The Common Origin Of The Ancient Mysteries.

paths that they have not known ; I will make darkness light before them , and crooked things straight . " There is nowhere to be discovered , in books , sacred or profane , a better description of the characteristics which were common to all the initiations of the ancient world . The ceremonies in each commenced in darkness , and ended in light . The initiate was blind as to what was

before him—in a condition of total ignorance as to that of which he sought a revelation—and the result was knowledge , or , symbolically speaking , light . This feature of the primitive rituals also conveyed a symbolical expression of that which all the ancient cosmogonies taught , namely : the original darkness and chaotic condition in whichthe material elements of this lobe were

, g involved before creative power diffused light and beauty over the whole . Ifc was also an emblem of the life of man , who in an evil and ignorant condition , may be said to travel along crooked paths until knowledge makes them straight before him . In many of their details the ancient mysteries differed as practised by the various nations of antiquity , among

all of whom they were observed , being adapted to the diverse habits , and social and political forms of the people . Besides , as times progressed , they were subject to corruptions and departures from the primitive model ,

originated from different motives by influential and leading hicrophants , as in our paper , on the Mysteries of the Northmen ( given in page 18 of thy MAGAZINE ) , Sigge , the Scythian , is represented as adapting the rites , which he had witnessed iu the East , to aid in . the promotion of his ambitious designs , and assist in the completion of his Scandinavian conquests . Thus the primitive

mysteries varied , as they were introduced into Egypt by Thoth , the son of Mizraim ; into Persia by Zeradushfc , or Zoroaster ; into Athens by Erectheus ; into Thrace by Orpheus ; into Gatil and Britain by Gomer , or his sons ; into India by Brahma , and into China by Buddha . The Egyptian , Persian , Eleusinian , Thracian , and Druidical Mysteries , and those of Brahma and Boddha , all

differed in details , according to the different ideas of their founders , yet in the maiu closely and wonderfully agreed . All the ancient mysteries were dedicated to the creative principles , which , to the Egyptian , was symbolised by Isis ; to the Athenian , by Ceres ; to the Briton and the Gaul bCcridwcuto the Scandinavianby Frea

y ; , , the female principle of nature , the mother of us all , the source of fecundity and plenty , and every material blessing to man . The ereat festivals of the Elensinia continued for nine

days , on each of which one step was taken towards complete initiation into the mysteries . The Northman , on his introduction to Odiuism was led through nine caverns . To the Brahmin , the phrase "the city with nine gates , " was figurative ofthe body in which the soul is imprisoned , and the candidate for investiture with the Order of Brahma , had to personify the god Yishnu , and

perform his nine Avaters . The ancient mysteries were all preceded by purification , or baptism . On the second day of the Elensinia the initiated were ordered to the sea , lest , in the words ofthe proclamation , " any one should come to the mysteries of God , with stain or impurity upon him . " Lustrations were frequently employed in all the ancient

initiations . The Northman had to plunge into the " waters of purification " and afterwards pass through the sacred door of " expurgation " before his admission into the innermost sanctuary . The first Avater of Yishnu was the becoming a fish , which the initiate had to represent by diving into the waters . In Egypt the candidate was laced naked in a cavity made in the earthon

p , which a species of perforated floor was placed , whereon a bull was slain , and the initiate beneath was literally baptised with blood . The Druid was drawn through the Tolrnen , or sacred orifice in a large stone , constructed to symbolise an expurgatory passage .

In the caverns of Elephanta , in which the rite of Brahma was wont to be performed , may also be seen a " sacred orifice " or door of expurgation , which is used at the present day for the same purpose , in connection with modern Hindooism . Zoroaster required that thenovitiate should perform lustrations with water , fire ,, and honey .

One very notable feature in all the ancient initiations was the teaching by symbol of the necessity of regeneration to the attainment of a future state of happiness . The ultimate ambition of the follower of Brahma wasabsorption into Deity , and before this could be obtained it was necessary that every impurity be left behind , and every stain removed by innumerable transmigrations of

the soul through the bodies of animals , birds , or fish , or of other men . Ancl the doctrine of the Metempsychosis ,-as taught by the Druids to their disciples , is another illustration of this feature common to all fche mysteries . Among the Northmen , the initiate was obliged to enact a mystic search for Balder's murdered body—and thefinal revelation is made bbeing . shown Balder risen in

y glory , having first passed through death as a necessary stage in his elevation to a seat among the gods . _ The initiation into all the mysteries as a whole , may be viewed as a mystical passage through death unto life . Osiris was slain , his body cut in pieces and scattered over the earth , vet is again restored to life . The same idea is illustrated bthe Legend of Balderthe Good . During

y , the celebration ofthe rites of Brahma , the death of Cama is lamented . This god is the Cupid of Hindostan , and is said to have been slain by Iswara , his body cast itlbo the sen , enclosed in a chest , which was swallowed by a fish , ancl that he was afterwards restored to life as achild , by an ererfcion of Brahma ' s power . During the Bachanalia , there was reoresented the wearisome

searchfor the remains of Bacchus , which were subsequently discovered , when all the sounds of wailing , which had before greeted the ears of the candidate , are changed into laughter and shouts of joy . Thus , through all the mysteries of the ancient worldr certain parallels run , which indubitably prove their common origin , in a primitive rite . From that rite they

all departed more or less widely , as human nature grew more corrupt , and owing to the probability that in the course ofthe ages during which they flourished , even tho hierophants themselves may have lost the true meanings of the symbols they employed , and thus , forgetting the objects symbolised , may have changed the rites in sundry particulars , destroying , either from ignorance , or with

some crafty intention , the significance of fche whole . The majority of Masonic writers maintain that'the primitive rite to which we have alluded , was pure Freemasonry , and hence they have denominated as spurious Masonry , the numerous variations from the original rite , including under the term , the mysteries of Chaldssa ; Persia , India , and Egypt , Greece , Italy , Scandinavia ,

and Britain , all of which were evidently departures from the common model . The features wherein all agreed 1 , wore those which had descended from that model , and to the intelligent Mason of to-day , we say nothing which is new , in stating that the rites of Freemasonry , as now celebrated , are replete with analogies to all the ancient systems , and particularly to those traits wherein they

all agreed . It is therefore logical to conclude , at the very least , that Freemasonry is equally a descendant from the primitive rite , with those other and now absolete mysteries . Every vestige of devotion to the spurious systems has disappeared from among the nations with whom they firsfc obtained , while Freemasonry remains a monument to prove the imperishable nature of Truth . If one cause more than another has tended thus to

preserve our institution to tho present daj ' , so long after the disappearance of all kindred systems , ifc must be the greater purity of its descent , and its freedom from those corruptions and perversions which characterised all other ancient rites .