The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

generally uwented b y himself , by the use of Avhich he noted down his discoveries or improvements in science ; in the perfect security that they were safe from the scrutinizing enquiries of his cotemporaries or rivals . All secret things were invested in

symbolical writing ; and the wisest of the cabalistic magicians of antiquity , clothed their mysterious knowled ge in such an abstruse covering of hieroglyphics , that it Avas difficult to conjecture Avhere the most sacred truths Avere concealed .

Besides this , the ancients had a system of visible signs—nutu signisque loquuntur —arbitrary indeed , but Avell understood ; by the use of which the adepts in different sciences could converse with each other in secret without danger of being detected

. Thus Solomon , speaking of one of these persons says , "hespeaketh with his feet , aud teacheth Avith bis fingers . " * OA'id has made the the same remark .

" digitis same est nutuque locutus Et tacitam menstee duxit in orbe notam . " And Gibullus was not ignorant of it . He knew " nutus conferre loquaces , Blandaque compositis abdere A"erba

notis . " The variable and uncertain nature of alphabetical Avriting may be estimated from the fact , that there appears to have been upwards of ei ghty alphabets in Chaldaja , Syria , and E gypt . And the

characters differed so materially , that no one of them could be taken as a standard by which a correct opinion mi ght be formed of the rest . The object of each inventor Avas to produce a mode of recording scientific knowled ge in such a secret

manner , as to be unintelligible to all the Avorld besides . And therefore in the construction of bis al phabet he endeavoured to form a series of characters whose meaning would be out of the reach of every curious enquirer : for Avhich purpose he would avoid

, as much as possible , imitating any symbol that formed a part of an existing alphabet . Let us now examine the symbols on the Tracing Board before us . They consist of circles , squares , angles , and perpendiculars , variously modified and combined . From the uppermost angle proceeds a compound

emblem consisting of a semi-circle , a line a small circle , and a figure forming three sides of an oblong square . This shall be our first series of symbols . As an entire emblem , it is marked in the Hermesian hieroglhics to si gnif

yp y understanding ; and the same result will be produced by a separate view of its component parts , for the circle and crescent or lunette were astronomical emblems of the source of perfect knoAvled ge ; the supreme deities represented bthe Sun

y aud Moon ; the former being originall y Avorshipped as the most brilliant * " representation of the diA'ine Shekinah Avhich the universe contains ; and hence it was believed to be the throne of the deit y . " In Avhat adequate manner" asks a learned writer

, often quoted , " shall the enraptured fervour of patriarchal devotion represent , Avhen absent , the ineffable and eternal Shekinah ? A radiated circle of light , darting every way a dazzling splendour , seemed the

properest emblem , and Avas therefore adopted . The descendant of Ham saAv and admired the radiant symbol . Ignorant of the real purpose of the pious designer , who meant to shadoAV out a spirit , not a substance , he conceived it to be the image of the Solar

orb , Avhich he had long beheld Avith wonder . He fell prostrate and adored it ; and his imitative pencil drew the first outline of that wonderful and multiform system of hieroglyphics , under which Avere represented the objects of E gyptian idolatry . " *

Being the most perfect figure , the Sun Avas reputed to represent the perfection of the divine attributes of omniscience , omnipresence , omnipotence , and eternity . Jupiter est , quodcumque vides , quocnnque moveris . Zoroaster the Magian of

says God , that "he is the first , incorruptible , eternal , unmade , indivisible , most unlike everything , the author of all good , unbribable , the best of the good , the wisest of the Avise . "t

With respect to the astronomical knowledge of the E gyptians , Ave are told by Berosus and others , . j that the patriarch Abraham , who was said to have been cotemporary with Hermes , during his sojourn in the Delta , taught that celebrated