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Article THE LODGE AS A SYMBOL OP THE WOELD ← Page 5 of 11 →
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The Lodge As A Symbol Op The Woeld
lamps , and there sat in the east , the west , and the south , the principal hierophants or explainers of the mysteries , as the representatives of Brahma , Vishnu , and Siva . JSTow Brahma was the supreme deity of the Hindus , borrowed or derived from the sun-god of their Sabean ancestors , and Vishnu and Siva were but manifestations of his attributes . "We learn from the Indian pantheon , that " when the
sun rises in the east , he is Brahma ; when he gains his meridian in the south , he is Siva ; and when he sets in the west , he is Vishnu . " Again , in the Zoroasteric mysteries of Persia the temple of initiation was circular , being made so to represent the universe ; and the sun in the east , with the surrounding zodiac , formed an indispensable part ' of the ceremonv of reception . *'
In the Egyptian mysteries of Osiris the same reference to the sun is contained ; and Herodotus , who was himself initiated , intimates that the ceremonies consisted in the representation of a sun-god , who had been incarnate , that is , had appeared upon earth or rose , and who was at length put to death by Typhon , the symbol of darkness , typical of the sun ' s setting .
In the great mysteries of Eleusis , t which were celebrated at Athens , we learn from Chrysostom , as well as other authorities , that the temple of initiation was symbolic of the universe ; and we know that one of the officers represented the sun . J In the Celtic mysteries of the Druids the temple of initiation was either oval , to represent the mundane egg—a symbol , as has already
been said , of the world , —or circular ,, because the circle was a symbol of the universe—or cruciform , in allusion to the four elements or constituents of the universe . In the island of Lewis , in Scotland , there is one combining the cruciform and circular form . There is a circle consisting of twelve stones , while three more are placed in the east , and as many in the west and south , and thirty-eight in two parallel lines in the north , forming an avenue to the circular temple . In the
centre of the circle is the image of the god . In the initiations into these rites the solar deity performed an important part , and the celebrations commenced at day-break , when the sun was hailed on his appearance above the horizon as " the god of victory 5 the king who rises in light , and ascends the sky . " But I need not multiplv these instances of sun worship . Every
* Zoroaster taught that the sun was the most perfect fire of God , the throne of his glory , and the residence of his divine presence , and he therefore instructed his disciples " to direct all their worship to God first toward the sun ( which they called Mithras ) , and next toward their sacred fires , as being the things in which God chiefly dwelt ; and their ordinary way of worship was to do so toward both . For when they came before these fires to worship they cdivays approached them on the west side , that having their faces toward them , and also toward the rising sun at the same time , they might direct their worship to both . And in this posture they always performed every act of their worship . "— Pridcanx , Connection , i . 21 C .
t f'rJ he mysteries of Ceres [ or Eleusis ] are principally distinguished from all others , as having been the depositaries of certain traditions coeval with the world . "—Ouvaroff , Essay on the Mysteries of Eleusis , p . G . t The Dadouchos , or torch-bearer , carried a symbol o f the sun .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Lodge As A Symbol Op The Woeld
lamps , and there sat in the east , the west , and the south , the principal hierophants or explainers of the mysteries , as the representatives of Brahma , Vishnu , and Siva . JSTow Brahma was the supreme deity of the Hindus , borrowed or derived from the sun-god of their Sabean ancestors , and Vishnu and Siva were but manifestations of his attributes . "We learn from the Indian pantheon , that " when the
sun rises in the east , he is Brahma ; when he gains his meridian in the south , he is Siva ; and when he sets in the west , he is Vishnu . " Again , in the Zoroasteric mysteries of Persia the temple of initiation was circular , being made so to represent the universe ; and the sun in the east , with the surrounding zodiac , formed an indispensable part ' of the ceremonv of reception . *'
In the Egyptian mysteries of Osiris the same reference to the sun is contained ; and Herodotus , who was himself initiated , intimates that the ceremonies consisted in the representation of a sun-god , who had been incarnate , that is , had appeared upon earth or rose , and who was at length put to death by Typhon , the symbol of darkness , typical of the sun ' s setting .
In the great mysteries of Eleusis , t which were celebrated at Athens , we learn from Chrysostom , as well as other authorities , that the temple of initiation was symbolic of the universe ; and we know that one of the officers represented the sun . J In the Celtic mysteries of the Druids the temple of initiation was either oval , to represent the mundane egg—a symbol , as has already
been said , of the world , —or circular ,, because the circle was a symbol of the universe—or cruciform , in allusion to the four elements or constituents of the universe . In the island of Lewis , in Scotland , there is one combining the cruciform and circular form . There is a circle consisting of twelve stones , while three more are placed in the east , and as many in the west and south , and thirty-eight in two parallel lines in the north , forming an avenue to the circular temple . In the
centre of the circle is the image of the god . In the initiations into these rites the solar deity performed an important part , and the celebrations commenced at day-break , when the sun was hailed on his appearance above the horizon as " the god of victory 5 the king who rises in light , and ascends the sky . " But I need not multiplv these instances of sun worship . Every
* Zoroaster taught that the sun was the most perfect fire of God , the throne of his glory , and the residence of his divine presence , and he therefore instructed his disciples " to direct all their worship to God first toward the sun ( which they called Mithras ) , and next toward their sacred fires , as being the things in which God chiefly dwelt ; and their ordinary way of worship was to do so toward both . For when they came before these fires to worship they cdivays approached them on the west side , that having their faces toward them , and also toward the rising sun at the same time , they might direct their worship to both . And in this posture they always performed every act of their worship . "— Pridcanx , Connection , i . 21 C .
t f'rJ he mysteries of Ceres [ or Eleusis ] are principally distinguished from all others , as having been the depositaries of certain traditions coeval with the world . "—Ouvaroff , Essay on the Mysteries of Eleusis , p . G . t The Dadouchos , or torch-bearer , carried a symbol o f the sun .