Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry

35." There is a thread of tradition connecting modern Masonry with the most ancient Mysteries of Antiquity. The ancient landmarks may be discovered in every ^[41] nation and time. 'Notwithstanding the connection that so evidently exists, ' says Dr. Rebold, ' between the Ancient Mysteries and the Freemasonry of our day, the latter should be considered an initiation rather than a continuation of those ancient Mysteries; for initiation into them was the entering of a school, wherein were taught art, science, morals, law, philosophy, philanthropy and the wonders and worship of (the Symbols) nature.' "*

36.The universal Science and Sublime Philosophy, once taught in the Greater Mysteries of Atlantis, Egypt, Chaldea, Persia and India, has been a dead letter in modern Freemasonry, but these Sciences and this Sublime Philosophy is taught in Mystic Masonry as it never was in the Ancient Mysteries. The candidate can become proficient in the Ancient Wisdom if he is willing to do so. Nothing of the Ancient Mysteries will be withheld from those who are willing to learn.

37."It should be borne in mind that in modern Freemasonry, in the Ancient Mysteries, and in all the great Religions, there was always an Exoteric portion given out to the world, to the uninitiated, and an Esoteric portion reserved for the Initiate, and revealed (only) in the degrees, according as the candidate demonstrated his fitness to receive, conceal, and rightly use the knowledge so imparted. Few professed Christians are, perhaps, aware that such was the case ^[42] with Christianity during the first two or three centuries."*

38."This, in its purity, as taught by Christ himself, was the true primitive religion, as communicated by God to the Patriarchs. It was no new religion, but the reproduction of the oldest of all; and its true and perfect morality is the morality of (true) Masonry, as it is the morality of every creed of antiquity."**

39.Says St. Augustine: "What is now Called the Christian Religion existed among the ancients, and was not absent from the human race until Christ came, from which time the true religion, which existed already, began to be called Christian."***

40." In the early days of Christianity, there was an initiation like those of the Pagans. Persons were admitted on special conditions only. To arrive at a complete knowledge of the doctrine, they had to pass three degrees of instructions."****

41.There was an exoteric and an esoteric doctrine with the early Christians; the esoteric doctrines were communicated orally in the Mysteries of Initiation; and these Mysteries conformed to and were originally derived from those of the so-called Pagan world. The Mysteries of Christ received a new interpretation after the first Nicene Council, and as the Church sought dominion, it lost the Great Secret, and since ^[43] then has and does, deny that it ever existed, and has done, and is doing, all in its power to obliterate all its records and monuments.

42.Neither Christianity of to-day nor modern Freemasonry is the direct and lineal descendant of the Greater Mysteries of Antiquity or Supreme Initiation, the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross and Ancient Mystic Masonry alone have preserved the Key of interpretation. Modern Masonry never possessed this key but may if they are willing to accept the terms.

43."Modern Freemasonry honors as its ancient great teachers Zoroaster, Pythagoras, Plato, and many others, and in some of its degrees gives a brief summary of their doctrines. Masonry, in a certain sense, includes them all, and has adopted their precepts. They were all initiates in the Mysteries, and fundamentally, their doctrines were the same. All taught the existence of the G. A. O. U., the Immortality of the Soul, and the unqualified Brotherhood of Man; and with these primitive and fundamental truths Masonry is in full accord. " *