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

Lesser and Greater Mysteries. The former were merely preparatory. In
the
latter the whole knowledge was communicated. Speaking of the doctrine
that
was communicated to the initiates, Philo Judaeus says that "it is an
incorruptible treasure, not like gold or silver, but more precious than
everything beside; for it is the knowledge of the Great Cause, and of
nature, and of that which is born of both." And his subsequent language
shows that there was a confraternity existing among the initiates like
that of the masonic institution; for he says, with his peculiar
mysticism,
"If you meet an initiate, besiege him with your prayers that he conceal
from you no new mysteries that he may know; and rest not until you have
obtained them. For me, although I was initiated into the Great
Mysteries
by Moses, the friend of God, yet, having seen Jeremiah, I recognized
him
not only as an Initiate, but as a Hierophant; and I followed his
school."
So, too, the mason acknowledges every initiate as his brother, and is
ever
ready and anxious to receive all the light that can be bestowed on the
Mysteries in which he has been indoctrinated.
MYSTES. (From the Greek [Greek: my/o], _to shut the eyes_.) One who had
been initiated into the Lesser Mysteries of paganism. He was now blind,
but when he was initiated into the Greater Mysteries he was called an
Epopt, or one who saw.
MYTH. Grote's definition of the myth, which is cited in the text, may
be
applied without modification to the myths of Freemasonry, although
intended by the author only for the myths of the ancient Greek
religion.
The myth, then, is a narrative of remote date, not necessarily true or
false, but whose truth can only be certified by internal evidence. The
word was first applied to those fables of the pagan gods which have
descended from the remotest antiquity, and in all of which there
prevails
a symbolic idea, not always, however, capable of a positive
interpretation. As applied to Freemasonry, the words _myth_ and
_legend_
are synonymous.
From this definition it will appear that the myth is really only the
interpretation of an idea. But how we are to read these myths will best
appear from these noble words of Max Mueller: "Everything is true,
natural,
significant, if we enter with a reverent spirit into the meaning of
ancient art and ancient language. Everything becomes false, miraculous,
and unmeaning, if we interpret the deep and mighty words of the seers
of
old in the shallow and feeble sense of modern chroniclers." (Science of
Language, 2d Ser. p. 578.).
MYTH, HISTORICAL. An historical myth is a myth that has a known and