science is fully demonstrated by the purity of his life. Associating with himself the most virtuous men of his age, they formed lodges, and discussed the great principles of Masonry with FREEDOM, FERVENCY, and ZEAL. These Masons, in a few centuries, made such progress in the science, that they received from their contemporaries the appellation of SONS OF LIGHT, or SONS OF GOD. Their system of Masonry was purely theological: its illustrations explained the nature and attributes of God, the creation of the world, and the unhappy fall of man. It pointed out the difference between moral good and evil, and compared the happiness of Paradise with the pain, disease, and misery of this wretched world; that the mind might be incited to avoid a much greater punishment, and aspire to the enjoyment of a much higher degree of happiness in a future state. It inculcated the precepts of religion, and the necessity of divine worship; the sanctification of the seventh day, with other particulars which every Mason is acquainted with, who is master of our inimitable Fellow Craft's Lecture.

From general illustrations of God's attributes, these indefatigable Masons proceeded to the study and investigation of God's created works. Of these the celestial orbs appeared the most prominent and splendid, and were, therefore, contemplated with an eagerness of research which produced the most important results. The rudiments of ASTRONOMY were not only formed in these early ages, but the science was carried to some degree of perfection; and certainly inspired a sublime idea of that glorious Being, who

E

could create and govern so vast and complicated a machine.

The Jewish Rabbins, in describing the holiness of this race while engaged in these pursuits, present to the view a true and beautiful picture of the results of Masonry, when practised in its native purity. Separated, by the divine economy, from the rebellious race of Cain, they preserved the primitive sanctity of their progenitors until about the year of the world 500. Their occupations were purely spiritual, for they lived almost solely on the spontaneous productions of nature. The laws and mo

tions of the celestial bodies constituted their chief study, and their usual amusement consisted in singing of psalms to God. Endued with that benign principle which we term CHARITY, the passions of envy, hatred, and revenge found no place amongst them; injustice and deceit were banished from their society; sincerity and plain-dealing were their distinguishing characteristics; and they lived, daily ripening for that state which is enlightened by the presence of God for evermore. To the purity of these SONS OF GOD our most excellent patron, St. John the Evangelist, compared that of the Christian converts. He addresses them by the same appellation, and contrasts their conduct with that of the wicked, whom he compares with the unrighteous race of Cain.28

Seth continued to preside over these sacred assemblies until the time of Enoch; and finding that

the spirit of God was in that highly favoured individual, and that he excelled his brethren in wisdom and knowledge, he installed him Grand Superintendent in his stead; happy to leave the science under the direction of so excellent a protector.

PERIOD II.

CHAPTER III.

On the Origin of the Arts and Sciences.

IT has been already explained that Masonry is divided into two distinct parts, OPERATIVE and SPECULATIVE; the latter and most noble portion of which declined amongst the descendants of Ham and Japheth, when they renounced the worship of the true God, and degenerated into idolatry. They cherished, however, the former division, amidst all the fluctuations of their fortune, and diversities of modes of faith and worship. The corruptions which gradually debased the moral principle in man did not check his ardour in the pursuit of science, or restrain the avidity with which he cultivated wisdom, and the love of every useful art. The Egyptians were celebrated for geometry, the Phoenicians for the perfection of their arithmetical calculations, the Chaldeans for their knowledge of astronomy, and the Cretans for music.

The island of Crete, which was planted in the ages anterior to Abraham, so far excelled in the cultivation of the fine arts, that men of learning and

research, from other countries, visited this people to reap the benefit of their improvements.' Under the patronage and genial encouragement of their kings, they excelled not only in music, but also in medicine, and the arts of civil and social life; they carried the art of working in brass and metals to a greater perfection than any nation had done before them; they communicated their knowledge very freely to other nations who applied for it, and even appointed public teachers, whose office was to preserve their acquirements pure and free from sophisticated adulterations. These teachers were appointed by an edict of the state, and heavy penalties were denounced upon any person who should attempt to give instruction in the sciences without this authority.*

Yet even when mankind had degenerated into perfect religious indifference, and would scarcely acknowledge that God was the supreme architect of the world, or of the human structure, but deduced the original of all things from a fortuitous concourse of atoms, they still encouraged the fine arts, and advanced them to a high degree of perfection. Hence the age of Augustus, the most dark and ambiguous with respect to religion, was esteemed the brightest era of time with respect to the extent

1

' Diog. Laert.

3

Zenop. de Institut. Cyri.

2 Diodor. Sicul.

* Thus Prometheus was condemned for inculcating the art of forging metals, without being duly invested with authority from the deputies legally appointed to grant it. (Plato in Protag.) He was pronounced a seducer of the people, and suffered banishment for violating the laws of his country.