The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-08-12
THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY.

st. Johns Day: 1t cannot he con-
trovertetl that prior to tho commence
ment of the first temple by king
Solomon in 1919 before the Chris
tian era, science and architecture had
reached great point OF perfection
among the nations surrounding the
Jews. That the worknlen engaged in
constructing the buildings had organic
Ell societies for their. mutual protection
and perhaps Instruction, we cannot
doubt that the architects of Tyre were
more skilled and expert than any OF
those Judea, is demonstrated by the
fact that Solomon applied 10 Hiram
King of Tyre, for assistance, and thai
monarch sent him u company .
Tyrian architects, under the superinten
dence of Hiram AIif who is described il
Scripture as man "filled with wisdom
and understanding and cunning tt
work all works in brass" We claim
however that it was at the building OF
this temple, that Solomon by the WIS
dom given him by the supreme archi-
tect of the universe, organized masonry
into its speculative features and made
the institution, which has from that
time till now subsisted as n real organ
ization without any material changes
in its principles or its body. The
temple itself, though built on plan
furnished by God, being bat material,
has passed away and the operative
branch of our order has also unfor-
tunately been dashed off, bat it's specui:t-
tive feature eminating from the wis
dom of God and intoxicating lessons
of truth, which lie at the founda-
ton Of society itself, has stood to this
day.
There is no difficulty in tracing the
order from tho building of tho first
temple to the destruction of the last by
Titus, A. d., 81, not only in Jude.e but
throughout the then civilized world.
Solomon's temple built on plan
furnished by God, could not fail to be
what God intended it should be--thc
most perfect specimen of architectural
bearing.
twas not its size that made it SO
renowned, for, comparatively, both the
second aud third temples were much
larger. 1t was not grotesqucness, nor
yet did it present any 'extraordinary
properties Of mechanism. This East
ern description Of Solomon's throne
built at the same place, shows it to
have been far surpassed in these par
ticulars:
The.sitles of the throne were OF pure
gold. and tho feet of it were of cIner-
aids and pearls. The throne of seven
steps on each side were Glelineatcd Or
chards full of trees, the branches of
which were OF precious stones, repre-
senting ripe aud unripe fruit. On the
tops of the trees fowls of the most
beautiful plumage were represented,
and these were hollow within, and
made to utter sounds of Il thousand
melodious tunes. On the first step
were nine branches, with punches OF
grapes, composed of precious stones,
arranged in such 4 manner as to give
the different colors of purple, violet,
green aud red, SO AS to represent the
fruit in its various stages from green
to ripe. On the second step were two
lions of pure gold, and terrible aspect,
as large as life. Tho properties of the
throne We're such, that when Solomon
placed his foot on the first step, all tho
birds spread their wings and made Il
fiuttering noise i'll tho air. On his
reaching the second step, the lions eN-
tended their paws on his reaching the
third step, the whole assembly re-
peated the name Of the deity When
he arrived Mt tho fourth step, voices
We're heard adtlrcssin. him thus
s'Son Of David be grateful for the
blessings the Almighty hath bcstow-
Ell upon thee,' and the same WAS
repeated on reaching The fifth
step. On his touching the sixth
step all the children sang praises
On his arrival at the seventh step the
whole throne became in motion, and
ceased not, until he had taken his seat,
when all the birds, lions, and animals,
by secret springs, discharged Il shower
of the most precious perfume on the
King, afd two of the birds descended
and placed II gosdcd crown upon his
head! BEFORE the throne WAS Il column
of FURNISHED gold, on the top of which
was placed n golden dove, which had
in its heak roll bound in silver in
the roll were written the Psalms of
David, and the dove having presented
the roll to the King he read Il portion
Of it to the people Of Israel. On the ap-
pronch Of wicked person TO the
throne of Judgment tho lions would Sc,
up terrible ronring and lash their
tails; the birds began to erect their
feathers, and tho whole assembly set
up such loud cries that, for fear of
them, no person would dare be guilty
of ftlsehood, but would INSTANTLY
confess their crimes. Such was the
throne or Solomon, of which Scripture
says there was not the like made i,
any kingdom, but il WAS not this that