Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-04-29
soLoMoN.s TEMPLE


4 In the Holy Land, between the
beautiful Tyrolean valley and the val
ley Of Jehoshaphat, rises level spur
or plateau. On this commanding
height are the ruins of the great
Temple of Solomon. This spot is one
of extraordinary interest to the whole
Christian world, for the famous edifice
was erected by the ancient craftsmen
of whom King Solomon and the two
Kings Hiram were the first grand
masters.
We are all somewhat familiar with
the story of the building Of the tenn
pie: David was forbidden to erect the
structure to be dedicated to the Lord
because he had shed 80 much blood in
his wars. So he had to prepare the
way for his successors. Then came
the wise and mighty Solomon, who
planned to erect such q monument to
his God as had never before been
dreamed of. For this purpose he en-
tered into an agreement with King
Hiram whereby the latter furnished
cedars-the famous cedars of Leb-
anon-and skilled workmen to cut
them. David had already prepared
iron for the nails and joinings;
brass in abundance without weight. /"
He had also prepared many hewn
stones, and gotten together for this
purpose 100, 900 talents Of gold and
thousand thousand talents of silver.
So the young King Solomon had no
lack of resources or material.
~0f the original structure we are
told that it was indeed magnificent.
1t was inclosed by massive wall.
The length of the temple was three
score cubits, the breadth 20 and the
height 80. The stone was dressed
before its arrival so that the con-
struction of the building was as quiet
as possible. The cedar floor was
covered with fanks of fir. The
whole interior, including the cedar
wainscot, was covered with gold. No
stone was visible in the interior, and
the cedar was carved with knobs and
open flowers. There was an inner
court for the priests and an inner
and outer temple, called the holy and
most holy places. Within the oracle
were two cherubim, ten cubits In
height, with wings measuring ten
cubits from tip to tip, all overlaid
with gold. Golden vessels and orna-
ments of all kinds were in abundance.
The roof of the various parts of the
structure was supported partly by
cedar pillars, partly by stone columns.
The surface of the plateau nowhere
presented a, level spot Of sufficient
area for the temple, so large plateau
was built up with piers arched over
and filled in with stone. This structure
still remains, with long, sloping
passage to the temple, up which it is
supposed that the animals were brought
from below for the sacrifice.
OF the rest of the temple the re-
mains are in ruin. The great stones
of the foundation wall lie just where
the builders placed them and still
bear the craft-marks or directions
for placing them. The gates on the
south, west and east are still to be
seen. The south gate has all the
marks of Jewish architecture. but has
been Romanized by four white mar
BILE columns which adorn the door
way. Inside is an entrance hall in
the center of which is column six
feet in diameter and, ,2l feet high, with
capital finely sculptured in Stone,
the entire column being from q single
block of limestone.
The eastern gate. called by the
crusaders the Golden Gate. is now
kept walled up through superstition
on the part of the Mohammedans that
the Christians will enter here and
drive them out. The great wall of
the enclosure still remains. as do a
fight of steps in front of the Golden
Gate, although the latter are buried
in rubbish.