Response to
Grand Lodge of England
Part 1

Grand Chaplain to the Grand Orange Lodge of England JRG Harvey has recently released a book in response to Behind Closed Doors called “The Royal Arch Purple Degree – A Response to W.P. Malcomson.” It is essentially a defence of the Order and its teaching and practices from an internal Orange perspective.

We welcome the open discussion of Lodge practices, teaching and secrets by men like Mr Harvey, as such a thing could not have happened prior to the release of Behind Closed Doors, due to the strict secrecy surrounding the Order. There is no doubt such a frank (and detailed) book could not have been released prior to 2000. For this reason alone we welcome it. The closest we have to this was the "Royal" Arch Purple Order’s book outlining their history, which alludes to several practices albeit in an unintelligible way to the uninitiated. It is written in such a way that only its members could comprehend the facts. Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland’s book on the "Royal" Arch Purple degree also makes passing references to the same degree, but in far less detail.

This book is proof that the Order has been forced to become more open and directly explain some of the unsavoury practices concealed behind the closed doors of their Order that are now public knowledge. In releasing this book and discussing various (albeit selective) details within the "Royal" Arch Purple initiation publicly, the Grand Orange Lodge of England has only served to confirm many of the claims that Mr Malcomson makes in Behind Closed Doors. In fact, it is a major blow to all those "Royal" Arch Purplemen that have tried to deny the facts contained within this revealing expose. This latest book, rather than denying the internal practices, actually confirms the ritual as outlined by Mr Malcomson. In fact, Mr Harvey takes many of the practices point by point and tries to Christianise them in order to distance them from their undoubted Masonic origins. However, his rebuttal is not on the grounds that the detail of this secret rite as exposed by Mr Malcomson is inaccurate but simply that the interpretation placed on this Masonic ritual is wrong. It is quite noticeable that he carefully circumvents round many of the glaring errors within the degree. That allows him to avoid most of the major issues advanced by Behind Closed Doors. Whilst the book is quite evasive and fails to outline one single scriptural passage that would remotely teach this neo-Masonic ritual, Mr Harvey attempts to use Bible passages to support various elements within the degree.

It is quite significant that Grand Lodge of England have waited 5 years after Behind Closed Doors was published to present any type of response. We believe there is an overriding reason for the timing and reason for this recently released book, and it would seem this has been the main motivation for the publication of this booklet. Mr Harvey was one of a number of Black Knights that unsuccessfully tried to foist the Templar "Royal" Black Institution upon the United Protestant Council. The UPC strongly rejected the Black's application and released a booklet condemning this Templar institution. This forced the English Grand Lodge and the Apprentice Boys of Derry to separate from this evangelical umbrella group – an outcome that will ultimately be for the better of both sides. Notwithstanding, this has caused many that were otherwise ignorant to the Masonic practices of the "Royal" Arch Purple and the "Royal" Black Institution to examine them from a biblical perspective. Many godly evangelicals have been enlightened to the degrading internal rituals and consequently shocked at the paganism owned by the Orange and Black. The Black application has clearly back-fired on the Orders. They have done us and others like us that are trying to enlighten people to the error of these structures a great service. The resignation of the ritualists in protest from the UPC has in one foul swoop freed the United Protestant Council of every secret society influence.

See here why The United Protestant Council rejected "The Royal" Black Institution

Few could fail to notice the significant drop in numbers within the Orange Order in England, which has been due in no little part to the great downgrade in behaviour within the Order over this last few years. It has caused an increasing evangelical distancing from the Orange. The membership has been in freefall especially in traditional heartlands like Liverpool. There are probably less than 2,000 active members in the whole of England today. There is no doubt, the growing evangelical opposition has forced the Grand Lodge to address issues that they would hitherto have ignored. Yours for the defence of the faith Paul A. Johnston

Please read:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Loyal Orange Institution of England.(3 degrees)

1st degree: Orange degree
2nd degree: Plain (or Small) Purple degree
3rd degree: Royal Arch Purple degree

Questions that Christian Orangemen should consider

The Independent Orange Institution

View the overall Orange degree system

A Biblical Analysis of the Royal Arch Purple degree

The Orange Order and their False B.I. Gospel

Biblical response to Rev. Ron Johnstone (Royal Arch Purple Chapter spokesman): Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Biblical Doctrine on its Deathbed!

A Biblical Analysis of the Royal Arch Purple degree

Wiccan Witchcraft revealed and compared to Freemasonry.

Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland opposition to the RAP and Black degrees

Questions for Christian Orangemen to consider