Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
same lofty situation , who were denominated " priests of the high places , " because he believed it would render his sacrifices acceptable to the Deity . He knew that it would be popular amongst his subjects ; for there existed in their minds an hereditai * y impression that the gods of the hills were more powerful than the gods of the plain country .
But it will be observed , in explanation of this universal feeling , that the mountain itself was nothing but an inert mass of matter—even Sinai , and Horeb , and Moriah , were composed only of common earth , and of no more intrinsic holiness than any other locality , whether it be mountain , valley , or plain . It was the presence of the Deity that made
them holy . And although St . Paul , in his reference to Mount Sinai , quotes the ordinance that , if a man , or even a beast , touched the mountain , he should either be stoned , or thrust through with a dart ; yet it is clear that beasts of every description did touch , and trample , and graze upon it at other timesand were esteemed harmlessbecause it was
, , not more protected than any other place . This prohibition might be one reason why profane persons , or persons not qualified to be present at the solemnization of sacred rites , carefully abstained from intruding near a hill or high place on such interesting occasions ; for superstition was the tyler which kept the cowan at a respectful
distance . But at that particular period when Moses met the Lord on Mount Sinai , the divine presence rendered it very terrible ; the Shekinah gleamed fearfully amidst blackness , and darkness , and tempest , and the mountain itself quaked so exceedingly , that even Moses trembled and shook with fear .
St Paul , in a remarkable passage on this subject , * opposes Mount Sion to Mount Sinai—both holy , but one more particularly so than the other . Mount Sion is represented as being far more beautiful and comely than Mount Sinai ; neither was it seated in the wilderness , but in the land of promise . " There can be no doubt" says Dr . Lushington
, , " but by Mount Sion , in this place , that must be understood whereto the mount was but a figure and a shadow ; for as the thing figured is sometimes used for the figure , so much more often is the figure taken for the thing figured . And although sometimes by Sion and the Holy Mount , the church
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
same lofty situation , who were denominated " priests of the high places , " because he believed it would render his sacrifices acceptable to the Deity . He knew that it would be popular amongst his subjects ; for there existed in their minds an hereditai * y impression that the gods of the hills were more powerful than the gods of the plain country .
But it will be observed , in explanation of this universal feeling , that the mountain itself was nothing but an inert mass of matter—even Sinai , and Horeb , and Moriah , were composed only of common earth , and of no more intrinsic holiness than any other locality , whether it be mountain , valley , or plain . It was the presence of the Deity that made
them holy . And although St . Paul , in his reference to Mount Sinai , quotes the ordinance that , if a man , or even a beast , touched the mountain , he should either be stoned , or thrust through with a dart ; yet it is clear that beasts of every description did touch , and trample , and graze upon it at other timesand were esteemed harmlessbecause it was
, , not more protected than any other place . This prohibition might be one reason why profane persons , or persons not qualified to be present at the solemnization of sacred rites , carefully abstained from intruding near a hill or high place on such interesting occasions ; for superstition was the tyler which kept the cowan at a respectful
distance . But at that particular period when Moses met the Lord on Mount Sinai , the divine presence rendered it very terrible ; the Shekinah gleamed fearfully amidst blackness , and darkness , and tempest , and the mountain itself quaked so exceedingly , that even Moses trembled and shook with fear .
St Paul , in a remarkable passage on this subject , * opposes Mount Sion to Mount Sinai—both holy , but one more particularly so than the other . Mount Sion is represented as being far more beautiful and comely than Mount Sinai ; neither was it seated in the wilderness , but in the land of promise . " There can be no doubt" says Dr . Lushington
, , " but by Mount Sion , in this place , that must be understood whereto the mount was but a figure and a shadow ; for as the thing figured is sometimes used for the figure , so much more often is the figure taken for the thing figured . And although sometimes by Sion and the Holy Mount , the church