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Article THE RITES OP FREEMASONRY. ← Page 8 of 14 →
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The Rites Op Freemasonry.
taking up the system that had been adopted iu the Avignon Lodge , and from it franving what is uoav known as—The Rite of Sivedenborg , which had the six grades of Apprentice ; FelloAV Craft ; Master Tlieosophite ; Illuminated Theosophite ; Blue Brother ; and Red Brother . It is said that this rite is still practised in some Lodges in SAveden . Rosetti , in his " Essay on the Anti-Papal
Spirit of Secret Societies , " asserts that an expert Mason Avould find much of the institution of Freemasonry in the writings of Swedenborg ; but excepting some principles general to Christians , as well as Masons , we ourselves have not been able to discover anything to sIioav that SAvedenborg Avas a Freemason . Swedenborg , for fifty-eight years of his life , devoted himself to the cultivation of science , and produced a-great number * of works , in which he broached some novel and
ingenious theories , one of which consists in applying positive science to all geometry ; for instance , one of his rather incomprehensible rules , runs thus : — " The beginning of nature is the same as the beginning of geometry : thus natural particles arise from mathematical points , precisely as the lines and forms of geometry ; and this , because everything in nature is geometric . " His scientific labours are forgotten , but his theological labours , which occupied the latter part of his life , resulted in the establishment of a sect , or new church , designated by his name , in England , the United States , SAveden , and Germany . He
was a most methodical man , and laid doAAm these rules for the guidance of his life : —1 . Often to read and meditate upon the word of God , 2 . To submit everything to the will of Divine Providence . 3 . To observe in everything a propriety of behaviour , and always to keep the conscience clear . 4 . To discharge Avith fidelity the functions of his employment , and the duties of his office , and to render himself in all things useful to society . The tenets inculcated in his writings
and adopted by his followers are—1 . There is one God ; that there is in Him a Divine Trinity , and that He is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . 2 . That having faith consists in believing in Him . 3 . That evil actions ought not to be done , because they are of the deA il and from the devil . 4 . That good actions ought to be done , because they are of God and from God . 5 . And that they should be done by man himself , as of himself ; nevertheless , under the belief that they
are from the Lord , operating in him and by him . This is all very good ; but we are led to suppose that it Avas Swedenborg ' s rcA ^ eries concerning angels , and celestial visions that Avere transformed into the rites we have alluded to—and with these Masonry can have no connexion .
The Rite of Zinnendorff was a modification of the Illuminism of Avignon , Avith additions from the Swedenborgian , and combining also several selections from the Scotch and other rites . Its promulgator , Count Zinnendorff , Avas the chief physician to the emperor Charles VI . The system consisted of seven degrees , divided into three sections , the first of which is entitled St . John ' s Masonry , and comprises , 1 . Entered Apprentice ; 2 . Fellow Craft ; 3 . Master Mason ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Rites Op Freemasonry.
taking up the system that had been adopted iu the Avignon Lodge , and from it franving what is uoav known as—The Rite of Sivedenborg , which had the six grades of Apprentice ; FelloAV Craft ; Master Tlieosophite ; Illuminated Theosophite ; Blue Brother ; and Red Brother . It is said that this rite is still practised in some Lodges in SAveden . Rosetti , in his " Essay on the Anti-Papal
Spirit of Secret Societies , " asserts that an expert Mason Avould find much of the institution of Freemasonry in the writings of Swedenborg ; but excepting some principles general to Christians , as well as Masons , we ourselves have not been able to discover anything to sIioav that SAvedenborg Avas a Freemason . Swedenborg , for fifty-eight years of his life , devoted himself to the cultivation of science , and produced a-great number * of works , in which he broached some novel and
ingenious theories , one of which consists in applying positive science to all geometry ; for instance , one of his rather incomprehensible rules , runs thus : — " The beginning of nature is the same as the beginning of geometry : thus natural particles arise from mathematical points , precisely as the lines and forms of geometry ; and this , because everything in nature is geometric . " His scientific labours are forgotten , but his theological labours , which occupied the latter part of his life , resulted in the establishment of a sect , or new church , designated by his name , in England , the United States , SAveden , and Germany . He
was a most methodical man , and laid doAAm these rules for the guidance of his life : —1 . Often to read and meditate upon the word of God , 2 . To submit everything to the will of Divine Providence . 3 . To observe in everything a propriety of behaviour , and always to keep the conscience clear . 4 . To discharge Avith fidelity the functions of his employment , and the duties of his office , and to render himself in all things useful to society . The tenets inculcated in his writings
and adopted by his followers are—1 . There is one God ; that there is in Him a Divine Trinity , and that He is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . 2 . That having faith consists in believing in Him . 3 . That evil actions ought not to be done , because they are of the deA il and from the devil . 4 . That good actions ought to be done , because they are of God and from God . 5 . And that they should be done by man himself , as of himself ; nevertheless , under the belief that they
are from the Lord , operating in him and by him . This is all very good ; but we are led to suppose that it Avas Swedenborg ' s rcA ^ eries concerning angels , and celestial visions that Avere transformed into the rites we have alluded to—and with these Masonry can have no connexion .
The Rite of Zinnendorff was a modification of the Illuminism of Avignon , Avith additions from the Swedenborgian , and combining also several selections from the Scotch and other rites . Its promulgator , Count Zinnendorff , Avas the chief physician to the emperor Charles VI . The system consisted of seven degrees , divided into three sections , the first of which is entitled St . John ' s Masonry , and comprises , 1 . Entered Apprentice ; 2 . Fellow Craft ; 3 . Master Mason ,