Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
where , with his famil y , he established himself in honour and prosperity . Here the covenant was again renewed with the promise made to Abraham . The life of the patriarch , distinguished as it had hitherto been b y the revelation and favour ofthe Deity , was destined to be clouded towards its close ; Dinahhis daughter by Leahwas defiled by Sechen
, , , the son of Hamor , the Hivite prince , and Rachel , his best beloved wife , was taken from him ; while his sons , jealous of his partiality for Ms youngest , Joseph , disputed amongst themselves , and disturbed his domestic happiness . There is every reason to conclude that Joseph was worth y of the affection of his father , who instructed him in the
princi ples of Masonry and imparted the secrets ofthe Craft ; a knowledge of infinite service to him when , by the jealousy of his brethren , he was sold to slavery and rested amongst the Egyptians , whose reli g ion was founded on the science of astronomy , introduced b y the dispersed builders of Shinar . The sununder the name of Osirisbeing the chief
, , object of their worship , they typified him by two characters , that of an old man just before the winter solstice , having the constellation Leo opposite to him , and the serpent or h ydra under him ; the wolf on the east of the lion , the dog on the west : such being the state of the southern hemisphere at midni ght about that period of the year . At the vernal
equinox they represented the great luminary under the figure of a boy ( Harpocrates ) , then was typified the death , burial , and resurrection of Osiris ; that is to say , the sun just rising from the lower to the upper hemisphere .
The perfect Masonry of Joseph enabled him to correct many of their errors , and explain to them the true meaning of the ceremonies , whose ori g in was obscured by the worst idolatry ; hence he arose to hig h honour ; and at the time of the great famine which he had foretold , was chief ruler over E gypt ; an office which enabled him to exercise the
pure Masonic virtues of charity and forgiveness , relieving the wants of the nei g hbouring nations with a liberal hand , and pardoning his unnatural brethren , who , driven from Canaan b y want , sought the land of Egypt to purchase corn and oil . Jacob , who yet lived , heard of his son ' s honour and advancementand journeyed from his own country
, once more to embrace him . The descendants of Shem eventuall y settled in the land , being favoured by Pharaoh and his people ; but Jacob , warned b y God of the future Exodus , commanded that he should not be buried after his death
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
where , with his famil y , he established himself in honour and prosperity . Here the covenant was again renewed with the promise made to Abraham . The life of the patriarch , distinguished as it had hitherto been b y the revelation and favour ofthe Deity , was destined to be clouded towards its close ; Dinahhis daughter by Leahwas defiled by Sechen
, , , the son of Hamor , the Hivite prince , and Rachel , his best beloved wife , was taken from him ; while his sons , jealous of his partiality for Ms youngest , Joseph , disputed amongst themselves , and disturbed his domestic happiness . There is every reason to conclude that Joseph was worth y of the affection of his father , who instructed him in the
princi ples of Masonry and imparted the secrets ofthe Craft ; a knowledge of infinite service to him when , by the jealousy of his brethren , he was sold to slavery and rested amongst the Egyptians , whose reli g ion was founded on the science of astronomy , introduced b y the dispersed builders of Shinar . The sununder the name of Osirisbeing the chief
, , object of their worship , they typified him by two characters , that of an old man just before the winter solstice , having the constellation Leo opposite to him , and the serpent or h ydra under him ; the wolf on the east of the lion , the dog on the west : such being the state of the southern hemisphere at midni ght about that period of the year . At the vernal
equinox they represented the great luminary under the figure of a boy ( Harpocrates ) , then was typified the death , burial , and resurrection of Osiris ; that is to say , the sun just rising from the lower to the upper hemisphere .
The perfect Masonry of Joseph enabled him to correct many of their errors , and explain to them the true meaning of the ceremonies , whose ori g in was obscured by the worst idolatry ; hence he arose to hig h honour ; and at the time of the great famine which he had foretold , was chief ruler over E gypt ; an office which enabled him to exercise the
pure Masonic virtues of charity and forgiveness , relieving the wants of the nei g hbouring nations with a liberal hand , and pardoning his unnatural brethren , who , driven from Canaan b y want , sought the land of Egypt to purchase corn and oil . Jacob , who yet lived , heard of his son ' s honour and advancementand journeyed from his own country
, once more to embrace him . The descendants of Shem eventuall y settled in the land , being favoured by Pharaoh and his people ; but Jacob , warned b y God of the future Exodus , commanded that he should not be buried after his death