into the sacerdotal order, and is totally inapplicable to the Christian dispensation. It was a peace-offering of St. Paul, the author of the book of Hebrews, to the Jewish priests, to prevent their persecution: for surely the apostle did not pretend to the right of demanding tithes of the Christian laity of his day; for he boasts of having been of no charge to them, laboring for his own support. The English clergy, however, claim the benefit of this law, and have duped the masons into an acknowledgement of their pretensions.

The next passage cited is Numbers 16, v. 1-33; which gives the horrid catastrophe of Korah and company, for resisting Moses and Aaron. This example is evidently adduced to deter the laity of England from opposing the tithes-claimers, the would-be legitimate heirs of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood.

Moses here accuses the body of the Levites of seeking the priesthood, and asks, What is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?” Which shows that tithes were the bone of contention, even in the time of Moses, the priesthood obtaining a greater share, in proportion to their numbers, than the rest of the tribe. The passage concludes as follows:-"And it came to pass, as he (Moses) had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and the houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation."

The American masons ought, at least, to have so modified the ordination of priests into the order, as to render it consistent with our republican institutions, and not given the least countenance to the iniquitous exaction of clerical tithes.

It may be said, that there is no immediate cause of alarm on this head; yet the reiterated admission of such a claim, by a numerous, respectable society, may in time be the means of rendering it popular. It may be remarked, that Christian clergymen who are inducted into this order, assume the duties of pagan priests, and of course perform ceremonies appropriate to the worship of the heavenly bodies, all the host of heaven. This, to be sure, may be done very innocently, as they are not necessarily diverted from the integrity of their faith; and moreover, are probably not aware of the real import of the rites and ceremonies in which they participate.

After the election of a candidate to the office of high priest, he is thus addressed by the grand high priest:-"You are appointed chap

lain to this chapter, and I now invest you with this circular jewel, the badge of your office. It is emblematical of eternity, and reminds us that here is not our abiding place," etc. Now, we have seen, that a circle, owing to its figure, was esteemed by the ancients, a symbol of their god, the sun.

"Let the mitre, with which you are invested, remind you of the dignity of the office you sustain, and its inscription impress upon your mind a sense of your dependence upou God," etc.-The inscription upon it is holiness to the Lord; the same as that which surrounds the mitre of the hierophant of the mysteries, and also that of the Roman pontiff.

"The breast-plate, with which you are decorated, is in imitation of that upon which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes, and worn by the high priest of Israel," etc.-The breast plate is the same as that worn by the hierophants of Egypt, which had described upon it the twelve signs of the zodiac.*

"The various colors of the robes you wear, are emblematical of every grace and virtue, which can adorn and beautify the human mind.”—The various colors of the robes of the high priest are symbolical of the seasons, when the sun is in the different constellations of the zodiac." Ye priests! (says Volney, alluding to Catholic priests,) you wear his įthe sun's] emblems all over your bodies: your tonsure is the disk of the sun, your stole is his zodiac, your rosaries are symbols of the stars and planets. Ye pontiffs and prelates! your mitre, your crosier, your mantle, are those of Osiris."-(Ruins, p. 139.)

Although, after the extinction of Druidism, it was necessary for masonry to create an order of priests to officiate in the royal arch chapter as representatives of the deity, still it is evident that the English clergy, who undoubtedly took a principal part in arranging the ceremonies appropriated to initiations into the order, have managed the affair to suit their own sinister purposes. They made up a medley, compounded of Paganism, Jewism, and Christianity. Little of ancient masonry is to be seen in it, excepting the dress of the high priest, which is purely of pagan origin. And here it may be proper to remark, that although it has been shown, that the prayers of the ancient pagans and those of the Jews were couched in the same terms, the

Volney, in taking notice of some customs of the Hebrews, which are also strictly masonic, observes:-"In vain did Moses proscribe the worship of the symbols which prevailed in lower Egypt and Phenicia; in vain did he wish to blot from his religion every thing which had relation to the stars; many traits call them to mind in spite of all he has done." He cites as instances, "The seven luminaries or planets of the great candlestick; the twelve stones or signs in the urim of the high priest, and the feast of the two equinoxes, entrances and gates of the two hemispheres.""

objects to whom they were addressed only being changed, nevertheless it may be doubted that the frequent introduction of texts of scripture in the ceremonies, is in strict conformity to original masonry. Two doctors of divinity, Dissanguliers and Anderson, were engaged in the collection, or forming anew, of the ceremonies, and had it in their power to mould them at will.

Whether innovations, in this respect, were made or not upon this occasion, is of no consequence any farther than thereby to give an impression that masonry might have some connection with the Jewish religion. These observations are, therefore, made to guard against such a conclusion.

Knight of the Eagle and Sovereign Prince of Rose-Croix de Heroden.

This degree is a parody on the royal arch; and, as such, tends to confirm our interpretation of the purport of that chapter.-Here the lost word is Jesus of Nazareth, instead of Hiram.

The time and circumstances attending the losing of the word, are thus stated:.

The moment when the vail of the temple was rent; when darkness and consternation covered the earth; when the stars disappeared, and the lamp of day was darkened; when the implements of masonry were lost, and the cubic stone sweated blood and water; that was the moment when the great Masonic Word was lost.

Nevertheless, says the master, we will endeavor to recover it, and, addressing the candidate for initiation, says, are you disposed to follow us? Answer. Yes, I am. Master,-Brother wardens, make the candidate travel for thirty-three years, to learn the beauties of the new law. The junior warden then conducts the candidate thirty-three times round the lodge without stopping. (Bernard reduces the number to seven.) The candidate is now conducted to the darkest of places, from which the word must come forth triumphant, to the glory and advantage of masonry. He is then ordered to parade the room three times, in memory of the mysterious descent, which lasted three days.

After some further ceremony, the master questions the candidate as follows:

From whence came you?-From Judea. Which way did you come?-By Nazareth. Who conducted you?—Raphael. Of what tribe are you descended?-The tribe of Judah.

What do these four initial letters, I. N. R. I., signify?-Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judæorum. (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.)

Master. My brethren, what happiness! the word is recovered; give him the light. The vail is taken off, and all the brethren clap their hands three times, and give three huzzas.-(Carlile.)

The master says to the candidate, approach, my brother, I will communicate to you our perfect mysteries. I congratulate you on the recovery of the word, which entitles you to this degree of perfect masonry. I shall make no comment or eulogium on it. Its sublimity will be duly appreciated by you. The impression which, no doubt, it has made on your mind, will convince you that you were not deceived when you were informed that the ultimatum of masonic perfection was to be acquired by this degree. It certainly will be a source of very considerable satisfaction to you, that your merit alone has entitled you to it.

The above is a mere sketch of this degree: its scenery, some parts of which has already been noticed, is very imposing. In the representation of the infernal regions, the awful sights of the greater mysteries are more closely copied than is done in the royal arch. Whether the inventors of the order expected any serious effects to be produced by it; or whether it was got up for amusement, and to show the ingenuity of its projectors, is uncertain. But it is pretty evident that such exhibitions, introduced amidst scenes of merriment and recreation, would not tend to make a very strong impression.

Knight of Kadosh.

Chapter of the grand Inspectors of Lodges, grand elected Knights of Kadosh, or the White and Black Eagle. The chief is entitled Grand Commander.

Altho this degree is not recognized in ancient masonry, it has nevertheless, such a decided astronomical bearing as to render it probable that it is derived from the Egyptian rites. I will, therefore, attempt to give an explication of its enigmatical allusions.

When a reception into this degree is made, the grand commander remains alone in the chamber, and must be so situated that the candidate cannot see him, as he is not to know who initiated him. A part of this obligation is, that he never will declare to any one who received him or assisted at his reception to this sublime degree. This is sheer affectation, and intended for no other purpose than to impress upon the candidate the awfulness of the mysteries in which he is about to be instructed. It is, however, an imitation of an ancient custom. Warbur"A passage in Eunapius seems to say, that it was unlawful to

ton says,

reveal the name of the hierophant." And Pythagoras, it has been seen, gave his lessons from behind a screen to his newly entered pupils.

The saluting sign of Knights of Kadosh is, to hold the sword in the left hand, and place the right hand on the red cross which covers the heart. The question, Are you Kadosh? is answered by placing the right hand on the forehead, and saying, Yes, I am.

The mounting of what is called the mysterious ladder, is the most distinguished ceremony in this degree. It is thus represented:

This ladder is an astronomical riddle, founded on the progress of the sun through seven signs of the zodiac, namely from Aries to Libra inclusive.

In expounding this riddle, I shall avail myself of the solution, by

*In the East, any person preferred to honors, bore a scepter or staff of honor, and sometimes a plate of gold on the forehead, called Cadosh, or Caduceus, signifying a sacred person. (See supra.)