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Article MASONIC PHILOSOPHY. ← Page 9 of 9 Article COMMON DESCENT OF OUR RACE. Page 1 of 1
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Masonic Philosophy.
widows alive , with the solemn sacrifices prescribed as religious rites by the Vedas . The principles of virtue and of sacrifice , as taught by Djaimihi , are utterly at variance with those absurd practices . According to this philosopher , it is the spiritual and invisible operation of the mind which constitutes a meritorious action , and though
the action may cease , the virtue still exists , —invisible , hut efficacious in reproducing a consequent result to the great cause , and attaining its perfection in the world to come . Amongst these meritorious acts , sacrifice is recommended as the most strongly religious , and this consists of a propitiatory offering to the Divinity , as a symbol
that his favour is greater in your estimation than the worldly goods you possess , and of which you voluntarily deprive yourself . It is the principle which has been neglected , whilst its representative symbol has been adopted and distorted by the vagaries of fanatics .
The philosophy of the second Mimansa or Vedanta devotes itself to reducing to metaphysical principles the precepts inculcated in the Vedas 5 and is essentially of a theological character . Its systems are so many theories extracted from the various religious doctrines of the Hindoos , for which reason it is distinguished by the name of Brahma Mimansa . Although it differs from the first Mimansa in some important points of philosophy , one and the other must be considered
as two parts of the same whole : mutually , they complete and form one system ; separately , they only offer a defective interpretation of the Vedas ; united , they explain the two essential relations—the practical and the theological . Whoever wishes to attain the possession of Divine knowledge , must prepare his soul for comprehensive study ; to which end the Vedas prescribe peculiar exercises , such as profound meditation , silence , and the scrupulous observation of various rites as well as corporeal attitudes . ( To he continued . )
Common Descent Of Our Race.
COMMON DESCENT OF OUR RACE .
That all mankind were derived from one family , is confirmed by many usages , sacred and civil , which have prevailed in all parts of the world , and must be owing to a general institution in which men were instructed before they were dispersed . These common notions are thirteen in number : 1 . Numbering t > y tens . 2 . Computing time by a cycle of seven days . 3 . Setting apart the seventh day for
religious purposes . 4 . Use of sacrifices propitiatory and eucharistical . 5 . Temples and altars . 6 . Privileged places of refuge , or sanctuaries . 7 . Tithes for the altar . 8 . Worshipping barefooted . 0 . Abstinence from sensual gratifications previous to sacrificing . 10 . A priesthood and its support . 11 . Legal defilements . 12 . Universal tradition of a deluge . 13 . The universal opinion that the rainbow was a divine sign or portent .
VOIi . II . 4 R
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Philosophy.
widows alive , with the solemn sacrifices prescribed as religious rites by the Vedas . The principles of virtue and of sacrifice , as taught by Djaimihi , are utterly at variance with those absurd practices . According to this philosopher , it is the spiritual and invisible operation of the mind which constitutes a meritorious action , and though
the action may cease , the virtue still exists , —invisible , hut efficacious in reproducing a consequent result to the great cause , and attaining its perfection in the world to come . Amongst these meritorious acts , sacrifice is recommended as the most strongly religious , and this consists of a propitiatory offering to the Divinity , as a symbol
that his favour is greater in your estimation than the worldly goods you possess , and of which you voluntarily deprive yourself . It is the principle which has been neglected , whilst its representative symbol has been adopted and distorted by the vagaries of fanatics .
The philosophy of the second Mimansa or Vedanta devotes itself to reducing to metaphysical principles the precepts inculcated in the Vedas 5 and is essentially of a theological character . Its systems are so many theories extracted from the various religious doctrines of the Hindoos , for which reason it is distinguished by the name of Brahma Mimansa . Although it differs from the first Mimansa in some important points of philosophy , one and the other must be considered
as two parts of the same whole : mutually , they complete and form one system ; separately , they only offer a defective interpretation of the Vedas ; united , they explain the two essential relations—the practical and the theological . Whoever wishes to attain the possession of Divine knowledge , must prepare his soul for comprehensive study ; to which end the Vedas prescribe peculiar exercises , such as profound meditation , silence , and the scrupulous observation of various rites as well as corporeal attitudes . ( To he continued . )
Common Descent Of Our Race.
COMMON DESCENT OF OUR RACE .
That all mankind were derived from one family , is confirmed by many usages , sacred and civil , which have prevailed in all parts of the world , and must be owing to a general institution in which men were instructed before they were dispersed . These common notions are thirteen in number : 1 . Numbering t > y tens . 2 . Computing time by a cycle of seven days . 3 . Setting apart the seventh day for
religious purposes . 4 . Use of sacrifices propitiatory and eucharistical . 5 . Temples and altars . 6 . Privileged places of refuge , or sanctuaries . 7 . Tithes for the altar . 8 . Worshipping barefooted . 0 . Abstinence from sensual gratifications previous to sacrificing . 10 . A priesthood and its support . 11 . Legal defilements . 12 . Universal tradition of a deluge . 13 . The universal opinion that the rainbow was a divine sign or portent .
VOIi . II . 4 R