Goderey Higgins On Freemasonry.

obseremt Craftsmen , neither need Ave seek to explain their bearing , for undoubtedly it must be conceded that our Traditions are in many cases not peculiar to Masonry , but adopted from older Societies and Historical MSS . tor the purpose of conveying moral lessons .

We had recently lent us for perusal , a curious little volume , in which several old books were bound . The first is entitled , " Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs , the sons of Jacob . Translated out of Greek into Latine by Robert Grosthead ,

sometimes Bishop of Lincoln , and out of his copy into French ancl Dutch by others and now Englished . To the credit , whereof an ancient Greek copy , written on parchment is kept in the University of Cambridge ( woodcut ) London , printed

for T . Milbourn , for the Company of Stationers , 1 G 99 . " The secind , not dated , but apparently of the same age has the following title : " An Historical Catechism , containing Ingenious Answers to many notable Questions of several Avonderful

matters in ancient History , as , What is the opinion of all our Historians about the apple old mother Eve tempted Adam withal—Why tbe Devil should take the shape of a serpent : of the building of the Tower of Babel . . . Part 1 . Registered in the Hall Book of the Company of stationers . "

If there Avere ever a date it must have been cut off by the Binder , who appears to have been much more solicitous about the external than the internal qualifications of the little book . The latter con tains

something very similar to the traditions recorded by Niccphorus " Q . What happened at their laying a foundation ? "A . There Avas a stone which slipt from its place , and discovered the mouth of a cave cut in a Rock—The ( J verseers of

the work not being able to see to the bottom of it let down a Labourer by a Rope , being come to the bottom , he was up to the ancles in Avater , ancl found the p lace Four Square and laying bis Hand on a little Pillar above the Avater , he met with a Book Avrapt up in a clean Linen

cloth , being draAvn up , the spectators were amaz'd it should be so fresh lying iu such a dark hole . The Book being opened surprized both the Jews and Grecians that

were present ; they found in the beginning of it , these words were capital letters : In the beginning was the Word and the Word Avas with God , ancl the Word was God and indeed , saith the Historian , that Sci ipture did manifestly contain all the Gospel which the Beloved Disci ple , St .

John had declared . " The foregoing occurs after a description of the attempt of Julian , the Apostate , to rebuild the Temple , and is so much like the previous extract that nothing short of a common origin can account for their agreement . We have been told that there are other

curious references to legends now incorporated in masonic degrees in ancient writings , but bave not yet been able to verify the statement ; in one work especially , by Philostorgus , a Greek author who lived in the fifth century . We have not succeeded in inducing the brother who

knous the allusions mentioned , to transcribe them , as they are "too broadly made to allow my scruples , " to do so , '' and more particularly as reference is made to things beyond Craft Masonry . " He says , however , that " the Historian , Philostorgus ,

Avas evidently not out of our Order , and happy am I . that he Avas not , since this proof of tbe truth of our Traditions would , in . all probabality , have never reached us . " The subject is worth investigation , ancl we hope Dr . MACKEY will find time to di p into the History by this learned Greek , so as to

test the foregoing declaration , and if possible , to trace the ori gin of some more of our masonic legends . If we mistake not , the cave , so graphically ancl similarly described iu the two preceding extracts is in all probabilit y , the original of the legend of the Royal Arch and some of the degrees

of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry . It is surely more reasonable to suppose that each legend of onr masonic degrees is an adaptation of Traditions previously circulated without any connection with the Craft , than to believe

that our masonic legends or traditions are peculiar to the Society , and have always been so—a belief contrary to fact . We must now conclude these researches for the time , ancl if our readers have been interested in the enquiry opened up , ajid desire to pursue the investigation , we uuvy > ere long , decide to present a sketch of the