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means their faces being turned to them as well as to the rising sun, they could direct their worship towards both at the same time. This form of worship was directly opposite to that of the Jews."

For the Holy symbol of the Divine presence, which lay on the Propitiatory or

of Holies, wherein was inclosed the

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ancient people from which the present races are descended." (Tytler's Elem. of Hist., 287)

49" In former times, during divine worship, the face was turned towards the East. Vitruvius has laid it down for a maxim, that a temple should be disposed in such a manner that those who go to sacrifice at the altar, may turn themselves to the East. The altar, also, according to Vitruvius, ought to be turned towards the East. Probably, the origin of this custom is owing to the idolatry of those who first of all worshipped the sun-an idolatry which prevails to this day amongst the East Indians and Americans. St. Austin has very plainly proved that the primitive Christians borrowed the custom of turning to the East from the heathens." (Cerem. and Rel. Const. p. 7.)

41" The visible glory of Christ the ancients supposed situated in the eastern part of the heavens, and it occasioned (as I think) their directing of their worship towards the East. The Gentiles, who worshipped the sun, differed much from this external direction of their faces; for they respected especially the East point, by reason of the sun rising thence. And often, at other parts of the day, they altered their posture. They sometimes veiled themselves, saith Plutarch, and turned themselves about with respect to the heavenly motions. And Trismegistus (in Asclepio) relates, that it was a custom of some of the Gentile devotionists, at mid-day, to look towards the South, and, at sun-set, to look towards the West. It was at the rising of the sun when Lucian was turned towards it by Mithrobarzanes, the Chaldean priest, who mumbled his prayers in a low and indistinct voice at the rising of that false god. They respected not always the eastern angle, though they had especial regard to it, when the sun appeared in it. They respected also the South and West points in their worship." (Ten. Idol. p. 376.)

2 The kebla, or point of devotion, amongst the followers of

Mercy-seat, being at the west end of the Temple of Jerusalem, all such as entered therein to worship God, had their faces turned that way. That was the point towards which they constantly directed their devotions; but that of the Magi, being towards the rising sun, they always worshipped with their faces towards the East."43

Some assign as a reason why Christian Churches and Masonic Lodges have this disposition, that the garden of Eden was placed in the East, and man exMahomet, is Mecca. D'Ohsson informs us that "The keabê is the point of direction, and the centre of union for the prayers of the whole human race, as the Beith-mamour (the sanctuary of Mecca), is for those ofall the celestial beings; the Kursy, (the eighth firmament), for the four archangels; and the Arseh, (the throne of God), for those cherubims and seraphims who guard the throne of the Almighty. The inhabitants of Mecca, who enjoy the happiness of contemplating the keabe, are obliged, when they pray, to fix their eyes upon the sanctuary; but they who are at a distance from this valuable privilege, are required only, during prayer, to direct their attention towards the hallowed edifice. The believer, who is ignorant of the position of the keabe, must use every endeavour to gain a knowledge of it, and, after he has shown great solicitude, whatever be his success, his prayer is valid "

"Amongst the Greeks, the East was considered the right side of the world, and the West the left; whence the right hand was held in greater honour than the left. On serious occasions, they used to swear by their right hand, or by their head. Per caput hoc juro. per quod pater ante solebat. Which was the reason,-1, why they accounted the head holy and stered; 2, why they bowed the knee when a person sneezed; 3, why the old philosophers had such an objection to eating the heads of animals, and, 4, why they seldom used this oath.

In regard to the doctrine of our Saviour, and the Christian revelation, it proceeded from the Fast. The star, which proclaimed the birth of the Son of God, appeared in the East. The East was at pression used by the prophets to denote the Redeemer. From

pelled towards the West; wherefore Christians pray, says Basil, looking towards the East, in earnest expectation of a better country; and our places of Christian worship are hence placed due east and west; the holy altar being in the eastern sanctum. Clement, of Alexandria, refers it to another cause. The East, he says, is the birth of the day, and from thence the light springeth; and, therefore, we pray towards the East. Again, the custom has been referred to the

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thence it may well be conceived that we should profess our prayers to be from thence; if we profess, by being Masons, that we are a society of the servants of that divinity, whose abode is with the Father co-eternal, in the centre of the heavens. But if we profess no such matter, then why should not we have alleged our progress to have been from the North, and the regions of chaos and darkness?" (Hutch. Sp. of Mas., N. E., p. 215.)

45 It is clear that the primitive Christians used the practice of praying towards the East. This fact is avouched by Tertullian, (Ad Nationes., 1. i. c. 13.) in these remarkable words: "Quod innotuerit, ad Orientis partem, facere nos precationem." Origen, (in Numer. Hom. 5.) and many of the fathers, commend the practice; and some of them declare it heretical to depart from it. Epiphanius, adversus Ossin, hæresin, inter Elaxai errores posuit, quod ad Orientem orare, suos sectatores prohibuit.

Bro. Moran says, in an article in the F. Q. R., (Vol. 5, p. 42), "Freemasons place their symbol of intelligence in the East of their temples; as representative of K. S., the W. M. takes his seat there, and his name is made ; in the name of one, and by command of the other. The builders of houses of worship to God, who were formerly what the present race are only symbolically and speculatively, Freemasons entered, passed, and duly raised, had their chief altars of incense or sacrifice placed in the East. Christian churches, to this day, are, unless there be some great opposing obstacle, similarly built. The Druids had the slope of their cromlechs, or stone altars, erected in the great temple, which stretches from earth to heaven, turned towards the East, where they might catch along

crucifixion; for, as the Redeemer was sacrificed with his face towards the West, Christians ought to look towards him from whom they expect salvation; thus turning their faces to the East. And it has also been considered to have respect to the general judgment, because the angels revealed to the disciples who were witnesses of Christ's ascension towards the East," that "the same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner, as you have seen him go into heaven."48 And, indeed, the very same thing had been already communicated to them by Christ himself in these remarkable words, "as the lightening cometh out of the East, and shineth even unto the West, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."

the full extent of its inclined surface, the first glimpse of their deity. The Persians, to this day, hail in prayer and worship the rising and setting of the majestic day star. The beautiful imagination, which made the statue of Memnon sound when its strong materials felt the first touch of the sun's rising beams, had a hidden and religious signification, akin to some of the points of faith among the more intelligent of the Craft."

47 Thus Jerom says, "Psallite Domino, qua ascendit super cælum cœli, ad Orientem." (Hier. ad cap. 6. Amos in fine.)

48 Tacitus (Hist. 1. 5. c. 13) says that there was a firm belief amongst the people, that, about the time when Jerusalem was destroyed, the writings of the priests contained a prophecy that THE EAST (Oriens) should prevail.

LECTURE VII.

THE GROUND OF THE LODGE.-FIRST GRAND OFFERING.

"After many trials of his faith, a son was born to Abraham in his old age, who was promised as the ancestor from whom the expected Redeemer should descend. Yet, scarcely was this son grown up, when he was ordered to take him and offer him to God on Mount Moriah as a sacrifice. He obeyed, and this, his ready compliance to the will of the Almighty, was the first grand offering, which is, to this day, commemorated among Freemasons. God, however, was pleased to substitute a more agreeable victim in the stead of Isaac, and to reiterate to Abraham his gracious promises." ARCHDEACON MANT.

Ir is said that a Mason's Lodge rests on HOLY GROUND, in reference to a certain locality within the confines of Judea, which was consecrated by the presence of the Deity, and was, indeed, the place which he had chosen for his habitation to put his name there. This was the sacred mountain of Moriah; to which Freemasonry refers on several occasions, as the scene of many remarkable events, each of which forms a feature in the system. One of these occurrences will be the subject of the present lecture. It is of equal importance to Freemasonry and Christianity,' as the

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Our Blessed Saviour told the Jews, that Abraham had seen his day, and rejoiced at it; from whence it is concluded that Abraham had a knowledge of Jesus Christ to come, and that, by looking