The need to answer our critics, or the want to answer to our critics? Which is it? A true need to answer them, or a want to answer them. 

I can certainly understand a want to respond. For the last few centuries, published from motives of profit or spite, many books, pamphlets, and articles have attempted to expose, explain and/or reveal the secrets of Freemasonry. And, although they vary greatly in quality, even the best of them can not be taken to be anything more than an attempt to repeat or report the practices of its own period. 

A case in point is the Antimasonic writings, which sprung out of the Morgan excitement of 1826. Which gave birth to a political party. The Antimasonic Party, which in 1831-fielded William Wirt as its candidate for President of the United Sates. He received a total of seven votes, being the whole electoral vote of the state of Vermont. With such a resounding defeat they withdrew from public view in 1833 and ceased to exist. 

All of this occurred without the assistance of a policy of response from Freemasons. 

Their actions are indicative of the actions of all anti-Masonic authors, in that it’s spirit is vindictive towards the Freemasons without distinction as to guilt or innocence. 

Some of the earlier attacks on Freemasonry, such as “Proofs of a conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe”; which appeared in 1797, and authored by John Robison, are still used as a basis and quoted today in Anti-Masonic literature, 1797…attacks on Freemasonry are not new. 

I can assure you, this 200-year-old book owes its preservation from the destruction of time, only, to the permanency and importance of the institution, which it sought to destroy. 

We often profit more by our enemies than by our friends. We support ourselves only on that which resists. And, to some degree, owe our success to opposition. 

Ignorance breeds fear, fuelled by the warmth of imagination. 

Freemasonry has not been unaffected by these many years of attack. Many exposes have played on the fears of the ignorant with tales of blood curdling oaths imposed on the unwary initiate. In some jurisdictions, these penalties have been removed. While other jurisdiction refuse to remove them as they recognise that the symbolic ceremonial purposes and are only of a ritualistic nature. 

So, yes, there may be felt a ‘want’ to answer our critics, as history demonstrated such criticism has affected both ritual and membership. 

But clearly, the benevolent and liberal efforts of Freemasonry…its fight against superstition and narrow-mindedness…the idealistic principles of mutual assistance and fraternal equality of rights, have demonstrated for over the last 250 years there is no ‘need’ to start now, to answer our critics and detractors. Such a response would only lend credence to, and assist them, in their anti-Masonic endeavours. 

There is no country in the civilised world where Freemasonry has existed in which opposition to it has not, from time to time, exhibited itself. Although the purity and innocence of the institution have always overcome it, this history of success has not discouraged others of this day to attempt yet again another attack on Freemasonry. 

As recently as 1992-93 we have seen a growing number of anti-Masonic books and condemnations made by various Christian denominations, which then forced us to review our position of no response. At that time we again decided that the best response was one of no response. We decide not to lend credence to their voice with our own. 

In a world shocked by continual urban terrorism, I would think a campaign of condemnation would better be served on organisations whose origins are found in this century. 

Freemasonry need not defend itself against the attacks of the cowans and cowards. 

A society, which has been deemed of so much importance as to be the victim of so many persecutions, will remain of interest to many in the future. It is too good of an institution not to be abused. 

Freemasonry has taken a commanding position as one of the teachers of the world, and as such, a continued host of adversaries will spring up to malign its character and to misrepresent its objectives of building the Temple within the man. Which is constructed of a very personal nature and next to impossible to convey cohesively to the general public. 

Thank you Brethren,

Wm. David Maddin

Past Master

Redwood #193, G.R.A.