Blanchard J (anti-masonic) - Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated Part I

330 ~1RAND ELECT, PERFECT AND ~T’BLIME MASON. TNTTTATTO&. 331Jyar, in the year of the world 2992, and was completedin a little more than seven years.After a solemn invocation of the blessings of theEternal God at tfie dedication of the house erected tohis name, Solomonc held a feast with all the children ofIsrael for fourteen days, during which period lie gaveaudience to all the workmen.The first ~ss the Grand Elect, Perfect and SublimeMasons who were introduced mb the Sacred Vault, andat the same time the Grand Master Architects were inthe King’s apartment.lie admitted to the degree of Perfection some of themost virtuous of the brethren and made them mostsolemnly promise tc. live together in peace, unity andconcord, and to exercise the works of charity and benevolencein imitation of their deceased chief, and tomake justice and equity the babis of their actions;~toobserve a profound silence of thii~ degree and not to revealit to any person but thosc who are entitled to receiveit and had given proof of thicir zeal, fervor andconstancy in support pf the craft; to assist each otherand to relieve their mutual wants; to inflict vengeanceon traitors and to punish perfidy and injustice.The King then blessed them in the name of the LordGod of Israel and showed them the Ark of Allianceopened, from whence the Eternal Jehovah, the GrandArchitect of the Universe, delivered his oracles.He ordered many sacrifices and admitted them to alibation, embraced them and gave each of them a goldring as a proof of the alliance which they had formedwith virtue and the virtu6us and made them severalpresents with permission either to remain in Jerusalemor to travel into foreign countries.0n the second day he admitted the Masters and.Knighta Elected into the middle chamber and theremade them promise in the most sacred manner never todepart from the principles of virtue. To bear in theirrecollection the conduct of their respectable and muchlamented chief as a model, to live in unity with eachother in their wants and necessities and to faithfullyguard the mysteries of the order and never communicatethem to any but those who had merit sufficient to deservethem.He then gave them the degree of Grand Master Archi.tect and decorated them with the honors thereof, andalso bestowed on them some other favors and permittedthem also either to remain in Jerusalem or retire as theythought proper.On the third day lie gave audience to the FellowCrafts in the Eastern part of the temple and rewardedthose who appeared to him to be virtuous with the degreeof Master.On the Entered Apprentices he conferred the degreeof Fellow Craft and introduced them into the Porch ofthe temple; he then made them promise never to forsakethose principles of virtue, of which their Ancient Chiefwas a memorable example; to live united and mutuallyto assist each other in carefully preserving the Signs,Tokens and Words, and never to communicate them toany but those whose unexceptionaWe characters entitlethem to that favor. He then made them several presentsand permitted them to retire out of the city if theypleased and to enable those to prosecute their journeywith ease and satisfaction, and as farther reward fortheir good conduct lie gave orders to his Intendants todefray their expenses. Thus far this wise and virtuous