Anglican Church in Barbados believes a Christian can be a Freemason

According to a Nation newspaper news report Anglican Bishop, His Lordship Reverend Dr. John Walder Dunlop Holder who is Archbishop of the Province of the West Indies believes Christians can be Freemasons.

Reverend Holder was responding to the plight of Pentecostal Pastor Emeritus of The People's Cathedral, Dr Holmes Williams, who attacked Barbados' commercial banking management, saying it is "stacked" with Masonic Lodge members dedicated to the demise of Christian churches.

Pastor Williams, according to the newspaper dated April 29, said that the church (The People's Cathedral) was told on four occasions by four different commercial banks that it would get the loan, but was later turned down. The loan referred to here is a loan to purchase the Banks Breweries property at Wildey.

In rebuke to what Pastor Williams has said, Reverend Holder has stated according to today's nation news report that, "no one or group had frustrated the Anglican Church's attempts at acquiring funds from the commercial banks".

"Whenever we want assistance from the commercial banks, it is forthcoming. It has not been an issue for us. It has not been a problem. I know of no plot against the Anglican Church.

"I know several well meaning, upright Christians who belong to Masonic Lodges, doing some extremely good community work. For us in the Anglican Church, we do not hold up the lodges as any evil organizations," he said.

Mr. Holder has appeared therefore to have hung his hat on the outward appearance of an organisation to determine there are no sheep in wolf clothing to be found in its secret masonic covens.

If the comments made in the newspaper are that of Reverend Holder, which some will fail to believe to be his, then the logical conclusion of such comments is that any organisation where it members are committed to "good works", Christians can join, with his blessings.

Stories have often been told of street gangs doing good works within their neighbourhoods to win the favour and affection of the people, and in some instances done so genuinely in order to give back to the society. Does this also mean that Christians can join street gangs? The answer Reverend Holder would give to this is no, I hope. The litmus test must therefore surround what these organisations are involved in behind the scenes, as some might consider the outward appearance as claptrap.

The measuring stick as to whether something is acceptable to Christians should not be whether it is of good works alone, because as faith without works is dead, so is works without faith.

Reverend Holder has apparently reached into the Bible and found passages of scripture which speaks to good works and has decided to run with them. The question to the Christian then is can one be saved by good works alone, and what therefore is a stumbling block for those in the Freemasonry fraternity which could possibly prevent them being saved.

The Bible speaks-out

Ephesians 2:8-9 King James Version (KJV)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can
light have with darkness?

James 5:12
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.