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Article THE FREEMASONS' LEXICON.* ← Page 4 of 10 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.*
Curses and death found those who violated their obligation , liowever secretly it might have been done , or however safe the traitor mig ht , think himself from detection . It is very probable that the true object of those mysteries was to give a rational explanation of the mythology and religion of the people , and to extract from the mass of errors and superstition with which it was encumbered the important fact of the being of one onltrue and living Godthe Creator and Preserver of all
y , things moveable and immoveable , to impress the initiated with a proper idea of the immense importance of the human soul , and the necessity of preparing in this sublunary abode for another and a better state of existence . They were instructed in natural history , in the use of metals , and to form some idea of the true Gocl by the greatness , splendour , order , beauty , and magnificence of nature . With regard to the human soul they were taught that the souls of men
were originally demons and exalted spirits , who were punished for their disobedience b y being chained to mortal bodies . This information was preserved in secret or hieroglyphic writings , which were concealed in the Petroma , two large stones , ivhich were fitted into each other with such skiil as to deceive the eye , and were only taken out and read by the hierophant , when he communicated the higher degrees , after which they were immediately deposited in their marble recess . The initiated
were not only exhorted to preserve a most inviolate secrecy as to what they hacl seen and heard , but diligently to practise every moral ancl social virtue , more especially charity or benevolence to their unfortunate fellow creatures ; they were taught to consider it as one of the high privileges of their order to be able to alleviate the sufferings of their fellow men , to strengthen the bonds of social intercourse by diligently performing their own duties in life , and by improving , by all the means in their power , the talents with ivhich Gocl had blessed them , ancl thus to labour diligently in what they considered the chief aim of their creation , viz ., the promoting of the happiness of themselves and of their fellow men .
I he date of the origin of those mysteries is unknown , neither do we know whether any improvement or alteration was allowed to be made in their ceremonies , but they are considered to have existed about 2 , 000 years ; the pomp with which they were celebrated , the enormous magnitude of the temple , ancl the number and the splendour of the priests who assisted at their celebration , are sufficient proofs of their great antiquity . They were first prohibited under the reign of the Emperor Theodosius , by an edict published December 20 th 381 in which all
, , nocturnal festivals , either within or without the temple , were prohibited under pain of banishment , but it woulcl be a great error to suppose that they were entirely abolished by this edict . When Christianity began to combat with Heathenism , the lattersystem tookrefugein the Alexandrian school of philosophy ; this school also afforded a place of refuge for the Eleusinian mysteries , and was in fact nothing more or less than the mysteries themselvesunder the name of philosophy . The lesser
mys-, teries , it is true , were terminated by the edict of Theodosius ; but not the greater , which probably first ceased in the year 528 , when the philosophers of this school , as the strongest pillars of Heathenism , were compelled by the Emperor Justinian to flee for refuge into Persia . England . —This country is of great importance to Freemasonry . It is here that we first find it with historical certainty : about the year 16 G 0 it was introduced into France from this country , although at that
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.*
Curses and death found those who violated their obligation , liowever secretly it might have been done , or however safe the traitor mig ht , think himself from detection . It is very probable that the true object of those mysteries was to give a rational explanation of the mythology and religion of the people , and to extract from the mass of errors and superstition with which it was encumbered the important fact of the being of one onltrue and living Godthe Creator and Preserver of all
y , things moveable and immoveable , to impress the initiated with a proper idea of the immense importance of the human soul , and the necessity of preparing in this sublunary abode for another and a better state of existence . They were instructed in natural history , in the use of metals , and to form some idea of the true Gocl by the greatness , splendour , order , beauty , and magnificence of nature . With regard to the human soul they were taught that the souls of men
were originally demons and exalted spirits , who were punished for their disobedience b y being chained to mortal bodies . This information was preserved in secret or hieroglyphic writings , which were concealed in the Petroma , two large stones , ivhich were fitted into each other with such skiil as to deceive the eye , and were only taken out and read by the hierophant , when he communicated the higher degrees , after which they were immediately deposited in their marble recess . The initiated
were not only exhorted to preserve a most inviolate secrecy as to what they hacl seen and heard , but diligently to practise every moral ancl social virtue , more especially charity or benevolence to their unfortunate fellow creatures ; they were taught to consider it as one of the high privileges of their order to be able to alleviate the sufferings of their fellow men , to strengthen the bonds of social intercourse by diligently performing their own duties in life , and by improving , by all the means in their power , the talents with ivhich Gocl had blessed them , ancl thus to labour diligently in what they considered the chief aim of their creation , viz ., the promoting of the happiness of themselves and of their fellow men .
I he date of the origin of those mysteries is unknown , neither do we know whether any improvement or alteration was allowed to be made in their ceremonies , but they are considered to have existed about 2 , 000 years ; the pomp with which they were celebrated , the enormous magnitude of the temple , ancl the number and the splendour of the priests who assisted at their celebration , are sufficient proofs of their great antiquity . They were first prohibited under the reign of the Emperor Theodosius , by an edict published December 20 th 381 in which all
, , nocturnal festivals , either within or without the temple , were prohibited under pain of banishment , but it woulcl be a great error to suppose that they were entirely abolished by this edict . When Christianity began to combat with Heathenism , the lattersystem tookrefugein the Alexandrian school of philosophy ; this school also afforded a place of refuge for the Eleusinian mysteries , and was in fact nothing more or less than the mysteries themselvesunder the name of philosophy . The lesser
mys-, teries , it is true , were terminated by the edict of Theodosius ; but not the greater , which probably first ceased in the year 528 , when the philosophers of this school , as the strongest pillars of Heathenism , were compelled by the Emperor Justinian to flee for refuge into Persia . England . —This country is of great importance to Freemasonry . It is here that we first find it with historical certainty : about the year 16 G 0 it was introduced into France from this country , although at that