Part 8

They returned again in pursuit of the ruffians, and one of the three that traveled a westerly course, being more weary than the rest, sat down at the brow of a hill to rest and refresh himself; and, in attempting to rise, caught hold of a sprig of cassia, which easily gave, and excited his curiosity, and made him suspicious of a deception; on which he hailed his companions, who immediately assembled, and, on examination, found that the earth had been recently moved; and on moving the rubbish, discovered the appearance of the grave, and while they were confabulating about what measures to take, they heard voices issuing from a cavern in the clefts of the rocks, on which they immediately repaired to the place, where they heard the voice of JUBELA exclaim: "O that my throat had been cut across, my tongue torn out, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, ere I had been accessory to the death of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff"--on which they distinctly heard the voice of JUBELO exclaim, "O that my left breast had been torn open, and my heart and vitals taken from thence, and thrown over my left shoulder, carried into the valley of Jehosaphat, there to become a prey to the wild beasts of the field, and vultures of the air, ere I had conspired to take the life of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff"--when they more distinctly heard the voice of JUBELUM exclaim, "O that my body had been severed in two in the midst, and divided to the North and the South, my bowels burnt to ashes in the centre, and the ashes scattered by the four winds of heaven, that there might not remain the least trace of remembrance among men or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I am, who wilfully took the life of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff. Ah, JUBELA and JUBELO, it was I that struck him harder than you both--it was I that gave him the fatal blow--it was I that killed him outright!" on which they rushed forward, seized, bound, and carried them before King Solomon, who, after hearing the testimony of the three Fellow Crafts, and the three ruffians having pleaded guilty, order them to be taken out at the West gate of the Temple, and executed agreeably to the several imprecations of their own mouths. King Solomon then ordered fifteen Fellow Crafts to be elected from the bands of the workmen, clothed with white gloves and aprons, in token of their innocence, and sent three East, three West, three North, three South; and three in and about the Temple, in search of the body of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff; and the three that traveled a westerly course found it under a sprig of cassia, where a worthy brother sat down to rest and refresh himself; and on removing the earth till they came to the coffin, they involuntarily found their hands raised, as hereinbefore described, to guard their nostrils against the offensive effluvia that 'rose from the grave. It is also said that the body had lain there fourteen days; some say fifteen.

The body was raised in the manner herein before described, carried up to the Temple, and buried as explained in the closing clauses of the Lecture. Not one-third part of the preceding history of this degree is ever given to a candidate. A few general, desultory, unconnected remarks are made to him, and he is generally referred to the manner of raising, and to the Lecture, for information as to the particulars. Here follows a charge which ought to be, and sometimes is, delivered to the candidate after hearing the history of the degree.

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AN ADDRESS TO BE DELIVERED TO THE CANDIDATE AFTER THE HISTORY HAS BEEN GIVEN.

"Brother, your zeal for the institution of Masonry, the progress you have made in the mystery, and your conformity to our regulations, have pointed you out as a proper object of our favor and esteem.

"You are bound by duty, honor, and gratitude to be faithful to your trust; to support the dignity of your character on every occasion; and to enforce, by precept and example, obedience to the tenets of the Order.

"In the character of a Master Mason you are authorized to correct the errors and irregularities of your uninformed brethren, and to guard them against a breach of fidelity.

"To preserve the reputation of the fraternity unsullied, must be your constant care, and for this purpose, it is your province to recommend to your inferiors, obedience and submission; to your equals, courtesy and affability; to your superiors, kindness and condescension. Universal benevolence you are always to inculcate; and, by the regularity of your own behavior, afford the best example for the conduct of others less informed. The ancient landmarks of the Order, entrusted to your care, you are carefully to preserve; and never suffer them to be infringed, or countenance a deviation from the established usages and customs of the fraternity.

"Your virtue, honor, and reputation are concerned in supporting, with dignity, the character you now bear. Let no motive, therefore, make you swerve from your duty, violate your vow, or betray your trust: but be true and faithful, and imitate the example of that celebrated artist whom you this evening represent: thus you will render yourself deserving the honor which we have conferred, and merit the confidence that we have reposed."

Here follows the Lecture on this degree, which is divided into three sections.

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FIRST SECTION.

Question--Are you a Master Mason? Answer--I am; try me; disprove me if you can.

Q. Where were you prepared to be made a Master Mason? A. In a room adjacent to the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such, duly assembled in a room, representing the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple.

Q. How were you prepared? A. By being divested of all metals; neither naked nor clothed; barefooted nor shod; with a cable-tow three times about my naked body; in which posture I was conducted to the door of the Lodge, where I gave three distinct knocks.

Q. What did those three distinct knocks allude to? A. To the third degree in Masonry; it being that on which I was about to enter.

Q. What was said to you from within? A. Who comes there? Who comes there? Who comes there?

Q. Your answer? A. A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft, and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason.

Q. What further was said to you from within? A. I was asked if it was of my own free will and accord I made this request; if I was duly and truly prepared; worthy and well qualified; and had made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree; all of which being answered in the affirmative, I was asked by what further rights I expected to obtain that benefit.

Q. Your answer? A. By the benefit of a pass-word.

Q. What was that pass-word? A. TUBAL CAIN.

Q. What was next said to you? A. I was bid to wait till the Worshipful Master in the East was made acquainted with my request, and his answer returned.

Q. After his answer was returned, what followed? A. I was caused to enter the Lodge on the two extreme points of the Compass pressing my right and left breasts, in the name of the Lord.

Q. How were you then disposed of? A. I was conducted three times regularly around the Lodge and halted at the Junior Warden in the South, where the same questions were asked and answers returned, as at the door.

Q. How did the Junior Warden dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Senior Warden in the West, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as before.

Q. How did the Senior Warden dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Master in the East, where the same questions were asked, and answers returned as before; who likewise demanded of me from whence I came, and whither I was traveling.

Q. Your answer? A. From the West, and traveling to the East.

Q. Why do you leave the West and travel to the East? A. In search of light.

Q. How did the Worshipful Master dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted back to the West, from whence I came, and put in care of the Senior Warden, who taught me how to approach the East, by advancing upon three upright regular steps to the third step, my feet forming a square, and my body erect at the altar before the Worshipful Master.

Q. What did the Worshipful Master do with you? A. He made an obligated Master Mason of me.

Q. How? A. In due form.

Q. What was that due form? A. Both my knees bare bent, they forming a square; both hands on the Holy Bible, Square, and Compass; in which posture I took upon me the solemn oath or obligation of a true Master Mason.

Q. After your obligation, what was said to you? A. What do you most desire.

Q. Your answer? A. More light. [The bandage around the head is now dropped over the eyes.]

Q. Did you receive light? A. I did.

Q. On being brought to light on this degree, what did you first discover? A. Three great lights in Masonry, by the assistance of three less, and both points of the Compass elevated above the Square, which denoted to me that I had received, or was about to receive, all the light that could be conferred on me in a Master's Lodge.

Q. What did you next discover? A. The Worshipful Master approaching me from the East, under the sign and due-guard of a Master Mason, who presented me with his right hand in token of brotherly love and confidence, and proceeded to give me the pass-grip and word of a Master Mason [the word is the name of the pass-grip], and bid me rise and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens, and convince them that I was an obligated Master Mason, and had the sign, pass-grip, and word (TUBAL CAIN).

Q. What did you next discover? A. The Worshipful Master approaching me a second time from the East, who presented me with a lamb-skin, or white apron, which, he said, he hoped I would continue to wear with honor to myself, and satisfaction and advantage to the brethren.

Q. What were you next presented with? A. The working tools of a Master Mason.

Q. What are they? A. All the implements of Masonry indiscriminately, but more especially the Trowel.

Q. How explained? A. The Trowel is an instrument made use of by operative Masons to spread the cement which unites a building into one common mass; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and glorious purposes of spreading the cement of brotherly love and affection; that cement which unites us into one sacred band, or society of brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist, but that noble emulation of who can best work, or best agree.

Q. What were you next presented with? A. Three precious jewels.

Q. What are they? A. Humanity, Friendship, and Brotherly Love.

Q. How were you then disposed of? A. I was conducted out of the Lodge, and invested of what I had been divested, and returned again in due season.

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SECOND SECTION.

Question--Did you ever return to the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple? Answer--I did.

Q. Was there anything in particular took place on your return? A. There was, viz., I was accosted by three ruffians, who demanded of me the Master Mason's word.

Q. Did you ever give it to them? A. I did not, but bid them wait, with time and patience, till the Grand Lodge assembled at Jerusalem, and then, if they were found worthy, they should receive it, otherwise they could not.

Q. In what manner was you accosted? A. In attempting to retire at the South gate, I was accosted by one of them, who demanded of me the Master Mason's word, and, on my refusing to comply with his request, he gave me a blow with the twenty-four-inch gauge across my breast, on which I fled to the West gate, where I was accosted by the second with more violence, and, on my refusing to comply with his request, he gave me a severe blow with the Square across my breast; on which I attempted to make my escape at the East gate, where I was accosted by the third with still more violence, and, on my refusing to comply with his request, he gave me a violent blow with the common gavel on the forehead, and brought me to the floor.

Q. Whom did you represent at that time? A. Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, who was slain at the building of King Solomon's Temple.

Q. Was his death premeditated? A. It was--by fifteen Fellow Crafts, who conspired to extort from him the Master Mason's word; twelve of whom recanted, but the other three were base enough to carry their atrocious designs into execution.

Q. What did they do with the body? A. They carried it out at the West gate of the Temple, and buried it till low twelve at night, when they three met agreeably to appointment, and carried it a westerly course from the Temple, and buried it under the brow of a hill, in a grave six feet, due East and West, six feet perpendicular, and made their escape.

Q. What time was he slain? A. At high twelve at noon, when the crafts were from labor to refreshment.

Q. How came he to be alone at that time? A. Because it was the usual custom of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, every day at high twelve, when the crafts were from labor to refreshment, to enter into the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, and offer up his adorations to the ever-living God, and draw out his plans and designs on his Tressle-Board, for the crafts to pursue their labor.

Q. At what time was he missing? A. At low six in the morning, when King Solomon came up to the Temple, as usual, to view the work, and found the crafts all in confusion; and, on inquiring the cause, he was informed that their Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, was missing, and no plans or designs were laid down on the Tressle-Board for the crafts to pursue their labor.

Q. What observations did King Solomon make at that time? A. He observed that our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, had always been very punctual in attending, and feared that he was indisposed, and ordered search to be made in and about the Temple, to see if he could be found.

Q. Search being made, and he not found, what further remarks did King Solomon make? A. He observed he feared some fatal accident had befallen our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff; that morning twelve Fellow Crafts, clothed in white gloves and aprons, in token of their innocence, had confessed that they twelve with three others, had conspired to extort the Master Mason's word from their Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, or take his life; that they twelve had recanted, but feared the other three had been base enough to carry their atrocious designs into execution.

Q. What followed? A. King Solomon ordered the roll of workmen to be called, to see if there were any missing.

Q. The roll being called, were there any missing? A. There were three, viz., JUBELA, JUBELO, and JUBELUM.

Q. Were the ruffians ever found? A. They were.

Q. How? A. By the wisdom of King Solomon, who ordered twelve Fellow Crafts to be selected from the bands of the workmen, clothed in white gloves and aprons, in token of their innocence, and sent three East, three West, three North, and three South, in search of the ruffians, and, if found, to bring them forward.

Q. What success? A. The three that traveled a westerly course from the Temple, coming near the coast of Joppa, were informed by a wayfaring man, that three men had been seen that way that morning, who, from their appearance and dress, were workmen from the Temple, inquiring for a passage to Ethiopia, but were unable to obtain one, in consequence of an embargo which had recently been laid on all the shipping, and had turned back into the country.

Q. What followed? A. King Solomon ordered them to go and search again, and search till they were found, if possible; and if they were not found, that the twelve who had confessed should be considered as the reputed murderers, and suffer accordingly.

Q. What success? A. One of the three that traveled a westerly course from the Temple, being more weary than the rest, sat down under the brow of a hill to rest and refresh himself; and, in attempting to rise, caught hold of a sprig of cassia, which easily gave way, and excited his curiosity, and made him suspicious of a deception; on which he hailed his companions, who immediately assembled, and, on examination, found that the earth had recently been moved; and on moving the rubbish, discovered the appearance of a grave, and while they were confabulating about what measures to take, they heard voices issuing from a cavern in the clefts of the rocks, on which they immediately repaired to the place, where they heard the voice of JUBELA exclaim: "O that my throat had been cut across, my tongue torn out, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, ere I had been accessory to the death of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff"--on which they distinctly heard the voice of JUBELO exclaim, "O that my left breast had been torn open, and my heart and vitals taken from thence, and thrown over my left shoulder, carried into the valley of Jehosaphat, there to become a prey to the wild beasts of the field, and vultures of the air, ere I had conspired to take the life of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff"--when they more distinctly heard the voice of JUBELUM exclaim, "O that my body had been severed in two in the midst, and divided to the North and the South, my bowels burnt to ashes in the centre, and the ashes scattered by the four winds of heaven, that there might not remain the least track or trace of remembrance among men or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I am, who wilfully took the life of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff. Ah, JUBELA and JUBELO, it was I that struck him harder than you both--it was I that gave him the fatal blow--it was I that killed him outright!" on which they rushed forward, seized, bound, and carried them up before King Solomon.

Q. What did King Solomon do with them? A. He ordered them to be executed agreeably to the several imprecations of their own mouths.

Q. Was the body of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, ever found? A. It was.

Q. How? A. By the wisdom of King Solomon, who ordered fifteen (in some Lodges they say twelve) Fellow Crafts to be selected from the bands of the workmen, and sent three East, three West, three North, and three South; and three in and about the Temple, in search of the body.

Q. Where was it found? A. Under that sprig of cassia, where a worthy brother sat down to rest and refresh himself.

Q. Was there anything particular took place on the discovery of the body? A. There was, viz.: On removing the earth till they came to the coffin, they involuntarily found their hands raised in this position to guard their nostrils against the offensive effluvia that 'rose from the grave.

Q. How long had the body lain there? A. Fourteen days.

Q. What did they do with the body? A. Raised it in a Masonic form, and carried it up to the Temple for more decent interment.

Q. Where was it buried? A. Under the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple, over which they erected a marble monument, with this inscription delineated thereon: A virgin weeping over a broken column, with a book open before her; in her right hand a sprig of cassia; in her left, an urn; Time standing behind her, with his hands infolded in the ringlets of her hair.

Q. What do they denote? A. The weeping virgin denotes the unfinished state of the Temple; the broken column, that one of the principal supporters of Masonry had fallen; the open book before her, that his memory was on perpetual record; the sprig of cassia, the timely discovery of his grave; the urn in her left hand, that his ashes were safely deposited under the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple; and Time standing behind her, with his hands infolded in the ringlets of her hair, that time, patience, and perseverance will accomplish all things.

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THIRD SECTION.

Question--What does a Master's Lodge represent? Answer--The SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple.

Q. How long was the Temple building? A. Seven years; during which it rained not in the daytime, that the workmen might not be obstructed in their labor.

Q. What supported the Temple? A. Fourteen hundred and fifty-three columns, and two thousand, nine hundred and six pilasters, all hewn from the finest Parian marble.

Q. What further supported it? A. Three grand columns, or pillars.

Q. What were they called? A. Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.

Q. What did they represent? A. The pillar of Wisdom represented Solomon, King of Israel, whose wisdom contrived the mighty fabric; the pillar of Strength, Hiram, King of Tyre, who strengthened Solomon in his glorious undertaking; the pillar of Beauty, Hiram Abiff, the widow's son, whose cunning craft and curious workmanship beautified and adorned the Temple.

Q. How many were there employed in the building of King Solomon's Temple? A. Three Grand Masters; three thousand, three hundred Masters, or overseers of the work; eighty thousand Fellow Crafts, and seventy thousand Entered Apprentices; all those were classed and arranged in such a manner, by the wisdom of Solomon, that neither envy, discord, nor confusion were suffered to interrupt that universal peace and tranquility that pervaded the work at that important period.

Q. How many constitutes an Entered Apprentice's Lodge? A. Seven; one Master and six Entered Apprentices.

Q. Where did they usually meet? A. On the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple.

Q. How many constitutes a Fellow Craft's Lodge? A. Five; two Masters and three Fellow Crafts.

Q. Where did they usually meet? A. In the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple.

Q. How many constitutes a Master's Lodge? A. Three Master Masons.

Q. Where did they usually meet? A. In the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple.