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

346 GRAND ELECT, PERFECT AND SUBLIME MASON. INITIATION. 347guards.Thrice Puissant-Did the King of Cheth hesitate todeliver them up?Senior Grand Warden—No, he gave a guard to escortthe messengers an~ search with them.Thrice Puissant—Where were they found?Senior Grand Warden-]n a quarry called Bendaca.Thrice Puissant—Had not Solomon an intendant ofthat name?Senior Grand Warden—He had, one who was marriedto one of his daughters.Thrice Puissant—How came they to discover the twoassassins?Senior Grand Warden-By the intelligence of ashepherd who showed them the place of their retreat.Thrice Puissant—Who were the persons who sawthem first?Senior Grand Warden—Zerbal and Elignam, afterfive day’s search.Thrice Puissant—In what manner were they carriedup to Jerusalem?Senior Grand Warden—In chains, with their handsfastened behind their backs.Thrice Puissant—What was the form of the chains?Senior Grand Warden—A square, a rule and a mallet,on which was engraved the kind of punishment theywere to suffer at Jerusalem.Thrice Puissant—On what day did they arrive atJerusalem?Senior Grand Warden—On the fifteenth day of themonth Nissan, anna 3775; which answers to the monthof April.Thrice Puissant—How long was it before the assassinswere executed?Senior Grand Warden—One month.Thrice Puissant—How many masters did Solomonsend to search for them?Senior Grand Warden—There were fifteen, of whichiinmber 1 was one.Thrice Puissant—Were there no other persons?Senior Grand Warden—There were troops whichwere sent as an escort.Thrice Puissant—What was done with the two assassinswhen they arrived at Jerusalem?Senior Grand Warden—They were carried beforeSolomon to whom they confessed their guilt, afterwhich they were confined one day and one night in adungeon in the tower of Achizar, after which they wereled to execution.Thrice Puissant—What kind of punishment did theyreceive?Senior Grand Warden—At the hour of ten in themorning they were tied, naked, to two stakes, their armsand legs extended, their bodies were then opened fromtheir necks to the middle and in that condition theywere exposed to the heat of the sun for eight hours duringwhich time the flies and other insects feasted ontheir blood and entrails. At length their cries were solamentable that it drew tears from the executioner, whoin commiseration of their suffering severed their headsfrom their bodies, which were given to the wild beastsfor food and their heads were placed on the South andWest pinnacles of the temple. The head of Akiropwho was killed sometime before was placed on the Eastpinnacle, as a memento to the people to avoid suchhorrible crimes.Thrice Puissant—What are the words of the Electedof Fifteen?Senior Grand Warden—Zerbal and Elignam; the firstis the name of the Captain of lhe Guards who apprehendedthe assassins in the quarry, and the last God’s