Page 8 - Sojourner Newsletter-Fall 2025v2

8 THE SOJOURNER

FROM THE NATIONAL CHAPLAIN

4 “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]”
.
5 “You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God
[demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on
children [that calling children account sins fathers], third fourth
generations of those who hate Me.”, (Exodus 20: 4-5)

Sometime in the last year, in a Masonic meeting, the question was asked “How many of you can recite the

three obligations of the degrees? How about 2? How about 1?” The next question would be, if you cannot

remember them, how can you live by them?
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I was asked to do a presentation on the 15 degree of the Scottish Rite, which raises the question of integrity
for Zerubbabel. Masonry is based on our seeking the guidance of the Divine, which moved my thoughts from
secular to sacred. The assumption is that we practice our beliefs in the Divine.

Do we have obligations or responsibilities to the Divine in our place of worship? How faithful are we to

those responsibilities? I wandered with Charles Haddon Spurgeon for a couple of years devotionally. He may
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have been anti-papal living in 19 and 20 century England. His feelings were that we should have absolutely

nothing decorative in our places of worship. A presenter and a congregation and nothing else unless

absolutely necessary for worship. The church I attend was struck by lightening recently and the $300k organ
was damaged requiring a custom-made board costing $86k. Is that idolatry? Scrolls, altars, crosses, collection

plates? A $2500 Advent Wreath? And then we can think about the total devastation caused by hurricane

Helene.
The question is raised in Lodge “how many are necessary to open a Lodge of Master Masters”? Could three
Sojourners open a Lodge sitting on the floor in an empty room. No candles, Bible, altar, or G? Are these truly
obligatory for a meeting of a Lodge?

The Decalogue has been around for millennia. No idols allowed, absolutely, no questions, or excuses!

Literal meaning: Worship of idols or physical objects as gods. In a broader sense: excessive admiration or

devotion to anything that replaces or rivals the reverence due to the divine. (Thanks Co-Pilot, AI). Inanimate
objects, craven images, rocks and meteorites.
Genesis Chapter 1’s forward presents us with a living, creative, interactive Deity. There are at least 100 plus

names for our higher power. Be it God, G_d, Jehovah, Lord, Yehweh, or Adonai. Israel was plagued by

neighboring cultures saturated with a localized idolatry. The Lord utilized the superpowers of the day to

conquer and exile the Israelites for the contamination. Zerubbabel came face to face with the trappings of

Jewish worship and the Ark of the Covenant and the very voice of God. Zerubbabel would not turn his back
on his Lord or his obligation to the secret Word.
Thom Davies
National Chaplain