The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

DOCTRINES AND MORLAITY. 183
These pretensions, sanctioned by the timidity which
superstition never fails to produce in an untaught mind,
would naturally invest this
politic prince with an authority
which his successors would be desirous to retain.
Hence they pronounced that the supernatural powers
14 which Odin was believed to
possess, were vested in the
three orders of men, the Drottes, the Scalds, and the
Diviners, to whose custody the mysteries had been entrusted.
In succeeding ages these boasted powers were
publicly converted to the purpose of emolument; and
charms, amulets, and philtres were openly exposed for
sale. And as they were reputed to be effectual antidotes
against the effects of poison, to cure diseases, to inspire
affection, 15 and to enable the possessor to work miracles ;
every individual was anxious to be furnished with a
charm which promised to counteract the secret machinations
of his enemies, in a country where private disputes
usually terminated in bloodshed ; and hence the compo-
sers of such invaluable jewels rose in the public estimation,
and became finally invested with uncontrollable
authority. These amulets consisted chiefly of Runic
characters or letters, 16 inscribed on a tablet made of the
xix., 26.) And the punishment of them is announced by Isaiah:
"Behold they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them, and they
.shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame." (Isai.
xlvii.. 14.)
14 " Hence oracles, auguries, divinations, and a thousand practices of
that kind quickly sprang up in crowds from this erroneous principle.
Accordingly, in all our ancient fables and chronicles, we see the northern
nations extremely attached to this vain science. They had oracles,
like the people of Italy and Greece, and these oracles were not less
revered, nor less famous than theirs. Their diviners were honoured
with the name of prophets, and revered as if they had been such.
Some of them were said to have familiar spirits who never left them,
and whom they consulted under the form of little idols. Others
dragged the ghosts of the departed from their tombs, and forced the
dead to tell them what would happen." (Mai. North. Ant., vol. 1, p. 143.
146.)
15 Turn. Ang. Sax., vol. iv., p. 186.
16 Letters were first introduced into Scandinavia by Odin, and from
the ignorance of the people respecting their nature and effects, he
taught them to believe that by their use he was empowered to work
miracles. Hence he was called Run-Hofdi, and Runom-Fauthr, King
of Spells and Father of Letters. Thus originated the custom of
vaticination and fortune-telling which is not ;
yet fully exploded, and
scarcely will be while superstition maintains its empire over the human