The Arcana of Freemasonry (1915) - The Masonic Trowel

208 THE ARCANA OF FREEMASONRY
writings, or history, to help them that they can
read. But the origin of Freemasonry dates back
to the time when these Signs and Symbols were
first formed— six hundred thousand years ago is a
low estimate.
One of the earliest Temples of the old Brother-
hood was established at Edfu, in Egypt, by the
Priests of the Stellar Cult. The old Totemic
and Hero-Cult Nilotic Negroes had, through evolu-
tion, established this cult, with its beginnings of
the doctrine of final thingsi' They came up from
the south of the Nile Valley, where they had
already formed a secret society, calling themselves
" "
"
the followers of Horus (or the black-
smiths "). Descendants" of these still exist in the
Nile Valley — "the Kaverondo." They brought
with them the knowledge of working in metals
and of brickmaking and building. The Gemi tribe
of these were the religious part of this secret
society, learned already in astronomical observa-
tions and secret doctrines.
Horus, their Great Chief in Hero-Cult, was now
symbolized as " The Great God of the North and
South." Another of his titles was " The Chief
Artificer in Metals."
"
The Great Chief of the
Hammer " and many other titles were gradually
added as evolution
the U. (We have
progressed for
substituted T.C.
the G.G. of
for Horus—
Behutet—which latter was the Egyptian word for