The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

INTO THE GOTHIC MYSTERIES. 167
people, were three ; the most magnificent of which commenced
at the winter solstice, and was celebrated in
honour of Thor, the prince of the power of the air. 8
It
was commemorative of the creation; for, being the
longest night in the year, 9
they assigned to it the formation
of the world from primeval darkness, and called it
MOTHER-NIGHT. This festival was denominated Yule,
Juul, or Yeol, 11 12
and was a season of universal festivity.
At the nocturnal meetings of this sacred celebration, the
for it was
initiations were performed on a superb scale ;
believed that the succeeding season would be fruitful or
unpropitious, in proportion with the sumptuous 13 or
8
VerstegSn says, that " in the ayre hee gouerned the wyndes and
the clowdes ;
and, being displeased, did cause lightning, thunder, and
tempests, with excessive rain, and all il weather. But, being wel
pleased by the adoration, sacrifice, and seruice of his supplyants, hee
then bestowed upon them most fayre and seasonable weather and
;
caused corne abundantly to growe as also all sortes of ; fruites, &c. 3
and kept away from them the plague, and all other evill and infectious
diseases." (Rest. Dec. In tell., p. 75.)
9 The feast was, in fact, sacred to Darkness, that great and awful
principle which was a stumbling-block to the whole heathen world.
Mai. North. Ant., vol. i.. p. 358.
1
Vid. Jamieson. Scott. Diet., v. Yule.
12 When Christianity was first promulgated in the northern nations,
the missionaries found the inhabitants unwilling to relinquish this
annual rejoicing; the festival was, therefore, applied to the nativity
of Christ ; and hence the Yule Feast was denominated Christmas. On
the eve of the first day of the festival or Mother-Night, fires of wood
blazed throughout the whole extent of northern Europe hence ; the
origin of our Yule-clog. The peace-offerings dedicated to Thor at
this season were cakes of flour sweetened with honey; hence the
Yule-cake. Subjects at this festival presented their annual gifts or
benevolences to their sovereign (Johnston, Antiq. Celto-Scand., p.
230) hence ; Christmas-boxes, New-year-gifts, fyc. The candles of the
Sun were said to illuminate the northern dwellings on the night before
Yule ; and hence arose the custom of burning large candles at this
solemnity ; for it boded ill luck to the family for the succeeding year
if a second candle were lighted; whence our Yule-candles. (Vid.
Jamieson, Scot. Diet., v. Yule, vi.)
I am informed by a Danish
Brother, that cakes are still made in Denmark, of a particular form, at
this season, composed of the finest
flour, eggs, currants, and other
ingredients and ; are called Juule-Kdger.
is "The ancient inhabitants of the North were never at a loss for
the means of
celebrating their Yule. Johnson (Antiq. Celto-Normann.)
has a note referring to this subject, which exhibits their character in
its true light. The Scandinavian expeditions, he says, were anciently
conducted in the following manner: A chieftain sailed with a few
ships for Britain, and collected all the scattered adventurers he could
find in his way. They landed on the coast, and formed a temporary
I
"-
,1