The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-09
MASONIC EMBLE,rs

Found at the base OF Clcopatra's Need
Letter from Commander G0rring
Giving the PIrst Clear and Comprehei
siye Account OF the wonderful Disco
cries.
New YoRx, February IA special c.
bic dispatch gives descriptions Of the tint
ing OF Masonic emblems at the base
Cleopatra's Needle, in Alexander, Egyp
by Lieutenant Commander Gorringe. Thi
officer Is Freemason, and his attentio
was first drawn to Masonic square, Gu
out OF an immense block OF granite. TIL
square bears upon the interior base thre
degrees, corresponding to the three frs
Masonic grades. Under the square ar
three steps corresponding to the degree o
Apprentice, Companion and Master. Th
three steps are disposed as follows: Tha
corresponding to the Apprentice Degree il
made Of one stone; the other two steps
corresponding to the degrees OF Compan
ion and Master, are formed OF a singh
stone, indicating the intimate union be
tween those two degrees. The. step typi
flying the Companion Degree is much
smaller than that corresponding to the
Apprentice Degree, and considerably
smaller than that emblematic OF the Mas.
ter Degree, as it anciently required less
time to attain Science than TO serve Ap'
premiership.
Outside OF the square block was found
having four faces, most beautifully and &C
curately dressed. The block is Masonic
beyond doubt. II is the smooth ashlar.
1t Is marked "Loga," which in sanskrit
means the world to be rectangular in
form. A block was found indented to-
ward the west, Clipped as II by design.
This is rough ashlar. Instead OF being
situated toward the east, whence the light
comes-which is symbol OF intelligence
the rough stone is toward the west,
where darkness, the symbol Of ignorance,
reigns. This stone represents Apprentice
ship, and is embiematic oil human imper-
lection.
There are also further proofs in the Ma.
sonic arrangements Of the base Of the
Needle, showing that the ancients pos
sessed degrees higher than those OF the
Apprentice. The lower step is formed oi
eighteen blocks, and among these was
found the cubic stone, and another of pc.
culiar formation, and OF the purest and
most brilliant whiteness. This stone is
evidently an emblem Of purity. The
stones ol the foundation are, with soil.
tary exception, laid in white mortar, and
finely dressed The smooth ashlar is
laid in beautiful yellow cement. The
stones are OF different colors, and arc
joined with cement, indicating the union
Of all Masons.
The ancient monuments OF Egypt have
never been carefully examined from a
Masonic standpoint, and 1t is most likely
that II excavations were made about the
bases Of some Of the fallen opelisks such
excavations would be crowned with most
important results. In the letter concern
ing the discovery, addressed by Com.
mander Gorringe to the Egyptian Gazette,
he says:
1.-THE two steps below the pedestal are
hewn out OF blocks OF very hard yellowish
limestone, containing crystals and fossils.
The other is piece OF syenite granite,
having all OF It's sides carefully dressed,
and its angles right angles. 1t is forty.
two inches square, and stood in the east
angle OF the foundation, Immediately un.
der the east angle OF the pedestal, and was
laid with yellowish cement. The steps
are in six pieces, which were fastened
together and bound to the foundation
with iron dogs, surrounded with lead
Three blocks were found inclosed by the
two upper steps. Two are OF hard lime
stone. The foundation was laid in white
mortar. The lower step is formed OF
eighteen pieces OF hard limestone, the
pieces being fastened together in the same
manner as those forming the upper steps.
The space included by these eighteen
pieces contained several blocks OF hard
limestone and one piece of softer lime
stone OF exceptional purity and freedom
from spots. This piece stood Immediately
under the block OF syenite granite, above
mentioned, on another piece OF syenite
granite in the tier next below.
"Adhering 10 the upper surface Of the
hard limestone block adjoining this piece
there Is an iron trowel, very much oxidiz.
ed, but retaining It's form sufficiently well
to be recognized at glance. The block OF
granite on which the piece OF softer lime
stone stood extended acress the founda'
ton. The upper part is cut to form o per-
feet square. The long section OF the
squire was nearly parallel with the south
east side OF the foundation, and lay close
10 the: :pieces that formed II. The outer
edges OF the square measure l09.5l.l00 in
ches. The long section is II! inches, the
short section l0l inches thick. The sur.
faces Of the square are polished, and there
Is molding at the angle formed by Its
inner side with the lower part OF the
blocks in the same tier touching the short
section and the west angle.
"In the foundation there was another
block OF syenite granite, differing from all
other pieces in the foundation and steps,
in having the upper surface very irregular,
the sides not parallel, and the angles diff
erent. The forms aud positions OF the
three blocks oil syenite granite leave no
doubt as 10 their purpose and meaning.
The piece OF soft limestone, differing as 1t
does from all other pieces Of the foundation
in thickness, and being ofsuch exceptional
purity, must have been intended as an
emblem. The trowel may have been acci-
deutally left where 1t was found, but the
presumption is strongly in favor Of its
having been placed there and it lis well to
state that 1t is the last OF the emblems dis.
covered up to this time.
"Three other Masonic emblems, less
noticeable. but equally significant in their
forms and positions, were found. One oil
the sides Of the block that formed the east
angle Of the lower step has diamond
shaped slot cut into #, without CORE
spending aperture In the adjacent block
One Of the angles Of block that formed
one OF the tiers next below the lower steI
has spiral cut on each side, so as TO rep
resent the capital OF an Ionic column
The keystone OF the tier next below thil
has certain marks on the sides that canno
have been accidentally cut by the work
men,"
The obelisk was erected 1908 years ago
and all OF the emblems must have beer
placed in the foundation prior TO Its ereC
lion; for, to have placed them there since
the obelisk and pedestal must first hay
been removed. Asit was raining durin