Sunday, September 4, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
adoptive
ADOPTIVE
The name Hiram Abiff signifies in Hebrew "the teacher (Guru, or enlightened one) from the Father": a fact which may help you still further to recognize the concealed purpose of the teaching. Under the name of Hiram, then, and beneath a veil of allegory, we see an allusion to another Master; and it is the Master, the Elder Brother who is alluded to in our lectures, whose "charecter we perserve, whether absent or present," i.e., whether He is present in our minds or no, an in regard to whom we "adopt the excellent principle, silence," lest at any time there should be among us trained in some other than the Christian Faith, and to whom on that account the mention of the Cristian Master's name might possibly prove an offence or provoke contention.
Also, false and slavish political theories end in brutalizing the State. For example, adopt the theory that offices and employments in it are to be given as rewards for services rendered to party, and they soon become prey and spoil of faction, the booty of the victory of faction;-- and leprosy is in the flesh of the State.
The difficulty is that we ever erect our notions of what is right and just into the law of justice; and insist that God shall adopt that as His law; instead of striving to learn by observation and reflection what His law is, and then beleiving that law to be consistent with His infinite justice, whether it corresponds with our limited notion, of justice, or does not so correspond.
The earliest instructors of mankind not only adopted the lessons of Nature, but as far as possible adhered to her method of imparting them.
And if we, of the nineteenth century after Christ, adopt the conceptions of the ninteenth century before Him; if our conceptions of God are those of the ignorant, narrow-minded, and vindictitive Isrealite; then we think worse of God, and have a lower, meaner, and more limited view of His nature, than the faculties which He has bestowed are capable of grasping.
The Sybola Architectonica are found on the most ancient edifices; and these mathmetical figures and instruments, adopted by the Templars, and identical with those of the gnostic seals and and abraxaw, connect their dogma with the Chaldaic, Syriac , and Egyptian Oriental philosophy.
Clemens, the learned Bishop of Alexandria, and Philo, adopt all these explanations.
So the Cherubim, according to Clemens and Philo, represented the two hemispheres their wings, the rapid course of the firmament, and of time which revolves in the Zodiac. "For the Heavens fly;" says Philo, speaking of the wings of the Cherubim: which were winged representations of the Lion, the Bull, the Eagle, and the Man; of two which, the human-headed, winged bulls and lions, so many have been found at Nimroud;adopted as beneficient symbols, when the Sun entered Taurus at the Vernal Equinox and Leo at the Summer Solstice,: and when, also, he entered Scorpio, for which, on account of its magnificent influences, Aquilla the eagle was substituted, at the autumnal equinox; and Aquarius (thewater-bearer) at the Winter Solstice.
It draws no sword to compel others to adopt its belief, or to be happy with its hopes.
Did the Mason's of the eighteenth century know why the letter G was adopted as a Masonic symbol? Are Masonic students of the present day agreed upon the subject? What is said about it in Mackey's Encyclopedia?
What symbol did the Kabbalists adopt for the name of Deity?
The name Hiram Abiff signifies in Hebrew "the teacher (Guru, or enlightened one) from the Father": a fact which may help you still further to recognize the concealed purpose of the teaching. Under the name of Hiram, then, and beneath a veil of allegory, we see an allusion to another Master; and it is the Master, the Elder Brother who is alluded to in our lectures, whose "charecter we perserve, whether absent or present," i.e., whether He is present in our minds or no, an in regard to whom we "adopt the excellent principle, silence," lest at any time there should be among us trained in some other than the Christian Faith, and to whom on that account the mention of the Cristian Master's name might possibly prove an offence or provoke contention.
Also, false and slavish political theories end in brutalizing the State. For example, adopt the theory that offices and employments in it are to be given as rewards for services rendered to party, and they soon become prey and spoil of faction, the booty of the victory of faction;-- and leprosy is in the flesh of the State.
The difficulty is that we ever erect our notions of what is right and just into the law of justice; and insist that God shall adopt that as His law; instead of striving to learn by observation and reflection what His law is, and then beleiving that law to be consistent with His infinite justice, whether it corresponds with our limited notion, of justice, or does not so correspond.
The earliest instructors of mankind not only adopted the lessons of Nature, but as far as possible adhered to her method of imparting them.
And if we, of the nineteenth century after Christ, adopt the conceptions of the ninteenth century before Him; if our conceptions of God are those of the ignorant, narrow-minded, and vindictitive Isrealite; then we think worse of God, and have a lower, meaner, and more limited view of His nature, than the faculties which He has bestowed are capable of grasping.
The Sybola Architectonica are found on the most ancient edifices; and these mathmetical figures and instruments, adopted by the Templars, and identical with those of the gnostic seals and and abraxaw, connect their dogma with the Chaldaic, Syriac , and Egyptian Oriental philosophy.
Clemens, the learned Bishop of Alexandria, and Philo, adopt all these explanations.
So the Cherubim, according to Clemens and Philo, represented the two hemispheres their wings, the rapid course of the firmament, and of time which revolves in the Zodiac. "For the Heavens fly;" says Philo, speaking of the wings of the Cherubim: which were winged representations of the Lion, the Bull, the Eagle, and the Man; of two which, the human-headed, winged bulls and lions, so many have been found at Nimroud;adopted as beneficient symbols, when the Sun entered Taurus at the Vernal Equinox and Leo at the Summer Solstice,: and when, also, he entered Scorpio, for which, on account of its magnificent influences, Aquilla the eagle was substituted, at the autumnal equinox; and Aquarius (thewater-bearer) at the Winter Solstice.
It draws no sword to compel others to adopt its belief, or to be happy with its hopes.
Did the Mason's of the eighteenth century know why the letter G was adopted as a Masonic symbol? Are Masonic students of the present day agreed upon the subject? What is said about it in Mackey's Encyclopedia?
What symbol did the Kabbalists adopt for the name of Deity?
Monday, July 18, 2011
INSCRIPTION OF THE NESTORIAN MONUMENT.
TRANSLATED BY A. WYLIE.
Tablet Eulogizing the Propagation of the lllustrious Religion in
China, With a Preface; Composed by King-Tsing,
A Priest of the Syrian Church.
BEHOLD the unchangeably true and invisible, who existed through all eternity without origin; the far-seeing perfect intelligence, wbose mysterious existence is everlasting; operating on primordial substance he created the universe, being more excellent than all holy intelligences, inasmuch as he is the source of all that is honorable. This is our eternal true lord God, triune and mysterious in substance. He appointed the cross as the means for determining the four cardinal points, he moved the original spirit, and produced the two principles of nature; the sombre void was changed, and heaven and earth were opened out; the sun and moon revolved, and day and night commenced; having perfected all inferior objects, he then made the first man; upon him he bestowed an excellent disposition, giving him in charge the government of all created beings; man, acting out the original principles of his nature, was pure and unostentatious; his unsullied and expansive mind was free from the least inordinate desire; until Satan introduced the seeds of falsehood, to deteriorate his purity of principle; the opening thus commenced in his virtue gradually enlarged, and by this crevice in his nature was obscured and rendered vicious; hence three hundred and sixty-five sects followed each other in continuous track, inventing every species of doctrinal complexity; while some pointed to material objects as the source of their faith, others reduced all to vacancy, even to the annihilation of the two primeval principles; some sought to call down blessings by prayers and supplications, while others by an assumption of excellence held themselves up as superior to their fellows; their p. 36 intellects and thoughts continually wavering, their minds and affections incessantly on the move, they never obtained their vast desires, but being exhausted and distressed they revolved in their own heated atmosphere; till by an accumulation of obscurity they lost their path, and after long groping in darkness they were unable to return. Thereupon, our Trinity being divided in nature, the illustrious and honorable Messiah, veiling his true dignity, appeared in the world as a man; angelic powers promulgated the glad tidings, a virgin gave birth to the Holy One in Syria; a bright star announced the felicitous event, and Persians1 observing the splendor came to present tribute; the ancient dispensation, as declared by the twenty-four holy men,2 was then fulfilled, and he laid down great principles for the government of families and kingdoms; he established the new religion of the silent operation of the pure spirit of the Triune; he rendered virtue subservient to direct faith; he fixed the extent of the eight boundaries,3 thus completing the truth and freeing it from dross; he opened the gate of the three constant principles,4 introducing life and destroying death; he suspended the bright sun to invade the chambers of darkness, and the falsehoods of the devil were thereupon defeated; he set in motion the vessel of mercy by which to ascend to the bright mansions, whereupon rational beings were then released, having thus completed the manifestation of his power, in clear day he ascended to his true station. Twenty-seven sacred books5 have been left, which disseminate intelligence by unfolding the original transforming principles. By the rule for admission, it is the custom to apply the water of baptism; to wash away all superficial show and to cleanse and purify the neophytes. As a seal, they hold the cross, whose influence is reflected in every direction, uniting all without distinction. As they strike the wood, the fame of their benevolence is diffused abroad; worshiping toward the east, they hasten on the way to life and glory; they preserve the beard to symbolize their outward actions, they shave the crown to p. 37 indicate the absence of inward affections; they do not keep slaves, but put noble and mean all on an equality; they do not amass wealth, but cast all their property into the common stock; they fast, in order to perfect themselves by self-inspection; they submit to restraints, in order to strengthen themselves by silent watchfulness; seven times a day they have worship and praise for the benefit of the living and the dead; once in seven days they sacrifice, to cleanse the heart and return to purity.
TRANSLATED BY A. WYLIE.
Tablet Eulogizing the Propagation of the lllustrious Religion in
China, With a Preface; Composed by King-Tsing,
A Priest of the Syrian Church.
BEHOLD the unchangeably true and invisible, who existed through all eternity without origin; the far-seeing perfect intelligence, wbose mysterious existence is everlasting; operating on primordial substance he created the universe, being more excellent than all holy intelligences, inasmuch as he is the source of all that is honorable. This is our eternal true lord God, triune and mysterious in substance. He appointed the cross as the means for determining the four cardinal points, he moved the original spirit, and produced the two principles of nature; the sombre void was changed, and heaven and earth were opened out; the sun and moon revolved, and day and night commenced; having perfected all inferior objects, he then made the first man; upon him he bestowed an excellent disposition, giving him in charge the government of all created beings; man, acting out the original principles of his nature, was pure and unostentatious; his unsullied and expansive mind was free from the least inordinate desire; until Satan introduced the seeds of falsehood, to deteriorate his purity of principle; the opening thus commenced in his virtue gradually enlarged, and by this crevice in his nature was obscured and rendered vicious; hence three hundred and sixty-five sects followed each other in continuous track, inventing every species of doctrinal complexity; while some pointed to material objects as the source of their faith, others reduced all to vacancy, even to the annihilation of the two primeval principles; some sought to call down blessings by prayers and supplications, while others by an assumption of excellence held themselves up as superior to their fellows; their p. 36 intellects and thoughts continually wavering, their minds and affections incessantly on the move, they never obtained their vast desires, but being exhausted and distressed they revolved in their own heated atmosphere; till by an accumulation of obscurity they lost their path, and after long groping in darkness they were unable to return. Thereupon, our Trinity being divided in nature, the illustrious and honorable Messiah, veiling his true dignity, appeared in the world as a man; angelic powers promulgated the glad tidings, a virgin gave birth to the Holy One in Syria; a bright star announced the felicitous event, and Persians1 observing the splendor came to present tribute; the ancient dispensation, as declared by the twenty-four holy men,2 was then fulfilled, and he laid down great principles for the government of families and kingdoms; he established the new religion of the silent operation of the pure spirit of the Triune; he rendered virtue subservient to direct faith; he fixed the extent of the eight boundaries,3 thus completing the truth and freeing it from dross; he opened the gate of the three constant principles,4 introducing life and destroying death; he suspended the bright sun to invade the chambers of darkness, and the falsehoods of the devil were thereupon defeated; he set in motion the vessel of mercy by which to ascend to the bright mansions, whereupon rational beings were then released, having thus completed the manifestation of his power, in clear day he ascended to his true station. Twenty-seven sacred books5 have been left, which disseminate intelligence by unfolding the original transforming principles. By the rule for admission, it is the custom to apply the water of baptism; to wash away all superficial show and to cleanse and purify the neophytes. As a seal, they hold the cross, whose influence is reflected in every direction, uniting all without distinction. As they strike the wood, the fame of their benevolence is diffused abroad; worshiping toward the east, they hasten on the way to life and glory; they preserve the beard to symbolize their outward actions, they shave the crown to p. 37 indicate the absence of inward affections; they do not keep slaves, but put noble and mean all on an equality; they do not amass wealth, but cast all their property into the common stock; they fast, in order to perfect themselves by self-inspection; they submit to restraints, in order to strengthen themselves by silent watchfulness; seven times a day they have worship and praise for the benefit of the living and the dead; once in seven days they sacrifice, to cleanse the heart and return to purity.
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