The Three Jewish Temples.

profusion of tho illimitable resources of the Jewish monarch the work began , and in 1004 B . C ., the mighty structure which crowned the top of Mount Moriah was dedicated . It is not here intended to enter upon an elaborate description of this wonderful edifice , nor to dwell

upon tho work of " the son of a widow , a daughter of Dan ' , ' and a Tyrian father , iu that of the great builder and artificer in metals . Hiram Abif . Nor can space be g iven to tell tbe many vicissitudes through which this " wonder of the world" passed till its final destruction .

It was several times partially ruined and dismantled . First : thirty-threo years aftor its dedication , by Shisak king of Egypt . Second—after its restoration by the good Josiah—by Ahaz king of the again revolted tribes from Judah ; and finally its complete demolishment by

Nebuchadnezzar , 412 years after its first dedication , when the " 70 " years captivity was inaugurated . All these details can be found recorded in history , to which the curious reader is referred . There is every reason for believing that tho first temple

was totally destroyed and not a stone left upon another from cope to foundation . The glory had indeed departed " from Israel , and the disunion caused by their civil wars had finally borne fruit in leaving them a prey to the ruthless spoiler . Thus for fifty-two years , or from the conquest of

Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar to the victory of Cyrus over fielshazzar , Jerusalem lay a heap of ruins , together with its once magnificent " House of the Lord . " Tho people were enslaved and the very nationality of Israel wiped out—save for the clandestine element in Samaria , who still

inhabited the mounts of Gerizim and Ebal . It was then that the young scion of the Jewish priesthood in Babylon , Zerubbabel , became the bosom friend of Cyrus , and companion of young Darius . Tho result of the attachment was to cause Cyrus to issue his celebrated edict which sent Zerubbabel back to desolated Jerusalem as the leader of

42 , 360 emancipated captives , with Joshua as Captain of the Host and Haggai as Scribe . The work of rebuilding the city and temple was prosperously continued till the asconsion of Artaxerxes—known in history as Cambysesto the throne of Cyrus , when , through the machinations of the envious Samaritans and evil-minded enemies of tho

Persian court , the work was stopped and tho further immigration of tbe remaining Jews from Babylon prevented ; and it was not till the reign of Darius that Zerubbabel was permitted to resume the work , twenty years after its commencement , when tho final dedication took place .

While tho second temple was about a third larger than that of King Solomon ' s , it lacked very much in the richness of architecture and furnishing , but was still a glorious structure when , twonty-eight years latter , the conqueror Alexander , led by the Jewish High Priest , followed by a

vast procession of priests and Levites , bowed before the High Altar and worshipped Israel's Jehovah , leaving precious gifts behind him in honour of the event . Through many vicissitudes this temple stood , till the time of Herod , when , owing to the intestate wars and

repeated rebellion of' the Jews , it was nothing better than a ruin ( see Josephus ) . But Herod was a Jew of the Jews , a direct descendant of Solomon . Thus , while under the dominion of Rome , still ho had ambition enough to see the worship of the God of his fathers restored , and in a temple

equal to its predecessors . However , it must not be supposed that Herod built an entirely new temple . He simply repaired the old one , built by Zerubbabel . Herod's work began four years before the birth of Christ , and was finished four years after that event .

That it was a grand edifice , however , Josephus gives us full evidence . It not only was a temple , but also a fortress connected by a great viaduct with the city proper , forming a broad road across the valley ] of Jehoshaphat , on an incline plane , to the top of Moriah , where the temple stood .

The final destruction of this temple , in the memorable siege of Jerusalem , by Titus , A . D . 70 , is well known to our readers . And we close by remarking , that around this sacred mound—now crowned by a Mahometan Mosquehas for over 3000 years centred the thought of Jew and

Christian alike . On this mount the awful spectacle of a father about to sacrifice his only son was witnessed . Here the great , the immeasurable religious zeal of countless

millions have found vent in prayer , praise , and sacrifice . Here , even to-day , the voice of lamentation is lifted up , at beholding the ruin of what was once tho grandest nation and " House of God " on earth . About this sacred spot tradition has woven its spoilt .

The Three Jewish Temples.

It is related that three weary sojourners , known ns Shadrach , Meshacb , and Abednego , came to assist Zerubbabel iu " rebuilding the House of the Lord , " and their zeal waa rewarded by the discovery of the " Crypt , " where th "

" first illustrious three deposited the " sacred treasures . " From this has come down what Masonry holds in its Capitular teachings , and it is left for us to wonder : will ever again a mighty temple to Jehovah take the place of the other three on Mount Moriah ?—The American Tyler .

The claims of Masonio Bonevolonoe find no warmer reception than at the hands of our oouutiy brethren . As far aa their resources permit , it is invariably found that substantial and hearty support to all deserving colls can bo relied upon from the Lodges whioh meet outside city nnd snburbun boundaries . A pleasing illustration has lately been afforded in a case submitted to the gouerous

consideration of tho " Craft by two well-known brethren iu Adelaide who , vouching for the genuine and deserving oharaoter of the case , made application for assistance . The result shows that while the city and suburban Lodges have done well—as they ought , seeing that it in a sense was a city claim—yet for their means and resources the country Lodges have done splendidly . This is tin more to bo

commended , seeing that iu a great measure our country brethren , by reason of their distance from the centre of Masonio life in this colony , are uioi-3 or less isolated , and are bereft of the sweet influences of common sympathy and frequent interconrse whioh form so significant a privilege among the many enjoyed by metropolitan brethren . In fact , the advantages of the latter are of so lavish a

nature as contrasted with the scanty privileges of the country brethren as to make it necessary to ask ourselves the question whether , in the disposition of the Graft hononrs , snffioienfc thought is given to the brethren who labour hard—and often under most discouraging circumstances—to keep alive in the country distriots the sacred fire of Masonio enthusiasm ? There is too great

propensity to divide the good things among those who are at hand to scramble for them , and far too little thought for those at a distance , and who , probably , owing to the adverse surroundings and scanty resouross , are doing very much better work ; for given good material , well-primed tools , and the emulating tendency of numbers , it shonid be no small shame were the results found to be slovenly , shoddy , and

wasteful . It is , howevor , but poor consolation to the conscientious workman , devoid of such advantages , to find that his very poverty forms a reason for dividing all honours among his more-favoured kith . We want to seo less thought for self , and considerably more for others , in the disposal of Grand Lodge rank , for instance . It ia perfectly true that in the cases of the important offices the oooupanoy

must perforco be limited to brethren who can readily attend to tho required duties , and we fear that under present arrangements country brethren cannot reasonably expect a chanoe . There are , however , other offices of minor importance whioh might most easily be allowed to faithful brethren labouring in oonntry districts , for even if distance and means prevented the holders from attending

in their plaoes regularly , yet the bon accord which would necessaril y follow suoh a distribution wonld go far to oheer our country brethren and stimulate them to renewed efforts . Jnst now we are approachthe period when the oconpanoy of Grand Lodge offioes for the ensuing twelve months will be considered . Let it be distinguished as an occasion of self-abnegation and honourable aotion on the part of town and suburban brethren . —South . Australian Freemason .

No visitor in Pennsylvania can demand to see the Warrant of a Lodge previous to bis examination , nor has any one the right to show it to him . If he does ask for it , he should be promptly refused . He no doubt wants to visit the Lodge . There can be no Lodge without a Warrant , and when it is absent from the Lodge there is no Lodge . If the request was for one moment granted it would give the visitor

greater powers than any member of the Lodge , as by taking it from the Lodge Boom to show him the Lodge closes . Half a dozen visitors to be examined , each asking to see the Charter , wonld mean half a dozen olosiogs . Let the visitor take his time to examine it in the Lodge room after he has been examined and admitted to the body of the open Lodge , but not before . Again , if he does examine it , how does he know whether it is a regular Charter or Warrant or not ? —Keyitone .

We regret to have to announce that the eldest son of Bro . J . C . Parkinson P . G . D . met with a fatal accident , on Thursday , through the explosion of a gun , at tbe residence of his grandfather , Sir George Elliot , M . P ., in Park Street , Grosvenor Square .

Bro . E . P . Delevanti , with the aid of his pupils , will give a performance of " The Mikado , " in the Assembly Hall of the Institution at Wood Green , N ., on Friday , 6 th May next .

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