Masonic Notes And Queries.

into lodges , of a certain number , with a Master ancl Wardens in each , to be duly paid , fed , and clothed , and to take care of their succession . Thus a lasting foundation was laid of perfect harmony , love , aud friendship . Each knew his peculiar business and duty , and the grand design was vigorously pursued . The alliance between these wise and learned princes ended only with their lives .

Dius , the historian , tell us , that tho love of wisdom was the chief inducement to that tenderness of friendship between Hiram and Solomon , that they interchanged difficult , and mysterious questions , and points of ar , fc to be solved according to the true reason and nature of the matter in hand . Menander , of Ephesus , who . translated the Tyrian annals , out of the Philistine

tongue , into Greek , also relates , that when any of these propositions proved too hard for those wise and learned princes , Abdeymous , or Abdominus , the Tyrian , called in tho constitutions Anion , or Hiram Abiff , answered every device that was put to him , 2 nd . Chron ., 2 nd and 14 th verse , and even challenged Solomon , though the wisest prince on earthwith the subtlety of the

-, ques tions he proposed . To carry on this stupendous work \ vith greater ease ancl speed , Solomon caused all the craftsmen , as well natives as foreigners , to be numbered , and classed as follows , viz .: —lst'jHarodin , Princes ,

. Rulers or Provosts , in number 300 . 2 nd , Menatzchim , overseex's and comforters of the people in working , thai were expert Master Masons , 8300 . 3 rd , Ghiblim , Stonesquarers , Polishers and Sculptors , and Ishchotzeb , men of Hewing , and Benai , Setters ,. Layers or Builders , being able and ingenious fellow-crafts , 80 , 000 . 4 th , The Levy out of Israel , appointed to work in Lebanon ,

one month in three , 10 , 000 every mouth . Under the direction of Noble Adoniraui , who was the Junior Grand Warden , 30 , 000 . All the Freemasons employed in the work of the Temple , exclusive of the two Grand Wardens , were 113 , 600 . Besides the Ish-sabbal , or men of burthen , the remains of the old Canaanites , amounting to 70 , 000 , who are not numbered among

Masons . Solomon partitioned the Fellow-crafts into certain lodges , with the Master and Warden ( according to the tradition of old Masons , who talk much of these things , ) in each , that they might receive commands in a regular manner , might take care of their tools and jewels , might be regularly paid weekand be dulfed and clothed

every , y , & c . ; and the Fellow-crafts took care of their succession by educating Entered Apprentices . Thus a solid foundation was laid for perfect harmony among the brotherhood , the lodge was strongly cemented with love and friendship , every ^ bi-other was taught secreey and prudence , morality and g-ood-fellowshin : each knew his

ueculiar business , and the grand design was vigorously pursued at a prodigious expense . When they were all duly marshalled , Solomon , who had been still adding immense quantities of gold , silver , precious stones , " and other rich materials to those which David had laid up before his death , put them into proper hands , to be wrought into an almost infinite variety of ornaments .

The vast number of hands employed , and the diligence , skill , and dexterity of the master of work , the overseers and Fellow-crafts , was such , that he was able to level the Foot Stone of this vast structure , in the fourth year of his reign , the third after the death of David , and the 480 th after the children of Israel passing the Bed Sea . This magnificent work was begun in Mount Moriah , on

Monday , the second of the month Zif , which answers to the 21 st of our April , being the second month of the Sacred Tear , ancl was carried on with such prodigious speed , that it was finished in all its parts in little more than seven years , which happened on the 8 th day of the month Bull , which answers to the 23 rd of our October , being the seventh month of the Sacred Tear , and the eleventh of King Solomon . What is still more astonishing is , that every piece of it , whether timber , stone , or metW , was brought ready cut , framed , and polished , to

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Jerusalem ; so that no other tools were wanted or heard , than was necessary to join the several parts together . All the noise of the axe , hammer , and saw , was confined to Lebanon , and the quarries and plains of Zeredathah , that nothing might be heard among the Masons of Zion but harmony and peace . _ The Temple of Jehovah being finished , under the ausices of the wise and

p glorious King of Israel , Solomon , the prince of architecture , and the Grand Master Mason of his day , the fraternity celebrated the Cape-Stone with great joy ; but their joy was soon interrupted by the sudden death of their dear and worthy Master , Hiram AbifF . Nor less was the concern of King Solomon , who after some time allowed the craft to vent their sorrow ,

ordered his obsequies to be performed with great solemnity and decency , and buried him in the Lodgo near the Temple , according to the ancient usages among Masons , and long mourned for his loss . The fame of this grand edifice soon prompted the inquisitive of all nations to travel , and spendsome time at Jerusalem , and survey its excellency , as far as was allowed to the Gentiles , and they

soon found that the joint skill of all the world came infinitely short of the Israelites , in the wisdom , strength , and beauty of their architecture . When the wise King Solomon was Grand Master of all Masons at Jerusalem , and King Hiram * was Grand Master of Tyre , and inspired Hiram Abiffhad been master of the work , when true ancl complete Masonry was under the immediate

care and direction of Heaven , when the noble and the wise thought it their honour to be associates of the ingenious craftsmen in their well formed lodges . And so the Temple of Jehovah , the one true God , became the just wonder of all travellers , by which , as by the most perfect pattern , they resolved to correct that of their own countries upon their return . ]

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents .

MASONIC OHAEITT AND LODGE No . 600 .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE ATTD MASONIC MIKBOE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Having read the correspondence in your MAGAZINE , respecting Lodge Harmony ( No . 600 ) , Bradford , and the tables it published in conformity to your request on the 12 th September , in answer to a letter from " Investigator , " implying a doubt respecting a former condensed reportI must nowseeing that the

, , subject is attempted to be " shelved " by various correspondents , wishing to divert attention from the matter at issue , ask the Masonic public not to allow such an important question to be " burked " by mere verbiage . No one can have read the question put by " Investigator " without feeling that they implied doubts of the truth of those tables -but this implication miht at once have

, g been set at rest by the W . M . of the lodge laying before the brethren , through your columns , a " straightforward explanation of the tables , showing how the various amounts were disbursed , invested , and applied ; this would have been candid and honest , and might have removed the stigmas . The letter of the Treasurer was , to my minda cowardly quibble ; neither I nor any one of

, your readers care a jot who asked the questions , but we do care to know if they are answerable . We do care to know if those bouncing tables are true or false ; we do care to know if the institutions of the Lodge of Harmony are a reality or a sham ; but as to " Investigator , "