It claims to be able to accomplish certain goals which the NT teaches that only the exclusive, all-sufficient religion of Christ can accomplish:

The Bible Every scripture inspired of God (is) also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16-17

Masonry: "Any one who will make a little study of this doctrine of inspiration will soon realise on what treacherous sands of theological dogma Masonry will find itself should it every attempt to enforce belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God. There is but one escape from this jungle of dogmatism and that is frankly to acknowledge the Bible to be a symbol only. Those Christian Masons who would enforce belief in the teachings of the Bible have simply mistaken the symbol for the thing itself. The Bible is Masonry's adopted symbol of Divine Truth in every form." Symbolism Of The Three Degrees, Part 1, p. 40

The Bible but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Tim. 3:15; and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Eph. 1:22-23

Masonry "if a man yields himself to it (Providence, DS) , he will need neither churches nor ordinances, except for the expression of his religious homage and gratitude." Morals And Dogma, 211-212

The Bible in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. Col. 2:3

Masonry "Divine or human, inspired or only a reforming Essene, it must be agreed that His teachings are far nobler, far purer, far less alloyed with error and imperfection, far less of the earth earthly, than those of Socrates, Plato, Seneca, or Mahomet, or any other of the great moralists and Reformers of the world." Morals And Dogma, 719

The Bible For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Eph. 2:10

Masonry "Of all human societies, Freemasonry is undoubtedly, under all circumstances, the fittest to form the truly good man." Masonry Defined, p. 208.

"Be faithful to Masonry, which is to be faithful to the best interests of mankind...Whatever inclucates pure, noble, and patriotic sentiments, or touches the heart with the beauty of virtue, and the excellence of an upright life, accords with the religion of Masonry, and is the Gospel of literature and art." Morals and Dogma, pp. 208, 112

But notice what is said in "What A Petitioner For Degrees In Masonry Should Know", pp. 9-10: "When outside of the Lodge he should be particularly careful never to talk of Masonic matters in public or private places where non-Masons are present. He should not speak to outsiders of Masonry or anything connected with it, for Masonry, like Wisdom, doth not cry, doth notlift up her voice in the streets. It should be sought and found, not advertised or offered indiscrimminately." One would think that if Masonry offered all that it claims to offer that it would be spoken of as freely as Christ procalimed His message ("in secret spake I nothing", Jo. 18:20) and as the apostles and other disciples did as recorded in Acts.

The Bible Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Heb. 10:19-20

Masonry "But in the Master's Degree it (the lodge, DS) represents the Sanctum Sanctorum, or Holy of Holies of King Solomon's Temple, which was itself a symbol of Heaven, or the abode of Deity...In the Master's lodge, therefore, we are symbolically brought into the awful presence of the Deity." Symbolism Of The Three Degrees, Part 3, p. 13

The Bible but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Tim. 3:15; Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, (these) shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come; Jo. 16:13; Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. Jo. 17:17; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; 2 Pet. 1:3

Masonry "Let us enumerate some of the things that are taught and, by ceremonies peculiar to Freemasonry, are impressed upon the minds and hearts of its initiates. A belief in Deity; the service of God; gratitude for His blessings; reverence and adoration for His holy name; veneration for His word; the duty and efficacy of prayer, the invocation of His aid in every laudable undertaking; faith in Him, hope in immortality;....the adornment of the mind and heart; purity of life and rectitude of conduct; the curbing of our desires and passions;....the cultivation of habits of patience and perseverance; the eschewing of profanity;...the beauty of holiness;...the contemplation of wisdom;...the brevity and uncertainity of this life; the contemplation of death; and the life everlasting after death to those who love God and His creatures and observe His laws...Do you say that all these things may be learned elsewhere with equal thoroughness and equal ease, and that Masonry is therefore a useless institution? We maintain not. The fact that the institution has lived and flourished for so long a period and that it is to-day more powerful in its influence and more general in its dissemination than ever before proves not." Symbolism Of The Three Degrees, Part 1, pp. 43-44

"It is the province of Masonry to teach all truths---not moral truth alone, but political and philosophical, and even religious truth, so far as concerns the great and essential principles of each...Masonry is the legitimate successor---from the earliest times the custodian and depository of the great philosophical and religious truths, unknown to the world at large, and handed down from age to age by an unbroken current of tradition, embodied in symbols, emblems, and allegories." Morals And Dogma, pp. 148, 210

"Definition of Freemasonry.....a system of morality, by the practice of which its members may advance their spiritual interest, and mount by the theological ladder from the Lodge on earth to the Lodge in heaven...But a more comprehensive and exact definition is that it is 'a science which is engaged in the search after Divine Truth, and which employs symbolism as its method of instruction." Masonry Defined, p. 94

The Bible whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; Col. 1:28

Masonry "Step by step men must advance toward Perfection; and each Masonic Degree is meant to be one of those steps...Masonry, when properly expounded, is at once the interpretation of the great book of nature, the recital of physical and astronomical phenomena, the purest philosophy, and the place of deposit, where, as in a Treasury, are kept in safety all the great truths of the primitive revelation, that form the basis of all religions...The Kabalistic doctrine was long the religion of the Sage and the Savant; because, like Freemasonry, it incessantly tends toward perfection." Morals And Dogma, pp. 136, 625

"To sum up the import of the teaching of the three degrees, it is clear, therefore, that from grade to grade the candidate is being led from an old to an entirely new quality of life. He begins his Masonic career as the natural man; he ends it by becoming through its discipline, a regenerated perfected man...the real purpose of modern Masonry is, not the social and charitable purposes to which so much attention is paid, but the expediting of the spiritual evolution of those who aspire to perfect their own nature and transform it into a more god-like quality." W.L. Wilmshurst, The Meaning Of Masonry, pp. 46-47

The Bible Blessed (be) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly (places) in Christ. Eph. 1:3

Masonry "Definition of Freemasonry.....a system of morality, by the practice of which its members may advance their spiritual interest, and mount by the theological ladder from the Lodge on earth to the Lodge in heaven..." Masonry Defined, p. 94

"The spiritually as well as the financially poor and distressed are always with us and to the former, equally with the latter, Masonry was designed to minister." The Meaning Of Masonry, pp. 14-15

The Bible (This is) the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole (duty) of man. Ecc. 12:13

Masonry "To those deep persistent questionings which present themselves to every thinking mind, What am I? Whence come I? Whither go I?, Masonry offers emphatic and luminous answers" The Meaning Of Masonry, p. 29, 59, 63

"The religious faith thus taught by Masonry is indispensable to the attainment of the great ends of life; and must therefore have been designed to be a part of it. We are made for this faith; and there must be something, somewhere, for us to believe in. We cannot grow healthfully, nor live happily, without it. It is therefore true." Morals And Dogma, 196

The Bible But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared, not by works (done) in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Tit. 3:4-7

Masonry "Masonry offers us, in dramatic form and by means of dramatic ceremonial a philosophy of the spiritual life of man and a diagram of the process of regeneration...we receive with acclamation the candidate for Masonry who, symbolically, is seeking for spiritual re-birth; and herein we emulate what is written of the joy that exists among the angels of heaven over every sinner who repents and turns towards the light...To sum up the import of the teaching of the three degrees, it is clear, therefore, that from grade to grade the candidate is being led from an old to an entirely new quality of life. He begins his Masonic career as the natural man; he ends it by becoming through its descipline, a regenerated perfected man...the real purpose of modern Masonry is, not the social and charitable purposes to which so much attention is paid, but the expediting of the spiritual evolution of those who aspire to perfect their own nature and transform it into a more god-like quality...Masonry consists of the three Craft Degress and the Holy Royal Arch and no more, for within that compass is exhibited, or at least outlined, the entire process of human regeneration;...In a word, he has become regenerated. He has achieved the miracle of 'squaring the circle'---a metaphorical expression for regeneration,...." The Meaning Of Masonry, 27, 35, 46, 139

Someone says, "I've talked with Masons about these things and they deny that they are so. How do you explain that?" We won't explain it, we'll let them and urge you to read carefully:

David Smitherman