Godfrey Higgins On Freemasonry.

period mentioned , as well as those of latei dates , clearly point out the fact that foi someyearsafter the ReviA'al of Freemasonry in London , A . D . 1717 , the real and distinctive ceremonies of Royal Arch Masonry Ave Avorked in the Master Mason ' s Degree .

If such Avere not the case , what means the frequent reference to the fact that Master Masons journeyed to the West "in search of that which which Avas lost , but is now found , " which subsequently is declared to be the "Master Mason ' s word , " and Avhich

Avord is then exchanged for the substituted word communicated in the former part of the ceremony 1 If the Royal Arch Degree in its separate and distinct form existed prior to 1738 . and indeed , Avas as old , as the Third degree , how comes it that the

regular Grand Lodge of England persistently refused to recognise it until 1813 , but the body of Masons which seceded from this original and premier Grand Lodge , made much of the degree , and by it we may truly say , succeeded in making their numerical position , in a few years , almost equal to the regular Grand Lodge itself 1 ( To be continued . )

The Site Of Solomon's Temple Discovered.

THE SITE OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE DISCOVERED .

( Concluded from page 383 ) . THE Avail and foundations Avere of the same length as the width of the hill thus cut away : Ave may take the one as a measure of the other . The Avidth of the Bezetha lull has

hitherto been supposed to extend as far as the modern east Avail and St . Stephen ' s Gate ; but , Mr . BesAvick ' s discoveries IIOAV proA'e that this is a mistake . The eastern Avail is a modern construction , including even the pool Birket Israil , and every

other work Avhose sides are perpendicular offsets of the modern east wall , and look to it as a base of verification . Every old Avork on the eastern side of the northern Avail of the Haram , from the eastern valley or the Bezetha hillwhere the 352 ffc . of

, scarped rock ends , is Avholly modern , and did not exist Avhen Titus destroyed Jerusalem . On the other hand , everything old Avithin the limits of this scarp is of a more ancient date than anything oast of it . The 351 ' 54 ft . of scarp is the width of the

Bezetha hill , and indicates Avhere the old line of the third Avail ran Avhen Titus took Jerusalem . The length of scarped rock being a measure of the Avklth of Bezetha hill , also indicates the space betAveen the second and third walls ; at its Avestern end Avas the

second Avail , and at its eastern end Avas the third wall . At the eastern end of this scarp it turns directly north , forming a clear corner or angle . The old north Avail rail from this comer along the foundations of the Autonia Avestward , aud joined the old west wall at the extreme northern end of

the north-Avesfc cloister . The second wall ran direct from the Autonia cloister to the pool Struthius , passing right through its middle from end to end . Josephus , says : " The bank which Avas raised at the Autonia Avas raised by the fifth legion over against the middle of

that pool Avhich is called Struthius . ""Wars , " v ., 11 , 4 . The bank was raised against the wall running through the middle of the pool . John ' s party undermined the bank , cutting aAvay the underlying rock . Mr . BesAviok calls attention to the evidence Avhich exists

to this day of the rock having been taken away from this particular spot , in line with the middle of the pool . The scarped rock under the barracks and Serai ends abruptly , and leaves an intervening space between it and the direct line of the Avestern Avail Avith the middle of this poolStruthius . The

, scarped rock , directl y in front of the southern end of the pool , has been leveled and carried away to the extent required . ( "Wars , " v ., 11 , 4 . ) The second wall clearly ran up north-west along the western side of the hill Bezetha ; and the third

Avail clearly ran up the eastern side of the same hill . All beyond this , including the traditional pool Birket Israil and eastern Avail , is modern and post-Herodiau . These researches afford us the first clear insi g ht into the nothern topography of the Temple

Area , and of the exact points Avhere the second and third Avails joined the old walls of the Temple Inclosure on the north . The following is a synoptical table of the principal measurements made b y Mr . Bes-Avick , involving the leading points in this

notable discovery of the exact site of Solomon ' s Temple in the Haram ash Sharif at Jerusalem , and the Baris or Castle of Autonia adjoining thereto :