THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

chapter
of this work will furnish the reader with a key for the interpretation
of
this formula. The principles of the Primitive Freemasonry of the early
priesthood were corrupted or lost at Babel by the defection of a
portion
of mankind from Noah, the conservator of those principles. Long after,
the
descendants of this people united with those of Noah at the temple of
Solomon, whose site was the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, from
whom it had been bought by David; and here the lost principles were
restored by this union of the Spurious Freemasons of Tyre with the
Primitive Freemasons of Jerusalem. And this explains the latter clause
of
the formula.
BABYLONISH CAPTIVITY. When the city and temple of Jerusalem were
destroyed
by the army of Nebuchadnezzar, and the inhabitants conveyed as captives
to
Babylon, we have a right to suppose,--that is to say, if there be any
truth in masonic history, the deduction is legitimate,--that among
these
captives were many of the descendants of the workmen at the temple. If
so,
then they carried with them into captivity the principles of Masonry
which
they had acquired at home, and the city of Babylon became the great
seat
of Speculative Masonry for many years. It was during the captivity that
the philosopher Pythagoras, who was travelling as a seeker after
knowledge, visited Babylon. With his ardent thirst for wisdom, he would
naturally hold frequent interviews with the leading Masons among the
Jewish captives. As he suffered himself to be initiated into the
Mysteries
of Egypt during his visit to that country, it is not unlikely that he
may
have sought a similar initiation into the masonic Mysteries. This would
account for the many analogies and resemblances to Masonry that we find
in
the moral teachings, the symbols, and the peculiar organization of the
school of Pythagoras--resemblances so extraordinary as to have
justified,
or at least excused, the rituals for calling the sage of Samos "our
ancient brother."
BACCHUS. One of the appellations of the "many-named" god Dionysus. The
son
of Jupiter and Semele was to the Greeks Dionysus, to the Romans
Bacchus.
BARE FEET. A symbol of reverence when both feet are uncovered.
Otherwise
the symbolism is modern; and from the ritualistic explanation which is
given in the first degree, it would seem to require that the single
bare
foot should be interpreted as the symbol of a covenant.