114 BOOK BRAHMANISM laird of the family of the biographer of Dr. Johnson. His appearance in the Lodge of Edinburgh at a meeting held at Holyrood in June, 1600, affords the earliest authentic instance of a person being a member of the Masonic Fraternity who was not an architect or builder by profession. He signed his name and made his mark as did the Operatives. or the Book Revealing Light to the Soul. Great! Boswell, John (of Auchinleck). A Scottish dependence was had, as to the immediate attainment of celestial happiness, upon the human knowledge of this wonderful Book, especially of the principal chapters. On a sarcophagus of the eleventh dynasty (chronology of Prof. Lepsius, say B.C. 2420) is this inscription: "He who knows this book is one who, in the day of the resurrection of the underworld, arises and enters in; but if he does not Bourn. A limit or boundary; a word faknow this chapter, he does not enter in so soon miliar to the Mason in the Monitorial Instrucas he arises." The conclusion of the first chap-tions of the Fellow-Craft's Degree, where he is ter says: "If a man knows this book thorough-directed to remember that we are traveling ly, and has it inscribed upon his sarcophagus, he upon the level of time to that undiscovered will be manifested in the day in all the forms country from whose bourn no traveler rethat he may desire, and entering into his turns; and to the reader of Shakespeare, from abode will not be turned back" (Tiele's Hist. whom the expression is borrowed, in the beau Egyptian Rel., p. 25.) tiful soliloquy of Hamlet: "Who would fardels bear, The Egyptian belief was that portions of the Book were written by the finger of Thoth, To grunt and sweat under a weary life; back in the mist of time, B.C. 3000. The But that the dread of something after deathone hundred and twenty-fifth chapter de- The undiscovered country, from whose bourn scribes the last judgment. The oldest pre-No traveller returns-puzzles the will." served papyrus is of the eighteenth dynasty (B.C. 1591, Lep.). The most perfect copy of this Book is in the Turin Museum, where it covers one side of the walls, in four pieces, 300 feet in length. The following extract is from the first chapter: "Says Thot to Osiris, King of Eternity, I am the great God in the divine boat; I fight for thee; I am one of the divine chiefs who are the TRUE LIVING WORD of Osiris. I am Thot, who makes to be real the word of Horus against his enemies. The word of Osiris against his enemies made truth in Thot, and the order is executed by Thot. I am with Horus on the day of celebrating the festival of Osiris, the good Being, whose Word is truth; I make offerings to Ra (the Sun); I am a simple priest in the underworld, anointing in Abydos, elevating to higher degrees of initiation; I am prophet in Abydos on the day of opening or upheaving the earth. I behold the mysteries of the door of the underworld; I direct the ceremonies of Mendes; I am the assistant in the exercise of their functions; I AM GRAND MASTER OF THE CRAFTSMEN WHO SET UP THE SACRED ARCH FOR A SUPPORT. (See Truth.) Book of the Fraternity of Stonemasons. Some years ago, a manuscript was discovered in the archives of the city of Cologne bearing the title of Brüderschaftsbuch der Steinmetzen, with records going back to the year 1396. Steinbrenner (Orig. and Early Hist. of Masonry, p. 104) says: "It fully confirms the conclusions to be derived from the German Constitutions, and those of the English and Scotch Masons, and conclusively proves the inauthenticity of the celebrated Charter of Cologne." Books, Anti-Masonic. See Anti-Masonic Books. Border, Tesselated. See Tesselated Border. Bosonien, The (or Bossonius). The Fourth Degree of the African Architects, also called the "Christian Philosopher." (Thory, A. L., i., 297.) Act III., Scene 1. Box of Fraternal Assistance. A box of convenient shape and size under the charge of the Hospitaler or Almoner, in the Modern French and A. A. Scottish Rites, wherein is collected the obligatory contributions of the duly assembled Brethren at every convocation, which collections can only be used for secret charitable purposes, first among the members, but if not there required, among worthy pro fane; the Master and the Hospitaler being the only ones cognizant of the name of the beneficiary, together with the brother who suggests an individual in need of the assistance. Box-Master. In the Lodges of Scotland the Treasurer was formerly sometimes so called. Thus, in the minutes of the Lodge of Journeymen Masons of Edinburgh, it was resolved, on December 27, 1726, that the Warden be instructed "to uplift and receive for the use of the society all such sum or sums of money which are due and indebted to them or their former Box-masters or his predecessors in office." Boys' School. The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys is a charity of the Masons of England. It was founded in the year 1798, for clothing and educating the sons of indigent and deceased Brethren, according to the situation in life they are most probably destined to occupy, and inculcating such religious instruction as may be conformable to the tenets of their parents, and ultimately apprenticing them to suitable trades. It is still existing in a flourishing condition. Similar schools have been established by the Masons of France and Germany. Brahmanism. The religious system practised by the Hindus. It presents a profound and spiritual philosophy, strangely blended with the basest superstitions. The Veda is the Brahmanical Book of the Law, although the older hymns springing out of the primitive Aryan religion have a date far anterior to that |