The Symbolism Of Light In Masonry.

an empty space , in which the process of creation went on by means of emanations from the central mass of li ght . It is unnccessai'y to enter into the Kabbalistic account of creation ; it is sufficient here to remark that all was done through tho mediate influence of the Aur en soph , or eternal li ght , which produces coarse matter , but one degree above nonentit y , only when it becomes so attenuated as to be . lost in darkness .

The Braliminical doctrine was , that " light and darkness are esteemed the world ' s eternal ways ; he who walketh in the former , returncth not ; that is to say , he goeth to eternal bliss ; whilst ho who walketh in the latter cometh back again upon earth , " and is thus destined to pass through further transmigrations , until his soul is perfectly purified by light . * In all the ancient systems of initiation the candidate was shrouded in darkness , as a preparation for the reception of light . The duration varied in the different rites . In the

Celtic mysteries of Druidism , the period in which the aspirant was immersed in darkness was nine days and nights ; among the Greeks , at Eleusis , it was three times as long ; and in tlie still severer rites of Mithras , iu Persia , fifty days of darkness , solitude , and fasting were imposed upon the adventurous neophyte , who , by these excessive trials , was at length entitled to the

full communication of the light of knowledge . Tims ifc ivill be perceived that the religious sentiment of a good and an evil principle gave to darkness , in the ancient symbolism , a place equally as prominent as that of li ght . The same reli gious sentiment of . the ancients , modified , however , in its details by our bettor knowledge of divine

things , has supplied Preemasonry with a double symbolismthat oi' light and darkness . Darkness is the symbol of initiation . It is intended to remind the candidate of his ignorance , which Masonry is to enlighten ; of his evil nature , which Masonry is to purify ; of tlio world in whose obscurity he has been wandering , and from ivhich Masonry is to rescue him .

Light , on the other hand , is the symbol of the autopsythe sight of tho mysteries—the intrusting—the full fruition of Masonic truth and knowledo-e . Initiation precedes tho communication of knowledge in Masonry , as darkness preceded light iu the old cosmogonies . 'Thus , in Genesis , we sec that iu the beginning "the world ivas without

form , and void , and darkness was on the face of the deep . " The Chaldean cosmogony taught that in tho beginning " all was darkness and water . " The Phcenicians supposed that "the beginning of all things was a wind of black air , and a chaos dark as Erebus . " + But out of all this darkness sprang forth light at the divine command

, and the sublime phrase , " let there be light , " is repeated , in some substantially identical form , in all the ancient histories of creation . So , too , out of the mysterious darkness of Masonry comes the full blaze of Masonic li ght . One musk precede the other , as the evening preceded the morning . " So the evening and the morning were the first day . "

Ihis thought is preserved in the great motto of the Order " Lux . o tenebris "—light out of darkness . It is equivalent to tins other sentence—truth out of initiation . Lux or li ght is truth ; lenebne or darkness is initiation . It is a beautiful and instructive portion of our symbolism - —tins connection of darkness and li ght—and well deserves a further investigation . "Genesis and the cosmogonies , " says Portal , " mention

The Symbolism Of Light In Masonry.

the antagonism of light and darkness . The form of this fable varies , according to each nation ; but the foundation is everywhere the same ; under the symbol of the creation of the world , it presents tho picture of regeneration and initiation . " * Plutarch saysthat to die is to be initiated into the

, greater mysteries . And the Greek word rekev-ar , which signifies to die , moans also to be initiated . But black , ivhich is the symbolic colour of darkness , is also the symbol of death . And lionce again darkness , like death , is also tho symbol of initiation . It was for this reason that all the ancient initiations were performed at night . The celebration

of the mysteries was always nocturnal . The same custom prevails in Preemasonry , ancl the explanation is the same-Death and tho resurrection were taught iu all tlio ancient mysteries . The initiation was the lesson of death . The full fruition or autopsy , the reception of light , was the lesson of regeneration or resurrection .

Light is , therefore , a fundamental symbol in Preemasonry . It is , in fact , the first important symbol that is presented to the neophyte in his instructions , and contains within itself the very essence of speculative Masonry , which is nothingmore than the contemplation of intellectual lig ht or truth .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE onn TOWN HALL , NAXiwicn . CAN any of your readers inform me whether the " Old Town Hall" at Nantwick was or was not built for the purposes of a Masonic Hall or Chapter House , or been used as such?—II . E . X . JOHN CUNNINGHAM THE l'OET , AND ME . SLACK . Can any brother inform me when and where John

Cunningham the pastoral poet was initiated into Preemasonry , and what progress he made in the science' ? The date of his initiation cannot be earlier than 1750 , in which year he became " of tlie full age of twenty-one ; " ancl it will be sonic years previous to 1773 , as on the 18 th of September in that year he died . I should also be glad to know that the Mr . Slack , in conjunction with whom the poet laboured to establish the Newcastle Chronicle in 1764 , was a

brother Mason . It was to the humanity ancl benevolence of Mr . Slack that poor Bro . Cunningham owed all his subsistence in his latter days ; it was under Mr . Slack ' s hospitable roof tree that tlie bard ivas nursed in his last illness , and it was there that he died ; and it was Mr . Slack who erected that now dilapidated monument over the poet's grave , in the unpoetical looking churchyard of St . John , at Newcastle-upon-Tyne—the future care and restoration of which tomb I beg most fraternally to recommend to our brethren of the province of Northumberland . —GEORGE MAHKHAM TwEDiiur . r ,.

J . OKD KAMSAY AND IDS TUTOR . An anecdote has been told mo by a Scotch brother to the following effect : —Lord 'Ramsay , then a young man under age , was out one day in company with his tutor , when a very deplorable object , apparently a foreigner , solicited alms . 'Tiie tutor , a clergyman , while inquiring the stranger ' s wants , suddenly , and greatly to the surprise of his lordship , extended his own and cordially

grasped the beggar's hand . Lord Ramsay solicited to know the reason for such an unusual proceeding , when the divine informed him that the distressed foreigner was a Mason . He was clothed , fed , relieved , and afterwards forwarded to his homo , and the circiinistaiicc so struck Lord Eamsay that when he became eligible , he sought admission to the fraternity , and ultimately rose to be a Grand Master . Such was the information as I had it . Now I should like to know of what family was Lord Ramsay ? When did this occur , and what was the name of the tutor alluded to ?—SCOTIA .

WHEN WAS THE i'TJIST LODGE OF INSTJtUC'ITON ESTABLISHED ? After the meeting of a Lodge of Instruction some few evenings back , a discussion arose as to when and where the first Lodge of Instruction was held ? To give you , even in a condensed form , the various opinions that were offered , would be to " make confusion worse confounded , " and not throw a particle of light upon the subject ; but seeing that you solve many of such knotty points by the aid and assistance of your readers and your own research , 1 thought it a proper subject on ivhich to ask for information in " Ma-