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

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARand the corroding influence of time or wereburned up. David died in 1015 B. C, having reignedforty years, and was by far the greatest monarchthat ever sat on the throne of Israel. Solomon, whosucceeded to -the throne, was the son of David byBathsheba, whose husband, Uriah, he caused to bebasely slain (II. Sam. xi., xii.).King Solomon's Temple.It was King David who first proposed to substitutefor the nomadic tabernacle a permanent placeof worship for his people. For this purpose he purchasedMount Moriah, one of the eminences of theridge which was known as Mount Zion, and wasthe property of Oman, the Jebusite, who used it asa threshing-floor. But, although King David haddesigned the temple and acquired all the necessarymeans, and even collected many of the materials,he was not permitted to commence the undertaking,and the execution of the task \vas left to his sonand successor, Solomon. Accordingly that monarchlaid the foundation of the edifice in thefourth year of his reign, 1012 B. C.; and withthe assistance of his friend and ally, Hiram, kingof Tyre, completed it in about seven years anda half, dedicatingit to the service of the MostHigh in the year 1004 B. C. This was the yearof the world 3000, according to the Hebrew chronology;and although there has been much differenceamong the chronologists in relation to theprecise date, this is the one that has been generallyaccepted, and it is therefore adopted by Masons intheir calculations of different epochs.40