in common, which can give a colour to the position in which they have been placed as equal patrons of Masonry, and joint supporters of the circle and point.

The two former coincide in character and attributes in many remarkable particulars; and there was no other prophet who ever resembled Moses, so much as Jesus the Messiah. None of the ancient prophets can answer this description. None of them were law-givers like Moses; none of them had such clear communications with God; for their prophecies were revealed to them in visions and dreams. Moses and Christ are the only two who perfectly resemble each other in these respects. The Jews were addicted to the idolatry of the Egyptians; and were taught by Moses the true way of worshipping God. Subsequently they were the slaves of superstition; when Jesus Christ taught them true religion. The system of Moses was confirmed by stupendous miracles, so was that of Christ. Moses led the people to the promised land; and Christ directs us to a better country. Moses fasted forty days, and so likewise did Christ. Moses and Christ equally fed the people miraculously. Moses led the people through the Red Sea; and Christ walked upon the sea. The face of Moses was surrounded by a bright glory when he descended from the mount; and the face of Christ shone like the sun, upon Mount Tabor. Moses deputed twelve men to survey the land; and Christ committed the same office to twelve Apostles.

St. John mentions the Christian parallelism between Moses and Christ in express terms, when he says, "the Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ;" intimating that although the resemblance between Moses and Christ was striking, yet there was no absolute equality; for that the latter was as much superior to the former, as Grace and Truth are superior to the Law; and St. Paul tells the Jews that they are not now under the Law, but under Grace; adding in another place, that by Christ all that believe are justified, which they could not be by the Law of Moses. And he more plainly asserts in another place, that "Moses was faithful as a servant, but Christ as a Son;" and that Christ was counted worthy of more

7 John i., 17.

8

Rom. vi., 14.

9

Acts xiii., 39.

glory than Moses, inasmuch as "he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house;" that is, the difference between Christ and Moses is that which is between him who creates and the thing created; and then, having before ascribed the creation of the world to Christ, he adds, "he that built all things is God."'10

Still Masonry has not ventured to introduce the Redeemer of mankind as one of its great Parallels, because in neither of his natures has he any equal. As man he was sinless-as God he was divine. Besides, Christ is no other than Jehovah, T G A O TU, and he is symbolized by the circle. If, therefore, the parallel lines have any reference to this great Being, they can be no other than his divine and human natures, which would be masonically inapplicable; and we have already a very significant emblem to the same effect, viz., the pentalpha, double triangle, or seal of Solomon.

The circumambulation of the candidate is generally presumed to have an intimate connection with the symbol under our consideration; and therefore some have considered that originally the space included within the two parallel lines, from one extremity to the other, north and south as well as east and west, which is an oblong square, represented the Lodge; the circumference of the circle being the boundary line threaded during the ceremony; the centre being the candidate, or rough ashlar, the point from which all superficial and solid figures emanate, in the first or most superficial part of Masonry; for if one limb of the compasses be fixed, and the other movable, the point formed by the first touch of the latter, if continued, would form the circumference of a circle. In this case, the pedestal on which the Sacred Volume rests would represent Wisdom, or the W. M.; and the two lines Strength and Beauty, or the S. W. and J. W.; the Ladder, the three Theological Virtues, and the summit, perfection, symbolized by the perfect ashlar. The whole being crowned by an ethereal mansion veiled from mortal eye by the starry firmament; or, as it is termed by Job, "the face of God's throne,"i and surrounded by clouds and darkness,12 that though the dwelling-place of the Most High is hidden from our 11 Job xxvi., 9. 12 Ps. xcvii., 2.

10 Heb. iii., 3-6.

view, his decisions are the result of unerring justice and perfect truth.

This constitutes a lucid symbol of the omnipresent and omnipotent Deity, whose Throne is in the highest heavens, the region of perpetual light, and not in the central point of Time: for the act of going to heaven is always represented by ascending.13 Job says "God is in the height; thick clouds are a covering to him ;" which is confirmed by Jeremiah, who adds, "the Lord shall cry from on high, 15 and not from the centre.16 David in his remarkable prophecy says, "Thou hast ascended up on high." And in fulfilment of this prediction, the Apostle affirms that Christ was made higher than the heavens;13 ascended above all the heavens;19 and sitteth at the right hand of Majesty in high places."20

This idea of perfect happiness above the skies, the residence of the Supreme Deity, was not confined to the Jews and Christians, but was universally admitted by the heathen. It is clearly enunciated by Homer in the Iliad, and by Hesiod in his Theogony, who measures the distance between the highest heaven and the lowest hell, by the falling of a heavy weight, which he says, notwithstanding the inconceivable rapidity of its course, will take nine days and nights to fall from heaven to earth, and the same length of time to descend from the earth to Tartarus. It will, however, be observed, that although God is thus said to dwell in the highest heavens, yet being omnipresent, he is bound to no limit or space; and the expression is merely intended to imply that there his glory is more particularly manifested.

Considered in the above point of view, the figure under our notice constitutes one of the most glorious and expressive symbols that has ever been submitted to the consideration of mankind.

The most reasonable opinion which appears to have been formed on the circle and point, is that which makes the candidate represent the centre, placed within the

16 Consult Ps. cxlviii., 1. Heb. vii., 26. many other passages.

17 Ps. lxviii., 18; and compare John iii., 9, 10.

18 Heb. viii., 26.

19 Eph. iv., 10.

15 Jer. xxv., 30. Eph. iv., 8, 10, and

13, with Eph. iv.,

20 Heb. i., 3.

circle of duty, and his conduct regulated by the two lines of faith and practice; because, without the operation of these heaven-born qualities, it will be impossible for him to keep his passions within the boundary line of reason and Scripture, and to avoid those errors which will interrupt and retard his progress through this world to another and a better. The same idea was symbolized by our brethren of the last century, by the figure of a brother properly clothed, standing beneath the extended legs of a pair of compasses.

If, then, the two parallel lines represent the faith and practice of a rational soul, they are with the strictest propriety assigned to the two St. Johns, because the one finished by his learning what the other began by his zeal. The Evangelist was the most perfect personification of faith that the world ever witnessed; not only from the tenor of his writings, and because he was the beloved disciple of his Master, but also because his faith preserved him as witness, and the only witness amongst the Apostles of Christ, of the destruction of the Jewish polity, and the triumph of that universal dispensation which shall ultimately, as I sincerely believe, supersede all others, and cover the whole earth as the waters cover the sea. And in like manner, the Baptist was the personification of practice, because he confined his preaching to repentance and good works, both of which are exclusively practical. And hence it is believed that these two great and pious men acquired the distinguishing character of the patrons of Masonry.

I have given the reasons which have been assigned for parallelism in another place," but, as every book ought to be perfect in itself, it may be necessary to repeat them here."The two St. Johns were equally distinguished by the Redeemer of mankind; the one as a burning and shining light-whence the gnostics assumed that the Spirit of light entered into John the Baptist, and therefore that he was in some respects to be preferred to Christ-and the other was called the beloved disciple, and the divine." Thus they formed a personification of Greatness and Goodness, which were ever the qualities that drew down public respect and applause; and amongst

21 See Mirror for the Johannite Masons, p. 114.

heathen nations, as we learn from Selden, constituted the attributes of the celestial deities, and elevated deceased mortals to the skies.

For these reasons, the two St. Johns were likened to the pillar of fire and cloud which attended the Israelites in their escape from Egyptian bondage. The Baptist, because he preached the unquenchable fire which is the punishment of sin; and the Evangelist, because he inculcated the subdued virtue of brotherly love, the practice of which, like the operation of the cloud to the camp of Israel, when it moderated the heat of the sun in that parched climate, would serve to avert the ever-burning fire of hell.

This pillar was a light and a guide to the Israelites through the wilderness of Sin, that they might attain the Promised Land in safety; and the two St. Johns-one by announcing the Saviour, and the other by his benevolent doctrines are a light and a guide to all mankind while toiling throngh the sinful wilderness of this world, that they may arrive at the heavenly Canaan, and rest for ever from their labours. Besides, St. John the Evangelist was chosen to be a witness of Christ's transfiguration, and was actually enveloped in the cloud on that remarkable occasion.

Again, as the columns of Solomon's porch, called Jachin and Boaz, were typical of this cloudy and fiery pillar, so the early Christians likened them to the two St. Johns, which appears, in the estimation of our ancient brethren, to have made parallelism complete. Boaz represented strength, and Jachin to establish; and together, they referred to the Divine Promise, that God would establish his holy Temple in strength. The former referred to the Sun, which rejoiceth as a giant to run its course; and the latter the Moon, because, like the pillar of a cloud, its light is mild and beautiful, being only a reflection of the Sun's more powerful rays; and hence it was prophesied of Solomon, that his kingdom should remain in peace and righteousness so long as the Moon endureth. The promise of David includes both. "His seed shall endure for ever; and his seat is like as the Sun before me. He shall stand fast for evermore as

22 Ps. xix., 5.

23 Ibid. lxxii., 7.