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Expatiation On The Mysteries Of Masonry In Malling Abbey Lodge,
EXPATIATION ON THE MYSTERIES OF MASONRY IN MALLING ABBEY LODGE ,
LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 1 , 1867 .
No . 1 , 003 . ( Continued from fnge 3 G 2 . ) We now come to the third degree of Craft Masonry . For this the other two are in a great
measure preparatory . From the Creation and fall of man to the Exodus , and again from the Exodus to the termination of the Jewish economy , many of the types and symbols of Masonry had reference to something future . Year after year ,
and century after century , commencing in the east and passing from thence to the west , and extending over a great portion of the inhabited world , mysterious ceremonies , "which had their origin in remote traditions , were carefully observed in Masonic lodges ; some of ivhich , as regards their
full purport ancl signification , must have been unintelligible to most of those who used them . In the three decrees there is something which i —• O is common to all ; yet each has something which is peculiar to itself . The first sets before us , more
especially , truths derived from the light of nature , and from the traditions of early revelations . The second brings us to the study of things cognisable by the understanding , ancl the principles of the moral law . Ancl the third decree calls us to the
consideration of all that may be acquired by the highest exercise of our reasoning- powers , and even invites us to the pursuit of something beyond this , the knowledge of things whicli transcend the limits of our natural faculties .
In the symbols ancl allegories of the third degree , when fully understood , we may find the type and the antitype ; the mystery ancl its development ; the sign ancl the thing signified ; the hidden wisdom , and the revelation which
enables us to comprehend it . It follows from this that whilst part of the symbolism of this degree is of the highest antiquity , setting forth the mystery so far as it was taught from the beginning , other parts of it are , comparatively speaking ,
modem ; inasmuch as they were introduced for the purpose of guiding us to that full- hiowlegc of the meaning of those ceremonies , which could only be obtained by means of light communicated in a later age . But as the things taught were in both cases the same , the older and the more
modern parts of the symbolism correspond so closely with each other , that they set before us a perfect ancl harmonious . system sf instruction . The name given by Pythagoras to Master Masons was " Physici . " This is very significant .
For the Physicists belonged to an earlier age of Grecian philosophy than the mathematicians . The former originated with Tholes , the father of Greek speculative philosophy . Pythagoras himself was a principal founder of the mathematical school , yet he
gave the name of " Mathematici" to the second , and that of " Physici" to the third degree . In this we have one of the important lessons of Masonry , viz ., that we must not venture far into speculation and contemplation , until we have first strengthened
and prepared our minds by observation , moral culture , and practical work . "We must here notice an error whicli has crepfc into the charge in the second degree , in which it is said that Masonry ancl geometry were originally
synonomous . "Whereas , geometry belongs to operative , ancl Masonry ( derived from the Greek Mesouranoii ) , to speculative Masonry . Tho former is more particularly an object of study for the " Mathematici" in the F . C . degree ; and the latter , for the " Physici" in the third degree .
The characteristic number of the third degree is three . This number in its most natural and and obvious application , represents the third period of intellectual development comprehended in the three years from thirteen to fifteen inclusive .
It is the stage of " Reason , by means of which , " says Algazzali , " the intellect perceives the necessary , the possible , the absolute , and all those higher objects whicli transcend the understanding . "
According to this , Masonry would fix the time of coming of age , so to speak , at fifteen ; which , to our modern ideas , ancl in our northern climate , appears very early . But Masonry camo to us from the East , and it is , therefore , not surprising that
it should contain traces of oriental views and customs . And we have , still remaining , evidence that even in Britainy the law was once in harmony with them . Under the law of Gavelkind , in Kent , persons are competent to convey estates at the
age of fifteen ; a custom which may have been originally introduced into this country by the Druidical Masons . More recently , English bishops have , perhaps unconsciously , followed this ancient Masonic practice by fixing fifteen as the age for confirmation .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Expatiation On The Mysteries Of Masonry In Malling Abbey Lodge,
EXPATIATION ON THE MYSTERIES OF MASONRY IN MALLING ABBEY LODGE ,
LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 1 , 1867 .
No . 1 , 003 . ( Continued from fnge 3 G 2 . ) We now come to the third degree of Craft Masonry . For this the other two are in a great
measure preparatory . From the Creation and fall of man to the Exodus , and again from the Exodus to the termination of the Jewish economy , many of the types and symbols of Masonry had reference to something future . Year after year ,
and century after century , commencing in the east and passing from thence to the west , and extending over a great portion of the inhabited world , mysterious ceremonies , "which had their origin in remote traditions , were carefully observed in Masonic lodges ; some of ivhich , as regards their
full purport ancl signification , must have been unintelligible to most of those who used them . In the three decrees there is something which i —• O is common to all ; yet each has something which is peculiar to itself . The first sets before us , more
especially , truths derived from the light of nature , and from the traditions of early revelations . The second brings us to the study of things cognisable by the understanding , ancl the principles of the moral law . Ancl the third decree calls us to the
consideration of all that may be acquired by the highest exercise of our reasoning- powers , and even invites us to the pursuit of something beyond this , the knowledge of things whicli transcend the limits of our natural faculties .
In the symbols ancl allegories of the third degree , when fully understood , we may find the type and the antitype ; the mystery ancl its development ; the sign ancl the thing signified ; the hidden wisdom , and the revelation which
enables us to comprehend it . It follows from this that whilst part of the symbolism of this degree is of the highest antiquity , setting forth the mystery so far as it was taught from the beginning , other parts of it are , comparatively speaking ,
modem ; inasmuch as they were introduced for the purpose of guiding us to that full- hiowlegc of the meaning of those ceremonies , which could only be obtained by means of light communicated in a later age . But as the things taught were in both cases the same , the older and the more
modern parts of the symbolism correspond so closely with each other , that they set before us a perfect ancl harmonious . system sf instruction . The name given by Pythagoras to Master Masons was " Physici . " This is very significant .
For the Physicists belonged to an earlier age of Grecian philosophy than the mathematicians . The former originated with Tholes , the father of Greek speculative philosophy . Pythagoras himself was a principal founder of the mathematical school , yet he
gave the name of " Mathematici" to the second , and that of " Physici" to the third degree . In this we have one of the important lessons of Masonry , viz ., that we must not venture far into speculation and contemplation , until we have first strengthened
and prepared our minds by observation , moral culture , and practical work . "We must here notice an error whicli has crepfc into the charge in the second degree , in which it is said that Masonry ancl geometry were originally
synonomous . "Whereas , geometry belongs to operative , ancl Masonry ( derived from the Greek Mesouranoii ) , to speculative Masonry . Tho former is more particularly an object of study for the " Mathematici" in the F . C . degree ; and the latter , for the " Physici" in the third degree .
The characteristic number of the third degree is three . This number in its most natural and and obvious application , represents the third period of intellectual development comprehended in the three years from thirteen to fifteen inclusive .
It is the stage of " Reason , by means of which , " says Algazzali , " the intellect perceives the necessary , the possible , the absolute , and all those higher objects whicli transcend the understanding . "
According to this , Masonry would fix the time of coming of age , so to speak , at fifteen ; which , to our modern ideas , ancl in our northern climate , appears very early . But Masonry camo to us from the East , and it is , therefore , not surprising that
it should contain traces of oriental views and customs . And we have , still remaining , evidence that even in Britainy the law was once in harmony with them . Under the law of Gavelkind , in Kent , persons are competent to convey estates at the
age of fifteen ; a custom which may have been originally introduced into this country by the Druidical Masons . More recently , English bishops have , perhaps unconsciously , followed this ancient Masonic practice by fixing fifteen as the age for confirmation .