Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
consists of a double cube . Hence the pctronia , or ark of the Eleusinian mysteries , consisted also of a double cube ; hence the ark of the tabernacle affected the same form ; hence the forms of the ancient gods were , according to Pausanias , represented by cubes ; hence the altar in the court-yard of the Temple of Solomon consisted of two
cubes ; hence the oracle , or holy of holies , both of the ark and the temple , constituted perfect cubes ; ( 1 Kings , vi . 20 ) . The oracle of the fore part was twenty cubits in length , and twenty cubits in breadth , and twenty cubits in the height thereof ; and hence the final temple , or New Jerusalem , is described in the Apocalypseallegoricallto have a cubical
, y , form . ( xxi . 16 . ) The city is fours quare ; the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal . The symbolic or masonic meaning is here quite obvious , since no city could be built in the form of a cube . "
In the foundation of the temple this stone remained till the return of the Jews from their Babylonish captivity ; for though the destruction of that stately edifice , by Nebuchadnezzar and his oflicers , was so complete , this stone remained unmolested in the foundations ; being buried amongst the stones and rubbish which fell from the building during its
demolition . In preparing the foundations for a new structure , pursuant to the edict of Cyrus , three fortunate sojourners discovered this ancient stone , along with other invaluable materials , which had been deposited in a secret crypt ^ by Wisdom , Strength and Beauty , to prevent the communication of ineffable secrets to profane or unworthy persons .
The discovery having been communicated to the prince , priest and prophet of the Jews , our stone was adopted as the chief corner-stone of the re-edified building , laid in Zion with solemn ceremonies ; and thus became , in a new and more expressive sense , the type of a more excellent dispensation . Here it remained undisturbed for many centuries .
Even the splendid renewal of the temple of Zerubbabel , by Herod , did not remove this celebrated stone , because he built partly on the old foundations . Herod's temple was not completed at the time when the Messiah made his appearance upon earth , as the real corner-stone and foundation of man's eternal happiness;—the true JEHOVAH , whose
mystical NAME formed the essence , and constituted the value of the Stone of Foundation , which was still concealed in the bowels of the earth ; though it was fabled that the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
consists of a double cube . Hence the pctronia , or ark of the Eleusinian mysteries , consisted also of a double cube ; hence the ark of the tabernacle affected the same form ; hence the forms of the ancient gods were , according to Pausanias , represented by cubes ; hence the altar in the court-yard of the Temple of Solomon consisted of two
cubes ; hence the oracle , or holy of holies , both of the ark and the temple , constituted perfect cubes ; ( 1 Kings , vi . 20 ) . The oracle of the fore part was twenty cubits in length , and twenty cubits in breadth , and twenty cubits in the height thereof ; and hence the final temple , or New Jerusalem , is described in the Apocalypseallegoricallto have a cubical
, y , form . ( xxi . 16 . ) The city is fours quare ; the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal . The symbolic or masonic meaning is here quite obvious , since no city could be built in the form of a cube . "
In the foundation of the temple this stone remained till the return of the Jews from their Babylonish captivity ; for though the destruction of that stately edifice , by Nebuchadnezzar and his oflicers , was so complete , this stone remained unmolested in the foundations ; being buried amongst the stones and rubbish which fell from the building during its
demolition . In preparing the foundations for a new structure , pursuant to the edict of Cyrus , three fortunate sojourners discovered this ancient stone , along with other invaluable materials , which had been deposited in a secret crypt ^ by Wisdom , Strength and Beauty , to prevent the communication of ineffable secrets to profane or unworthy persons .
The discovery having been communicated to the prince , priest and prophet of the Jews , our stone was adopted as the chief corner-stone of the re-edified building , laid in Zion with solemn ceremonies ; and thus became , in a new and more expressive sense , the type of a more excellent dispensation . Here it remained undisturbed for many centuries .
Even the splendid renewal of the temple of Zerubbabel , by Herod , did not remove this celebrated stone , because he built partly on the old foundations . Herod's temple was not completed at the time when the Messiah made his appearance upon earth , as the real corner-stone and foundation of man's eternal happiness;—the true JEHOVAH , whose
mystical NAME formed the essence , and constituted the value of the Stone of Foundation , which was still concealed in the bowels of the earth ; though it was fabled that the