of Persian initiation transferred from mythology to romance; and the coincidence is sufficiently striking to impress the most ordinary observer with the strict propriety of the application. The candidate comes off conqueror, and is regularly restored to light, after having given full proof of his courage and fortitude, by surmounting all opposing dangers. Father Angelo, who went out as a missionary into the East about 1663, says, that in the midst of a vast plain between Shiraz and Shuster, he saw a quadrangular monument of stupendous size, which was said to have been erected in memory of this great enterprize of the hero Rustam. The fact is, that this quadrangular inclosure was an ancient place of initiation; and from a confused remembrance of the scenes of mimic adventure which were represented within its seven secret caverns, the fabulous labours of Rustam has doubtless their origin.

Here the author has evidently mistaken the copy for the archetype. The scenes of mimic adventure alluded to, undoubtedly originated from the fabulous labours of Rustam, the Persian Hercules. It has been shown that Hercules was one of the names by which the sun was designated, and that the perilous adventures attributed to a fabulous character to whom the name was given, was a mere allegory on the progress of that luminary through the signs of the zodiac; of which the tale of Rustam is another version.

The order of Noachiles, or Chevaliers Prussian.

This order, there is reason to believe, was instituted by the ancient Prussians. It claims priority over that of the freemasons of England. The author of an exposé of the ritual of that institution, which will be noticed below, gives just fifty-three years between the periods of the two establishments; and says, "This tradition is firmly believed." In corroboration of this fact, Dr. Anderson observes, "The first name of Masons, according to some old traditions, was Noachida."

The ceremonies of the Noachites seem to have served in some measure as a model upon which those of freemasonry are founded. Although the scene of the establishment of this order is laid at the Tower of Babel, instead of the Temple of Solomou, the craft of masonry, as in the freemasons' society, is made use of to cover the real design of the institution, the maintaining of religious dogmas, if not the recovery of independence.

The following remarks, in Guthrie's sketch of history of the ancient Prussia and Poland, will tend to show at what time this institution was probably formed.

Speaking of Poland, he says, "From this period [830] for some centuries we have no very certain records of the history of Poland. The title of duke was retained till the year 999, when Boleslaus (the I.) assumed the title of king, and conquered Moravia, Prussia, and Bohemia, making them tributary to Poland."

Osiris, Bacchus, Cronus, Pluto, and Hercules, are all equally the sun.-(Faber Dis. on the Myst. of the Cabiri, v. 1, p. 17.)

Of Prussia. "The ancient history of Prussia, like that of other kingdoms, is lost in the clouds of fiction and romance. The inhabitants appear to have been a brave and warlike people. They were descended from the Sclavonians, and refused to submit to the neighbouring princes, who, on pretence of converting them to Christianity, wanted to reduce them to slavery. They made a noble stand against the kings of Poland; one of whom, Boleslaus IV., they defeated and killed in 1163. They continued Pagans till the time of the latter crusades, about the year 1227."

From the foregoing statements, it appears that the sway of Poland over Prussia, obtained in 999, was not of long duration; and it is reasonable to conjecture, that soon after the conquest, the people of Prussia established the order of Noachites. It was evidently a military institution, and undoubtedly intended as a rallying point, to operate, as occasions might occur, for the recovery of the civil and religious liberties of the nation.

Admitting that the society of Noachites was founded in the year 1000, which is probable, and provided the foregoing tradition be correct, the establishment of freemasonry in England would have occurred about the middle of the eleventh century, which is as late as it is likely to have been neglected, after the edict of Canute prohibiting the open worship of the Druids.

Bernard, in his account of this order, says, "The grand master-general of the order, whose title is chevalier grand commander, is Frederic William, king of Prussia. His ancestors, for three hundred years, have been protectors of this order. The knights were formerly known by the name of Noachites.

"The Noachites, now called Prussian Chevaliers, are descended from Peleg, the grand architect of the tower of Babel, their origin being more ancient than that of the masons descended from Hiram.-The knights assembled on the night of the full moon in the month of March, [the vernal equinox] in a secret place, to hold their lodges; and they cannot initiate a candidate into the mysteries of this order unless by the light of the moon."

Great innovations have been introduced into the ceremonies of this order. I have a copy of its ritual, which, from its antiquity and Druidical style, may be presumed genuine. It was reprinted from a London copy, by John Holt, New York, 1768. As a curiosity, and as bearing a relationship to the ancient mysteries, I will give an abstract of it.

The order consists of two degree, called Minor and Major; and the officers form what masonically may be termed a Chapter, to which the other members are not admitted. This chapter comports with the royal arch of freemasonry; for here the secret word, Belus, is revealed, which, the reader is aware, is the same as Osiris, personated by Hiram. The expounder of the order appears to have committed an error, in giving this word at the opening of the minor's degree; because it is expressly said afterwards, that it was unknown to all but officers.

Minor's Degree.

Examiner. When did Masonry begin? Respondent.-About one hundred and fifty-four years after Noah's flood. at the building of Babel's tower. Who was grand master there? Nimrod,* called by masons Belus. [Not Peleg, as modern masons have it.] Where was the first lodge held ?-In a pleasant plain of Babylon, called Shinar, on the banks of the river Tigris.

In what manner were you made?—I was led to a door, where a man stood with a drawn sword in his hand, who asked my friend what he wanted. What did your friend reply?-To have me made a mason. Did he admit you?-Yes, he struck the door with his sword, upon which it instantly flew open; my friend then led me by the hand into a very dark room, and then the door was shut. What succeeded this?-| My friend then said with a loud voice,

Here stands a candidate for masonry,

Who fain would know our art and mystery:

Show him the light by which we work, and then
Perhaps he'll learn the art, like other men.

Upon this a door flew open, and discovered a room extremely light, out of which came three men with drawn swords, one of whom said, deliver your friend to us. Upon this my friend delivered me into their care, and I was ushered into the lodge, one walking before, and one on each side, and my friend in the rear. Thus was I brought out of darkness into light.

What was done after this ?-I was stripped naked, in order that all the lodge might be well assured they were not imposed upon by a woman. What was then done? The master clothed me with the badge of innocence. (This is a loose white garment, generally made of fine linen, and sometimes of silk.) He then took me by the right hand, and placed me in the centre of the brethren; he then ordered me to kneel down on both my knees, and held to my throat the point of & sword which he had in his hand, and then addressed me as follows:

"SIR,-You are now going to be admitted a member of this ancient and honourable fraternity, and it is expected that you will lay yourself under the subsequent obligation.

You shall not reveal to any person or persons, either by word of mouth, or your own hand writing, or cause to be revealed in any manner whatever, any part or parts, point or points, or any traditions, which have been, are now, or shall hereafter be held as a secret among masons,

Nimrod, which signifies a rebel in the Jewish and Chaldean language, was the name given him by Moses; but in Chaldea he was called Belus, which signified lord; and afterwards was worshipped as a god by many nations, under the name of Bel, or Baal, and became the Bacchus of the ancients, or Bar Chus, the son of Chus.

†This is a sheer hoax upon the order. The real intention, as in the mysteries and freemasonry, is to represent man in a state of nature, before the arts, and particularly that of making clothing, were invented. The candidate before initiation is looked upon as an uncultivated savage; his initiation civilizes and regenerates him.-Edit.

unless to an honest man, who you know is a mason, or to the master or wardens of any regular Lodge.

"And as it was always esteemed by the masons of old, that to swear by the sword was the most binding of all obligations, so we do insist and require you solemnly to kiss the edge of this sword presented to your throat, as a signification of your full consent to, and approbation of, the above particulars.

"Your well performing this injunction, will make you ever esteemed by this venerable body, as the contrary will render you guilty of a breach of the most sacred band of human society, and consequently degrade you from the character of a man of honour, which every mason ought to preserve more carefully than his life."*

Are you desirous of knowing the Major's secrets?—Yes. Ex. Your good behaviour alone will not obtain them.

R. By that alone they could not be obtain'd,
But I by that a Golden Signet gain'd;
Which will admit me into that degree,
That I may work among the Majors Free.

What is that signet ?-A ring. Ex. here. (Showing the ring.)

Produce it? R. Behold it

Ex. Attend, my brethren, all that round me stand,
While I obey great Belus' dread command.

Our brother here, upon examination,
Desires I'll place him in a higher station.
A Minor's character has well maintain'd

And answer'd all things well; by which he's gain'd
The Signet rare, which Belus did ordain
For such as could the Minor's art attain,
That they may to the tow'r repair, and be
Receiv'd to work among the Majors Free.
'Tis then my will and pleasure that he may
Begin to work and enter into pay.

Ceremony of Installment of Officers.

Where were you installed? In the observatory. How high was it? On the top of the tower. How got you there? By a winding ascent. In what manner were you installed? I first passed the Minor's examination, and then the Major's; after which Belus informed me the brethren had unanimously agreed to elect me into the office of which he invested me with the badge. Have the officers a secret word? Yes. How did you receive it ?—

On my two knees he ordered me to kneel,
Before he could the secret word reveal;
A word to all but officers unknown,
Because we give it when we are alone;
The word is Belus, be it kuown to thee,

'Twas that great man gave birth to Masonry.

The freemasons, at the revival of the order in 1717, would have done well to have adopted this oath, instead of those of Hiram-masonry.-Edit.

CHAPTER VIII.

MISELLANEOUS ARTICLES.

Ceremonies observed in laying the foundation stone of Freemason's Hall, London, 1775; and its dedication, in 1776.

The similarity of practices in masonry and the ancient rites of Bacchus, is fully exemplified in these ceremonies. The Caduceus or magi. cal wand of Mercury, the mysterious chest, and the three pitchers, containing corn, wine, and oil, are appropriately used. This will appear by the following short abstract of the transaction on those occasions as published by Smith.

"The first stone of the masons' hall was laid by the Rt. Hon. Robert Edward Lord Peter, baron of Writtle, grand master of the masons of England, accompanied by the worshipful Rowland Holt, etc.

After

About twelve o'clock the procession arrived, and continued three times round the ground, where the hall was to be erected. The grand master then deposited the foundation stone with the usual formalities. which the deputy grand master presented the square to the grand master, when his lordship tried the corners of the stone, and then returned it to the deputy, who gave it to the architect. The senior grand warden next presented the level to the grand master, who therewith tried the stone horizontally, and returned it as before. The junier grand warden then presented the plumb-rule to the grand master, who applied it properly, and returned it as before. His lordship then struck the stone three times with a mallet, on which the grand treasurer waved his wand, and the brethern joined in the grand honours of masonry. (This is done by clapping hands three times three.)* The following anthem was then sung:

To Heaven's high Architect all praise,
All praise, all gratitude be given,
Who deigned the human soul to raise,
By mystic secrets, sprung from heaven.
Chorus. Tbrice repeated.

Sound aloud the great Jehovah's praise,
To him the dome, the temple raise.

On laying the foundation of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, in 1738, each of the brethern in their turns gave three strokes upon the corner stone with an iron mallet, which was succeeded by three clarions of the trumpet, three huzzas, and thre claps of hands.-(See Lawrie, p. 155.)-Edit.