Preface

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MYSTIC MASONRY
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Supplemental Harmonic Series, Vol. V.
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1911
INDO-AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
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J. D. BUCK, M. D.
Made a Master Mason, Battle Creek, Mich. September 27, 1864.
Made a Royal Arch Mason, Sandusky, Ohio. November 27, 1867.
Royal and Select Master, Sandusky, Ohio, 1868.
DeMolay Commandery, Republic, Ohio, 1869.
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Detroit, Michigan, September 1910.
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and the 1 Greater Mysteries of Antiquity
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Copyright 1896, by J. D. Buck. Copyright 1911, by J. D. Buck.
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DEDICATED
UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD
HUMANITY
Its Heroes. Martyrs and Sages in the Past
Its Servants in the Present
CONTENTS
Foreword to the Third Edition vii
Preface to the Second Edition xv
Introduction xix
Chapter Page
I Principles of Education and Ethics 41
II The Genius of Freemasonry .65
III The Genius of Freemasonry Continued 80
IV The Secret Doctrine 117
V The Secret Doctrine — Science and Religion.... 147
VI The Secret Doctrine — The Septenary
Nature of Man ..168
VII The Secret Doctrine — The Sign of the
Master 207
VIII The Great Lodge 218
IX An Outline of Symbolism 239
X Conclusion 256
Postscript to the Fifth Edition _..269
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Frontispiece. The Old Wisdom-Religion.
Plate I. Descent of Spirit into Matter.
Plate II. The Lost Word: The First Trinity.
Plate III. The First Differentiation.
Plate. IV. The Second Differentiation.
Plate V. The Third Differentiation.
Plate VI. The Relation of Spirit to Matter.
Plate VII. Matter and Spirit in Equilibrium.
Plate VIII. The Greater Tetraktys.
Plate IX. The Stone that the Builders Rejected.
Plate X. The Trinity of Trinities.
Plate XI. The Proportion of Number to Form.
Plate XII. The Masonic Apron.
Plate XIII. The Cube and the Cross.
Plate XIV. Symbolic Stages of Evolution.
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Frontispiece.
FOREWORD TO THE THIRD EDITION.
The spirit of unrest is in the air. On the sur- face of things today, Commercialism most often and most loudly claims attention. Great combinations of capital and the massing of millions seem the order of the day. Within the body politic organi- zation and cooperation is being tried on a scale never before recorded in the history of man, and economic problems are being tested in a way that cannot help adding immensely to the combined ex- perience of mankind. What the final outcome may be, only the wisest could now say, and perhaps only the foolish would venture to predict.
But human nature is essentially a stable product, and can be relied on in any event. Deep in the heart of man lies the principle of justice • and equity, and no abuse that selfishness and greed can devise can long have any permanency. We may be far from the universal reign of Brotherhood,
(vii)
viii Foreword to the Third Edition.
but there is something deep down in the heart of man that continually strives toward it.
Potent as is all this commercial unrest and eco- nomic strife, other problems are equally up for solution. Using the term in its broadest sense, the Psychic problem keeps pace with the economic. Ethics and Economics are inseparable. The con- duct of the individual, and the use of the resources of life and the distribution of wealth, always in- volve both ethics and economics; in short, consti- tute them.
Outside the churches and religious literature we hear less about religion nowadays. Indeed, many otherwise good people seem to think religion obso- lete; a thing of the past; a survival — where, indeed, it is admitted to have survived at all — of the dark ages. No greater mistake could possibly be made. The surface problems may have changed; organi- zations may have broken up or disappeared, but the vital issues not only remain, but were never more in evidence than today. Nor can it be other- wise so long as the essential nature of man remains unchanged.
Only the imbecile or the degenerate can really ignore the religious element in his own nature if he tries. Just as inevitably as water seeks its level,
Foreword to the Third Edition. ix
and ultimately finds its way to the sea, does man feel after that Power — called by whatsoever name — whose divine ray makes him Man, and whose in- dwelling presence lifts him, at rare moments, be- yond sordid self, and beckons his soul toward the higher, the larger, the better, as by the touch of wings. This is a universal experience, equally known to the savage and the civilized, and entirely independent of theologies or ecclesiasticism. Theologians in all ages have seized hold of this common human experience and formulated and en- deavored to guide it, and have often exploited it, just as capitalists have dealt with economic prob- lems in the resources of nature and the distribution of wealth.
This is, broadly speaking, the psychic problem, constituting the religious element in the life of man. It was never more manifest than it is today. This it is that now runs pari passu with commer- cialism; and while, as already said, it may make less noise, it is everywhere in evidence.
Every problem in the life of man, and every movement that affects society, is, in the last analy- sis, a psychic problem. One and all they concern the body and its environments incidentally, and the soul essentially.
x Foreword to the Third Edition.
The progress made in physical science in the last half century is so remarkable that it is difficult to find an adjective suitable with which to designate it. Hence the economic problems already referred to are necessarily to be revised.
While the psychic problems have come into equal prominence, no such organized results can be pointed out as in economic experiments. The race, as a whole, has been gathering facts and making experiments. The working hypothesis in psychol- ogy has seldom been suggested. At any rate, there is no large or general agreement as to any theo- rems. There seem to be no designs on the trestle- board, and the workmen, the legions, are in con- fusion.
The great majority of people, even among the educated and intelligent, will make haste to deny that this psychic theorem has ever been known to man. That it could ever have been discovered and then' lost, or concealed, is to them preposterous; yet the whole of the traditions and symbolism of Masonry cluster around this theorem, this working hypothesis in the psychical life of man. It is the one thing needed to bring order out of confusion in the psychic problems that interest so many at the present time.
Foreword to the Third Edition. xi
This Great Secret, this Master's Word, was known to and preserved in the Mysteries of An- tiquity, and is embodied and preserved in the tradi- tions and symbols of Masonry today. This fact has been stated repeatedly in the body of this little book, the real purpose of which was to set students, and particularly masonic students, to searching for the real secret. It is the reward of study and de- votion, and has never been obtained on any other terms. It has never been conferred in the ritualis- tic degrees of the Lodge, and never will or can be. It is the establishment of understanding in the soul of man between that higher self in him, and the More, and the Beyond self from which he draws his life, and from which his intuitions spring. This is real Initiation: Becoming: At-one-ment.
The author is both gratified and encouraged at the reception accorded and the interest manifested in this little book, and the commendations received from many quarters. That it could become, in any broad sense, popular, he never for a moment im- agined. It is too serious and void of sensational- ism for that. In entering now on its third thou- sand, it has already exceeded any expectation of the author, who will be profoundly gratified if he may aid, though it be but a little, in increasing the
xii Foreword to the Third Edition.
respect entertained by the community at large for the Order of Freemasonry, and encourage his brother Masons in seeking More Light.
I believe that nowhere amongst men today can there be found so near an approach to an Ideal Brotherhood of Man as in the Masonic Lodges. Perfect it is not, and cannot be till human evolution is completed. Among the hundreds of thousands of Masons today in the United States it would be difficult to find one who does not strive his best to exercise charity and loving-kindness, particularly toward his brothers in the Lodge. There are thou- sands of Masons, moreover, who realize that Masonry contains and implies far more than ap- pears in the ritual and ceremonies of the Lodge. There is a very widespread and growing interest in this direction, and it is this that Mystic Ma- sonry, above all else, is designed to foster, encour- age, and help. Indeed, the growth of this feeling in the past decade is remarkable, and the present writer has not a shadow of a doubt as to the result.
It is the ethical precepts inculcated in the Lodge and so largely practiced by the craft, more than all else, that open the higher intuitions of man, and so enable him to grasp and finally comprehend the
Foreword to the Third Edition. xiii
higher problems concealed in the profound sym- bolism of Masonry. Modern Masonry is thus fast becoming, like its ancient prototype, a School of the Mysteries; the real Mystery being the origin and nature of the human soul, and the transcendent and immortal destiny of Man.
The Masonic organization is so large, so wide- spread, so strong; its spirit so fraternal; its teach- ing so helpful and inspiring, that it seems destined to achieve the most glorious results in the encour- agement and uplifting of the whole human race.
The hard and fast lines that have heretofore seg- regated mankind are rapidly disappearing. Creed and dogma have lost their hold since the State no longer protects them, and the anathemas of eccle- siastics are no longer feared. Men and women of all classes are coming into closer touch with the avowed purpose of understanding, in order that they may help each other. It is more and more recognized that the good of one is the welfare of all. The "sin of separateness" is thus slowly being undermined. Hence the ethical, the religious, the economic, and the political problems are seen to be practically inseparable, and all definitely related in the one problem of the higher evolution of man. This recognized unity of knowledge and community
xiv Foreword to the Third Edition.
of interests is the prelude to the Universal Brother- hood of man that is the ideal state and the dream of every true philanthropist throughout the ages. Masonry stands for just this, and all this, just as for ages the Great Mysteries clearly defined and promulgated the philosophy which makes such an ideal state, such a Great Republic of Nations and peoples possible. It must be founded on a knowl- edge of man's entire nature, and cemented by loving- kindness toward each and all, then only can it exist and endure.
To promote this glorious result is the sole pur- pose of this little book. This is indeed the Work of the Lodge, as it should be of every Frater throughout the world, till in the end it is the work of every individual.
Cincinnati, January, 1903.
Preface to the Second Edition.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
That a second edition of this little book should be called for within six weeks of the date of issue is, perhaps, the best answer to the inquiry in the mind of its author as to what kind of a reception so serious a view of modern Freemasonry, and so high an estimate of Ancient Mysteries as is herein set forth, might receive. It has not only attracted at- tention and excited inquiry, but met the unqualified approval of certain high Masons. Sir Albert Pike's greatest work, restricted to the members of the craft, obtained but one hundred and fifty sub- scribers. If Mystic Masonry quadrupled this sub- scription list before the date of publication, the reason is to be sought, not in the superior quality of the book, but in the more popular form in which the subject is handled, in the removal of all restric- tions as to subscribers, and still more, from the fact that a widespread interest has of late arisen in re- gard to these subjects; offering, as the author be- lieves, the grandest opportunity presented to real
xvi Preface to the Second Edition.
Masonry for more than a thousand years, for pre- senting its sublime philosophy to the world for the uplifting of humanity.
Mystic Masonry is, to a considerable extent, a compilation. It was not the author's purpose to become an innovator, but rather, in a modest way, an inspirer and renovator, and for this purpose he but repeated statements that had already been made by those high in Masonic authority, statements that had been overlooked or forgotten, and that needed to be remembered. In his preface to Morals and Dogma, Mr. Pike declares that about one-half of that work is original matter, and half taken from various sources, and that as he was writing neither for fame nor money, but for the benefit of the craft, the source of what he had set down was a matter of secondary importance. He often adapted, rather than quoted, in many places, and very seldom gave authorities. He wrote those things which he evi- dently believed his Masonic Brotherhood ought to know, and as he had divested his mind of all selfish motive or hope of gain, so must he be exempt from the charge of plagiarism. He drew very largely, in many places, from the writings of Abbe Constant, better known as Eliphas Levi, whose writings then existed only in the French language, and which un-
Preface to the Second Edition. xvii
doubtedly contain the most profound knowledge of the Occult Sciences and the Ancient Mysteries given to the world since the days of the Old Initiates. As the present author has observed, in the body of this book, it matters far less whence these truths have been derived than what they really mean, although no reader is bound to accept the interpretation put upon them by any writer or commentator. Yet every intelligent inquirer may discern their general reasonableness, the logical sequence of the whole as revealing a profound philosophy of Nature and of Life, and the beneficent influence they must exert if universally diffused and generally adopted amongst men.
Liberty and Equality based on Fraternity may have degenerated into a slogan of blood in the days of the French Revolution, yet in more peaceful times must such Fraternity be interpreted as the ideal state, and made to promote the Universal and Un- qualified Brotherhood of Man,
INTRODUCTION.
The object of the author of this book is to show the relation between Freemasonry and the Mysteries of Antiquity. This much, at least, is implied by the title of the book. That there is both a historical and philosophical thread uniting these departments of human thought and action is well known to every intelligent student of Masonry, no less than to all students of Symbolism and Mysticism. One trav- eler, in the wilds of South America, records the fact that he found there an ancient roadbed running over mountain and valley for hundreds of miles. By whom this ancient structure was built is a mat- ter of conjecture. It is now broken by time, with great gaps here and there, and forest trees obliter- ating its pathway, but k everywhere shows the de- signing hand of man. In like manner when we un- dertake to follow the landmarks than connect the ancient wisdom with modern times, we must not
(xix)
xx Introduction.
look for uninterrupted threads, yet nevertheless will the careful student find the lines of transmission un- mistakable, and the interruptions nox bar to the proof of transmission from age to age.
Masonry deals largely with the ethics and sym- bolism of the Ancient Mysteries. The writer be- lieves that through the well-timed efforts of Masons today the grandest achievements in knowledge ever gained by man, which were originally concealed in the Greater Mysteries of Antiquity, and in time be- came lost to the world, may be again recovered. In the strictest sense this knowledge has never really been lost, as there have always existed those who were possessed of the Great Secret. It was orig- inally veiled in order to conceal it from the pro- fane, and written in a universal language of Sym- bolism that the wise among all nations and through- out all time might read it, as it were, in their own language. It was also written in parable and alle- gory, so that the unlettered and common people might not be deprived of its wise precepts, and of its force in shaping character, dissipating igno- rance, and inspiring hope. This Ancient Wisdom is the fountain from which Masonry takes its rise. The true Science of Symbolism in time became lost; the Temples of Initiation fell into decay, or
Introduction. xxi
were destroyed by priests and potentates, jealous of their influence. For many weary centuries men have been trying to recover the lost key and to re- store the ancient wisdom from the parables and alle- gories in which it had been concealed. But progress in this inverse order is not only necessarily slow and uncertain, but all such attempts have, more or less, given rise to fantastic flights of the imagina- tion, and resulted in confusion, rather than in en- lightenment. The result has been to bring the whole subject under contempt, and to make the name "mysticism" mean something vague and uncertain, if not altogether foolish, to those ignorant of its true meaning.
"Remember," says Bro. Albert Pike, "that the lessons and ceremonies of these degrees (those of the Blue-Lodge) have been for ages more and more accommodating themselves, by curtailment and sinking into common-place, to the often limited memory and capacity of the Master and Instructor, and to the intellect and needs of the Pupil and Initiate; that they have come to us from an age when symbols were used, not to reveal but to con- ceal: when the commonest learning was confined to a select few, and the simplest principles of moral- ity seemed newly discovered truths : and that these
xxii Introduction.
antique and simple degrees now stand like the broken columns of a roofless, Druidic temple in their mutilated greatness: in many parts also cor- rupted by time, and disfigured by modern additions and absurd interpretations." — Morals and Dogma, p. 106.
Here, then, are two causes that have operated to render the old wisdom difficult of recovery, viz., concealment, and ignorant alteration or misinterpre- tation. To these must be added a third source of obliteration, viz., the direct efforts of interested par- ties to utterly destroy all records. "Let one only think of the thousands, and perhaps millions, of MSS. burnt; of monuments with their too indiscreet inscriptions and pictorial symbols pulverized to dust ; of the bands of early hermits and ascetics roaming about among the ruined cities of Upper and Lower Egypt, in desert and mountain, valley and high- lands, seeking for and ready to destroy every obe- lisk and pillar, scroll or parchment they could lay their hands upon, if it only bore the symbol of the tau or any other sign borrowed and appropriated by the new faith: — and he will then see plainly how it is that so little has remained of the records of the Past." — Secret Doctrine, p. xl., vol. I.
Every intelligent and unbiased Mason is more or
Introduction. xxiii
less aware of these facts, and of the great difficulty attending all efforts to recover the Lost Word, and to rebuild the City and Temple of the Lord, — a glyph that has many meanings. The author of this book desires to aid all that he can in this noble and glorious undertaking.
In the effort to bring about such a result it is not contemplated that any innovations whatever should be introduced into Masonry as now organized. If the sublime philosophy which is the heritage of Masonry shall become universally diffused and ren- dered capable of apprehension by all intelligent persons, not only among Masons, but everywhere, its beneficent influence may thus become universal among men. In this way may be hastened the rise of that Great "Republic of which every Nation is a family, and every individual a child."
It will be very naturally questioned whether any thing can be definitely ascertained regarding the Greater Mysteries of Antiquity, inasmuch as they were always concealed, never revealed to the pro- fane, never published to the world, and only re- corded in glyph, parable and allegory. It has al- ready been shown that all attempts to discover the real secret by running backward from parable and allegory have resulted in confusion and discourage-
xxiv Introduction.
merit. The interpretations resulting have been as fantastic and varied as the genius of each investi- gator; had any of these been possessed of a uni- versal key to symbolism, or a complete philosophy of the Secret Doctrine, the result might have been very different. The solution of this question is not only greatly simplified, when investigation is guided by such a philosophy, or a complete key, but the in- vestigator has the positive assurance at every step that he is on firm ground.
But a far more important consideration remains to be noted. There is a tradition in the far East, and to be often traced more or less vaguely in the West, that the Great Lodge of the Magi, the Adepts, the Perfect Masters, known and designated also by many other names, has never ceased to exist; that this Lodge has often, though secret and unknown, shaped the course of Empire and controlled the fate .of Nations. Knowing always the line of least re- sistance, and when and how to act, and having al- ways in view only one object, viz., the Progress of Humanity £nd the Brotherhood of Man ; despising fame and worldly honors, and working "without the hope of fee or reward," they have concealed their labors, and either influenced those who knew
Introduction. xxv
them not to do their work, or worked through agents pledged to conceal their very existence.
To the public generally, this may be a matter of little interest or importance, as the character of the work done must be the sole criterion by which that work is to be measured. But to Masons it should be of interest, as showing what it is to be indeed a Master Builder. It will reveal. to them the meaning and goal of human evolution, and give them the unqualified assurance that that evolution is being now aided by those who know, as it has not been for many centuries. Such work has now become possi- ble, because of a cycle of liberality and enlighten- ment, when the workers are not likely to be sacri- ficed to the Moloch of bigotry and superstition. Granting that such Masters exist, and that they are possessed of profound knowledge, that they are ready to help the world, the world must be ready and will- ing to receive such help, if it is to be benefited by it, instead of destroying its agents. Guided, then, by a complete philosophy; armed with a key to symbol- ism, and aided by these Grand Masters, the Lost Mysteries of Antiquity may be restored and made to tell their hoary secrets for the benefit of the coming age.
The object of this book is to give an outline of
xxvi Introduction.
such work; it is introductory, and, to some extent, explanatory, but by no means exhaustive. It is not based upon any authority beyond the author's sin- cere convictions and capacity to apprehend the sub- ject. The Mason who is ready to dig deeper and fill in the outline here furnished is recommended to read carefully, if he has not already done so, Albert Pike's great book, Morals and Dogma.
The historical method of research is not followed in the compilation or writing of this book, although historical facts are herein recorded. It is of far less importance to determine whence Masonry has been derived, than what it really teaches. In answering this question, it may be justly charged that the au- thor has put his own interpretation forward, not against facts or history, but in the face of what may be regarded as insufficient historical proof. To such a charge he would reply, first, that no well-authenti- cated history of Masonry is known to exist; there being only isolated facts, or fragments, recording the existence of certain organizations or movements at different times, and their disappearance on account of inward dissension or outward persecution. Then another movement would spring up, at another time and place, and perhaps under a different name, though evidently working on the same general lines,
Introduction. xxvh
only to meet with a similar fate. One writer makes the statement that fully eight hundred different de- grees have thus, from time to time, been introduced to the Craft as Masonic. In no case does there exist any reliable consecutive history of these various movements. But even if such history existed, it would but little serve the purpose of the present work, as will be readily seen from what has hereto- fore been said regarding all these attempts to dis- cover the Lost Word, by reading backward from the outer form of Symbolism. Such a history would be curious and interesting, as showing the fertility of the human imagination, and its proneness to regard as valuable that which is curious and fantastic, be- cause it is concealed. Mere vulgar curiosity and secrecy alone have never yet been the pass-words to the Adytum of real Initiation. On the other hand, such a history, did it really exist, would be tinged with a touch of pathos, on account of the many sor- rowful disappointments it would have to record, in the case of earnest souls seeking, with sincerity and in truth, for the "Lost Word of the Master," only to be overwhelmed at last by disappointment, or to be publicly executed as malefactors and enemies of State or Church. Such histories as exist well de- serve, in many cases, the designation of "organized
xxviii Introduction.
fiction," and almost invariably record merely the opinions of those who were friendly or unfriendly to such movements, with a corresponding dearth of facts.
For these reasons, no specially historical character is attempted to be given to this work. One of the strong points urged by the writer is the logical in- ferences drawn from such facts as are known to exist, and the general spirit everywhere admitted as pervading the Ancient Mysteries in their orig- inal purity. That such organizations should exist through all time and yet be without a history seems at first a strange paradox. The enemies of Ma- sonry will urge this fact as a reason for rejecting all that is herein contained, ignorant of the fact that few histories of any people or any epoch are better founded. Foremost among these detractors or deniers will be found the bigoted sectarian and the modern materialist. With each of these the real genius of Masonry is in perpetual conflict. For the first, the universal and unqualified Brotherhood of Man, is a dead letter, for he believes that only himself and his chosen associates can be saved. For the second, the materialist, the recognition of the Divine Architect of the Universe, in Masonry, as the "Principle of Principles," and belief in the im-
Introduction. xxix
mortality of the Soul, will prove an equal stum- bling block. Fortunately, the number of bigoted sectarians and the out-and-out materialists is few. The historical deficiency referred to is by no means without a parallel. That superstructure known as Christianity has, it is true, many historical phases; of dogmas the most contradictory; of doctrines pro- mulgated in one age, and enforced with vice-regal authority, and severe penalties for denial and dis- belief, only to be denied and repudiated as "damn- able heresy" in another age. In the meantime, the origin of these doctrines and the personality of the Man of Sorrows around which these traditions clus- ter receive no adequate support from authentic his- tory. What, then, shall we conclude regarding the real genius of Christianity? Is it all a fable, put forth and kept alive by designing men, to support their pretensions to authority? Are historical facts and personal biography alone entitled to credit? While everlasting principles, Divine Beneficence, and the laying down of one's life for another are of no account? Is that which has inspired the hope and brightened the lives of the down-trodden and despairing for ages a mere fancy, a designing lie? Tear every shred of history from the life of the Christ today, and prove beyond all controversy that
xxx Introduction.
he never existed, and Humanity, from its heart-of- hearts, would create him again tomorrow and jus- tify the creation by every intuition of the human soul and by every need of the daily life of man. The historical contention might be given up, ignored, and the whole character, genius, and mission of Jesus, the Christ, be none the less real, beneficent, and eternal, with all of its human and dramatic episodes. Explain it as you will, it can never be explained away ; the character remains ; and whether Historical or Ideal, it is real and eternal.
This digression serves to illustrate a principle of interpretation. The Traditions and Symbols of Masonry do not derive their real value from his- torical data, but from the universal and eternal truths which they embody. Were they historical epi- sodes only, the world in its cyclic revolutions would long ago have swept by them and buried them in eternal oblivion. These great truths, obscured and lost in one age by misinterpretation or persecution, rise, Phoenix-like, rejuvenated in the next. They are Immortal Ideals, knowing neither decay nor death. They are like a Divine Image concealed in a block of stone (the rough ashler), which many artists assail with mallet and chisel, square and compass, only, perchance, to release a distorted
Introduction. xxxi
idol. Only the Perfect Master can so chip away the stone as to reveal in all its grandeur and beauty the Divine Ideal, and endow it with the breath of life. Such is the building of character. The fable of Pygmalion and Galatea is, after all, more real than history. The thread of history is not in isolated facts, joined by conjecture, and warped to the ig- norant, bigoted, and time-serving opinions of men. The real thread is to be sought in the theme that runs through the symphony of creation; in the lofty Ideals that inspire the life of man, and that lead him from the clod and the lowlands, where hover the ghosts of superstition and fear, to the mountains of light, where dwell forever inspiration and peace. Such ideals are the Christ, Hiram, and the Perfect Master.
It is doubtful whether any portion of the present organization of Masonry, as such, can be traced further back than the middle of the 17th century. The great Masonic revolution of 1717, and the Constitutions of 1723 and 1738, seem to have brought into existence the present organizations; which, by no means uniform throughout the world, have, nevertheless, very much in common. There were indeed earlier organizations, often unknown and un- suspected, and operating under different names,
xxxii Introduction.
while using the same glyphs and symbolism; but no direct connection has been clearly shown to exist between these organizations and those of the present time. But as our pursuit is philosophical rather than historical, and our appeal rather to reason than to authority, we need not go into these matters further than may be necessary as land- marks in following our philosophical thread.
A distinctively Christian character is now given to some of the Masonic degrees in Europe and America. Without the slightest opposition to the Christian religion, as such, it can readily be shown that a sectarian bias of any kind is an innovation, wholly unwarranted, and entirely contrary to the genius of Masonry. Masonry, on the broad prin- ciple of toleration and brotherhood, can exclude neither Jew nor Gentile, Parsee nor Buddhist from its ample fold. Masonry is chiefly indebted to the French Jesuits for the distinctively Christian char- acter of some of its degrees. The templar degrees are purely sectarian, and can in no sense claim that universal character which recognizes the fraternity of all religions, and finds fellowship with all men, as brothers of one common humanity. No genuine Mason, imbued with the spirit of liberality, will treat any religion with derision or contempt, or ex-
Introduction. xxxin
elude from membership any Brother who believes in the existence of God, the Brotherhood of Man, and the Immortality of the Soul. This Catholic spirit is the very foundation of Masonry, and any de- parture from it is un-Masonic, and subversive of the ancient Landmarks and Genius of Masonry. If the Catholic Priests have the right to Christianize Masonry, so have Jews, Buddhists, or Mohamme- dans, an equal right to transform it to fit their own creeds; and such transformation in every case de- prives Masonry of its universal character. While it cannot benefit the creed to which Masonry is made to conform, it will, in the end, destroy Ma- sonry itself. True Masonry has, for ages, held aloft the torch-light of Toleration, Equity and Fra- ternity. The bigoted sectarian, whoever he may be, divides the world into two classes: those who, with zeal and blind faith, accept his dogmas, and those who do not. The first he calls "brothers," the sec- ond class he regards as aliens, if not enemies. Masonry, while adopting no religion and no form of doctrine or creed, as such, or as formulated by any one religion, recognizes certain basic principles embodying the ethics taught in all religions. Every Mason may formulate his creed to suit himself, and may institute such forms of worship as may seem to
xxxiv Introduction.
him desirable or beneficent. Now, that the old creeds are everywhere losing their hold and falling in pieces, it is more than ever necessary to show that none of these have ever been a legitimate part of Masonry; that while Masonry antagonizes none, it can adopt none as Masonic. This impartial spirit is the basis of that impartial justice illustrated in more than one Masonic degree.
"The distinction between the esoteric and ex- oteric doctrines (a distinction purely Masonic) was always and from the very earliest times preserved among the Greeks. It remounted to the fabulous time of Orpheus. . . . And after the time of Alex- ander they resorted for instruction, dogmas, and mysteries, to all the schools; to those of Egypt and Asia, as well as those of ancient Thrace, Sicily, Etruria, and Attica."
The real source from whence the Ancient Wis- dom came was Persia and old India, the Mother of Civilizations and Religions, and of the esoteric or • concealed wisdom.
In this book it is not attempted to explain all of the symbols of Freemasonry, or to completely un- fold the philosophy of the Secret Doctrine. Such an undertaking would transcend both the time and ability of the author. The aim is rather to show a
Introduction. xxxv
few points of contact, to outline methods of inter- pretation, to convince the unbiased reader that in the ancient mysteries lies a mine of wisdom far be- yond all modern achievement, and to invite the co- operation of Masons in upholding these Ancient Truths. To recover the Lost Word is to revive the Ancient Wisdom, and this will facilitate Universal Fraternity and Universal Progress more than all other agencies now in our possession.
In its ritualism and monitorial lessons Masonry teaches nothing in morals, in science, in religion, or in any other department of human knowledge or human interest, not taught elsewhere in current forms of thought, or by the sages of the past. In these directions it has no secrets of any kind. It is in the ancient symbols of Freemasonry that its real secrets lie concealed, and these are as densely veiled to the Mason as to any other, unless he has studied the science of symbolism in general, and masonic symbols in particular. In place of the term Mystic Masonry, the term Symbolic Masonry might have - been used alone, but just here lies the whole secret, a profound mystery, and few Masons up to the present time have had the interest or the patience necessary to such investigation. This is a fact, and not intended as either a criticism or a reproach. If
xxxvi Introduction.
lacking a knowledge of the profound meaning of masonic symbolism, and its transcendent interest and importance, Masons have allowed the whole or- ganization not only to fail in all real progress, but to degenerate, that is indeed a reproach. The number of individuals admitted to fellowship in the various degrees can not atone for such degeneracy, but on the contrary it rather emphasizes it. The author of this book is perfectly well aware that such a treatise will not be popular with a certain class of Masons. They are almost certain to regard it with contempt and to undertake to frown it down. They will make the statement, which is perfectly true, that no such meaning has before been explained to them, and that no such philosophy is found in the moni- torial instructions of the Lodge. The author can not, therefore, be justly accused of revealing any of the secrets of the Lodge unlawfully. The most profound secrets of Masonry are not revealed in the Lodge at all. They belong only to the few. This again, if admitted as a fact, will seem an injustice. But these secrets must be sought by the individual himself, and the candidate is debarred from possess- ing them solely by his own inattention to the hints everywhere given in the ritual of the Lodge, or by his indifference to the subject. If he prefers to
Introduction. xxxvii
treat the whole subject with contempt, and to deny that any such real knowledge exists, it becomes evi- dent that he not only closes the door against the possibility of himself possessing such knowledge, but he also becomes impervious to any evidence of its existence that might come to him at any time. He has no one but himself to blame if he is left in darkness.
On the other hand, there is a large and increasing number of persons among Masons who really desire more light; who are satisfied that there must be other and profounder meanings behind the ritual and ceremonies of the Lodge. Some of these have taken the hint and "Journeyed Eastward" in search of Light.
The play made upon the word "light/' in the Royal Arch, and in almost every other degree; the three greater lights, and the three lesser, ought to teach every intelligent Mason that Light, and the trinity, or triangle of lights, have a profound mean- ing, or else that the whole ritual is a meaningless farce. Aside from all interest that any individual Mason may find in the subject for his own enlight- enment, it is obviously his duty, while preserving unaltered the usages and landmarks of the Order, to advance the interests and fame of Masonry itself
xxxviii Introduction.
by every just and benevolent means in his power. The names that are honored in the traditions of the Lodge and in the history of the Order, belong to those who have thus achieved enduring fame, and they are held aloft in the ritual of the Lodge as worthy of all emulation. But shall neither the present nor the future add anything to this roll of honor? or, if need be, to the list of martyrs? Are the days of noble deeds past with Masonry forever? and the need of self-sacrifice and devotion altogether a thing of the past? There was never greater need than at the present time ; never so great an opportu- nity as now for Masonry to assume its true place among the institutions of man and to force recogni- tion by the simple power of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, based upon philosophy such as nowhere else exists outside of its ancient symbols. If the majority of Masons do not realize the true signifi- cance and value of their possessions, there is all the more need for those who do to speak out, even in the face of discouragement and detraction, and do their utmost to demonstrate the truth. Does any in- telligent Mason imagine that the guilds of practical Masons of a century and a half ago originated the Order of Freemasons? There were indeed Archi- tects and Master Builders among them, but the
Introduction. xxxix
great majority of Masons were far more ignorant, as manual servants, than the majority of such builders are today. Freemasonry is modeled on the plan of the Ancient Mysteries, with their glyphs and allegories, and this is no mere coincidence; the parallels are too closely drawn. Bro. Pike came to the conclusion, after long and patient investigation, that certain Hermetic Philosophers had a hand in the construction of the organization of Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and if they embodied in its symbol- ism more than appears on the surface, and far deeper truths than the superficial student readily discerns, it was evidently designed that future gen- erations should discern and use these profounder secrets. The evidence in this direction is not only conclusive but overwhelming, though only frag- ments of it can be here adduced.
In brief, then, the real secrets of Freemasonry lie in its Symbols, and the meaning of the symbols reveals a profound philosophy, and a universal science, that have never been transcended by man.
The author of this book is not presumptive enough to claim that he has exhausted, or altogether appre- hended, in its entirety, this old philosophy. He has, however, found such interest in its study, and it has opened to him such a mine of wealth, with
xl Introduction.
such treasures revealed at every step, that he desires to share these precious jewels with his fellow crafts- men, that they may also go further, and from the secret vaults bring forth for inspection other and greater discoveries. These jewels have not been concealed by accident, but by design, in order that they might, in some future age, be restored. Even the stone that was rejected, and became lost in the rubbish, not only bears an emblem, and contains a mark, but is itself, from first to last, with its sur- roundings, method of restoration, and final use, a symbol. It is the center of a five-pointed star, which is the kabalistic sign of man. In one direc- tion, it symbolizes the five senses, lost in the rubbish of passion and selfish gratification. When this re- jected or lost stone is recovered, and sent to the King of the temple (man's Higher-Self), and is recognized and restored, the arch is complete, and the gateway of the senses gives entrance to the "Palace of the King." The result is light or il- lumination. Such are the Illuminati.
The writing of this book has been altogether a la- bor of love. It is designed to be no less a tribute to the Heroes and Martyrs of Masonry in the Past, than an humble offering to the Fraternity of the Present. J. D. B.
Cincinnati, November 9, 1896.
MYSTIC MASONRY.