Masonic Fictions.

is confined to the knowledge of a small section of the human family ? Granted that lodges are scattered over the whole habitable world , that will not constitute universality . Churches are in the same category , and , Avith this advantage on their side , they are open , they require

no introduction , claim no vows which are indelible , and even with this in their favour , the nations , the tongues , and the peoples , are not catholic any jnore than the inhabitants are Masons where lodges exist . Numberless examples will occur to every bright

Mason , where the teaching of the lodge is at variance with the universal theory , and the sooner we give over the delusion , that is forced upon us , and recognize the truth the better . We are searchers after truth . It is one of the ends of the Order , and can never be

rendered more attractive by its being clothed in the language of fiction—a mere figure of speech—such as the asserted Universality of Freemasonry . PEEEECT ASEEAB .

Kabbalism, Or The Religious Philosophy Of The Hebrews.

KABBALISM , OR THE RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY OF THE HEBREWS .

( Continued . ) Prom this latter book we learn thafc all things existed before fche creation , in idea—an ideal creation preceded the actual . Nay , there is even an ideal conception of God Himself , a description of whom is given in the third part . This description is evidently borrowed from

that of ' The Ancient of Days' in Daniel , only with Oriental exaggerations and extravagances . Thus : ' Tbe white light of His head illuminates four hundred thousand worlds . These four hundred thousand worlds produced by that white light , become the inheritance of the saints in the woi-ld to come . Each day sees to come to light from His brain thirteen thousand myriads of

worlds , which receive from Him their subsistence , aud of which He supports the weight . Prom His head He shakes off a clew , which awakens the dead , and gives them a new life The length of His face is three hundred and seventy times ten thousand worlds , & c . & c . ' The forehead , the eyes , tho brain , the hair , the head , the whole face , are invested with some mystical

meaning . Of these the ' long face ' and the ' short face ' contain most important mysteries . The ' long face ' is identical with the ' Sephirotb' ( splendours ) , which hold such a remarkable place in Kabbalism . These Sephiroth answer to the ten names of God . In Zohar we read , ' When any one addresses himself in prayer to God , let him invoke equally the holy names of God , Eli , Jah , JehovahElohim

, , El , El-Hai-Zadik , Jehovah-Zabaoth , Elohi-Zabaoth , Shaddai , Adonai ; which answer to the ten Sephiroth—viz ., the Crown , Wisdom , Intelligence , Power or Severity , Mercy or Magnificence , Beauty , Victory or Eternity , Glory , the Foundation , the Kingdom . ' These Sephiroth are generally represented in the form of ten concentric circlesthe outermost being ' The Grown '

, , the innermost' The Kingdom . * They further connected these to each other by canals ; in which case the Sephiroth were represented by ten separate circles , viz . two surrounded by eight joined to each other by canals , By this _ system the Kabbalists intended to instruct their disci ples in the knowledge of all the Divine perfections , on which depend the creation and government of the

Kabbalism, Or The Religious Philosophy Of The Hebrews.

world . Thus in Jefczirah we are told thafc the world could not be governed by mercy alone , nor by grace , therefore God has been obliged to add to ifc power . It was then necessary to join the two , iu order to put everything in a natural order and proportion . This is the reason that beauty holds the central place , and reconciles justice with mercy , without which order . the universe

could not subsist . Prom mercy , which pardons our sins , goes a canal ending iu victory or eternity . Lastly , the canals which flow from mercy and power , and which discharge themselves into beauty , are filled wifch a great number of angels . There are thirty-five iu the canal of mercy , who reward and crown the virtues of the saints ; an equal number in that of power , who chastise sinners .

These Sephiroth are all emanations from the Eu-soph ( the infinite ) , as rays of light from the sun . Through them was the world created , and by them it is sustained . Another sort of mystery belonged fco these Sephiroth , that drawn from the letters which compose the words ; thus , the 'Kingdom' is the last of them , to ifc is attached the word Kohi . e . so . "Whenever this word occurs in

, Scripture then the mystery of the 'Kingdom' is hid ; the ' Kingdom' itself is called Koh , because of the twentyfive gates on tbe right side , and the twenty-five on the left . This Koli is the gate of mysteries ; by ifc the prophets were admitted to the prophetical sphere ; ifc is also the Gate of Prayer . Prom this ifc is said thai

Abraham obtained a son ; for when God led him out to look afc the stars of Heaven , He said to him , ' So ( Koh ) shall thy seed be : " i . e . by passing through that gate thou shalt reach the source of generation ; ' So shall thy seed be . ' Again , this Gate of Benedictions was committed to the priests , for it is said iu Numbers , ' on this wise ( Koh ) shall ye bless the children of Israel . ' We

mighfc multiply examples without end of such-like Kahbalistic interpretations of Scripture , by which everything and anything mighfc be made of the word of God : it was to a further development of this , as we shall show presently , that S . Paul refers when he warns S . Timothy against those who ' consent not to the wholesome words of our _ Lord Jesus Christ , and to the doctrine which is to

according godliness ; ' of such , he says , He is proud ( -re-ru ^ M-ai , be is wrapped in clouds of conceit and folly—Liddell and Scott ) , knowing nothing , bufc dofciug ( votruv , being diseased , applied to mind as well as body—Liddell and Scott about questions and strifes of words ( logomachies ) . ' Again' of these ten Sephiroth there is no limitnot in

, , the past , nor for the future , not in goodness nor evil , not in height nor in depth , nor in the east , west , south , or north ; ' for fche Sephiroth contain all these . Though different , they are not separate ; they are like the fingers on the hands , both as being united by the hand , and also as being five against five ; i . e ., each one has its opposite .

Again , there is another way by whith they may be regarded : ' The first of the Sephiroth is the Spirit of the living God ; . . . the Spirit , the "Voice , the Word ; this is the Holy Spirit . The second is the breath which comes from the Spirit : in ib are graven and sculptured the twenty-two letters , which form only , however , our sole breath . The third is the water which comes from

the breath or the air ; in the water were the darkness and the void , from whence was formed the earth . The fourth is the fire which proceeded from the water , and wifch which He has formed the throne of His glory , the celestial wheel [ an allusion to Ezek . i . ] , the Seraphim and ministering angels : as ifc is written , ' He maketh of the winds his messengers , aud of the flames of fire His ministers . ' The six remaining Sephiroth represent the different extremities of the world—viz ., the four cardinal points , together with height and depth . * These ez-