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

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARIsrael. The people clamored for a king. The uncertainjudgeship proved only an equivocal defenseagainst the strong, personal governments of the adjacentpagan nations. Under the popular impulse,and against the theocratic principle, Saul, the sonof Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, was chosen forthe royal honor, and was anointed king by theprophet Samuel. With this event the second periodof Israelitish history begins.Saul was a warrior. He was an austere and ableman, cordially disliked by the priesthood, betweenwhom and himself there was a conflict of authority.He began his reign by making war on theadjacent tribes, whom he reduced to subjection, thefirst of whom were the Ammonites. He then fellupon the Philistines, whom he routed with greatslaughter in the decisive battle of Michmash. Thenthe Moabites, Amalekites and Edomites were successivelydriven beyond the borders of Israel.Meanwhile the intractable spirit of the king hadgiven the priests opportunity to incite discontent,and an anti-Saul party had arisen among the people,and popular attention was directed to youngDavid as the coming ruler of Israel. David wasone of the most remarkable characters in history.He was a son of Jesse, and was born in Bethlehem,*Judah, about 1085 B. C. Jesse was the son of Obedof Boaz and Ruth. Boaz wasand the grandchildthe lineal descendant of Pharez, the son of Judah(Gen. xxxviii. ;Ruth iv.13-22).In his youth David followed the occupation of ashepherd, and he appears to have acquired greatskill as a musician. When about twenty-two yearsof age he was received into the household of Saul,35