[81] The world being animated by man, says Creuzer, in his learned work on Symbolism, received from him the two sexes, represented by heaven and the earth.  Heaven, as the fecundating principle, was male, and the source of fire; the earth, as the fecundated, was female, and the source of humidity.  All things issued from the alliance of these two principles.  The vivifying powers of the heavens are concentrated in the sun, and the earth, eternally fixed in the place which it occupies, receives the emanations from the sun, through the medium of the moon, which sheds upon the earth the germs which the sun had deposited in its fertile bosom.  The Lingam is at once the symbol and the mystery of this religious idea.

[82] Such was the opinion of some of the ancient sun-worshippers, whose adorations were always performed in the open air, because they thought no temple was spacious enough to contain the sun; and hence the saying, “Mundus universus est templum solis”—­the universe is the temple of the sun.  Like our ancient brethren, they worshipped only on the highest hills.  Another analogy.

[83] Asgard, the abode of the gods, is shaded by the ash tree, Ydrasil, where the gods assemble every day to do justice.  The branches of this tree extend themselves over the whole world, and reach above the heavens.  It hath three roots, extremely distant from each other:  one of them is among the gods; the second is among the giants, where the abyss formerly was; the third covers Niflheim, or hell, and under this root is the fountain Vergelmer, whence flow the infernal rivers.—­Edda, Fab. 8.

[84] Exod. iii. 5.

[85] Commentaries in loco.

[86] Commentary on Exod. iii. 5.

[87] Iamblichi Vita Pythag. c. 105.  In another place he says, “[Greek:  Thy/ein chre\ a)nypo/deton, kai pro\s ta i(era\ prostie/nai],”—­We must sacrifice and enter temples with the shoes off.  Ibid. c. 85.

[88] “Quod etiam nunc apud plerasque Orientis nationes piaculum sit, calceato pede templorum pavimenta calcasse.”

[89] Beth Habbechirah, cap. vii.

[90] Histor.  Landm. vol. ii. p. 481.

[91] “Non datur nobis potestas adeundi templum nisi nudibus pedibus.”

[92] Commentaries, ut supra.

[93] See a paper “on the religious ceremonies of the Hindus,” by H.T.  Colebrooke, Esq. in the Asiatic Researches, vol. vi. p. 357.

[94] A Specimen of the Critical History of the Celtic Religion and Learning.  Letter ii.  Sec. xvii.

[95] Dr. Oliver, referring to the “twelve grand points in Masonry,” which formed a part of the old English lectures, says, “When the candidate was intrusted, he represented Asher, for he was then presented with the glorious fruit of masonic knowledge, as Asher was represented by fatness and royal dainties.”—­Hist.  Landm., vol. i. lect. xi. p. 313.