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Article ON THE STUDY OF MASONIC ANTIQUITIES. ← Page 5 of 10 →
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On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
of the Hibernian coins of King John—and , as expressive symbols of the beneficence of the great Architect of the Universe , as well as for their astronomical references , are still retained as conspicuous emblems in our Lodges . The various phases which the sun-worship presents are no less remarkable ; but the most important will be found in Persia , from whence this system of adoration travelled into western climesandno doubtat a very
, , , early period into the British Isles . We thus have the commencement of an idolatrous system of worship in the undue reverence paid to the material emblems of the secret and mysterious processes of nature . Superstition had afterwards a wider field in the perversion of the language of astronomy . This was a science in which the ancient inhabitants of Syria , as well as the Egyptians , had attained great perfection . Carefully noticing the various celestial phenomena in their
mild and delicious clime , where the stars glitter with a brightness unknown to our northern skies—marking their ascension and declensionthey learned to divide the year into seasons , and to regulate the time proper for the tillage of their soil and the sowing of their grain . By degrees they arranged the stars into separate series , and classified them under different constellations . Each constellation was represented by some hieroglyphical device , and hence arose mythological fables , which
at first referring solely to astronomical phenomena , were afterwards regarded as actual occurrences . Another ingredient of idolatry originated ( through the proneness of the human mind to superstition ) in a belief in the influences of the heavenl y bodies . Observing the consequences resulting from their particular situations and conjunctions at various times in the heavens , it was imagined that these glittering orbs must in their revolutions exercise like influence upon the earth , upon the seasonsand on human actions * The ancient writers contain
nume-, rous references to this belief ; and in that most ancient and sublime drama which human intellect ever produced—the book of Job—the prevailing superstition is thus alluded to : — " Canst thou restrain the sweet influences of the Pleiades , or loose the bands of Orion . " And in protesting his innocence of any participation in the reigning idolatry , the pious Job is made to observe— " If I beheld the sun when it shined , or the moon walking in brightnessand my heart hath been secretly enticed
, , or my mouth hath kissed my hand , this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge , for I should then have denied the God that is above . " The stars being thus regarded as imaginary deities , and superstitiously invested with distinct intelligences , were represented by various personifications , which , after being solemnly consecrated , attracted the same devotion as was at first paid to the planets thus impersonated , and to this practice is traceable the origin of the Sabean superstition . These
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
of the Hibernian coins of King John—and , as expressive symbols of the beneficence of the great Architect of the Universe , as well as for their astronomical references , are still retained as conspicuous emblems in our Lodges . The various phases which the sun-worship presents are no less remarkable ; but the most important will be found in Persia , from whence this system of adoration travelled into western climesandno doubtat a very
, , , early period into the British Isles . We thus have the commencement of an idolatrous system of worship in the undue reverence paid to the material emblems of the secret and mysterious processes of nature . Superstition had afterwards a wider field in the perversion of the language of astronomy . This was a science in which the ancient inhabitants of Syria , as well as the Egyptians , had attained great perfection . Carefully noticing the various celestial phenomena in their
mild and delicious clime , where the stars glitter with a brightness unknown to our northern skies—marking their ascension and declensionthey learned to divide the year into seasons , and to regulate the time proper for the tillage of their soil and the sowing of their grain . By degrees they arranged the stars into separate series , and classified them under different constellations . Each constellation was represented by some hieroglyphical device , and hence arose mythological fables , which
at first referring solely to astronomical phenomena , were afterwards regarded as actual occurrences . Another ingredient of idolatry originated ( through the proneness of the human mind to superstition ) in a belief in the influences of the heavenl y bodies . Observing the consequences resulting from their particular situations and conjunctions at various times in the heavens , it was imagined that these glittering orbs must in their revolutions exercise like influence upon the earth , upon the seasonsand on human actions * The ancient writers contain
nume-, rous references to this belief ; and in that most ancient and sublime drama which human intellect ever produced—the book of Job—the prevailing superstition is thus alluded to : — " Canst thou restrain the sweet influences of the Pleiades , or loose the bands of Orion . " And in protesting his innocence of any participation in the reigning idolatry , the pious Job is made to observe— " If I beheld the sun when it shined , or the moon walking in brightnessand my heart hath been secretly enticed
, , or my mouth hath kissed my hand , this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge , for I should then have denied the God that is above . " The stars being thus regarded as imaginary deities , and superstitiously invested with distinct intelligences , were represented by various personifications , which , after being solemnly consecrated , attracted the same devotion as was at first paid to the planets thus impersonated , and to this practice is traceable the origin of the Sabean superstition . These