Duncan's Ritual of Freemasonry.pdf - FatimaMovement

The Master next calls the candidate's attention to
the three grand Masonic pillars, usually
delineated on Master's carpet (a
p. 126
Master's carpet is a large map that Lodges
generally keep, which is highly embellished with
Masonic emblems).
Master, pointing to these pillars, says: "These are
called the three grand Masonic columns or
pillars, and are designated Wisdom, Strength, and
Beauty.
"The pillar of Wisdom represents Solomon, King
of Israel, whose wisdom contrived the mighty
fabric; the pillar of Strength, Hiram, king of Tyre,
who strengthened Solomon in his grand
undertaking; the pillar of Beauty, Hiram Abiff,
the widow's son, whose cunning craft and curious
workmanship beautified and adorned the Temple.
"The construction of this grand edifice was
attended with two remarkable circumstances.
From Josephus we learn, that although seven
years were occupied in building it, yet, during the
whole time, it rained not in the daytime, that the
workmen might not be obstructed in their labor,
and from sacred history it appears that there was
neither the sound of hammer, nor axe, nor any
tool of iron, heard in the house while it was
building. This famous fabric was supported by
fourteen hundred and fifty-three columns, and
two thousand nine hundred and six pilasters--all
hewn from the finest Parian marble.
"There were employed in its building three Grand
Masters; three thousand three hundred Masters,
or overseers of the work; eighty thousand Fellow
[paragraph
continues]