Page 1st from page 34 [of "An explanation of the Masonic Plate; showing the emblems of each degree from the entered apprentice to the Royal Arch or Five Orders of Masonry" by John Harris published in Bristol, England in 1839.]
I shall here add a little further on Masonry
^17)^ King Solomon's officers appointed before he commenced
the work of the Temple. [1 Kings 4:7-19]
HKing Solomon appointed Deputy Grand Master
the Illustrious Tito prince Harodin, Senior Grand
warden; And the Noble prince Adoniram, Junior
Grand Warden [1 Kings 4:1-6]; the number of them Employed, aranged,
and classed in every Department of this work was ats
follows—The first, Harodin princes, Rulers or provosts
three Hundred; Secondly, Mon Atzchism or overseers,
as the fifteen and comforters of the people in working
these were expert workman & named by King Solomon
masters meaning mMasters over the workman to
the number of 3,300; thirdly Shiblim, named Stone
Squarers, polishers and Sculptors, Hewers, Setters,
Layers, & Builders, [1 Kings 5] the were expert Fellowcraftsrese these
80,000 the number of ^Free^ Masons employed in the work of
the temple, exclusive of the Two Grand Masters Wardens;
113, 600, the men of burdens 70,000 not numbered as
Masons; in the qua^ar^ries were 750 lod[g]es, each containing
one master, two wardens, & eleven times seven brother,
which amount to 6,000 men; in the forest of Lebeanon were
420 lodges, with the same number in each which
^2nd^ make 33,600; the levy out of Israel had always
^18^ 20,000, at rest, and these sums make to gether 113,600,
The exact number employed at the work of the
temple, exclusive of the Ishsabbal, who were litterally
salaves to the workmon. It was 480 years after
the delivery of the children of Israel from their Egptian
bondage, [Exodus 15] that Solomon laid the foundation stone
at the North east angle of the Temple on Mount Moriah [2 Chronicles 3:1]
one of the th^r^ee hills of Jerrusalem; they were employed
th^r^ee years in preparing the materials for the
Building ^alsa^ for the Earth was raised 400 cubits, being
six hundred feet, in order to form it on a level
with the surface of the rock on which the building was
raised. Every [thing] being prepared, King Solomon, on the
Fourth year of his Reign and on the Second Day of the
Month, laid the Foundation stone, according to
the plan given by David his father upon the ark
of alliance; every energy was used to render it a perfect
specimen of art; every Stone, every piece of timber was
carved marked & numbered in the Quarry & ^in the^ forest
& nothing remained for the workmen at Jerrusalem
but to join the materials with precission, on a refferanceerance
to the marks & numbers given by the workmen.
^3rd^ and this was effected without the use of ax, hammer, or
^19^ or mettal tool, so that nothing was herd at Zion save
harmony & peace; theres appears to have been a curious
idea of pollution in the use of any Iron tools herd
about the Tabernacle, or holy structure (by the Masons)
as it seemed this command was given to Moses
by the Almighty on Mount Sinai, [Exodus 20], respecting
the construction of the Tabernacle, that no tools
of Iron to be used, giving in the strongest terms as
conveying pollution, but gold, silvers & wood; brass
work at a distance, for the sound was not to be herd is
the Tabernacle. The Temple of Solomon was ownly
a small building, & vary inferior in point of size
to some of our churches, its dimensions being
ownly 150 feet long and 135 feet broad, but its splendor
& superiority lay in the richness of its materials, it
was built of white marble so excellently put together
that even the joints could not be distinguished, & looked
as one entire stone, the timbers was of ceder & olive wood
covered with plates of gold & even studded with precious
Jewels; the Expense of the building & ornaments of this
Temple, it is said by Villopandus, amounted to £6,904,322,500 sterling
4th The value of the gold vessels alone was £545,296,203 sterling
^20^ and the silver was £439,344,000; added to this the wages,
provission, and other necessaries for 100,000 workmen
and 70,000 slaves for upwards of seven years; Besides
300 grand officers or masters and 3,300 overseers in whom,
in addition to their wages, King Solomon presented as a
free gift £6,763,977, Heroditus informs us the yearly
treasures imported from Ophir was £3,240,000 sterling
all of our money; his annual tribute from Dependant
nations, was £4,796,200 sterling. Solomon had
ships & sailed them to Ophir and Tarshish for gold, silver
& precious stones, which was the most valuable part
of his revenue; [1 Kings 9:28] [1 Kings 10:22] he visited those places in person & with
his usual wisdom superintended not ownly the
collages of naval architecture established there but also
the fitting out of his own ships for the improvement
of this important branch of traffic, which enabled him
to beautify the Temple with such splendour, to the
service of God A talent of Gold is £5,476 sterling
[5,476 x] 5 = 27275
^5th^ [from page 18 of "An explanation of the Masonic Plate; showing the emblems of each degree from the entered apprentice to the Royal Arch or Five Orders of Masonry" by John Harris published in Bristol, England in 1839.] Erected in the wilderness near Mount Sinai was to
worship the true & living God in, after Delivering the Israelites
from Egypt according to the commandments of God
this was the first place erected to form a Mason's Lodge &
Moses as Grand Master Joshua as his deputy & Eholiab &
Bezaleel his grand wardens; [Exodus 31:1-7] it was erected due east & west, and was
one hundred & fifty feet in length, & one hundred & five in
breadth consisting of th[r]ee divisions, or rooms, to represent
the th[r]ee churches of God on Earth, under the Mosaic dispensation
it was here Moses was visited by Jethro the priest, to whom
he had been indebted under the dispensation of Heaven
for the clear & perfect knowledge of our sScience which
appears to have been preserved in a most extraordinary
manner by some distinguished individual, even
in nations degraded by indolatrous practices, [Exodus 18] and the ark
was borne along with the Tabernacle, [Exodus 25:10-16] with two rods of gGold
with two Cherubs on the top, & extends from end to end &
it contained a square box called the Tabernacle of
the Law, the Ten Commandments the ^gold^ cup, that held the
manna, the figure fire of Incense, the Twel Twelve Rodseve
that was to scourge all that erred from the true, & Aaron's
Rod that buddeth; & this small Tabernacle was made
of Shittim Wood & cased with pure gold &c
^6th^ 5 The representation of Moses Rod, that he displayed his signs
before Pharoah, & his Magicians, &c. in the Court of Egypt. [Exodus 7]
5th The representations of the Arch resting on the chap[i]ters & it
denotes the rainbow. 5 Noah's Ark floating near to
Mount Arrarat Noah remained in the Ark 12 months and
10 days. he left it on the summit of a mountain in
Armenia, called Ararat, & the creatures in it were soon
dispensed over the Earth. 5 The representation of Noah & his
family; the first act of Noah after his escape from the general
destruction of all created flesh, was an act of gratitude
& de devotion to his great preserver; He erected an altartvotion
& offered a burnt offering of evry clean beast & fowl; Here God
covenanted with Noah, that he would no more destroy the
earth with water & placed a rainbow in the clouds as a token,
which was to remain as a perpetual memento of his most
gracious promise; Noah remained in the Ark while the waters
inundated the world for the space of six months, at the
expiration of which time the Ark, rested on Ararat; after rema-
ining about three months in that situation, Noah sent
out a raven that never returned afterwards, then he sent out
the dove that he might ascertain whether the waters had subsided
this Bird vary soon returned to the Ark, unable from the
prevalence of the waters to find a place of rest, at the end of
seven days he sent forth a dove a second time, which returned to
the Ark with an olive leaf in her mouth, as a token of peace &
reconciliation with God, [Genesis 8] & the olive branch has been adopted
^7th^ as a symbal of peace, by every nation under the Sun
when seven days were again expired he sent forth the Dove a third
time, which returned to him no more &c. & the length of Noah's
Ark was three hundred cubits, the breadth fifty & the hight thirty cubits
th[r]ee stories in height & lightened by one window in the upper story,
and built of gopher & cedar wood &c. [Genesis 6] 5th The representation of the
censor where the High priest burnt Incens in the Tabernacle to
the honour & praise of the great.
5 The representation of the coffin that contained Josephs bones as
he made the children of Israel sware before his death, that they
should bear his bones to the promised land, &c. [Joshua 24:29-32]
5 The Table that contained bread & Wine for the Hight Priest &c
5 The representation of St Peter, bearing the Keys of the Holy of Holies
or Sanctum Sanctorum
5th The two Globes of the chapiters represents the two Globes of Earth
and Heaven, & points out Masonry to be universal, they were
thus placed by the express direction of Solomon in preference
to the remarkable pillar of a cloud & of fire, which proved a
light & guide to the Israelites in their miraculous escape from
the Egyptian bondage; & covered with darkness to the Egyptians
proved their destruction in the Red Sea. [Exodus 14]
5th The representation of that Brilliant Star Prudence that is
elevated in st such a station that evry Mason's eye may
be upon it, to extend his heart, & influence his actions, that his
conscience may never condemn him for exceding the bounds
which prudence prescribes, & that he may always be animated
with the cheering reflections of his unqualified approbation,
as the starry zone of prudence like the broad & spangled stars ecliptic
8th Page Illuminated with studs of brilliant stars which
circumscribes the univers & forms the secret envelop of all
human virtue In Hoe Signo Vinces. By this thou shalt overcome
Bazalell and Aholiab were cunning workman, the same as so &
so as it was them that reared the Tent or Tabernacle under Moses
or Aaron in the wilderness, embroiderers in blue, and in Purple
& in Scarlet & in fine linen, & in gold, silver & Brass &c [Exodus 31:1-7]
5th The representation of the Masons arms a Lion an OX, a mMan, with
hands erected, properly robed in crimson, an Eagle displayed on
the crest, the Holy Ark of the Covenant properly supported by two
Cherubims. Motto—"Holiness To the Lord" [Exodus 39:30] the Cherubims had the
face of a Man the wings of an Eagle, the back & maine of a
Lion & lower parts were & feet were of a cCalf for the when the
Israelites were in the wilderness & encamped in four directions,
the standard of the tribe of Judah carried a Lion, the tribe
of Reuben a Man, as here described, and the tribe of Dan an
Eagle; those four standards compose a cherubium, therefore
God choose to sit upon Cheriubim bearing the forms of these
animals, to signify that he was the leader & Kings of the Chorts [Courts]
of the Israelites. The Leion signifies strength, generosity & Magesty
the OX constancy & assiduity in executing the commands of God,
the Man the first High priest of Israel; the Eagle swiftness agility
& good speed, &c, and by their human shape, their humanity &
kindness; these were the arms of the Masons that built the
Tabernacle in the wilderness, under Moses & Aaron & the Temple
on Mount Maria by King Solomon, so there is not the least
doubt of their being the proper arms of the most ancient and
honorable fraternity, of Free & Accepted Masons from the first degree see 9th page
9th page (from 24) to the most high, as this Holy Royal Arch
confirms the truth thereof
5. The representation of the Tower of Babylon [##Genesis 11:1-9#] & the men at work &c.
tThe foundation was a square & a half mile in compass, the
building consists of Eight Square Towers, rising in stages
above each other, with an ascending passage on the outside, all the
way up to an obeservatory on the top, which was six hundred
feet from the ground, in the Grand Tower were Appartments
with arches, Roofs, supported by pillars seventy feet high
(for a Temple) in which the Idolators worship of the god of Belus,
was afterwards performed. In the interior of the bottom
story, was a cavern in which the Camberic mysteries were
celebrated. 5 (Observance) as Moses was appointed by the Alm-
ighty in this great undertaking in redeeming the children
of Israel from Egypt why did he not perform his signs
himself instead of having his brother Aaron to act for him.
Ans. For Moses lisped & being slow of speech. Ques. How come
Moses to be thus defected in speech. Ans. By Pharaoh placing
a red hot cinder on his tongue, when a child, as a punishment
for the crime that he had committed before pharaoh and all
his court in Egypt. Quest. What might the crime be that
Moses committed? being a child) Ans. As pharaoh having no
Heir to the crown, & Moses being brought up as his grandson by
his daughters, pharaoh one day before his Nobles placed the crown
on Moses head; no sooner was it on than Moses immediately
th^r^ew it off, & stomped upon it for which Pharaoh & his court
were going to have him put to death, had it not been for
Pharaoh`s daughter who begged him off, so that was the punishment
10th Inflicted by on Moses which caused him to lisp—
Ques. How came Moses to quit his office under pharaoh & leave Egypt?
5. Moses slaying an Egyptian. Exodus 2:11-14 One day as Moses was out he saw an
Egyptian strugling with one of his breth[er]en, and ill using him vary
much, which kindled Moses wrath against the Egyptian that he drew
his sword & killed him, & hid him in the sands; a similar circumstance
happened the following day, and Moses interfering in behalf of his brother
the Egyptian said—art thou going to slay me as you did the
Egyptian yesterday? By this Moses fearing it was made known
to pharaoh, he instantly made off & took shelter under the
protection of the priest of Mideion & remained with him for the
space of forty years in the character of a shepherd, & during that
time he had married the priest of Midion's daughter &c. Exodus 2:21
Question How came Moses first to obtain this wonderful
miraculous rod, and where? Ans. In the land of Midion.
Ques. By what manner
5. Jethro and Moses in the garden conversing—As Moses was walking
one day in Jeth[r]o's garden & conversing with the priest of Midion
about the misery of the children of Israel in Egypt he remarked
a peculiar staff which was set up in the midst of the garden
without any visible design & after Moses inquired its use
attempted to take it up, in which he did to the stagnation
& surprise of Jethro the priest, hither to no person had been
able to remove it from the place where it had been voluntarily
planted; it was there & then that Moses first became in possession
of this rod & to be used by him, in displaying his miracles
before pharaoh & his court in Egypt &c.
^11th^ 5. Adam with a rod or staff in his hand on quitting
the garden of Eden which the Almighty permitted Adam to take
from the tree of knowledge, & this was the rod or staff
that was planted in Jethro's garden (priest of Midion) untill
the appointed time of Moses, And no other person had been
able to remove it, since the time of Adam, and this same
rod, as a shepherd's staff, was used by Moses, in displaying
all his miracles &c. according to the commands he
recieved on Mount Horeb or Sinai, at the bush &c [Exodus 4:1-5]
5. The representation of the Holy of Holies, or Sanctum Sanctorum.
that wans borne along by the priest, & kept in the Tabernacle
from Mount Sinai, to Mount Moriah, & afterwards placed
in the Temple by order of King Solomon. And the
coffin in the front of the Mosaic pavement, was
to remind the Israelites of Josephs promise & vow,
that the time would come, that the Israelites should
be released from bondage, & restored to the land of
promise, the country of the forefathers &c. [Exodus 26:31-33] [1 Kings 6:16]
5. The chandelier with five lights, as Eblematical of the
birth, Life, Death, Resurrection, of& Ascention of
our Blessed Redeemer.
5. The representation
of the th[r]ee, equilatelrial sTriangles, which represents the
Trinity in Eunity, in the center of which was placed
the Omnipotent & Allseeing Eye.
^12th^ 5. The two spies who were [illegible] returned from
the land Canaan, bearing on their sho^u^lders by a pole,
the produce of the land; such as grapes &c. [Numbers 14:6-10]
5. The Brazen
Serpent in the Wilderness, erected on a crop, or pole, A man
pointing to it with his rod, a number of people viewing
it & some of them in the act of prayer; it was to damn
them from the wou[n]ds inflicted by the serpent in travelling
through the wilderness for their disobedience & murmuring,
&c. [Numbers 21:7-9]
5. A mMan represented on a hill, as spieying with a
glass at shipping; it was to represent Solomon's vessels
returning from Tarshish & Ophir with gold, silver, &
precious stones for the Temple, making for the port
of Joppa; & from thence they wer conveyed by land carriage
to Jerrusalem for the service of the Temple, that was to
be built by King Solomon. [Kings 10:10-27]
5. Abraham visited by the
Angels as he sate by ^at^ his tent door; sSarah his wife, on
a smile, has been (unpercieved) listening to their conversation
bringing him the tidings of a son by his wife, which was
to be named Isaac; also of the destruction of the city
of Sodom & Gomorrah: Genesis 18 about this time. Lot & family
quitted. and his wife disobeying the commands of her
Maker was turned into a pillar of salt. [Genesis 19]
5. Here is the representation of Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites,
by his Eleven Brether[en], & there taken down to Egypt
& sold as a slave to Potipher, 1 captain of one of Pharaoh's
guards. [Genesis 37] 5. Moses represented as slaying a Egyptian by his
sword, which was expossed to pharaoh wrath [Exodus 2:11-15]
see 13 pge
^13th^ which Moses fled to the land of Midian, to the
family of Jeth[r]o, Exodus 2:15 the priest, whose daughter he afterwards married, Exodus 2:21
and remained with them, for the space of forty ^40^ years, untill
the appointed ctime came to deliver his brethren, the
Israelites out of bondage, &c. Exodus 3:10
5. Here is a hand represented
as stretched down from a cloud, as if grasping a man of the
earth—this is the translation of Enoch after living in the
fear of God on Earth th[r]ee hundred & sixty & five years,
then God took him without seeing death, or even entering
the grave. Genesis 5:22-24
5. The Representation of King Solomon on his Throne,
& the Queen of Sheba presenting him with gifts & an as
she came from a far distant country to seek his wisdom
& prove his.1 King 10:1-10
5 The Sword & S^c^eptre worn by
King Solomon, at the time he sat on the judgment seat.
5. A Single Triangle, bearing the secret name of God—
that was given to the Israelites or Jews, on Mount Horeb,
here is six emblems on this plate that were discerned
on entering Enoch's subteranean Temple on Mount
Moriah, Horeb or Sinai, that every R. A. M. ou[gh]t to be
made accquainted with, or other wise they must be in
the dark
5. The representation of the Equilateral triangle,
with H. T: in the centre, signifies Holy Temple, on this Temple
shall be Holy; this triangle was cast in gold; it was
discovered on Mount Moriah, by the workman undermining
the rock, to lay the foundation for the Temple of Solomon;
it was discovered six feet from the surfice of the rock, & by this
Equilateral triangle it led to the grand Subteranean Temple.
14th built by the th[r]ee Grand Masters before the flood; where was
discovered many things, represented on this Masonic plate,
with the th[r]ee Grand Master's names, which can be found
in scripture; Exodus 32 (by those who konow it) it was discovered in the
year of the world 2939, and 480, years after the children of Israel
came out of Egypt, &c. A further allusion to the rod
—the transformation of Moses's rod into a serpent had
refference to events of the greatest importance to man, as our
first parents were beguiled by the devil, in the form of a serpent
so that miraculous rod, which had its origins in the Garden
of Eden & is supposed by the Jewish Rabbis, to have been one
of the ten things created on the evening of the first
Sabbath & was changed into a serpent as a sign, to
confirm the promise of Delivering a select portion of
their restraints from Egyptian Bondage. This rod also
referded to the mighty work about to be accomplished in
Egypt; for as the rod of Moses's government was fearful
as the attack of a serpent to the Egyptians, so it was a
s[c]epter of righteousness to the children of Israel. wIt was
called the rod of God, & used by Aaron in Egypt & Moses
in the wilderness. It was a sign of the Divine Author-
ity, & a visible demonstration of Gods power;
used to confound the pretended skill of the Magicians
the^is^ show the oOmnipitence of the Deity, & to humble the
pride of pharaoh when he beheld the mighty wonders rwrought
by so apparently contemptable an agent as a shephard's staff,
15th but above all, this rod metamorphozed, was a type of
Christ's death, to which indeed all Masonry, ultimately points;
as by a serpent, Death came into the world—so by the
death of the Son of God, the serpent or Satan, was fully
vanquished & trodden under foot.
5. Moses lifting up
the serpent—Thus Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder-
ness, that as many as looked on it, might be healed of
the wounds, inflicted by firery serpents, for their disobedient
murmurings, Numbers 21:5-9 & the death of Christ f upon the cross thus
typipheied, was to deli[v]er us from sin & Death, & to give a
full satis faction & attonement for the sins of all mankind;
Moses took possesing of possession of this rod in the land
of Midion, & after Jeth[r]o had explained all the particulars
relative to its preservation from the time of Adam,
& it was directed by the Allmighty to be used as the
apparent agent of all his miracles, it was changed into
a serpent th[r]ee different times, first at Horeb Exodus 4:2-5 again
in the land of Goshan before the congregation of the Elders,
& lastly in the court of pharaoh. Exodus 7:8-13 To give Moses a
further assurance of his power & protection, God commanded
him to put his hand into his bosom, which by
that simple act, contracted a supernatural leprosy;
he repented the second time, but soon became sound
& healthy as the others; Exodus 4:6-9 next a small quantity
16th of water was changed into Blood at the word of God; Exodus 7:17-25
the the asstonishment of Moses was somewhat allayed,
& his faith confirmed, by the assur^a^nce that he should
perform the same, & greater miracles in the land of
Egypt, to Induce pharaoh to set his captive Brothers
at liberty; as a concluding confirmation of his
mission, Moses required to knows in whose mane [name]
he was to demand the de liberation of the Israelites,
and the Almighty consdescended to reveal to him that
awful name which made the pillars of the East tremble,
this tremendious word is [blank] or [blank] or [blank] a construction
of [blank] a tremendious contest ensued between Moses as
the agent of the true God, & the Magicans as the agents of
the Egyptian Gods. Moses arrived with that powerful rod
what Adam was permitted to take from the tree of
Knowledge, & which was the acknowledged testimony
of his Diven [Divine] commissio[n], wrote in the presence of
pharaoh & his court at Taris; an extraordinary miracle
as a proof that his appeal to the gGod of Israel was
not to be slited slited ^slighted^ with impunity; this rod was
cast by Aaron upon the ground & it immediately became
a serpent, twing twining itself in folds to the consternation
of the whole cCourt, Amenophis called for Jennes & Jambres 2 Timothy 3:
his magicians, who under took to perform the same miracle
but the serpent of Moses displayed his superiority, by devouring the serpents of the
Magicians &c.
5th 25
And fourteen hundred sixty four millions & four hundred &
eighty thousand Roman Crowns of silvers which at five shillings
the silver crown & six shillings the gold crown, amount to
nine hundred & eleven millions, four hundred & sixteen
thousand two hundred & seven pounds four shillings sterling.
To this if we add Solomons annual revenue, which
was one million of crowns his trucking to Ophir for
gold, & the presents made him by all the earth as
mentioned, so that he exceeded all the kings of the world
for riches; [1 Kings 9:28] we are not to wonder at his being able to carry
on this expensive Temple, & that it surpassed all the structures of
the world for magnificence & contrivance since it was
built by the direction of Heaven. The glorious Temple
was for the sins of the world people Destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar
at the end of the eleventh and the bigining of the Twelfth year
reign of Zedekiah in the year of the world 3515 and 588
years before Christ. [2 Kings 25:8-9] The second Temple was rebuilt at at the
and of 70 years when the Jews returned from the Babylonish
captivity; but the workman were oblieged to keep swords by them
to repuls the samaritans, who watched all opportunitis of
obstructing them in the work. [Ezra 4:1-7] The second Temple fell far short
of the glory & magnificence of the former built by King Solomon
both as the structure & ornaments; Neither had it the pot of
manna, the rod of Aaron, the Ark of the Covenant with
two tables of the same, nor the fire of sacrafice, which were
ordered to be kept perpetually in the Holy of Holies or Sanctum
Sanctorum, as a memorail forever. Fourth I must
add it is recorded in Scriptires, that when king David
was giving his advise to his son Solomon [1 Chronicles 22:6-16]; he exhorts him
to build a house for the Lord, & to show how much he
^6th 25^ had it at least: tells him that he had out of his property
laid up for that purpose, one hundred thousand talents of
silver gold & a thousand thousand talents of silver bands
brass & Iron without wait, & he tills him that over & above
what he had mentioned before he had provided th[r]ee thousand
talents of fine gold, & seven thousand talents of silver to overlay
the walls of the house, besides all this his princes & great
men made a free gift of five thousand talents of gold, &
ten thousand talents of silver towards the building. Now all
these sums added to gether make up
108,000 talents of gold at £5075-15-7 is £548,244,150
1,017,000 talents of silver at £353=11=10= is £ 359,602,725
Total expens of the Building £ 907=846,875
In this glorious undertaking nothing was omitted which art
& genious aided by wealth & industry could supply; the twisted
& highly carved work of the Parian marble columns the plaitings
of embossed gold; blazing stars with diamonds & other preious
stones; the gorgeous & magnifficent sculptures, all contributed
in rich union to display the wisdom of Solomon in
his appropriation of this grand Masonic pile, to the sacred
purpose of Gods worship; the strength of King Hiram, for
his abundant supplies of materials & men & the beauty
of the ingenious—who with a capacity more than Mortal
man exercised his shining abilities to their utmost stretch
in Devising & executing such a perfect model of art. Before
the consecration of the Temple it was inspected by Hiram
King of Tyre who was a complete master of the science [1 King 7:13]
^7 26^ of operative masonry, & after fully viewing all its parts, he pronounced
it to be the highest effort of human genius, in which he
renounced his claims to pre-eminence on this noble science
which before this period had gained him the undisputed title
of Grand Master of all masons. [1 Kings 7:13-37] The fame of this grand edifice
soon prompted the inquisitive of all Nations to travel &
spend some time at Jerrusalem, & survey its excellencies
as far as was allowed to the Gentiles, & they soon found that
the joint skill of all the world came infinitely short of
the Israelites in the wisdom, strength & beauty of their
architecture, when the wise King Solomon was Grand Master
of all Masons at Jerrusalem, when the learned King Hiram
was Grand Master at Tyre, & the inspired—had been
master of the work; when true masonry was under the
care & direction of heaven & when the noble & wise
thought it an honour to be associates of the ingenious
craftsman in their well formed lodges; according to the
Temple of [blank space] became the just wonder of all
travelers on Earth. The pillars differ even in scripture
in regard to the size; they were richly adorned with chapiters
&c. &c. and surmounted by two spherical Balls which
represented the two globes of the Earth & Heavens & pointed
out Masonry universal. [1 Kings 7:40-41] They were thus placed
by the expressed by the direction of King Solomon in refference
to the remarkable pillar of a cloud & of fire which
proved a light & guide to the Israelites in their miraculous
^8 26^ escape from Egyptian Bondage, & cursed with darkness
to the Egyptians, proved their destruction in the red sea.
King Solomon fearing the obduracy of his subjects might
at some future time cause them to forget the circumstances
attending that remarkable deliverance; placed the pillars thus
surmounted to this elevationed situation, as a public
monument to remind the Jews when they entered or left
the Temple of the mercy of God to their nation; [1 Kings 7:40-51] in that great
event, these two pillars were of such vital importance to the
supporter of the Temple, that its destructions by Nebuchadnezzar,
the Lord, standing upon the alter, commanded the destroy-
ing Angel to strike the chapiters, or heads of the pillar
that ruin might ensue, not even of the pillar & porch
or the Temple itself or even all Jerrusalem, but also of
the whole Jewish Nation or polity; hence as the erection
of these pillars is recorded in scripture, as an eminent
proof of the magnitude & splendour splendour of all
sSolomons empire, as well as the wisdom strength & beauty
of the th[r]ee united Grand Masters, so was their destruction
typical of the ruins of the Jewish state which recieved a
temporary annihilation of seventy years, when this
Temple was Destroyed, as predicted by Jeremiah & other prophets,
for their sins in neglecting to keep holy the sabbatical year
according to the commandments of the Lord. [2 Kings 25:8-17] The priest in
the Temple performed every holy office of their religion with
their feet uncovered. It is not any where commanded
that the priests should officiate Barefoot but among the
garments assigned for the priests shoes not being named
9th pge