New Shun 1730

During the carriage ride, John Hancock was imagining what kind of questions and tests the Freemasons would ask, and how he should respond in order to join this mysterious organization that seemed to have mastered all the mysteries since the birth of mankind.

The darkness in front of him brought him a different experience in perception, and it also magnified the drama in his heart.

About an hour later, the carriage stopped moving.

He heard the sound of the carriage opening, and also felt a hand holding his hand, leading him down from the carriage.

Then, he heard the creaking sound of the door closing.

Faintly, he heard delicate hymns or other music mixed with ethereal instruments coming from inside.

The scarf was still tied around his eyes, and Hancock tried to lift his eyelids, but his eyes were still dark.

The person holding his hand led him forward slowly. Hancock could feel that he was stepping on a carpet, a very thick carpet that seemed to be cashmere.

After walking forward a distance, the person holding his hand let go.

Hancock didn't know what happened, but he was sure that his soul didn't feel the door now. At least, he felt that way, without any special vision, mystery, or magical perception.

He didn't shout or try to ask anything, but just stood there silently waiting.

It was dark in front of him, and time seemed to have lost its meaning. Hancock had no idea how long he had been standing here.

Suddenly, a low voice came from a distance, and this voice was dull and echoed in the room, like a heavy drumbeat beating his heart.

[As the prophet Isaiah said: I send my messenger before you to make your way. There is a call in the wild, and his voice says, Prepare the way of the Lord and make it straight. Later, John came and baptized in the wild, preaching the baptism of repentance, so that sins can be forgiven...]

[We will work together, and it has been passed down from ancient times. The power of the mortal world cannot break the foundation of our association. ]

[The first purpose and foundation of our society is to preserve and teach to our descendants a certain important mystery... It has been handed down to us from eternity, even from the first man in the universe, and the fate of mankind may depend on this mystery. ]

[But this mystery has such characteristics that no one can understand it and apply it unless he purifies himself for a long time and diligently, and strives to cultivate his character. No one can quickly obtain this mystery. ]

[Therefore, our second purpose is to train our members as much as possible, correct their hearts, purify and enlighten their minds, and thus lead them to have the ability to understand this mystery with the help of methods taught to us by those who have worked hard to explore this mystery. ]

[Finally, while purifying and transforming our members, we will also do everything possible to transform all mankind. ]

[Transform mankind, taking me as a model. ]

[Set up a model of piety and virtue for all mankind among our members, so as to do our best to oppose the evil that controls the world... I will distinguish between good and evil. 】

The low voice stopped abruptly after saying that good and evil are separated.

Hancock felt his legs trembling uncontrollably when he heard these grand words, as if he was standing on the top of a mountain overlooking the world.

It was not fear.

It was not uneasiness.

It was more like a certain force in the body was released, the heart was beating violently, but he didn't know where to vent this force, so he could only rely on the shaking of his body unconsciously to remove this force.

Mystery, fate, purification, good and evil, and the transformation of all mankind...

These words were like rolling hemp leaves into tobacco, or drinking a large cup of spiritual tea prepared by northern Indians with rhododendron leaves to communicate with the gods.

Through the not-so-thick gauze in front of him, Hancock found that the darkness in front of him had dissipated.

A ray of light, through the thin gauze, bloomed in front of his eyes.

The light was right in front of him, so bright that the gauze could not hinder it.

After a long period of darkness that covered my eyes, this vague brightness through a layer of veil was really like light spilling from the dark clouds.

White.

Like milk.

It was like, after losing myself in the long darkness, I finally saw a door.

Some light shone through the cracks of the door.

It seemed that as long as I approached and opened the door, my soul would reach a world I had never reached before.

"What a mysterious feeling! Is this the feeling of the soul sensing the door?"

Hancock sighed in his heart, believing that this was the soul touch that the Freemason guide had talked about before.

So he knelt devoutly on the carpet, facing the direction of the white light.

He reached behind his head and untied the knot of the veil.

The moment he untied the knot, the veil slipped off, and a chant-like harmony came from the distance.

【sic transit gloria mundi】

【The prosperity of the world is fleeting】

【Purify the soul and contain the light】

Hancock was shocked by such a chant, slowly raised his head, and looked forward with eyes that were not used to the light.

There was a table in front of him, facing him, with a long tasseled tablecloth hanging down.

A special cross that looked like a compass with its legs spread out was hanging on the tablecloth.

On the table, there was a book upside down.

The cover of the book is black. When the book is open, it is spread front and back and buckled at a right angle.

Next to the book, there is an oil lamp arranged in a strange pattern. If you look down from the sky, you can see that it is a pattern of shining stars.

Behind the oil lamp, there are two mirrors.

The oil lamp itself also carries a strange, mysterious aura.

Oil lamps contain lamp oil, not glass, ceramics, tin, or iron.

It's a skull, and it's a skull with teeth.

The inside of the skull is filled with grease, and the long wick is constantly flashing. Under the reflection of the mirror, it is like opening a door to the light in the darkness.

There are seven skulls in total.

The same number of steps as the legendary Solomon's Temple.

Beside the oil lamp and the table, stood a man in black robes, with a black hood covering his head, and holding a strangely decorated staff in his hand.

On the staff, some symbols that are not weird and are even common in life are embossed in gold and silver.

In other words, it is more like some kind of ancient and primitive hieroglyphic or cuneiform writing.

day.

moon.

hammer.

Ink lines.

Lead pendant.

shovel.

compass.

square……

The man in black wearing a hood stretched out his staff to Hancock and called him "Seeker".

"Seekers, come forward..."

Hancock stood up, already shocked by such a ceremony. The flashing lights on the skull were a little dazzling after being reflected in the mirror.

He realized that the "seeker" was referring to him.

So he squinted his eyes and walked towards the table.

When he walked to the table, he noticed that the book lying upside down on the table, with the front and back covers spread at right angles, was the Gospel.

The man wearing a hood handed the Gospel to Hancock and said: "Please put your hands on the Gospel and listen to the purpose of this church."

Hancock placed the Gospel on the table, pressed one hand on the Gospel, and listened quietly to the leader's explanation of the rules that were as many as the number of days since God created the world.

"First, the secrets of Freemasonry must be strictly guarded."

"The second rule is to obey the hierarchy in the association."

"Article 3: Be of good conduct. Purify your soul, distinguish between good and evil, do good and don't do evil."

"Article 4: Love human beings. But love those who are truly on the right path, not those who are bewitched by demons."

"Article 5, be brave. Not only face the enemies you can see, but also be brave enough to face the filth in your heart. It is also a kind of bravery to always examine the filth in your heart."

"Article 6: Generosity."

"Article 7, Dedication. Always think of devotion, and try your best to make yourself feel that death is no longer a terrible enemy, but a friend...Death can save your soul that has been tortured by spiritual practice from a life full of disasters. free it from it and bring it into the resting place of His reward..."

After Hancock repeated the seven rules, the leader placed his staff engraved with those strange runes in front of Hancock.

"We as Freemasons impart doctrines and knowledge not just by language and writing, but by methods that are more convenient for the soul to perceive."

“These methods can be of greater use to those who sincerely seek wisdom and virtue than verbal explanations.”

"If your heart is sincere, then the runes on this staff you see will explain everything to your heart more powerfully than words."

"If you haven't seen it yet, it's because your heart is not pure yet. When it is pure, and you see some symbols, some decorations, a house, a boat, or even everything in the world, your soul will understand to everything He wants to convey."

"We, Freemasons, imitate ancient societies and reveal the truth with the help of pictographic symbols. Pictograms are names of things that are not subject to emotion. The symbols that your eyes can see are only superficial symbols of things."

"Only through the feeling of the soul, or in other words, you have to use the mind and soul outside the eyes to see everything, can you understand these symbols. It can only be understood, not expressed in words, and cannot be expressed in words, because this cannot be expressed in words or words. What eyes, ears, and language can describe and understand, only through the eyes of the soul can we touch the surface of truth through these pictographic symbols.”

"When your soul's perception can already see the meaning conveyed by these pictographic runes, you can go one step further and use the eyes of your soul to see everything and the world. Even if you look at a tree, you can see the meaning in it. The ultimate principle of creation.”

"These hieroglyphic runes are like..."

The host thought for a moment and made a metaphor.

"It's like a training tool to train you and let you learn to use your soul to perceive everything. This is the accumulation of wisdom from thousands of generations. People cannot directly see the world with the eyes of the soul. They can only use these pictograms first. Text trains your perception, just like a baby pushing a stroller when trying to walk, until one day walking no longer requires you to control nature..."

Hancock understood these words carefully, but he seemed to understand them, and when he thought about them carefully, they seemed infinitely mysterious.

At first glance, a compass is a compass, but at second glance, it is not a compass. Finally, when you learn to use the eyes of the soul, you can see all things and understand the supreme principle.

These runes are like an auxiliary exercise tool to guide members to get started. Once you enter, you can use the method of looking at these symbols to see everything else.

However, Hancock looked at it for a long time and didn't see anything. He just felt that what the host said seemed to make sense.

Perhaps, for example, if you look at a sheep kneeling there and drinking goat's milk, you cannot see that it is a lamb eating. That is what the eyes can see, or what the eyes can see because their souls are stained by the world. A representation.

The eyes of the soul should see from it the supreme truth contained in the world: for example, a life kneels down to thank Him for giving life, food and the entire world.

Not even this, just an advanced stage. A truly purified soul and a tempered mind should see the grander and more distant supreme principle of one law connecting all laws.

Since one Dharma can lead to all Dharmas, if you take out any one of the Ten Thousand Dharmas, even if it is a tree, a piece of grass, or even a dung ball rolled by a dung beetle, you can comprehend the supreme truth and wisdom.

While he was thinking, the host told him about the last rites before his initiation.

In other words, an obedience test.

"Please do as I say next and take off your clothes to show your obedience."

"Obey?" Hancock was a little surprised by this word.

"Yes, obey. It is not to obey me, nor to the person in charge of the hut, nor even to the grand master or chief of the grand hotel. But, to obey this supreme truth."

Hancock felt a little confused in his mind, but it seemed that what the other person said made sense. He was not obeying him, but he represented the will of the supreme truth.

Now that he had come to this step, he did not struggle with the issue of "obedience". Instead, he followed the guide's reminder and continued step by step.

Following the prompts, he took off his coat, jacket and leather boot on his left foot, and rolled up his left trouser leg above his knee.

After doing this, he subconsciously wanted to take off his right boot as well, but the receptionist stopped him and signaled that he only needed to take off the left boot.

Then, the host said the last words to welcome him into the meeting.

【My brother! 】

[In our temples we recognize no other degrees than that between virtue and vice. 】

[Please be careful not to cause damage except the grade difference between virtue and vice. 】

[Whenever a Freemason brother is in trouble, he must rush to help his brothers and sisters. 】

[You must teach those who have gone astray, lift up those who have fallen, and you should never hold grudges or hostility toward your brothers and sisters. 】

【Be kind and approachable. Kindle the flame of virtue in every heart. And share happiness with others, never letting jealousy disturb this pure joy. 】

[...By carrying out the supreme canon in this way, you will be able to search for the lost ancient solemn and majestic soul relics in your soul...]

After saying this, the receptionist extended his hand to Hancock.

As if he had just smoked a whole cigarette, Hancock drowsily reached out his hand and shook it with the host. He was filled with excitement and could not believe that he had become brothers with these members of the Freemasonry. .

In other words, he has become a member of the Masonic Brotherhood.

He didn't know much about this organization, but some semi-public information and rumors made him have an inexplicable admiration for the organization's forceful character.

He just comes from a businessman family. Although his uncle is a wealthy businessman in Boston, his social reputation is still low after all.

And now he knows that among the members of the Freemasonry in North America - only he knows, or semi-publicly - who doesn't promote the organization's style?

Think about it.

The grand commander of the headquarters is the Duke of Norfolk, who was from a prominent family during the War of the Roses.

The acting head of the Grand Lodge of England is Viscount Montague.

In North America, among the semi-public organization members, which one does not have a very high reputation and is the real top class of society?

Benjamin Franklin, former warden of the North American Chapter and current Grand Master of Pennsylvania. At this time, he was the minister of the British North American Postal Department and a scientist.

Jeremiah Grindley, founder of the Boston Bar Association and professor at Harvard Law School, whose students include John Adams, William Cushing, James Otis...these are all barristers who have become famous in North America in recent years. , are all his disciples.

William Allen, chief justice of the Supreme Court of thirteen states in North America.

... Even the person closest to him is the respected Joseph Warren, the best doctor in Boston. Compared with a businessman like him, his social status is still higher, and he is well-read and well-versed in Greek and Roman affairs. Plato opened his mouth and Socrates closed his mouth.

Although his family was wealthy, after all, this was the first great awakening of the Puritan religious revival. As well as the strong religious atmosphere of the integration of politics and religion before Massachusetts, even a large businessman family like his still lags behind in terms of traditional social status in Massachusetts.

The first version of City on a Hill clearly aimed to establish a religious colony, and merchants were third-class people in Puritan thought.

Scholars, farmers and workers, and then businessmen.

The first-class priests, the second-class yeoman farmers and farmers, as well as craftsmen, craftsmen, lawyers, doctors, etc., and the third-class merchants who buy low and sell high, of course, are nominally a little higher than loan sharks.

Although, generally speaking, those who are ranked as scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans are basically bullshit in the later period. However, in terms of the overall religious atmosphere and social moral sentiment... Hancock is still a little behind those semi-public Freemasons he has heard of, such as Franklin, Grindley, etc.

Hancock was certainly excited to think of entering such a circle, such an elite, and even a high-class small circle that holds the supreme truth and wisdom of mankind.

In excitement, he followed the guidance of the guide and walked towards a door.

"On the other side of the door, your brothers are waiting for you, waiting to welcome new members, and celebrating the addition of another member to our brothers."

The guide said, pointing to the door.

Then, the oil lamp of the skull behind went out, and a lot of light came out from the gap of the door.

Hancock couldn't stop his trembling hands, pushed open the door, and imagined the scene inside.

And, most importantly, the people inside.

What kind of people would that be?

What kind of elite would that be?

How high-class will this mysterious little circle be that he joined?

Pushing the door open with trembling hands, Hancock cast his eyes on the people inside.

Then...

Instantly.

He felt physically nauseous.

It wasn't because there was a sea of ​​blood and corpses inside.

If that were the case, he would be nervous and excited, perhaps with a little fear, but not physically nauseous or wanting to vomit.

It wasn't because there was a magical, heavenly holy light scene inside. If that were the case, he would feel excited and worshipful, perhaps with a little uneasiness and inferiority, but not physically nauseous or wanting to vomit.

He had imagined what kind of scene he would see.

But everything in front of him was something he had never thought of.

Not because it was hard to imagine.

But because it was too ordinary, so he had never thought of it.

Looking at the familiar people one by one, Hancock thought about the long and mysterious ceremonies just now, and his stomach churned a little.

There were too many people who greeted him inside that he usually saw and even looked down upon.

Paul Levi, the silversmith in this town, is also his senior brother? He was actually more qualified than himself to join this high-class circle?

John Rowe, a slave trader, was belittled by his uncle more than once when chatting with others, saying that he was a short-sighted villain - the price of the slave was agreed to be 35 dollars, but John Rowe reduced the price by 50 cents and sold it for 34.5 dollars.

Ebenezer McIntosh, a shoemaker, and a not-so-good shoemaker. He was the leader of the unemployed hooligans in the town. Someone described him as saying that if you give him 10 silver coins, he can take people to the street and smash the competitor's store to pieces...

Hancock thought that with such a ritualistic initiation ceremony and such a mysterious organization, the people in it must be at least people like Joseph Warren.

But he didn't expect... it was a group of people who he often saw, who had peed and fought with him when they were young, who had borrowed money from his house when they grew up, or who had flattered his uncle and whose social status was lower than his.

Hancock thought that after joining the organization, everyone was a brother and a person of the same level. Joseph Warren was still tolerable, but the rest, such as Franklin, the Attorney General, the President of the Bar Association, the Duke of Norfolk, etc., were all equal after joining the association, and he and them were instantly the same.

But now, it was such a group of people, a group of people who were inferior to him...

It was hard to describe Hancock's mood at this moment, or it was hard to describe his physical disgust at this moment.

It was like...

It was like some people in the future, who waited for a long time, or saved for a long time, and finally got a ticket to a high-end club or a high-end restaurant.

I thought that after entering, my status would be the same as the rest of the people who entered, and it would be improved all of a sudden.

So I dressed up carefully, took out my best clothes, and went in with great interest. Just when I was about to pose for a photo, I found that a person wearing slippers and a cross-bar vest was sitting next to me. Sitting in a small circle of the same level as me.