SUN.--The sun represents the divinity of the Eternal; for as there is
but one Sun to light and invigorate the earth, so there is but one
God, to whom we ought to pay our greatest adoration.
3 S. S. S.--The 3 S. S. S. are initials of the words Scienta,
Sapientia, Sanctitas, and teach you that science, adorned with wisdom,
creates a holy man.
THREE CANDLESTICKS.--The three candlesticks are the image of the life
of man, considered in youth, manhood, and old age, and happy are those
that have been enlightened in these ages, by the light of truth.
FOUR TRIANGLES.--The four triangles show us the four principal duties
that create our tranquil life, viz.: Fraternal love among men in
general, and particularly among brethren, and in the same degree with
us. Secondly. In not having anything but for the use and advantage of
a brother. Thirdly. Doubting of every matter that cannot be
demonstrated to you clearly, by which an attempt might be made to
insinuate mysteries in matters of religion, and hereby lead you away
from the holy truth. Fourthly. Never do anything to another that you
would not have done unto you. The last precept, well understood and
followed on all occasions, is the true happiness of philosophy.
SEVEN PLANETS.--The seven planets represent the seven principal
passions of man.
SEVEN CHERUBIMS.--The seven cherubims are the images of the delights
of life: namely, by seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling,
tranquility, and health.
CONCEPTION.--The conception in the moon shows the purity of matter,
and that nothing can be impure to the eyes of the Supreme.
HOLY SPIRIT.--The Spirit is the figure of our soul, which is only the
breath of the Eternal, and which cannot be soiled by the works of the
body.
TEMPLE.--The temple represents our body, which we are obliged to
preserve by our natural feelings.
FIGURE OF A MAN.--The figure is in the entrance of the temple, which
bears a lamb in his arms, and teaches us to be attentive to our wants,
as a shepherd takes care of his sheep; to be charitable, and never let
slip the present opportunity of doing good, to labor honestly, and to
live in this day as if it were our last.
COLUMNS OF JACHIN AND BOAZ.--The columns of J. and B. are the symbols
of the strength of our souls in bearing equally misfortunes, as well
as success in life.
SEVEN STEPS OF THE TEMPLE.--The seven steps of the temple are the
figures of the seven degrees which we must pass before we arrive to
the knowledge of the true God.
GLOBE.--The globe represents the world which we inhabit.
LUX EX TENEBRIS.--The device of "Lux ex tenebris" teacheth, that when
man is enlightened by reason, he is able to penetrate the darkness and
obscurity which ignorance and superstition spread abroad.
RIVER.--The river across the globe represents the utility of the
passions that are necessary to man in the course of his life, as water
is requisite to the earth in order to replenish the plants thereof.
CROSS SURROUNDED.--The cross surrounded by two serpents signifies that
we must watch the vulgar prejudices, to be very prudent in giving any
of our knowledge and secrets in matters, especially in religion. End
of the moral explanation.
LECTURE.--Question--Are you a Knight of the Sun? Answer--I have
mounted the seven principal steps of Masonry; I have penetrated into
the bowels of the earth, and among the ancient ruins of Enoch found
the most grand and precious treasures of the Masons. I have seen,
contemplated, and admired the great, mysterious, and formidable name
engraved on the triangle; I have broken the pillar of beauty, and
thrown down the two columns that supported it.
Q. Pray tell me what is that mysterious and formidable name? A. I
cannot unfold the sacred characters in this manner, but substitute in
its place the grand word of [represented by the Hebrew consonants Jod,
He, Vau, He.]
Q. What do you understand by throwing down the columns that sustained
the pillar of beauty. A. Two reasons.--First. When the temple was
destroyed by Nebuzaradan, general of the army of Nebuchadnezzar, I was
one that helped to defend the Delta on which was engraved the
ineffable name; and I broke down the columns of beauty, in order that
it should not be profaned by the infidels. Second. As I have deserved,
by my travel and labor, the beauty of the great "Adonai" (Lord), the
mysteries of Masonry, in passing the seven principal degrees.
Q. What signifies the seven planets? A. The lights of the celestial
globe and also their influence, by which every matter exists on the
surface of the earth or globe.
Q. From what is the terrestrial globe formed? A. From the matter which
is formed by the concord of the four elements, designed by the four
triangles, that are in regard to them as the four greater planets.
Q. What are the names of the seven planets? A. Sun, Moon, Mars,
Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, and Saturn.
Q. Which are the four elements? A. Air, fire, earth, and water.
Q. What influence have the seven planets on the four elements? A.
Three general matters of which all bodies are composed--life, spirit,
and body; otherwise, salt, sulphur and mercury.
Q. What is life or salt? A. The life given by the Eternal Supreme, or
the planets, the agents of nature.
Q. What is the spirit or sulphur? A. A fixed matter, subject to
several productions.
Q. What is the body or mercury? A. Matter conducted or refined to its
form by the union of salt and sulphur, or the agreement of the three
governors of nature.
Q. What are those three governors of nature? A. Animal, vegetable and
mineral.
Q. What is animal? A. We understand in this, life--all that is divine
and amiable.
Q. Which of the elements serve for his productions? A. All the four
are necessary, among which, nevertheless, air and fire are
predominant; and it is those that render the animal the perfection of
the three governments, which man is elevated to by one-fourth of the
breath of the Divine Spirit, when he receives his soul.
Q. What is the vegetable? A. All that seems attached to the earth
reigns on the surface.
Q. Of what is it composed? A. Of a generative fire, formed into a body
whilst it remains in the earth, and is purified by its moisture and
becomes vegetable, and receives life by air and water; whereby the
four elements, though different, co-operate jointly and separately.
Q. What is the mineral? A. All that is generated and secreted in the
earth.
Q. What do we understand by this name? A. That which we call metals
and demi-metals and minerals.
Q. What is it that composes the minerals? A. The air penetrating by
the celestial influence into the earth, meets with a body, which, by
its softness, fixes, congeals, and renders the mineral matter more or
less perfect.
Q. Which are the perfect metals? A. Gold and silver.
Q. Which are the imperfect metals? A. Brass, lead, tin, iron and
quicksilver.
Q. How come we by the knowledge of these things? A. By frequent
observations and the experiments made in natural philosophy, which
have decided to a certainty that nature gives a perfection to all
things, if she has time to complete her operations.
Q. Can art bring metal to perfection so fully as nature? A. Yes; but
in order to do this, you must have an exact knowledge of nature.
Q. What will assist you to bring forth this knowledge? A. A matter
brought to perfection, this has been sought for under the name of the
philosopher's stone.
Q. What does the globe represent? A. An information of philosophers,
for the benefit of the art in this work.
Q. What signify the words, "Lux ex tenebris?" A. That is the depth of
darkness you ought to retire from, in order to gain the true light.
Q. What signifies the cross on the globe? A. The cross is the emblem
of the true elected.
Q. What represent the three candlesticks? A. The three degrees of
fire, which the artist must have knowledge to give, in order to
procure the matters from which it proceeds.
Q. What signifies the word Stibium? A. It signifies antimony, or the
first matter of all things.
Q. What signify the seven degrees? A. The different effectual degrees
of Masonry which you must pass to come to the Sublime Degree of
Knights of the Sun.
Q. What signify the divers attributes in those degrees? A. First. The
Bible, or God's law, which we ought to follow. Second. The compass
teaches us to do nothing unjust. Third. The square conducts us equal
to the same end. 4th. The level demonstrates to us, all that is just
and equitable. Fifth. The perpendicular, to be upright and subdue the
veil of prejudice. Sixth. The tressle-board is the image of our
reason, where the functions are combined to effect, compare and think.
Seventh. The rough-stone is the resemblance of our vices, which we
ought to reform. Eighth. The cubic stone is our passions, which we
ought to surmount. Ninth. The columns signify strength in all things.
Tenth. The blazing star teaches that our hearts ought to be as a clear
sun, among those that are troubled with the things of this life.
Eleventh. The key teaches to have a watchful eye over those who are
contrary to reason. Twelfth. The box teaches to keep our secrets
inviolably. Thirteenth. The urn learns us that we ought to be as
delicious perfumes. Fourteenth. The brazen sea, that we ought to
purify ourselves, and destroy vice. Fifteenth. The circles on the
triangles demonstrate the immensity of the divinity under the symbol
of truth. Sixteenth. The poniard teacheth the step of the elected,
many are called, but few are chosen to the sublime knowledge of pure
truth. Seventeenth. The word albra signifies a king full of glory and
without blot. Eighteenth. The word Adonai signifies Sovereign Creator
of all things. Nineteenth. The seven cherubims are the symbols of the
delights of life, known by seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling,
smelling, tranquility, and thought.
Q. What represents the sun? A. It is an emblem of Divinity, which we
ought to regard as the image of God. This immense body represents the
infinity of God's wonderful will, as the only source of light and
good. The heat of the sun produces the rule of the seasons, recruits
nature, takes darkness from the winter, in order that the
deliciousness of spring might succeed. End of the physical lecture.
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