Blanchard J (anti-masonic) - Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated Part I

326 OI~AND ELECT, PERFEcT AND SUBLIME MASOlt.said the wisest of Kings, is better than fine gold.The Green”’ is an emblem of hope.,The Purple”’ of dignity and majesty of conduct.Purple is a Tyrian color and reminds us of the allianceinto which you have now entered.The White’’ is an emblem of innocence.The Black”’ of modesty and seriousness of demeanor.The next color is that of stone, as stone is distinguishedfor firmness and durability; so this color teachesus constancy and decision’ of character.The flame color reminds us to cultivate ardent affectionand charity. The various colors united in this girdleare expressive of that unity and the olive interwovenof that pesec whIch should link us together.And as these colors shine in your girdle, so let thevirtues they represent shine in your heart and life.Your apron I now invest you with is white, lined andbordered with crimson; these colors symbolized havealready been explained to you.Note lao,— This idea ot the unchangipg immortality ot that which isdivine and trite, was always connected by the ancients with tbe colorof green. Among the Egyptians, the god Phtha, the active spirit, thecreator and regenerator of the world, the ~goddesss Pascbt. the divigeproserver, :tnd Thoth, the instructor ~of uteri in ihc sacred doctrines oftruth vere alt painted Ic the hieroglyphic s’stem with green flesh.”—Mackeys Enuyulopaedia of Freemasonry Article Green.Note 151.—Among the gentile nationa ot antiquity purple was cou~sidered rather as a color of dignity than of veneration. Bud was deemedan emblem of exalted office. Hence Homer mentions it as peculiarlyappropriated to royalty, and virgil speaks of purpura regum. or ‘the pur.plc of kings.’ Putty says it was the color of the vestments worn bythe csrly kings of Rome~ and it has ever since, even to the presenttime, bee,, cotisidered as the becoming insignia of regal or supremeauthority ‘‘—Mackey’s Enoyclopsadia of treemasonry, Article Purple,Note l58.—’White, White is one of the most ancient sa welt asmost extensively diffused of the symbolic colors, It is to he found insil the aucient mysteries, where it conatititted, as it does in Masonry.the investiture of the candidste. It always, however, and everywbefehas borne the same sianifleation as the symbol of purity and innocence.”—Mackeys Encyci,paedia of Freemasonry, Article White.Note IN—Black. Black, in the titisonic rittini, is cnnstnnt!y ikesymbol of grief, This is perfectly consist’nt with its use i~ the worldwhere black has from remote antiqttity been adopted as the gttrmeniot mourning, ‘—Machey’s Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry. Article 31Mb.IXITIATION.Thus, my brother, by your uleritoriotifi ~nd blamelessconduct, constancy and integrity you have attainedthe tith,’ of Grand Elect, Perfect ~nd Sublime Mason,which is the summit of Ancient Craft Masonry, andupon your arrival to which I sincerely congratulate you.I most earnestly rccolIlillend to you the strictest careand circumspection in your walk through life that thesublime mysteries of this degree be not profaned, andas to what remains of completing ~‘ourknowledge in theAncient 5’~tate of Mnconrv I will cttll sour attention toour Grand Orator, who will now (leliver the discourse oftllis degree.DISCIM’ll’.” BY OIINND os troa.My dear brother, “lieu the Tenipl&’ of solomon wasfini-hued tim-c nw~on- ~ihtowele emplo~’ed In the con-~trnction of that ~tatel~’td dice acquired inllnortal honor—.‘i’Ia’ir order bet tulle lttOi’e uniformh~’ v~tablIshed andre’.rulated than it had been before. Their thelicacy inatlinitting hew lnelltbt’r— ilito tlteil’ ordet’ brought it to ahigh degree of re~peet, as tlte merit of each candidatewas tIle only t’iiIg tltc~’ paid attention to, WitlI theseprinciples instilled ilIto tlwir minds many of the GrandElect, Perfect and Sublime Masons being able workmenleft Jerusalem after the dedication of the temple anddispersed themseli’e~ among the hteighboling kingdoms,instructing all wIlo applied and ~t’erefound worthy ofreceiving the Sublime Mysteries of thIe Royal Art.Notwitllstanding these precautions the order in thethree first degrees Inilltiphied over the face of the earth,so that their numbers were without i,toasurc, And bytheir indiscriminate nrlitiis~ion tlteir seoret’~ were disclosed,their knowledge became common ;illd the degrees