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Article CliASSIOAL EEBEMASONRY, ← Page 5 of 11 →
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Cliassioal Eebemasonry,
actions in which these are particularly engaged , will he considered only as various personifications of the attributes ascribed to the Supreme Being , representing his wisdom , power , universal intelligence , and that care with which he superintends the government of mankind . This is the manner in which Homer appears to have
contemplated the Deity and his perfections as the moral Governor of the universe . When displayed with such strength of colouring by a creative imagination , to a superficial mind they may appear as so many separate beings ; whereas , when the veil is thrown aside , they are beheld as emanations from the Supreme Mind , which enlighten , indeed separately , the various departments of his government , but which all of them centre , when traced to their source , in one
complete and undivided Original . If Orpheus was great as a poet , he was still greater as a musician . When the reformer of mankind tuned his lyre , and raised the minds of his hearers to the contemplation of these sublime objects- —accompanying the researches of philosophy with the irresistible charms of melodious versification ~ they grew insensibly mild as they listened , and their thoughts were exalted by the greatness of his subjects—their ferocity was subdued by
the sweetness and harmony of his numbers ; and succeeding generations , astpnished at the change which this divine poet had wrought upon the characters of mankind , fabled that he had taught the woods to dance , the streams to hang suspended , the tiger to leave his prey , and even the lion to become gentle , obsequious , and submissive : —
Silvestres homines , sacer interpresque Deorum Csedibus et victu foedo deterruit Orpheus ; Dictus oh hoc lenire tigres rabidosque leones . —Hor The wood-born race of men wdien Orpheus tamed , From acorns and from mutual Wood reclaim'd , The Priest divine was fabled to assuage The tiger ' s fierceness and the lion ' s rage . —Francis .
Without , therefore , falling into the error of those who attempt to deduce from the inspired writings every absurdity of mythology , and almost every stroke of excursive imagination , it may , we think , be supposed that the Greek poet , during his residence among the Egyptians , became acquainted with these twin arts of poetry and music ( in which he excelled in their highest perfection ) from models preserved by that cultivated people , but which had a Hebrew origin , and were originally appropriated to the worship of God , among a
people consecrated to his service . Thus the vjjlvoq or " song of praise" of the Supreme Being , was originally introduced by Orpheus , and sung at the initiation of candidates into the sacred rites or mysteries . These mysteries were , at a remote period , in the highest estimation , and exercised an , important influence over the intellectual development of mankind . Orpheus is said to have been taught his mysteries by the Idsean Dactyli , and to have introduced them into Thrace , whence they were gradually propagated throughout all Greece by his initiated followers . The nature of these mysteries is involved
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Cliassioal Eebemasonry,
actions in which these are particularly engaged , will he considered only as various personifications of the attributes ascribed to the Supreme Being , representing his wisdom , power , universal intelligence , and that care with which he superintends the government of mankind . This is the manner in which Homer appears to have
contemplated the Deity and his perfections as the moral Governor of the universe . When displayed with such strength of colouring by a creative imagination , to a superficial mind they may appear as so many separate beings ; whereas , when the veil is thrown aside , they are beheld as emanations from the Supreme Mind , which enlighten , indeed separately , the various departments of his government , but which all of them centre , when traced to their source , in one
complete and undivided Original . If Orpheus was great as a poet , he was still greater as a musician . When the reformer of mankind tuned his lyre , and raised the minds of his hearers to the contemplation of these sublime objects- —accompanying the researches of philosophy with the irresistible charms of melodious versification ~ they grew insensibly mild as they listened , and their thoughts were exalted by the greatness of his subjects—their ferocity was subdued by
the sweetness and harmony of his numbers ; and succeeding generations , astpnished at the change which this divine poet had wrought upon the characters of mankind , fabled that he had taught the woods to dance , the streams to hang suspended , the tiger to leave his prey , and even the lion to become gentle , obsequious , and submissive : —
Silvestres homines , sacer interpresque Deorum Csedibus et victu foedo deterruit Orpheus ; Dictus oh hoc lenire tigres rabidosque leones . —Hor The wood-born race of men wdien Orpheus tamed , From acorns and from mutual Wood reclaim'd , The Priest divine was fabled to assuage The tiger ' s fierceness and the lion ' s rage . —Francis .
Without , therefore , falling into the error of those who attempt to deduce from the inspired writings every absurdity of mythology , and almost every stroke of excursive imagination , it may , we think , be supposed that the Greek poet , during his residence among the Egyptians , became acquainted with these twin arts of poetry and music ( in which he excelled in their highest perfection ) from models preserved by that cultivated people , but which had a Hebrew origin , and were originally appropriated to the worship of God , among a
people consecrated to his service . Thus the vjjlvoq or " song of praise" of the Supreme Being , was originally introduced by Orpheus , and sung at the initiation of candidates into the sacred rites or mysteries . These mysteries were , at a remote period , in the highest estimation , and exercised an , important influence over the intellectual development of mankind . Orpheus is said to have been taught his mysteries by the Idsean Dactyli , and to have introduced them into Thrace , whence they were gradually propagated throughout all Greece by his initiated followers . The nature of these mysteries is involved