Response to Grand Lodge of England Part 2
I have recently been passed a copy of the “The Royal Arch Purple Degree, A Response to W.P. Malcomson for my perusal, and I must admit to being somewhat amused by its claims. I do intend to issue a series of short articles on it, as I think there are a number of claims that need to be answered, not in the light of Mr Malcomson’s book, but in the light of the Royal Arch purple Degree, of which I am in possession of its contents and also the history of the Orange Order. Let Mr Harvey’s “Final Thoughts” be my first and I quote: “we go on, true and unswerving in our allegiance to Almighty God who inspired our founders, those humble tradesmen and artisans of Armagh to form the first Orange Lodge, to our Protestant faith, to our Protestant Sovereign and to our Nation. Well might we declare in awe and reverence as we review our glorious past and look forward, confident that God will continue to use us in His service in future years.”This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in our eyes”
From the Orange Order’s own archives, it can be clearly seen that for over 100 years the Orange Order was bitterly opposed to the Royal Arch Purple and the Royal Black. It was only a compromise during the last century that allowed the unfortunate situation that exists today, where these two organizations became an integral part of the Loyal Orders. To say that “we go on true and unswerving” from the days of our founders is not accurate. To say that the Orange Order did a “U” turn would be. In by gone days any man who joined the Royal Arch Purple or Black forfeited his membership of the Orange Order and his lodge was expelled. Would I not be right in saying things have changed or “swerved”!
Recommended reading:
In this section of the book Mr Harvey states and I quote: “Most recently, some misguided professing Evangelicals, such as Mr Malcomson; men who should know better, have also joined ranks with Papists, Ecumenists, Liberals and Secularists in seeking to denigrate and slander us.”
It is sad to see Mr Malcomson linked with Papists, Ecumenists and Liberals when in days gone by, the members of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, England and Scotland would have regarded him as a defender of the principles they stood for and as defender of the Protestant Faith. It was the Grand Lodge and senior figures in the Orange Order during the nineteenth century who regarded the Royal Arch Purple as and I quote: “vulgar and degrading” – Fellow Deputy Grand Chaplain of the Grand Orange Lodge of England – Dr Badenock
“Politically all besides the Orange and simple Purple are absolutely useless, but viewed in relation to religion not only are they useless but profane and degrading, and ought to restrain the men who practise them from laughing at the mummeries and buffooneries of Popery” Thomas Macklin, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland
“The heresy (as I maintain it to be) of an oral ritual is as a deadly canker eating out the very vitals of true Orangeism, and if it is not rooted out must work its ruin. I view it all fantastic tomfooleries of Arch-Purple, Black, Scarlet, Green and the like as but unauthorized inventions of self-sufficient spirits loving to have the pre-eminence, and to draw disciples after them” (William J. Gwynn, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland).
I could multiply words by quoting more and more senior Orange figures of a bygone day, but it is not necessary, as you can see, it is easy to see in who is aligned with papists, ecumenists and far worse in the eyes of those of past era.
Yours for the defence of the faith
Paul A. Johnston
Read more revelations:
Biblical response to Rev. Ron Johnstone (Orange Order Chaplain)