Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Remarks On Henry O'Brien's Essay On The Round Towers Of Ireland.
of the will of man , " ' by human adoption ; " but of the will of God , " by his good pleasure , receiving us for his sons by adoption and grace , through faith in Christ Jesus . Mr . O'Brien , p . 483 , asserts of the five first verses , " That St . John never wrote them , is beyond all question ! but having found them to his hand , existing after the circuit of ages and centuries , the composition seemed so pure , and so consonant with Christianity , nay , its very vitality and soulhe it
, adopted'as the preface to his own production . " That these verses do speak , as he says , the doctrine of Freemasonry , I am persuaded : but I fear that Mr . O'Brien may have been led into this error concerning them , by a practice which more philosophical study of our Order has corrected ( alluded to in p . 24 of the present volume of your Review ) of introducing the reading of these five verses , or part of theminto the ceremonies of degreein whichhowever
, a , , appropriate , they were introduced by a decided anachronism . The term A , o os , translated " the Word ; " which Mr . O'Brien asserts , | ) . 484 , to be a Greek form of the Irish logh , and which he would translate spiritual flame , is , in fact , a translation of the Hebrao-Chaldaic
.., , ° - In tne Targums , and Chaldee Paraphrases , which are not likel y to be suspected of favouring a Christian interpretation , the expression 'H N ") D » 0 , Mimra Jah , or Word of the LORD , is constantly put either for the LORD himself , or for that divine person who held communication with the Patriarchs under the title of " the Angel of the Lord / ' or the " Angel Jehovah . " Thus , Gen . i . 27 , " And G od created man , ' & c , is paraphrased " Mimra Jah created man ; " agreeing exactly with StJohni 3 All made bhim
. , . . " things were y , " i . e . the Word ;—Gen iii . , for " they heard the voice of the Lord God , " ( Jehovah Elohim . ) The Targum has " the voice of the Word of God , " ( Mimra Jah ); and many other passages might be brought if it were necessary . I he reason , however , why the second person in the Godhead is spoken of under this title of the Word of God , is evidently this ; because , as men communicate to each other their sentiments and desi b
gns y spoken words , so the Almighty has been pleased to communicate with men most fully and clearly by the mediation of his Son . " Tne Lamb of God , " which Mr . O'Brien objects to , as a designation of the Messiah , on the ground that ; the word "lambh" signifies in Irish , a cross , as well as a young sheep , ( which is not to the purpose since our word is a translation of the Greek a / ivos , and not of the Irish ) has ever been considered of the most
one impressive figures under which the Redeemer could be represented , as alluding to the sacrifice of the lamb , which was offered every morning and evening in the Temple service , as a typical atonement for the sins of the people ; and also to the offering of the Paschal Lamb , without spot or blemish , which fore-shadowed that spotless victim whose blood delivered us from worse than Egyptian bondage .
There is one point which I have passed over hitherto , which however requires notice in connexion with this subject , because Mr . O'Brien has laid great stress upon it ; the prevalence of the Cross as an emblem . I do not allude to the crosses represented on the crowns of the Magi , in the print , p . 482 , which being copied from any early printed Bible , has no more to do with the argument than the same emblem placed in the hand of St .-John -the Baptist , or the Saviour himself , in the paintings of Guido , Salvator Rosa , or any other old master . I allude to the ancient
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Remarks On Henry O'Brien's Essay On The Round Towers Of Ireland.
of the will of man , " ' by human adoption ; " but of the will of God , " by his good pleasure , receiving us for his sons by adoption and grace , through faith in Christ Jesus . Mr . O'Brien , p . 483 , asserts of the five first verses , " That St . John never wrote them , is beyond all question ! but having found them to his hand , existing after the circuit of ages and centuries , the composition seemed so pure , and so consonant with Christianity , nay , its very vitality and soulhe it
, adopted'as the preface to his own production . " That these verses do speak , as he says , the doctrine of Freemasonry , I am persuaded : but I fear that Mr . O'Brien may have been led into this error concerning them , by a practice which more philosophical study of our Order has corrected ( alluded to in p . 24 of the present volume of your Review ) of introducing the reading of these five verses , or part of theminto the ceremonies of degreein whichhowever
, a , , appropriate , they were introduced by a decided anachronism . The term A , o os , translated " the Word ; " which Mr . O'Brien asserts , | ) . 484 , to be a Greek form of the Irish logh , and which he would translate spiritual flame , is , in fact , a translation of the Hebrao-Chaldaic
.., , ° - In tne Targums , and Chaldee Paraphrases , which are not likel y to be suspected of favouring a Christian interpretation , the expression 'H N ") D » 0 , Mimra Jah , or Word of the LORD , is constantly put either for the LORD himself , or for that divine person who held communication with the Patriarchs under the title of " the Angel of the Lord / ' or the " Angel Jehovah . " Thus , Gen . i . 27 , " And G od created man , ' & c , is paraphrased " Mimra Jah created man ; " agreeing exactly with StJohni 3 All made bhim
. , . . " things were y , " i . e . the Word ;—Gen iii . , for " they heard the voice of the Lord God , " ( Jehovah Elohim . ) The Targum has " the voice of the Word of God , " ( Mimra Jah ); and many other passages might be brought if it were necessary . I he reason , however , why the second person in the Godhead is spoken of under this title of the Word of God , is evidently this ; because , as men communicate to each other their sentiments and desi b
gns y spoken words , so the Almighty has been pleased to communicate with men most fully and clearly by the mediation of his Son . " Tne Lamb of God , " which Mr . O'Brien objects to , as a designation of the Messiah , on the ground that ; the word "lambh" signifies in Irish , a cross , as well as a young sheep , ( which is not to the purpose since our word is a translation of the Greek a / ivos , and not of the Irish ) has ever been considered of the most
one impressive figures under which the Redeemer could be represented , as alluding to the sacrifice of the lamb , which was offered every morning and evening in the Temple service , as a typical atonement for the sins of the people ; and also to the offering of the Paschal Lamb , without spot or blemish , which fore-shadowed that spotless victim whose blood delivered us from worse than Egyptian bondage .
There is one point which I have passed over hitherto , which however requires notice in connexion with this subject , because Mr . O'Brien has laid great stress upon it ; the prevalence of the Cross as an emblem . I do not allude to the crosses represented on the crowns of the Magi , in the print , p . 482 , which being copied from any early printed Bible , has no more to do with the argument than the same emblem placed in the hand of St .-John -the Baptist , or the Saviour himself , in the paintings of Guido , Salvator Rosa , or any other old master . I allude to the ancient