CHAPTER XIII.

Masonic Word, or Divine Logos. — How
transmitted.
BY tracing Masonic custom?, and comparing certain- ceremonies in the eco- nomy of the Institution, there appears to be a« the antiquity, but high object, of ancient Masonry. From. this fact it appears, that ancient Masons were in possession of the appropriate name of the promised Messias, termed in the New-Testament the Logos or Word* The knowledge of this Word was an object of great moment, and sought with all diligence by the members of the Institution. This divine Word has, in e- *ery age of the world, been held sacred, and faithfully transmitted from one to an- other irv ancient form to the present day. From that conscientious reserve in the use of the true name of God amongst the ancient Jews, we are induced to believe this name was communicated, at least for many ages, with great solemnity, attended with moral and religious instructions. The truth of this appears, not only from the testimo- ny, but the example, of Josephus himself. So conscientious was he, when writing the history of bis nation, that he dared uol e*^\
12*
]38 SPF.OfTLATIVE MASONRY.
put clown the very same words contained in the decalogue, but only their sense. This practice seems to have been of very ancient date. For aught we know, it might have commenced, even from Adam. No doubt Adam, in his state of innocency, held fel- lowship and sweet communion with bifl God. No doubt he held the same com- munion in nature, though not in degree, as soon as he had embraced the first pro- mise, after the apostacy. Adam must ne- cessarily have bad some name to mark the idea of his divine Creator. This name, in all human probability, would be suggested by Divine inspiration, as an appropriate term, exegetical of the idea of Divine ex- cellence. In no other manner, according to our present conceptions, could Adam communicate any speculative knowledge of God to the understandings of his poste- rity. We know that Adam had experi- mental, as well as speculative knowledge, and must conclude some appellative term indispensably necessary, to communicate his conceptions to his posterity. It, there- fore, appears perfectly consistent, as well as desirable, that our common ancestor should have been in possesion of an appro- priate name, significant, as far as it could be, of the great majesty, and real excel- Icnce of the Creator. TVA*ta\\\^ admitted,
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be very name*of God, from the idea of the Jreatness and excellency of his character, >nd infinitude of his perfections, would he leld sacred, and with the same forms, if lot ideas, of sanctity, handed down to suc- eeding generations. Hence, may we not tith reason conclude, the Jewish custom i relation to pronouncing the true name f Deity, as descending through the fami- V of Noah, had its origin in the early ages f the world ? May we not conclude, the ewish high priests did from time to time ommunicate the true name of God with >lemn ceremonies? The name was known y the nation, and must have been commu- icated in some way. But their law writ- en by .Moses, was not in the hands of the eople, but of the priests, and by them ex- hined and taught. The people, there- ure, must have received the name from he priests, attended with some peculiar orms, or in the common way of hearing it e'ad to them in the law. But if only by earing it read in the law, why those con- cientious scruples in writing or pronoun- ing it, when their intentions were good, nd their views were to honour and reve- ence the character? Such we know was heir silence and reserve, for which it may >e difficult to account, except on the [round that this name was first comxmmsft-
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ted in solemn form and wider solemn in- junctions. It therefore appears from those consideration?, that the priests and eldersof the people might have imparted the name of God, in a solemn and impressive man- ner, to prevent a frequent or profane use of that sacred Word, If such were their intentions, they seem, from the effect, to have been founded in wisdom. How much did it guard against the profane or irreve- rent use of the name of God ! And how deeply serve thereby to impress the mind with a sense of reverential awe !
Previous to the regular organization of the Masonic Institution, a knowledge, of this name might have constituted that mark of distinction, amongst our ancient bretb* ren, by which they did recognize and fel- lowship each other. To the world this may appear hypothetical, but to well in- formed brethren, who are sufficiently ad- vanced, there can be scarcely a doubt of its correctness. That a knowledge of the divine Logos or Word, should have been the object of so much religious research from time immemorial, adds not a little to the honor of Speculative Free-Masonry. The same Word which breathed the spirit of life into Adam, which translated Enoch to heaven, which moved Noah to prepare the ark, which called A&ram, and separa-
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him from bis kindred ami bis father's ise, which was manifested to Jacob, ich appeared to Moses in the burning sh, which went before, and Jed the Is- Ktes from Egyptian bondage, which id the tabernacle with the glory of his sence, which overshadowed the mercy- t in the temple of Solomon, and which jeared in the flesh for the salvation of. n, has been peculiar to the Masonic In- ution, since its organization by Solo- n, and probably to the patrons of Ma^- ic principles since the days of Enoch. *lato, and some of his disciples, used the gos, as a term of high import. — Whe- r they rightly understood its appropri- meaning or not, we cannot certainly ermine. That it was used in a high se, is evident from ancient records. — 3 Jews also were taught, that the Word > of the same import in essence, as God ; erwise St. John could not have intro- •ed his gospel in any manner adapted heir understandings, when he said " In beginning was the Word, and the Word \ with God, and the Word was God." Prom the whole Masonic economy, it >ears, that one great point in that dis- sation was to attain and preserve the ? knowledge of the mysteries of this ird. The fact now existing amongst
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all Masons, however remote in country, is strong presumptive evidence that the same hath been from ancient times. Indeed this appears to have been a precious and weigh- ty consideration, long before the organi- zation of the Institution. Noah honoured this name, was accepted of God, and a covenant established, the token of which is seen in the bow in the east. Abram de- voutly worshipped God, and called the place where he w r as about to sacrifice Isaac, JEHOVAH-Jireh. At Bethel jGod spake to Jacob, I am Jehovah, and Jbcob built an altar to his name. When God revealed himself to Moses, in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush, he said unto Moses, I am that I am. And Moses reverenced the name of God, and with signs and wodm deis, wrought through that name, led forth i the Hebrews from Egypt. The patriarchs,: therefore, did call upon God by this name, signifying His all- sufficiency, and immu- tably perfect being.
In each of the above cases, the same Being is intended to be understood wbicbj St. John calls the Logos or Diviae Wokd It therefore appears, this sacred name wai Jr duly reverenced by the ancient patriarch* and elders of Israel, and became a tokeflr' known and recognized, on which togrounJ^ their visible fellowship with each other.-r'
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^ence the injunction to Moses, in case his iretbren did not credit his special mission rom God, to effect their deliverance, "The 3od of Abram, the God of Isaac and the Bod of Jacob hath appeared unto me;" plainly implying, that this was a token Nell understood, and sufficient to justify their confidence in him.
The same general truth, in relation to a knowledge of this name, will apply to some of the antediluvians. Adam must be supposed to have communicated the name of bis Creator, which St. John calls the Logos, in some intelligible manner, to bis posterity, and tbey to theirs, down to the time of Noah. Noah and his sons, who re-peopled the earth, would be inclined to adopt the same course, not only in pre- serving the name itself, but even the man- ner of pronouncing it. In this way, both might have been transmitted, with little or no variation, through Abram, Jacob, Mo- ses and the Jewish priests, till the days of Solomon. That language might have va- ried, during this period, can be no objec- tion. Since the time of Solomon, howev- er, we have no doubt but the very same Word, with the manner of pronunciation, has been religiously observed in the Ma- sonic Institution, in every age and country, ;o the present day.
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If, therefore, the above be correct, we may plainly discover why Speculative Five-Masonry involves so many princi- ples which are fundamental in 4he Chris- tian system. As the Word, in the first ■verse of St. John, constitutes both f lie foundation, the subject matter, and the great ultimate end of the Christian econo- my, so does the same Word, in all its re- lations to man, time and eternity, consti- tute the very spirit and essence of Specu- lative Free-Masonrv.