Ancient Symbolism Illustrated.

thought that by the second exhibition of this symbol , the Lord , accepted the offering of Abel . Thcophrastus and Eusebius place the custom of keeping continued fires in the temples as a symbol of the presence of the Deity , among the most ancient practices of religion . Aben-Ezra speaks of portable chapels or temples in honour of fire , and the learned

Dr . Hyde states , that so highly venerated was this element as the symbol of Deity by the infatuated fire worshippers of Persia , that it was a crime punished by death to spit into the fire , and they were forbidden to throw water into it even if the metropolis were in flames ; so far did they carry this superstitionthat the ministering priests could not approach

, this fire without a linen cloth before their mouths , lest their breath should pollute ifc . Herodotus and Strabo mention ¦ pyraiia , which were temples consecrated to the sun , wherein perpetual fires ivere kept . The Guebers or worshippers of fire in Persia and India have them to this day , in evident reference to the Shekinah vouchsafed to Moses and Solomon .

Stanley states , in his book On ihe Manners and Customs ofthe Persians , that they perform their devotions and say their prayers towards the sun or fire , but asserts that they do not adore them but as symbols of the Deity ; and by some strange chance some of the symbols of the old Persian fire worshi p were adopted , ancl have been preserved , in our

church . The mitres of the bishop and the verger ( one of Avhich has lately been presented to St . Mary-Tower , Ipswich ) are both symbols allusive to fire worship , representing forks or tongues of flame , ancl were originally worn by the priests in honour of fire . Ezekiel ( viii . 16 ) speaking of these idolaters says , '" 'They stood ivith their backs towards the temple ofthe

Lord , and their faces towards the east . " An observance of this kind exists with us . In the Tabernacle of Moses ancl the temple of Solomon , the Holy of Holies , or temple of the Lord , was in the west ; but we place our altars in the east , and when repeating the articles of our faith are directed to face that quarter . Innumerable instances from holwrit

y could be adduced to prove the divine origin of symbols ; and foremost among them is the placing his bow in the heavens , by the grand Geometrician of the universe , as a symbol of his mercy . The observances of all reli gions throughout the globe teem with signs ancl symbols , nor are they less abundant in that professed by ourselves .

In the eucharist bread and wine are the symbols of the body ancl blood of Christ , and in baptism , water is the symbol of inward purification . The hi ghest authority , extreme antiquity , ancl the universality of its adoption , alike hallow the custom of which we treat .

Symbols , however , were by no means confined by man to the purposes of religion ; at the earliest formation of the ivorld , man was created a new being , possessed of a living soul , endowed ivith faculties suited to his state of existence , and inspired by his Maker with poiver to comprehend his law . His future destiny rendered it necessary for him to cultivate

the faculties with which he was entrusted , more especiall y in afterfcime , those which enabled him to communicate with his fellow man . To this end the senses of hearing , and of si""ht , together with the faculty of articulation , ivere made subservient ; and thus , in this early stage of the creation , three kinds of symbols became to manfirsthonetic symbols

necessary ; , p , or symbols of sound * and directed to the ear ; secondly , symbols of gesticulation or signs ; avid thirdly , pictorial or idiographic symbols , the tivo latter directed to the eye : and I propose to consider them in this order : —

PHONETIC SY 3 IDOLS , OR SYMBOLS OP SOUND . As Adam ivas capable of speech , it is probable he Avas enabled to use that capacity by affixing to certain sounds Avhich expressed natural ivants , those determinate ideas which over after ( AVIICH those wants recurred ) would prompt him to utter those same vocal sounds . His number of vocal sounds Avas much increased when , by his Maker ' s command , he gave names to all the creatures of the earth , and this may justl y - « considered to have been-tbe first extensive lesson " in

language , the effect of which would be that , whenever aftenvards he meant to call or denote any particular animal , he might employ the sounds corresponding ivith its voice . So do his posterity to this day , and among the first means used to forward children in their speech ( who , be it remembered , always acquire words before they learn letters ) , is , the

directing them to imitate the sounds of animals ancl to recognize the animals by these sounds . All languages have in them so much of this , that grammarians have , in their language , adopted a Greek word to express it ( OvofiaToir-qLo ) . , The beneficent Lord of the creation has given various inflexions ofthe voice even to birds ancl beastsas ivell as to

, man ; a hen will call her chickens when she finds grain for food ; she also warns them of danger , but by differently sounding notes . The barking of a dog when he sees his master is widely different to the sound he employs on seeing a stranger . Cows , sheep , lions , tigers , employ very different inflexions of voice to express their passions , fear , or anger .

v itruvius asserts that the first men continued long like beasts , making themselves understood by actions , postures , and ill articulated voices , till by habitually signifying the same thing by the same sounds they accustomed themselves to speak , and struck out a systematic series of phonetic symbols , which constituted a language . Psammetticus , king of

Egypt , adopting this theory , says Herodotus , was cm-ious to know ivhat nation was the original . He took two new born , infants , and had them brought up separately , with express caution that no one should speak to them ; he believed that the language the children might speak would be the natural ancl primitive language of man , and that he might hence

infer . the peo 2 > le who still spoke it were the oldest upon earth . When the children were of age to talk , the shepherd who had the care of them observed that as often as he saw them they cried out to him , " Beccos ; " upon inquiry it was found that among the Phrygians Beccos meant bread , whereupon it was concluded that the Phrygians were the most ancient people in the world .

In discussing the question , What was the language which God taught Adam 1 several difficulties arise ; the generality believe that this primitive language was the ancient Hebrew ; others say the Syriac , the Chaldee , the Ethiopia , or the Armenian . There is scarcely an eastern language which has not pretended to this honour , but their reasoning is on many accounts erroneous . If there were any language natural to

man , all men would have a propensity to speak it , ancl many traces of it would remain among the different peoples of the world : children who have been abandoned and exposed , or deaf , would speak this language , which is contrary to experience ; we must conclude , therefore , that there is no natural language peculiar to man . Man has , indeed , certain

natural sounds , gesticulations , and signs to express his passions , joy , pleasure , grief , desire , but no speech , or series of articulate signs or symbols , whereby to manifest his thoughts . Oral or spoken language , therefore , originated in an attempt to imitate the human voice , those different sounds which nature in her animate and inanimate forms is constantly

presenting to our ears . By his powers of articulation , man coulcl recall to the minds of those around him the notion of those absent objects , and past actions with which the sounds were connected ; from the necessity for such invention ori ginated language . * * Our words and passiA'ords are phonetic symbols , Ai'liich , conveyed to the ear , assure us of a " lawful brother , " and instantly , by association , direct the mind to those degrees of ivhich they are especial symbols . ( To le continued ) .

DEPUTY ; MASTER . — " So Worshipful Master , under the Constitutions of England , except he be a prince of the blood royal , is allowed to appoint a deputy ; and in case of the demise of the principal , such deputy is entitled to the office of Worshi pful Master until the next election . It has been customary for the Grand Master to elevate such a deputy , as a reward for his two years service in that capacity , to the purple . In 1815 this custom ivas passed over in the case of a brother who had been deputy to II . It . H . the Grand Master . — Oliver .