The Mysteries of Free Masonry Part 33

Q. What will a.s.sist you to bring forth this knowledge? A. A matter brought to perfection, this has been sought for under the name of the philosopher's stone.

Q. What does the globe represent? A. An information of philosophers, for the benefit of the art in this work.

Q. What signify the words, "Lux ex tenebris?" A. That is the depth of darkness you ought to retire from, in order to gain the true light.

Q. What signifies the cross on the globe? A. The cross is the emblem of the true elected.

Q. What represent the three candlesticks? A. The three degrees of fire, which the artist must have knowledge to give, in order to procure the matters from which it proceeds.

Q. What signifies the word Stibium? A. It signifies antimony, or the first matter of all things.

Q. What signify the seven degrees? A. The different effectual degrees of Masonry which you must pa.s.s to come to the Sublime Degree of Knights of the Sun.

Q. What signify the divers attributes in those degrees? A. First. The Bible, or G.o.d's law, which we ought to follow. Second. The compa.s.s teaches us to do nothing unjust. Third. The square conducts us equal to the same end. 4th. The level demonstrates to us, all that is just and equitable. Fifth. The perpendicular, to be upright and subdue the veil of prejudice. Sixth. The tressle-board is the image of our reason, where the functions are combined to effect, compare and think.

Seventh. The rough-stone is the resemblance of our vices, which we ought to reform. Eighth. The cubic stone is our pa.s.sions, which we ought to surmount. Ninth. The columns signify strength in all things.

Tenth. The blazing star teaches that our hearts ought to be as a clear sun, among those that are troubled with the things of this life.

Eleventh. The key teaches to have a watchful eye over those who are contrary to reason. Twelfth. The box teaches to keep our secrets inviolably. Thirteenth. The urn learns us that we ought to be as delicious perfumes. Fourteenth. The brazen sea, that we ought to purify ourselves, and destroy vice. Fifteenth. The circles on the triangles demonstrate the immensity of the divinity under the symbol of truth. Sixteenth. The poniard teacheth the step of the elected, many are called, but few are chosen to the sublime knowledge of pure truth. Seventeenth. The word albra signifies a king full of glory and without blot. Eighteenth. The word Adonai signifies Sovereign Creator of all things. Nineteenth. The seven cherubims are the symbols of the delights of life, known by seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, smelling, tranquility, and thought.

Q. What represents the sun? A. It is an emblem of Divinity, which we ought to regard as the image of G.o.d. This immense body represents the infinity of G.o.d's wonderful will, as the only source of light and good. The heat of the sun produces the rule of the seasons, recruits nature, takes darkness from the winter, in order that the deliciousness of spring might succeed. End of the physical lecture.

GENERAL LECTURE IN THIS DEGREE.

Question--From whence came you? Answer--From the centre of the earth.

Q. How have you come from thence? A. By reflection, and the study of nature.

Q. Who has taught you this? A. Men in general who are blind, and lead others in their blindness.

Q. What do you understand by this blindness? A. I do not understand it to be privy to their mysteries; but I understand under the name of blindness, those who cease to be ardent, after they have been privy to the light of the spirit of reason.

Q. Who are those? A. Those who, through the prejudices of superst.i.tion and fanaticism, render their services to ignorance.

Q. What do you understand by fanaticism? A. The zeal of all particular sects which are spread over the earth, who commit crimes by making offerings to fraud and falsehood.

Q. And do you desire to rise from this darkness? A. My desire is to come to the celestial truth, and to travel by the light of the sun.

Q. What represents that body? A. It is the figure of an only G.o.d, to whom we ought to pay our adoration. The sun being the emblem of G.o.d, we ought to regard it as the image of the Divinity; for that immense body represents wonderfully the infinity of G.o.d. He invigorates and produces the seasons, and replenishes nature, by taking the horrors from winter, and produces the delights of spring.

Q. What does the triangle, with the sun in the centre, represent? A.

It represents the immensity of the Supreme.

Q. What signifies the three S. S. S.? A. Sanct.i.tas, Scientia, and Syrentia, which signify the science accompanied with wisdom, and make men holy.

Q. What signifies the three candlesticks? A. It represents the course of life, considered in youth, manhood, and old age.

Q. Has it any other meaning? A. Yes, the triple light that shines among us, in order to take men out of darkness and ignorance into which they are plunged, and to bring them to virtue, truth, and happiness, a symbol of our perfection.

Q. What signifies the four triangles that are in the great circles? A.

They are the emblems of the four princ.i.p.al views of the life of tranquility, etc. First. Fraternal love to all mankind in general, more particularly for our brethren, who are more attached to us, and who with honor have seen the wretchedness of the vulgar. Second. To be cautious among us of things, and not to demonstrate them clearly to any who are not proper to receive them; and to be likewise cautious in giving credit to any matter, however artfully it may be disguised, without a self-conviction in the heart. Third. To cast from us every matter which we perceive we may ever repent of doing, taking care of this moral precept, "To do to every one of your fellow creatures no more than you would choose to be done to." Fourth. We ought always to confide in our Creator's bounty, and to pray without ceasing, that all our necessities might be relieved as it seems best to him for our advantage; to wait for his blessings patiently in this life; to be persuaded of his sublime decrees, that whatever might fall, contrary to our wishes, will be attended with good consequences; to take his chastis.e.m.e.nts patiently, and be a.s.sured that the end of everything has been done by him for the best, and will certainly lead us to eternal happiness hereafter.

Q. Explain the signification of the seven planets which are enclosed in a triangle, that forms the rays of the exterior circles, and are enclosed in the grand triangle. A. The seven planets, according to philosophy, represent the seven princ.i.p.al pa.s.sions of the life of man; those pa.s.sions are very useful when they are used in moderation, for which the Almighty gave them to us, but grow fatal and destroy the body when let loose: and, therefore, it is our particular duty to subdue them.

Q. Explain the seven pa.s.sions to us. A. 1st. The propagation of species. 2d. Ambition of acquiring riches. 3d. Ambition to acquire glory in the arts and sciences among men in general. 4th. Superiority in civil life. 5th. Joys and pleasures of society. 6th. Amus.e.m.e.nts and gaieties of life. 7th. Religion.

Q. Which is the greatest sin of all that man can commit, and render him odious to G.o.d and man? A. Suicide and homicide.

Q. What signifies the seven cherubims whose names are written in the circle called the "First Heaven?" A. They represent the corporeal delights of this life, which the Eternal gave to man when he created him, and are, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, tranquility, and thought.

Q. What signifies the figure in the moon, which we regard as the figure or image of conception? A. The purity of nature, which procures the holiness of the body; and that there is nothing imperfect in the eyes of the Supreme.

Q. What signifies the figure of the columns? A. They are the emblems of our souls, which is the breath of life proceeding from the All Puissant, and ought not to be soiled by the works of the body, but to be firm as columns.

Q. What does the figure in the porch, which carries a lamb in his arms represent? Ans.--The porch ornamented with the columns of Jachin and Boaz, and surmounted with the grand I, represents our body, over which we ought to have a particular care, in watching our conversation, and also to watch our needs, as the shepherd his flock.

Q. What signify the two letters, I and B, at the porch? A. They signify our entrance in the order of Masonry; also the firmness of the soul, which we ought to possess from hour of our initiation; these we ought to merit, before we can come to the sublime degrees of knowing holy truth, and we ought to preserve them, and be firm in whatever situation we may be in, not knowing whether it may return to our good or evil in the pa.s.sage of this life.

Q. What signifies the large I in the triangle on the crown of the portico? A. That large I, being the initial of the mysterious name of the Great Architect of the Universe, whose greatness we should always have in our minds, and that our labors ought to be employed to please Him; which we should always have in our view as the sure and only source of our actions.

Q. What signify the seven steps that lead to the entry of the porch?

A. They mark the seven degrees in Masonry, which are the princ.i.p.al which we ought to arrive to, in order to come to the knowledge of holy truth.

Q. What does the terrestrial globe represent? A. The world which we inhabit, and wherein Masonry is its princ.i.p.al ornament.

Q. What is the explanation of the great word, Adonai? A. It is the word which G.o.d gave to Adam, for him to pray by; a word which our common father never p.r.o.nounced without trembling.

Q. What signifies "Lux ex tenebris?" A. A man made clear by the light of reason, penetrating this obscurity of ignorance and superst.i.tion.

Q. What signifies the river across the globe? A. It represents the utility of our pa.s.sions, which are necessary to man in the course of his life, as water is necessary to render the earth fertile; as the sun draws up the water, which being purified, falls on the earth and gives verdure.

Q. What signifies the cross, surrounded by two serpents, on the top of the globe? A. It represents to us not to repeat the vulgar prejudices; to be prudent, and to know the bottom of the heart. In matters of religion to be always prepared; not to be of the sentiments with sots, idiots, and the lovers of the mysteries of religion; to avoid such, and not in the least to hold any conversation with them.

Q. What signifies the book, with the word Bible written in it? A. As the Bible is differently interpreted by the different sects who divide the different parts of the earth: Thus the true sons of light, or children of truth, ought to doubt of everything at present, as mysterious or metaphysics: Thus all the decisions of theology and philosophy, teach not to admit that which is not demonstrated as clearly as that 2 and 2 are equal to 4; and on the whole to adore G.o.d, and him only; to love him better than yourself; and always to have a confidence on the bounties and promises of our Creator. Amen. Amen.

Amen.

TO CLOSE THE COUNCIL.--Question (by Father Adam): Brother Truth, what progress have men made on earth to come to true happiness? Answer (by Brother Truth): Men have always fallen on the vulgar prejudices, which are nothing but falsehood; very few have struggled, and less have knocked at the door of this holy place, to attain the full light of real truth, which we all ought to acquire.

Then says Father Adam, "My dear children, depart and go among men, endeavor to inspire them with the desire of knowing holy truth, the pure source of all perfection." Father Adam then puts his right hand on his left breast; when all the brethren raise the first finger of the right hand, and then the Council of the Knights of the Sun is closed by seven knocks.

PRINCES OF JERUSALEM.

PREROGATIVES OF THE PRINCES.--Princes of Jerusalem have a right to inspect all Lodges or Councils of an inferior degree, and can revoke and annul all the work done in such Councils or Lodges, if the same shall be inconsistent with the regulations of Masonry.