Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry

^[160] 322. "There is an anomaly in giving to the Mystical ladder of Masonry only three rounds. It is an anomaly, however, with which Masonry has had nothing to do. The error arose from the ignorance of those inventors who first engraved the Masonic symbols for our monitors. The ladder of Masonry, like the equipollent ladders of its kindred institutions, always had seven steps, although in modern times the three principal or upper ones are alone alluded to. These rounds, beginning at the lowest, are Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice, Faith, Hope and Charity. Charity, therefore, takes the same place in the ladder of Masonic virtues as the sun does in the ladder or planets.

323."If Charity is equivalent to Divine Love, and Divine Love is represented by the sun, and lastly, if Charity be the topmost round of the Masonic ladder, then again we arrive, as the result of our researches, at the symbol so often already repeated of the solar orb. The natural sun or the Spiritual Sun — the sun, either as the vivifying principle of animated nature, and therefore the special object of adoration, or as the most prominent instrument of the Creator's benevolence— was ever a leading idea in the symbolism of antiquity. "*

324."There is a tradition of St. John the Baptist which has collateral evidence to sustain it. His father and mother died during his minority, and he was adopted by the Essenes, living with them in the ^[161] wilderness, and when of proper age he was initiated in their Mysteries* and finally arrived to the chief dignity of the order. His diet and manner of living were perfectly conformable to the rules of the Essenes. They lived in the country; so did he. They dwelt near the river Jordan and baptized their disciples; John did the same, and thus acquired the cognomen of the Baptist. The Essenes fed on dates and other fruits,** and in many other respects agreed with the character of John, as we find him in the gospels.

325."The fact that each, St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, were Eminent Essenes, is a sufficient reason why, in later times, Masons should dedicate their lodges to them without looking for or assigning any others, although doubtless our ancient brethren had other reasons.

326."Masonic Monitors say: 'And since their time (St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist), there is represented in every regular and wellgoverned Lodge a certain point within a circle, em-bordered by two perpendicular parallel lines, representing St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, and upon the top rests the Holy Scripture. " '*

327."The two parallel lines which in the modern lectures are said to represent St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, really allude to particular periods in the sun 's annual course. At two particular points in this course the Sun is found on the Zodiacal ^[162] signs, Cancer and Capricorn, which are distinguished as the summer and winter solstices. When the sun is in these points, he has reached his greatest northern and southern limits. These points, if we suppose the circle to represent the sun's annual course, will be indicated by the points where the parallel lines touch the circle. "*

328."The mysteries among the Chinese and Japanese came from India and had similar rites. The Equilateral triangle was one of their symbols, and so was the mystical Y; both alluding to the Triune God and the latter being the ineffable name of Deity, and for which symbol the modern Masons have substituted the Forty-seventh Problem of Euclid from its similarity in shape, having lost the explanation of their original symbol. A ring supported by two serpents was emblematical of the world protected by the power and wisdom of the Creator; and that is the origin of the two parallel lines (into which time has changed the two serpents) that support the circle in our lodges.

329."In the Druidical Rites the point within the circle and the cube were emblems of Odin, the Supreme God, the author of everything that existed, the Eternal, the Ancient and Living and Awful Being, the searcher into concealed things, the being that never changeth.