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24 SPECIAL COMMUNICATION OF THE GRAND LODGEThus we find three important characters, brought together bySolomon, actively engaged in directing the work of building thetemple—Solomon, King of Israel ; Hiram, King of Tyre ; andHiram, the widow's son. The artisans were principally Phoenicians,who were skilled workmen. The city of Tyre was at thatdate an ancient city, seventeen hundred and forty-five years old. 1Its people were far advanced in the knowledge of architecture andship building. In such a country there were system, order,workmen, educated artists ; there were workers in glass ; weaversin fine linen and purple; ship builders and architects; 2 stonemasons and workers in brass.In building the Temple, how necessary this labor should beorganized ; masters, skilled workmen, (fellow-crafts), and bearersof burdens, (apprentices). 3 These divisions naturally groupedthemselves together according to their rank and class, with rulesfor the government of each. Such, tradition tells us, was the fact.The social life and ceremonies incident to the passing out of oneclass into a higher are all left out of the record. But it is naturalto suppose that these steps were preceded by some sort of ceremonybecause, less than three centuries later, we have architects—operative masons—-with civil rights, ceremonies, festival celebrations,in the principal cities of the East, aswellasat Rome.* Athelstan,grandsonof Alfred the Great, issued to them charters; and Yorkwas the seat of the Grand Master of this body of operative masonsin England. 5 From this period the history of this order of organizedmasons is as well authenticated as any other fact in history. 61. Herod, ii. 44; Kendrick Phoenicia, 233.2. 1 Kings, ix, 26, 28 ; 2 Ohron. viii, 18.3. 1 Kings, v, 15, 18,4. Wren's Parentalia, pp. ."06, 307; Henry's Hist, of Great Brit, viii, p. 273;Stat. Ac. of Scot. vol. xi; see account of building of Abbey of Kilwinning by masonsin twelfth century. It is said here was founded the first Scottish masonic lodge.See also note 1, page 7.5. Encyc. Brit., ed. viii, vol. 14, pp.337, 338. (See Note, page 10.)6. Lyon, History of the Lodge of Edinburg, pp. 5, 9 to 11, 23, 58; Ib., chap. viii. pp.57, 58; Lowrie's History of Freemasonry, p 103; Constitution and Laws, Edinburg,1881, p. 120; see Gould's History of Freemasonry, vol. 2. p. 19. "Almost an unbrokenseries of minutes are preserved of its transactions (Lodge of Edinburg No. 1), from1599 to lhe transition period of 1717, and from that year to 1738, when Scotland had itsown Grand Lodge, down to 1883, extending over nearly three centuries.