Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-02-21

little hamlet even if 1t had an existence.
The foot-sore and traveled-stained group
of wanderers had halted at the base
Of the hill and the heart-broken
old man had said to his SER
wants. Stay thou here while I wor-
ship in this mountain" And he and the
son of his old age climbed the precipitous
height from which but one expected TO
return. Yet, It was a spot made holy by
religious action and hallowed by centuries
Of unquestioned traditions, and now in
spirit, if not in the exact word, the multi
tude might be heard in the voice Of song:
All hail to the morning that bids US re-
joice,
The Temples completed. exalt high each
voice.
The cope-stone IS finished, our laborers
are Ger
The sound of the gavel shall hail no more.
The religious fervor of the educational
prayer of Solomon, as found recorded in
the sacred Scriptures, fully expresses the
sentiments Of the great occasion. In the
presence Of the thousands gathered who
knew not Israeps Cod this great king
lifted up his hands and in sublime Ian
on the work completed.
The sacred writings inform US that the
fire came down'-not stolen as was that Of
Prometheus, who burglarized the sacred
flame 1t was the visible response of Hea-
ven's approval and united the service Of
man with the full appreciation of God
Fire worships we learn, from sacred and
profane history, was one Of the most an
cient religions. 1t VAS the faith symbol
of God to the ancient Mali Of the early
Persians, and is still retained by their
modern descendants, the Iharisees. 1t
was a symbol Of The divine essence, and the
upward rising of the flame was presented
to be seeking its origin. From India it
passed to Egypt, and the pyramids were
built in the form of a flame. with a pecep-
ticle IN the interior for the sacred fire,
which was wrongly assumed to have been
a sepulchre. The Heavens received it as a
! symbol of Jehovah from the Egyptians.
| Moses turned aside to see the strange
thing, why the bush was not consumed,
and God spalle to him out Of the midst Of
the burning bush. Again, amid the thun-
der and flame of Sinai, God conversed with
Moses. In a pillar Of fire the wandering
| host was for forty years led. The daily
sacrifices were accomplished by fire. On
! Mount Carmel the cry of Elijah was an
| swered by fire, and we are told that to the
end God shall work through the same me-
| dunn in manifesting his wonders among
/ the children Of men.
| But in the celebration Of placing the
cope-stone," we find in It a special display
Of Jehovah's approval The sacred fire
came down 10 bless and to sanctify the
labor Of the widows son." and the
thousands of craftsmen who assisted him
IN building, and in the identifying of that
! magnificent temple. And when the null
| titude gathered in that great edifice and
saw the fire, they one and all fell pros
! trate upon the marble pavement, and with
their faces in the dust, cried out, For He
is good for His mercy endureth forever"
We commemorate this great event in the
degree which all Capitular Masons deem
to be per excellent of all. It is one of those
that can be made either rather ridiculous
or most sublime as the Companion may
present it. But with the necessary access
| SORES which 90 to fill out the various de-
tails, II can be made to appear really sub
lime and very realistic, as any degree of
the Rite. In It's specuatory formation can
be made strongly impressive, and the les
sons impaired be some of the grandest
Masonic lessons. It teaches through SYM
bolism the union between God and man.
It lifts the service Of TIL 'Ssgiving from
his PROSTATE lips and on the wings of WIS.,
ible flame It carries It to its original source.
OF all the degrees Of Freemasonry none
approaches nearer to that reverence due
| from a creature to his orator, then does
this cope stone" degree. It should be
impaired with the utmost seriousness and
received with the spirit Of generation. The
effort to prepare for It should be when the
first preparation TO become a Mason was
presumed to be made, and its conclusion
should be replete with feelings of Joy, for
the next step the aspirant takes is among
ruins. while returning from captivity. But
the grand structure crowned In the degree
previous is generally found Frustrated in
the Royal Arch, but from this are the les
sons Of the resurrection gathered, and the
| reconstructed temple of the gloriied body
is seen looming up from the scattered
ruins which death hath made among the
sons of men. But amid the varied chang
ing scenes and vicissitudes IS still heard
the glad refrain, For He is good for his
mercy endureth forever"
May we. as Masons Of the Royal Arch,
so work this sublime degree upon those
who seek and are found to be worthy of
the appellaton Of Most Excellent Master,
that they may accept the symbolic mean
ing of the lessons impaired to them in the
degree Of the dedication Of the Temple. and
It may lead them to dedicate their hearts
to the service of God, so they may be en-
abled indeed and in truth, to say, For
He Is good for His mercy endureth for
ever"