The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-09
MASONS HAVE Big
JOB MAPPED OUT
SOME LABOR INVOLVED WHEN
lT COMES TO REBUILDING KING
soLoMoN's TEMPLE-THE DIFF
FACULTIES THAT MUST BE
OVERCOME.

The suggestion coming not long ago
from Boston that the Free Masons of
the world should unite in rebuilding
the Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem
causes The Illustrated London News
to wonder whether the originators of
the scheme have counted the cost.
or course the interest of the Masons
is due to the belief that their order
was founded by King Solomon and
that he was it's 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 Haren-
Esh- Shereef, "the noble sanctuary"
To the Moslem this place is only less
sacred than Mecca and Medina. for ii
Is believed to cover the rock which is
regarded by them as the center of the
earth, the spot from which Manomet
started when he visited heaven.
Aside from the difficulty OF per-
suading the Moslem world to yield one
of It's most sacred spots to the Masons
there would seem to be something too
stupendous even for bean-fed audaci-
ty In the idea of building another
Solomons temple. Just by way of
showing what the suggestion involves,
1t may be remarked that Solomon had
10000 men out cutting timber for his
new church.
They were divided into three shifts.
10000 went to Mount Lebanon for one
month and were two months at home
There were 10000 men who carried
the stones and there were $4,000 stone
cutters in the mountains. These men
had $500 foremen. Stonecutters
quarried enormous blocks, several GU
bits each way, for the foundations,
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 1t is surrounded
The main building was rectangular in
shape-60 cubits long, 20 cubits broad
and 30 cubits high; taking the cubits
at Is inches, 80 feet, 80 feet and As
feet respectively. The walls of the
first story were between 9 and 10 feet
thick; those OF the second story, 7K
feet, Of the third story 71s feet and
Of the fourth story. feet.
On three sides, north, west and
south, the temple was surrounded by
a side building in three stories con-
tanning side chambers. The height of
each story from floor to ceiling was
~ feet. The number of side chamb-
ers is given by Ezekiel as thirty or
thirty three 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 sur
mounted by course of cedar beams.
The entire citadel was enclosed by the
great court. In front of the tenple
stod the two pillars made by Hiram
OF Tyre and called joachim (meaninE
to establish") and Boaz ('in
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 were hung 900 pome-
GRANTEES in two rows. The were used
as receptacles for documents. etc.
Such columns were quite common in
the temples OF Baal.
Near the columns was the Molten
sea- so named ON account of it's size.
It was Is feet in diameter and Just
half as high. It was said to have been
capable or containing 1000 baths" or
1900 gallons. 1t was made of brass
or captured by David from Tibhath
and Chun, cities Of Hadarezar. king
OF the Zobah. The brim was wrought
like the brim of a cup with flowers
or lilies, that is, curved outward like
a lily or lotus flower. 1t stood On
twelve oxen over life sized. three
turned to each corner of the heavens
and all loking outward. 1t was a
hand breadth thick, about inches
HOW the sea" was filled or emptied
Is not stated.
There were ten layers. uuadran1uIor
In shape, supported on wheeIed Iua1-
ons feet long. broad and Az high.
me lavers We're used for the water
WIN which the entrails Of the beasts
used for burnt offerings were cleaned
and also their feet. The LAYERS on the
wagons came nearly up to the level Of
the great brazen altar. In the FORE
couro--due east from the temple en-
trance-stod the great altar Of burnt
Offering. 1t was made of brass was
30 feet long, 30 broad and is high. TIC
the service of the altar belonped .
great many utensils of brass.
1t is stated in Chronicles +ba+ ~.
whole temple was OVERLAND with goId
The quantity of gold for the most boIv
house-the oracle-was 500 talents II
the same system was adopted IN tbe
outer part 2.700 talents must have
been required. It is dificult 10 ast,-
mate the value of the gold. for tbe
Babylonian gold talent was uort,,
ee15O II heavy" and a3.o7s i,
light If ''heavy" the gold usaS a.
the oracle was worth ea,6sO 600 anS
that in the other part Of the temnle
e46.605,000. The value of the Who'll
Of the gold used in the temple. thu
thickness Of the gold on the wains.
R<ffnU and hA