Freemasoney And Its Institutes.—Iv.

of Great Britain , Ireland and the adjacent islands . The Celfcre , a great nation who came from the eastern to the western world , were the first that peopled this quarter of the globe . They carried their reli g ion from the east , and had their priests , the Druids ( ivho were the first or chief order among them ) ; these were their legislators , philosophers , ancl

instructors of youth . The Druids divided their reli gion ilito the mysteries and the popular ; they asserted the immortality of the soul , which doctrine they publicly taught , that they might inspire the people with contempt erf death ; they taught good morals and salutary precepts . The primitive ideas taught by the Druids were the same as those taught

by the Brahmins , that " God is the soul and animates the whole body of nature . " Julius Csesar is one of the greatest authorities on Druidism , but his account refers more to that of tho continent than that of the British Isles , referring to accounts of Druidism , in the latter ancl more especially in Ireland . " It is wonderful , " says Michelet , " the analogy

which tlie names of the gods of Ireland—Axire , Axceavas , Goismaol , Cabur— -bear to those of the Cabiri of Phoenicia and Samothrace—Axicors , Axiokersos , Casmeilos , Cabeieros . Baal occurs as the supreme god in Phoenicia , and alike in Ireland . The analogy with the Egyptian and Etruscan gods is not less striking . iEsar , god , in Etruscan ( whence Ctesar ) ,

is in Ireland the god who kindles fire ; according to Bullet , " Lar" in Celtic signifies fire ; in old Irish "Lar" means the floor of a house , the ground , or the family , in Latin , "Lares "; " Lere , " all powerful ; Ioun , lamia , in Basque , God ( Janus , Diana ) , in Irish , "Aim , " "Ana , " mother of the gods . Lighted fire is Moloch . The Irish " Axiere" water , earthmight .

, , Moon is likewise called "Ith , " ( pronounced Iz like Isis ) , Ann , Mathar , Ops , and Sithol , like Magna Mater , Ops , and C y bele . " The Druids of Gaul , however , " corrupted what had been taught them of British Druidism , blending with it heterogeneous princi p les ; by which means they lost it . " B , B . W . ( To be continued . )

The Jewish Temple And Priesthood.

THE JEWISH TEMPLE AND PRIESTHOOD .

FROM an old and scarce work upon ancient mythology , heraldry , symbolism , and kindred subjects , we extract tlie ¦ following in its ori ginal guise . We think it cannot but interest some of our Brethren and Companions . " The Egyptians folded up their learning in the dark contexture of liieroglyphicks ; the Greeks Avrap'cl up theirs in the

gloomy vesture of emblems ; and the Romans lod g'd it behind the cloud y traverse of allegorical allusions , pourtrai'd in those mysterious signatures that aclorn'd the reverse of their coin , either consular or imperial . " But , before I ivade further in this discourse , I shall unv-vil the mythology of the Jeivs , and before I enter into the temple , I shall stop and take a survey of the Jewish priestsand disrobe those

, mysteries that were ivrap'd up either in their institution or habit ; and first , if AATJ reflect upon their institution and designment , ire shall discover that they ivere to be perfect for generation , by ivhich it si gnified that the faculties of their souls should be fitted mid adapted for spiritual procreations , that reli gion might be improA'ed , and the church multiplied by those supernatural productions . Secondl they were not to be blind or imperfect in their

y , eyes , by which ivas denoted , that they should not obscure or blind the li ght of reason with those fogs that ascend from a corrupted understanding , the clouds of prejudice or prepossession ivhich arc the mists of the soul , nor make dim or blemish its spiritual beams with the fumes of secular interest . Thirdl y , they were not to be crooked , rumpel'd , or bunched back'd ; that is , they were to secure their lives from all visible and scandalous

crimes , and external pollutions , which are as so many spiritual excrescences and gibbosities , so that the regularity of their souls should be adequate and correspondent to the uniformity of their bodies . Fourthly , they were not to be infested AA'ith tlie itch , or scabs , or buried in a crust of leprosie ; by which was intimated that they should not itch after novel opinions , which ivhen thev arc entertained and assented to and incorporated into the belief , appear like scabs upon the body ecclesiastick ; nor should they suiter themselves to be invaded with the leprosie , either of sin or heresie . Fifthly , they were to have no lameness in their hands

or feet ; by which was suggested that they should have Urim and Tlinmmiiu , soundness of doctrine and integrity of life ; that they should not only preach sermons , but live sermons , and build up by example , as well as erect or establish by precept . Indeed the Ai'ill and practical understanding / are the hands and feet -of the soul , AA'hich should not take up any heterodox doctrines , or wander into the irregular by-paths of errour or schism ; for liberty of

ivill may be stiled the hand ancl fingers of the soul , by which it picks and chuses , and if it gathers flowers , it weaves to itself a garland of immortality . Sixthly , they were not to be flat nosed , that signature being not only amongst the antient Gentiles , but the Jews likewise , the symbol of folly , imprudence , stupidity , or dullness of spirit , and flatness of parts . Seventhly , the priests under the laiv were not to be broken either in their feet or hands , to

insinuate that they , were obliged neither to walk or work by halves , or halt between tivo opinions , that is , between God and Baal . " The high priest ' s girdle in general denoted truth , the white in it signified innoceiicy , the bleiv typified heavenliiiess , the scarlet persecution , the purple a holy majesty of spirit , as that was an imperial colour . A g irdle demonstrates activity and promptness in business , and so is a type of strength . It is likewise an emblem

of constancy and perseverance ; and because it rescues the garments from looseness , it is a symbol of warmth , of zeal , and of stability in piety ; for sin and errour by laying men open , and making them naked , exposes them to cheapness ancl contempt . And lastly , it is a representation of ornament and beauty . The high priest , when he went into the holy of holies , disrobed himself of all his gorgeous equipage and pompous habiliments , and reinvested himself with them when he came out , to discover that humility is the best basis whereon to erect ancl establish the

superstructure of a future glory . " Having taken a summary viciv of the Jewish priests , I shall IIOAV make some concise remarks on the Jewish temple , and its interiour utensils , and the mythology that may be spun out from them both , and so proceed . The porch ofthe temple ivas open to intimate the free access of our addresses and applications to heaven . Its elevation being one hundred and twenty cubits

denoted the sublimity of divine contemplation : its steps the growth of piety in its several gradations and improvements . The western gate of the temple antiently lead to Solomon ' s pallace , to insinuate that magistracy and miiiistery are so complicated ancl wound up together , that like Hippocrates' twins they laugh and mourn , and live and die together . "Villalpandns makes the Jewish temple a typical similitude of Christ ' s body upon the crossivith his arms

, stretched out , and his legs conjoynecl in such a manner together , as that his head should possess the sanctuary , his breast the altar , his feet the eastern gate , bis two hands the north and south sides of the temple ; so that as the passage or way to the sanctuary or altar laj' open through those three principal gates , in like manner should the path to the true sanctuary be made plain and easie thorough the holes ancl wounds of his feet ancl hands .

" The brazen altar in the Jewish temple was the emblem of a broken and a contrite heart ; the fire typified holy zeal ; the sacrificing instrument the two edged sAA'oi'd of the Spirit ; the beasts to be slain are our various lusts , which we are to drag before the altar by holy confession , to mortifie by a constant hatred , and then to offer them up in a renewed conversation . The goat to be slain , and the scape goat some affirm represented Christ ' s humanity and divinity ; others assert they typified his passion and resurrection .

" Ihe Jeivish priest's lot or proportion in the offering or sacrifice Avas the cheek , to intimate that his lips should preserve knowledge , and that he ought to be eloquent and learned in the laws of God . Secondly , the right shoulder , to denote that he should perform good ivorks with dexterity , strength , and expedition . Thirdly , the breast , by which he was admonished to lodge no other inmates in his bosom bufc pure thoughts , knoivledge of the laiv , and truth in bis assertions . And lastly the maiv , to suggest his abstinence from luxurie , and all manner of excess and

intemperance . " The doors ofthe sanctuary were composed of firre and olive ; that of the oracle onl y of olive , to discover that our peace on earth is mixed with imperfections ; but is only made compleat when we enter into glory ; which door had tivo leaves , which might be the symbols of faith and hope . " The procerity ancl tall stature of the cedar aud fir tree that ivere employed in framing the sanctuary did typific the

successive growth of piety and Christianity , until they shoot up into glory . The floor of the sanctuary , ivhich was laid with planks of fir , overlaid with boards of cedar , and plated with gold , did signifie the eminency , excellency , and splendor of that metal AA'as still annexed to humility . Gold being a principal ingredient in the