Expatiation On The Mysteries Of Masonry In Malling Abbey Lodge, No. 1,063.

EXPATIATION ON THE MYSTERIES OF MASONRY IN MALLING ABBEY LODGE , No . 1 , 063 .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 5 , 1867 .

( Continued from page 182 . ) In the symbolism of [ the P . O . degree we are carried back to the period in the world's history between the exodus and the birth of Christ . Three remarkable events , each of which had an

important influence on Ereemasonry , occurred within this period , viz .: — I . The building of Solomon ' s temple . II . The voyages of the Phoenicians to the West of Europe . III . The introduction of the philosophy of Pythagoras .

It will be [ convenient to take each of these events successively into consideration . I . The first is set before us on the tracing board of the F . G . degree , on which is delineated an elaborate plan of Solomon ' s temple . This was

not the most ancient temple in the world ; but the magnificence of Solomon ' s temple , the circumstances under which it was built , the mode of its erection , the completeness of the architectural description of it in the Old Testament , and the

distinctly symbolicaFcharacter of every part of it , and of every incident in its history , have caused it o be made the prominent object in the second degree of Craft Masonry .

But the building of the temple is of further interest to Masons from the fact that it was a

direct cause of the union of operative and speculative Masonry . This may have commenced in the time of David , when his friend Hiram , king of Tyre , assisted him in the erect-ion of his palace at Jerusalem * but it was completed when Hiram

entered into league with Solomon , and brought all the skill of the Sidonian and Tyrian operative Masons to bear upon the work of building the temple . Chief amongst these was Hiram Abi , or Abiff , who is only called Hiram in the English

version ; his second name being rendered by its signification , which is master , or chief workman . Hiram Abiff may thus be regarded as a representative of a Master Mason , to whom his zeal and fidelity are held up for imitation in all ages .

Hiram Abiff had many worthy followers in the Middle Ages . Operative and speculative Masonry were then again united ; and under the hands of

Freemasons churches and cathedrals rose in the glory and beauty of Gothic architecture all over Europe , to the honour of the true God . We do not know whether Pope Innocent the Third was ever initiated into the Craft , but the letter which ,

he wrote concerning four rings sent to lying John proves his acquaintance with the principles of Masonic symbolism : — " We have prepared for yon four golden rings , with various precious stones , in which we

desireyou specially to understand their form , their number , their material , and their colour . Their roundness , therefore , signifies eternity , which is without beginning or end ; and royalty should have the virtue of this form , considering that

earth is a passage to heaven , and that temporality proceedeth out of eternity . Their number of four also , whose own number is ^ perfect square , signifies firmness of mind , which is neither depressed by adversity , nor' elevated by prosperity ; and what is

praiseworthy to be accomplished is commonly done by the four principal virtues , namely , justice ,, fortitude , prudence , -and temperance .

"Moreover , in the precious stones , note that the green of the emerald signifies faith ; the mildness of the sapphire , hope * the redness of the ruby , charity ; and the brilliancy of the topaz ,. good works—of which the Lord hafcli said "Let

your lights so shine . ' Erom these , therefore , yon have in the emerald what you should believe , in the sapphire what you should hope , in the ruby what you should love , and in the topaz what you should practise ; so that you may rise from

virtueto virtue until you come to the sight of the Lord of Lords in Sion . " The erection and decoration of our churches by Freemasons caused the introduction into them of

Masonic symbols and ritual . To take an instance of each . We are all . familiar with the ornament of the poppy head in churches . Its use by the Freemasons as an interior decoration was so general , that it has become

the ordinary name for carved work at the tops of the ends of benches and divisions of stalls . Now , this emblem had been used in the picture writing of Masonry , at least from the time of Pythagoras , to symbolise a city ; the multitude

of seeds representing a numerous population and the capsule , their comprehension within thesame walls . The Freemasons accordingly in . troduced this symbol into churches built by them , as the one most fit to represent the-