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Article ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 3 of 10 →
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On Freemasonry.
atonement of a crucified Redeemer , were kept permanently in view in all the systems of religion , whether true or false , that were ever practised in the world . Proving clearly that all other dispensations were but temporary , ancl subservient to that great system of truth which was destined to absorb all the rest . In the Jewish religion , which was a type of revealedwhile in
Christianity , the Messiah was distinctly ; the various institutions of paganism , all the circumstances attendant on the original promise of the same Deliverer , were mixed up with mythological fables ancl astronomical absurdities ; and communicated to the candidate during the process of initiation , amidst pantomimic shows and scenic illusions . An attempt to extract the true meaning of each mysterious rite and cabalistic observance will be rather
arduous , because the mythology of paganism is of such a confused ancl uncertain nature , that it will be difficult to reduce it to order ancl arrangement . The mystification was so complete , that the mass of heathen deities who were publicly worshipped under one name as deified mortals , and under another as demons or mediators between men
and the celestial gods , were also personified in the stars or zodiacal signs ; and these beings , how numerous soever they mig ht be ; were all referred , in the euresis of the initiations , to one single deity who was esteemed the Creator ; but by the same misapprehension , was sometimes identified with the sunancl at others with Noah or the Ark .
, As an illustration of these principles , let us appeal to facts , as they were undoubtedly promulged in the secret celebrations of Egypt . When the early Egyptians surveyed the heavens with the eye of philosophy , they were struck with
the order and regularity of the wonderful orbs ot light which illuminated the expanse ; ancl admiring the beautiful system thus pourtrayed in the . sky , ascribed the miracle to the two chief luminaries , the sun and the moon ; which they considered to be eternal , and hence the Deity ; because nothing but the Deity could have existed from everlasting .
Thus their initiations consisted , as we are informed by Origen , in imitating the motions of the sun , moon , and stars ; and the perfectly initiated aspirant was considered equal with the Deity . Hence it is , that on the walls and ceilings ofthe most ancient temples were painted in permanent colours , or carved in relief , p lanetary systems , zodiacs , and celestial planispheres , which have been described by Denon , Belzoni , and others , as still remaining at Tirityra , Esneh , the ancient
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
atonement of a crucified Redeemer , were kept permanently in view in all the systems of religion , whether true or false , that were ever practised in the world . Proving clearly that all other dispensations were but temporary , ancl subservient to that great system of truth which was destined to absorb all the rest . In the Jewish religion , which was a type of revealedwhile in
Christianity , the Messiah was distinctly ; the various institutions of paganism , all the circumstances attendant on the original promise of the same Deliverer , were mixed up with mythological fables ancl astronomical absurdities ; and communicated to the candidate during the process of initiation , amidst pantomimic shows and scenic illusions . An attempt to extract the true meaning of each mysterious rite and cabalistic observance will be rather
arduous , because the mythology of paganism is of such a confused ancl uncertain nature , that it will be difficult to reduce it to order ancl arrangement . The mystification was so complete , that the mass of heathen deities who were publicly worshipped under one name as deified mortals , and under another as demons or mediators between men
and the celestial gods , were also personified in the stars or zodiacal signs ; and these beings , how numerous soever they mig ht be ; were all referred , in the euresis of the initiations , to one single deity who was esteemed the Creator ; but by the same misapprehension , was sometimes identified with the sunancl at others with Noah or the Ark .
, As an illustration of these principles , let us appeal to facts , as they were undoubtedly promulged in the secret celebrations of Egypt . When the early Egyptians surveyed the heavens with the eye of philosophy , they were struck with
the order and regularity of the wonderful orbs ot light which illuminated the expanse ; ancl admiring the beautiful system thus pourtrayed in the . sky , ascribed the miracle to the two chief luminaries , the sun and the moon ; which they considered to be eternal , and hence the Deity ; because nothing but the Deity could have existed from everlasting .
Thus their initiations consisted , as we are informed by Origen , in imitating the motions of the sun , moon , and stars ; and the perfectly initiated aspirant was considered equal with the Deity . Hence it is , that on the walls and ceilings ofthe most ancient temples were painted in permanent colours , or carved in relief , p lanetary systems , zodiacs , and celestial planispheres , which have been described by Denon , Belzoni , and others , as still remaining at Tirityra , Esneh , the ancient