The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

and even bore a reluctant testimony to His Divine mission ; * the symbols and hieroglyphics of the Spurious Freemasonry were superseded ; ancl the empire of Satan was overthrown by the universal sovereignty of the PRINCE OE PJ _ . The question of the heathen oracles is a doubtful one , ancl too much encumbered with difficulties for discussion here . It should appear from various passages of Scripture that Jehovah condescended , in ancient times , to dictate their answers ; + although he abandoned them in their subsequent degeneracy , ancl they were probably inspired by demons . However , we have the testimony of heathen ' writers " to prove that they ceased generally at the advent of Christ . Thus the oracle at Delphos said to Augustus : —

Me pner Hebi '_ eus divos Dens ipse gubernans Gedere seclu jubet , tristemeque leclire snb orcnm ; Aris ergo dehinc tacitns discedito nostris . Occasionally , however , as it is said , they were beard after this event , as when the Emperor Julian inquired of the oracle at Daphne why the gods refused to communicate with their worshippers ? The oracle replied that he was prevented by the bones of a Christian saint which had been deposited near . Julian ordered the bones to be removed

, and almost immediately afterwards the temple of Daphne was burnt to the ground ! And St . Athanasius said that when the idolaters sacrifice to their gods , if a Christian used the sign of the cross , the devds woidd be put to fli ght , the oracles would be silent , and the magical arts of the people would be of no avail . It is true paganism maintained a long and arduous conflict with Christianity , and the powers of darkness struggled to recover their dominion oyer the mind of man ; yet it idldeclinedConstantine

rapy . gave it an effectual check , and iu the reign of Theodosius , the whole system , complicated as it was , sank to rise no more . The superstitions of Greece and Rome , of Gaul and Scandinavia , have been utterly abolished ; Egypt and Chaldea have renounced their fabled deities ; and the countries of the New World have embraced the Gospel of Christ . And the clay , as we sincerel y hope , is not far distant when all the kingdoms of the earth shall bow clown at His footstool , and worship His Holy Name .

This was the Debverer who had been embodied in the great anaglyph of the Hermesian Spurious Freemasomy ; and was expected by both Jews and Heathens to make atonement for the sins of men . The Jews still expect Him , and look with great anxiety for His herald , the star which appeared when Joshua conquered the land of Canaan . When this constellation shall at length manifest itself , they look for the most awful prodigies in nature to announce His descent . The most sanguinary wars

shall desolate the globe ; a dew of blood shall fall down from heaven ; plague and famine shall ravage the earth ; and the most venomous reptiles and the most savage monsters of the desert are to be let loose on mankind . The sun shall be turned into darkness , and the moon into blood , according to Joel ' s prophecy ; but in thirty clays shall recover their pristine lightness . " Men , " says the Gemara , " formidable with two heads ancl numerous eyes , burning like fire , shall come from the extremities of the earth ; and a powerf id aud despotic monarch finally prevailing , shall govern the universe with a rod of h-on , " §

This , however , is a fabulous belief . The Deliverer' is already come . By His bloodshedding the darkened mind of the pagan has been enlightened by tbe rays of truth ; and the austere bigotry of- the Jew will ultimately be softened into the humility of a sincere believer ; and both freely ancl completely , reconcded to God . Christ died for our sins , rose again for our justification , ancl ascended into heaven to re-occupy that blessed seat which He had with God before the world began , as our Mediator ; and at the final consummation of all sublunary things , will again appear as the apn ^ ifife © NBSfoe of quick and dead . fyy " -V \ i jEr / GB * N j \