Duncan's Ritual of Freemasonry.pdf - FatimaMovement

deposited in the 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, the stone was adopted as the chief
corner-stone of the re-edified building; and thus
became, in a new and expressive sense, the type
of a more excellent dispensation. An avenue was
also accidentally discovered, supported by seven
pairs of pillars, perfect and entire, which, from
their situation, had escaped the fury of the flames
that had consumed the Temple, and the
desolation of war which had destroyed the city.
This secret vault, which had been built by
Solomon as a secure depository for certain
valuable secrets, that would inevitably have been
lost without some such expedient for their
preservation, communicated by a subterranean
avenue with the King's palace; but at the
destruction of Jerusalem, the entrance having
been closed by the rubbish of falling buildings, it
had been now discovered by the appearance of a
keystone among the foundations of the Sanctum
Sanctorum. A careful inspection was then made,
and the invaluable secrets were placed in safe
custody.--Historical Landmarks, vol. ii. p. 434.
In preparing the foundations, as we are told by
the Jewish Rabbins, the workmen discovered a
subterranean vault or cavity, supported by seven
pairs of pillars supporting so many arches. This
vault, at the destruction of Jerusalem, having
been filled with the rubbish of the building,
escaped observation, and was indicated at the
present period by the discovery of a keystone
among the foundations. The Rabbins add, that
Josiah, foreseeing the destruction of the Temple,
commanded the Levites to deposit the Ark of the
Covenant in this vault, where it was found by