Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1911-07-20
lNTthtoIlNG
Discourse Delivered by Rev. "A.
Mather at Corner Stone Ser
vices in Sturgis.

| something on THIS occasion reld-
tive to the question often asked
"Why build a house unto the
Lord?"
My answer, in brief, would be,
For the more noble and glorious
purpose of building character
and, with your permission, | will
discuss this vital subject with you
during the brief moments that are
at my disposal.
When our ancient brethren
were engaged in erecting those
magnificent temples and cathe-
drals, which have been the won
der and admiration of every age,
they were continually struck with
the similitude existing between
the principles of sublime architec-
ture and those of lofty morality,
and, whenever the wise and &C
complishcd Master had occasion
to teach his younger brethren the
mysteries of the craft he found it
not only his pleasure, but his duty
to point out to them these like
nesses, and, while intoxicating such
information as might be necessary
to enable them to enter with their
whole being into the practice of
that glorious occupation wherein
they might display all in the art,
end genius, and devotion that was
budding in their young manhood,
lie endeavored to awaken and
or cate in them a mighty desire, a
heart enthuSed with heroism and
poetry and romance, and a noble
and soaring soul inspired with all
the fervor of true religion.
This, my brethren, was, | be-
lieve, the origin of speculative
Masonry, as it exists among
Freemasons to this day.
There was one article of furni-
ture in the Holy of Holes of King
Solomon's Temple OF which mod
ern history says but little. | refer
to the seven-branched candlestick.
This was originally wrought by
Aholiab and Bezaleel, under the
direction of Moses, and formed
part OF the furniture of the
ancient tabernacle. 1t was placed
in the temple at its dedication, to-
gether with the ark of the coven-
ant, and was carried away to
Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar and
was subsequently restored by Cy-
rus, King of Persia. 1t was cat
tured in the Conquest OF Judea by
Titus and was brought by him to
Rome and representation of it
appears to this day, upon his arch
of triumph, as among the plumber
taken at the seige OF Jerusalem.
1t was finally sunk in the Tiber
during the burning of Rome which
occurred under the Emperor Nero.
This much for the history, with
which you are nearly all, doubtless
familiar.
Our ancient brethren were &C
customed frequently to refer to
this candlestick under the name of
the Seven Lamps of Architec-
ture." 1t was their belief that a
building, in order to be truely
grand and sublime, should be il
Illuminated by seven lamps, which
should shine as perpetually from
its every part as did the Shekinah
OF old from between the Cherubim
and Seraphim; and what little |
time | am allowed this evening
shall be spent in a description of
these seven symbolic lamps, some
thing after the manner of our
brethren
The first lamp was the Lamp of
Truth. The building should first
of all be genuine, just what it is
purported to be in all its parts.
There should be no shams in the
and no Sights in the
workmanship, no deliberately
wrought front backed up by