Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-08

the world, Triad shines forth which
: resolves itselfinto Monod, or that Three
: is one. Amidst the eorruptions of the
times, this doctrine seemed to be lost a
the beginning of the Christian era anC
known and taught only in the tyled re
cesses of Masonic Lodges A very sin
gular fact exists regarding these pillars
which are the basis of Masonry. support
ing the entire institution. In Hebrew
Ddbar, means. Wisdom o., means
Strength, and Conner, means Beauty
Reading the initials of three words
backwords, or from left to right, in ac-
cordance with the peculiarity of this
language, and we read the awful name,
GOD. These three pillars thusrepresent-
ing the Deity symbolized universally by
the equilateral triangle, show and prove
the . three in one" as the three lights
burning around our altar in triangular
form. : distinct as the billows," blend
ing their mingled lights. are one as
the sea-" Three is a sacred number,
and enters very largely in Masonic cere-
monies. / will cite numberfor instanc.
Three qualifications of candidate, birth.
morals and age. Three knocks for ad
mission. Three questions asked. Three
moral duties ineulcated-to God. our
! neighbor and ourselves. Three lessons
taught-secrecy, morality and good-fel-
lowship. Three qualifications of an ap-
symbolized by Three substances, chalk,
charcoal and clay. Three theological
virtues. faith, hope and charity. Three
! greater lights-Holy Bible, square and
/ compass. Three lesser lights--sun.
moon and Master of the Lodge. Three
movable jewels-rOugh ashler. perfect
ashler and trestle-board Three immova-
BILE jewels-square, level and plumb
Three ornaments of Lodge Masonic
pavement. indented tressel and blazing
star Three principal officers. Three
degrees, Three grips. Three signs
/ Three due guards. Three obligations
Three.decorations to the brazen pillars,
lily-work, network and pamegoanate,
emblematie Of peace, unity and plenty.
Three places where material for the
Temple was gathered-thequ quarry, forest
and plain. Three great offerings made
on Mount Moriah by Abraham, David
and Solomon. Three temples were con-
structed there. The first by Solomon
and the t,po Hirams. The second by
Joshua, Haggai and Zerabbabel. The
third by Herod, Hillel and Shammai.-
Three counts the Temple contained,
holding three times ten Thousand per-
sons. Three times the breadth make
the length thereof. Three parts made
the Temple-the portico. sanctuary and
the holy of. hollies, Three curtains
were in. it,, Three .cOlOrs to each curtain.
Three orders of priests Three keepers
ofdoOrs. Three Grand Masters of the
wells. Three branches on each side of
The golden candle-sticks. Three stories
in each row of the High Priests brest-
plate. Twelve oxen, arrayed in threes,
looking to each of the cardinal points,
supported the molten sea. in which were
three thousand baths. There were three
grand festivals each year, the Feast of
the Passover, of Penticost, and of the
Tabernacles. Three cities of refuge on
each side of the Jordan. Three witnesses
were necessary to establish fact bring
ing life or property in question. Three
grand divisions, embrace the, sacred
writings, the law. the prophets, and the
psalms. Three lines are necessary to
enclose any area, and was eonsecrated
by the ancients. who venerated in the
equilateral triangle. the most august of
mysteries, that of the sacred Triad, the
object of our worship alteration.
The Fellow Graft degrees typifies the |
struggles Of the ardent mind for the at |
tainment of truth, moral and inteilectu- !
al .r-,,fs..,r.,r. r.s ~. kr o,. e--
The Entered Apprentice emerges from
darkness to light, the Fellow Craft. from |
ignorance to knowledge. The Fellow
Craft degree is particularly devoted to
science. including all branches of polite
learning. and represents the middle por-
fion of life, and the middle chamber of
Solomon's Temple Leading to this |
chamber were flight of winding stairs, I
l Kings vi. g., and Masonic tradition
a IN, kap e
and seven steps. The number three has
been explained. Five refers to
the different orders of architecture and
the five senses. 1t also represented the
world. the ancients believing there were
five elements, earth, water, fires air and
ether nr spirit. Seven was regarded as
a holy number Solomon Avas seven
years in building the Temple, and dedi-
Gated it in the seventh month; being the
same in which the ark rested, contain
ing clean beasts and fowls by sevens, and
from which the doves were sent out
seven DAYS apart When Jericho was
destroyed, seven priests bearing seven
rams horns for trumpets were directed
by the Almighty to compass the city
seven days, and on the seventh to pro-
,eed around it seven times. Among
Masons it refers to the liberal arts and
sciences. Before the Temple two pill
ars were reared, the one on the right !
Boaz; the word Boaz literally signify
ng in thee is strength, and Jachin, it
hall be established. They were placed :
Eastward of the emple to commemor- :
lte the mighty East wind which divi-
led the waters of the Red Sea, and t,go {
n number to represent the pillar of
loud by day. and the pillar of fire by S
night. ,
Josephus speaking of them says,
Hiram made two hollow pillars whose
outside were of brass, and the thickness
,f the brass was four fingers breadth,
md heighth of the pillars was eighteen
.ubits, and their circumference was
welve cubits, but there was cast with
ach of their chapters lily work that '
tood upon the altar, and it was elevated
i've cubits, round about which there -
vas network interviewer with small
,alms made of brass and covered with
lily work. To this also, were hung two
hundred pomegranates in two rows."-
The lily tUork denotes peace, the net
york, union, and the pomegranates from U
he exuberance of its seeds, plenty
they were secure from inundation and y
onfagution. About the dormer of the 7
middle chamber, of King Solomon's Z
temple in plain view of all who enter .
d was inscribed the ineffable name, !.
written in Hebrew-there being no =
o4els-J. H. V. H.-forbidden the Is II
aelites to pronounce, and spoken only .
nee year by the High Priest, alone, y
Tithin the Sanctum Sanctorum while
he loud noise of musical instruments
n the outer courts drowned every other 2
ound. So the letter G is now SHOWN in !.
he middle chamber. In this degree the Il
1orld is described, preserved among ',
Ias0ns, and transmitted by oral tradi- y y
ion, and the study of the liberal arts
to the candidate. u