Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-02-15

Time-Masonic and other Computation.
The Masonic fraternity are alone in their
method of reckoning time, commencing the
computation from the creation of the world,
thus ga L. $780, -4nno Lacis, in The gear
of lqHt, 1856. Our era is that of creation.
The Masonic theory is adopted in the au.
thorized version of the Bible as received
by Protestants, and is that of Usher, Phi
deaux and others. Learned chronologists
differ in their extreme dates upwards OF
$4,000 years. The Talmudists fix it at 5344
years before Christ, the vulgar JEWS at
376O, the Hebrew text 4161, Petavius,
which is that of the Roman Church, 1884.
The Chaldon and Egyptian year dated
from the autumnal equinox. The ecclesi-
astical year of the Jews began in the spring,
but in civil affairs they retain the epoch OF
the Egyptian year. The year of Romulus
commenced in March, and that of Numa in
February. The Turks and Arabs date their
year from the 10Th of July. Dremschild or
Gemschild, king OF Persia, observed on the
day of his public entry into Persepolis, that
the sun entered Aries, and in commemora-
ton of this fortunate event he ordained the
beginning of the year to be removed from
the autumnal to the vernal equinox. The
Brachmum begin the year with the new
moon III April Lilo MeAICauS OeSlu Ill
February, when the leaves begin to grow
green. Their year consists of eighteen
months, having twenty days in each the
last five are spent in mirth, and no bust
ness is suffered to be done, nor even any
service in the temples. The Abyssinians
have five idle days at the end of their year.
which commences Oh the 3Oth of August
The American Indians reckon from the
| first appearance of the moon at the vernal
equinox Mohammedans begin their year
the minute in which the sun enters Aries.
| The Venetians, Florentines, and Pisans in
Italy begin the year at the vernal equinox.
The French year, during the reign of the
Merovingian race, began on the day on
which the troops were reviewed, which was
| the first of March Under the Carloving ians
it began on Christmas day, and under the
Capetians on Easter day. The ecclesiastical
year begins on the first Sunday in Advent.
Charles TX. appointed, in 1924, that the
civil year should commence on the LIST of
January. The Julian calendar, which was
SO called from Julius Caesar, and as the old
account of the year was reformed ny Pope
Gregory in 1882, which plan was suggest
ed by JEWS Lilo, Calmirn astronomer.
The Dutch and the Protestants in Germany
introduced the new style in 100. The an
cient clergy reckoned from the 25th of
March, and the method was observed in
Britain until the introduction of the new
style, A. D. 1852 after which our year
commenced on the LIST of January.
It must not be supposed that the epoch
from which we date indicates that We re-
gard our institution as coeval with the Gre
alton of the world. While our principles
were born with the creation and will con-
tinue to the end of the world, we cannot
say that the elements of the institution, in
organized form, can be distinctly traced
beyond the building of Solomon's Temple
Notwithstanding all the diatribes from
France, we still think that the organization,
rituals and practices of Freemasonry shows
its origin. Take away from it Jewish ira
ditions, ceremOnlals and customs, and what
is there remaining
Our Masonic mode Of computing time in
dicates our common origin. The Jews
reckon from A1ano N,mdi, in the year of
the world, of the same meaning as Axno
LuciS.
Dionysius Exigus, in A.D. 532, first in
troduced among the Christians the date of
the birth of Christ fixing it enormously
four years too early. We, as Masons, in
dating from the commencement of the
world, only continue a Masonic usage
The Christians continued it for five hun
dred years, without censure, and surely
AaSOnS may now do 1t.
Royal Arch Masons date from the build
ing of the second temple by Zerubbabel,
five hundred and thirty five years before
Christ. Their date is Ammo Inventions,
2401. The Knights Templar date from the
establishment of their order in 1118, Ammo
Ordinis, 74S. Royal and Select Masters
from the completion of the temple, Ammo
Dispositions, 1856. The modern rites have
dates peculiar to themselves.
The Jews celebrate certain days in each
year by feasts. The following are the most
important to be known by Freemasons
Feast of the Passover, celebrated 18th
Nissan.
Morrow of the Passover, celebrated 18th
Nissan.
End of the Passover, celebrated 22nd
Nissan.
Feast of Penticost, celebrated 9th Swan.
Feast of the New Year, celebrated 1st
Tisri.
Feast of Tabernacles celebrated 18th
Tisri.
Feast of Palms, celebrated Dist Tisri.
End of the Feast of Tabernacles, cele-
brated 22d Tisri
Rejoicing for discovery of the law, cele-
brated Odd Tisri
Conservation of the Temple, celebrated
25th Chislen.
lDeHable EreemasOns observe certain 9th
er days. some of which are favorably re-
garded by the Jews, as
The Feast commemorative of the Recon-
struction of the Temple, 23d Adar.
Feast commemorative of the return from
Babylon Goth of Thebet.
Days of the Vernal and Autumnal Equi-
noXes.
They also, in the various grades of Free
masonry, observe Easter Day, Christian
Penticost, or Whit-Sunday, the fifteenth
day, or seventh Sunday after yesterday
the Day of st. John the Baptist, oath of
June; All Saints Day, LIST November; Christ
mas day 25th December; and the Day of
st. John the Evangelist, December 9th.
National FreeneaS0n.
n Cat