And by that hieroglyphic bright Which none but craftsmen ever saw; BURNS. Those happy days are gone, never to return. Younger men may enjoy them as I have done; although it will require a very high degree of enthusiasm to impart the same relish which it has been my good fortune to possess. Some of my happiest moments have been passed in a mason's lodge. Commonplace maxims, if they were only clothed in the mantle of Freemasonry, have been invested with all the dignity of philosophy; and prosaic precepts have mounted in my excited imagination to the sublime regions of poetic inspiration. I often look back upon that period with sensations of unfeigned pleasure. It was like a bright halo of glory which overshadowed my path, and cast its streams of glittering light about me. The Lodge was a Paradise of pleasure, and masonry spread a gleam of sunshine on my existence. Your lodge, my dear brethren, is associated in my mind with that season of felicity, as connected with my Provincial presidency; and I cannot offer you a better wish than that you may enjoy, as I have done, the social delights which spring from an intercourse with each other in a tyled Lodge, governed by Wisdom, protected by Strength, and enlivened by Beauty. There are many good masons in the Witham Lodge who have made it their study to investigate the doctrines contained in the system of Freemasonry, and to trace them to their source, that their accuracy may be established by the most unexceptionable references. If it were not founded on the strong basis of truth, it would not have so nobly and triumphantly sustained the repeated attempts, both direct and indirect, and all insidious, to sully its fair fame, and blot it out of the list of those beneficent institutions which confer so much honour on their supporters, and such inestimable benefits on society at large. The symbol which forms the subject of the Lecture which I have the pleasure of dedicating to you, is of such importance as to admit of several interpretations, each illustrating the sublimity of its reference; and unitedly forming a constellation of moral and religious virtues which constitute an appropriate introduction to the divine qualities that point the way to heaven. That the Members of the Witham Lodge may experience no difficulty in finding that narrow path, is the sincere wish of W. Sir, and dear brethren, Your sincere friend, And faithful Brother, GEO. OLIVER, D.D., Hon. Member of the Witham Lodge. SCOPWICK VICARAGE, October 1, 1849. Lerture the Fifth. The twelve definitions of the Circle and Parallel Lines considered. "The Circle has ever been considered symbolic of the Deity; for as a Circle appears to have neither beginning nor end, it may justly be considered a type of the Deity, without either beginning of days or ending of years. It also reminds us of a future state, where wa hope to enjoy everlasting happiness and glory." OLD LECTURES WHEN a candidate for masonic honours has been enlightened by describing the circle of duty round the central point of light, and is permitted to look round him and observe the appointments and decorations, he is particularly struck with the appearance of numerous instruments of mechanical labour which appertain to the trade of an operative mason; intermixed with a profuse sprinkling of astronomical signs, and indications of a present Deity, which he sees arranged methodically about the Lodge. On whatever side he may turn his eyes, the effect is still the same. The ceiling is covered with symbols; as well as the pedestal, the tables, the walls, and the pillars. And before him, on what he may take to be an altar, lies the Volume of the Sacred Law of God, covered with mathematical instruments; which he also observes are repeated on the bosoms of the Officers. These we call Jewels, for the same reason as righteous men are often dignified with this title in the Holy Volume just mentioned, because they are held amongst us in superior estimation. The floor is composed of Mosaic work, and surrounded with a tesselated border, in imitation of the lithostrata or tesselated pavements of the Romans, so many remains of which exist in our own country. On a first view of this peculiarity, the ideas of the candidate may probably revert to the chambers of imagery, so well described by the prophet Ezekiel; to the Pantheon of Rome, the Catacombs of Egypt, or the cavern temples of Hindoostan. But his antiquarian reminiscences will afford a very imperfect notion of the scene which is exhibited in a mason's Lodge; for those decorations, unlike the symbols of masonry, consisted of sensible objects of veneration-single and double-faced deities, compound and imaginary animals; Genii with heads of birds, hawks, ibis, drakes, Similar monuments have been recently discovered in Central America, which Stephens thus describes. They "stand in the depths of a tropical forest, silent and solemn, strange in design, excellent in sculpture, rich in ornament, different from the works of any other people, their uses and purposes, their whole history so entirely unknown, with hieroglyphics explaining all, but perfectly unintelligible. Often the imagination was pained in gazing at them. The tone which pervades the ruins is that of deep solemnity. An imaginative mind might be infected with superstitious feelings. From constantly calling them by that name in our intercourse with the Indians, we regarded those solemn memorials as Idols; deified kings and heroes; objects of adoration and ceremonial worship. We did not find on either of the monuments or sculptured fragments any delineations of human, or in fact, any other kind of sacrifice; but had no doubt that the large sculptured stone invariably found before each idol, was employed as a sacrificial altar. 3 Hall's Life of Salt, vol. ii., p. 416. 2 Ezek. viii., 10. The form of sculpture most frequently met with was a death's head; sometimes the principal ornament, and sometimes only accessory; whole rows of them on the outer wall, adding gloom to the mystery of the place, keeping before the eyes of the living, death and the grave; and presenting the idea of a holy city-the Mecca or Jerusalem of an unknown people."4 And a most curious circumstance respecting these ancient monuments of a nation whose very existence is unrecorded, is worthy of notice here. The workmen in their construction, used certain mason-marks to indicate their own productions. Thus Stephens tells us that" on the walls of these desolate edifices were prints of the mano colorado, or red hand. Often as I saw this print, it never failed to interest me. It was the stamp of the living hand; and always brought me nearer to the builders of these cities. The Indians said it was the hand of the Master of the Building."5 In a mason's lodge, however, every thing which the candidate sees before his eyes, possesses a symbolical meaning to recommend the practice of virtue in order to produce the glory of God, peace on earth, and good will towards men; a result which is considered acceptable to T GA O TU, because it cannot fail to prove a source of happiness to his creatures, and lead to an abundant reward in the mansions of the blessed. The explanations of one series of these masonic symbols will be amply sufficient to illustrate my proposition, that the poetry of Freemasonry should be understood and felt before the science can be estimated according to its real value; for symbolism constitutes not only the materials, but the very essence of poetry. The early Christians had a symbol for every thing; nor did they hesitate to borrow these expressive tokens from the heathen, if they promised to advance the interests of their own system of religion. As Lord Lindsay observes respecting the adoption of pagan rites and ceremonies. into Christianity, "our ancestors touched nothing that they did not Christianize; they consecrated this visible world into a temple of God, of which the heavens were the dome, the mountains the altars, the forests the pil • Yucatan, vol. i., p. 158. Б Ibid. vol. ii., p. 46. |