The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

122
HISTORY OF INITIATION.
tains were found within the compass of the inclosure ;
for it is well known that these eminences were highly
venerated by
the Druids in common with the rest of
mankind ; partly from an idea that the tops of hills made
a nearer approach to the heavens, from whence the deity
and partly from
could more perfectly hear their prayers ;
a faint remembrance of an old tradition of the Deluge,
and probably of the burning bush, which induced a belief
that mountains were the consecrated residence of the
deity; 57 but principally because the conical mountain,
variously diversified, was considered an apt representation
of the union of the 4wo great generative principles
personified at the Deluge. 38 The mountain with one
37 It may be here remarked, that mountain-worship was common
with the antediluvian patriarchs, and was followed by Noah (Gen.
viii., 20) on the mount where the Ark rested, and where the parents
of mankind resided after their deliverance from danger ; by Abraham
(Gen. xii., 8), who performed an act of worship on Mount Moriah, at
the express command of God (Gen. xxii., 2); and again by Moses on
Mounts Horeb (Ex. iii.
5 1) and Sinai (ib. xix.) This custom was
soon imitated by those nations which had "renounced the true God.
(Numb, xxii., 41. xxiii., 14. 27, 28.) When Philip II. made war
against the Spartans, he sacrificed on the two mountains of Olympus
and Eva. (Polyb., 1. v.) Cyrus sacrificed to the gods on a mountain
just before his death. (Cyrop., 1. viii.) So in the Iliad Hector does
the same. (II. xxii., 171.) The Persians worshipped on mountains
(Strabo., 1. xv.) and 2300 ; years before our era, sacrifices were offered
in China to the supreme god Chan-Ti, on four great mountains, called
the four Yo. The sovereigns, linding it inconvenient to go thither in
person, caused eminences representing these mountains to be erected
by the hands of men, near their habitations. (Voyage of Macartney,
vol. i., p. 58.) The American savages used the same custom. (Hum-
"
boldt's Research, in Amer., vol. ii., p. 244.) In short, every towering
hill was reckoned holy and we are assured ;
by Melanthes, that it was
the universal practice of the ancients to offer sacrifice on the highest
mountains, to him who was accounted the highest god." (Nat. Corn.,
1. c.
i., 10, apud Fab Pag. Idol., vol. iii., p. 200.) The Israelites,
too, when they fell into idolatry, adopted the same custom, and worshipped
the host of heaven on mountains (2 Kings xiv., 4. Jerem. ii.,
20. Ezek. vi., 2, 3), though it was absolutely forbidden in the law of
Moses (Deut. xii., 2).
38 This system of veneration was not peculiar to Britain, but was
common to all the idolatrous 'nations of the earth. When the Ark, or
female principle, with the whole human race in her womb, floated on
the surface of the diluvian waters the male ; principle, or the great
and thus
father, was placed in the centre of the lunette as a mast ;
the two principles united floated in safety over the earth (Wilf.
on M.
Cauc. in Asiat. Res., vol. vi., p. 521) and when ; the waters had sub
sided, they remained firmly fixed on a rock, which the superstition o