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Article ON SILENCE AND ITS ANCIENT SYMBOLS. ← Page 7 of 7 Article TRANSCAUCASIA. Page 1 of 11 →
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On Silence And Its Ancient Symbols.
Impostures they certainly Avere , but perhaps even then Delphic and Trophonian impostures were more harmless both in their nature and results , than many are disposed to allow . The Pythagorean silence is a subject on which so much has been said , that I Avill confine myself to the simple statement of Porphyry * which proves thatwhile the strictest silence and
, , secresy Avas preserved as to the actual teaching of the great philosopher , its general results were allowed to be knoAvn without any restraint . Prom the same author it appears clear that certain signs and secrets were communicated , Avhich enabled his disciples to recognise each other when travelling in foreign lands , while the mysterious " tetractys " or "
quaternionnumber" ( 4 x 3 ) formed the solemn pledge by which they swore to preserve the knoAvledge so communicated as a profound secret . I will now close this article , humbly hoping that I may haA-e sliOAvn that the fidelity obsei'A'ed by Masons on the score of silence at least has the recommendation of antiquity in its behalf , and that in all ages the quaint saying that " silence is wisdom" has been theoretically believed , and practically realised .
Transcaucasia.
TRANSCAUCASIA .
THE stirring events Avhich are noAv transpiring in the East have opened many sources of interest and inquiry , the prosecution of which may lead to important and permanent results . At this moment public attention hangs Avith breathless suspense on the movements of our fleets and armies , and the daily announcements of the telegraph . We have ears only for the sound
of cannon , we study the maps only for the position and strength of fortresses , and Ave calculate only the chances of Avar and the power of our enemy . But let us hope that these causes of excitement will pass away , and that , when justice and right shall have been vindicated and established by the generous and powerful interference of England and Prance , Ave shall have better sources of interest in the East , and that our sympathies may be diverted into more humanizing and peaceable channels .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Silence And Its Ancient Symbols.
Impostures they certainly Avere , but perhaps even then Delphic and Trophonian impostures were more harmless both in their nature and results , than many are disposed to allow . The Pythagorean silence is a subject on which so much has been said , that I Avill confine myself to the simple statement of Porphyry * which proves thatwhile the strictest silence and
, , secresy Avas preserved as to the actual teaching of the great philosopher , its general results were allowed to be knoAvn without any restraint . Prom the same author it appears clear that certain signs and secrets were communicated , Avhich enabled his disciples to recognise each other when travelling in foreign lands , while the mysterious " tetractys " or "
quaternionnumber" ( 4 x 3 ) formed the solemn pledge by which they swore to preserve the knoAvledge so communicated as a profound secret . I will now close this article , humbly hoping that I may haA-e sliOAvn that the fidelity obsei'A'ed by Masons on the score of silence at least has the recommendation of antiquity in its behalf , and that in all ages the quaint saying that " silence is wisdom" has been theoretically believed , and practically realised .
Transcaucasia.
TRANSCAUCASIA .
THE stirring events Avhich are noAv transpiring in the East have opened many sources of interest and inquiry , the prosecution of which may lead to important and permanent results . At this moment public attention hangs Avith breathless suspense on the movements of our fleets and armies , and the daily announcements of the telegraph . We have ears only for the sound
of cannon , we study the maps only for the position and strength of fortresses , and Ave calculate only the chances of Avar and the power of our enemy . But let us hope that these causes of excitement will pass away , and that , when justice and right shall have been vindicated and established by the generous and powerful interference of England and Prance , Ave shall have better sources of interest in the East , and that our sympathies may be diverted into more humanizing and peaceable channels .