Older gentleman introduced Prince Adam Czartoryski to the vaulted hall , upholstered black pall . Silently pointed to a chair , bowed and left. The young candidate to lodge the “Temple of Isis ” gazed in awe at standing on the table a skull and crossbones scattered around her . Prince wondered if this bleak scenery will be subjected to some cruel attempt.
The Blue Room 1 level remained invisible to the profane , the candidate arriving for the first time to the headquarters of the Masonic . One of the brothers introduced him first to the black room thinking , also known as penitential chamber filled with alchemical symbols whose meaning profan not understand. Then ordered him to sit at the black table and write philosophical testament . The decor of the room was as mysterious : the walls were hung moral maxims , images hourglass and a rooster , and on the table, in addition to the skull , there were bins with sulfur and salt.
I wonder what he could think of Prince Adam Czartoryski , when Brother terrible ( this from initiation ) introduced him to the penitential . Warsaw lodge “Temple of Isis “, which he joined in the 90s the eighteenth century, was surrounded by a wall of secrecy. Biggest secret Masonic lodges were their rituals . Joining the lodge meant symbolic death and rebirth into another , more rational and dignified life . Candidate in one evening became a disciple. learned m al . , that standing on Selo sulfur symbolizes the active and creative forces of nature , salt is balanced , hourglass turns to dust the material world and the dark walls and the skull is a black phase of the alchemical process , the step of death and distribution . yet this death meant only to abandon thoughts of material things . to a new life calling him a cock , proclaiming the end of the night and day of birth , or the triumph of light over darkness . before the candidate was in the blue room , had to meet a few conditions . rid of any metal objects , which meant nothing but a waiver of wealth, but also getting rid of prejudices and superstitions. In this way released from the passions that surged profanas . He became clean, card blanks , which lodge stressed the new rules in the philosophical testament presented his ideals , the implementation of which enabled him to flight presented the membership also its relationship to God and the people left outside in the ” profane ” world.
Next brother scary , still exercising on it Opiela , told him to lay bare left breast , left foot and right leg to the knee . The candidate blindfolded in his whimsical outfit knocked on the door of the temple . When asked about the motives of action, have to answer that hopes in God. Then I put my brother scary dagger into his chest , warning him that the blow to the heart is the penalty for perjurers . An essential part of an initiation rite was a trip . In Warsaw “Temple of Isis ” she ran through the four elements , which correspond to the directions of the world : the air – east , fire – south water – west and earth – the north. Trip was held by the candidate was an attempt , that it was clearing and changed from the profane to the initiate . this asceticism led to Masonic gnosis , true knowledge to the initiated . then the ” fulfillment ” witchcraft bitterness candidate took the oath on the Bible , compass and T-square , symbols of the Great Architect of the world, or God in the Masonic meaning . Of course, the promise was full of magical spells . Then take off the master candidate loincloth , or ” gave him light.” After seven bizarre steps initiated received an apron and white gloves. He became a disciple , learned the password and identification lodge degree , as well as room bruised blue cloth. This color was not only the color of the sky , but also tolerance. champion gave a speech in which fresh Mason explained the symbolism depicted on the carpet student lodge. Having met a few other rituals we all sat down to agapa – exquisite meal .
A student who at the end of the feast saw a rites , he was wrong . Master – Most Reverend – struck with a mallet on the table. On this question the brothers gathered in the lodge table began a conversation , eat refined foods, singing songs and toasts erected . When midnight came , we all went to their homes. The student returned to the world of the profane , but he was a different , newly born human. Apparently Masonic lodges had nothing to hide, of course, except for some internal affairs . The secret ritual site was covered assembly , and programs of action , philosophical foundations and organizational structures were open.
Freemasons attributed to practicing the dark practice , however , such as black masses . They also had to be the authors of a global conspiracy tied to overthrow the monarchy and the Church. Definitely overrated their political role . Because of the democratic nature of the lodges and blamed them responsible for the French Revolution and the union unfavorable to the Holy See. Hunting for Masons , conducted in the twentieth -century totalitarian states , contributed to the legend of the martyr movement. Freemasonry was attributed to excessive participation in the progress of civilization mankind in the last 300 years.
Although reliable research , including Polish historians , the origin and ideological matters Masonic movement is still shrouded in mystery . It is impossible to determine at which point the medieval guilds of masons and architects transformed the esoteric associations sophisticated intellectuals , but also pseudo . They were called temples or orders, which may be associated with the Knights Templar .
In turn, the symbols that are used by the Freemasons during their rituals , are in the form of tools used by medieval builders of the Gothic cathedrals . Most enlightened people looked indulgently on some of the practices of Freemasons . It is also difficult to take seriously today alchemy or try to solve moral crises using astrology , magic and the Kabbalah .
The multiplicity of theories and ritual symbols that Freemasonry borrowed from various religious and philosophical systems , has introduced a huge conceptual muddle . Deepened his Scottish nobleman , Michel de Ramsay , adopted in 1730 to lodge in Westminster. That citizen of the world has abandoned the Anglican Church in sequence for the Quakers , Anabaptists , and Presbyterians . When he felt disappointed Protestant denominations , converted to Catholicism . In 1737 introduced its own program of Freemasonry , referring to the Rosicrucians – German and English precursors of the movement.
