Why I Left Freemasonry!
By Evangelist Charles G. Finney, D.D. (1792-1875)
Introduction:
"No words
can describe the wonderful joy that was shed abroad in my heart. I wept
aloud with joy and love. The waves came over me and over me, one after
another, until I cried out, 'I shall die if these waves continue to pass
over me. Lord, I cannot bear any more." -Finney's description of his filling
with the Holy Spirit on the day of his conversion"
Charles Finney was born in
Finney was
filled with the Holy Spirit on the same day he was saved and immediately
began witnessing to friends and family members. More than twenty people were
saved in the 24 hours following Finney's conversion.
Finney's
personal evangelism soon became public evangelism as he began to travel and
preach in extended revival meetings. He considered revival to be a natural
result of following the instructions God had laid out in His Word. During
Finney's fifty years of preaching, more than 500,000 were saved.
He wrote many
books, the most enduring of which are The Autobiography of Charles Finney
and Lectures on Revival of Religion.
After ill
health forced him to stop traveling in meetings, he accepted the pastorate
of a church in
Although some
of his theology was lacking, he was a powerful, Spirit-filled soul winner
who brought revival to cities and towns across the eastern
Why I Left Freemasonry
By Charles G. Finney
When I was converted to Christ I had belonged
to the Masonic Lodge in Adams, New York, about four years. During the
struggle of conviction of sin through which I passed, I do not recollect
that the question of Freemasonry ever occurred to my mind.
At that time I did not know how much I had been imposed upon by many of
the pretensions of Masonry. But, upon reflection and examination, a severe
struggle and earnest prayer, I found I could not consistently remain with
them. My new life instinctively and irresistibly recoiled from any
fellowship with what I now regarded as "the unfruitful works of darkness."
Without consulting anyone, I finally went to the Lodge and requested my discharge. My mind was made up. Withdraw from them I must -- with their consent if I might; without this consent if I must. Of this I said nothing; but somehow it came to be known that I had withdrawn.
They therefore planned a Masonic festival and
sent a committee to me, requesting me to deliver an oration on that
occasion. I quietly declined to do so, informing the committee that I could
not conscientiously, in any wise, do what would show my approval of the
institution, or sympathy with it. However, for the time, and for years
afterward I remained silent, and said nothing against Masonry; though I had
then so well considered the matter as to regard my Masonic oaths as utterly
null and void. But from that time I never allowed myself to be recognized as
a Freemason anywhere.
This was a few years before the revelations of Freemasonry by Captain
William Morgan were published. When that book was published, I was asked if
it was a true revelation of Freemasonry. I replied that it was so far as I
knew anything about it, and that as nearly as I could recollect, it was a
verbatim revelation of the first three degrees as I had myself taken them. I
frankly acknowledged that that which had been published was a true account
of the institution, and a true expose' of their oaths, principles and
proceedings. After I had considered it more thoroughly, I was more perfectly
convinced that I had no right to adhere to the institution, or appear to do
so; and that I was bound, whenever the occasion came, to speak my mind
freely in regard to it, and to renounce the horrid oaths that I had taken.
I found that in taking these oaths I had been grossly deceived and imposed upon. I had been led to suppose that there were some very important secrets to be communicated to me; but in this I found myself entirely disappointed. Indeed I came to the deliberate conclusion that my oaths had been procured by fraud and misrepresentations; that the institution was in no respect what I had been informed it was; and as I have had the means of examining it more thoroughly, it has become more and more irresistibly plain to me that Masonry is highly dangerous to the State, and in every way injurious to the Church of Christ.
Judging from unquestionable evidences, how can we fail to pronounce Freemasonry an unchristian institution? We can see that its morality is unchristian. Its oath-bound secrecy is unchristian. The administration and taking of its oaths are unchristian and a violation of the positive command of Christ. And Masonic oaths pledge its members to some of the most unlawful and unchristian things:
No one, therefore, has ever undertaken to defend Freemasonry as judged by the above. Freemasons themselves do not pretend that their institution as revealed in reliable books, and by some of their own testimony, is compatible with Christianity. So it must follow that,
I appeal to your conscience in the sight of God, for an honest answer to these three questions:
1. Is any man who is under a most solemn oath to kill all who violate any part of Masonic oaths, a fit person to be at large among men?
2. Ought Freemasons of this stamp to be fellowshipped in the Christian Church?
3. Do you believe that the sins of Masonic oaths are forgiven only to those who repent? And that we do not repent of those sins to which we still adhere? And that adherence makes us also partaker of other men's sins?
"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from ALL sin." "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (1st John 1:17; 3:3).
Reprinted from "Memoirs" of President Finney, formerly of Oberlin College.
Copied from a tract published by National Christian Association -- publishers since 1868 of literature exposing secret societies.
Tragic! -Famous Baptist Freemasons!