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Article CHAPTER IV. ← Page 3 of 8 →
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Chapter Iv.
and Dynamis , or wisdom and strength , principalities , powers , and angels ; and from these , other angels to the number of 365 , who were supposed to have the government of so many celestial orbs committed to their care . And it so happens that the numerical powers of the letters in this cabalistical word , in Greek , make together the exact number of 365 , thus , A B P A x A s
1 + 2 + 100 + 1 + 60 + 1 + 200 = 365 . St . Austin charges Basilides with maintaining the heresy of three hundred and sixty-five heavens , which were the creators of the world . This seems to be a mistake ; for he ascribed that work to the ministry of the seven angels who preside over the heavens , and called the supreme power DE 3 IIURGUS , or IAJ 2 , who is tlie same as Jehovah of the Jews . Archbishop Tenison terms the religion of the pseudo Christians , who embraced the doctrine of the Gnostics" a sort astrological magic ; " and
, adds , " every heretic feigneth what pleaseth himself , and then he worshipped ! his own fiction . Thus did Marcion with his idle deity , Valentius with his thirty Eons , and Basilides with his god Abraxas . " This great Basilidean deity is affirmed in the MS ., above quoted , to have been introduced into the Freemasonry of the middle ages by the operative Masons , whose works still excite our admiration and delight . It appears to have been used as an amulet or talisman , and its virtues
were supposed to be concentrated in a gem or crystal , with sundry figures engraven on each face , amongst which the sacred names of the deity occupied conspicuous situations . This being ritually consecrated by certain prescribed observances , was delivered to the individual in whose favour it had been constructed , and worn about the person with implicit faith in its efficacy to restore health , to avert danger , to inspire love or hatred , to protect hidden treasures , or as a safeguard against fire , the sword , or any other accident that threatens life ; and the eastern nations
believed that by friction , as was the case with the lamp of Aladdin , the presence of a spirit would be evoked . Montfaucon has furnished engravings of some hundreds of these gems or amulets , and divides them into seven classes , viz . —1 . The abraxas , with the head of a cock and legs of serpents . 2 . In the form of a lion , or some of its component parts , united with the bodies of serpents . 3 . With the figure or name of Serapis . 4 . Of the anubis and the scaraba ; us . 5 . With the figure of Apollo or the sunin human
shapesome-, , times furnished with wings . 6 . With inscriptions , generally referring to the Redeemer of mankind . 7 . With names of the powers referred to in the Basilidean system . To show in its true light the puerile superstition which was displayed in the dark ages by the use of these amulets , respecting which even the philosophic Burton could say— " Amulets and things to be borne about I find prescribed , taxed by some , approved by others : and I say with
Renodeus , they are not altogether to be rejected ; " and to demonstrate the implicit faith which was placed in their reputed efficacy , it may not be uninteresting to subjoin a few remarks on this abstruse subject , founded on the classification of the above indefatigable antiquary ; although I have already given an outline of the doctrine in the " Freemasons' Quarterly Review" for 1840 , p . 306 . 1 . The first class of gems is furnished with the head of a cock , having a human body , with two serpents in the place of legs , the head of each serpent serving as a foot . This figure is sometimes pourtrayed bran-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chapter Iv.
and Dynamis , or wisdom and strength , principalities , powers , and angels ; and from these , other angels to the number of 365 , who were supposed to have the government of so many celestial orbs committed to their care . And it so happens that the numerical powers of the letters in this cabalistical word , in Greek , make together the exact number of 365 , thus , A B P A x A s
1 + 2 + 100 + 1 + 60 + 1 + 200 = 365 . St . Austin charges Basilides with maintaining the heresy of three hundred and sixty-five heavens , which were the creators of the world . This seems to be a mistake ; for he ascribed that work to the ministry of the seven angels who preside over the heavens , and called the supreme power DE 3 IIURGUS , or IAJ 2 , who is tlie same as Jehovah of the Jews . Archbishop Tenison terms the religion of the pseudo Christians , who embraced the doctrine of the Gnostics" a sort astrological magic ; " and
, adds , " every heretic feigneth what pleaseth himself , and then he worshipped ! his own fiction . Thus did Marcion with his idle deity , Valentius with his thirty Eons , and Basilides with his god Abraxas . " This great Basilidean deity is affirmed in the MS ., above quoted , to have been introduced into the Freemasonry of the middle ages by the operative Masons , whose works still excite our admiration and delight . It appears to have been used as an amulet or talisman , and its virtues
were supposed to be concentrated in a gem or crystal , with sundry figures engraven on each face , amongst which the sacred names of the deity occupied conspicuous situations . This being ritually consecrated by certain prescribed observances , was delivered to the individual in whose favour it had been constructed , and worn about the person with implicit faith in its efficacy to restore health , to avert danger , to inspire love or hatred , to protect hidden treasures , or as a safeguard against fire , the sword , or any other accident that threatens life ; and the eastern nations
believed that by friction , as was the case with the lamp of Aladdin , the presence of a spirit would be evoked . Montfaucon has furnished engravings of some hundreds of these gems or amulets , and divides them into seven classes , viz . —1 . The abraxas , with the head of a cock and legs of serpents . 2 . In the form of a lion , or some of its component parts , united with the bodies of serpents . 3 . With the figure or name of Serapis . 4 . Of the anubis and the scaraba ; us . 5 . With the figure of Apollo or the sunin human
shapesome-, , times furnished with wings . 6 . With inscriptions , generally referring to the Redeemer of mankind . 7 . With names of the powers referred to in the Basilidean system . To show in its true light the puerile superstition which was displayed in the dark ages by the use of these amulets , respecting which even the philosophic Burton could say— " Amulets and things to be borne about I find prescribed , taxed by some , approved by others : and I say with
Renodeus , they are not altogether to be rejected ; " and to demonstrate the implicit faith which was placed in their reputed efficacy , it may not be uninteresting to subjoin a few remarks on this abstruse subject , founded on the classification of the above indefatigable antiquary ; although I have already given an outline of the doctrine in the " Freemasons' Quarterly Review" for 1840 , p . 306 . 1 . The first class of gems is furnished with the head of a cock , having a human body , with two serpents in the place of legs , the head of each serpent serving as a foot . This figure is sometimes pourtrayed bran-