ABSTRACT
And whereas the synod had laid before them, in their meeting at Stirling, on the 7th of March 1745, an overture concerning the MASON-OATH,1 bearing, That there were very strong presumptions, that among MASONS an oath of secrecy is administered to intrants into their society, even under a capital penalty, and before any of those things which they swear to keep secret be revealed to them; and that they pretend to take some of these secrets from the BIBLE; beside other / things, which are ground of scruple, in the manner of swearing the said oath: and therefore overturing,2 that the synod would consider the whole affair, and give directions with respect to the admission of persons engaged in that oath to sealing ordinances:
And whereas the synod, in their meeting at Stirling, on the 26th of September 1745, remitted the overture concerning the MASON-OATH to the several sessions subordinate to them, for their proceeding therein, as far as they should find practicable, according to our received and known principles, and the plain rules of the Lord’s word, and sound reason:
And whereas the synod, in their meeting at Edinburgh, on the 6th of March 1755, when a particular cause about the MASON-OATH was before them,3 – did appoint all the sessions under their inspection, to require all persons in their respective congregations, who are presumed or suspected to have been engaged in that oath, to make a plain acknowledgement, whether or not they have ever been so; and to require that such as they may find to have been engaged therein, should give ingenuous answers to what further inquiry the sessions may see cause to make, concerning the tenor and administration of the said oath to them; – and that the sessions should proceed to the purging of what scandal they may
thus find those persons convicted of, according to / the directions of the above mentioned act of synod in September 1745.
