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

354 GRAND ELECT, PERFECT AND SUBLIME MASON.celled by Hiram Abiff, who 400 years before lost hisliferather than reveal the secrets of a Master Maaon. SoGalaad preferred being buried under the ruins ratherthan to discover to the barbarians by his coming out ofthe place where the greatest of treasures were deposited.Thrice Puissant—What did the Grand Elect do ~withthe body of this worthy chief?Senior Grand Warden—They wished to follow theexample of Solomon, by burying him with every masonichonor and then to erect a superb monument to his memory,and perpetuate to future generations, the heroicsacrifice he had made of himself to preserve the inestimabletreasure of the Sacred Vault of which he was thefaithful keeper, but ‘the distress in which the brethrenwere involved by the capture of Jerusalem prevented it.They took away his habit, consisting of his Tiara and arobe of fine linen which they burnt, and they interredhis body in the ruins of the Sacred Vault under thePillar of Beauty.Thrice Puissant—Hour did Solomon live after thededication of the temple?Senior Grand Warden—This ~vise king, this king sovirtuous whom God had appointed to rule over the childrenof Isracl became deaf to the voice of the Lord, an~lwas strangely irregular in his conduct. Proud of havingerected an edifice to his maker ~nd intoxicated with hispower he plunged into all rnanncr of licentiousness anddebauchery and profaned the temple of the Most Highby offering incense to the idol Moloch. which only shouldhave been offered to the living (lod. These crimes penetrateddeeply into the hearts of the good masons, thegreater part of whom voluntarily exiled themselves fromtheir country, that they micht not be spectators of thepunishment which they feared the Almighty would inflictupon Jerusalem. They accordingly left Judeiand went into foreign countries among strangers.Thrice Puissant—How many years did Solomonreign?INITIATION. 355Senior Grand Warden—Forty years, and died whenhe was ninety-four, and was buried in Jerusalem.Thrice Puissant-Who was king of Jerusalem after8olomon?Senior Grand Warden—Rehoboam, his son.Thrice Puissant-Did anything remarkable happenin his reign?Senior Grand Warden-God permitted the kingdomof Israel to be divided as a punishment for the sins ofthe people of Jerusalem as had been predicted by theprophets.Thrice Puissant—Relate to me the punishment of thekingdom of Judah.Senior Grand Warden—When the crimes of the peepiehad become insufferably great, God permittedNebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon to make war uponthem, who following the predictions of the prophetssent Nebuzaradan his general, who reduced all Judeswitn fire and sword, took and sacked the city of Jerusalemand reduced the temple of the living God to a heapof ruins. The conquerors carried with them as captivesinto Babylon, Zedekiah ‘~ and all his people, also all theornaments and treasures of the temple. This happened470 years, 6 months and 10 days after its dedication.The Grand Elect and Perfect Masons who were at Jeruuslemat this time exerted themselves with great bra,-Nate 150.—”Zedeklaia. & personage in some of the high deg~ees.wiume meianchoi tate is described in the Second Book of Kings and inthe rophecies of Jetemlah. He was the twentieth and last king ofJudd. when Nehuchadnesgar had in his second siege of Jeruaakmdepesed Jehelachin. whom be carried as a csptlye to Babylon. he placedSedekiab on the throne in his stead. By this act’Zedeklab becume tributawy tn the king of the ebaidees, who ezacted from hIm a solemnsethof Ideilty and obedlenee. Th’n oath he obsersed no longer thantIll an opportunIty occurred of YloIating It. in the language of theauthor of the Books of chronicles, ~he rebelled agaInst King Nebuchad.mar. who had made hIm swear by Ood.~This course soon brought down upon hIm the yengeance of theOfeuded monarch, who inyaded the land of Judah with an Immensegg~. ‘—Eaeknga Enqolope.edia at 1seeinasonz~, Article 5s4.kish.