The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

prevailed amongst a great many that it was contained iu the ancient sacred writings of the Romans that about this time there should arise in Judea a being called OBZEUS , who should obtain the empire of the world . " * Suetonius t and Josophns $ both repeat the same prophecy . In a word , the traditions of all nations foretell the coining of a hero who is to descend from heaven and bring back Astrcea to the earth . The Persians call him

Mithras ; the Egyptians , Orus ; the Tyrians , Adonis ; the Greeks , Apollo , and sometimes Jupiter , the Conductor aud Saviour . They 'differ in description , but all agree in the same truths , although many of them , and particularly Pythagoras , ivho was familiar with the mysteries of every country , were afraid to reveal it openly . The last enlightened philosopher taught it to his initiated disciples as an ineffable secret ; but it was under the most fearful penalties . By his followers it was conveyed to Socrates ; and Plato , ivho introduced it into his dialogues , put it into the mouth of Alcibiades . These are the words : " When will the time come , and who is he that will instruct us in the nature and worship of God ? How anxiously do I desire to see that man !"

We learn from subsequent revelations that T . G . A . O . T . U . was aclniowledged m the Greater Mj ^ steries under the name of LOGOS or WORD , who , as it was then asserted , at some future propitious period would appear amongst mankind incarnate , to enlighten their understanding ancl deliver them from the dominion of error . Plato seems to have entertained considerable doubts about the doctrine of human redemption , because , as he candidly acknowledged , it was beyond his comprehension ; although he implicitly believed in the future advent of a Mediator , called by Philo the Divine Word , and a

Super-celestial Star ; ancl impatiently waited for His appearance , in the assured hope that by Him the true interpretation of these mysteries would be clearly revealed . It is a curious fact that while explaining the characters of the three divine personages ivho appeared to Abraham , the above writer says : " The Father of all things is in the Middle , and is denominated in Scripture HE THAT IS . On each side are the poAvers nearest to him , one of which is called the Creature , ancl the other the Governing Power . He therefore ivho is in the Middle , being attended by these powers , represents the visual intellect , and is sometimes OifB and sometimes TintEE . "

This Middle God , in the religious system of every nation , ivas represented to be born of a virgin , § ancl engaged in a constant warfare with the evil principle . In all cases he Avas considered as the god of combats , and it is an extraordinary coincidence that King David , who was an acknowledged type of Christ , has been denominated " the god of spiritual combats . " Li the MSS . of the 13 th century , he is frequently represented as standing before a red angel bearing a drairn sword , as a symbol of divine love

animating him to destroy the works of the devil ; red being the emblem of love . Even the Chinese books hieroglyphically speak of the sufferings and conflicts of Kium-Tse , just as the Persians do of the combats of Mithras ; the Egyptians of the murder of Osiris ; the Tyrians of the death of Adonis ; and the Greeks of the labours ancl painful exploits of a son of Jupiter who came doivn upon earth to exterminate monsters . We can therefore be at no loss to conclude that the source of all their allegories was an ancient

tradition , common to all nations , that the Middle God was to expiate and put an end to crime by His own sufferings . )! It is evident , therefore , that a knowledge of these important facts in the history of ouv redemption had been embodied in the Spurious Freemasonry , where the Messiah , in the execution , of His holy office , woidd be subjected to a contest with Satan , whose head lie was destined to bruise , ^ ancl did actually bruise , by the destruction of serpent-worship , and . the conversion of the Dracontian temples into Christian churches . During His ministry on earth He baffled the tempter in the Avilderness ; cast out evil spirits