Classical Theology.—Lii.

there is assured evidence in the ninth and eleventh ¦ chapters of the Book of Genesis of Noah being a Freemason , and that it was " not by the erection " of the edifice whose top should " reach unto heaven , " that the Almighty was proA oked . It was Avith those who , in their futile minds , disregarded the established covenant of the Majesty of Heaven with every living

creature "for perpetual generations , " the token of which should be '"' His bow on the cloud" ( that showed of itself that the world , or the solar s \ stein , had been changed ) , and who sought by their presumptuous labours to circumvent His supreme wisdomand to defy His overruling judgment—that

, He was displeased , and saw it right to confuse them in their speech , as a never-to-be-forgotten chastisement . Therefore He said , t : Go to , let us go down , and there confound their language . " It is not recorded that God thought as in His own mind i to do this ; but that He uttered the words , as it were ,

to His heavenly host , through whom they were made known ; the inspired writer would not have been so constantly graphic in detailing them , unless some important meaning had to be conveyed . Sacred philosophy was the fundamental principle of the Pythagorean society , the transactions of which

were kept in the strictest secrecy . Within their privacy Pythagoras condemned symbolized divinity as the work of men ' s hands ; he also denounced the generally received opinions of representative worship . In fact , Ave are told by Diogenes Laertius in his Lives of the Philosophers , that the Grecian founder of the system of metempsychosis severely discountenanced the study of Homer and Hesiod on account of their mundane and irreverent descriptions

of the gods . In later times , by substituting the idea of a host of angelic beings for that of a crowd of deities of doubtful morality , the Gentiles were easily led to comprehend and expound the Gospels . But Pythagoras could not haA e taught a religion that had yet to be revealed ; and though he doubtless believed that by moral purificatian the soul could ultimately

ascend into heaven , and although it is even possible that he had contemplated the truths of the Pentateuch , still he could have no idea of such a doctrine as that of the descent of the Holy Ghost , nor any comprehension how a new spirit could be given to man in A-irtue of his soulin the place of a corrupt one .

, We must for the present defer our inquiry into the six mystically involved " golden rules " attributed to Pythagoras , which Avere expressed in the following quaint terms-. — " Never kill a cock . Never stir the fire with a sword . Never wear a ring too small for your finger . Never go barefooted into the temples

of the gods . NeA er pause to cut wood in the speed of your journey . Iu a tempest adore the echo , or depart from the way of troubled waters as soon as you can . " In the time of the popular tumult at Croton , in which the mansion of Milo Avas burnt , and many

of the Pythagoreans , Avho had therein assembled , lost their lives in the flames , Pythagoras , among other things , practised what he taught . The good sage sought the retirement of Metapontum , where , shortly after ( about 504 B . C . ) , he himself gave up the ghost , or , according to his own doctrine , his spirit or soul Avas translated , or transmigrated . When Elijah " went up by a whirlwind into heaven , " his spirit rested Avith Elisha . So it was with the prophets in general . We

are told , for instance , in the second chapter of the Second Book of the Kings , wherein mention is made of a ' ¦ ' double portion" of the spirit . " AVhen the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him , they said , the spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha . And they came to meet him , and boAA * ed themselves to the ground before him . And they said

unto him ( because they could not believe that Elijah was not dead , neither was his body to be found ) . Behold now , there be Avith thy sen-ants fifty strong men ; let them go AA-6 pray thee , and seek thy master . " It was a received opinion with many of the Pythagorean philosophers that the souls of deceased relatives and friends whose moral Avorthiness had

still failed to etherealise them for the regions of the gods , entered into the bodies of those living which had been their most esteemed relations and companions , that through them they might find redemption or regeneration , a doctrine which remained to be truly expounded by the great Master Founder of Salvation to His apostlesand hy them to His

, disciples . We have scarcely more than to open the apostolical epistles to comprehend the reality of all that was required for the completion of the soul's heavenly salvation . We will avail ourselves of a few evidences from St . Paul ' s Epistles to the Eomans and Corinthians : —

" I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chnsfc : for it is the poAver of God unto salvation to every one that believe , to the JBAV first , and also to the Greek . * * * * There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus , who walk not after the flesh , but after the Spirit . For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death . . .

Ye are not iu the flesh but in the Spirit . . . Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ , he is none of His . . . For ye'have not received the spirit of bondage to fear ; but ye have received the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry , Abba , Father . The Spirit itself bearest Avitness AAdth our spirit that we are the children of God . * * * * For whether we live , Ave live unto the Lord ; whether

Ave live therefore , or die , we are the Lord ' s . * * * * The preaching ofthe cross is to them that perish , foolishness ; but to us which are saved it is the power of God . . . For it is written , I will destroy the wisdom of the Arise , and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent . . . For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God . . . But of him are ye in Christ Jesus , who of God is made unto us wisdom , and righteousness , and sanctification and redemption ;

that , according as it is written : He that glorieth , let him glory in the Lord . * * * * Ye are God ' s building . . . The temple of God is holy , AA-hich temple ye are . . The Lord knoAveth the thoughts of the wise , that they are vain . Therefore let no man glory in men . For all things are yours . * * * * Dearly beloved , flee from idolatry . . . . Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord , and

the cup of devils ; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord ' s table and of the table of devils * * * Even unto this day , Avhen Moses is read , the veil is upon their hearts . Nevertheless , when it shall turn to the Lord , the veil shall be taken away . Now the Lord is that spirit , and Avhere the spirit of the Lord is , there is liberty . * * * Fox * Ave know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle

were dissolved , we have a building of God , an house not made Avith hands , eternal in the heavens . . . . We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ ; that everyone may receive the things done in the body , according to that he hath done—Avhether it be good or bad . . . . Therefore , if any man be in Christ , he is a IIOAV creature ; old things are passed away , behold , all things are become new . ... To wit , that God was in Christ , reconciling us to himself , not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and hath committed unto us the