Masonry And Ancient Mysteries.

Egyptians , and regarded as gods those skilful adventurers , who communicated to them the arts and sciences of their native land . In this manner were sown , in Greece , those seeds of improvement which , in after ages , exalted that country to such pre-eminence among nations .

About 1500 B . C . the Eleusinian mysteries were instituted , in honour of Ceres ; about the same time tho Panathena were instituted , in honor of Minerva , and tho Dionysian mysteries , in honour of Bacchus , who invented theatres and instructed the Greeks in many useful arts , but especially in the culture of tho vine .

That tho Eleusinian and Dionysian mysteries were ultimately connected with the progress of tho arts and sciences is manifest , from tho very end for which they were formed , and that they were modelled upon the mysteries of Isis and Osiris , celebrated in Egypt , is probable

from tho similarity of their origin ; we must , therefore , naturally conclude that the Dionysia and mysteries of Eleusis were societies of Freemasons tinctured with the doctrines of the Egyptian mythology . The striking

similarity among the external forms of those several associations , and the still more striking similarity of the objects they had in view , aro strong proofs that they were only different streams issuing from a common source .

Those who were initiated in tho Eleusinian mysteries were bound , by the most awful engagements , to conceal the instructions they received and the ceremonies that were performed ; significant w ords were communicated to tho members , Grand Officers presided over their assemblies , and the candidates advanced from one decree to another till

they received all the lessons of wisdom and virtue which the priests could impart . But besides the circumstances of resemblance , there are two facts transmitted to us by ancient authors which have an astonishing similarity to the ceremonies of the third

degree of Freemasonry ; the sacrifices , purifications , hymns and dances , which were necessary in the festival of Ceres , have indeed no place in the society of Freemasons , but these points of dissimilarity , instead of weakening , rather

strengthen our opinion . It cannot be expected that in the reign of Pol y theisia just sentiments of the deity should be entertained , and much less that the adherents of Christianity should bend their knees to the pods of the heathens . The

ancients worshipped those beings who conferred on them the most signal benefits , with sacrifices , and other tokens of their humility and gratitude ; but when revelations concerning the Divine Beinp ; had disclosed to man more amiable sentiments , the Society of Freemasons banished

from their mysteries these useless rites with which the anciont brethren of the Order attempted to appease and requite their deities , aud modelled their ceremonies upon this foundation , that there is but one God , who mnst be worshipped in spirit and in truth .

The opinions , therefore , of Freemasons that their Order existed and flourished at the building of Solomon ' s Temple is by no means so pregnant with absurdity as some men would wish us to believe . We have already shewn , from authentic sources of information , that the mysteries of Ceres

and Bacchus were instituted about 400 years before the reign of Solomon , and there are strong reasons for believing that even the associations of the Dionysian architects existed before the building of tho Temple , It was not J indeed till about 300 years B . C . that they were incorporated

at Tiers under the Kings of Pergamus , but it is universall y allowed that they arose long before the settlement in Ionia , and , what is more to our purpose , that they also existed in the land of Judea ; moreover , it is observed by Dr . Robinson , that they came from Persia into Syria along with that style

of architecture which is called Grecian ; and since we are informed b y Josephus that that species of architecture was used at the erection of the Temple , we are authorised to infer not only that the Dionysiacs existed before the reign of Solomon , but that they assisted this monarch in building

that magnificent fabric which he reared to the God of Israel . Nothing , indeed , can be more simple and consistent than the creed of the fraternity concerning the state of the Order at this period . The vicinity of Jerusalem to Egypt , the connections of Solomon with the Royal Family of that

Kingdom , the progress of the Egyptians in architectural science , thoir attachment to mysteries and hieroglyphic symbols , and the probability of their being employed by

the King of Israel , are additional considerations which corroborate the sentiments of Freemasons , and absolve them from the charges of credulity and pride with which they havo been so frequently branded . j

Did Not Like Masonry.

DID NOT LIKE MASONRY .

BY WM . EOUNSEVILLE . I ONCE knew a man who did not like Masonry . That is by nomeans ^ singular , for it has been clearly ascertained that besides Blanchard and tho Pope , there aro several persons in tho world who should bo recorded in the sanio category . But in this particular case there wore somo incidental circumstances which would servo to separate it from those of tho distinguished individuals wo havo named , if not from tho whole remaining list of dislikes of tho

venerablo Institution . In tho first place this man of whom I write was a member of tho Masonic body . I do not cull him a Mason , because I have an abiding faith that all true Masons liko Masonry , and tho fact that ho did not like the Institution is proof as strong as Holy Writ , to my judgment , that ho was not a Mason . However , that may be , he had become

ono of tho Fraternity in tho regular way—had been proposed , ballotted for , elected , initiated , passed , raised , etc ., by tho usual methods , and still he did not like Masonry . This is ono of tho singular and noteworthy facts connected with this case , becauso a great majority , if not nearly all of those who thus proceed , liko tho old Institution and speak in its praise . That this member did not , after thus

progressing , proves him an exception to tho general rule . Most persons liko it , and do not scruple to avow tho fact whenever an opportunity offers , others , few in number , perhaps , say nothing about it , whilo this ono talked against it . Another singular fact connected with , this case , and which removes tho individual from the possibility of a classification with tho two

distinguished gentlemen abovo mentioned , is that ho was made acquainted with the " true inwardness" of tho Institution ; had sat in Lodge and Chapter as a member for a space of two years , and consequently might have beon expected to know whereof ho affirmed , and to have been ablo to give a reason for tho faith that was in him . The gentlemen abovo named had not those advantages , having

neglected to avail themselves of tho privilege or entering the door always opened to the worthy . It has been stated , it is trne , that tho Pope was a Mason before ho becamo a Cardinal , and that ho has lately beon expelled from his Lodge for un-Masonic conduct , but it is preferred to regard the tale as an idlo rumour , and henco our man who did not liko Masonry must not be classed with tho Pope or the

Presideut . I mention another singular fact that exists in this case ; tho mau who did not find that such was tho caso when he took the first degree . On the contrary , ho liked that well . He did not find his dislike at the second degree ; nor at the third degree , nor at the fourth , nor at the fifth , nor at tho sixth , neither did ho find his cause for dislike to

Masonry when ho was inducted into tho seventh degree . It is allowable to say that ho was well satisfied at every one of tho stages in his progress , for he immediately went forward until he was a Knight Templar . His eulogies on that Order on tho night of his creation wore calculated to convoy a strong impression that he liked Masonry " from turret to foundation stono . " In point of fact , he stated that

to be the case then and there , and it was only after a lapso of two or threo years that he found that ho did not liko Masonry . It may be thought strange that it should require so long a period for him to discover tho bad points in Masonry , bnt so it was . To an average mind it wonld seem that he could havo discovered " the cat in the meal " before he had taken thirteen degrees , but , according to his own

assertion , such was tho fact . Ho actually took all the degrees in tho Lodge , Chapter , Council , and Comtnaudery , and still had not thou found out that ho did not like Masonry . There is still another fact in connection with this caso that we must not forget to put on record . Tho earliest period , now rccol . looted by the brethren , at which this member expressed that he did

nob like Masonry was just after an election in which ho had been a candidate and defeated . Ho was heard to assert , when in company with brethren , that Masonry was good for nothing unless it would assist a brother in such an exigency as that , and he soundly rated those who had not voted for him . This fact presents an inseparable obstacle to our classifying this man , who did not like Masonry , with

Blanchard and tho 1 ' opo , because they uniformly insist , I believe , that Masons do vote for each other against all comers , while he strenuously insists that they ought so to vote but will not . As wo do not desire to injure the opposition , wo refuse to put together iu the same class elements so incongruous . It was noticed , by the strict attendants , on tho meetings of the

Lodgo that our member was present but seldom . This was the winter following the disastrous election . Hence it was not surprising to them that he should announce that he did not like Masonry . And as they became more intimately acquainted with him somo of them wondered why he ever liked Masonry , and what induced him to join tho Fraternity at all .

In the spring onr man , who had faintly avowed that ho did not liko "Masonry , opened a dry grocery store in the villngo in which he lived . This fact precludes us utterly from classing him with tho two distinguished men named above who do not liko Masonry , for neither of them , so far as wo can learn , has ever run a grocery , wet or drv . But tho fact of the opening of this grocery could not well be omitted

from a history of the case , because it is one of the horns of tho dilemma on which the man , who did not liko Masonry , impaled tho Lodge . Trade opened rather brisk in the afore-mentioued dry grocery , ain ' t the proprietor thereof congratulated himself ou tho prospect that ho should soon acquire an abundance of shekels , and that his brethren

of tho Lodge were fast becoming liberal contributors . Ho congratulated himself that he had found tho true use of Masonry , anil that henceforth he would he able to make it pay ; whereas , heretofore , to use his own phrase , " it had not paid him tho first nickel . " Matters passed smoothly enough through tho spring with our grocery mau , but ou tho commencement of the summer there was ; i