colonial New England, and the
Iranian revolution are sad testaments to abused power and religious
bigotry. Thousands suffered under the direction of religious authorities
who deceived and intimidated their followers under the guise of "fighting
Satan" and "saving souls."
These same watch-words
are used today to marshal soldiers under the anti-Masonic banner, and
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon are willing to employ the techniques of
propaganda to assist them.
A prior general
interest must exist for propaganda to be effective. Propaganda is
effective not when based on individual prejudice, but when
based on a collective center of interest, shared by the crowds.(51)
To assist them in this,
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon subtitled their book A
Christian Perspective. As such, it is designed to have a
broad appeal to all who profess Christianity, whether or not Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon agree with them (more sales equals more money).
They have the hubris to speak for all who profess Christianity (while
in other publications they deride the beliefs of Catholics, Mormons,
and Jehovah's Witnesses for example). By drawing the lines as broadly
as possible, i.e., "us" (Christians) vs. "them" (Freemasons), the uninformed
Christian reader may be unwittingly biased from the outset, and the
Christian Freemason is caught off guard.
A useful allegation
to bias the Christian reader against Freemasonry is to claim that the
fraternity is anti-Christian, or even more boldly, to claim that it
is an anti-Christian religion. In fact, no Grand Lodge, no Supreme Council,
and no subordinate body claims to be, or functions as, a religion. It
is significant that Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon cannot produce any
official documents to the contrary. Undeterred, they are content
to ignore the facts and resort to innuendo and subterfuge.
What better way
could there be to "prove" that Masonry is a religion than to reveal
that Freemasons have secret modes of worship, mysterious names for God,
or even their own secret god? This is just what some anti-Masons, including
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon, claim to do. The name of this "god,"
they say, is Jabulon, which allegedly means "Jehovah-Baal-Osiris."
Sensational as it sounds, this claim is not original. Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon base their charge on Stephen Knight's anti-Masonic book
The Brotherhood.(52) The first anti-Mason to profit from this allegation
seems to have been Walton Hannah(53) who was likely influenced by Dr. Hubert S. Box.(54)
As a "secret name
for God" Jabulon is said to be revealed in the York Rite's Royal Arch
Degree (the Seventh Degree), or the Scottish Rite's Royal Arch of Solomon
Degree (the Thirteenth Degree, sometimes called Knights of the Ninth
Arch).(55)
It is true that
a similar word is found in some versions of these degrees (recalling
that Masonic rituals vary the world over) but it is not a secret
God, or a secret name for God. It may be considered a poor linguistic
attempt to present the name of God in three languages, such as "Dios-Dieu-Gott."
In making their
claim it is evident that Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon know little or
nothing about the historical development of Masonic rituals. Early French
versions of the Royal Arch degree relate a Masonic legend, or allegory,
in which Jabulon was the name of an explorer, living in the time of
Solomon, who discovered the ruins of an ancient temple.(56) Within the ruins he found a gold plate upon which
the name of God (Jehovah) was engraved. The context of these rituals
makes it quite clear that the two names are never equated, and the name
of God is always spoken in reverence, just as it is in the fictional
works Ben Hur and The Robe. As there are variants of this
ritual different forms of the explorer's name are also found (Jabulum,
Guibulum, etc.). The earliest sources seem to suggest, however, that
it likely derived from Giblim,(57) or a misunderstanding of Hebrew letters on a Trinitarian
devise.(58)
The
"Meaning" of Jabulon
Early Masons did not have
the historical resources available to today's researchers. This handicap
caused them to rely on their own ingenuity, and they were limited in
what they could write concerning the origins this tri-lingual "word."
However, for over a hundred years the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter
of the United States has clearly distinguished between the tri-lingual
"word" and the name of God. In an article on the word "Bel," Masonic
encyclopedist Albert Mackey tells us
It has, with
Jah and On, been introduced into the Royal Arch as a
representative of the Tetragrammaton [the Hebrew letters YHWH or JHVH,
i.e., "Jehovah"], which it and the accompanying words have sometimes
ignorantly been made to displace. At the session of the General Grand
Chapter of the United States, in 1871, this error was corrected; and
while the Tetragrammaton was declared to be the true omnific word,
the other three were permitted to be retained as merely explanatory.(59)
An example of this pre-1871
misunderstanding is seen in Duncan's Masonic Ritual
and Monitor (an outdated exposure cited by Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon some 30 times) which declared the tri-lingual word to
be the Grand Omnific Royal Arch Word.(60)
But Mackey's statement
is clear: Jehovah is the "true omnific word" whereas Jah, Bel, and On
are only explanatory. The misunderstanding appears to have arisen following
(or perhaps due to) the anti-Masonic period of 1826-1840. If a statement
in David Bernard's anti-Masonic exposure, Light on Masonry, is
accurate the tri-lingual word (given as "Jahbuhlun") was not used at
all in some early American Royal Arch Chapters, and those that included
it attached no religious explanation to it.(61)
Like other exposés,
however, Bernard's ritual texts cannot be fully trusted. William L.
Stone withdrew from Freemasonry during the anti-Masonic period and published
a book on the subject. In spite of this he was honest enough to admit
that "infamous interpolations" were added to Bernard's ritual texts.
Concerning Bernard's Royal Arch exposé Stone wrote
The obligation
has never been so given, within the range of my masonic experience,
and is not sanctioned or allowed by the Grand Chapter, having jurisdiction
in the premises. Nor have I, as yet, found a Royal Arch Mason who
recollects ever to have heard the obligation so given. (62)
But what did Mackey mean
when he wrote that Jah, Bel and On were "explanatory" of the name Jehovah?
Unaware of its true origins, some early ritualists tried to explain
the tri-lingual word using etymology. First, Jabulon was divided into
syllables (Jao-Bul-On, Jah-Buh-Lun, Jah-Bel-On, etc.) on the supposition
that they were Hebrew, Chaldean, Assyrian, Egyptian or other foreign
words for God. Like Hebrew names in the Old Testament, some believed
that Jabulon had a meaning which could be recovered. Old Testament names
often had meanings which were intended to glorify God. For example,
Azaziah means "Jehovah is strong," Eliphaz
means "God is victorious," and Elijah means
"Jehovah is my God." The following example explores possible roots of
Jah-Bel-On.
Jah.--This
could be a name of God used in Psalm 68:4, "Extol him that rideth upon
the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him."
Bel.--
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon accuse Freemasonry of paganism because
some Masons tried to equate this syllable with the word baal.
Although Baal was the name of a Phoenician deity, it is also
a Hebrew word meaning "lord" or "master,"(63) and when it forms part of a name it can be used to
identify Jehovah. A son of David, for example, is called both Eliada,
"God Knows" (2 Samuel 5:16), and Beeliada, "Baal knows" (1 Chronicles
14:7).
Another man, who
was a friend of David, was named Bealiah (1 Chronicles 12:5),
meaning "Jehovah is Baal" or "Jehovah is Lord."(64) After winning a victory over the Philistines, David
named the location Baal-Perazim (2 Samuel 5:20; 1 Chronicles
14:11), which means, "Lord of breaches."
On.--This
Hebrew word means "force" or "power."(65)
A more meaningful
application is found in the Septuagint, an ancient Greek version
of the Old Testament, wherein God announced Himself to Moses with the
words ego eimi ho On, "I am the Being" (Exodus 3:14).(66)
The words ho
On mean "The Being," "The Eternal" or "The I AM." In the Greek New
Testament the words ho On appear in Revelation 1:4, signifying
"the One who is."(67)
Based on the above,
possible meanings for Jabulon include "Jehovah, powerful Lord" or "Jehovah,
the Lord, the I AM." Some English Royal Arch rituals suggested the syllables
meant "Lord in Heaven, the Father of All," while some American rituals
noted that the vowels in Jah-Bel-On, added to the four letters which
spell God's name in Hebrew (YHWH or JHVH: yud, heh, vaw, heh),
yielded the English pronunciation "Jehovah," much as the vowels in the
Hebrew word adonai were combined with the four consonants to
produce "Jahovah."
Unable to find
any sensible meaning in such speculations other Grand Chapters eliminated
the "words" altogether.
It is significant
that Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon completely ignore the ritual text
of Edmond Ronayne's Chapter Masonry (an exposure they cite) in
this matter and rather resort to allegation. The reason is simple. Ronayne
fails to support their contention that Jabulon is a secret God. According
to Ronayne, the presiding officer explains the Tetragrammaton and the
tri-lingual word by saying:
This word is
composed of four Hebrew characters, which you see inclosed within
the triangle, corresponding in our language to J.H.V.H., and cannot
be pronounced without the aid of other letters, which are supplied
by the key words on the three sides of the triangle, that being an
emblem of Deity. The Syriac, Chaldeic [sic] and Egyptian words
taken as one is therefore called the Grand Omnific Royal Arch Word.(68)
It thus becomes clear that
however complex and misguided the early attempts were to find a meaning
for this word, Jabulon is not a special or secret Masonic God. This
claim is merely another invention of anti-Masonry.
Ankerberg
and Weldon at a Glance
At the end of their book
Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon provide a brief summation of their work
which they call "Masonry at a Glance." Putting the shoe on the other
foot and using Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon's techniques, the reader
can draw the following conclusions.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Names:
John Ankerberg and John Weldon.
Goals: Injure
Freemasonry while attempting to maintain an appearance of piety; sell
as many copies of their books as possible.
Theology: Uncertain,
but they have been embraced as "brothers in Christ" by David Duke, the
Christian White Supremacist.
Practices: Modeled
on the techniques effectively used during the Inquisition and Witch-hunts:
accuse the enemy of Satanism by using dubious witnesses. Innuendo and
subterfuge acceptable.
Historic Antecedents:
Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Kohmeni and other ardent anti-Masons.
Spheres of Influence:
Church, radio, television, books and pamphlets.
Ethics: Subjective,
relative, amoral. Use of false witnesses, misinformation and exaggerated
"authorities" justifiable ("the end justifies the means").
Worldview: Uncertain.
Possibly conspiratorial and paranoid.
Source of Authority:
Themselves, but they try to make their followers believe they are
acting as Christ's servants ("wolves in sheep's clothing").
Key Themes:
Intolerance. Authors present themselves as a sure guide to truth.
Attitude to
other religions: Condescending. The authors publish several books
condemning the religious beliefs of others.
Key literature:
Chiefly anti-Masonic and historically inaccurate works. "Proof-texting"
of authentic information is common.
False Claims
-
Jonathan Blanchard
was a 33d Degree Mason and a Sovereign Grand Commander (removed
after 1993 edition).
-
Jim Shaw was
a 33d Degree Mason and Past Master of all Scottish Rite bodies.
-
Manly P. Hall
was a 33d Degree Mason at the time he wrote the books cited by Ankerberg
and Weldon.
-
"Djwhal Khul"
was a Mason.
-
The "Masonic"
writings of Isabel Cooper-Oakley and Corrine Heline are "authoritative"
(if not, why are they cited?).
-
The Scottish
Rite uses "penalties."
-
"Jabulon" is
a the name of a "Masonic god."
-
Masonry is
a religion.
-
Masonry is
occultic.
-
Masonry offers
a "system of salvation."
-
Masonry is
the "one true religion."
-
Masonry is
intolerant of religion.
-
Masonry dishonors
the Bible and other religious literature.
-
Masonry interferes
with politics.
If Rev. Ankerberg
and Dr. Weldon somehow "accidentally" made their false allegations or
uttered their half-truths and lies unwittingly, they are unsafe guides.
If they did this intentionally we are reminded of the judgment in Proverbs
14:5, "A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter
lies."
ENDNOTES
22. Albert
Pike, Liturgy of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish
Rite of Freemasonry, for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States.
Part IV (Charleston, S.C., 1878; reprinted, n.p. 1944), p. 104.
23.
John Ankerberg and John Weldon, rev. ed. The Secret Teachings of
the Masonic Lodge: A Christian Perspective (Chicago: Moody Press,
1989, 1990, [1993]).
24.
"Djwhal Khul" is listed as a "spirit guide" of occultist Alice Bailey
on p.235, and as a Mason on p.331
25.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p. 16.
26.
Ankerberg and Weldon, pp. 134, 149, 180, 199, 259.
27.
Jonathan Blanchard, ed., Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated 2 vols.
(Chicago: Ezra A. Cook, 1887-1888; reprint 1979), vol. 1, pp. 124, 145,
303, 358, 419, 436, vol. 2, pp. 137, 242, 340, 388, 445, 462, 464, 470,
472, 475.
28.
Henry Wilson Coil, Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia (New York: Macoy
Publishing & Masonic Supply Col., 1961), p.612-613; (1996 ed.),
609-610.
29.
Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia is cited in by Rev. Ankerberg and
Dr. Weldon as early as their first chapter.
30.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p.131.
31.
Clyde S. Kilby, A Minority of One (Grand Rapids, Mich.: William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959), p.168.
32.
See the introduction to Art deHoyos, The Cloud of Prejudice: A Study
in Anti-Masonry (Kila, MT: Kessinger Publishing Co., 1992).
33.
Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia (1961 & 1996), p.467.
34.
Monitor of the Lodge (Waco, TX: Grand Lodge of Texas, 1982),
p. 69.
35.
Die Aufnahme eines Freimaurer-Lehrling (Berlin: Grosse Landesloge
der Freimaurer von Deutschland 1969), pp. 18-19.
36.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p.235. "Djwhal Khul" is listed as a Mason on p.331.
37.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p.236.
38.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p.134.
39.
At the time of this writing, Mr. Duke's article is available on the
Internet's World Wide Web at http://duke.org/
40.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p.131.
41.
A.E. Waite, Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross (London: Wm. Rider
& Son, Ltd., 1924); Christopher McIntosh, The Rosicrucians (Wellingborough:
Crucible, 1980, 1987).
42.
Harold V.B. Voorhis, A History of Organized Masonic Rosicrucianism
(Privately Printed, S.R.I.C.F., 1983); Ellic Howe, "Rosicrucians" in
Man, Myth & Magic. An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural
24 vols. (New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1970), vol. 18, pp.2426-2433.
43.
Twenty-fourth Degree. Prince of the Tabernacle. Tentative edition.
(Lexington, Mass.: Supreme Council, 33º, 1986).
44.
Ellic Howe, The Magicians of the Golden Dawn (London: Routledge
and Kegan Paul, 1972); R.A. Gilbert, The Golden Dawn. Twighlight
of the Magicians (Wellingborough: The Aquarian Press, 1983).
45.
Jan Rachold, Die Illuminaten. Quellen und Texte zur Aufklärungsideologie
des Illuminatenordens (1776-1785) (Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1984)
46.
Jack Harris, Freemasonry: The Invisible Cult in our Midst (Towson,
MD: Jack Harris, 1983), pp.24-25, 29.
47.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p. 224; Ceremonies of Installation and Dedication
rev. ed. (Washington, D.C., 1954), p.44.
48.
Ankerberg and Weldon, p. 55.
49.
John Hamill, Ars Quatuor Coronatorum 101 (1988), pp. 155-156.
50.Curiously,
they refer to the latter two writers as if they were still living. See
Ankerberg and Weldon, pp. 132, 226.
51.
Jacques Ellul, Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes (New
York: Vintage Books, 1973), p. 49.
52.
Stephen Knight, The Brotherhood: The Explosive Exposé of the Secret
World of the Freemasons (London: Granada/Panther, 1983); published
in the United States as The Brotherhood: The Secret World of the
Freemasons (New York: Stein and Day, 1984).
53.
Walton Hannah, Darkness Visible (London: Augustine Press, 1952),
pp.34-37.
54.
Hubert S. Box, The Nature of Freemasonry (London: Augustine Press,
1952).
55.
Elsewhere in their text Rev. Ankerberg and Dr. Weldon use another form
of the word, "Masonry leads men to worship a false god (G.A.O.T.U.,
Jah-Bul-On)." Ankerberg and Weldon, p.176.
56.
Paul Naudon, La Franc-Maçonnerie chrétienne. La tradition opérative.
L'Arche Royale de Jérusalem. Le Rite Écossais Rectifié (Paris: Dervy,
1970); Paul Naudon, Histoire, Rituels et Tuileur des Haut Grades
Maçonniques (Paris: Dervy, 1993), pp. 315-318.
57.
The Hebrew word giblim (1 Kings 5:18) is translated "stonesquarers"
in the Authorized Version, but refers to the inhabitants of Gebal, a
city in Phoenicia. They were expert craftsmen used in building Solomon's
temple.
58.
Art deHoyos, "The Mystery of the Royal Arch Word," in Heredom: The
Transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society vol. 2 (1993),
pp. 7-34.
59.
Albert G. Mackey, An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (Philadelphia:
Louis H. Everts, 1905), p.112, s.v. "Bel."
60.
Malcolm C. Duncan, Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor rev. ed.
(New York: L. Fitzgerald, 1866), p.249. It should be observed that Duncan's
Ritual (as it is often called) did not represent the a correct version
of any Masonic ritual in use, but was rather the author's own version.
61.
David Bernard, Light on Masonry 3d ed. (Utica, NY: William Williams,
1829), p.126.
62.
William L. Stone, Letters on Masonry and Anti-Masonry Addressed to
the Hon. John. Quincy Adams (New York: O. Halsted, 1832), pp.74-75.
Additional examples of Bernard's unreliability are cited in Heredom.
The Transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society vol. 4 (1995),
p.23.
63.
William Gesenius, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
(Oxford University Press, n.d.), p. 127; Ernest Klein, A Comprehensive
Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English
(New York: Macmillan, 1987), p. 79.
64.
In his Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Language,
James Strong says that Bealiah (word #1183) is composed of the Hebrew
words ba'al (word # 1167) and yahh (word #3050).
65.
James Strong, op. cit. (word #202).
66.
Lancelot C.L. Brenton, The Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English
(reprint ed., Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, n.d.), p. 73. If the words
are taken from context it is more proper to refer to to On, "the
Being."
67.
Jay P. Green, Sr., The Interlinear Bible. Hebrew-Greek-English
(Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1976, 1986), p.951.
68.
Edmond Ronayne, Chapter Masonry (Chicago: Ezra A. Cook, 1901,
1976), p. 281.
Chapter
Four: The Reverend Ron Carlson and "Christian Ministries
International"
* * *
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