{"id":10195,"date":"2017-03-03T10:19:58","date_gmt":"2017-03-03T10:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/?p=10195"},"modified":"2025-07-10T09:10:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T08:10:32","slug":"magistrate-convicted-preachers-freemason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/magistrate-convicted-preachers-freemason\/","title":{"rendered":"Magistrate who convicted preachers is Freemason"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bristol<\/a>
Bristol Magistrate Robert Stacey in his Freemason regalia. His Royal Arch Jewel is in the Star of David beneath the medal ribbon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The chairman of the Bristol Magistrates who convicted two Christian preachers of a Public Order offence earlier this week<\/a><\/strong> is a leading Freemason, Christian Voice can disclose.<\/p>\n

Robert Stacey convicted Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell<\/a><\/strong> on Tuesday 28th February. \u00a0He\u00a0handed down \u00a32016 worth of fines and costs each. \u00a0He even refused a stay of execution pending their\u00a0appeal.<\/p>\n

But we have discovered the retired laboratory manager holds office in the Royal Arch Provincial Grand Chapter of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.<\/p>\n

The magistrate, 69 this month (March 2017), has also been a director of the Staple Hill Masonic Hall in Shrubbery Road, Downend, Bristol.<\/p>\n

Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra<\/h2>\n

In fact, the man who could not pronounce \u2018Catholicism’ is \u2018Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra’. In court, Mr Stacey could barely read his own writing. Nevertheless, in January, \u2018Grand Scribe Ezra’ managed to send out an invitation<\/a><\/strong> to the \u2018Annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter’. This will be held at The Crypt School, Podsmead Road, Gloucester GL2 5AE, on Saturday 6th May 2017, at 11.15am. \u2018Companions are requested to be seated in the Chapter by 10.50am’, says the invitation.<\/p>\n

\"'Blue<\/a>
‘Blue Lodge’ craft Mason apron. But inside the Lodge lies the occultist ‘Red’ Chapter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Royal Arch Freemasons love calling themselves by Biblical names. It is one way in which they invoke the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. So one Paul Diggins is \u2018Provincial Grand Haggai’ while Michael Lettey is \u2018Provincial Grand Joshua’. You will often find a \u2018Zerubbabel’ and a \u2018Nehemiah’ as well.<\/p>\n

Freemason syncretism<\/h2>\n

Despite the Biblical allusions, the exclusive claims of Jesus in the same Bible are anathema to Freemasonry. Although Masons have to believe in \u2018a Supreme Being’, their \u2018Great Architect of the Universe’ encompasses all deities. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire says on its \u2018politics and religion’ page<\/a><\/strong>, \u2018a Freemason is encouraged to do his duty first to his God (by whatever name he is known) through his faith and religious practice.’<\/p>\n

The United Grand Lodge of England says<\/a><\/strong>: \u2018Every Freemason embarks on his own journey of self-discovery when he enters the organisation’. On the first page of a downloadable PDF it says in capital letters: \u2018Freemasonry does not discriminate on grounds of … religion’. \u00a0No, \u00a0but you must have one, any one. \u00a0All are\u00a0equally valid.<\/p>\n

\"Royal<\/a>
Royal Arch Apron\u00a0and Sash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Royal Arch Freemasonry<\/h2>\n

It is well-known there are \u2018degrees’ in Freemasonry. The first three degrees take a member up to \u2018Master Mason’ in a masonic \u2018Craft Lodge’. But beyond and inside the Lodge lies the Chapter<\/a><\/strong>, the \u2018Royal Arch’, with a further four degrees: Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason.\u00a0\u00a0Robert Stacey appears in the picture to be wearing\u00a0Royal Arch Mason Regalia<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There are around 3,300 \u2018Craft Masons’ in the Gloucestershire and Herefordshire Lodges alone. It appears some 800 of them have been \u2018exalted’ to the entry degree in the Royal Arch<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0Often the Lodge with its three ‘craft’ Masonic degrees is known as ‘Blue Lodge Masonry’ from its regalia. \u00a0The Royal Arch is the ‘Red Lodge’ (although it is\u00a0a ‘Chapter’ not a ‘Lodge’).<\/p>\n

\"Gloucestershire<\/a>
Gloucestershire and Herefordshire Royal Arch Banner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mr Stacey as \u2018Ezra’ is keen to help \u2018craft masons’ \u2018discover the “genuine secrets of a master mason” (and) the companionship of a Royal Arch Chapter’. In fact, he is at the front of an initiative<\/a><\/strong> \u2018to make all master masons … aware of where the secrets can be found and to introduce the Royal Arch.’<\/p>\n

The Bristol magistrate is no less than his Royal Arch Chapter’s recruiting sergeant.<\/p>\n

(More info here in Royal Arch Cumbria’s Welcome Booklet<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Exaltation Ceremony to become\u00a0Royal Arch Freemason<\/h2>\n

Royal Arch Masons like Mr Stacey wear a jewel at lodge meetings<\/a><\/strong> signifying their membership of this secret club within a secret club. \u00a0We see the jewel in the Star of David in Stacey’s regalia.\u00a0\u00a0The \u2018Exaltation Ceremony’ in which a mason joins the Royal Arch is set\u00a0out in this link<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In his book ‘The Brotherhood’, Stephen Knight laid a lot of Freemasonry bare. \u00a0Of great significance is\u00a0what happened when the two rival bands of freemasons, the Antients and the Moderns, united in 1813. They became the \u2018United Grand Lodge of England’. Knight is quoted on a webpage as saying<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u2018The Union’s acceptance of Royal Arch workings is of great importance~ for it completed in all essentials the structure of Freemasonry as it exists today. Just as the Moderns de-Christianised the movement, so with the acceptance of Royal Arch the Antients succeeded in introducing the undeniably occult \u2013 notably the invocation of the supposedly rediscovered long-lost name of God.’<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"'Inside<\/a>
‘Inside the Brotherhood’ was a follow-up to ‘The Brotherhood’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Freemasons have often rubbished \u2018The Brotherhood’ but they have rarely denied what is in it. This link is a good example of that approach<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Call for a Register of Freemasons<\/h2>\n

There was a follow-up to Knight’s book, \u2018Inside the Brotherhood’ by Martin Short. It led to a call from the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee in 1997<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for police officers, magistrates, judges and crown officers to\u00a0publicly register their Masonic membership. Amid obstruction from the Freemasons, including from the United Grand Lodge of England, the initiative petered out.<\/p>\n

Indeed, how many other local judges, police officers and prosecutors, not to say council officials and elected members, are \u2018brothers’ of Stacey? How many are in the Gloucestershire and Herefordshire Lodge or even the corresponding Royal Arch Chapter? \u00a0We have found and listed a few names here<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0If\u00a0any are recognisable as men in public office please let us know. \u00a0But there will be\u00a0many others.<\/p>\n

Occult name of God<\/h2>\n

The long-lost name of God in Masonry is supposed to be Jah-Bul-On. It is regarded as so sacred no Mason is allowed to utter it alone. Like all aspects of Royal Arch Freemasonry it is syncretistic, occult and ridiculous. Jah stands for the Hebrew name of God, \u2018Bul’ for the Canaanite deities \u2018Baal’, while \u2018On’ refers to the Egyptian \u2018Osiris’. Being absurd, of course, does not stop Royal Arch from being quintessentially evil. We read this interesting detail<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u2018In 1989 it was announced that JAHBULON would soon be dropped from England’s Royal Arch Ritual. \u2018Grand Scribe Ezra’ Higham denied this was in response to recent Christian condemnations. Journalists later visiting Freemason’s Hall overheard chortles that junking JAHBULON had invalidated the book “Inside the Brotherhood’ even before it was published. However on 4th March Clifford Longley (The Times religious affairs correspondent) wrote that by replacing JAHBULON with JHVH – meaning Jahweh, the Jew’s Holy Name for God -Masonry may be falling in “deeper waters than the Grand Lodge has yet realised… While to invoke a false God is idolatry, to invoke the Name of the True God falsely is blasphemy”.’<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Royal Arch ‘Triple Tau’ device seen in the Apron above. It is actually a T over an H; Templum Hieroslymoe – “The Temple of Jerusalem,”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blasphemous invocation of God<\/h2>\n

A lot of Masonic ritual is now \u2018out there’ on the web<\/a><\/strong> and has not been denied by Masons. For example: \u2018The Royal Arch degree catechism asks, “Are you a Royal Arch Mason?” To which the reply is made, “I \u2013 AM \u2013 THAT \u2013 I \u2013 AM.”‘<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that to invoke the name of God from Exodus 3:14 is the height of blasphemy:<\/p>\n

Exodus 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? <\/strong>14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Occult identification with Hiram<\/h2>\n

In another place, we read: \u2018Fourth, continuing our tour of ritual, the third degree candidate plays the Masonic hero Hiram Abif (or Abiff) in a dramatic reenactment, wherein he identifies with Hiram in Hiram’s death, burial, and “raising.”‘ That is a complete\u00a0rejection of the Lord Jesus<\/a><\/strong>. Every Christian identifies with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. \u00a0To invoke an employee of the king of Tyre who helped Solomon build the temple is a mockery. Furthermore, such a rite is deeply occult.<\/p>\n

\"Square<\/a>
Freemason Square and Compasses. The compasses describe a circle, part of Freemasonry’s occult symbolism. The square indicates their obsession with building.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In fact, Masons have a special regard for Solomon, king Hiram and Hiram Abif, believing they possessed ancient secrets. Masonic\u00a0documents show them to be obsessed by \u2018secrets’ and believe they have some really important supernatural ones. \u00a0As it happens, they describe themselves as ‘not a secret society but a society with secrets<\/a><\/strong>‘, as if that makes it better.<\/p>\n

Incompatible with Christianity<\/h2>\n

Dr. D. R. Denman, an Anglican scholar, once himself a mason<\/a><\/strong>, shows how opposed\u00a0Masonry is to Christianity. \u00a0Everyone outside Masonry is held to be ‘in darkness’. \u00a0But\u00a0Jesus Christ said his followers are no longer in darkness, but in the light:<\/p>\n

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr Denman\u00a0wrote: \u201cChrist and the Craft are fundamentally opposed to one another. Well I remember the wave of nausea as I stood an initiate outside the Masonic Lodge and heard myself referred to as a poor candidate in a state of darkness who by God\u2019s help was seeking the light. God\u2019s grace had already shone in my heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ: this I knew, and as I stood there listening to the first utterance of Masonic ritual I was aware of rampant evil.<\/p>\n

“In vain, I sought for some acknowledgement of the Light of the World in the worship and ritual of the degrees that followed. There was nothing. The sense of blasphemy had become, by the middle of the Third Degree ceremony, so overwhelming that I was moved to protest and to leave the Temple, never to return.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is \u2018the craft\u2019 of masonry?<\/h3>\n

And what are those \u2018secrets\u2019?\u00a0 Freemason websites speak of their charitable work, of brotherly love, of moral improvement.\u00a0 They speak of their \u2018Craft\u2019. But they never say what the \u2018Craft\u2019 is that they are learning.\u00a0 It certainly isn\u2019t stone-masonry.\u00a0 That may be the imagery, but Masonic lodges are not teaching their 1st Degree Apprentices how to cut a block of limestone or make a trefoil window out of it.<\/p>\n

The Masonic Lodge of Education says<\/a><\/strong>: \u2018Masonic education helps you attain a basic education in the craft.\u2019\u00a0 It states \u2018much like King Solomon\u2019s wisdom in biblical times of laying a strong foundation for his Temple (edifice); our full understanding of the Masonic Craft becomes necessary to fully embrace its rays of light.\u2019\u00a0 That sounds esoteric.\u00a0 The \u2018Masonic Craft\u2019 has clearly parted company with the building trade.\u00a0 But what has it become?<\/p>\n

Occultism and New Age Mysticism?<\/h3>\n

The website admits: \u2018your Lodge Library contains absolutely nothing really helpful with which to train a new brother to bring him up in the Craft.\u2019\u00a0 Which continues to beg the question: What is \u2018the Craft\u2019?\u00a0 No-one ever says.\u00a0 That may be because it is \u2018secret\u2019, and that itself is suspicious.\u00a0 Or it may be because it is occult, more to do with, dare we say it, witchcraft than construction. \u00a0If not witchcraft, we are in the realm of arcane mysteries, with cross-over into New Age \u2018revelation\u2019.<\/p>\n

It is always better\u00a0to source from Masonic sites not those opposing it.\u00a0 One Grand Chapter\u00a0site speaks of \u2018ancient rituals\u2019 and admits<\/a><\/strong>: \u2018There is also an esoteric side of Ancient Craft Masonry\u2019.\u00a0 It talks of symbols having \u2018an exoteric meaning\u2019 and \u2018esoteric symbolism\u2019. \u00a0The site\u00a0admits: \u2018Some of the symbolism in Craft Masonry originates in the ancient mystery traditions of the world. \u00a0Hermetism, Philosophy, Kabalistic, and Alchemical, for example, share many of the same symbols with Freemasonry.\u2019<\/p>\n

So Freemasonry encompasses (if the expression does not fall too awkwardly in the context of their well-known symbolism above) occultism, idolatry and blasphemy. \u00a0Above all it denies Jesus Christ, the only one who can set\u00a0them free.<\/p>\n

Stacey should\u00a0not have sat<\/h2>\n

Moreover, it was a Royal Arch Freemason, Robert James Stacey, \u2018Grand Scribe Ezra,’ who made criminals of two Christian evangelists. \u00a0He found them to be ‘abusive’ and ‘disorderly’. Their crime? To\u00a0contend in public that only by the name of Jesus Christ could men be saved. \u00a0Such a claim was a great\u00a0personal challenge to him. \u00a0Royal Arch Masonry claims itself to be the way, to have the truth and the light and to lead to abundant life<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Stacey\u00a0should have recused himself over such a blatant conflict of interest. \u00a0Ironically, a Christian District Judge, legally qualified, declined to hear the case for exactly that reason. \u00a0But a Royal Arch Freemason, steeped in anti-Christian occultism, would be severely prejudiced against the Christian message. \u00a0Christ confronts everything he believes in. \u00a0It destroys all his ‘secrets’. \u00a0How would he ever be capable of reaching an impartial verdict?<\/p>\n

Two magistrates sat either side of him, Josephine Ramsden and Gerard McDermott. \u00a0It is disappointing they went along with Stacey in the guilty verdicts despite the circumstances and clear case law presented.<\/p>\n

A register of Freemasons in public life must surely now become compulsory.<\/p>\n

Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell have appealed to the Crown Court. \u00a0The last time that happened, the Crown’s case collapsed. \u00a0It will again. \u00a0What happened last time is still a good read! \u00a0Street preaching is legal!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Please share this post by clicking on the\u00a0buttons below:<\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The chairman of the Bristol Magistrates who convicted two Christian preachers of a Public Order offence earlier this week is a leading Freemason, Christian Voice can disclose. Robert Stacey convicted Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell on Tuesday 28th February. \u00a0He\u00a0handed down \u00a32016 worth of fines and costs each. \u00a0He even refused a stay of execution […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,33,144,380,83,184],"tags":[2779,2808,92,2822,1526,2782,2714,2770,2776,2715,15,2817,2802,2780,2805,2772,2793,2784,2826,2781,2798,2778,2796,2814,2824,2813,1521,2823,2818,2810,2816,1734,2720,2829,2812,2794,2801,2828,1454,2788,2723,2831,2791,2815,2830,2827,2786,2787,2789,2797,2775,2771,2783,2811,2777,2718,2803,2800,2804,2832,2773,2785,2825,2774,43,2807,2795,2792,2821,2820,2806,2819,2799,2809,2790],"class_list":["post-10195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blasphemy","category-christian-freedom","category-freedom-of-speech","category-freedom-to-preach","category-justice-policing-crime","category-uk-christian-constitution","tag-annual-convocation-of-provincial-grand-chapter","tag-antients","tag-bible","tag-blasphemous","tag-blasphemy","tag-blue-lodge","tag-bristol","tag-bristol-magistrates","tag-catholicism","tag-christian-preachers","tag-christian-voice","tag-clifford-longley","tag-craft-lodge","tag-crypt-school","tag-exaltation-ceremony","tag-freemason","tag-freemasonry","tag-freemasons","tag-gerald-mcdermott","tag-gloucester","tag-gloucestershire","tag-grand-scribe-ezra","tag-great-architect-of-the-universe","tag-herefordshire","tag-hiram","tag-home-affairs-select-committee","tag-house-of-commons","tag-i-am-that-i-am","tag-idolatry","tag-inside-the-brotherhood","tag-jahbulon","tag-jesus","tag-josephine-ramsden","tag-mark-master","tag-martin-short","tag-masons","tag-master-mason","tag-michael-lettey","tag-michael-overd","tag-michael-stanley-walter-lettey","tag-michael-stockwell","tag-most-excellent-master","tag-nehemiah","tag-occult","tag-past-master","tag-paul-diggins","tag-paul-frederick-diggins","tag-provincial-grand-haggai","tag-provincial-grand-joshua","tag-provincial-grand-lodge","tag-provincial-grand-scribe-ezra","tag-public-order","tag-red-chapter","tag-register-of-freemasons","tag-robert-james-stacey","tag-robert-stacey","tag-royal-arch","tag-royal-arch-banner","tag-royal-arch-chapter","tag-royal-arch-mason","tag-royal-arch-provincial-grand-chapter-of-gloucestershire-and-herefordshire","tag-second-temple","tag-square-and-compasses","tag-staple-hill-masonic-hall","tag-stephen-green","tag-stephen-knight","tag-supreme-being","tag-syncretism","tag-temple-of-jerusalem","tag-templum-hieroslymoe","tag-the-brotherhood","tag-triple-tau","tag-united-grand-lodge","tag-united-grand-lodge-of-england","tag-zerubbabel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Stephen","author_link":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/author\/stephen\/"},"rttpg_comment":9,"rttpg_category":"Blasphemy<\/a> Christian freedom<\/a> Freedom of Speech<\/a> Freedom to Preach<\/a> Justice, Policing & Crime<\/a> UK Christian Constitution<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"The chairman of the Bristol Magistrates who convicted two Christian preachers of a Public Order offence earlier this week is a leading Freemason, Christian Voice can disclose. Robert Stacey convicted Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell on Tuesday 28th February. \u00a0He\u00a0handed down \u00a32016 worth of fines and costs each. \u00a0He even refused a stay of execution…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10195"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35060,"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10195\/revisions\/35060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}