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Article ON FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 9 →
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On Freemasonry.
ON FREEMASONRY .
THE SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY OP ANCIENT TIMES . BY THE REV . G . OLIVER , O . D .. No . 3 . ( Continuedfrom p . 436 , vol . 4 , December , 1837-. 1 THE secret institutions of antiquity known under the
significant appellation of THE MYSTERIES ; ( the legend of initiation into which was detailed in the preceding number of this Review ) have been generally supposed to contain vestiges of truth , concealed under a mass of absurd customs and superstitious observances . And in this respect they differed materially from primitive Freemasonry , of
which they were a humble imitation . For while the ceremonies of the pure system of the Noachidse , which was Freemasonry in its simplest form , though few in number , were expressive of the most sublime truths , and inculcated the practice of virtue and morality—the love of God , their neighbour , and themselves—the spurious offspring of idolatry was burdened , with a multiplicity of rites , splendid
and imposing , it is true , but offensive to decency , and distorted with vice and abomination . How slightly soever the truths embodied in this system mi ght have been disguised in the earlier periods of their celebration , they became gradually so amalgamated with baser materials , that if the facts themselves were not lost ,
their legitimate application was obscured , and at length incomprehensible , even to those who were most conversant in this kind of cabalistic learning . In the discussions connected with the present subject , it is hoped that the evidences of Freemasonry , as well as those of our most holreliionwill receive some accession
y g , of strength ; for I propose to adduce a series of facts and arguments which may establish the important truth—that their united influence existed in the mysteries of Egypt and all other nations , although they may appear very unlikely to contain doctrines of such magnitude as those which heralded the Christian dispensation .
By tracing therefore the source from whence such a remarkable species of knowledge was derived , I may be enabled to furnish a satisfactory answer to those mistaken persons who affect to believe that " the Christian scheme is nothing but the dregs of Judaism , enthusiasm , ancl superstition ; and that the Christians learned the trick and cheat VOL . V . c
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
ON FREEMASONRY .
THE SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY OP ANCIENT TIMES . BY THE REV . G . OLIVER , O . D .. No . 3 . ( Continuedfrom p . 436 , vol . 4 , December , 1837-. 1 THE secret institutions of antiquity known under the
significant appellation of THE MYSTERIES ; ( the legend of initiation into which was detailed in the preceding number of this Review ) have been generally supposed to contain vestiges of truth , concealed under a mass of absurd customs and superstitious observances . And in this respect they differed materially from primitive Freemasonry , of
which they were a humble imitation . For while the ceremonies of the pure system of the Noachidse , which was Freemasonry in its simplest form , though few in number , were expressive of the most sublime truths , and inculcated the practice of virtue and morality—the love of God , their neighbour , and themselves—the spurious offspring of idolatry was burdened , with a multiplicity of rites , splendid
and imposing , it is true , but offensive to decency , and distorted with vice and abomination . How slightly soever the truths embodied in this system mi ght have been disguised in the earlier periods of their celebration , they became gradually so amalgamated with baser materials , that if the facts themselves were not lost ,
their legitimate application was obscured , and at length incomprehensible , even to those who were most conversant in this kind of cabalistic learning . In the discussions connected with the present subject , it is hoped that the evidences of Freemasonry , as well as those of our most holreliionwill receive some accession
y g , of strength ; for I propose to adduce a series of facts and arguments which may establish the important truth—that their united influence existed in the mysteries of Egypt and all other nations , although they may appear very unlikely to contain doctrines of such magnitude as those which heralded the Christian dispensation .
By tracing therefore the source from whence such a remarkable species of knowledge was derived , I may be enabled to furnish a satisfactory answer to those mistaken persons who affect to believe that " the Christian scheme is nothing but the dregs of Judaism , enthusiasm , ancl superstition ; and that the Christians learned the trick and cheat VOL . V . c