John Quincy Adams and Freemasonry
 John Quincy Adams and Freemasonry John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was an experienced statesman with a passion for the fledgling democracy. His personal study in the public sector led him to believe that the secret oaths of Freemasonry could easily undermine an impartial judicial process. Police, lawyers, statesmen, and judges holding secret allegiances with each other, beyond the constitution, could undermine the due process of law. He further believed that the oaths and obligations were horrific and did not reflect wisdom in a more civilized age. He saw them as a reversion to the more barbaric tendencies in humanity. Adams’ criticism of Freemasonry came primarily on secular grounds, arising from his experience and study of masonic obligations. He believed that the entrance-level obligations were enough to prove the entire organization was built on a dark foundation. The obligations in question were taken in the first three degrees, called the Blue Lodge, which all Masons take as they enter the Lodge. Adams wrote extensively on the issue, sharing his concerns in personal correspondence with many people. His goal was to reform Freemasonry, if possible. The murder of William Morgan in 1826 at the hands of fellow Masons propelled Adams to highlight the level of violence espoused in the oaths and obligations of Freemasonry. Adams formulated five main criticisms of Freemasonry based upon the oaths of the Blue Lodge degrees. Of the first of these degrees Adams stated, “The Entered Apprentice’s oath was sufficient to settle in my mind the immoral character of the institution.”1 and “that the Entered Apprentice oath, obligation and annexed penalty, was in itself vicious--and such as ought never to be administered by man to man.” 2 Adams’ five concerns regarding the oaths of the Blue Lodge were addressed in a set of letters to William L. Stone of New York. They can be summarized as follows: 1. They were extra judicial oaths and were in violation of the laws of the land. Adams believed that the oaths of the Entered Apprentice degree were, in short, illegal. They pledged the brother to illegal secrecy in violation of the clear judicial laws of the United States and all civilized countries. Adams stated, “The oaths introduce him to a “secret and exclusive favor, assistance and fidelity to the brotherhood and brothers of the craft.”3 Adams affirmed that a witness in a court of law is sworn to tell the whole truth, not to be selective, as per prior Masonic obligations. Adams objected to the fact that Masons swore not to reveal anything related to the brotherhood if given under a Masonic sign, except in matters of murder or treason. Adams states: “The Entered Apprentice promises never to reveal to any person under the canopy of heaven, that which the laws of his country may, the next day after he makes the promise, make it his duty to reveal to any court of justice before which he may be summoned to appear, or to any committee of the legislature of the state in which he resides, or of the Union.” 4 Furthermore, “...the Master Mason promises to keep the secrets of a brother Master Mason, as secure and inviolable as if they were in his own breast, murder and treason excepted.” Adams went on to say, “ The naming of them emphatically (murder and treason) leaves all other crimes included in the promise and excluded from the exception.” In his fourth letter, Adams showed that every other crime communicated by a brother Master Mason, and “communicated to him as a Masonic secret”, was to be held in confidence. However, according to Adams, it is the duty of a citizen to reveal any crimes of which he is aware. 2. They were in violation of the precepts of Jesus to not make vows. Although most of the concerns of Adams rest securely in the secular argument, he was well enough aware of the spiritual implications of the Lodge to register this comment: “If, as in this age but too often happens, he enters the Lodge a skeptic, the use of the Bible there, if it have any effect on him, will turn him out to be a confirmed infidel."5 Furthermore, Adams warned that the Lodge’s use of the Bible should, to a trained Christian, raise red flags. “If the candidate has been educated to a sincere and heart-felt reverence for religion and the Bible, and if he exercises his reason, he knows that all the tales of Jachin and Boaz, of Solomon’s Temple, of Hiram Abiff and Jubela, Jubelo and Jubeluem, are impostures--poisons poured into the perennial fountain of truth--traditions exactly resembling those reprobated by Jesus Christ, as making the word of God on none effect.” 6 3. The swearing of secrecy came before the secrets were ever revealed to the candidate. Adams called into question the integrity of the organization as he challenged them on this issue. Before a candidate was made aware of the secrets of the craft, he was sworn to keep them secret, upon penalty of self-mutilation. The candidate, when he took the oath, was kept in total ignorance of what was contained in the secrets of the craft. Therefore, he did not know the content or extent of the oaths he took. “He is sworn to keep secret what he does not know.”7 Adams believed that it was unfair, and inappropriate. “It promises light--its performance is darkness.” 8 Initiates, according to Adams, must be shocked with the incongruence of taking upon themselves personal mutilation to keep secrets, which seemed relatively mundane. 4. They included vicious penalties, leading to death. The oath in question was as follows: “All this, I promise and swear--binding myself under no less penalty than that of having my throat cut across from ear to ear, my tongue torn out by its roots, and my body buried in the rough sand of the sea, at low water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours.” Adams also pointed out the Master Mason’s oath, which stated: “The Master Mason’s penalty is to have his body severed in two in the midst, and divided to the north and south, his bowels burnt to ashes in the center, and the ashes scattered before the four winds of heaven, that there might not the least track or trace of remembrance remain among men or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch, as I should be.” 9 If the descriptions of the penalties were somewhat figurative, Adams asked why they were still continued: “Are the words so charming in themselves”, that they cannot be replaced by more civilized, less violent terms?" 10 5. The horrific ideas brought to the mind by these penalties Adams believed that in civilized society the idea of mangling a body is indeed horrific. The very thought of it seems out of step with an organization seeking to bring the best out in people. Freemasonry suggests that it makes “good men better.” Does this necessitate the vulgar, violence-specific language of the ritual obligations? Sensitivity to violence in the family and community suggest that these obligations are out of step. Adams states that the Constitution of the United States forbids “the infliction of cruel or unusual punishments”. The Mason swears consent to “ the mutilation of his own (body), for the breach of an absurd and senseless secret.”11 The obligations are clearly cruel and indeed unusual. One must ask, in a world in which we desire to eradicate violence, is it not odd that these pledges are full of graphic violence? Freemasonry suggests that it attempts to espouse a doctrine surrounding the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Must these violent vows be forced upon men in order to attain these virtues? Summary These vows actually constitute a curse upon one’s life. They are violent in nature, and give tacit authority for the penalties to be enforced for breaches in secrecy. Do these vows exist today in the Blue Lodge degrees? Excerpt from Entered Apprentice Degree obligation: “To all of which I solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me whatsoever; binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out, and with my body buried in the sands of the sea at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I ever knowingly or willingly violate this, my solemn Obligation of an entered Apprentice. So help me God and make me steadfast to keep and perform the same.” 12 Excerpt from The Fellowcraft Degree obligation: “To all of which I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me whatsoever, binding myself under no less a penalty than having my left breast torn open, my heart and vitals taken thence, and with my body given as prey to the vultures of the air, should I ever knowingly, or willingly, violate this, my solemn Obligation of a Fellow Craft. So help me God and make me steadfast to keep and perform the same.” 13 Excerpts from Master Mason Degree Obligation: “Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will keep the secrets of a worthy Brother Master Mason, when communicated to me as such, as secure and inviolate in my breast as they were in his before communication.” “Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will not have illicit carnal intercourse with a Master Mason’s wife, widow, mother, sister or daughter, nor suffer it to be done by another if in my power to prevent.” (note: Just Master Masons?) “Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will not be present at the initiating, passing, or raising of an old man in dotage, a young man under age, an irreligious libertine, an atheist, a person of unsound mind, or a woman, knowing them to be such.” (Note: Why not women?) “To all of which I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me whatsoever; binding myself under no less a penalty than having my body severed in twain, my bowels taken thence, and with my body burned to ashes, and the ashes thereof scattered to the four winds of Heaven, that there might remain neither track, trace nor remembrance among man or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I should be, should I ever knowingly or willfully violate this, my solemn Obligation of a Master Mason. So help me God and make me steadfast to keep and perform the same.” 14
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