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Article ON THE STUDY OF MASONIC ANTIQUITIES. ← Page 7 of 10 →
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On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
sciences were taught . Thus they became the receptacles of all human knowledge , which was dispensed by the priests to those who , upon probation , were found to be worthy , and that in a manner so veiled in allegory , that without due instruction and explanation , accompanied by mental application , the neophyte would ever remain ignorant of the true meaning of the symbols presented to his view , and of the fund of recondite knowledge which they concealed . Hidden thus from the external world
by an allegorical veil , which was illustrated by hicroglyphical and symbolical devices , were stores of wisdom unattainable without intense study . But the noviciate whose perseverance enabled him to surmount the difficulties which obstructed the rugged paths to knowledge , and had given proofs of his moral fitness , his fortitude and assiduity , had gradually unfolded to his wondering view the sublime doctrines of the Unity of the Deity and of the Immortality ofthe Soul . The polytheism
which haunted his mind in its ignorance was dissipated by the light of truth , and to him was revealed a knowledge of the great Architect of the Universe , in all the stupendous glory of his divine attributes—his omnipotence—his omniscience—his omnipresence . The noviciate was instructed in a profound cosmogony , and entrusted with a sacred name . In short , by slow degrees , he became initiated into all the wisdom of the
Egyptians . Wilkinson observes that the ascendancy acquired by the priesthood over the popular mind arose from the great importance attached to the mysteries , to a thorough undertanding of whichthepriests could alone arrive ; and he states that so sacred were these secrets held that man y members of the sacerdotal order were not admitted to participate in them , and those alone were selected for initiation who had proved themselves virtuousand deserving of the honour . This fact is satisfactoril
, y proved by the evidence of Clement of Alexandria , who says— " The Egyptians neither entrusted their mysteries to every one , nor degraded the secrets of divine matters by disclosing them to the profane ; reserving them for the heir-apparent to the throne , and for such of the priests as excelled in virtue and wisdom . " The mysteries of Egypt were divided into the less and greater , and none could pass into the latter who had not been initiated into the
former . In all probability the whole consisted of about thirty steps or grades , arising out of the three principal degrees or classes , of which the mysteries of Isis , or first degree , consitutted the less ; and the mysteries of SERAPIS and OSIRIS , or the second and third degrees , formed the greater . The subdivision of these degrees seems to have been occasioned by the different orders of priests and prophets , '" ' each grade of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
sciences were taught . Thus they became the receptacles of all human knowledge , which was dispensed by the priests to those who , upon probation , were found to be worthy , and that in a manner so veiled in allegory , that without due instruction and explanation , accompanied by mental application , the neophyte would ever remain ignorant of the true meaning of the symbols presented to his view , and of the fund of recondite knowledge which they concealed . Hidden thus from the external world
by an allegorical veil , which was illustrated by hicroglyphical and symbolical devices , were stores of wisdom unattainable without intense study . But the noviciate whose perseverance enabled him to surmount the difficulties which obstructed the rugged paths to knowledge , and had given proofs of his moral fitness , his fortitude and assiduity , had gradually unfolded to his wondering view the sublime doctrines of the Unity of the Deity and of the Immortality ofthe Soul . The polytheism
which haunted his mind in its ignorance was dissipated by the light of truth , and to him was revealed a knowledge of the great Architect of the Universe , in all the stupendous glory of his divine attributes—his omnipotence—his omniscience—his omnipresence . The noviciate was instructed in a profound cosmogony , and entrusted with a sacred name . In short , by slow degrees , he became initiated into all the wisdom of the
Egyptians . Wilkinson observes that the ascendancy acquired by the priesthood over the popular mind arose from the great importance attached to the mysteries , to a thorough undertanding of whichthepriests could alone arrive ; and he states that so sacred were these secrets held that man y members of the sacerdotal order were not admitted to participate in them , and those alone were selected for initiation who had proved themselves virtuousand deserving of the honour . This fact is satisfactoril
, y proved by the evidence of Clement of Alexandria , who says— " The Egyptians neither entrusted their mysteries to every one , nor degraded the secrets of divine matters by disclosing them to the profane ; reserving them for the heir-apparent to the throne , and for such of the priests as excelled in virtue and wisdom . " The mysteries of Egypt were divided into the less and greater , and none could pass into the latter who had not been initiated into the
former . In all probability the whole consisted of about thirty steps or grades , arising out of the three principal degrees or classes , of which the mysteries of Isis , or first degree , consitutted the less ; and the mysteries of SERAPIS and OSIRIS , or the second and third degrees , formed the greater . The subdivision of these degrees seems to have been occasioned by the different orders of priests and prophets , '" ' each grade of