The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

114 HISTORY OF INITIATION.
Respecting these ceremonies, the ancient historians are
not wholly silent; although we shall gather more information
from the bardic than the classical writings on this
abstruse subject. Strabo informs us that the Druids
practised the rites of Samothrace. 11 Mr. Faber adduces
other authorities in support of the same hypothesis.
"With regard to the devotion of the Hyperboreans,"
says this author, "to the arkite mysteries, we are
viii., 2.) and the public festival lasted seven days. The whole machinery
of the Apocalypse is conducted on precisely the same principle.
The Iconisms are almost all septenary. Here the FIRST PERSON in
the sacred Trinity is represented under the figure of a glorious being
clothed with surpassing brilliancy, seated on a throne encircled by a
rainbow, (Rev. iv., 3, 4.) and receiving from the assembly of saints a
most profound adoration, in which they ascribe to Him seven degrees
of beatitude. (Ib. vii., 12.) He is attended by FOUR beasts full of
eyes, emblematical of their perfect knowledge of ALL things, past,
present, and to come, Now the number four was esteemed to possess
similar properties with the number seven. It signified universal-
ity amongst the Cabalists and Pythagoreans, probably
because the
whole of the male kind in the Ark consisted of four persons, and it
formed the holy Tetragrammaton of the Jews. (Vid. More's Apo-
calypsis Apocalypsios, p. 92, 148.) The SECOND PERSON is described
as a majestic ancl venerable personage standing in the midst of seven
golden candlesticks, and holding in his hand seven stars, the emblems
of Light and Revelation; (Rev. ii., 1,) and in another place as a
Lamb that had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes, symbols
of universal power and knowledge and ; receiving from the heavenly
host a loud acknowledgment of seven potencies. (Ib. v.,
6. 12.) And
the THIRD PERSON is described as seven lamps of fire, which are the
seven Spirits of God. (Ib. iv., 5.) Again, the Apocalypse contains
seven Synchronisms, which were preceded by a succession,
of woes addressed to seven churches, (Ib. i.. 4,) recorded in a book
with seven seals, (Ib. v., 1,) denounced by seven angels to the sound
of seven trumpets, (Ib. viii. ,2,) and revealed by seven thunders or oracular
voices.
(Ib. x., 3.) The wrath of God against the idolatrous
world, is let loose by seven angels having seven plagues inclosed in
seven golden vials. (Ib. xv., 1, 7.) Idolatry is represented under the
figure of a scarlet-coloured beast having seven heads, to represent
probably the seven mountains on which Rome and Constantinople, the
two capital cities of " the mistress of the world" were respectively
founded ; (Ib. xvii., 9.) and seven idolatrous kings, or seven forms of
polytheism are pointed out for destruction. (Ib. xvii., 10.) This
very extraordinary and universal application of the number seven, as
I have already observed, must have originated either in a tradition
borne away from Shinar by every tribe who wandered in search of a
new settlement, respecting the institution of the Sabbath ; and it
must be observed that almost all idolatrous nations kept holy the
seventh day ; (Vid. Usher on the Sabbath, p. 73,) or the seven herogods
who were saved with Noah in the Ark.
11 Strabo. Geogr., 1. iv.