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On The Ancient Lodges, Or Places Of Initiation Into The Cabiric Mysteries.
admitted through its noble arched gateway . From this cave you are conducted to a small narrow door ; having passed through which , you rapidly descend till you find yourself upon the brink of a subterraneous river . Over the river you are ferried in a small boat ; and after reaching the opposite side , you continue your course along its bank , through an alternate succession of narrow passages and lofty caverns . At length
you arrive at a beautiful arched grotto of very large dimensions , in the centre of which rises a natural rock , ivhich you are surprised to find illuminated ready for your reception . The rock itself is occupied by a number of persons , who had previously entered for that purpose ; and your ears are forthwith saluted by a variety of wild songs , which forcibly remind you of the old popular superstition respecting elves and fairies . I have little doubt but that this is done pursuant to an immemorial custom , all traditions respecting the origin and import of which have
however long been obliterated from the minds of the guides . The reader will have already anticipated me in pronouncing what that custom ivas . During the celebration of the Cabiric Mysteries in this stupendous natural temple , the aspirant , after passing through the narrow door of the rock , after ferrying over the infernal stream emblematical of the central waters of the vast abyss , and after encountering the canine
portents ivhich grinned horribly upon him as he wandered through the contracted windings of the cave , at length reached the illuminated grotto , the Elysium ofthe orgies * . " Numerous other instances of cavern architecture might be produced in different quarters of the globe , equally remarkable with the foregoing , and tending alike to afford evidence to the same facts ; but the preceding
may be amply sufficient for the purpose of showing the veneration of the earliest and rudest , as well as the more refined nations of the earth , for these subterranean places ; and the terrific devotion which was uniformly displayed towards the religious mysteries solemnized within the tyled recesses of their most secret vaults .
Declaration Of A Candidate For Initiation Into Freemasonry.
DECLARATION OF A CANDIDATE FOR INITIATION INTO FREEMASONRY .
being free by birth , and of the full age of twenty-one years , do declare , that , unbiassed by the improper solicitations of friends , and uninfluenced by mercenary or other unworthy motive , I freely and voluntarily
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Ancient Lodges, Or Places Of Initiation Into The Cabiric Mysteries.
admitted through its noble arched gateway . From this cave you are conducted to a small narrow door ; having passed through which , you rapidly descend till you find yourself upon the brink of a subterraneous river . Over the river you are ferried in a small boat ; and after reaching the opposite side , you continue your course along its bank , through an alternate succession of narrow passages and lofty caverns . At length
you arrive at a beautiful arched grotto of very large dimensions , in the centre of which rises a natural rock , ivhich you are surprised to find illuminated ready for your reception . The rock itself is occupied by a number of persons , who had previously entered for that purpose ; and your ears are forthwith saluted by a variety of wild songs , which forcibly remind you of the old popular superstition respecting elves and fairies . I have little doubt but that this is done pursuant to an immemorial custom , all traditions respecting the origin and import of which have
however long been obliterated from the minds of the guides . The reader will have already anticipated me in pronouncing what that custom ivas . During the celebration of the Cabiric Mysteries in this stupendous natural temple , the aspirant , after passing through the narrow door of the rock , after ferrying over the infernal stream emblematical of the central waters of the vast abyss , and after encountering the canine
portents ivhich grinned horribly upon him as he wandered through the contracted windings of the cave , at length reached the illuminated grotto , the Elysium ofthe orgies * . " Numerous other instances of cavern architecture might be produced in different quarters of the globe , equally remarkable with the foregoing , and tending alike to afford evidence to the same facts ; but the preceding
may be amply sufficient for the purpose of showing the veneration of the earliest and rudest , as well as the more refined nations of the earth , for these subterranean places ; and the terrific devotion which was uniformly displayed towards the religious mysteries solemnized within the tyled recesses of their most secret vaults .
Declaration Of A Candidate For Initiation Into Freemasonry.
DECLARATION OF A CANDIDATE FOR INITIATION INTO FREEMASONRY .
being free by birth , and of the full age of twenty-one years , do declare , that , unbiassed by the improper solicitations of friends , and uninfluenced by mercenary or other unworthy motive , I freely and voluntarily