Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-01-27
AN INTERESTING DISCOVERY.

The announcement sent from the State
Department to the New York World invests
the Alexandria obelisk, soon to be safely
launched on its westward voyage, with new
interest. Lieutenant>Commander Gorrinee
telegraphs to the Secretary OF State that in
the pedestal of the obelisk, which cores
ponds to the "eoFncr- stone" of modern mon
uments, there have been found number of
Masonic emblems, complete catalogue and
full description of which we shall no doubt
receive by an carly mail. Correct drawings
of them have been made, and the emblems
themselves will be brought to New York
The first striking fact, says the World, com>
menting on this announcement, which is re-
vealed by this dispatch is the real antiquity
of what VIC arc promo to consider the modern
practice Of immuriug valuable historical me-
MORALS In public monument That prac-
tice has been shown by the revelations made
in the progress of embarking the American
obelisk at Alexandria to have the respectable
sanction of more than sixty generations of
men. The inscription engraved in Greek
and Latin on the bronze supports of this
obelisk declares it to have been erected at
Alexandria in the eighth year of Augustus
by the architect Pontius, under Barbarus,
Project of Egypt, or twenty-three years
before the birth Of Christ. The keenest in
terest, however, will be excited by the nature
of the deposits reported to have been found
IN the pedestal of Alexandria. There is al
SrIhI
geuious speculation has been engaged, and
upon which, we are bound to say, SO much
Ingenious speculation has been thrown away
for want of indisputable and minute data, as
the origin aud progress of Freemasoury.-
The history of speculative Masonry" is COM
paratively brief and abundant materials for
tho study of it are accessible. The history
ct Operative Masonry" on the other hand,
is of an antiquity yet nnmeasurcd, aud nate
rails for the study of ii are scarcely to be had.
The guild OF Free and Accepted Masons has
come down to us Gs an organized hierarchy,
at least, from the first half of the thirteenth
century, aud the annals of the guild from
that time to our cwn carry on chain of what
Is much better than traditional evidence.
From the time Of 'Hiram of Tyre" however,
to the beginning of the thirteenth century
is much wider gap than from the thirteenth
century to our own time, and thus far we
have had nothing better than tradition where.
withal to bridge it. If it be true, however,
that Commander Gorringe has found in tho
pedestal of the obclisk of Alexandra what
can with reasonable certainty be identified
as Masonic emblems, We haye at once tho
means of bridging over a gap more than
twice as wide, in time, as that which divides
us from tho thirteenth century; aDd, consider
ing that the invention of printing has in the
meantime made oblivion almost impossible,
We may safely say that those embIcms arc
historically further away from our gener a.
ton than they are from the generation of
the men who built the pyramids! If these
memorials shall be decided by competent
students of Frcemasonry il our time to be
authentic memorials OF Freenasons who lived
and wrought before the Christian era, the
boar antiquity which is claimed for Freoma-
soury by the most enthusiastic of its students
will go very near to be established