the earth repeopled than the same vices began again to prevail; and for the purpose of preventing another watery destruction, the inhabitants determined to build a tower which should serve them as a defence against a repetition of the calamity. It was in vain. Their

54

This event is embodied in a Degree called the Noachites, or Prussian Chevaliers, of which the following is the legend: "The descendants of Noah, notwithstanding God had appointed the rainbow as a token of the covenant that he would not again destroy the earth by an universal deluge, resolved to erect an edifice, which, by its height, should place them beyond the reach of divine vengeance. For this purpose they assembled together in the extended plain of Shinar. They laid the foundation and carried on the building for ten years; at which time God, seeing their pride, determined to interfere. He confounded their language, and by this simple process, put an end to the design. Hence the tower was called Babel, which signifies confusion. Some time after this, Nimrod began to establish degrees of rank amongst his subjects which had not existed before. He built the city of Babylon, and arrogated to himself the honours of divine worship. It was on the night of the full moon, in the month of March, that God confounded their language. And therefore the Noachites held their great meetings on that particular night; and their common monthly meetings were only held when the moon was at full, and they used no other light in their Lodges. After the language was confounded, and the people obliged to separate, each tribe pursued his own course. Peleg, who suggested the plan of this tower, and had been the Grand Architect during its construction, being struck with the force of conscience, condemned himself to a most rigorous penance. He migrated with his followers to the north of Germany, after having suffered great miseries, and encountered great dangers in passing the mountains and plains, in his way thither. In that part of the country which is now called Prussia he took up his residence. Here he built a triangular temple, where he enclosed himself, that he might be at leisure to worship God, and implore him to pardon his transgression. In the course of excavation in the salt mines of Prussia, A. D. 553, there was discovered, at the depth of fifteen cubits, the foundations of a triangular edifice, in the centre of which

design was frustrated, their language confounded, and themselves dispersed over the whole face of the earth.55

was a small pillar of marble, on which the above history was inscribed in Hebrew characters. A tomb was also found, in which an agate stone was encrusted, containing these words: "Here were deposited the ashes of the Grand Architect of the Tower of Babel. God showed him mercy, because he humbled himself.” These monu

ments are in the possession of the King of Prussia.

53 55 Sir William Jones is of opinion that the primary language is entirely lost. He says, "it appears that the only human family after the Flood, established themselves in the northern parts of Iran, (that is, Persia); that as they multiplied, they were divided into three distinct branches, the Indian, the Arabian, and the Tartarian, each retaining little at first, and losing the whole by degrees, of their common primary language." And to these three roots, namely, the Hindoo, the Syriac, and the Tartarian, he traces all the languages in the world.

LECTURE II.

PRELIMINARY.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE LANDMARKS

CONTINUED, FROM THE

DELUGE TO THE BENIGNANT DISPLAY OF DIVINE MERCY AT THE ADVENT OF JESUS CHRIST.

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."-GENESIS, xlix. 10.

"Faith is the evidence of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for. This characteristic quality, when borne with full force upon the mind, will resolve itself into a vision, and bring us to that ethereal mansion above, where the just exist in perfect bliss to all eternity; where we shall be for ever happy with God, the Great Architect of the Universe, whose only Son died for us, and rose again, that we might be justified through faith in his most precious blood."-E. A. P. LECTURE; from the Economy of Human Life.

THE divine promise which forms the ground of Christian Freemasonry, was renewed to Abraham and his seed' on several occasions; for he united in his

1

'In fact, until the time of David, the inspired writers used the word seed solely in reference to the Messiah. In the New Testament he his styled the Son of Man, or the Son of God; but in the Old Testament it is uniformly the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, &c. St. Paul places this in a clear light when he says, (Gal. iii. 16,) "now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one; and to thy seed, which is Christ." We read in other places that he was also to be of the seed of David; and the very opening of our gospels confirms it. The first verse of the first chapter of St. Matthew says, that Jesus Christ was the son of David and the son of Abraham.

F

rubim, revealed to Ezekiel the prophet, during the Babylonish captivity." Another important occurrence, which has been embodied into Freemasonry, is the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt; and the circumstances attending their deliverance; which, from the Burning Bush to the establishment of the Theocracy, are particularized with a solemnity that appears to imply a desire to impress some important truth, connected with these events, firmly on the mind. Now,

the first step. This faith naturally creates a hope that we may become partakers in the promises contained therein; which enables us to ascend the second step. But the third, and last, being charity, comprehends the whole; and he who possesses this virtue in its fullest extent may be said to have arrived at the summit of the science; an ethereal mansion veiled from mortal eye by the starry firmament; which is depicted in a Masons' Lodge by symbols with which no Brother can be unacquainted.

The Cherubim are considered of such importance to the system of Freemasonry, that their component parts are exhibited in the official seal of, I believe, all the Grand Lodges in the world. In that of the Grand Lodge of England, the two large cherubims of Solomon are its supporters, and the four figures are impaled with the Masons' Arms on the field. The crest is the ark of the covenant, on which the cherubim are again repeated as hovering over the mercy seat, to form the superb throne of the Deity.

"At the Burning Bush the Tetragrammaton was delivered to Moses. The cabalistical theologists say, that when Moses asked the Lord if he would tell him his name; he received for answer, I AM THAT I AM; which is equivalent to saying, what use is it to ask that which is inexplicable? I AM THAT I AM, as the ancient sages say, meant, that as he was with them in that captivity, so would he be in others; and, therefore, he then revealed to Moses the Tetragrammaton; and this he repeated, as he would manifest himself by its representing the Ten Sovereign Lights; and by that means would become known although veiled in them; because his existence will ever be hidden from all, and cannot be explained by any." (Concil. vol. i. p. 111.)

the most momentous proof which presents itself to our notice, in connection with the Egyptian captivity, is the repetition of the Promise made at the fall, by the patriarch Jacob, at the point of death, under the influence of Divine inspiration. He foretold that the continuance of Judah's power should extend beyond that of the other tribes; and that the Messiah should

come before its expiration. The time of his coming was to precede the departure of Judah's sceptre. Judah is represented as a lion gorged with his prey, and crouching in his den with a sceptre between his feet; a sceptre which none should ever wrest from him, until He came into whose hands it could be safely placed."

These facts and prophecies have not been embodied in Freemasonry as matters for our amusement merely; but to induce a spirit of research amongst thinking Brethren, that our noble science might sustain its high reputation, and preserve a corresponding influence over human affairs. Freemasonry is termed a system of morality and science; but it is something more-it is

The sceptre does not import dominion over the other tribes; nor the term lawgiver, a person merely who enacts laws, but rather one who executes and enforces them. It was foretold that this particular power should remain with Judah, after the other tribes should have been deprived of it; and that it should continue vested in persons belonging to that tribe, till the Messiah should come; who is here described by the term Shiloh. And the event corresponded exactly with the prediction.

9 H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex, late G. M., thus describes our excellent institution: " Masonry is one of the most sublime and perfect institutions that ever was formed for the advancement of happiness, and general good of mankind; creating, in all its varieties, universal benevolence and brotherly love. It holds out allurements so captivating, as to inspire the Brotherhood with emulation to deeds of