A short account of the Eleusinian mysteries, which have generally been esteemed the most ancient and most closely resembling Freemasonry, may prove interesting. Each of you will for himself readily compare them with those of our Craft and note the resemblance or difference. After a long ceremony of preparatory purification, continued during nine days, the candidate for initiation was admitted at night into a vast building. By a series of mechanical contrivances, he was apparently exposed to the terrors of an earthquake; and amid imitations of thunder and lightning, sudden darkness beset him, and hideous noises were heard around. After enduring much calculated to strike terror, or arrest attention, he was introduced into the sanctuary of the goddess Isis or Ceres, which was dazzlingly lit up, and he was then instructed in the meaning of the sacred symbols presented to his view. Significant passwords were then communicated to him, by which he might recognize the brethren, and a most solemn oath was administered that he never should divulge the mysteries in which he was then instructed to the uninitiated. His instruction in the mysteries was by successive stages or steps. Some have supposed that the members of this society were taught the unity of the Divine Being. This, however, is denied by others; but it is generally admitted that a morality much superior to that prevailing amongst the mass of the nation, and connected with a belief in a system of future rewards and punishments, and of the immortality of the soul, was inculcated. These mysteries were in high repute, and the greatest sages and philosophers were proud of their initiation.
We have thus, then, proof of the early existence of the two sources from which Freemasonry would naturally originate — of the general association and great skill of the eastern architects, and of organized societies, distinguished by peculiar knowledge, by signs, &c., and bound by solemn sanctions not to reveal their secrets to those not initiated. The adoption by the one body of signs, symbols, initiations and mysteries, similar to those of the other was so natural, as almost certain to take place at a very early period of the co-existence of the two societies — the associated craftsmen and the associated mysterymen. This tendency of all trades or professions to form separate societies, and to protect their knowledge and rights by initiation into secrets, by passwords of recognition &c., is not of modern date, but is coeval almost with history, and indeed arises from the vary nature of man. The jealousy, too, with which artistic secrets were guarded, and all unlawful rivalry checked, may be illustrated by reference to the old fable of Daedalus, which, perhaps, has been, in another light, familiar to us from our pleasant school-boy days. This Daedalus, who is supposed to have lived more than three thousand years since, and whom some seek to identify with Tubal Cain, was an artist widely famed for his great ingenuity and skill in architecture and other kindred sciences. He was banished from his native country, Athens, for the murder of his nephew, Talus, who was his pupil, and whose growing genius so excited his uncle’s jealousy, that he killed him. On his banishment, he was kindly received by Minos, king of Crete, and adorned that country with many incomparable edifices and monuments of his skill. This ancient tale has been explained by the greatest of modern philosophers, Lord Bacon, “as chiefly denoting the envy which strangely prevails amongst excellent artificers; for no kind of people are observed to be more implacable and destructively envious to one another than these.” But I am inclined to imagine that a deeper truth lies hid in this “tradition old and dark,” and that the murder by this mason of his pupil, which was imputed to his jealousy of superior skill, was, perhaps, the indignant punishment inflicted on the youth for divulging the secrets which he had learned under the instruction of this uncle. It is curious too, as not remote from the history of the incident which is by some writers alleged to have occurred at the building of the Temple — namely, the murder of the master-builder directing the execution of the works. It is, however, sufficient to refer to it as showing the extreme jealousy of the rivalry of other artists.
But though I am not about to discuss minutely the question of the literal or historical proof of the truth of the tradition which refers our origin to the reign of Solomon, and the events connected with the building of his famous Temple, I cannot, of course, exclude from my consideration all mention of his times, and the sacred country where our organization is supposed to have commenced. Certain it is that Tyre and Sidon, at the time of the erection of Solomon’s Temple, were widely celebrated for the skill and excellence of their builders and masons. “None were also akilled to hew wood like the Sidonians;” and the buildings of those two most ancient cities were famed for their extent, beauty, and magnificence. The wisest of mankind deigned to apply for assistance, in executing the work which the Lord encouraged him to undertake, to the kindness of a neighbouring heathen king, who furnished him with builders and masons. I have before observed on the early prevalence of the separate organizations of the various crafts or trades; it was almost inevitable from the social nature of man, and the tendency of like to like. In Tyre and Sidon the craftsmen were associated by mysterious rites and ceremonies. Their merchants, you will recollect, were honourable princes and large traffickers. They carried their peculiar mysteries with their merchandize to Asia Minor and the “Isles of Greece, where burning Sappho loved and sung,” “where grew the arts of war and peace,” and, in return, with the spurious liberality which ever distinguished Paganism, they readily admitted the worship of all the gods of the heathen, and the gorgeous and imposing ceremonies connected with their superstitions and mysteries. Now, in the district of Asia Minor, called Ionia, there existed, it would seem, even before the building of the Temple, a very remarkable fraternity, called the “Dionysian artificers.” They were an association of scientific men, who possessed the exclusive privilege of erecting temples, theatres, and other public buildings in Asia Minor. They were a very numerous body, and existed under the same name in Syria (including Tyre and Sidon), Persia, and India. The members were particularly eminent for their scientific acquirements, and they possessed appropriate words and signs by which they could recognize their brethren. They were divided into lodges, which were called by different names. They occasionally held convivial meetings in houses erected and consecrated for the purpose, and each separate lodge was under the direction of a master, president, and warden. Once each year they held a festival of peculiar splendour and pomp. In their ceremonial observances particular utensils and implements were employed, some of which closely resembled, or were identical with those used by Freemasons. Their rules for the support of their poorer brethren, for securing general concord, and for the promotion of public and private virtues, so exactly coincide with those of our brotherhood, that writers, even the most hostile to the Craft, do not hesitate to ascribe to the Dionysian artists the origin of Freemasonry. In truth, these men were Freemasons; and scarcely any institution, pretending to antiquity, so nearly resembles its original foundation, as the body of Freemasons; their rites, rules, and orders, which have a known existence of some centuries, agree with the Dionysian builders, the parent stock from which they seem so clearly to have sprung, as even now to be almost identical with them. We may, then, be assured, that at the building of the Temple the skilful masons and architects, whose aid Solomon obtained, did belong to the fraternity I have just referred to and this pointed granted or established, the traditional origin of the re-organization of our even still illustrious and certainly very ancient Order, becomes, if not certain, at least sufficiently probable to receive a willing assent to its truth. The Syrian artificers brought to Jerusalem their science and their mysteries; from Jerusalem, the more illustrious city, these mysteries were propagated as from their original source.
| Can't find what you're looking for? Something missing, broken, or incorrect? Have an idea or a question? Let us know in the Discussion Forum |
|
|
| Need to ask me a question? I make every attempt to reply to all email. Click here to send me an email. |
