My Response to David Bay at Cutting Edge Ministries
In this article, Cutting Edge Ministries Director David Bay claims that within Freemasonry is a hidden, Satanic entity that strives to produce the anti-Christ. His claim depends largely on various secondary and tertiary opinion-pieces (many out-of-context).
The first work cited is Lectures on Ancient Philosophy: An Introduction to the Study and Application of Rational Procedure by Manly P Hall, which was first published in 1929. However, Manly P Hall did not become a Freemason until 1954. That makes this work not only just an opinion-piece on Freemasonry, but rather nothing more than gossip/rumor since he did not have any firsthand experience in the Fraternity. That renders this work entirely irrelevant concerning Masonry.
The second work cited is Albert Mackey's Encyclopædia of Freemasonry, another opinion-piece (given that it is not backed by a grand lodge), this time taken out-of-context. The full entry reads thus:
Visible Masonry. In a circular published March 18, 1775, by the Grand Orient of France, reference is made to two divisions of the Order, namely, Visible and Invisible Masonry. Did we not know something of the Masonic contentions then existing in France between the Lodges and the supreme authority, we should hardly comprehend the meaning intended to be conveyed by these words. By "Invisible Masonry" they denoted that body of intelligent and virtuous Masons who, irrespective of any connection with dogmatic authorities, constituted "a Mysterious and Invisible Society of the True Sons of Light," who, scattered over the two hemispheres, were engaged, with one heart and soul, in doing everything for the glory of the Great Architect and the good of their fellow-men. By "Visible Masonry" they meant the congregation of Masons into Lodges, which were often affected by the contagious vices of the age in which they lived. The former is perfect; the latter continually needs purification. The words were originally invented to effect a particular purpose, and to bring the recusant Lodges of France into their obedience. But they might be advantageously preserved, in the technical language of Masonry, for a more general and permanent object. Invisible Masonry would then indicate the abstract spirit of Masonry as it has always existed, while Visible Masonry would refer to the concrete form which it assumes in Lodge and Chapter organizations, and in different Rites and systems. The latter would be like the material church, or church militant; the former like the spiritual church, or church triumphant. Such terms might be found convenient to Masonic scholars and writers.
Mackey clearly wrote that "Invisible Masonry" refers to the spirit (or character) of Masonry, while "Visible Masonry" refers to the organization itself. The only way that this entry supports Bay's argument is by having part of it cherry picked out-of-context. In-context, it has nothing to do whatsoever with Bay's argument.
The third work cited is Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma, another opinion-piece (as stated in its preface and given that it is not backed by a grand lodge). I like the explanation about Pike given by William De La More in his own book entitled Defending the Christian Freemason; he writes:
It is important to note that many of the accusations against blue lodge Freemasonry are actually accusations against the Scottish Rite and the writings of Albert Pike who was a very influential leader in the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite. Pike is often misquoted and quoted out of context, but even if one did find something legitimately offensive in his writings, his writings are not binding on Masons. Rather, look to the Scottish Rite Constitution, bylaws, and official proclamations for authoritative information, not the writings of Albert Pike or any other Scottish Rite individual.
Masonry, like all the Religions, all the Mysteries, Hermeticism and Alchemy, conceals its secrets from all except the Adepts and Sages, or the Elect, and uses false explanations and misinterpretations of its symbols to mislead those who deserve only to be misled; to conceal the Truth, which it calls Light, from them, and to draw them away from it. Truth is not for those who are unworthy or unable to receive it, or would pervert it. So God Himself incapacitates many men, by color-blindness, to distinguish colors, and leads the masses away from the highest Truth, giving them the power to attain only so much of it as it is profitable to them to know. Every age has had a religion suited to its capacity.
The Teachers, even of Christianity, are, in general, the most ignorant of the true meaning of that which they teach. There is no book of which so little is known as the Bible. To most who read it, it is as incomprehensible as the Sohar.
So Masonry jealously conceals its secrets, and intentionally leads conceited interpreters astray. There is no sight under the sun more pitiful and ludicrous at once, than the spectacle of the Prestons and the Webbs, not to mention the later incarnations of Dullness and Commonplace, undertaking to "explain" the old symbols of Masonry, and adding to and "improving" them, or inventing new ones.
The fourth work cited is Behold a Pale Horse by late conspiracy theorist Bill Cooper. Given that Cooper theorized government cover-ups of alien invasions (McKeown), I do not view him as a credible source.
The fifth work cited is Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which Bay describes as "the oldest New World Order planning document known to be in existence." Protocols is an antisemitic hoax that was intentionally written to blame Jews for various existent and non-existent evils in the world (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum); it has inspired many movements such as the Nazi political party, the Holocaust, and has been adopted by various modern hate groups (i.e. the KKK). The very fact that Bay cites Protocols completely destroys any credibility that he may have previously had; it also destroys all credibility had by Cutting Edge Ministries, of which organization Bay is the Director. Cooper also cites Protocols in his work Pale Horse, which also destroys whatever little credibility he may have previously had.
Bay then returns to Hall in his sixth citation: The Lost Keys Of Freemasonry, which was published in 1923.* Again, Hall hadn't become a Mason yet, nor would he for over 30 years. That makes this work not only just an opinion-piece on Freemasonry, but rather nothing more than gossip/rumor since he did not have any firsthand experience in the Fraternity. That renders this work entirely irrelevant concerning Masonry as well.
Bay then cites Alice Bailey, indicating that she joined the Co-Masonry movement. Co-Masonry is not viewed as legitimate within mainstream Freemasonry, as it has departed from the Ancient Landmarks† of Freemasonry. That renders Bailey's statements on Freemasonry as nothing more than irrelevant opinion.
Bay then provides another cherry-picked quote utterly devoid of context. The full quote reads thus (red font again indicates portion conveniently omitted by Bay):
Man descended from the elemental Forces or Titans [Elohim], who fed on the body of the Pantheistic Deity creating the Universe by self-sacrifice, commemorates in sacramental observance this mysterious passion; and while partaking of the raw flesh of the victim, seems to be invigorated by a fresh draught from the fountain of universal life, to receive a new pledge of regenerated existence. Death is the inseparable antecedent of life; the seed dies in order to produce the plant, and earth itself is rent asunder and dies at the birth of Dionusos. Hence the significancy of the phallus, or of its inoffensive substitute, the obelisk, rising as an emblem of resurrection by the tomb of buried Deity at Lerna or at Sais.
Dionusos-Orpheus descended to the Shades to recover the lost Virgin of the Zodiac, to bring back his mother to the sky as Thyone; or what has the same meaning, to consummate his eventful marriage with Persephone, thereby securing, like the nuptials of his father with Semele or Danaë, the perpetuity of Nature. His under-earth office is the depression of the year, the wintry aspect in the alternations of bull and serpent, whose united series makes up the continuity of Time, and in which, physically speaking, the stern and dark are ever the parents of the beautiful and bright.
Here, Pike is writing on Ancient Egyptian lore; keep in mind that Morals and Dogma was Pike's attempt at a study of world religion. However, Bay misleads his audience to believe that obelisks on Masons' graves must mean that Masonry teaches that we can become deities. Bay also misleads his audience to believe that obelisks in Masonry must signify phalli when, in fact, it is only referenced as such from ancient Egyptian lore.
Given, therefore, that Bay has wholly relied on secondary opinion-pieces out-of-context and tertiary rumor/gossip to support his claims, as well as the fact that he has endorsed anti-Semitic literature, I find his arguments to be wholly irrelevant in regard to Freemasonry and without credibility; by extension, I hold Cutting Edge Ministries in the same regard.
[†] A Masonic term meaning "basic standards."
Bay, David. “Freemasonry -- Two Organizations, One Visible, The Other Invisible.” Cutting Edge Ministries, www.cuttingedge.org/free001a.htm. Web. Accessed 30 May 2020.
Mackey, Albert G. and Charles T. McClenachan. "Visible Masonry." Encyclopædia of Freemasonry, Revised Ed., 1927.
McKeown, Trevor W. “Milton William Cooper.” Milton William Cooper, Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon, freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/cooper_m.html.
More, William De La. Defending the Christian Freemason. Xulon Press, 2018, p. 66.
Pike, Albert. “III. The Master.” Morals and Dogma, The Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction, A. A. S. R., U. S. A, 1871, pp. 104–105.
Pike, Albert. “XXIV. Prince Of The Tabernacle.” Morals and Dogma, The Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction, A. A. S. R., U. S. A, 1871, pp. 393–394.
“Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/protocols-of-the-elders-of-zion. Web. Accessed 30 May 2020.
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