Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 19, 1993                   TAG: 9304190252
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SECRETS OF MASONRY ARE IN BIBLE

I understand that about one in every seven Southern Baptist ministers is a Freemason. Do you believe they worship at the altar of Satan?

Certain misguided, ultra-right-wing church conservatives, who may wish to impose their will on the vast majority of Southern Baptists, are giving the denomination a black eye. However, Freemasonry will survive these ignorant people.

Every Masonic Lodge is opened and closed with prayer, and the Holy Bible is always open on the altar while lodge is in session. If you want to find the so-called secrets of Masonry, just borrow a Masonic edition of the Holy Bible. It is the same wonderful, old King James translation almost all of us have in our homes. All of our rituals, practices, beliefs, tenets and teachings are to be found within its pages.

I urge the convention to rid itself of these self-serving rabble-rousers who would impose a Catholic-type hierarchy and concern itself with missions, outreach, world hunger, and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

SAMUEL C. PALMER JR. ROANOKE