The Eleusinian Mysteries.

THE ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES .

riPHOSE Ancient mysteries which were for sixteen JL hundred years celebrated at Elensis , Greece , are of abiding interest to Freemnsons , because in them were incorporated some of the distinctive truths taught by Freemasonry .

Whilst wo cannot trace our descent as Craftsmen from the Eleusinian . ** by a lineal genealogy , every Brother who has given any attention to the subject must have been struck by the numerous and striking analogies between the two mystic institutions . For ourselves , we do not hesitate

to state our belief that a real relationship exists between the two , since both are or were secret societies of evidence nobility of origin , and originated , as it appears , among

other reasons , for the dissemination to tbe elect of tho tremendous doctrines of a Resurrection and Immortality following Death—doctrines which were long unknown to the profane , and which are not generally accepted even now .

New interest attaches to this subject afc the present time , because of the revelations made through recent excavations at Elensis , whicb have uncovered the antient Temple of Initiation . Scarcely less wonderful results have

accrued , than at the site of the Roman Forum , of King Solomon ' s Temple , and the city of Troy . Before we advert to these , let us premise a few statements concerning the Mysteries themselves .

The Eleusinian . Mysteries , like those of Freemasonry , are credited with a royal origin , being attributed to Eumolpus , King of Thrace , reputed to have been a son of Neptune . He introduced them at Elensis , in Attica , about B . C . 1356 , in honour of tbe goddess Demever (

earthmother ) , Dionysiua ( sun-father ) , and Persephone ( their daughter , goddess of death , sometimes styled Kore—the maiden ) . This triad of divinities constituted the great Eleusinian alliance of three co-equal gods . Here may be

recognized the ever-present number three , always potent in Masonry . In Egypt the three were Isis , Osiris and Horus . In the modern world of Freemasonry their types are King Solomon and the two Hirams .

The Mysteries were celebrated afc Elensis until A . D . 396 , when the Temple was destroyed by Alaric and his Ostragoths . Elensis was a small city of Attica , situated about

thirteen miles from Athens , on the Bay of Salamis , or Elensis . Upon its site now thero is only a miserable village , Lepsina , beneath which , some twenty feet below the present level , lie the foundations and remains of the ancient Eleusinian Hall or Temple of Initiation .

According to Isocrates , the first initiates received b y Demeter were Triptolemus , a son of Celeus , King of Attica , Eumolpus , a son of Neptune and King of Thrace , and Diodes , a general of Athens . Eumolpus was the first Hierophant , or High Priest of

tbe Mysteries ; he was also styled the Mystagogue . Among his associate officers in the celebration of the Mysteries were the Duiduchos ( torch-bearer ) , the Hieroceryx ( herald ) , and Epi Bomo ( minister of the Altar or Chaplain ) .

The Hierophant was the representative of the Creator , or Grand Architect of the Universe ; the Torch-bearer represented the sun ; the Minister at the Altar the Moon ; and the Herald , Hermes , the Messenger of the gods and conductor of tho dead .

Lefc us now refer to the results of the excavations at Elensis . The most recent and wonderf nlly satisfactory excavations were made in 1887 , by Dr . Dorpfield , nnder the auspices of the Greek Archaeological Society , and by Dr . Philioa ,

in 1888 . Prior to this , in 1817 , partial excavations were mado by the London Dilettanti Society . Dr . Dorpfield ' s p lan of the Hall of Initiation was published in 18 d 8 , in the Journal of the Greek Arcbeeological Society , and Dr . Philios ' s paper in 1889 .

We may very briefly epitomise the statements of these two important publications , as follows : — The "Mystic Temple" or "Hall of the Initiated , " or " Home that welcomed the Mystae" ( so-called by

Aristophanes ) , or the " Holy Enclosure o'f the Mystae " ( so styled by Strabo ) , was erected , altered and destroyed many times , and the excavations show the foundation of four several temples on the same site . The four corners of the Temple poinfc , respectively , north , south , east and

The Eleusinian Mysteries.

west . The Sacred Way , or Processional Way , leading to it , has been laid bare . The earliest Temple of which distinct remains have been unearthed was the Temple of Pisistratns , destroyed by the Persians after Xerxes' defeat at Salamis . Iu B . C . 479

this Temple was burned . Next came the Temple of Cimon , and after it fche Temple of Ictinns , and a Temple of Roman erection . Here are four temples , and there are intimations of an anterior and pre-historic fifth one , with Cyclopean

characteristics . Only one of them appears to have had a porch , called " Philo ' s Porch . " Tho existence of numerous columns in the lower hall , proven by their foundations , intimates that there was an upper story to the Temple . Plutarch also explicitly states it .

This Temple was traditionally erected upon the site of the well ( calichoros ) , by the side of which Demeter sat upon the Laughless stone ( agelastos petra ) , when she mourned the loss of her daughter , Persephone . Neither the well nor the stone , of course , can now be found . That

the stone once existed is proved by the following inscription , carved on a stone unearthed near by : " Paid for the transport of 25 , 000 bricks to the Eleusinian Temple in Athens from the Agelastos ( laughless stone ) , 120 drachmas . " This was the Temple at Athens where tho

Lesser Mysteries were celebrated , the Greater Mysteries being reserved exclusively for enactment afc Eleusis . There is a vase in the British Museufn , the Hieron Vase , signed by the potter , Hieron , that represents the whole Eleusinian assembly— -Demeter , Persephone , Dionysius ,

Eumolpus , Triptolemus and others . This vase is aptly described and pictured in Harrison ' s " Mytholoo-y and Monuments of Ancient Greece " ( London : 1890 ) . Dyer ' s " Studies of the Gods in Greece at certain Sanctuaries

Recently Excavated " ( London : 1891 ) , is of deep interest and value in this connection . Dyer ' s " Ancient Athens " ( London : 1873 ) , is also full of value , as is Ely ' s " Olympos " ( London : 1891 ) .

The revelations resulting from the modern excavations referred to , in connection with tbe studies of ancient

authors by modern scholars , give us hope that we may speedily learn more concerning tho Ancient Mysteries , which wero so evidently in many respects akin lo Freemasonry . —Keystone .

Iu the city of Chester great regret ia expressed at ' . ho sad news of the death of Alderman Charles Dulfcon , an ex-Mayor of Chester . Deceased , who was in advanced yearn , was formerly a wine merchant of Watergate-slreet , and had taken tho liveliest interest in civic ancl municipil

matters for many years past . Ho was elected to tho commission of the peace on tho tith April 1870 . Iu 18 GG he was elected sheriff , and in 1871 Mayor of Chester ; and in 1871 was selected to occupy an aldermanic chair in thc Council Chamber . His municipal career commenced in

1852 , when he was elected representative of St . John ' s Ward . Deceased was a Past Provincial Senior Deacon Cheshire and a Past Master of the Cestrian Lodge , 425 , of Chester . In the early stages of the Volunteer movement the late alderman closely identified

himself with ifc in the country , and espscially directed his efforts to the furtherance of tbe local city corps . For many years he was a quartermaster of the Chester Artillery Volanters . Deceased , who was seventy-three years of age ,

had been in failing health for some time past , suffering latterly from bronchitis , which terminated fatally at his residence , in Queen ' s Park , Chester , on Saturday , the 23 rd ultimo .

Under the presidency of Brother the Right Hon . Lord Lathom , Pro G . M ., a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons of West Lancashire was held at

the Town Hall , on the 29 fch ulfc ., when votes of condolence were passed with the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales in view of the recent death of H . R . H . the Dnke of Clarence and Avondale .

At a meeting of the United Lodges held in Northampton , on the 27 th ulfc ., the Earl of Euston Provincial Grand Master for Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire , was presented with a replica of the life-size oil portrait of himself which ia to adorn the walls of the Masonic HaU .