This happened to a certain pastor and I'll relate it as briefly and accurately as possible. The pastor held a funeral service and there was to be a Masonic burial at the cemetary. While walking towards the tent at the cemetary, the pastor asked the "Master Mason" about the protocol (for instance, "Would he (the pastor) need to close with prayer?")
The "Master" said that, yes, he would call on him (the pastor) to close the service after they had performed the Masonic rituals. The pastor said that he usually made a few brief comments about the resurrection before dismissing in prayer. The "Master" simply stared him down and shook his head, indicating "No."
The pastor, of course, dismissed with one of the longest prayers of his ministry, incorporating the body as a seed, the last trump, the dead in Christ rising,etc. After saying "Amen," the pastor raised his head and looked over towards the "Master," who was definately not smiling. The Mason at the foot of the casket holding the outstretched sword wasn't smiling either.
Many people just don't realize the things that go on "behind the scenes"
in the ministry.
You are so right. The rituals they do are just weird to me. Why do they do them? No one will tell me.
ReplyDeleteSeveral private comments on this one through
ReplyDeletee-mail and Facebook. Some "secret Masons" out there who don't want to comment publicly and perhaps others who are simply sc-a-a-a-red :)
I did a funeral of a relative who was a Mason. I had the service at the funeral home and the Lodge had the graveside services, so we didn't really have to "cooperate". Curious to me, the speaker at the grave wore a cowboy hat and always tipped it when he mentioned the Grand Architect of the Universe.
ReplyDeleteI attended a funeral where there was a full-blown Masonic service in the church house. The pastor and deacons were among the many Masonic. Lodge members The service seemed quite strange to me.