Devil-Worship in France; or, The Question of LuciferWaite, Arthur Edward
Religion
Devil-Worship in France; or, The Question of Lucifer
Waite, Arthur Edward
Satanism
names and titles. In a word, the Mysticism of Europe concentrated its
forces at Paris and Lyons, and all French Mysticism gathered under the
shadow of the square and compass. To that, as to a centre, the whole
movement gravitated, and thence it worked. There is nothing to show that
it endeavoured to revolutionise Masonry in its own interest. The
Fraternity naturally attracted all Mystics to its ranks, and the
development of the mystic degrees took place as the result of that
attraction.
By the year 1825 a variety of circumstances had combined to suspend
transcendental activity, and the connection with Masonry ended, but the
present revival of mystic thought is rapidly picking up the links of the
broken chain; secretly or unobtrusively the spirit of transcendentalism
is working within the Fraternity, and the bogus question of Lucifer is
simply a hostile and unscrupulous method of recognising that fact. If
Masonry and Mysticism could be shown in the historical world to be
separated by the great sea, the consanguinity of their intention would
remain, which is more important than external affinity, and they are
sisters by that bond. But they have not been so separated, and on either
side there is no need to be ashamed of the connection. With all brethren
of the Fraternity, "we also do believe in the resurrection of Hiram,"
and we regard the Temple as "an edifice immediately realisable, for we
rebuild it in our hearts." We also adore the Grand Architect, and offer
our intellectual homage to the divine cipher which is in the centre of
the symbolic star; and we believe that some day the Mason will recognise
the Mystic. He is the heir of the great names of antiquity, the
philosophers and hierarchs, and the spiritual kings of old; he is of the
line of Orpheus and Hermes, of the Essenes and the Magi. And all those
illustrious systems and all those splendid names with which Masonry has
ever claimed kindred belong absolutely to the history of Mysticism.
THE END
TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.
End of Project Gutenberg's Devil-Worship in France, by Arthur Edward Waite
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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