The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-02-25

DAY, FEBRUARY 25,
ADDR ESS ''> - ,''
Delivered hy Bro. Hiram Knswhs, 1t o.
De1iaatisa u Dear Lsdss No. Il l. I. 1
A. +, at ......-.
Deer Lodge, Msntaaa, Feb. 22a, 1870.
LADI1S AID 0xNTLBN1N; B107181G;-
On this winter day, the annivessasy Of the
birth Of our beloved Warrington. amid
these snow covered peaks Of the Rocky
Mountains We have assembled to witness
the organization Of Masonic Lodge Nay
it be day around which shall cluster many
spleasing association 10 the people Of Dser
Lodge.
From out the dim and shadowy Past
comes to ~ the Order Of Ancient Free and
Accepted Nasons. Masonic traditions tell
~ that it was organized at the building of
King solomon's Temple. We read in the
Holy Bible that solomon, in obedience to
the commands Of his father David, build =
beautiful and sraad Temple, which he ded-
icated to the Wosship Of the One True God.
In the execution Of this renowned struc-
ture vast number Of men were employed.
As to the exact number Think the accounts
differ There were 1t least 16S, 600 Tho
Bible informs ~ Of the general divisions of
this multitude. Thirty thousand were Heb
rews; one hundred and nfty three thousand
were strangers, seventy thousand Of whom
were carriers Of stone and other material /;
eighty thousand were stone cutters, and
three thousand nix hundred were Masters
or poversesrs. OF the particular manner In
which this work was conducted there d no
account given. Thin il the subject Of Ma
sonic Traditiona They tell how the work
men were organized - thoroughly and sys-
tematically - . modern well appointed
army; how the work of each was marked
and tested; how the wozkmen were paid,
that skin in workmanship and orderly con-
duct entitled those Of 4 lower order to be
advanced to higher, thus encouraging IN
honorable emulation which assisted TO I'm.
prove them in architecture; and lastly, the
social and moral culture in which they were
instructed. This consisted Of regulations
in regard to their treatment of each other in
their daily intercourse, and injunctions Of
virtue and honesty. The tools Of their
craft were made symbols to remind them of
these teachings. Al far Is lam acquainted
with these traditions they are such that 1t 10
not at all improbable that they existed.
Such regulations were well calculated to
preserve order and expedite the work they
had in charge Certain It h, that 10 the
Hebrews, the Temple seemed 10 have been
built with wonderful rapidity and In most
mastesly manner. After the erection Of the
Temple, Solomon built two palaces and q
number of citisa, one Of which was Tad
mar, or Palmyra, as It was known to the
0sssks,-both words signifying . palm
grove. There, to-day, the traveller through
the East pauses 70 view its crumbling walls
and falling columns, and to contemplate
what must have been the grandeur and beau
ty Of ito architecture in the days of its glory,
the cruel fate Of it, people and the fortune, el
the beautiful, accomplished, heroic Zsnobis,
the last of ito rulers. The magnitude Of
the architectural works Of Solomon must
have Afforded those employed by him the
means Of becoming very proficient in thei,
art Who were the 16S, 600 strangers en-.
ployed by Solomon In erecting the Temple
Il question which has excited considesa.
bic discussion. Some have claimed tha,
they were lsvies from the conquered tribes
Of Canaanites. Without stopping 70 discuss
this subject I am of the opinion that there
is abundant evidence that they were not,
though, undoubtedly, Solomon employed
these in his subsequent works In menial @.
pecitiea The services required Of these wa
bond service. They were superintended BY
Hebsewa The strangers had their OWL
superintendents, and the servics required o1
them could not have heen bond seryies, ol
Masonic traditions are incorrect Ancient
history informs u that about this tim~
there were wandering bands Of architecta
throughout Syria and Asia Minor engaged
principally in building temples and theaters
and are known to history - Dionysiac az
chitects. They kept secret the ksowledg'
Of their arts, and recognized each other BY
means Of signs II h suppo1eb- that theJ
~efs organised at Tho little maritime King
dom Of Tyrs, the most eatsspsising power
xe have any history Of q this period Il
Masonry WAS organised at Jerusalem, u
craft travelling from thence into oshs'
countries would undoubtedly embark .
Tyre in Tyr ian ships. and in any country
u which they happened to sail would b
recognised ashaying come from Tyra Th<
Isacisnt Kings and rulers ware dssi1ous o1
embellishing their douains with immens'
architectural works which would peTpetu
A. thair msmosy and .pssclaim 70 possssis..
thsir wildom and povee. 1er thiA puspos'
th4r qft9n snployed ypst aumbers Of msa
| and ao0sei10 ssls . fegsim colntjel e
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