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Article MASONIC PHILOSOPHY. Page 1 of 9 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Philosophy.
MASONIC PHILOSOPHY .
ANCIENT ¦ MASOISTBT OF THE HINDOOS . As Love , an emanation from the Divine Essence itself , is tlie first pervading principle of all Masonic philosophy , it will not be surprising that in the simple and primitive ages of mankind it should form the basis of the religious sentiment which linked society together in
the bonds of mutual attachment . The adoration of One Supreme Power , as the fountain-head from which flowed every human happiness , became an important object with the first people planted in the East . This worship , so pure and simple in the early ages of the world , gradually adopted forms and ceremonies for the preservation of its unity , in proportion to the increase of the human family ;
and then again in process of time assumed a mystic and symbolic character , as better calculated to inspire awe of the Grodhead , and to regulate and control the passions incident to our nature . The preservation of these mystic rites became at length intrusted to a chosen brotherhood , who prepared themselves for their practice by a long and severe course of initiation;—symbolically passing through the valley of the shadow of death , until they emerged into the vivifying regions of light : —a mode of initiation corresponding in some
measure with our present 3 rd Degree m Craft Masonry . Such is an outline of the early system practised by the Hindoos , as recorded in the Vedas , —a work of as Divino authority with this race of people as the Bible is with the Jews and Christians of our own days ; and , as the Masonic element is an emanation from the same source as the
religious , the Hindoos founding their symbolic system upon the Vedas as we derive ours from the Bible , we must proceed to sift out the Masonic philosophy from the mass of theological superstitions witli which these early traditions are intermingled . vol . it . 4 Q
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Philosophy.
MASONIC PHILOSOPHY .
ANCIENT ¦ MASOISTBT OF THE HINDOOS . As Love , an emanation from the Divine Essence itself , is tlie first pervading principle of all Masonic philosophy , it will not be surprising that in the simple and primitive ages of mankind it should form the basis of the religious sentiment which linked society together in
the bonds of mutual attachment . The adoration of One Supreme Power , as the fountain-head from which flowed every human happiness , became an important object with the first people planted in the East . This worship , so pure and simple in the early ages of the world , gradually adopted forms and ceremonies for the preservation of its unity , in proportion to the increase of the human family ;
and then again in process of time assumed a mystic and symbolic character , as better calculated to inspire awe of the Grodhead , and to regulate and control the passions incident to our nature . The preservation of these mystic rites became at length intrusted to a chosen brotherhood , who prepared themselves for their practice by a long and severe course of initiation;—symbolically passing through the valley of the shadow of death , until they emerged into the vivifying regions of light : —a mode of initiation corresponding in some
measure with our present 3 rd Degree m Craft Masonry . Such is an outline of the early system practised by the Hindoos , as recorded in the Vedas , —a work of as Divino authority with this race of people as the Bible is with the Jews and Christians of our own days ; and , as the Masonic element is an emanation from the same source as the
religious , the Hindoos founding their symbolic system upon the Vedas as we derive ours from the Bible , we must proceed to sift out the Masonic philosophy from the mass of theological superstitions witli which these early traditions are intermingled . vol . it . 4 Q