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Article THE LODGE AS A SYMBOL OP THE WOELD ← Page 8 of 11 →
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The Lodge As A Symbol Op The Woeld
Thus , in one of the Orphic Hymns , we find this line : — ( C "Zeitg apvnv yevero , Zevq afAjSpoTOQ eirXeTO vv / jl
a male and female intelligence , being both life and light , brought forth another intelligence , the Creator of the world . " Now , this hermaphrodism of the supreme divinity was again
supposed to be represented by the sun , w hich was the male ^ generative energy , and by nature , or the universe , which was the female prolific principle . * And this union was symbolized in different ways , but principally by the point within the circle , the point indicating the sun , and the circle the universe , invigorated and fertilized by his generative rays . And in some of the Indian cave temples , this allusion was made more manifest by the inscription of the signs of the zodiac on the circle .
So far , then , we arrive at the true interpretation of the Masonic symbolism of the point within the circle . It is the same thing , but under a different form , as the Master and "Wardens of a Lodge . The Master and Wardens are symbols of the sun , the lodge of the universe or world , just as the point is the symbol of the same sun , and the surrounding circle of the universe .
But the two perpendicular parallel lines remain to be explained . Every one is familiar with the very recent interpretation / that they represent the two Saints John , the Baptist and the Evangelist . But this modern exposition must be abandoned , if we desire to obtain the true ancient signification . In the first place , we must call to mind the fact that , at two particular points of his course , the sun is found in the zodiacal signs of Cancer and Capricorn . These points are astronomically distinguished as the summer and winter solstice . When the sun is in these
points , he has reached his greatest northern and southern declination , and produces the most evident effects on the temperature of the seasons , and on the length of the days and nights . These points , if we suppose the circle to represent the sun ' s apparent course , will be
indicated by the points where the parallel lines touch the circle , or , in other words , the parallels will indicate the limits of the sun ' s extreme northern and southern declination , when he arrives at the solstitial points of Cancer and Capricorn . But the days when the sun reaches these points are , respectively , the 21 st of June and the 22 nd of December , and this will account for
* The world being animated by man , says Oreuzer ( in his learned work on Symbolism ) received from him the two sexes , represented by heaven and the earth . Heaven , as the fecundating principle , was male , and the source of fire ; the earth , as the fecundated , was female , and the source of humidity . All tilings issued from the alliance of these two principles . The vivifying powers of the heavens are concentrated in the sun , and the earth , externally fixed in the place which it occupies , receives the emanations from the sun , through the medium of the moon , which sheds upon the earth the germs which the sun had deposited in its fertile bosom . The lingam is at once the symbol and the mystery of this religious idea .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Lodge As A Symbol Op The Woeld
Thus , in one of the Orphic Hymns , we find this line : — ( C "Zeitg apvnv yevero , Zevq afAjSpoTOQ eirXeTO vv / jl
a male and female intelligence , being both life and light , brought forth another intelligence , the Creator of the world . " Now , this hermaphrodism of the supreme divinity was again
supposed to be represented by the sun , w hich was the male ^ generative energy , and by nature , or the universe , which was the female prolific principle . * And this union was symbolized in different ways , but principally by the point within the circle , the point indicating the sun , and the circle the universe , invigorated and fertilized by his generative rays . And in some of the Indian cave temples , this allusion was made more manifest by the inscription of the signs of the zodiac on the circle .
So far , then , we arrive at the true interpretation of the Masonic symbolism of the point within the circle . It is the same thing , but under a different form , as the Master and "Wardens of a Lodge . The Master and Wardens are symbols of the sun , the lodge of the universe or world , just as the point is the symbol of the same sun , and the surrounding circle of the universe .
But the two perpendicular parallel lines remain to be explained . Every one is familiar with the very recent interpretation / that they represent the two Saints John , the Baptist and the Evangelist . But this modern exposition must be abandoned , if we desire to obtain the true ancient signification . In the first place , we must call to mind the fact that , at two particular points of his course , the sun is found in the zodiacal signs of Cancer and Capricorn . These points are astronomically distinguished as the summer and winter solstice . When the sun is in these
points , he has reached his greatest northern and southern declination , and produces the most evident effects on the temperature of the seasons , and on the length of the days and nights . These points , if we suppose the circle to represent the sun ' s apparent course , will be
indicated by the points where the parallel lines touch the circle , or , in other words , the parallels will indicate the limits of the sun ' s extreme northern and southern declination , when he arrives at the solstitial points of Cancer and Capricorn . But the days when the sun reaches these points are , respectively , the 21 st of June and the 22 nd of December , and this will account for
* The world being animated by man , says Oreuzer ( in his learned work on Symbolism ) received from him the two sexes , represented by heaven and the earth . Heaven , as the fecundating principle , was male , and the source of fire ; the earth , as the fecundated , was female , and the source of humidity . All tilings issued from the alliance of these two principles . The vivifying powers of the heavens are concentrated in the sun , and the earth , externally fixed in the place which it occupies , receives the emanations from the sun , through the medium of the moon , which sheds upon the earth the germs which the sun had deposited in its fertile bosom . The lingam is at once the symbol and the mystery of this religious idea .