contemplate the great Original, and worship Him for his mighty works; and we are thereby also moved to exercise those moral and social virtues, which become mankind, as the servants of the great Architect of fire. Now the vestment of the high priest being made of linen, signified the earth; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in "its pomegranates, and in the noise of the bells resembling thunder. "And for the ephod, it shewed that God had made the universe of "four elements; and as for the gold interwoven, I suppose it related "to the splendour by which all things are enlightened. He also appointed the breast-plate to be placed in the middle of the ephod, to "resemble the earth; and the girdle which encompassed the high priest round, signified the ocean. Each of the sardonyxes declares to us the Sun and the Moon; those I mean that were in the nature of " buttons on the high priest's shoulders. And for the twelve stones, "whether we understand by them the months, or whether we under"stand the like number of the signs of that circle, which the Greeks "call the zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. And for "the mitre, which was of a blue colour, it seems to me to mean "beaven; for how otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon "it? That it was also illustrated with a crown, and that of gold also, "is because of that splendour with which God is pleased." Josephus Antiq. cha. vii. In another place Josephus says, the candlestick was emblematical of the seven days of creation and rest. "The tabernacle set up by the Israelites in the desert, may never"theless give some ideas of the manner in which, at that time, the "Egyptian temples were constructed. I believe really, that there must "have been some relation between the taste which reigned in these edifices and the tabernacle. The tabernacle, though only a vast tent, ❝ had a great relation with architecture. We ought to look upon it "as a representation of the temples and palaces of the East. Let us rc"collect what we have said before of the form of government of the "Hebrews. The Supreme Being was equally their God and King"The tabernacle was erected with a view to answer to that double "title. The Israelites went there sometimes to adore the Almighty, and sometimes to receive the orders of their sovereign, present in of the world; in whose image we were formed in the beginning. THE Creator, designing to bless man's estate on earth, opened the hand of his divine benevolence with good gifts; he hath spread over the world the illumined canopy of heaven;-the covering of the tabernacle, and the veil of the temple at Jerusalem, were representations of the celestial hemisphere, and were of blue, of crimson, and purple;" and such is the covering of the Lodge.*—As an emblem of God's power, his goodness, omnipresence, and eternity, the Lodge is adorned with the image of the SUN ;t which he a sensible manner in the presence of his people. I think then we ought to look upon the tabernacle, as a work which God would have, "that the structure should have relation with the edifices destined in "the East, whether for the worship of the gods, or the habitation of "kings. The whole construction of the tabernacle presented moreover "the model of an edifice, regular and distributed with much skill.— "All the dimensions and proportions appeared to have been observed "with care, and perfectly well adapted.” * DE GOGUET. 2 Chron. iii. 14, "And he made the veil of blue, and purple, " and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon."—See also Josephus. † Besides what is already noted touching the Amonian rites and the worship of the Sun, the doctrine of the Magians was “the Original Intelligence, who is the first principle of all things, discovers himself "to the mind and understanding only, but he hath placed the Sun as "his image in the visible universe, and the beams of that bright luminary are but a faint copy of the glory that shincs in the higher "heavens."-It appears to the man studying nature, that the Sun is the most probable place in the universe for the throne of the Deity; from whence are diffused throughout creation light and heat:-a subtle essence inexhausting and self-subsisting-conveying, or in them ordained to arise from the East, and open the day; thereby calling forth the people of the earth to their worship, and exercise in the walks of virtue. THE great Author of all hath given the Moon to govern the night; a fit season for solemn meditation. -When the labours of the day are ended, and man's mind is abstracted from the cares of life, then it is for our soul's recreation to walk forth, with contemplative mind, to read the great works of the Almighty in the starry firmament, and in the innumerable worlds which are governed by his will; and thence to meditate on his omnipotence.*-Our thoughts returning from this glorious scene towards ourselves, we discern the diminutiveness of man, and by a natural inference, selves being, the operative spirits which conduct the works of God through all the field of nature. Psalm civ. 1," Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord, my God, " thou art very great, thou art cloathed with honour and majesty." “Who coverest thyself with light, as with a garment." "Who maketh the clouds his chariot, who walketh upon Ver. 2, Ver. 3, "the wings of the wind." Ver. 4, "Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming "fire." "O majestic night! "Nature's great ancestor! day's elder born! "And fated to survive the transient sun! "By mortals, and immortais, seen with awe! "A starry crown thy raven brow adorns, "An azurc zone thy waist; clouds in heav'n's loona "Thy flowing mantle form, and heav'n throughout "Thy gloomy grandeurs (Nature's most august confess the benevolence of that God, who regardeth us (such minute atoms) in the midst of his mighty works; whose universal love is thus divinely expressed, "That not a sparrow shall fall without your father; but "the hairs of your very head are all numbered." WHEN the world was under the hands of her great Architect, she remained dark, and without form; but the divine fiat was no sooner pronounced, than behold there was light*-creation was delivered from dark "And like a sable curtain starr'd with gold, "Drawn o'er my labours past shall close the scene!" Young's Night Thoughts. * « Silence, ye troubled waves, and thou deep, peace, "Said then th' omnific word, your discord end: Uplifted in paternal glory rode "Far into Chaos, and the world unborn; "For Chaos heard his voice: him all his train "Follow'd in bright procession, to behold "Creation and the wonders of his might. "Then stay'd the fervid wheels, and in his hand "In God's eternal store, to circumscribe "This universe and all created things: "One foot he centr'd, and the other turn'd "And said, thus far extend, thus far thy bounds, "This be thy just circumference, O world. "Let there be Light, said God, and forthwith light "Sprung from the deep, and from her native East "Spher❜d in a radiant cloud, for yet the Sun "Sojourn'd the while, ness, and the sun shot forth instantaneous rays over the face of the earth. He gave that great constellation to the espousal of nature, and vegetation sprang from the embrace; the moon yielded her influence to the waters, and attraction begat the tides. REMEMBERING the wonders in the beginning, we claiming the auspicious countenance of heaven on our virtuous deeds, assume the figures of the Sun and Moon, as emblematical of the great Light of Truth discovered to the first men; and thereby implying, that, as true Masons, we stand redeemed from darkness, and are become the sons of Light: acknowledging in our profession our adoration of Him, who gave Light unto his works. Let us then, by our practice and conduct in life, shew that we carry our emblems worthily; and, as the children of Light, that we have turned our backs on works of Darkness, Obscenity and Drunkenness, Hatred and Malicé, Satan and his dominions; preferring Charity, Benevolence, Justice, Temperance, Chastity, and Brotherly Love, as the acceptable service on which the great Master of all, from his beatitude, looks down with approbation. THE same divine hand, pouring forth bounteous "Thus was the first day ev'n and morn: "Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung "Birth-day of heaven and earth; with joy and shout "The hollow universal orb thy fill'd, "And touch'd their golden harps, and hymning prais'd "God and his works, Creator, him thy sung." Milton's Paradise Lost. |