THE MYSTERIES OF MASONRY.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 854, 6 December 1877, Page 2

THE MYSTERIES OF MASONRY.

Under the above beading, a writer m the Auokland '-Star? lifts tbe veil whioh for ages has enshrouded the initiation of apprentice Ma-sous. For the benefit ot ojr 1 idy raiders who are always carious on this matter, we give the description of tbe ceremouy from our contemporary : — "I was fortunate enough on the occasion of af recent Masonic Lodge-meeting to secure a place of concealment m an adjoining apartment, and, having hoed a spy -hole through - the separation lining, I was enabled? to witness the whole of the twremouies. A certain Rig it Reverend Bisho,> has partly lifted a corner of the veil wheb has t >r ages obscured the mysteries of F.eemssonry, "most men will think v >w that farther aatempts at concealment are usel *ss — that it had b^ti er be torn awiy altogether, an«l m order that ihe Bisnop may be enabled to do so fffeccualK, she following reve atj us are gra uiiously offu-ed, uni a.c folly as a a henfcicus those already disclosed. At initianon, the novice is aiken into tbe Lodge, led backwards on all-fours, the right wriii? and l.ft? ancle hobbled with a swivel chan; a grated iron nin.az'e is placed over liis nioutii, through tlie bars of wuieh the chapiatu (who must be ordai el) iuserts a pair of red-hot tweezers, and p ills oit the superfluous hairs from the nos n*a. Tiie novice, who is m natures pwibus % (Che Latin is AucklaiYd 'Suar' LitLi) naturally shriuks bickw.-da at this process, is dexterously b -aiideJ with che letters D. >V.O. (Down with Christianity) ; : a Pas -j'l ,ster then breathes the spir;t ol the order through his o>vu nose into that of the Candida c. Tins is the reason why so many # of t!ie Hebrew pei'-,-iUasion are Past-.dasunv, the noses of this people bei ig found best adapted for this por ion .f the rite j a large cross, mad of the wood prbkly ac«ci.i, is n»w brought -m. on which the lovtce is se aed astride, with the biands dow.iwtids; a bihy-gOdt. is baruesst-d there tn, aad he ia dragged sevsn tim.vs iouud the lodge, hopping seven times to nake obeisance to, v effigy; his feet and lags are tien plio^d m a pair of re I shocking.*, -.n I the Tyler places a coutcal-Siiajied bat on bis heal, much ike tho<e worn m Spain by heretics. (Frim this practice hats have lo;ig been designated tiles.) A puncture is made m the efc breast of the novice, and the blood trickling therefrom is caught m a human skull fashioned like a cup, aud all the brethren partake uf it.^ Tais is called thsoaih of bloo^J, typifyiug that ail bhe broClferhood ~ are of the same consanguinity. Tho novice is then compelled to " dig " the pen into his right breast, and with his own blood sign tht bonds of the order. It the novice shmld refuse bo take this - oabh, he is ab once slaughtered, and Ins body burnt on the grand alb ir, it being well kuowu that fear of assassination prevents bis frien 'a from seeking to team bis late. Tne c ; ocli^d tigure is then divested of its raiment, suspended fro n a triangle, and is male to revolve by a species of oottle-j-*ok, while the whi c notices flag-dlate tiie effivjy, the Master Vlasons raeatiwniie pel ing the figure with asafoaidi pellets, and he who makes lhe bast hit is entitled to the degree of a Mark Ma^on. This ceremony concludes the first degree ; the others can be revealed, if desirod/'