The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

was sacred to the Eleusmian goddess—or at least connected with her worship ; for adjoining her temple in Arcadia were two gigantic stones , one of which was upright , and the other placed over it horizontally , forming altogether a correct specimen of the San cross . They were called Petroma ,

and contained an aperture in the upper surface , wherein was deposited a mask shaped like the head of a wolf ( loup ) which was borne by the aspirant at his initiation .

This ceremony has been adduced as the origin of the name of Lewis , as applied to the son of a master mason , who was sometimes called Loufton , Looton , Loveson , or Loupton ; in French , Loveteau . The soul of the perfectly initiated epopt was hence termed the young wolf (

louveteaujeune loup . ) Macrobious says the ancients observed an affinity between a wolf and the sun , whom the candidate represented when he was performing the circumambulation of the mysteries , from east to west by the south . " At the approach of the wolf , "

they said , " the flock disperses ; " alluding to the stars ,, the celestial flock , which disappear at the approach of the sun . The above is the French explanation of the origin and application of the word Lewis . Our explanation is more simple and pleasing . The Lewis , which was allowed a place amongst our emblems about the middle of the last century , is the

same given to the son of a Master Mason . In operative architecture it is an instrument used to support heavy weights which are to be raised to the higher parts of a building by being inserted into the surface for the purpose . In like manner when a Master Mason falls into the vale of years

he becomes incapable of active exertion , and is supported , succoured , and nourished by his son , the Lewis , who is able and willing to bear in his father ' s stead the burden and heat of the day . The analogy holds good in the druidical

mythology of our own island . On our ancient British coins we find an Ear of Corn , " which was an attribute of Ceres or Isis , even amongst the Britons ; for she is styled by the bards Ogyrven , Amhad , the goddess of various seeds ; and we are told that the aragoe chief of the world , or in other words the diluvian patriarch , formed the curvatures of Ry d , which passed the dales of

grievous waters , or the deluge , having the fore part stored with corn , and mounted aloft with the connected serpents . In the mystical process of initiation , the arkite goddess devours the aspirant when he has assumed the form of a grain of loheat ; and that the aspirant says of

himself that he had been a grain of tho Arkites , which had grown upon a hill . Hence the priests of this goddess are styled Hotigion—bearers of ears of corn ; and it was the office of Aneurin , her distinguished votary , to protect the ear of corn on the

height . Thus it appears that this symbol was sacred to the Arkite goddess ; or Isis the goddess of the lunette . * And further , as a grain of corn , being committed to the earth , produce other fruits in its own likeness , so it was made an

emblem of marriage ; and in ancient times wheat was cast upon the head of the bride on her return from church as an emblem of fertility . The custom was derived from the heathen . Selden says : " Quanquam sacra quce fuere in confarreatione paganica , utpote Christianismo plane adversantia

, sub ejusdem initia , etiam apud paganos evanuSre nihilomiuus farris epsius usus aliguis solennes in libis conficiendia , diffringendis , communicandis , locis saltern in mounullis semper obtinuit . Certe frequentissimus apud Anglos est et antiquitus fuit

liborum admodum grandium in nuptiis usus , quje BRIDE CAKES id est , liba spousalitia sen nuptialia apellitant . Ea quae turn a spousis ipsis confecta turn ah profiniquis amicisque solenniter muneri nuptiali data . "t

An Ear of Corn was further symbolical of the resurrection and a future stake , and is frequently used in this sense in the sacred writings . Thus the close of life at mat' . tre age , h compared to a shock of corn fully ripe . J And to the same purpose

Euripides , as quoted by Cicero in his Tuscalar questions . Quse generi humano angorem nequicquam ad fertint , Keddenda est terra terra , turn vita omnibus Metenda , ut fruges , sic jubet necessitas . Our Saviour compares himself to a corn