Godfrey Higgins On Freemasonry.

and of the unsectarian bas s on which the permanent Freemasonic Institution was to rest , for the first of the " Old Charges " distinctly states ( as indeed , it does virtually even now ) that : " Though in ancient Times Masons were

charged in every country to be of the Religion of that Country or Nation , whatever it was , yet 'tis now thought more expedient only to oblige them to that Relig ion in which all men agree , leaving their particular opinions to themselves ;

that is , to be good men and true , or men of Honour and Honesty . " The Christian character of the Society under the operative regime of former centuries , was exchanged for the unsectarian regulations , which were to include under

its wing the votaries of all sects—without respect to their differences , or colour or clime , provided , the simple conditions were observed in morality , mature age , and an approved ballot . We shall now present Bro . Higgin ' s views as to the ancient mysteries in relation to Freemasonry . He

says - . " I believe that a certain class of persons , initiated into the higher mysteries of the ancients , were what are called Carmelites Therapeutce and Essenes , or that they constituted a part of , or were formed out ofthese sectsand were what we now

, , call Freemasons . They were also called Chaldtei and Mathematici . ( p . 304 , vol . 1 . ) . . . I think the mysteries were like Masonry ; indeed we shall soon see , it is highly probable , that the Masons were a branch of the initiated—Masonry , a branch

of the art . ( p . 590 . ) .... I think I have stated enough to raise or justify what the Jesuits call a probable opinion , that the masonic ceremonies or secrets are descendants of the Eleusenian mysteries . Every body knows the now ridiculous ,

traditionary fancy that a Mason is , in some way , marked or branded or mutilated before he can be admitted into the Order . I believe this , like most other traditions , had not its origin from nothing . I believe the hi gher classes of Masons were ori g inall y

persons who were admitted into the mysteries of Eleusis and Egypt , and that they were Chaldteans and Mathematici , and I believe that what the above tradition of the branding alluded to , was circumcision , add that they were circumcised . Origen and Clemens Alexandrinus both affirm ,

that the secret learning of the Egyptians was onl y taught to such persons as had undergone the operation of circumcision , for which reason , it was submitted to by Py thagoras . The same luorcl in Hebrew means both initiated and circumcised . " ( p . 724 . )

Speaking of the initiation of Moses by the Egyptian priests , Schiller says : " These ceremonies were connected with the mysterious images and hieroglyphics . And the hidden truths so carefully concealed under themand used in their rites

, , were all comprised under the name of mysteries , such as had been used in the temples of Isis and Serapis , which were the models of the mysteries of Eleusis and Samothrace , and , in more modern times , gave rise to the order of Freemasonry "

Bro . Higgins considers "the mysteries were not the origin of Masonry ; , they were Masonry itself ; for Masonry was a part of them . " ( p . 719 , vol . 1 . ) We think it our duty to thus state clearl y what really was the belief of Bro . Higgins

as to the ancient mysteries and ancient Freemasonry , but we must not be understood to endorse his opinions unless we so state . It is well the character of this

learned and singular work should be known , and in order to that end , it is only fair that we should not constitute ourselves the judge , and accordingly , only retain what we may adopt , and exclude from these pages what seems to us entirel y

fabulous , but that our readers should be able to decide for themselves , we have inserted many lengthy quotations from the two volumes ; which extracts , are all the more valuable , because made by us direct from the originals , which are now

exceedingly scarce , and whenever they are presented for sale command very large sums of money from purchasers . However peculiar the statements sound to the ears of masonic students for the first time , it is far better to know what they really are

, than to be left to imagine what they actually are not . Bro . Higgins declares : " I have no doubt that the cabalistic economy was similar to that of a lodge of Freemasons , and proceeded to the top by gradationand that Masonry , which was a

, part of it , existed long before the time of the Exod from Egypt The ancient Jews maintained that their cabala was revealed by God to Moses , and was