The Columbus journal., 1909-06-16
FIND OLD QUARRlES
SAID TO HAVE BEEN ~siRTH-
PLACE or MASONRY"
Spot Was Mentioned by Josephus and
Stone from There u Believed to
Have Been Used in 6u;id-
ina Temple.

As q result of the effort Of the de-
partment of state to learn all that Is
possible Of the birthplace Of Mason
ry," Thomas r. Wallace, American
consul at Jerusalem, has made an ex-
tensive Investigation Of "SOlomOn's
luarries" in the Holy city. His report
to the state department is Of interest
to Masonic bodies. and particularly to
American Masons. because an Ameri-
can. Rolla Floyd. became senior war
den Of the Royal Solomon Mother
lodge. instituted In jerusalem in 1873.
"S0lomon's Quarries" were men
toned by Josephus in the writings Of
the ancient historian. They were
lost through the Middle Ages and un-
til most recent times. A chamber ID
pointed out In the Quarries a the
original meeting place Of the ancient
body of Masons. The chamber Is the
sO-called Chamber Of BrOtherly Cove.
nant."
Mr.. Wallace said that his investiga-
tons led him to believe that the quar-
~ became lost when the Romans de-
strOyed Jerusalem. II Is believed that
the stone with which the ancient tenn
pie was built was taken from the quar-
ry. The basis of this belief Is that
Josephus described the temple rs hav-
ing been white, like q mountain Of
snow" The stone in the quarry Is
white and soft, hardening with expos
ure to the air.
The Quarries were discovered by &C.
cident. According to the story told
Mr.. Wallace. q DR.. Barclay was out
hunting. His dog disappeared in .
hole near the north wall of the city.
The dog failed to reappear. DR.. Bar
clay tore away the earth and weeds
about the hole until he had enlarged 1t
enough to enter. 1t was the entrance
to the Quarries.
A chamber Is pointed out In which
1t Is said the first meetings of Mason
~ were held. 1t is a small semi-cir-
cular place with sea- about 1t formed
Of shelves of stone. Crumbled into q
shapeless mass at one end Of the semi
circle Is what once was q pillar Of
stone and is said to have been the
chapel of the lodge. 1t Is in the same
condition now as when discovered, Mr..
Wallace said.
An American named Page, accord
ing to Mr.. Wallace. gave the best indi-
cation Of the time which passed since
the Quarries were lost. A small pot.
terry lamp such as those used by the
early Jews was found in the quarrieS
by Mr.. Page. 1t was filed with the
minute particles of dirt which float in
the air. These particles would remain
in the vessel after falling in. because
protected from air currents by the rim
Of the vessel. The pottery lamp had
bowl one inch deep. 1t contained
only these atoms of dust, showing that
1t required ages to fill
The supposed connection of Solo
mon with these quarries, together with
the traditional idea that associates him
with the early history Of the Masonic
fraternity, is responsible for the in
terest with which Masons regard
these caves. and especially the partic-
ular chamber where lodge meetings
are sometimes theld. Gavels and pa
per weights made from the white
stone of the quarry, and on which Ma
sonic emblems are carved. are to be
had In some of the stores of Jerusa-
lem. and are much priced by Masons.