Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-01
BIG JOB FOR FREEMAsoNs.

-Burges Johnson, in Harpers.
BIG JOB FOR FREEMAsoNs.
Tho Suggestion to Rebuild SoIomon's
Temple.
The suggestion coming not long ago
| from Boston, that the Freemasons Of
the world should unite in rebuilding
the Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem.
moves the Illustrated London News to
wonder whether the originators Of the
scheme have counted the cost.
OF course the interest Of the Ma
sons is due to the belief that their or
der was founded by King Solomon and
that he was its first Grand Master.
But that claim would perhaps not
seem very weighty to the Moslems, to
whom the site Of the great temple now
| belongs.
1t is now occupied by the Harem-
Esh- -Shereef, the noble sanctuary"
TO the Moslem this place is only less
sacred than Mecca and Medina, for it
Is believed to cover the rock which is
regarded by them as the centre Of the
earth, the spot from which Mahomet
started when he visited Heaven.
Aside from the difficulty Of persuad-
ing the Moslem world to yield one Of
its most sacred spots to the Boston
Freemasons, there would seem to be
something too stupendous even for
bean fed audacity in the idea Of
building another Solomon's temple.
Just by way of showing what the sug-
gestion involves, it may be remarked
that Solomon had 10000 men out cut
| ting timber for his new church.
They were divided into three shifts.
Ten thousand went to Mount Lebanon
for one month and were two months
at home. There were 10000 men who
carried the stones and there were S0,-
| 900 stone cutters in the mountains.
These men had $500 foremen. Stone
cutters quarried enormous block, sew
eral cubits each way, for the founda-
tions, and fitted them together before
they were taken to Jerusalem. In
this work they were aided by workmen
sent by Hiram, King Of Tyre.
The Temple was divided into two
portions-the main building, "the
House Of God" and the subsidiary
buildings by which it was surrounded.
The main building was rectangular In
shape-60 cubits long, 20 cubits broad
and 80 cubits high; taking the cubit
at 1S inches, 80 feet, 80 feet and 40
feet respectively. The walls Of the
first story were between 9 and 10 feet
thick; those Of the second 7a feet, Of
the third story "a feet and Of the
fourth story, 6 feet
On three sides, north, west and
south, the Temple was surrounded by
side building in three stories con-
tanning side chambers. The height of
each story from floor to ceiling was u
feet The number of side chambers Is
given by Ezekiel as 80 or 33 for each
story. They were small, used for the
storage Of Temple furniture, etc. The
Temple was surrounded by a court
the inner court. This was surrounded
by a wall Of three courses Of hewn
stone surmounted by course OF cedar
beams. The entire citadel was en-
closed by the great court. In front of
the Temple stood the two pillars made
by Hiram of Tyre and called Jachin
(meaning ito establish") and Boaz Gin
strength"). They were about 35 feet
high, hollow and Of brass four fingers
thick.
Round about them was network in
terwoven with small palms made OF
brass, to which wehe hung 300 pome-
granates in two rows. They were made
hollow that they might be used as
receptacles for documents, etc. Such
columns were quite common in the
temples of Baal.
Near the columns was the Molten
1t was Is feet in diameter and just
half as high. 1t was said to have been
capable Of containing 1000 baths" or
5000 gallons. 1t was made of brass
or copper captured by David from
Tibhath and Chun, cities Of Hadarezar,
King Of Zobah. The brim was wrought
| like the brim Of a cup with flowers
of lilies" that Is, curved outward like
lily or a lotus flower. 1t stood on
twelve oxen over life sized, three turn
ed TO each corner of the heavens and
all looking outward. 1t was a hand
breadth thick, about four inches. How
the sea" was filled or emptied Is not
stated.
There were ten LAYERS, quadrangular
in shape, supported on wheeled wagons
feet long, broad and Al high. The
LAYERS were used for the water with
which the entrails Of the beasts used
also their feet. The LAYERS on the
wagons came nearly up to the level OF
the great brazen altar. In the fore
court-due east from the temple en-
trance-stood the great altar of burnt
offerings 1t was made Of brass, was
80 feet long, 80 feet broad and Is feet
high. To the service of the altar be-
longed a great many utensils Of brass.
1t is stated in Chronicles that the
whole temple was overlaid with gold.
The quantity of gold for the most holy
house-the oracle-was 600 talents. II
the same system was adopted In the
outer part 2,700 talents must have been
required. 1t is difficult to estimate the