Masters, and legitimate representatives of the order for the First Series; 88, Ditto for the Second Series; 89, Ditto for the Third Series; 90, Absolute Sovereign Grand Master, Supreme Power of the Order, and Chief of the 4th Series.

The chiefs of this rite claim the privilege, which, of course, has never been conceded to them, of directing and controlling all the other rites of Freemasonry, as their common source. From an examination of a part of its ritual, and the perusal of some of its official publications, I am inclined to believe the assertion of its friends, who claim for it an eminently philosophical character. The organization of the rite is, however, too complicated and diffuse to have ever been practically convenient. Many of its degrees were founded upon, or borrowed from, the Egyptian rites, and its ritual is said to be a very close imitation of the ancient system of initiation.

The legend of the third degree in this rite is abolished. HAB is said to have returned to his family, after the completion of the Temple, and to have passed the remainder of his days in peace and opulence. The legend, substituted by the rite of Misraim for that admitted by all the other rites, is carried back to the days of Lamech, whose son Jubal, under the name of Hario-Jubal-Abi, is reported to have been slain by three traitors, Hagava, Hakina, and Haremda.*

MITHRAS, MYSTERIES OF. The mysteries of Mithras were celebrated in Persia. They were instituted by Zeradusht, or Zoroaster, an Eastern sage, concerning whose era the learned are unable to agree, some placing it in the reign of Darius Hys taspes, and others contending that he lived centuries before the reign of that monarch. Zoroaster reformed the doctrines of the Magi, and established a theology which was adopted as the religion of the Persians, Chaldeans, Parthians, Medes, and other

See a singular work, published in 1835, at Paris, by Marc Bedarride, one of the chiefs of the rite, under the title of "De l'Ordre Maconnique de Misraim," pp. 25 and 118.

neighbouring nations. According to the Zend Avesta, the sacred book in which these doctrines are contained, the Supreme Being, whose name signifies "Time without bounds," created Light in the beginning; out of this light proceeded Ormuzd, or the principle of light, who, by his omnific word, created the world. He produced also the superior genii, Amshaspands, who surround his throne, as the messengers of his will, and the inferior genii, Izeds, who are the guardian angels of the world, and whose chief is Mithras. The Supreme Being also created Ahriman, the principle of darkness, and the Dives, or evil genii under him. These are incessantly at war with Ormuzd, endeavouring to corrupt the virtue and destroy the happiness of the human race. But their efforts, the Zend Avesta declares, are vain; for, assisted by the Izeds, the triumph of the good principle has been resolved in the secret decrees of the Supreme Being.

Mithras resided in the sun, and hence that luminary was wor shipped as the abode of the God of Light. He was represented as a young man covered with a Phrygian turban, and clothed in a mantle and tunic. He presses with his knee upon a bull, one of whose horns he holds in his right hand, while with the right he plunges a dagger into his neck. This was an evident allusion to the power of the sun when he is in the zodiacal sign of Taurus. In Persia, the mysteries of Mithras were celebrated at the winter solstice; in Rome, where they were introduced in the time of Pompey, at the vernal equinox.

They were divided into seven degrees, and the initiation consisted of the most rigorous trials, sometimes even terminating in the death of the aspirant. No one, says Gregory Nazianzen, could be initiated into the mysteries of Mithras, unless he had passed through all the trials, and proved himself passionless and pure. The aspirant at first underwent the purifications by

*Orat. Cont. Julian. Appropriately does he call these trials koyarɛis, or punishments.

water, by fire, and by fasting; after which he was introduced into a cavern representing the world, on whose walls and roof were inscribed the celestial signs. Here he submitted to a species of baptism, and received a mark on his forehead. He was presented with a crown on the point of a sword, which he was to refuse, declaring at the same time, "Mithras alone is my crown." He was prepared, by anointing him with oil, crowning him with olive, and clothing him in enchanted armour, for the seven stages of initiation through which he was about to pass. These commenced in the following manner: In the first cavern he heard the howling of wild beasts, and was enveloped in total darkness, except when the cave was illuminated by the fitful glare of terrific flashes of lightning. He was hurried to the spot whence the sounds proceeded, and was suddenly thrust by his silent guide through a door into a den of wild beasts, where he was attacked by the initiated in the disguise of lions, tigers, hyenas, and other ravenous beasts. Hurried through this apartment, in the second cavern he was again shrouded in darkness, and for a time in fearful silence, until it was broken by awful peals of thunder, whose repeated reverberations shook the very walls of the cavern, and could not fail to inspire the aspirant with terror. He was conducted through four other caverns, in which the methods of exciting astonishment and fear were ingeniously varied. He was made to swim over a raging flood; was subjected to a rigorous fast; exposed to all the horrors of a dreary desert; and finally, if we may trust the authority of Nicætas, after being severely beaten with rods, was buried for many days up to the neck in snow. In the seventh cavern or Sacellum, the darkness was changed to light, and the candidate was introduced into the presence of the Archimagus, or chief priest, seated on a splendid throne, and surrounded by the assistant dispensers of the mysteries. Here the obligation of secrecy was

According to Tertullian, his entrance was opposed by a drawn sword, from which, in the obstinacy of his perseverance, he often received more than one wound.

administered, and he was made acquainted with the sacred words, among which the Tetractys or ineffable name of God was the principal. He received also the appropriate investiture,* and was instructed in the secret doctrines of the rites of Mithras, of which the history of the creation, already recited, formed a part. The mysteries of Mithras passed from Persia into Europe, and were introduced into Rome in the time of Pompey. Here they flourished with various success, until the year 378, when they were prescribed by a decree of the Senate, and the sacred cave, in which they had been celebrated, was destroyed by the Pretorian prefect.

MITRE.

One of the vestments of the High Priest of a Royal Arch Chapter. See High Priest of the Jews.

MODERN MASONS. The terms, Ancient and Modern Masons, are no longer known to the craft as distinctive appellations of any classes of the fraternity; but the time has not long past when the masonic world was convulsed by the controversies of the two bodies who assumed these titles. As an important part of the history of our order, it is therefore necessary that I should briefly relate the origin of the words, Modern and Ancient Masons.†

In the commencement of the eighteenth century, the universal name by which the whole mystic family was known, was that of

*This investiture consisted of the Kara or conical cap, and candys or loose tunic of Mithras, on which was depicted the celestial constellations, the zone, or belt, containing a representation of the figures of the zodiac, the pastoral staff or crozier, alluding to the influence of the sun in the labours of agriculture, and the golden serpent, which was placed in his bosom as an emblem of his having been regenerated and made a disciple of Mithras, because the serpent, by casting its skin annually, was considered in these mysteries as a symbol of regeneration.-See Maurice's Indian Antiquities, vol. v., ch. 4.

The subject has already been alluded to in the article on Grand Lodge and it is, therefore, unavoidable, that I should here be guilty of repetition for the purposes of facility of reference, and to preserve the continuity of the narrative.

"Free and Accepted Masons." At that period there were in England two Grand Lodges, the Grand Lodge of England, seated at London, and governing the southern part of the kingdom, and the Grand Lodge of all England, placed at York, and extending its jurisdiction over the northern counties. These bodies at first maintained a friendly intercourse, which was, however, at length interrupted by the officious interference of the Grand Lodge at London, in granting warrants to lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge at York. At this time, in 1738, under the Grand Mastership of the Marquis of Carnarvon, some of the brethren, becoming dissatisfied with certain proceedings of the Grand Lodge of England, seceded from that body, and assumed, without authority, the title of York Masons. In the next year, Lord Raymond being Grand Master, the secessions continuing, the Grand Lodge of England attempted to check the evil by passing votes of censure on the most refractory, and by enacting laws to discourage these irregular associations. In consequence of these measures, the seceders immediately declared themselves independent, and assumed the appellation of Ancient Masons. They propagated an opinion, that the ancient tenets and usages of masonry were preserved by them, and that the regular lodges, being composed of Modern Masons, had adopted new plans, and were not to be considered as acting under the old establishment.*

They, therefore, organized a Grand Lodge, the authority for which they professed to derive from the ancient body at York; called themselves "Ancient York Masons;" and constituted several subordinate lodges. The brethren who still adhered to the Grand Lodge of England, continued to style themselves "Free and Accepted Masons," but were stigmatized by their opponents with the name of Moderns, the most opprobrious epithet that can be applied to a masonic body. The dissensions between these bodies were disseminated into foreign countries, where each body constituted lodges, and were continued in

* Preston, Illust. of Masonry, p. 189.