The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

134
LECTUKE Till.
CEREMONIES OF INITIATION IN BRITAIN.
THE grand periods of initiation into these mysteries
were quarterly, and determined by the course of the sun,
and his arrival at the equinoctial and solstitial points. 1
These, at the remote period now under our consideration,
corresponded with the 13th February; 1st May; 19th
August; and 1st November.2 But the time of annual
celebration was May eve, and the ceremonial preparations
commenced at midnight, on the 29th April, and when
the initiations were over on May eve, fires were kindled 3
on all the cairns and cromlechs throughout the island,
which burned all night to introduce the sports of May
day. Round these fires choral dances4 were performed,
in honour of the Solar patriarch Hu, or Noah, who was
at this season delivered from his confinement in the Ark. 5
The festival was phallic, 6 in honour of the Sun, the great
1
Stukeley, Abury, p. 68.
2 The monthly celebrations took place when the moon was six days
old ; and peculiar rites were appropriated to certain days, as appears
from an ancient British poem, thus translated by Davies, "A song of
dark import was composed by the distinguished Ogdoad, who assembled
on the day of the Moon, and went in open procession.
On the
day of Mars, they allotted wrath to their adversaries. On the day of
Mercury, they enjoyed full pomp. On the day of Jove, they were
delivered from the detested usurpers. On the day of Venus, the day
of the great influx, they swam in the blood of men. On the day of
Saturn, On the day of the Sun, there truly assembled
five ships, and five hundred of those who make supplication, &c."
3
Toland, in his History of the Druids, (vol. i., p. 71,) says that
two of these fires were kindled in every village of the nation ; between
which the men and beasts to be sacrificed were obliged to pass ; one
of them being kindled on the cairn, and the other on the ground.
4 These were the fire dances mentioned by Porphyry, (1. i., p. 94,)
and were probably used to propitiate that element which they believed
was destined to destroy the world. (Ces. de bel. Gal., 1. vi.)
5
Signs and Symbols, Lect. v.
6 Maur. Ind. Ant., vol. vi., p. 89. " It is remarkable that one of
the most remarkable feasts of the Hindoos, called that of Auruna,
the daystar, falls on the sixth day of the new moon, in May, and is
dedicated to the goddess of generation, who is worshipped when the