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Article ON THE STUDY OF MASONIC ANTIQUITIES. ← Page 6 of 16 →
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On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
it was not necessary to erect temples to Him ; devotion being limited to no particular time , or place , or country ; and that few could worship God directly , the great majority of mankind not being sufficiently wise or pure to approach the Divine Being himself , and offer him a holy worship . Such are some of the leading doctrines contained in the sacred writings of the Brahminsand we shall not fail to perceive that their perversion
, has led to the gross superstitions , and degrading idolatry of the Hindoos . In contemplating the nature of the Great Architect of the Universe as deducible from the Vedas , it will be perceived that the Supreme Intelligence is regarded in two senses , SPIRITUAL and MATERIAL . He is thus in one sense regarded as the cause of all things , and the Creator of the universe ; and in the other considered as the universal mind , pervading all created things , and comprehending all which has existence . In fact ,
comprising in his essence that invisible though active agency pervading space ; as well as matter , the product of creative power—together constituting that Being of infinite wisdom who has fashioned all things according to his mighty will—the beating of whose pulse is that undying life which throbs through universal nature . The universal emblem before alluded to ( p . 258 ) may thus , in ^ reference to the system of religious belief existing in ancient India , ^ be explained as referring to the Divine Architect , under these two distinct manifestations .
Thus , in the spiritual sense , the Supreme Being was designated by the word A U M , a compound word , expressing the three ideas of creation , preservation , and destruction , personified by BRAHMA , VISHNU , and SIVA , and symbolized under the first triangle ; and in the material sense , the same Supreme Power , as comprehending the animal , vegetable , and mineral kingdoms , comprising types of all createtl things , was symbolized in this capacity under the second triangle ; the union or intersection of both , thusin its recondite meaningcombining and
exempli-, , fying every operation and manifestation of nature . BRAHMA , VISHNU , and SIVA , are but emanations from the Supreme Being . " We are only manifestations of his three powers" ( Puranahs ) . The word A U M is formed from the letters a , oo ( which in composition make o ) and the nasal consonant m , and being abbreviated into am , implies in one short monosyllable— " He who creates , preserves , and destroys . " It also signified ( according to Dr . Oliver ) the solar fireor
, more properly the sun itself , the sacred emblem of the Supreme -Deity , and united in its comprehensive meaning , the great Trimurti , or compound principle , on which the existence of all things is founded . This word forms the subject of / incessant contemplation with the devout Brahmins , and is deemed so sacred that it never escapes their lips . *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
it was not necessary to erect temples to Him ; devotion being limited to no particular time , or place , or country ; and that few could worship God directly , the great majority of mankind not being sufficiently wise or pure to approach the Divine Being himself , and offer him a holy worship . Such are some of the leading doctrines contained in the sacred writings of the Brahminsand we shall not fail to perceive that their perversion
, has led to the gross superstitions , and degrading idolatry of the Hindoos . In contemplating the nature of the Great Architect of the Universe as deducible from the Vedas , it will be perceived that the Supreme Intelligence is regarded in two senses , SPIRITUAL and MATERIAL . He is thus in one sense regarded as the cause of all things , and the Creator of the universe ; and in the other considered as the universal mind , pervading all created things , and comprehending all which has existence . In fact ,
comprising in his essence that invisible though active agency pervading space ; as well as matter , the product of creative power—together constituting that Being of infinite wisdom who has fashioned all things according to his mighty will—the beating of whose pulse is that undying life which throbs through universal nature . The universal emblem before alluded to ( p . 258 ) may thus , in ^ reference to the system of religious belief existing in ancient India , ^ be explained as referring to the Divine Architect , under these two distinct manifestations .
Thus , in the spiritual sense , the Supreme Being was designated by the word A U M , a compound word , expressing the three ideas of creation , preservation , and destruction , personified by BRAHMA , VISHNU , and SIVA , and symbolized under the first triangle ; and in the material sense , the same Supreme Power , as comprehending the animal , vegetable , and mineral kingdoms , comprising types of all createtl things , was symbolized in this capacity under the second triangle ; the union or intersection of both , thusin its recondite meaningcombining and
exempli-, , fying every operation and manifestation of nature . BRAHMA , VISHNU , and SIVA , are but emanations from the Supreme Being . " We are only manifestations of his three powers" ( Puranahs ) . The word A U M is formed from the letters a , oo ( which in composition make o ) and the nasal consonant m , and being abbreviated into am , implies in one short monosyllable— " He who creates , preserves , and destroys . " It also signified ( according to Dr . Oliver ) the solar fireor
, more properly the sun itself , the sacred emblem of the Supreme -Deity , and united in its comprehensive meaning , the great Trimurti , or compound principle , on which the existence of all things is founded . This word forms the subject of / incessant contemplation with the devout Brahmins , and is deemed so sacred that it never escapes their lips . *