The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARful" ceiling.The other coverings or curtains wereof goats' hair and the skins of rams and other animalscolored red. The t^o sides and the westernend were formed of boards of shittim wood, overlaidwith thin plates of gold, and fixed in solid socketsor vases of silver. It was surrounded by acourt, the walls of which were made of fine twinedlinen, attached to pillars bound with bands of silverand set in sockets v of brass. The length of the courtwas 150 feet, its breadth 75 feet, and its height 7^feet. The tabernacle in all its structure was arrangedfor convenient packing, transportation andsetting up; but nevertheless, in size, in beauty ofworkmanship, and in costliness of material, was amagnificent structure for the wilderness. This tabernaclewas carried by the Israelites in all theirwanderings.During their march through the wilderness thetwelve tribes had between them four principal banners,or standards, to which reference is made in theBook of Numbers, chapter ii. "Every man of the:children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard."But as to what were the devices on the banners orwhat were their various colors, the Bible is absolutelysilent. To the inventive genius of the Talmudistswe are indebted 'for all that we know or professto know on this subject. Wherever the Israeliteshalted they encamped with three tribes on each sideof the tabernacle. The tribes of Judah, Issacharand Zebulun on the east side under the standard ofJudah; Reuben, Simeon and Gad on the south sideunder the standard of Reuben; Ephraim, Manassehand Benjamin on the west side under the standardof Ephraim; Dan, Asher and Naphtali on the29