Freemasonry Considered.

FREEMASONRY CONSIDERED .

LONDON , SATURDAY , AVSIL 27 , 1867 .

By ANTHONY OSEAL HATE . I . Is there anything in Freemasonry ? Have yon any satisfactory proofs of your antiquity as a secret society ? are questions constantly asked of the

Craft . The one question is easily and decisively answered , by pointing- to the many charities kept up by Masons , and to the many talented men who have graced our society ; but the other is not so easily replied to . That the principles of Masonry

are as old as the creation of man cannot be denied without denying all received history , sacred and profane , but that a secret society existed at that time is simply absurd , unless Adam had any secrets from Eve , and thereby constituted himself a secret

society . But that secret societies for promoting the welfare of the human race , by separating the good from the evil , are of very early origin , is undeniable . "Without enterine-into the vexed and

vexing question of the early portion of the Old Testament , we cannot be far wrong in stating that among the Egyptians in the time of Moses there did exist a secret society . This secret society was formed among the priests , aud its teachings

constituted the esoteric mysteries or worship . Looking abroad , among the various creeds of the present day , each ready to die iu defence of a favourite dogma , we cannot be surprised at the priesthood , wise in their generation , keeping back from the

people those teachings which would inevitably produce schism and discord . But these greater mysteries , which required on the part of the neophyte both large intelligence and indomitable perseverance , were open to all men who sought

them , and thus we find Moses , Pythagoras , and Plato initiates . The priests , as a matter of course , rejected those whodidnot come up to their standard of excellence , and thus the Egyptian worship was conducted by ripe and learned scholars . There

was no battling of creeds at that time , and no such sight as the modern Protestant faith , which , broken up into so many sects , is as the shadow of the shaving of a splinter . The learned of all countries sought Egypt for

more instruction , and by this means the Egyptian lore was carried into Greece and Italy . It is a question whether the East , India , and China , derived their mythology from Egypt , or the Egyptians from them , It is , however , of little

moment to us , Europe deriving its learning from Egypt . Many of the ancient Jewish ceremonies were derived from the Egyptians . We find secret societies among the Jews , the Greeks , the Romans , and the Egyptians , having secret means by which

each member knew his brother , and devoted to acts of charity and benevolence , as well as to the pursuit of knowledge . These societies continued down to the Christian era , when they were gradually engulfed in the doctrines of the Cross ,

or became obnoxious to government from their decline in purity , and consequent immorality . Their doctrines , so much in union with the doctrines of Christianity , caused many of the brotherhood to adopt the latter , but they still continued their

former pursuits , and still maintained their former secrecy . As with the ancient , so with these brethren , only men of intelligence were admitted .

There is a long- gap in the annals of the secret societies , till the rise of the building fraternities , and to them must be conceded the distinctive rituals of the first and second degrees . And while mentioning rituals it may be as well to state

that these do not constitute Freemasonry , They are only the means towards an end , and that end the attaining of light . It might as well be said that the accolade was knighthood , baptism , Christianity . The rituals are merely the ceremonials of

degrees , and the brother , who , when he can say them off by heart , thinks that he has exhausted Masonry , labours under the most lamentable mistake . He has only crossed the threshhold of Masonry . He must study the whole mysteries

which lie metaphorically between the extended points of the compass , which , with all his perseverance , after a life-time , he will not completely understand . The benefits to be derived from this

study remain to be reaped in an after life . I have said the principles of Freemasonry have been those of the wise of all ages , and I confess , that save as a ceremonial , and as a means for detecting impostors , I do not give the rituals that

high place and profound reverence which many do . Were the rituals given to the world to-morrow , would the genuine secrets of Freemasonry be divulged ? I should say not . I do not wish to be misunderstood in this matter . I have a

great reverence for the rituals , and no one laments more than I do the slovenly manner in which the degrees are given in many lodges , but what I say is , that you might as well call yourself a Christian because you pay attention to the Church of