Mackey A G - Encylopedia of Freemasonry - The Grand Masonic ...

330 HIRAM
HIRAM
cute the architectural part of the undertaking
was such ; that he found it necessary to request
of his friend and ally, Hiram, King of
Tyre, the use of some of his most able builders
; for the Tyrians and Sidonians were celebrated
artists, and at that time were admitted
to be the best mechanics in the world .
Hiram willingly complied with his request,
and despatched to his assistance an abundance
of men and materials, to be employed in
the construction of the Temple, and among
the former, a distinguished artist, to whom
was given the superintendence of all the workmen,
both Jews and Tyrians, and who was in
possession of all the skill and learning that
were required to carry out, in the most efficient
manner, all the plans and designs of
the King of Israel .
Of this artist whom Freemasons recognize
sometimes as Iiiram the Builder, sometimes
as the Widow's Son, but more commonly as
Hiram Abif, the earliest account is found in
the 1st Book of Kings (vii . 13, 14), where the
passage reads as follows :
"And King Solomon sent and fetched
Hiram out of Tyre. He was a widow's son
of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a
man of Tyre, a worker in brass, and he was
filled with wisdom and understanding, and
cunning to work all works in brass . And he
came to King Solomon and wrought all his
work ."
He is next mentioned in the 2d Book of
Chronicles (ch . ii . 13, 14), in the following
letter from Hiram of Tyre to King Solomon .
" And now I have sent a cunning man,
endued with understanding, of Huram my
father's. The son of a woman of the daughters
of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre,
skilful to work in gold and in silver, in brass,
in iron, in stone and in timber, in purple, in
blue and in fine linen and in crimson ; also to
grave any manner of graving, and to find out
every device which shall be put to him, with
thy cunning men, and with the cunning men
o
f my lord David, thy'father ."
In reading these two descriptions, everyone
will be at once struck with an apparent contradiction
in them in relation to the parentage
of their subject . There is no doubt-for in
this both passages agree that his father was a
man of Tyre ; but the discrepancy is in reference
to the birthplace of his mother, who in
one passage is said to have been "of the tribe
of Naphtali," and in the other, "of the daughters
of Dan." Commentators have, however,
met with no difficulty in reconciling the contradiction,
and the suggestion of Bishop Patrick
is now generally adopted on this subject .
He supposes that she herself was of the tribe
of Dan, but that her first husband was of the
tribe of Naphtali, by whom she had this son ;
and that when she was a widow, she married
a man of Tyre, who is called Hiram's father
because he bred him up and was the husband
of his mother .
Hiram Abif undoubtedly derived much of
his knowledge in mechanical arts from that
man of Tyre who had married his mother,
and we may justly conclude that he increased
that knowledge by assiduous study and constant
intercourse with the artisans of Tyre,
who were greatly distinguished for their- attainments
in architecture . Tyre was one of
the principal seats of the Dionysiac fraternity
of artificers, a society engaged exclusively in
the construction of edifices, and living under a
secret organization, which was subsequently
imitated by the Operative Freemasons . Of
this association, it is not unreasonable to suppose
that Hiram Abif was a member, and that
on arriving at Jerusalem he introduced among
the Jewish workmen the same exact system
of discipline which he had found of so much
advantage in the Dionysiac associations at
home, and thus gave, under the sanction of
King Solomon, a peculiar organization to the
Masons who were engaged in building the
Temple .
Upon the arrival of this celebrated artist
at Jerusalem, which was in the year n .c .
1012, he was at once received into the intimate
confidence of Solomon, and entrusted with
the superintendence of all the workmen, both
Tyrians and Jews, who were engaged in the
construction of the building . He received the
title of "Principal Conductor of the Works,"
an office which, previous to his arrival, had
been filled by Adoniram, and, according to
Masonic tradition, formed with Solomon and
King Hiram of Tyre, his ancient patron, the
Supreme Council of Grand Masters, in which
everything was determined in relation to the
construction of the edifice and the government
of the workmen .
The Book of Constitutions, as it was edited
by Entick (ed . 1756, p . 19), speaks of him in
the following language : "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 architect, statuary, founder or
designer, separately or together, he equally
excelled . From his designs and under his direction,
all the rich and splendid furniture 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 ."
This statement requires some correction .
According to the most consistent systems
and the general course of the traditions, there
were three Grand Masters at the building of
the Temple, of whom Hiram Abif was one,
and hence in our Lodges he always receives
the title of a Grand Master . We may, however,
reconcile the assertion of Anderson, that
he was sometimes a Deputy Grand Master,
and sometimes a Senior Grand Warden, by
supposing that the three Grand Masters were,