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The Beginning of Masonry
T
HE ancient Cosmic Science, of which Freemasonry
is the modern survival, gives the date of its incep-tion, as that at which the above "Cardinal Signs"commenced their reign, viz
. 3995 B
. C., commonly reck-oned as 4000 B
. C
., which, added to the current year, givesus our
Masnnic
date
.
 
INDEX
PAGE
Frontispiece
-Zodiac
of 4000 B
.C
Avant Propos
First Books of Masonry, by Victor Hugo
Beginning of Masonry
1
Theosophy and Masonry
3The Ancient Mysteries
4
The Secret Doctrine
5
The Hermetic Philosophy
6
Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry
0
God and Masonry
2Masonry's Real Secret
5
Pythagoras and Freemasonry
7
The Forty-seventh Problem
8
The Number-Letter System
3
Three Times Three
4
Gematria(Table of Number-Letters, Greek and Hebrew)
5
The Number "Seven
9The "Pi" Proportion and Genesis
1
Masonry in a Snowflake
4
King Solomon's Temple
7The Working Tools of
E
A
3
The Middle Chamber
6Dedication of the Lodge
0
Pillars of the Porch
3
The Lodge Room Floor
7
The Candidate
0
Whom Does the Candidate Represent
2The Widow's Son
4
The Lodge Heads
8Our Three Grand Masters
1
The Twelve Fellowc1afts
4
The Cable Tow
7
Angles
0
Signs
3Circumambulation
6
Origin of the Sabbath
9The Letter
"
G "
02
The East
05
The Lodgeon High
08
Clothingof a Master Mason
11
The Symbolic Trowel
12
The Lion in Freemasonry
14
The Acacia
17Color in Masonry
21
Light in Masonry
24
 
Avant
Propos
This is a very small essay concerning a very big subject
. Volumes
have been written upon the presumed connection of Freemasonry with
that vaguegnosisof the past, called "the Ancient Mysteries,
"
but con-cerning the intimate nature of the teaching imparted to initiates, follow-ing upon the ceremonies of reception, of which classic writers have givenus some notion, nothing remains to us but widely scattered symbols
.
It has been the pleasant life-work of the writer to join together, asbest lie could, the scattered pieces of this stupendous "cut out" puzzleand reconstitute the ancient fabric in such a manner as would stand thetest of scientific examination and deserves to live for the benefit of future
generations of men and Masons. These papers have been written as an
elementary course designed to arouse interest in a far deeper investiga-tion of the whole subject
.
Notwithstanding the designedly universal character of the craft, theexternals of Freemasonry possess an altogether human tendency to be-come reflexes of the communities in which they flourish
.
The re-nascent Masonic intellectual activity of the past few years,no more splendid example of which can be cited than the foundation
and
upbuilding of the National Masonic Research Society, throws stronglyinto relief the fact that our American Masonry, has, until quite recently,exerted little effort on other than social and fraternal lines
. The won
derful development of Masonic benevolent institutions throughout theUnited States, has reflected the brotherhood and liberality of Masonicmanhood, but it has been accomplished in the presence of an almost total
oblivion of what wasonce
the principal reason for the existence ofMasonic associations
.
This consisted in the enlightenment of those who were found
worthy
and well qualified to receive deeper insight into the philosophy of exist-ence and hidden historical truthsof anature too disturbing of
common
acceptances to' be spread broadcast among the masses
.
So, inthe absenceof fostering interest, American Masonry has been, little by little, sodivested of
all
connection with the pursuit of the deeper Masonic
sig-
nificances, as to have become, on the side of progressive speculation, a
pale shadow
of
the Old World Craft. The true philosophicmission of
Masonry, such as was the original intention of the "symbolic" Lodge,
no
less than the Scottish Rite, could scarcely be better expressed, thaninthe
5
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