The Arcana of Freemasonry (1915) - The Masonic Trowel

THE ARCANA OF FREEMASONRY 209
the first artificer in metals.) These people estab-
lished the city of Edfu as their centre, and built
Temples for the G.A.U. throughout Egypt, after
driving out or exterminating the Pygmy and
Masaba Negroes, the original inhabitants (see
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Origin and Evolution of Primordial Man").
Thus a brotherhood in two phases was estab-
lished, the first being a religious sect, with their
Priests, having
the astronomical and other know-
ledge ; and the second being the Builders, skilled
as artificers and brickmakers. Combined, these
were called the Mesniti or Mesintu, or the followers
of Horus, only another name, as the Christians
are called the followers of Christ. From the
Ritual of Ancient Egypt, still extant, we find that
the old Priests founded and established the Seven
Mysteries, afterwards called the Lesser Mysteries,
based upon Astro-Mythology. These were after-
wards increased to twelve in the Stellar Cult.
Of these, the first two were communicated to " the
Builders," who were now established in the seven-
teenth Nome of Upper Egypt. The Ari by name,
and those who were initiated into the First and
Second Mysteries, were taken for the builders of
their Temples.
These Builders were divided into Craftsmen
and Companions, and a Priest was placed over
them, and was initiated into the Third Mystery,
but he was not Operative. These Builders of the
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