Page:Manual of the Lodge.pdf/69

24 mystical dance around the cairn or altar of sacred stone. On these occasions, the priest always made three circuits, from east to west, around the altar, having it on his right hand, and accompanied by all the worshipers. And this sacred journey was nailed, in the Celtic language, Deiseal, from two words, signifying the right hand and the sun, in allusion to the mystical object of the ceremony and the peculiar manner in which it was performed.

Hence we find, in the universal prevalence of this ceremony and in the invariable mode of passing from the east to the west by the way of the south, with, consequently, the right hand on side to the altar, a pregnant evidence of the common source of all these rites from some primitive origin, to which Freemasonry is also indebted for its existence. The circumambulation among the Pagan nations was referred to the great doctrine of Sabaism, or sun-worship. Freemasonry alone has preserved the primitive meaning, which was a symbolic allusion to the sun as the source of physical light, and the most wonderful work of the Grand Architect of the Universe. The reason assigned for the ceremony in the modern lectures of and  is absolutely beneath criticism. The Lodge represents the world; the three principal officers represent the sun in his three principal positions—at rising, at meridian, and at setting. The circumambulation, therefore, alludes to the apparent course of the solar orb, through these points, around the world. This is with us its astronomical symbolism. But its intellectual symbolism is, that the circumambulation and the obstructions at various points refer to the labors and difficulties of the student in his progress from intellectual darkness or ignorance to intellectual light or TRUTH.

The following passage of Scripture is used during the ceremony:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments;