Adonhiramite Masonry.

thus it was that that which , in its orig in had served to find out the sentiments of men , the better to instruct them and enlighten them , was now nothing more than a pretext to conceal the most scandalous passions . This disordered state of society was general until the time of the publication of Evangelical truths . Soon a party of mortalsenlightened by the morality of Christianity

, , paying homage to this new religion , separated from the rest of men to practice in silence the sacred mysteries of the Gospel , ' and persecution having followed upon the institution of this doctrine , zealous Christians found themselves compelled to symbolize all their relig ious practises . * It was then that they took up borrowed names , and that they made use of , with all possible severity , of the trials of the ancient Magi . But from the

time that religion had n othing more to fear—that it had temples and ministers , - —¦ the knights Masonsf sought to worship God in the true Church , and contented themselves with thanking Him for His benefits , and rendering homage to Him by the practice of the virtues . And knowing the weakness of human nature , they imposed on themselves such severe laws which engaged them mutually to correct the vices . into which they mig ht fall , and cultivate those services

which are useful to the human race ; to have all their goods in common , to succour travellers and the unfortunate . Thus we see that these last sentiments enjoined them not to associate themselves with cowardly or pusillanimous minds . This is the reason why they

preserved their probationary trials , and made constitutions nearly resembling those of the priests of Memphis . ^ And this is the way they arranged it . Whenever they made a new prosel yte they began by making him pass through the the trials of the foui elements in order to he certain of his courage , and notwithstanding any firmness which he displayed , they did not allow him to know any of the

mysteries , for the reason that they did not think they knew enough of his sentiments . When he presented himself to the assembly they contented themselves with asking him about the trials through which he had passed ; and the moral explanation which he gave of them made them able to judge of his intelligence and capacity . Three years passed before that he received any othei explanation ; they even took care to conceal from him the slightest secretson

, the fear of giving him curiosity , and that this conduct might only be fictitious ; they made him onl y understand that this society was an assembly constructed of conrngoous unci , vii'tnous men , and that time alone would enable him to merit the prerogatives which they possessed among themselves . During these three years the knights § studied with attention the morals and the opinions of our " aspirant" and when they were convinced of his wisdom ancl virtue they

, received him as a compagnon ( Fellow Craft ) , that is to say , they began to share with him the mysteries , which they concealed with so much care from others , as we can see by the obligation which they had handed to the companions ( Fellow Crafts ) . This wise custom was preserved for long , but the