their Blazing Star. St. Jerome in orms us that they gave to the Almighty the monstrous name of Abraxas, pretending that, from the agreement of the import of the Greek letters composing that word with the number of days in the Sun's course, Abraxas was identified with the Sun or Blazing Star, as the latter was identified with Christ. The heathen entertained the same idea with respect to Mithras, who was also considered as a Mediator between God and man. St. Austin explains the doctrine by saying that Basilides entertained the idea that there were 365 heavens, corresponding with the number of days in the ancient year, and with the name Abraxas or the Sun, which was therefore considered to be holy and worthy of veneration. The notation is thus expressed, 1 2 100 1 60 1 200=365 The same may be said of the word Mithras or Meithras; and it is well understood that those pseudo-christians worshipped the Sun under these two names, both of which signify that luminary; and it is evident from many of the gems which are yet in existence, and have been copiously illustrated by Montfaucon, that they considered Jesus Christ to be the material Sun. Thus these heretics mingled truth and falsehood, and produced a system which the Rosicrucians of the middle ages remodelled for cabalistical purposes; and the world is indebted to Freemasonry for the exposure of its pernicious principles, and the restoration of symbolical machinery to the primitive design of promulgating the true Faith, and vindicating the purity of divine revelation. The final manifestation of the Great Architect of the universe is recorded in the ingenious degree of Knight of the East and West, taken from the book of Revelation. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a White Horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, (Blazing Star), and on his head were many crowns; and he had a Name written that no man knew but himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he should rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."20 The masonic meaning of the Sun, Moon, and Seven Stars, is familiar to every well instructed brother, and it will therefore require only a few words to make it more distinctly understood. They are placed in our symbol, without the Cloudy Canopy, because in the regions which it conceals from our view, they are perfectly useless, being enlightened by the "Glory of God and the Lamb." And even to ourselves, the genial effects of the sun's rays would be deprived of their most essential properties, if they were not modified by the atmosphere which surrounds our globe. "The eye is indebted to it for all the magnificence of sunrise, the full brightness of its meridian height, the chastened radiance of the gloaming, and the clouds that cradle near the setting sun. But for the atmosphere, the rainbow would want its triumphal arch, and the winds would not send their fleecy messengers on errands round the heavens. The cold ether would not shed its snow-feathers on the earth, nor would drops of dew gather on the flowers. The kindly rain would never fall; hail, storm, nor fog diversify the face of the sky. Our naked globe would turn its tanned, unshadowed forehead to the sun, and one dreary, monotonous blaze of light and heat dazzle and burn up all things." Were there no atmosphere, the evening sun would in a moment set, and, without warning, plunge the earth in darkness. But the air keeps in her hand a sheaf of rays, and lets them slip but slowly through her fingers; so that the shadows of evening gather by degrees, and the flowers have time to bow their heads, and each creature space to find a place of rest and nestle to repose. In the morning the garish sun would, at one bound, burst from the bosom of night and blaze above the horizon; but the air watches for his coming, and sends at first but one little ray to announce his approach, and then another, and by and by a handful; and so gently draws aside the curtain of night, and slowly lets the light fall on the face of the sleeping earth, till her eyelids open, and like man, she goeth forth again to her labour until the evening."21 1122 In the Apocalypse mention is made of "a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." According to our best commentators, the woman was a type of the Church of Christ; she was clothed with the sun, to denote the blessing of light and knowledge which this Church enjoys by the gracious goodness of Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness. The moon was placed under her feet to indicate the prostration of the Jewish ceremonial law; and the crown of twelve stars was intended as a symbol to denote that the Christian Church had the advantage of being illuminated by the inspiration of the twelve Apostles. The worship of the Sun was common to most heathen nations. According to Herodian, the Emperor Aurelian erected a magnificent Temple to this deity, in which he placed statues of the Sun and Bel, which, along with the other precious decorations, were brought from Palmyra. Montfaucon has given an image of the Sun as worshipped by the Romans. It is the bust of a man placed upon an eagle, having his head surrounded with a nimbus, and the following inscription: Soli sanctissimo sacrum Tiberius Claudius Alypus filius eorum Lipsius, in the thirty-sixth Op. of his Virgo Hallensis, furnishes a similar form of address to the Virgin Mary as the queen of heaven. "O goddess! thou art the Queen of heaven, of the sea, of the earth, above whom there is nothing but God. Thou Moon, next to him the Sun, whom I implore and invocate; protect and take care of 22 Rev. xii., 1. 21 Quarterly Review. 23 Vol. ii., plate 54. us both in public and private. Thou hast seen us these forty years tossed in a public storm; O Mary, calm this tumultuous sea. Hanc pennam tibi nunc, Diva, merito, consecravit Lipsius." The nations on the borders of the Holy Land paid divine honours to the Moon as the Queen of Heaven; and the Jews suffered themselves to be seduced into the same species of idolatry. The prophet Jeremiah represents them as inviting each other to commit this abomination. "Let us sacrifice to the Queen of Heaven, and pour out our drink offerings to her."24 There is a sublime reference attached to the symbol of Seven Stars in the sacred writings of the Jews, that ought not to be overlooked. Stars were sometimes used as emblems of earthly potentates, and at others of the ministers of God's sanctuary; but they have a much higher destination. They represent the Seven Eyes mentioned by Zechariah, which typify the care of divine providence, ever watchful to promote the welfare of his creatures; and the Seven Lamps of the Apocalypse, which symbolize the Holy Spirit of God; whence are also derived the seven spiritual gifts of a Christian man. In the degree of Knights of the East and West, the Seven Stars are explained to signify the seven qualities which ought to distinguish a Freemason, viz., Friendship, Union, Submission, Discretion, Fidelity, Prudence, and Temperance. The number is remarkable, for it was always considered by the heathen, as well as by the Jews, to designate perfection, and was hence the symbol of heaven. The followers of Mahomet adopted a similar opinion; and the seven editions of the Koran were called by the name of "the seven traditions ;" and they believe that the throne of God is surrounded by seven spirits or archangels, called Michael, Gabriel, Lamael, Raphael, Zachariel, Anael, and Oriphiel. The Holy Spirit of God thus symbolized was known to the pious Jews, for David prays that God will not withdraw his Holy Spirit from him.25 The streams of water mentioned by Isaiah and other prophets," when the fructifying influence of the Sun should be sevenfold, 24 Jer. xliv., 17. or as the light of seven days, to heal the spiritual wounds of his people, had the same reference. Indeed, “the Hebrew poets, to express happiness, prosperity, and the advancement of kingdoms, make useful images taken from the most striking parts of Nature, from the heavenly bodies, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, shining with increased - splendour, and never setting; while calamities, such as the overthrow and destruction of kingdoms, are represented by opposite images." The suffusion of the Holy Spirit, as predicted by the Jewish prophets, is frequently referred to in the New Testament.28 Now by the Symbol before us we must understand the one Holy Spirit shining with sevenfold power, as the prophet assures us should be the case when it was communicated to man. The Saviour himself says that "the seven Spirits of God, symbolized by Seven Stars,"29 are in his possession, and that he will give them to whom he pleases by prayer to his Father;30 and the Father, on his part, promises to bestow the grace in the name of "the Spirit of his Son." It is described as Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God;32 and they actually appeared on the heads of the Apostles at Pentecost as so many Stars, to represent the accession of light and truth which were then infused, when an universal knowledge was imparted, along with the power of speaking all languages; and no possibility left upon their minds of relapsing into error or misconception while teaching the true system of salvation through a Mediator, and the indispensable necessity, which, from that time forth, was imperative on all people to pay an equal respect to duties, whether to God, their neighbour, or themselves, as a proper preparation for an eternal residence in another and a better world. 27 Bp. Lowth on Isaiah xxx., 26. 29 Rev. iii., 1, and v., 6. 31 Gal. iv., 6. 28 Gal. iii., 14, et passim. 30 John xiv., 16. 32 Rev. i., 4. |