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Article THE LODGE AS A SYMBOL OP THE WOELD ← Page 11 of 11
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The Lodge As A Symbol Op The Woeld
the modern popular meaning , but love—that love which " suffereth long and is kind } " and in our lectures on this subject , we speak of it as the greatest of virtues—because when Eaith is lost and Hope has ceased , it extends " beyond the grave to realms of endless bliss "—we there refer it to the divine love of our Creator . But
Portal , in his " Essay on Symbolic Colours , " informs us that the sun represents divine love , and gold indicates the goodness of God . So , that if charity is equivalent to divine love , and divine love is represented by the sun , and lastly , if charity be the topmost round of the Masonic ladder , then again we arrive , as the result of our researches , at the symbol so often already repeated of . the solar orb . The natural sun or the spiritual sun—the sun , either as the
vivifying principle of animated nature , and therefore the special object of adoration , or as the most prominent instrument of the Creator ' s benevolence—w as a leading idea in ancient symbolism . Its prevalence , therefore , in the Masonic institution , is a pregnant evidence of the close analogy existing between it and all these
systems . How that analogy was first introduced , and how it is to be explained , without detriment to the purity and truthfulness of our own religious character , w ould involve a long inquiry into the origin
of Ereemasonry , and the history of its connection with the ancient systems . These researches might have been extended still further ; enough , however , has been said to establish the following principles : — 1 . That Ereemasonry is , strictly speaking , a science of symbolism . 2 . That in this symbolism it bears a striking analogy to the same
science , as seen in the mystic rites of the ancient religions . 3 . That as in these ancient religions the universe was symbolized
to the candidate , and the sun , as its vivifying principle , made the object of his adoration , or at least of his veneration—so in Masonry , the lodge is made the representative of the world or the universe , and the sun is presented as its most prominent symbol . 4 . That this identity of symbolism proves an identity of origin , which identity of origin can be shown to be strictly compatible with the true religious sentiment of Masonry .
And fifthly and lastly , that the whole symbolism of Ereemasonry has an exclusive reference to what the Kabbalists have called the Algabil—the Master Builder—him , whom Ereemasons have designated as the Grand Architect of the universe .
Masonic Truth . —A few trite lessons upon the rudiments of architecture , a few ordinary maxims of morality , a few unimportant traditions—will no longer satisfy the earnest inquirer after masonic truth . Let him who is satisfied and content with them , remain where lie is , and seek to ascend no higher . But let him who desires to understand the harmonious and beautiful proportions of Masonry , read , study , reflect , digest , and inwardly discriminate . The true mason is an ardent seeker after knowledge ; and he knows that books are vessels which eome down to us full freighted with the intellectual riches of the past ; and that in the lading of these argosies is much that sheds light upon the history of Masonry , and proves its claims to he regarded as the great benefaction of mankind .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Lodge As A Symbol Op The Woeld
the modern popular meaning , but love—that love which " suffereth long and is kind } " and in our lectures on this subject , we speak of it as the greatest of virtues—because when Eaith is lost and Hope has ceased , it extends " beyond the grave to realms of endless bliss "—we there refer it to the divine love of our Creator . But
Portal , in his " Essay on Symbolic Colours , " informs us that the sun represents divine love , and gold indicates the goodness of God . So , that if charity is equivalent to divine love , and divine love is represented by the sun , and lastly , if charity be the topmost round of the Masonic ladder , then again we arrive , as the result of our researches , at the symbol so often already repeated of . the solar orb . The natural sun or the spiritual sun—the sun , either as the
vivifying principle of animated nature , and therefore the special object of adoration , or as the most prominent instrument of the Creator ' s benevolence—w as a leading idea in ancient symbolism . Its prevalence , therefore , in the Masonic institution , is a pregnant evidence of the close analogy existing between it and all these
systems . How that analogy was first introduced , and how it is to be explained , without detriment to the purity and truthfulness of our own religious character , w ould involve a long inquiry into the origin
of Ereemasonry , and the history of its connection with the ancient systems . These researches might have been extended still further ; enough , however , has been said to establish the following principles : — 1 . That Ereemasonry is , strictly speaking , a science of symbolism . 2 . That in this symbolism it bears a striking analogy to the same
science , as seen in the mystic rites of the ancient religions . 3 . That as in these ancient religions the universe was symbolized
to the candidate , and the sun , as its vivifying principle , made the object of his adoration , or at least of his veneration—so in Masonry , the lodge is made the representative of the world or the universe , and the sun is presented as its most prominent symbol . 4 . That this identity of symbolism proves an identity of origin , which identity of origin can be shown to be strictly compatible with the true religious sentiment of Masonry .
And fifthly and lastly , that the whole symbolism of Ereemasonry has an exclusive reference to what the Kabbalists have called the Algabil—the Master Builder—him , whom Ereemasons have designated as the Grand Architect of the universe .
Masonic Truth . —A few trite lessons upon the rudiments of architecture , a few ordinary maxims of morality , a few unimportant traditions—will no longer satisfy the earnest inquirer after masonic truth . Let him who is satisfied and content with them , remain where lie is , and seek to ascend no higher . But let him who desires to understand the harmonious and beautiful proportions of Masonry , read , study , reflect , digest , and inwardly discriminate . The true mason is an ardent seeker after knowledge ; and he knows that books are vessels which eome down to us full freighted with the intellectual riches of the past ; and that in the lading of these argosies is much that sheds light upon the history of Masonry , and proves its claims to he regarded as the great benefaction of mankind .