Skip to main content
Museum of Freemasonry

Masonic Periodicals Online

  • Explore
  • Advanced Search
  • Home
  • Explore
  • The Masonic Magazine
  • June 1, 1876
  • Page 43
  • THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY.
Current:

The Masonic Magazine, June 1, 1876: Page 43

  • Back to The Masonic Magazine, June 1, 1876
  • Print image
  • Articles/Ads
    Article THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY. ← Page 5 of 9 →
Page 43

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

to prescribe by a legal ordinance , Avhat kind of songs and dances were to be used at the religious festivals . * And , indeed , in all religions from the time when David danced before the ark of the covenant , and the priests of Baal used the same practice to procure fire from heaven in the days of

Elijah to that of the most uninformed savages , dancing in a circle was considered to be a sacrifiee with which the deity was well pleased . This custom or belief probably originated the mystery attending the use of the ring

or circle of gold as a symbol of the union of man ancl Avife , although some attribute the custom to a much earlier period . They sayt that the inventor of the wedding ring was Prometheus , and the workmen who made it Avas Tubal Cain , who by the

advice of A . dam gave it to his son , wherewith to bind his wife in marriage , implying that their mutual love and affection should flow from one to the other without intermission , as in a circle , to the end of their lives . In Egypt , however , as we have been

told by Crates , the philosopher , the ring was a symbol of prostitution and worn about the ancles as au honourable badge . The Chinese circle or ring was supported by two serpents , as an emblem of the Universe supported by the wisdom and power of the deity .

Bro . Willoughby , an intelligent Mason , residing at Birkenhead , has an ingenious conjecture that the Masonic point within a circle refers to the second person in the Christian Trinity . His idea is thus stated in a letter to the author of this work : ¦—" As speculative Masons Ave should not be

content with deriving merely a single moral lesson from each emblem depicted on our Tracing Board ; each is but as a text upon whicli to build a copious lecture . I consider , then , that the point within a circle has a totally different application

when used in the first ancl third degrees . In the first it has a moral reference , and describes the boundary line of a Mason's path through this life , the limits of Avhich are the precepts of the kw ancl gospel by which he is circumscribed to prevent his

going into works of supererogation ; to Avhich precepts , if he will strictly adhere , that ladder Avhich is placed above Avill

conduct him by the three theological virtues to a heavenly mansion veiled from the eyes of mortal men . '' The same emblem in the third degree has a more mystical reference to Christ as our centre , according to His own

declaration , ' Where two or three are gathered together in My name , there am I in the midst of them ! ' The prayer which Avas formerly used is very applicable to this point , and it ought not to have been discontinued . It began thus : — ' 0 Lord

God , thou great aud universal Great or of the Avorld , and first Builder of man , as it Avere a Temple , be with us , 0 Lord , as thou hast promised that Avhere two or three are gathered together in Thy name thou wilt be in the midst of them & c . '

, " After our Lord ' s resurrection the disciples changed their day of assembling together , or Lodge clay , from the seventh to the first day of the week ; and oh that clay our Lord appeared to Mary and directed her to go to his brethren and

inform them that he Avas about to ascend into the presence of Him who was both his Father ancl their Father ; and on the same day , at evening , Avhen thev were assembled

( which custom has been preserved among ourselves , Masons' Lodges being usuall y held of an evening ) , the doors being closely tyled for fear of the Jews—cam . Jesus and stood in the midst of them , making use of that hig hly Masonic greeting , ' Peace be with yon . ' Our brethren Avould naturally

feel surprised at the presence of a stranger amongst them ; but when He had given them proofs by showing them the signs of distress in his hands and his side , that he was their Brother , that they Avere children of the same Almighty jiarentthey gladl

, y recognised Him that Avas lost b y an untimely death . " The Hindoos believed the circle to be a representation of the Supreme Being ; because , like Him , it is without beginning and without end , ¦ The first settlers in

Egypt transmitted to their posterity an exact copy of the point within a circle expressed in symbolical language . The universe was represented and explained by the hierophant at the exaltation of the candidate to the highest mysteries of religion , as a circle of boundless light , in the centre of Avhich the Deity was supposed to dwell ; ancl the idea was embodied in

“The Masonic Magazine: 1876-06-01, Page 43” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 30 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01061876/page/43/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
Untitled Article 2
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 3
THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY THORN OF GLASTONBURY. Article 4
"THE HOLY THORN." Article 10
BROTHER ELLIS'S SKETCH OF PARADISE R.A. CHAPTER , SHEFFIELD. Article 11
SONNET Article 13
SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR PEACEFUL SOLUTION. Article 13
AN ITALIAN COUNT. Article 16
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTE BOOKS OF THE BRITISH UNION LODGE, No. 114, IPSWICH. A.D. 1762. Article 19
SEA-SIDE DREAMINGS. Article 22
THE WOMEN OF OUR TIME. Article 22
HOW RAILWAY MATERIALS ARE TESTED. Article 24
T' SPELLIN' BEE. Article 26
DU ROLE DE LA FRANCMACONNERIE DANS L'AVENIR. Article 26
FAIRY TALES UTILISED FOR THE NEW GENERATION. Article 28
ODDS AND ENDS OF WIT AND HUMOUR. Article 30
CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. Article 37
THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY. Article 39
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND ART. Article 47
THE OLD FRIENDS. Article 50
GOLD. Article 50
Page 1

Page 1

1 Article
Page 2

Page 2

1 Article
Page 3

Page 3

1 Article
Page 4

Page 4

1 Article
Page 5

Page 5

1 Article
Page 6

Page 6

1 Article
Page 7

Page 7

1 Article
Page 8

Page 8

1 Article
Page 9

Page 9

1 Article
Page 10

Page 10

2 Articles
Page 11

Page 11

2 Articles
Page 12

Page 12

1 Article
Page 13

Page 13

3 Articles
Page 14

Page 14

1 Article
Page 15

Page 15

1 Article
Page 16

Page 16

2 Articles
Page 17

Page 17

1 Article
Page 18

Page 18

1 Article
Page 19

Page 19

1 Article
Page 20

Page 20

1 Article
Page 21

Page 21

1 Article
Page 22

Page 22

3 Articles
Page 23

Page 23

1 Article
Page 24

Page 24

2 Articles
Page 25

Page 25

1 Article
Page 26

Page 26

4 Articles
Page 27

Page 27

1 Article
Page 28

Page 28

2 Articles
Page 29

Page 29

1 Article
Page 30

Page 30

3 Articles
Page 31

Page 31

1 Article
Page 32

Page 32

1 Article
Page 33

Page 33

1 Article
Page 34

Page 34

1 Article
Page 35

Page 35

1 Article
Page 36

Page 36

1 Article
Page 37

Page 37

2 Articles
Page 38

Page 38

1 Article
Page 39

Page 39

1 Article
Page 40

Page 40

1 Article
Page 41

Page 41

1 Article
Page 42

Page 42

1 Article
Page 43

Page 43

1 Article
Page 44

Page 44

1 Article
Page 45

Page 45

1 Article
Page 46

Page 46

1 Article
Page 47

Page 47

2 Articles
Page 48

Page 48

1 Article
Page 49

Page 49

1 Article
Page 50

Page 50

4 Articles
Page 43

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

to prescribe by a legal ordinance , Avhat kind of songs and dances were to be used at the religious festivals . * And , indeed , in all religions from the time when David danced before the ark of the covenant , and the priests of Baal used the same practice to procure fire from heaven in the days of

Elijah to that of the most uninformed savages , dancing in a circle was considered to be a sacrifiee with which the deity was well pleased . This custom or belief probably originated the mystery attending the use of the ring

or circle of gold as a symbol of the union of man ancl Avife , although some attribute the custom to a much earlier period . They sayt that the inventor of the wedding ring was Prometheus , and the workmen who made it Avas Tubal Cain , who by the

advice of A . dam gave it to his son , wherewith to bind his wife in marriage , implying that their mutual love and affection should flow from one to the other without intermission , as in a circle , to the end of their lives . In Egypt , however , as we have been

told by Crates , the philosopher , the ring was a symbol of prostitution and worn about the ancles as au honourable badge . The Chinese circle or ring was supported by two serpents , as an emblem of the Universe supported by the wisdom and power of the deity .

Bro . Willoughby , an intelligent Mason , residing at Birkenhead , has an ingenious conjecture that the Masonic point within a circle refers to the second person in the Christian Trinity . His idea is thus stated in a letter to the author of this work : ¦—" As speculative Masons Ave should not be

content with deriving merely a single moral lesson from each emblem depicted on our Tracing Board ; each is but as a text upon whicli to build a copious lecture . I consider , then , that the point within a circle has a totally different application

when used in the first ancl third degrees . In the first it has a moral reference , and describes the boundary line of a Mason's path through this life , the limits of Avhich are the precepts of the kw ancl gospel by which he is circumscribed to prevent his

going into works of supererogation ; to Avhich precepts , if he will strictly adhere , that ladder Avhich is placed above Avill

conduct him by the three theological virtues to a heavenly mansion veiled from the eyes of mortal men . '' The same emblem in the third degree has a more mystical reference to Christ as our centre , according to His own

declaration , ' Where two or three are gathered together in My name , there am I in the midst of them ! ' The prayer which Avas formerly used is very applicable to this point , and it ought not to have been discontinued . It began thus : — ' 0 Lord

God , thou great aud universal Great or of the Avorld , and first Builder of man , as it Avere a Temple , be with us , 0 Lord , as thou hast promised that Avhere two or three are gathered together in Thy name thou wilt be in the midst of them & c . '

, " After our Lord ' s resurrection the disciples changed their day of assembling together , or Lodge clay , from the seventh to the first day of the week ; and oh that clay our Lord appeared to Mary and directed her to go to his brethren and

inform them that he Avas about to ascend into the presence of Him who was both his Father ancl their Father ; and on the same day , at evening , Avhen thev were assembled

( which custom has been preserved among ourselves , Masons' Lodges being usuall y held of an evening ) , the doors being closely tyled for fear of the Jews—cam . Jesus and stood in the midst of them , making use of that hig hly Masonic greeting , ' Peace be with yon . ' Our brethren Avould naturally

feel surprised at the presence of a stranger amongst them ; but when He had given them proofs by showing them the signs of distress in his hands and his side , that he was their Brother , that they Avere children of the same Almighty jiarentthey gladl

, y recognised Him that Avas lost b y an untimely death . " The Hindoos believed the circle to be a representation of the Supreme Being ; because , like Him , it is without beginning and without end , ¦ The first settlers in

Egypt transmitted to their posterity an exact copy of the point within a circle expressed in symbolical language . The universe was represented and explained by the hierophant at the exaltation of the candidate to the highest mysteries of religion , as a circle of boundless light , in the centre of Avhich the Deity was supposed to dwell ; ancl the idea was embodied in

  • Prev page
  • 1
  • 42
  • You're on page43
  • 44
  • 50
  • Next page
  • Accredited Museum Designated Outstanding Collection
  • LIBRARY AND MUSEUM CHARITABLE TRUST OF THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1058497 / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2025

  • Accessibility statement

  • Designed, developed, and maintained by King's Digital Lab

We use cookies to track usage and preferences.

Privacy & cookie policy