Masonic Notes And Queries.

The Mason ' s Some . " Where hearts are warm with kindred fire , And love beams free from answering eyes , Bright spirits hover always there , And that's the home the Masons prize . The Mason ' s Home ! Ah , peaceful home ,

The home of love aud light and joy : — How gladly does the Mason come To share his tender , sweet employ . " All round the world , by land , by sea , Where Summers burn or AVinters chill , The exiled Mason turns to thee , And yearns to share the joys we feel .

The Mason ' s Home 1 Ah , happy home , The home of light and love and joy -. — There ' s not an hour but I would come And share this tender , sweet employ .

" A weary task , a dreary round , Is all benighted man may know , But here a brighter scene is found , The brightest scene that's found below , The Mason ' s Home ! Ah , blissful home , Glad centre of unmingled joy : — Long as I live I'll gladly come And share this tender , sweet employ .

" And when the hour of death shall come , And darkness seal my closing eye , May hands fraternal bear me home , The home where weary Masons lie . The Mason ' s Home 1 Ah , heavenly home , To faithful hearts eternal joy : — How blest to find beyond the tomb

The end of all our sweet employ . " Use your Talents Well . " Whatever may he our situation or rank in life , we shall find , on examination , those in similar situations , who have dignified the Masonic Order , and rendered themselves useful to the Craft . "

The Old the Pest . " Of all Masonic decisions and systems of work that conflict wholly or partly with each other , the oldest is the best . " The Standard Guide . " The nearerour brethren assimilate to the Scriptural standard of right and wrong , the less need will they find for written laws

and regulations . " HIRAM , KING 03 ? TYRE . What is known about the relations between David , Solomon , and Hiram , King of Tyre P—F . A . [ David , King of Israel , through the long wars he had with the Canaanites , had not leisure to employ his own

craftsmen , or those he had obtained from his steady friend and ally , King Hiram of Tyre , for almost his whole reign was one continued series of wars , fatigues , and misfortunes . But at length , having taken the city of Jebus , and stronghold of Zion , from his enemies , he set the craft to work repairing and embellishin g tbe walls and public edifices , especially in Zion , where ' he fixed his residence , as also by him , or in his time , the old Jebus obtained the name of . Tr . riisa . lRm .

David , now worn down with years and infirmities , and drawing near his end , assembled the chiefs of his people , acquainted them with his design to have built a magnificent repository for the ark of God , having made great preparations for it , and laid up immense quantities of rich materials , as also p lans and models for the different parts of the structure , with many necessary regulations for its

future establishment , but found it was the Divine will that this great work should be accomplished by his son Solomon . He requested them to assist in so laudable a work , and they were not backward to fulfil his request ; so that an amazing quantity of gold , silver , copper , and other materials , besides precious stones , marble , porphyry , and other rich materials , were brought to him from all

parts of the kingdom . The king died soou after , in the 70 th year of his age , after having reigned seven years in Hebron , over the house of Judah , and thirty-three over all the tribes . Upon the death of David , and the succession of Solomon to the throne , the affection Hiram had ever maintained for the father , prompted him to send

a congratulatory embassy to the son , expressing great joy to find the royalty continued in the family . When these ambassadors returned , Solomon embraced the occasion , and wrote a letter to Hiram in the following terms : — " King Solomon to King Hiram , greeting : — "Be it known to thee , 0 King , that my Father Davidhad it a long time in his mind to erect a temple to the

Lord , but being perpetually in war , and under a necessity of clearing his " hands of his enemies , and making them all his tributaries before he could attend to this great and holy work , he hath left it to me in time of peace , both to begin , and to finish it , according to the directions as well as the prediction of Almighty God . Blessed bebis great name for the present tranquillity of my

dominions , and by his assistance I shall now dedicate the- best improvements of this liberty and leisure to his honour and worship . Wherefore I make it my request , that you will let some of your people go along with some servants of mine to Mount Lebanon , to assist them in cutting down materials towards this building , for the-Sidonians understand it much better than we do . As to

the workmen ' s reward or wages , whatever you thmk reasonable shall be punctually paid them . " Hiram was highly p leased with this letter , and returned the following answer : — " ^ Nothing could have been more welcome to me , than to understand that the government of your blessed father is devolved , by God ' s providence , into the hands

of so excellent , so wise , and so virtuous a successor . His holy name be praised for it . That which you write for shall be done with all care and goodwill : for I will give order to cut down and export such quantities of the fairest cedars and cypress trees as you shall have occasion for . My people shall bring them to the sea-side for you , and from thence ship them away to what

portyou please , where they may lie ready for your own mento transport them to Jerusalem . It would be a great obligation , after all this , to allow us such provision of corn in exchange , as may stand with your convenience ,, for that is the commodity we Islanders want most . " Solomon was highly pleased with this answer of the Tyrian king , and in return for his generous offers , ordered him a yearly present of 20 , 000 measures of wheat , and 20 , 000 measures of fine oil for his household , besides ths same quantity of barley , wheat , wine ancl oil , which he

engaged to give Hiram ' s Masons , who were to be employed in the intended work of the Temple . Hiram was to send the cedars , fir , and other woods upon floats to Joppa , there to be delivered to whom Solomon should direct , iu order to be carried to Jerusalem . He sent him also a man of his own name , a Tyrian by birth , but of Israelitish descent , who was a second Bezaleel , and

honoured by his King with the title of Father ; and in 2 nd Chron ., 2 nd and 13 th verse , is called Hiram Abiff . This inspired master was , without question , the most cunning , skilful , and curious workman that ever lived , whose abilities were not confined to building only , but extended to all kinds of work , whether in gold , silver , brass , or iron ; whether in linen , tapestry , or

embroidery ; whether considered as an architect , statuary , founder , or designer , separately or together , he equally excelled . From his designs , and under his direction , all the rich and splendid furuiture of the Temple , and its several appendages , were begun , carried on , and finished . Solomon appointed him , in his absence , to fill the chair , as Deputy Grand Master , and , in his presence , Senior

Grand Warden , master of work , and general overseer of all artists , as well those whom David had formerly procured from Tyre and Sidon , as those Hiram should now send . The Fellow Crafts were ordered to be partitioned