Footsteps Of Freemasonry;

In this teaching , Proserpine became to the Pagan world the Grand Triune Goddess , being Luna in Heaven , Diana on Earth , and Hecate in Hell , the Goddess of the Dead . On discovering her loss her mother lighted a torch at Mount

Etna , ancl having m vain sought for her through Heaven and Earth , descended into Hell , and it was the rising of this star or tordo which indicated her worship throughout the world , the great Diana of the Ephesians .

The ceremonies are described as representing the descent of Proserpine into Hell , and the appearing of a bright ancl rising star , signified her re-arising to earth , so fervently looked for b y her devoted worshippers . The poet Claudian thus describes the holy furor ,

Gressus removete , profani Jam furor humanos nostro de pector sensus . Expulit , &* c . Away , O profane ! for holy desire has banished from my soul all mortal care . Behold the temple

trembles , the rising light appears to herald the Divine advent . Homer and Virgil have both described the journey down this grand but dreamy road , and this symbol of the descent into Hell , so popular in the heathen world , has even crept into the

dogmas of thc Christian Church , for it is hard to find warrant for it in the sacred canon . It if not strange , therefore , that Masonry has likewise taken up this idea , and the tradition or imperfect recollection of it have descended from that ancient period .

J o deny it does not remove the difficulty , but would throw upon us the charge of travestieing . The other system , which seems to throw most light upon our doctrine , is the system of Mithras , or the Sun worship . This system

was combined with and established by Cyrus in his college of the Magi . These mysteries , says Schlegel , were " not so much an hereditary social caste , as an order or association , divided into various and successive ranks ; " in fact , much resemblina * our own .

Their chief devotion had reference to a light , ancl was doubtless bretliren of tin ' s order , then newly-established in Europe , who are stated to have seen " the star in the east which heralded

our Lord . ' * We learn , however , from writers of the time , that by dabbling in divination anel nativities , the ( Jrder soon fell into contempt .

Thirdly , About this period thc Christian religion was also being propagated . It is difficult i ' or us at this period to realise the immense influence exerted for so man )* ages by these Eleiisinian mysteries , and the strictness with which the secrets wcre kept . Even in the reign of Augustus , Horace writes : —

" \ etabo , qui Ceteris sacrum Vtilgarit arcannc , " & c . " If any one shall have divulged the mysterious rites of Eleusis , 1 denounce him ; he shal not enter under my roof , or sail in the same

swift baric . Tins is pretty strong , but does not equal that famous curse which elicited from my uncle Tobv , the half-whistled remark , " Outarmy swore terribly in Flanders . " Still the greatest curses were involved on all who violated

file secrets , and as we learn in the Bacchanalian mysteries , even sometimes death . From these Eleusinian mysteries the initiated were supposed to derive sweeter hopes than other men enjoy , and believed the great Triune

Goddess would endow them with her divine wisdom here , and favour after death . 1 lence parents were desirous of having their children initiated , as a sort of baptism , by which they

were devoted to greater sanctity ol manners , and to a desire to be distinguished by what was then called virtue , and by whatever was holy in the ptisan world . They , therefore , told of a future life , and ofthe immortality ofthe soul .

In fact , we must study this influence as the best guide to a knowledge of their domestic iik-as and life , and Gellius gives striking illustrations of their influence on female tastes and

. It is not , therefore , surprising that the Masonry of that day , that is of" the Christian era , should become inspired b y the teachings and doctrines which surrounded it , even as the Jewish reli-

Footsteps Of Freemasonry;

gion became modified b y the sojourn in Babylon . The emblematic teachings of Masonry in the third degree are purification , with the doctrine of the resurrection alluded to in an obscure

manner . Now , all this bears no remote allusion to those once popular mysteries . If we did not obtain this doctrine " even to the darkness of death , " from this source , whence do we obtain it . for death is not dark to the Christian ?

Bishop Warburton says , the ancient mysteries hacl three objects : — i . To commemorate the ori gin of civilisation . 2 . To inculcate the doctrine of future rewards

ancl punishments . _ . To reveal the doctrine ofthe Deity . An eminent French writer also adds that the great object was purification—hope in a future life . Take which we will , this is the philosophical meaning of our third degree .

lb those versed in the literature of ancient Rome , the peculiarities of tlie age of Augustus , the previous ancl succeeding centuries will recur to them . It was there that men divided themselves , anel avowed it , into philosophic sects , as we do now in religion , thus Horace calls himself

" iimira e grege epicuri a " hog from the stye of Epicurus , " ancl of nearly all the great men the sect ie indicated . Thus Cato was a stoie , Porphyri a ( Christian writer ) a Plattious , Cicero was a stoic in his younger days , but having edited the works of Lucretius , is supposed to have adopted

the doctrines therein contained of Epicureanism , the world may judge whether his "De Senectute , " or book on old age docs not bespeak a more genial and kindly heart than liis earlier ones , for in all times pure hearts make right prayers . Nevertheless Grecian teachinsrs were bad for

Rome . Cicero , referring to an old Roman , says , " but virtues such as these are not now to be found , for new doctrines are introduced , you hear them at your feast , they talk them even in the demimonde , ami those who who maintain that the way to glory is throngh toil are now solitary .

Talk indeed of modern sects , tliere is nothing new tinder thc sun , for the jargon of ancient ones outdid them all .

Plato denied the world could be governed without geometry , whilst his opponent Lucretius , whom Mr . Disraeli loves to quote , declared it to be merely a fortuituous concourse of Atoms , without any government at all , or as Pope originally wrote it

' * A mighty maze and all without a plan . " Some , it seems could not at all understand the many saving-clauses for Cicero , says , " I wonder that Antiochus should not see the difference between the Stoics and the peripatetics . " In contrast we may place the practice of our divine

Pythagoras , there again I must quote Cicero on the nature of the Gods . " There chiefly do piety and religion flourish in our souls when we are occupied in divine service . " We may further judge from writers of that age how a Freemasonry analogous to our own , and

quite distinct from the trade societies , sodalities , anel religious mysteries , extensively prevailed , thus Platitus , a writer of the first century , in his comedy ofthe " Swaggering . Captain " writes Pulatrio . — " From the initiated you conceal them , but in me you may trust . "

Mclphidippa . *— " Give me the sign ancl password , ( symbolum et memoraeulnm ) if you are one of the Jacchi . " Now on turning to Cicero , in his work on the Laws , and conversing with his friend , refers to this very society , into which both he and his friend had actuall y been initiated , as also into another referred to .

These societies ( remarks Cicero ) are among the many admirable anel divine things the Athenians have established to tho advantage oi human society , fir there is nothing betterthanthe mysteries by which we are polished and softened into politeness from the rude asperities of

barnansm . "Justly indeed are they calleel initiations , for by them especially are we inflated into the grand principles of life , and gain not only the art of living agreeably but even that too of dying with a better hope . " It was doubtless to similar Lodges St . Paul

Footsteps Of Freemasonry;

alluded , when ' in his reference to " Gentiles , who show the law of God written on their hearts , for he uses the word ' acroatai , ' a term especially used to designate the hearers , or initiates of Aristotle . ' "

Its very remarks on the mysteries , especially in writing to the Ephesians , celebrated for their mysteries of Diana , show , that in all probability , he had been actually initiated into one or more of these quasi-Masonic institutions . We have already pointed out that Mark

Anthony was W . M . of a Lodge , which had signs . ancl bye-laws , and wore an apron . That Cato " squared the conduct of his life by the rule of reason , " and now we pointed out that Cicero anel his friend were not merel y stoics or epicureans , but actuall y belonged to

Lodges like our own , with Masters and Wardens like our own , with signs and passwords , such , probably as I have alread y indicated , and with doctrines and practice or working so nearly allied to what we possess anel ought to obey , that for my own part I fail to observe the difference .

Let us then delight to feel that we are one with them , recollect that these men still exist , and although ( we being admitted to still hi gher mysteries ) , our circles with the Grand Lodge above may not be identical we may yet anticipate " How sweet t ' will be in concert to adore , With those who made our mortal labours li ght ,

To hear the word we feared to hear no more , To see the mi ghty dead revealed to sight , The Bactrian , Samian sage , aud all who taught the right . " Such indeed are our doctrines and the teachings of the third degree . Jn ournext we purpose to illustrate the "Traditional history . "

Transfer Of The Bard Of Avon Lodge To Middlesex.

TRANSFER OF THE BARD OF AVON LODGE TO MIDDLESEX .

On Saturday , the Sth inst ., the pleasant little water-side town of Staines was tlie scene , of a most interesting Masonic ceremony , attended b y brethren known in every-day life as lilemri . The occasion was the opening in Middlesex of the Bard of Avon Lodge , transferred from

Shakespere s native town to be henceforth a summer lodge . 'I'hc first Worshipful Master was Bro . J . C . Parkinson ; the Senior Warden , Bro . George Elliot , M . P . for North Durham ; the Junior Warden , Captain Burgess , ( Secretary for the

International Aid Society for the Sick ancl Wounded in War ) ; W . Roebuck , C . E ., Treasurer ; R . Wentworth Little , Secretary ; the Senior Deacon , Sir Henry Anderson , K . C . S . L ; the Junior Deacon , Dr . F . Ramsay ; the Inner Guard , R . G . Glover , P . M . iSi .

The transfer from Warwickshire to London of this celebrated Lodge has been warmly supported by the Masonic authorities of the two provinces , and Bro . Wentworth Little , P . G . Secretary for Middlesex , has been indefatigable in the cause of uniting the literary Masons of .

London with a lodge closely associated with our great bard ' s name . After the lodge ceremonies , in the course of which the installation of Bro . Parkinson was performed in a most impressive manner b y Bro . R . G . Glover , P . M . iSi , ( of which the new

\\ . M . is also a P . M . ) letters were read from Lord Leigh and Colonel Burdett , the Provincial Granel Masters of Warwickshire and Middlesex , cordiall y approving of what hael been done in the transfer ofthe lodge , and congratulating Bros . Parkinson and Elliot upon their lodge beginning its new life under these favourable auspices .

Bro . Parkinson gave a signal proof of his Mastership by raising Bro . Dr . Steele , and his fine working deli ghted the assemblage , among whom were the Grand Registrar of the order , Bro . Eneas Mclntyre . Q . C . the Grand Secretary ; Bro . J . Hervey ; Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . A . D . C ; Bro . Dr . Rhys Williams , Edmund Yates , and many others .

On the brethren being called from labour to refreshment , ( when the ) - partook of an excellent banquet served b y our host of the Angel Hotel ) , the health of the W . M was proiwwd in eloquent