Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
; : : ^
'¦ . ¦ -. .. t ¦ . ' :: " ¦ ¦ .: i ¦ - ' ¦ ¦ ¦ . . ¦ ¦'" .-..: " . fc : " : ¦ . ¦; ' " ¦ - " ¦ ' ' ;¦ . ' ¦ '"¦ .. ' .. ' '¦ ' ¦' . ¦ ' .. ¦ ¦¦ ¦ : .. ¦¦ ' , inscribe an oblong figure ^ whose b just that portion \^ Solomonj these lines , running a sh the 3 fediteri ? an ^ ixx the we ^ t to A : sia Minor in the east , wo ^
southern shore of E ^ western shore of Asia , w ^ 60 ? , would be irOin east to west , and whos ^ to ^ rLortji to south . This oblong squ are ^
what was then supp would |* epi ? esent precisely of aLddgCy v ^ of the Straits o ^ G ^ pillars that stood at the p ^^ therefore ^ : ^
phis symbol lis sometimes , by a . very usuW tended in & synonymous , when tho ^ universe * The ^ thing . ; ' ; > v ; ^
By always rememben and fe explain many other syinbols attached princi pal ^ and . % e are enabled , too , to collate and compare these with symbols of other kindred institutions ; for it shot ^ this symbolism of the world widely pervaded all the ancient rites and mysteries . . ' : : ' ' ¦ ¦¦ ' : ;; ¦
; p ' -t ^^; J / , tB'in ^ , be interesting to extend our investigations on this subject , with a particular view to the way in which this symbolism of the world was developed in some of its most prominent details , and for this purpose I shall select the mystical explanation of the officers of a Lodge , its covering , and a portion of its ornaments .
The three principal officers of a Lodge are , it is needless to say , seated in the east , the west , and the south . Now , with the recollection that the Lodge is a symbol of the world or the universe , the reference of these three officers to the Sun in its rising , its setting , and its meridian height , must at once suggest itself . This is the first development of the symbol ; and a brief inquiry will satisfy us of its antiquity and its universality .
In the Brahminical initiations of Hindostan , which are among the earliest that have been handed down to us , and may be almost considered as a cradle of all the others , the ceremonies were performed in a vast cavern , the remains of some of which at Salsette , Elephanta ,
and a few other places , will give the spectator but a very imperfect notion of the extent and splendour of these ancient Indian lodges . More imperfect remains than these are still to be found in great numbers throughout Hindostan and Cashmere ; their form was sometimes that of a cross , emblematic of the four elements of which
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
; : : ^
'¦ . ¦ -. .. t ¦ . ' :: " ¦ ¦ .: i ¦ - ' ¦ ¦ ¦ . . ¦ ¦'" .-..: " . fc : " : ¦ . ¦; ' " ¦ - " ¦ ' ' ;¦ . ' ¦ '"¦ .. ' .. ' '¦ ' ¦' . ¦ ' .. ¦ ¦¦ ¦ : .. ¦¦ ' , inscribe an oblong figure ^ whose b just that portion \^ Solomonj these lines , running a sh the 3 fediteri ? an ^ ixx the we ^ t to A : sia Minor in the east , wo ^
southern shore of E ^ western shore of Asia , w ^ 60 ? , would be irOin east to west , and whos ^ to ^ rLortji to south . This oblong squ are ^
what was then supp would |* epi ? esent precisely of aLddgCy v ^ of the Straits o ^ G ^ pillars that stood at the p ^^ therefore ^ : ^
phis symbol lis sometimes , by a . very usuW tended in & synonymous , when tho ^ universe * The ^ thing . ; ' ; > v ; ^
By always rememben and fe explain many other syinbols attached princi pal ^ and . % e are enabled , too , to collate and compare these with symbols of other kindred institutions ; for it shot ^ this symbolism of the world widely pervaded all the ancient rites and mysteries . . ' : : ' ' ¦ ¦¦ ' : ;; ¦
; p ' -t ^^; J / , tB'in ^ , be interesting to extend our investigations on this subject , with a particular view to the way in which this symbolism of the world was developed in some of its most prominent details , and for this purpose I shall select the mystical explanation of the officers of a Lodge , its covering , and a portion of its ornaments .
The three principal officers of a Lodge are , it is needless to say , seated in the east , the west , and the south . Now , with the recollection that the Lodge is a symbol of the world or the universe , the reference of these three officers to the Sun in its rising , its setting , and its meridian height , must at once suggest itself . This is the first development of the symbol ; and a brief inquiry will satisfy us of its antiquity and its universality .
In the Brahminical initiations of Hindostan , which are among the earliest that have been handed down to us , and may be almost considered as a cradle of all the others , the ceremonies were performed in a vast cavern , the remains of some of which at Salsette , Elephanta ,
and a few other places , will give the spectator but a very imperfect notion of the extent and splendour of these ancient Indian lodges . More imperfect remains than these are still to be found in great numbers throughout Hindostan and Cashmere ; their form was sometimes that of a cross , emblematic of the four elements of which