Masonic Symbolism,

life has passed , the inappreciable reward , from his celestial Grand Master , of ' A \ ell done , thou good and faithful servant . ' Operative masonry , then , is an art , and speculative a science ; and while the objects of one are profane and temporal , those of the other are sacred and eternal ; it is necessary , therefore , to consider

the Avords Freemason and Cowan in the sense in which , they apply to Masonry under both denominations . Freemasonry is a beautiful system of morality A * eiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols : it is veiled , hidden , or concealed in allegory , but illustrated ,

explained , and made patent by symbols . The term Freemason , then , considered operatively , simply means a bod } ' of men who derived their name from their profession or trade , as builders or masons ; the prefix " free " being given them from , the privileges , immunities , or freedom they enjoyed in exercising their craffc , AA'hich were in the early ages of no little importance : they

were free or licensed builders . A Cowan , being diametrically opposed to a Freemason , appears to me to mean simply the profanum valgus , the uninitiated , or those who had not been duly aud properly admitted into the ranks of Freemasonry , the sine nomine tiirba , - in the same way as those persons who practise medicine

Avithout a proper diploma are in the present day called quacks . All or any of the definitions before given , ivith the exception of Chouan , will apply to C-OAvau . Our learned Bro . Dr . Oliver gives cohen , or K-JXV , a priest or n dog , as the derivation , and I myself have long thought that *""> ' is the rig ht one . Herodotus ( Bk . ii . c . 5 G ) tells us that ,

" On the death of a dog , the Egyptians shave their heads and every part of their body "—this being a sign ofthe greatest grief ; and Cicero tells us that , if a person even by accident killed a dog , he ivas put to death Avithout mercy ( Cic , Tunc . Quws . v . 27 ) . Tiie clog was sacred in Egypt from this reason ; the Nile annually overiioAvecl its banks , but thev for some time knew not

exactly Avheu the inundation would take place . Soon they observed near the star , ? of Cancer , toivards the south , a large aud most brilliant star ascending the horizon , AA'hich immediately preceded the inundation . That star became the public mark , on seeing which everyone fled to the higher grounds and cities . As it- was seen but a

very short time above the horizon before dawn , it seemed to appear merely to nam them ; they gave it two names . It warned them of tlie danger , so they called it Tliaaut , or Thayaufc , the Hog ; they also called it the Barker , the Monitor , Aimbis ; in Phoenician , Haunobech . From the connection between this star and the rising ; of

the river , it was also called the Nile Star , or the Nile ; in Egyptian and Hebrew , Sihor ; iu Greek , Seirios ; in Latin , Sirius . In later times the Egyptians also called it Sothis , Tholes , or Tliot , the dog . It was depicted as a man with a dog ' s head , bearing a pole with one or two serpents twisted around ifc , the pole signifying the

measure of the Nile , tlie serpents , prudence , or preservation of life . Plutarch says that from the rei gn of Camhyiic-i the dogs were no longer considered hol y ,. because ,

when he killed the sacred A pis , the dogs , not making a proper distinction , fed so heartily on the entrails thafc they lost all their sanctity . It was not lawful to suffer a dog to come within the precincts of the Temple afc Jerusalem . In the Mosaic law the price of a dog and the hire of a harlot are put on the same level -. " Thou

shalt not bring the hire of a AA'hore nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lord thy Gocl for any vow , for both these are au abomination to the Lord th y God " ( Deut . xxiii . 18 ) . The Jews considered the epithet of "dog" as most degrading : "Is thy servant a dog ? " says

Hazael ( 2 Kings , viii . 14 ) , and "I am a dog , " said the Philistine to DaA'id ( 1 Sam . xi'ii . 43 ) . In mosfc countries it is considered a term of contempt and contumely , and in the East the touch of a dog is considered defiling . Freemasonry , as I have before shown , is intimately

connected ivith tlie ancient mysteries ivhich chiefly sprung from and flourished most in Egypt ; bearing in mind , then , the Eastern origin and symbolical language of Masonry , ive may fairly conclude that >•¦ ¦ ' * ' was the origin of Cowan . So much , then , for the significations of the tivo words considered operatively ; let us now

take them in their speculative sense . Ashe , in his Masonic Manual , says , "A Mason is not to be considered in the contracted implication of a builder of habitations , & c , but figuratively , pursuant to the method of the aneient society on ivhich this institution is founded ; and , taken in this sense , a Mason is one who , by gradual advances in the sublime truths and various arts and

sciences which the principles and precepts of Freemasonry tend to inculcate and establish , is raised by regular courses to such a degree of perfection as to be replete wifch happiness himself , and extensively beneficial to others . " The language of Freemasonry is symbols , but as in the ancient mysteries the . votaries were divided

into Exoteric and Esoteric , so Masonry is divided into operative and speculative ; both use the same symbols , but with the latter their signification is more extended . "La Maoonnerie , " says Eagon , " explicjucie est la verite sans voile ; " and again , " On a dit , avec raison , que

l'initiation etait une tradition organisce et conservati'ice des sciences secretes . " The ivord " initiated , " in its primitive and general sense , and in its etymology , recalls to memory the Avhite vestment which was formerl y received ; those who were received into the mysteries , aud

also those AA'ho came to be baptised in the early Christian Church , ivere clothed in a white garment , emblematical of purity ; initiation signified the commencement of a neAV life , novam vilam initial . Apuleius said thafc initiation is the resurrection to a new life . The aspirant ( one

who eagerly desires something higher ) and the postulant ( one who asks or requires ) were those ivho sought to be initiated . AVhen the lodge had consented to his admittance , the postulant became a candidate , so called from the Candida veslis , or white garment ivoru in public

places by anyone seeking office among the Eomans . Admitted to the ordeal , the candidate is received , and becomes a neophyte ( one , endued ivith a new nature ,