records of many nations, was never wholly lost." Their theories were, indeed, much varied as to the attendant circumstances, but oral tradition was sufficient to preserve its memory alive. Not only the Egyptians, with all the caution of their early monarchs to suppress it, and, after them, the Grecians and Romans, and all other nations who adopted their theology, but the Chinese, the Japanese, the Persians, the Hindoos, and even the Indians of North and South America, have abundant theories sufficiently circumstantial to evince that they possess a traditional account of the Deluge of Noah.9

Antediluvial Masonry depending in a great measure upon oral tradition, from the paucity of records ascending to these ages, some degree of conjecture must necessarily be used; but these conjectures, at all times, however

7 Thus Berosus says:-"Xisuthrus did not disobey the divine command, but built a vessel five furlongs in length, and two furlongs in breadth; and having got all things in readiness, put on board his wife, children, and friends. After the flood was at the height, and began to abate, Xisuthrus let out certain birds (viz., a raven and a dove, Gen. viii., 7, 8), which, finding no place to rest on, returned again to the ship (ver. 9). After some days (viz., seven days, ver. 10), he let out the birds again, but they came back to the ship a second time, having their feet daubed with mud (the dove with an olive branch in her mouth, (ver. 11); but being let out the third time, they returned no more to the ship (ver. 12), whereby Xisuthrus understood that dry land had appeared (ver. 13). Then he opened the side of the ship, and seeing that it rested on a certain mountain (the summit of Ararat, ver. 4), he went out of it with his wife, and daughter, and Pilot; and after he had worshipped the earth, and built an altar, and sacrificed to the Gods (ver. 18-20), he, and those who went out with him, disappeared."

Lucian is equally explicit. He says:-"The rivers swelled and the sea rose to an unusual height, until the whole earth was inundated; and all living things perished, except Deucalion and his friends, who alone were left preserved, on account of his wisdom and piety. His safety was ensured by means of an ark which he built, into which he embarked with his children and their wives. Then, there came to him swine, and horses, and lions, and serpents, and other land animals, all in pairs. These remained perfectly innoxious, and great unanimity prevailed among them. So they remained in the ark so long as the water prevailed. After this, the waters subsided into a great chasm in the country of Hierapolis; and there Deucalion built altars, &c." 'Their respective theories are too copious to be cited here; I must therefore refer the curious Mason to "Bryant's System of Mythology," "Perron's Zendavesta," "Nieuhoff's Voyage to Brazil," "Acosta's History of the Indies," and "Faber's Dissertation on the Mysteries of the Cabiri," where he will find this subject fully treated on.

distinguishable from fact, being founded on the strongest and most irrefragable supposition, will amount to nearly the same thing as direct proof.

The knowledge of the ancient philosophers was all traditionary. Even Pythagoras and Plato, eminent as they were in those dark ages, can scarcely be said to have broken the trammels, and delivered any thing but what they received on the authority of others; for it was an industrious and indefatigable collection of ancient traditions which distinguished them from the rest of the world.

Tradition ought to be received as genuine when the parties delivering it are not suspected of being themselves deceived, or of a wish to deceive their successors. And this may be presumed of the Hebrew Patriarchs, through whom, alone, Masonry is asserted to have been truly transmitted; for its deterioration and ultimate oblivion among idolaters is unequivocally admitted. But, if the Patriarchs believed Masonry to contain some truths inseparably connected with their religion, it is scarcely possible to suppose they could be deceived in its application; nor can they be reasonably accused of a desire to deceive posterity in a matter which was dignified with the same high sanctions as their faith and worship. Hence the traditions on this subject were preserved and conveyed the more carefully, because its essentials, even after the invention of letters, could not be committed to writing. The channel being pure, the stream was unadulterated.

"Ancient traditions have often afforded occasional assistance to history, by stepping in to supply the want of existing monuments and records; and even at this time, in remote countries, where letters are little, if at all, known, common tradition hands down past events with an artless sincerity, sometimes wanting where such advantages are liable to be perverted for indirect purposes. But masonic traditions stand upon much firmer ground; the chief bond of connection among Masons in all ages having been FIDELITY. It is well known that in former times, while learning remained in few hands, the ancients had several institutions for the cultivation of knowledge, concealed under doctrinal and ritual mysteries, that were sacredly withheld from all who were

not initiated into a participation of the privileges they led to, that they might not be prostituted to the vulgar. Among these institutions may be ranked that of Masonry; and its value may be inferred from its surviving those revolutions of government, religion, and manners that have swallowed up the rest. And the traditions of so venerable an institution claim an attention far superior to the loose oral relations or epic songs of any uncultivated people whatever."10

Operative Masonry was cherished by the Egyptians, who received it from their great progenitor Mizraim," the grandson of Noah. He displayed his masonic skill and taste for the liberal arts, by building the magnificent cities of Memphis and Thebæ Égyptiæ: the latter called by the Greeks Diospolis, and by the Jews Hammon No. We learn also from hieroglyphical inscriptions, which still exist on Egyptian monuments, that Speculative Masonry was originally known amongst that people, though afterwards deteriorated to advance a different interest-the propagation of idolatry. Our claims to antiquity, however, do not rest upon the exclusive authority of these inscriptions, though they are adduced as a corroborative proof of the existence of Masonry in the ages immediately posterior to the Flood; the principal evidences being found amongst that people who preserved the true worship of God.13

10 North. Const., part 1, chap. 1.

11 This name is said by Bochart to be derived from the Syriac word ¬ Mizra, Free.

12 The Lectures of Spineto have thrown much light on this subject. He has condensed, with great labour, a mass of interesting matter from the publications of the Society of Antiquaries, and of many learned individuals the discoveries of Dr. Young-the labours of the indefatigable Champollion-the monuments of all sorts which have been imported into England-the great collection of Egyptian Antiquities in the British Museum, and the magnificent descriptions which travellers of all nations have given of the majestic and wonderful ruins existing throughout Nubia and Egypt; and has thus rendered a service to literature which will convey his name with honour to posterity.

13 Of these inscriptions candour obliges me to remark, that their interpretation being rather equivocal, they are by no means a certain criterion of masonic truth; particularly as the institution is founded on those leges non scripta, which are unattainable by all mankind excepting the initiated. The tropical hieroglyphic, used for general

Our secrets embrace, in a comprehensive manner, human science and divine knowledge; they link mankind together in the indissoluble chain of sincere affection; and, which is of far greater import, they incite to the practice of those virtues which may do much towards securing happiness in a future state. It cannot, then, be denied that such valuable secrets might be truly transmitted by oral tradition, when it is admitted that the idolatrous mysteries were actually transmitted through the same medium for the space of two thousand years, and only sunk into oblivion with the systems they were established to uphold. Now Christianity, or the system of salvation through the atonement of a crucified Mediator, was the main pillar of Masonry at the fall of man; and there is, therefore, every reason to believe that it will exist until the final dissolution of all sublunary things; and shine together with perfected Christianity, in the glorified state of blessedness for ever and ever.

Masonic tradition could only be pure when united with the true worship of God; and hence it was miserably perverted amongst idolatrous nations, until nothing remained, after this worship was rejected, to serve the

purposes, was easily comprehended; but the subsequent introduction of the tropical symbol cast the veil of secrecy over their knowledge, and was employed for the purpose of concealing their sacred mysteries from common observation. But the tropical symbol was a very late improvement on the system of hieroglyphical writing for the proper hieroglyphic was used many ages before the tropical symbol was invented, and possessed a significant meaning generally understood, and adapted to the same purpose as modern letters; to perpetuate a knowledge of past events, and to record the wisdom and experience of every age, for the benefit of posterity. The early hieroglyphics being of a very simple construction, their meaning was not of that doubtful character which rendered the subsequent use of enigmatic symbols so difficult of comprehension. And if Masonry rested its claims to antiquity, as some have unlearnedly pretended, on the unlimited construction which might be given to these vague and mysterious records, it would be impossible for the most zealous and indefatigable Mason to trace the science back to the antediluvian ages, amidst the darkness of ignorance and barbarity which overspread a great portion of the globe, at various periods, and under forbidden forms, from the Deluge to the full revelation of Christianity. But the traditions of Masonry require not the feeble and adventitious aid of ancient hieroglyphics: they possess an internal evidence of truth which no argument can supersede, no sophism overwhelm, and no incredulity can dissipate.

purposes of ambition and pride, but the simple belief of the soul's existence in a future state, together with the general principles of Operative Masonry. These were preserved amidst the increasing degeneracy of mankind, and their apostacy from God and true religion."

Stillingfleet lays this down as an axiom :-"There is no certain credibility in any ancient histories which seem to contradict the Scriptures, nor any ground of reason why we should assent to them when they differ from the Bible."15 This observation will equally apply to Freemasonry. If its traditions were in any respect opposed to religion, or its precepts at variance with the Holy Scriptures, it ought to be rejected as unworthy of credibility or attention. On this ground the cause of Masonry rests, and it is a foundation firm and immovable as the basis of our Holy Faith; for nothing can be permanent, nothing successful, except it be grounded on religion. Hence, when idolatry assumed its empire over the world, the most sublime and beautiful part of Masonry receded from the view; and when a false worship degenerated into little better than atheism, it became obscured amidst the same mazes of intellectual darkness, and, like certain mysterious secrets, was lost to heathen nations; until, by the practice of Operative Masonry, in building an actual edifice to the true God, future ages recovered it.

As a man loses not his reason, sensibility, or activity of intellect by the loss of a limb, so Masonry, though, amidst the increasing atheism of the world, it suffered the loss of many noble members, was never wholly obliterated. Enfeebled by the degeneracy of mankind amongst apostate nations, its essence was, nevertheless, preserved by

14 That the early idolaters believed in a resurrection and a future state, is deducible from their practice of deifying dead men; for without a renewed existence they could not have been expected to aid their worshippers, either by conveying blessings or averting misfortunes. But we are furnished with positive authorities in proof of this fact. Herodotus informs us that the Egyptians maintained the immortality of the soul. Tully says that the wisest of the heathen philosophers taught the same doctrine; and Homer took it for granted that the soul's existence in an after state, either of misery or happiness, according to the deeds done in this life, was a doctrine universally admitted by all the world.

15 Orig. Sacr., 1. 1, č. 1.