Mystic masonry, or, The symbols of freemasonry and the greater ...

236 Mystic Masonry.
vealing the secrets of the Lodge. Even the criminal
classes have their dialects or patois.
History is full of pretenders in Occultism. Pretension
alone is a sign of ignorance, and the proposition
to "sell the truth" is always a sign of fraud.
There are, however, many names in history that
have been covered with obloquy, and their possessors
charged with fraud and imposition, who were, nevertheless,
genuine Adepts, if not Perfect Masters.
We must distinguish between self-conviction that
comes from the pretender's own mouth and those
accusations that come from others and are unsupported
by evidence. The pretender is often loaded
with honors and found rolling in wealth, as the reward
of deceit and lying, of fraud and corruption,
which he is shrewd enough to conceal. On the other
hand, the real Master is often gibbeted by the populace
and anathematized by the church, because he
is neither time-serving nor willing to barter the
truth for gold.
All along the line of history may be found those
"Nvho possessed the true light.
Concealing both their
wisdom and their own identity from vulgar notice
and foolish praise, they have walked the earth unseen
and unknown to the many, but always known
to their fellows, and to all real seekers after true