Adyar Pamphlets

Ancient Ideals in Modern Masonry

No. 177

Ancient Ideals in Modern Masonry

by: C.W. Leadbeater
Report of a lecture delivered to Sydney Co-Masonic od!e" No. #$#" in the year 1%1& '.(.I Pu)lished in 1%** +heosophical Pu)lishin! ,ouse" Adyar" Chennai -Madras. India +he +heosophist /ffice" Adyar" Madras. India I +,IN0 I can perhaps )est )e!in 1hat I 1ant to tell you )y a fe1 personal 1ords a)out myself 2 you 1ill see 1hy in a fe1 minutes. +hou!h I have )een a mem)er of the +heosophical Society for thirty-t1o years" and have had the privile!e of close association 1ith our (.....Illus.....(. P. 3. M." it is only 4uite recently that I have had the honour and pleasure to enter the ran5s of Co-Masonry. +he reason I did not do so )efore 1as simply that I am a )usy man" and that" as Co-6reemasonry presents itself to the outsider at the ,ead4uarters at Adyar" it seemed 7ust another +heosophical Meetin! 1ith e8actly the same people present as at the other meetin!s" e8cept that they sat in a particular order and dressed differently. I had of course no means of 5no1in! in 1hat 1ay the truth 1as presented" )ut I 5ne1 that it must )e the same truth. I hold very stron!ly" as I )elieve do all Masons" that a man should not 7oin an or!ani9ation unless [Page 2] he is prepared to )e an active and efficient mem)er of it" and that if he does 7oin he should attend re!ularly at all od!e Meetin!s" unless a)solutely compelled to )e a)sent2 I held )ac5 )ecause I did not see my 1ay to underta5e the additional la)our of an e8tra meetin!" and I did not see that I should )e in any 1ay more useful" if I came in. :hen I tal5ed these matters over 1ith the Chief /fficer of Co-Masonry here in Australia" he assured me that I 1as in error on this last point" and that there 1as useful 1or5 1hich I could do if I 7oined the /rder. I consulted the (.... Illus.... 3rand Secretary" and he also 1as of the same opinion" so I naturally e8pressed my readiness to )e of any service in my po1er. +hat 1as ho1 it happened that I came in here" in Sydney ; that I have the pleasure and privile!e of callin! this my Mother od!e. I did not 5no1" any more than any other candidate" 1hat to e8pect 1hen I 7oined you2 )ut my first si!ht of a Masonic od!e 1as a !reat and pleasant surprise to me" )ecause I found I 1as perfectly familiar 1ith all its arran!ements" that it recalled e8actly similar arran!ements 1hich I 5ne1 si8 thousand years a!o in ancient '!ypt. I am 4uite a1are that that is a startlin! statement" yet I assure you that it is literally true. And you 1ill o)serve that this is not a matter a)out 1hich any mista5e is possi)le2 it is not a case in 1hich coincidence 1ill serve as an e8planation. [Page 3] +he arran!ement of your three chief officers here is remar5a)le2 it is not one 1hich 1ould naturally )e the first to occur to men tryin! to compile a ritual. <our sym)ols are si!nificant and distinctive" and their com)ination is peculiar2 yet they all )elon!ed to ancient '!ypt" and I 5ne1 them 1ell there. <ou may ima!ine ho1 surprised and ho1 deli!hted I 1as to find the old 1or5 still !oin! on after so many a!es. <ou have 5ept almost all the ceremonies unchan!ed throu!h these thousands of years. +here are certain minor points of difference 1hich I notice" )ut they are really only minor points. Pa!e 1

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I cannot )ut thin5 that that alone =even if that 1ere all> should )e a fact of e8traordinary interest to you. ?ut I must add to it a !reat deal more2 I must e8plain to you 1hat 1e had in our minds 1ith re!ard to all this ; that 1e re!arded a meetin! of the od!e as a manifestation of our reli!ious )elief in various 1ays" and 1e held in connection 1ith it a !reat )ody of 5no1led!e 1hich fits in a)solutely 1ith all of your ceremonies" and the 1ay in 1hich you carry out the 1or5. And it seems to me" on loo5in! )ac5" that the 5no1led!e 1ould )e of !reat interest to us as Co-Masons no1" and 1ould ena)le us to understand much more fully 1hat all these 1or5in!s mean. +his discovery interested me intensely2 I spo5e of it to our (....llus....3rand Secretary" and 1e tried to study to!ether somethin! of the history [Page 4] of Masonry. :e could see 1ithout much difficulty 1hat must )e the )road lines of its descent2 hut 1e soon found that 1e needed further information a)out certain points" so 1e dre1 up a fe1 4uestions on these points and su)mitted them to ,im 1hom you call the ,ead of all true Masons throu!hout the 1orld. <ou must remem)er that this !reat Master" 1ho is to all of you" I suppose" an au!ust and honoured Name" is to your (.....Illus.... (. P. 3. M." to me and to many others of us a livin! Man" personally 5no1n and most hi!hly revered. I did not 5no1 until I had the privile!e of enterin! here" e8actly 1hat 1as ,is relationship to Co-6reemasonry" as I had never spo5en to ,im on that su)7ect2 )ut 1hen last I had the honour of meetin! ,im in the flesh in Rome 1al5in! do1n the Corso" ,e too5 me up to the pu)lic !ardens on the Pincian ,ill" and there 1e sat and tal5ed for an hour and a half a)out the +heosophical Society and its 1or5. So 1hen 1e found ourselves in difficulties over Masonic history" it 1as natural that 1e should at once su)mit them to ,im. ,e most 5indly and !raciously ans1ered our 4uestions" and !ave us a !ood deal of information2 and ,e e8pressed pleasure at seein! us so 5eenly interested in the 1or5. ,e confirmed my recollection that the Ritual as you have it here is almost entirely ancient '!yptian" )ut your historical settin! is that of the @e1ish +radition. 6or e8ample" you [Page 5] mourn the death of a certain Illus... Master lon! a!o2 1e in Ancient '!ypt mourned the death and dismem)erment of /siris" the /ne 1ho )ecame many" and 1e cele)rated a festival at 1hich the dismem)ered parts came to!ether a!ain" and" /siris rose from the dead. So you 1ill see that some of our 1ordin!s 1ere necessarily entirely different" )ut the forms 1ere a)solutely the same. :hat the !reat Master told us as to the history of the movement is )riefly this. +here 1ere many thousands of people" at the time 1hen Christianity )e!an to dominate the 1orld" 1ho still clun! to the ancient reli!ions" 1ho preferred to state their vie1 in the older forms. As Christianity !re1 narro1er" more a!!ressive" and less tolerant of fact" those 1ho 5ne1 somethin! of the +ruth" and 1ished to preserve its enshrinement in those older forms" had more and more to 5eep their meetin!s secret2 therefore they 1ithdre1 from pu)lic 5no1led!e" and their ceremonies 1ere carried on in private. +he same policy of suppression 1as adopted in many countries simultaneously" and therefore this retirement from pu)lic vie1 also too5 place in many localities2 conse4uently 1e have not one stream of tradition )ut several streams" so that in Masonry 1e are not in the position of the Churches" 1here there is one orthodo8 institution and several variants 1hich have fallen a1ay from the ori!inal form. :ith us there are several different lines [Page 6] of tradition 1hich have all e4ual authenticity and 1ei!ht. 6or e8ample" the old Chaldean reli!ion" follo1in! out this same idea" arran!ed its officers rather differently" and that tradition has )een adopted almost all over the continent of 'urope. <ou 1ill find a s5etch of that arran!ement !iven in the )e!innin! of your Ritual" so that even there 1e have the evidence of t1o streams of tradition.

Pa!e A

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No. 177

+hose 1ho have studied Masonic history 5no1 that there have )een various departures from the earlier forms at different times2 sometimes a ne1 Rites seem to have )een introduced" sometimes ne1 Be!rees in old Rites2 and in some cases the official status of the people 1ho introduced these chan!es has )een distinctly open to 4uestion. <ou 1ill notice a certain amount of va!ueness and some1hat unsavoury tradition surroundin! the ori!in of the Scottish Rite itself2 )ut it 1ould appear that these irre!ularities have not seriously mattered" for the Po1ers !uidin! evolution from )ehind have ta5en up 1hatever 1as done and used it so far as it could )e used2 so that thou!h the ori!in of the Scottish Rite is some1hat o)scure" it has )een )rou!ht into line 1ith the hi!her de!rees of the ancient '!yptian Mysteries" and it no1 resem)les them very fairly. +he Masters al1ays encoura!ed 1hat 1as !ood in all these efforts" in order to provide sanctuary for such of the e!os )orn in 'urope as could not [Page ] develop under the cruder teachin!s 1hich 1ere miscalled Christianity. +he philosophy !radually fades out of these" )ut the Masters ta5e advanta!e of any favoura)le opportunity to restore a little of it. I have heard that many people have tried to sho1 that Masonry is derived only from the /perative 3uilds of the Middle A!es2 thou!h some" !oin! further )ac5" have attached these 3uilds to the Roman Colle!ia. ?ut anyone 1ho is at all ac4uainted 1ith the ancient Mysteries 1ill see at once that that is incorrect2 )ecause you have certain ceremonies 1hich could have no connection 1ith mere /perative Masonry" )ut have a real relation to the inner teachin!s of the Mysteries. +he s.....s you ta5e" the very 5.....s you use" all of them have a real occult si!nificance 1hich could not )e connected 1ith the secrets of the /perative Masons. Is is" ho1ever" undou)tedly true that Speculative Masonry has )een purposely confused 1ith the /perative 1or5in!. :e in4uired a)out that point" and the ans1er of the Master 1as that +hey in the )ac5!round 1ere responsi)le for that" and arran!ed that confusion intentionally" )ecause the Church had !ro1n very suspicious of Secret Societies" suppressin! them 1ith !reat vi!our. It did not" ho1ever" persecute the /perative Masons" 1hom it re!arded as a )ody of men 1isely !uardin! the secrets of their trade2 the Masters [Page !] therefore intentionally confused the Sym)olical 1or5in! 1ith the /perative 1or5in!. +he effort to preserve the former 1as conse4uently successful" and +hey adopted as much as +hey could of the /perative MasonsC terminolo!y" and entrusted them 1ith some of the secrets2 these they little understood" hut they faithfully carried on the forms 1ithout comprehendin! more than half of 1hat they meant. +he @e1s are responsi)le for much of the e8istin! Masonic terminolo!y. Moses had learnt the 1isdom of '!ypt" )ut later they characteristically tried to adapt it to their o1n history" and assi!ned its ori!in to their !reat national hero" 0in! Solomon. +hey cast it into a form 1hich they could connect 1ith the )uildin! of his +emple instead of 1ith the erection of the !reat Pyramid2 and naturally this form could )e more readily confused 1ith /perative Masonry than could the philosophic '!yptian settin!. +hat is 1hy their form and their le!end 1ere adopted in preference to the '!yptian or Chaldean2 that is 1hy 1e still mourn the death of ,. A. instead of the descent of /siris into matter2 that is 1hy certain s......s are supposed to remind us of certain p......s" 1hen the truth is that the p.....s 1ere invented much later to e8plain the s......s" 1hich really refer to various centres in the human )ody. 6rom this 5no1led!e several points emer!e. It is note1orthy that the Masonic ceremonies" 1hich [Page "] have )een so lon! supposed to )e rather in opposition to the received reli!ion of the country" are seen to )e themselves reli!ious ceremonies" thou!h they )elon! to a much older and more philosophical reli!ion. i5e every product of those ancient and ela)orately perfected systems" these rites are full of meanin!; Pa!e *

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Ancient Ideals in Modern Masonry

No. 177

or perhaps I should rather say" of meanin!s" for in '!ypt 1e attri)uted to them a fourfold si!nification. Since every detail is thus full of import" it is o)vious that no detail should ever )e chan!ed 1ithout the !reatest care" and only then )y those 1ho 5no1 its full intent" so that the sym)olo!y of the 1hole may not )e spoiled. 6ortunately our ancestors have reco!ni9ed the importance of handin! do1n the 1or5in! unchan!ed" 1ith the result that from my o1n e8perience of si8 thousand years a!o I can follo1 your ritual fairly accurately" even thou!h the lan!ua!e is different. Some fe1 points have )een dropped durin! that vast lapse of time" a fe1 others have )een sli!htly modified2 )ut they are marvellously fe1. <our Char!es have )ecome much lon!er" and I notice that the non-officials ta5e much less part in the 1or5 than they used to do. In the old days they constantly chanted short versicles of praise or e8hortation" and each one of them understood himself to )e fillin! a definite position ; to )e a necessary 1heel in the !reat machine. [Page
#$]

It. 1ill )e e8ceedin!ly difficult to e8plain to a t1entieth century Australian or 'uropean audience all that this 1or5 meant to us in the sunny land of 0hem2 )ut I 1ill try to !ive some sli!ht idea of the four layers of interpretation. 1. It 1as intended as a reminder to those 1ho did it and 1ho sa1 it of the 1ay in 1hich the Dniverse 1as )uilt )y its 3reat Architect" the different de!rees penetratin! further and further into the 5no1led!e of ,is methods and of the principles upon 1hich ,e 1or5s. 6or 1e hold not only that ,e 1or5ed in the past" )ut that ,e is 1or5in! no1 ;that ,is Dniverse is an active e8pression of ,im. In those days )oo5s filled a less prominent place in our lives than they do no1" and it 1as considered that to record 5no1led!e in a series of appropriate and su!!estive actions made a more po1erful appeal to a manCs mind" and esta)lished that 5no1led!e )etter in his memory than to read it from a )oo5. <ou are" therefore" preservin! )y your varyin! action the memory of certain facts and la1s in nature. A. ?ecause that is so" and )ecause the la1s of the Dniverse must )e universal in their application and must act do1n here as 1ell as a)ove" therefore the fact that such la1s e8ist prescri)es a certain course of conduct on our part2 and so" as 1e truly say" Masonry is a system of morality veiled in alle!ory and illustrated )y sym)ols" )ut it is a system )ased not on a mere commandment" [Page ##] E+hus saith the ordF )ut on definite facts and la1s in nature 1hich cannot )e dou)ted. *. +he 1or5 is a preparation for death and for 1hat follo1s it. +he various e8periences of the candidate are intended to prepare him for 1hat 1ill happen to him 1hen he passes out of this physical 1orld into the ne8t sta!e. Indeed I mi!ht say there is a vast amount of information a)out the life after death to )e derived from an intelli!ent consideration of Masonic ceremonies. A)ove all" it is emphasi9ed that the same la1s hold !ood on the other side of the !rave as on this" that in )oth states 1e are e4ually in the presence of 3/B" and that 1here that ,oly Name can )e invo5ed there is no cause for fear. #. +he fourth intention is the hardest of all to e8plain. +o ma5e you understand that" I must try to ta5e you )ac5" if I can" into the atmosphere of old '!ypt" and to the attitude that reli!ious men too5 there. I do not 5no1 1hether it is possi)le to reconstruct that in these modern days" 1hich are so hopelessly" so fundamentally different. Pa!e #

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+he reli!ion 1hich you 5no1 )est at the present day is intensely individualistic2 the !reat central o)7ective put )efore most Christians is that of savin! their o1n souls. +hat duty is represented to )e of primary importance. Can you picture to yourselves a reli!ion" 7ust as much a reli!ion in every 1ay" in every respect as earnest" as fervid" [Page #2] as real" from 1hich that idea 1as entirely a)sent" to 1hich it 1ould have )een utterly inconceiva)le G Can you thin5" as a )e!innin!" of a condition of mind in 1hich no one feared anythin! e8cept 1ron!" and its possi)le results in delayin! unfoldment2 in 1hich 1e loo5ed for1ard 1ith perfect certainty to our pro!ress after death" )ecause 1e 5ne1 all a)out it2 in 1hich our one desire 1as not for salvation )ut for advancement in evolution" )ecause such advancement )rou!ht us !reater po1er to do effectively the ,idden :or5 1hich 3/B e8pected of us G I am not su!!estin! that every one in ancient '!ypt 1as altruistic" any more than is everyone in modern 'n!land. ?ut I do say that the country 1as permeated 1ith 7oy and fearlessness so far as its reli!ious ideas 1ere concerned" and that everyone 1ho )y any stretch of courtesy could )e descri)ed as a reli!ious man 1as occupied not 1ith thou!hts of his personal salvation" )ut 1ith the desire to )e a useful a!ent of the Bivine Po1er. +he outer reli!ion of ancient '!ypt ; the official reli!ion in 1hich every one too5 part" from the 0in! to the slave ; 1as one of the most splendid that has ever )een 5no1n to man. 3or!eous processions peram)ulatin! avenues miles in len!th" amid pillars so stupendous that they seemed scarcely human 1or5" stately )oats in a medley of rain)o1 colours s1eepin! ma7estically do1n the placid Nile" music triumphant or plaintive" )ut [Page #3] al1ays thrillin! ; ho1 shall I descri)e somethin! so a)solutely 1ithout parallel in our puny modern times G No dou)t the really reli!ious man too5 his part in all this out1ard pomp2 )ut 1hat he pri9ed far a)ove all its ama9in! ma!nificence 1as his mem)ership in some od!e of the Sacred Mysteries ; a od!e 1hich devoted itself 1ith reverent enthusiasm to the ,idden :or5 1hich 1as the principal activity of this no)le reli!ion. It is of this hidden side of the '!yptian cult" not of its outer !lories" that 6reemasonry is a relic" and the Ritual 1hich you have preserved is a part of that of the Mysteries. +o e8plain 1hat this ,idden :or5 1as" let me dra1 a parallel from a more modern method of producin! a some1hat similar result. Sometime a!o I 1rote an article on The Magic of the Christian Church" in 1hich I mentioned the Christian method of spreadin! the Bivine po1er or !race )y means of the cele)ration of the ,oly 'ucharist" commonly called the Mass. :ho must not thin5 of that !race as a sort of poetical e8pression" or as in the least va!ue and cloudy2 1e are dealin! 1ith a force as definite as electricity ; a spiritual po1er 1hich is spread a)road over the people in certain 1ays" 1hich leaves its o1n effect )ehind it and needs its o1n vehicles" 7ust as electricity needs its appropriate machinery. I e8plained in the article ho1 I had )een a)le [Page #4] )y clairvoyance to see the action of that force2 ho1 the service of the Mass is intended to )uild up a thou!ht-form" throu!h 1hich that force is distri)uted )y the a!ency of the Priest ; fortunately 1ithout ta5in! into account his attitude" his 5no1led!e or even his character2 so lon! as he performs the prescri)ed ceremonies the result is achieved. If he is also a devout man" the value of the Sacrament is enhanced2 )ut 1hatever his feelin!s" the stren!th is outpoured on the people to a certain e8tent. +he old '!yptian reli!ion had the same idea of pourin! out spiritual force upon all its people" )ut its method 1as alto!ether different. +he Christian ma!ic is performed )y the priest alone" and can even )e done 4uite mechanically2 the '!yptian plan re4uired the earnest and intelli!ent co-operation of a Pa!e &

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considera)le num)er of people. It 1as therefore much more difficult to achieve perfectly" )ut 1hen thorou!hly done it 1as far more po1erful" and covered a much 1ider ran!e of country. +he Christian scheme needs a vast num)er of Churches dotted all over the land 2 the '!yptian re4uired only the action of a fe1 od!es esta)lished in the principal cities in order to flood the 1hole 5in!dom 1ith the ,idden i!ht. +he central doctrine of the reli!ion of the ancient '!yptians 1as that the Bivine po1er d1elt in every man" even the lo1est and most de!raded" and they called that po1er E+he ,idden i!htF. [Page #5] +hey held that throu!h that i!ht" 1hich e8isted in all" men could al1ays )e reached and helped" and that it 1as their )usiness to find that i!ht 1ithin every one" ho1ever unpromisin!" and to stren!then it. +he very motto of the Pharaoh 1as E oo5 for the i!htF" implyin! that his supreme duty as 0in! 1as to loo5 for that ,idden i!ht in every man around him" and strive to )rin! it forth into fuller manifestation. +he '!yptians held that this Bivine Spar5 1hich e8ists in everyone could most effectively )e fanned )y transmutin! and )rin!in! do1n to the three lo1er 1orlds the tremendous spiritual force 1hich is the life of the hi!her planes" and then pourin! it out over the country as has )een descri)ed. 0no1in! that spiritual force to )e )ut another manifestation of the manifold po1er of 3od" they !ave to it also the name of the ,idden i!ht2 and from this dou)le use of the term confusion sometimes arises. +hey fully reco!ni9ed that such a do1npour of Bivine !race could )e evo5ed only )y a supreme effort of devotion on their part2 and the ma5in! of such an effort" to!ether 1ith the provision of suita)le machinery for spreadin! the force 1hen it came" 1as a !reat part of the ,idden :or5" to 1hich the no)lest of '!yptians devoted so much of their time and ener!y2 and this 1as the fourth of the o)7ects intended to )e served )y the sacred and secret Ritual of 1hich ours in Masonry is a relic. [Page #6] /ur od!es in old '!ypt 1ere strictly limited as to mem)ership2 no od!e mi!ht contain more than forty mem)ers" and each of the forty 1as a necessary part of the machine" and filled a place that 1as all his o1n. '8ceptin! the /fficers" 1hose )usiness 1as the recitation of the /ffice and the ma!netisation of the od!e" each mem)er 1as the representative of a particular 4uality. /ne 1as called the 0ni!ht of ove" another the 0ni!ht of +ruth" another the 0ni!ht of Perseverance" and so on2 and each 1as supposed to )e a specialist in thin5in! and e8pressin! the 4uality assi!ned to him. +he idea 1as that the 4ualities thus e8pressed throu!h the od!e as a 1hole" 1ould ma5e the character of a perfect man. +he title used did not e8actly correspond to our E1ord E5ni!htF" )ut that is the nearest I can come to its interpretation. 'very mem)er too5 part in the 1or5" and the la)our of those in the columns 1as re!arded as more arduous than that of the /fficers" as it 1as lar!ely on the mental plane. +hey had all to 7oin at certain points in the Ritual in sendin! out streams of thou!ht" the o)7ect of the 1hole effort )ein! to erect over and around the od!e a ma!nificent and radiant thou!ht-form of colossal si9e and perfect proportions" specially constructed to receive and transmit in the most effective 1ay the Bivine force 1hich 1as called do1n )y their act of devotion. If any mem)erCs thou!ht 1as [Page # ] ineffectual" the mi!hty cathedral-li5e thou!ht-form 1as correspondin!ly defective in one part2 )ut the R.:.M. 1as usually a clairvoyant priest or priestess 1ho could see 1here the defect lay" and so could 5eep his od!e strictly up to the mar5. <ou 1ill reali9e that" as everyone present had to )ear his part in )uildin! that form" the most e8act cooperation and the most perfect harmony 1ere a)solutely necessary. +he sli!htest fla1 in these 1ould have seriously 1ea5ened the form throu!h 1hich all the 1or5 1as )ein! done. It is perhaps a relic of this Pa!e H

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paramount necessity 1hich dictates our present re!ulation that any )rothers 1ho are not in perfect harmony 1ith each other should not put on their Masonic clothin! until they have settled their differences. In ancient '!ypt there 1as an intensity of )rotherly feelin! )et1een the mem)ers of a od!e 1hich is pro)a)ly rarely attained no12 1e felt ourselves )ound to!ether )y the holiest of ties" not only as parts of the same machine" )ut actually as fello1-1or5ers 1ith 3/B ,imself. Another point of interest is that althou!h Co-Masonry is a comparatively recent development" its chief distinctive feature is of hoary anti4uity2 for in the 1or5 in ancient '!ypt 1omen stood e8actly upon the same footin! as men. +he later e8clusion of 1omen seems to have )een due to the influence of the /perative 3uilds. [Page #!] I do not 5no1 ho1 far" under conditions so fundamentally different as those 1hich e8ist at the present day" it 1ould )e possi)le to restore to 6reemasonry any part of the peculiar position and po1er 1hich it held on the )an5s of the Nile2 )ut if there is to )e any movement in that direction it can )e!in only in the ran5s of the Co-Masons. +hat the )ody has a !reat future )efore it in connection 1ith the ne1 Si8th Su)race is o)vious. In that su)-race" as in all the others" there 1ill )e e!os of different temperaments2 some no dou)t 1ho 1ill see5 their inspiration alon! the lines of the more li)eral forms of Christianity" )ut also certainly some 1ho from disposition and old association 1ill find themselves more attracted to the philosophic Masonic presentation of truth. It is our )usiness to see that this presentation is a fittin! one ; to ma5e our 1or5 so perfect and so reverent that those 1ho see it may find in it 1hat they need" and may never )e repelled )y anythin! in the nature of slovenliness or irreverence. :e must not for!et that Masonry is truly a reli!ion" thou!h so different in form from that 1hich 1e have )een tau!ht to consider the only reli!ion" that its true character is often overloo5ed. I am sure it 1ill )e a !reat encoura!ement to you to hear that the ,ead of all true Masons throu!hout the 1orld ta5es a 5een personal interest in our /rder. ,e has )een most !racious [Page #"] and )eni!nant in ,is ready response to all the in4uiries 1hich 1e have )een ma5in!. ,e 1as 5ind enou!h to 1or5 ,is o1n od!e for us in 'n!lish" usin! our ne1 Ritual" in order to sho1 us e8actly ho1 ,e thou!ht it should )e used2 and thou!h 1e can hardly hope to attain to the solemnity and splendour of ,is 1or5in!" the opportunity 1as a source of !reat profit and instruction to us. :e noticed certain points in the ceremonies in 1hich ,e follo1ed a tradition 1hich varies sli!htly from ours2 )ut the salient features 1ere the stateliness and military precision of the 1or5in!s" and the fact that the mem)ers in the columns had much more to do than they have in our plan" as they chanted appropriate versicles at short intervals. +here are various 1ays in 1hich the recollection of the 1ay in 1hich thin!s 1ere done in ancient '!ypt may )e of use to us" for those people performed their ceremonies 1ith full 5no1led!e of their meanin!" and so the points upon 1hich they laid !reat stress are li5ely to )e important to us also. Beep reverence 1as their stron!est characteristic. +hey re!arded their +emple much as the most earnest Christians re!ard their Church" e8cept that their attitude 1as dictated )y scientific 5no1led!e rather than )y feelin!. +hey understood that the )uildin! 1as stron!ly ma!neti9ed" and that to preserve the full stren!th of that [Page 2$] ma!netism !reat care 1as necessary. +o spea5 of ordinary matters in the +emple 1ould have )een considered as sacrile!e" as it 1ould mean the introduction of a distur)in! influence. (estin! and all preliminary )usiness 1ere al1ays done in an ante-room" and the )rethren entered the od!e in procession" sin!in!. +he sanctity of the mosaic pavement 1as !uarded 1ith the Pa!e 7

Adyar Pamphlets

Ancient Ideals in Modern Masonry

No. 177

most 7ealous care" and it 1as never invaded e8cept )y the Candidate and the /fficers at proper times" and of course )y the +hurifer 1hen he censed the Altar. +he e8ceedin! importance of s4uarin! the od!e accurately is dictated )y the same ma!netic considerations. +he currents of force are rushin! alon! and across that pavement in lines li5e the 1arp and 1oof of a piece of cloth" and also round the ed!es of it" and anyone 1ho has to cross it" or even come near it" should )e careful to move 1ith the force and not a!ainst it. ,ence the imperative necessity of al1ays 5eepin! to one direction. In modern days less care seems to )e ta5en of the mosaic pavement2 I have even seen a case in 1hich the attendance-)oo5" 1hich all have to si!n" 1as placed on a ta)le in the middle of it. :ith us in '!ypt that pavement occupied almost the 1hole of the floor of the od!e2 no1 it is often only a small enclosure in the midst of it. Much of the ancient 1isdom has )een allo1ed to slip into o)livion" and so the true secrets have )een lost. [Page 2#] ?ut there is every reason to hope that 1ith the aid of the Master they may )e recovered" and that 1e of these later su)-races may prove ourselves 7ust as unselfish and capa)le of 7ust as !ood 1or5 for our fello1-men as 1ere the people of old. Indeed" 1e ourselves may 1ell )e those men of old" come )ac5 in ne1 )odies" )ut )rin!in! 1ith us the old attraction to the form of faith and 1or5 1hich then 1e 5ne1 so 1ell. et us try to revive under these far different conditions the old uncon4uera)le spirit 1hich distin!uished us so lon! a!o2 let us reco!ni9e that Co-Masonry is a most important )ranch of the 1or5 of our Masters2 and let us put all our stren!th into it. It means a !ood deal of hard 1or5" for it means that every /fficer must do his part 4uite perfectly2 and that" in turn" involves a !ood deal of trainin! and practice. <et I feel sure that there are many amon! us 1ho 1ill respond to the MasterCs call" and come for1ard to 7oin us in preparin! the 1ay for those 1ho are to come. At present our num)ers are )ut small2 )ut 1hile that is so" 1e have a definite opportunity of doin! pioneer 1or5 for the movement. et each od!e ma5e itself a model od!e" thorou!hly efficient in its 1or5in!" so that 1hen anyone visits it he may )e impressed )y the !ood 1or5 done and )y the stren!th of its ma!netic atmosphere" and may there)y )e induced to come in and help us 1ith this vast underta5in!. /ur [Page 22] mem)ers must also )e a)le" 1hen they in turn visit other od!es" to e8plain our method of 1or5in!" and sho1 ho1" from the occult point of vie1" the ceremonies should )e performed. A)ove all" our mem)ers must carry 1ith them every1here the stron! ma!netism of a completely harmonious centre" the potent radiation of ?rotherly ove. ?ut to radiate this upon others 1e must first develop it in ourselves. :e must determinedly crush do1n our personalities2 1e must 1eed out our dearest and most intimate pre7udices2 1e must sin5 them unconditionally for the sa5e of the 1or52 1e must offer them up as an o)lation at the feet of our Masters. +he sacrifice is a)solutely necessary2 1ithout it there can )e no success. A )rother Mason has in7ured you" has ne!lected you" has spo5en ill of you or rudely to you2 for!et itI :hat is the importance of your outra!ed sense of personal di!nity in comparison 1ith the momentousness of the 1or5 G /f course from your point of vie1 you 1ere 4uite ri!ht and he 1as 4uite 1ron!2 all the more ma!nanimity do you sho1 in lettin! )y!ones )e )y!ones. Consi!n it all to o)livion2 your )rain is your o1n" and you can force it to remem)er or for!et at your 1ill. Common sense dictates that one should remem)er only the pleasant incidents of the past" and let the rest sin5 into the o)scurity 1hich they deserve. 6or the sa5e of the 1or5" you must for!o the perverted pleasure of nursin! your [Page23] ima!ined 1ron!s2 have the coura!e to ta5e a decisive step and thro1 all that a1ay )oldly and finally" and ma5e a fresh start alon! more sensi)le lines. I assure you" you 1ill never re!ret it2 and 1hen it is done" true Masonic 1or5 1ill )e Pa!e J

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Ancient Ideals in Modern Masonry

No. 177

possi)le for you" and you 1ill have your chance of efficient participation in a movement 1hich is under the especial )lessin! and direction of the Masters of :isdom" and is part of +heir mi!hty plan for the upliftment of the human race.

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