Semi-weekly herald., 1909-09-20
GAVEL FROM KING
soLoMoN's cuARRiEs

\ o.
Durango lodge. No. 4G. A. f. and
A. Nj. is the possessor of set OF
gayeIs that probably have not a coun-
terpart In the state. or for thnt mat
ter, In the west and should be priced
very highly We refer to the sayels
recently presented the lodge by C. +.
foung, one being made OF marble from
the marble quarries from which King
solomon built his magnificent temple.
another being of cedar from the I'm.
nous cedar forests of Lebanon. md
the third acacia wood. il Will be re-
inembered that the latter part of the
winter Mr.. Young visited the Holy
land. taking one of the fine ocean
steamers carrying Clark excursion
party. On the boat were some eighty
members of the Masonic order and
during the cruise they often met, not
as a lodge, but socially, electing Judge
Wood chairman. or the number ON
hoard IL. ---ssss
Solomon. They are situated 0utside
the city from the Damascus gate and
the opening into the quarry was re-
Gently discovered. Exploration reveal.
ed an easy Incline into the earth OF
about quarter OF n mile with
possible depth of / 900 feet. Here
great chambers several hundred feet
In dimension exist. The marble Is In
cIined to be soft. II IL said wet wood
was driven into the seams and swell
ing loosened the marble slabs by King
Solomon's workmen. When exposed to
the surface the marble hardens. 1t
was In this quarry that Mr.. Young Sc
cured several pieces of MARBLE. one
of which he had made In gavel which
he presented to the lodge with his
compliment, a silver plate bearing an
inscription of name and date
The second gavel is made of cedar
obtained by Mr.. Young on this trip,
also the one OF acacia There is no
question Of the cedar being the real
thing, Each gavel contains silver
plate setting forth the facts. Mr..
Young also presented the lodge with
sprig or vine OF acacia, rare and fine
specimen.
Mr.. Young tells an Interesting story
OF his trip and the manner In which
he obtained the marble. as guides and
officers are on the lookout to see that
nothing is touched. but silver has
charms for the Bedouins, and secures
many forbidden things. Speaking of
the city OF Jerusalem, Mr.. Young says
excavations show the present surface
Of The ground TO be from twenty to
eighty feet above the ground at the
pie. II ls known that Jerusalem has
been besieged and destroyed more
times than any city In the world and
each time rebuilt on the ruins. He
ulcher.' which IL said to contain the
tomb OF Christ. Is fake along with
l the many things II contains. He says
Russian peasants and Arabs visit the
and bow down and kiss the various
objects as the real thing when Jesus
was on earth. Mr.. Young says. how
ever. that the Garden OF Gethsemane
has been located and Is the same as 1t
was in christ's time. Mr.. Young visit.
ed Jehrico and other historic places
also enjoyed a 500-mile ride up the
Nile.
The three gavels and sprIg OF acacis
Will be taken to Denver by Mr.. T. II
Ballard. the w. NJ. and others attend
ing the Grand lodge the coming weel
to be used during the sessions Of tht
lodge MS. so far as known. there Il
nothing OF the kind In the state or th'
west. perhaps not In any Blue lodge II
America.