These three graces of a religious life are thus placed, in conformity with the description of their respective characteristics by St. Paul, 1 Cor. xiii.; and being exclusively attached to Christianity, and admitted into no other religion that ever existed on the face of the earth, leaves the Free and Accepted Masonno alternative but to explain them by the Christian ritual; although they have been explained by a transatlantic Mason as follows. "Faith is the genius of Spring; Hope of Summer; and Charity of Autumn. Faith of Spring, because faith and works must always come together; Hope of Summer, because from that point the Sun looks vertically down upon the seeds which have been committed in faith to the fertilizing bosom of the earth; Charity of Autumn, because then the Sun empties his cornucopia into our desiring laps. Faith is the eastern pillar; Charity the western; and Hope the keystone of this Royal Arch."15 It will be unnecessary to say that I differ in toto from the above author, in his appropriation of these sublime virtues; and solemnly protest against the principle of making Hope instead of Charity the keystone of the arch. In the symbol before us we see a female figure seated at the foot of a Ladder, like a dignified matron, under a palm tree, with a dove holding an olive leaf in its mouth, perched on one of the branches, and a lamb at her feet. She bears a Cross in one hand, and a Key in the other. In some of our masonic portraitures, we find Faith designated by a patera or cup; which is, however, a more appropriate symbol of the Roman goddess Fides, who bears no resemblance to our companion of Hope and Charity. This deity, who may be considered the representative of Fidelity, had a temple in the Capitol, and her priests wore white veils; and oaths taken in her name were considered peculiarly binding. She was sometimes represented with a Cup, at others with a basket of fruit and ears of corn. Occasionally she was represented by a turtle dove, on account of its faithfulness to its mate. The most usual symbol, however, was the two right hands joined together in the grasp of friendship. It is true, we sometimes find, amongst the paintings 15 Fellows. Masonry, p. 284. and mosaics of the middle ages, the figure of Faith bearing the Patera; as for instance, on the north basement on the shrine of the blessed Virgin at Florence; but this may be accounted for under the supposition that the artists, being Italian, doubtless took the symbol from the visible attributes of the Roman goddess, without ever reflecting that Christian Faith and the Fides of their fanciful pantheon had not a single quality in common, although the name might suggest a similar appropriation. In heathen nations a Cup was the insignia of Fides, because it was esteemed oracular; and Julius Serenus has explained the Egyptian method of divining by it. The adept filled it with water, and deposited therein thin plates of gold or silver charged with magical characters. The demon was then invoked by certain prescribed forms of incantation; and the enquiries were answered by the cabalistical hieroglyphics on the plates rising to the surface of the water. Some say that if melted wax were poured into the cup, upon the water, it would arrange itself in the form of letters, and thus give a distinct answer to the proposed enquiries. It was for some such purpose that Dido poured out water from a Patera between the horns of a white cow. Ipsa tenens dextrâ Pateram pulcherrima Dido Sometimes the Patera was used by women for the purposes of divination; and for these reasons it can scarcely be esteemed an appropriate symbol of Christian faith. In fact its use is explicitly forbidden in the Christian system; for St. Paul calls it "the cup of devils." In the heathen sacrifices, as Macknight informs us, the priests, before they poured the wine upon the victim, tasted it themselves, then carried it to the offerers and to those who came with them, that they also might taste it, as joining in the sacrifice and receiving benefit from it. The cup of devils meant, therefore, the sacrifice offered to the demon or idol, and was therefore expressly condemned. Amongst the professors of a true religion, the Cup appears to be a more appropriate symbol of Temperance than of Faith; and it was always so considered by Jews as well as Christians. At a Jewish feast, the president used to take a cup of wine into his hand, at the commencement of the ceremony, and after solemnly blessing God for it, and for the mercy which was publicly acknowledged, he drank himself, and then circulated it amongst the guests, who also drank, each in his turn. It is called by David, "the cup of salvation," but Jeremiah terms it, "the cup of God's wrath;" in the former case it was used as an incentive to temperance; but in the latter as a denunciation against ebriety; which always occurred at the Jewish carnival of Purim, where, as in the corresponding ceremonies of the Bacchanalia, the rule was, not to leave off drinking while the topers were capable of distinguishing between the phrases-Blessed be Mordecai! and cursed be Haman! For this reason the Cup was also considered by the Jews as an emblem of the chequered mixture of good and evil by which human life is diversified. The symbols by which Faith is here designated, possess a more dignified reference. The palm tree has always been considered a symbol of victory, because it is so elastic as to bend under any pressure without breaking asunder, and to regain without difficulty its former erect position when the pressure is removed; thus appearing to be impregnable to all attacks. Hence it was assigned by the early Christians to Faith, because St. John says, "this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith." 16 For a similar reason it was esteemed an emblem of the immortality to which Faith leads, because the ancients feigned that this tree never decays. Mariti reports the traditions which exist amongst the Arabs respecting this extraordinary tree. They allege that it will live for hundreds of years; and they had not the vestige of a tradition amongst them that either they or any of their ancestors ever saw a palm tree that died of itself. It bears fruit for ever," and therefore is an appropriate emblem of Faith, which, by its fruits, produces immortality and happiness. It was also a symbol of other Christian virtues, viz., justice, innocence, and a pious and virtuous life. The above interpretation points out, according to 16 1 John v., 4. 17 Ps. xcii., 14. Pierius,18 the reason why Faith is symbolized by a Cross, which is the true palm tree of a Christian; and by means of which the Jew and Gentile, will ultimately form one church, and profess one faith, according to that saying of the Redeemer, "if I be lifted up I will draw all men to me." Thus the faithful servants of God were marked in their foreheads with the sign of the Cross to distinguish what they were, and to whom they belonged. Now, among Christians, baptism, being the seal of the covenant between God and man, is therefore, by ancient writers, often called the seal, the sign, the mark and character of the Lord; and it was the practice in early times, as it is at present, to make the sign of the Cross upon the foreheads of the parties baptised. The same sign of the Cross was also made at confirmation; and upon many other occasions the Christians signed themselves with the sign of the Cross in their foreheads, as a token that they were not ashamed of a crucified Master; that on the contrary they gloried in the Cross of Christ, and triumphed in that symbol and representation of it.19 The dove is the inhabitant of a pure element which we hope one day to obtain by the exercise of Faith. was therefore used by the early Christians, and adopted by the Free and Accepted Masons who were employed in the erection of our magnificent cathedrals and churches, as a symbol of this divine quality. Its application in this character was very widely disseminated. On the reverse of a coin of Elagabalus, Faith is represented as a sitting figure, holding a turtle dove in one hand, and an ensign in the other, inscribed Fides Exercitus. The olive figured the peace of mind which the true and faithful Mason enjoys in the contemplation of God's perfections through the medium of the glorious symbol under our notice; and the unity and love which they bear to each other. It The Lamb is the representative of the faithful flock of the Good Shepherd; and hence the use of the lamb-skin in a Lodge, as an emblem of innocence, more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle; more honourable than the Star and Garter, the Thistle and Rose, or 18 Hieroglyphica, fo. 371. C. Ed. Basil, 1575. any other order under the sun which can be conferred by king, prince, or potentate, except he be a Mason. Indeed, white garments, were always considered as distinguishing marks of favour. They were worn in the courts of Princes; and the garments of priests were generally white. They were an emblem of purity, and are therefore interpreted in the Christian system by "the righteousness of saints."20 The Cross is a symbol of the eternal life indicated by a perfect religion; in virtue of which, all who believe shall be enabled to start on their Christian course with a full assurance of Hope. Faith will unlock the Portico of the Church militant, that the Christian soldier may enter and commence his warfare with the three great enemies of his soul; and if he should be victorious in the conflict, and continue faithful unto death, the Captain of his salvation will give him a crown of life."1 For this purpose Faith is invested with a Key, as a symbol of power and authority; which is especially referred to in the condemnation which was passed on the public teachers in the law of Moses; who are charged with having taken away the Key of knowledge by which the kingdom of God is opened to mankind, in the multitude of false glosses, superstitious traditions, and heterodox interpretations under which they had buried the pure Word of God. These expounders were designated by a golden Key, as the symbol of their office.22 The Cross is in her left hand, and the Key in her right; because the former is always conspicuous, while the latter depends on the hand that contains it. If the candidate perceives the Key in the right hand of Faith, it augurs favourably for his masonic progress; because the right hand was esteemed auspicious, and was supposed to point to the east, whence the benign influences of light and heat, motion and life are disseminated. Thus the heathen aruspices, when they made their observations, always stood with their faces towards the north, so that the right hand might point towards the east. Faith is placed near the Holy Bible, to show that it is the evidence of things not seen, and a sure confidence in things hoped for. By the doctrines therein contained, 22 Luke xi., 52. 20 Rev. xix., 8. 21 Ibid. ii., 10. |