Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.
pretty jewel , and we feel somewhat proud of " wages medal . ' ' The gridiron in France is not moulded in a uniform manner , but as in England its usage varies considerably : Bro . Beaumont told us of a lodge
near Paris , wherein scenes are enacted similar to what we read of as having been customary in French Masonry a century ago . The victims of which must require nerves of iron and hearts of granite . Such things are however giving way
before the spirit of the age , and it is our strong conviction that ere long the gridiron in France will be as harmless a symbol as is the gridiron in England . In this respect French brethren may learn a great deal from their fellow-Craftsmen in
England and Germany , and happily the days are past when national distinctions can prevent the extension of the universality of our Order .
On Tree And Serpent Worship, As Exemplified By Some Recently Discovered Indian Monuments.
ON TREE AND SERPENT WORSHIP , AS EXEMPLIFIED BY SOME RECENTLY DISCOVERED INDIAN MONUMENTS .
Being an abstract of a paper read at the Eogal Institution of Great Britain , by JAMES FEKGUSSON , Esg ., F . B . 8 ., Friday , February 5 , 1869 . The speaker introduced the subject by explaining the difficulties which arose in treating of it ,
partly in consequence of the reckless manner in which a certain class of antiquaries had theorized regarding Serpent-worship , but more because , as a result of this , all the better class of the critics had been deterred from meddling with what had become the laughing-stock of sober-minded
persons , m consequence of the absurdities which had been engrafted upon it . Except one work , by Bottiger , on the " Baumkultus der Hellenen , " no serious work had been published in Germany , bearing on the subject ; while in France nothing
had appeared in elucidation of the worship of either Serpent or of Trees . The case was different in this country : a whole literature had sprung up , dating from the visit of King James I . to Stonehenge in
company with his architect , Inigo Jones ; and from their time Dr . Stukeley , Colt , Hoare , Goeffrey Higgins , Bathurst Deane , and many others , had published volume after volume on the subject . Almost all these works Bad , hoAvever ,
been based on a passage in the 29 th book of Pliny ' s "Natural History , " in which he related the formation of an "Anguinum" or serpent-egg , by
an assembly of snakes on a certain day , adding that the egg was considered au important charm by the Druids . On this slender basis , Stonehenge , Avebury , and all the megalithic temples of Britain , were called Druidic , and Serpent-worship admitted as the established faith of our forefathers . It was
m vam to hope to attack successfully such a castle in the air , unless some new and tangible evidence could be brought to bear on the subject . This , however , has now fortunately reached us from India , and the object of the evening ' s discourse is
to explain its form and relevance . The first monument bearing on the subject was the Temple of Nakhon Vat , in the centre of the now desolate country of Cambodia , which was discovered about ten years ago , almost accidentally ,
by a French traveller , M . Muhot . It is probably not too much , to say , that , taken altogether , it is probably the most remarkable temple in Asia ,, being one of the largest , and is unsurpassed by any in the extent and the beauty of its form , and the mai'vellous elaboration , of its sculptural details . On examination it Avas found that this temple was
erected , by an Indian colony from Texila , as late as the 13 th century of the Christian era , and was dedicated wholly to the worship of the Serpent . The next piece of evidence was brought to light
even more accidentally . While looking for objects to cast for the Paris Exhibition of 1867 , a large collection of sculptures in white marble were discovered buried under rubbish of all sorts in thestables of Fife House , then occupied as a
temporary museum attached to the India Office . On examination , it was found that these had been sent home some twelve years ago , by Sir Walter Elliot , having been principally excavated by him from the Amravati Tope , a building of the 4 th century , situated about 60 miles from the mouth of the Kistnah river in the Zillah Guntoor .
The building to which these marbles belonged was originally enclosed by a circular screen 19-5 ft . in diameter , or exactly double the dimensions of the corresponding screen at Stonehenge , the height of the two circles being nearly the same .
Within this was a procession-path , 12 ft . in width , and then an inner screen only 6 ft . in height , buc even more elaborately ornamented with carvings than the outer enclosure . The interior of the Tope inside these two circles was occupied by a number of buildings , all of which have been destroyed , and their materials used by a local
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.
pretty jewel , and we feel somewhat proud of " wages medal . ' ' The gridiron in France is not moulded in a uniform manner , but as in England its usage varies considerably : Bro . Beaumont told us of a lodge
near Paris , wherein scenes are enacted similar to what we read of as having been customary in French Masonry a century ago . The victims of which must require nerves of iron and hearts of granite . Such things are however giving way
before the spirit of the age , and it is our strong conviction that ere long the gridiron in France will be as harmless a symbol as is the gridiron in England . In this respect French brethren may learn a great deal from their fellow-Craftsmen in
England and Germany , and happily the days are past when national distinctions can prevent the extension of the universality of our Order .
On Tree And Serpent Worship, As Exemplified By Some Recently Discovered Indian Monuments.
ON TREE AND SERPENT WORSHIP , AS EXEMPLIFIED BY SOME RECENTLY DISCOVERED INDIAN MONUMENTS .
Being an abstract of a paper read at the Eogal Institution of Great Britain , by JAMES FEKGUSSON , Esg ., F . B . 8 ., Friday , February 5 , 1869 . The speaker introduced the subject by explaining the difficulties which arose in treating of it ,
partly in consequence of the reckless manner in which a certain class of antiquaries had theorized regarding Serpent-worship , but more because , as a result of this , all the better class of the critics had been deterred from meddling with what had become the laughing-stock of sober-minded
persons , m consequence of the absurdities which had been engrafted upon it . Except one work , by Bottiger , on the " Baumkultus der Hellenen , " no serious work had been published in Germany , bearing on the subject ; while in France nothing
had appeared in elucidation of the worship of either Serpent or of Trees . The case was different in this country : a whole literature had sprung up , dating from the visit of King James I . to Stonehenge in
company with his architect , Inigo Jones ; and from their time Dr . Stukeley , Colt , Hoare , Goeffrey Higgins , Bathurst Deane , and many others , had published volume after volume on the subject . Almost all these works Bad , hoAvever ,
been based on a passage in the 29 th book of Pliny ' s "Natural History , " in which he related the formation of an "Anguinum" or serpent-egg , by
an assembly of snakes on a certain day , adding that the egg was considered au important charm by the Druids . On this slender basis , Stonehenge , Avebury , and all the megalithic temples of Britain , were called Druidic , and Serpent-worship admitted as the established faith of our forefathers . It was
m vam to hope to attack successfully such a castle in the air , unless some new and tangible evidence could be brought to bear on the subject . This , however , has now fortunately reached us from India , and the object of the evening ' s discourse is
to explain its form and relevance . The first monument bearing on the subject was the Temple of Nakhon Vat , in the centre of the now desolate country of Cambodia , which was discovered about ten years ago , almost accidentally ,
by a French traveller , M . Muhot . It is probably not too much , to say , that , taken altogether , it is probably the most remarkable temple in Asia ,, being one of the largest , and is unsurpassed by any in the extent and the beauty of its form , and the mai'vellous elaboration , of its sculptural details . On examination it Avas found that this temple was
erected , by an Indian colony from Texila , as late as the 13 th century of the Christian era , and was dedicated wholly to the worship of the Serpent . The next piece of evidence was brought to light
even more accidentally . While looking for objects to cast for the Paris Exhibition of 1867 , a large collection of sculptures in white marble were discovered buried under rubbish of all sorts in thestables of Fife House , then occupied as a
temporary museum attached to the India Office . On examination , it was found that these had been sent home some twelve years ago , by Sir Walter Elliot , having been principally excavated by him from the Amravati Tope , a building of the 4 th century , situated about 60 miles from the mouth of the Kistnah river in the Zillah Guntoor .
The building to which these marbles belonged was originally enclosed by a circular screen 19-5 ft . in diameter , or exactly double the dimensions of the corresponding screen at Stonehenge , the height of the two circles being nearly the same .
Within this was a procession-path , 12 ft . in width , and then an inner screen only 6 ft . in height , buc even more elaborately ornamented with carvings than the outer enclosure . The interior of the Tope inside these two circles was occupied by a number of buildings , all of which have been destroyed , and their materials used by a local