The 9th Day Of Ab.

THE 9 th DAY OF AB .

AN interesting lecture , under the title of " The Destruction of the Temple and . Jerusalem , " was delivered at the Regents Park Lodge of Instruction , No . 2202 , held at the Frascati Restaurant , on the 8 th inst ., by Bro . Dr . Mordaunt Sigismund , to whom we are indebted for the MS . which enables us to publish the t"Xt of the lecture .

There was an exceptionally good muster of Brethren at the Lodge of Instruction on the occasion of its delivery , notwithstanding the heat and the fact that the season was far advanced .

Bro . Sigismund said : At regular Lodges innovations of this nature will not become popular so long as the K . and F . degree is worked so assiduously . Many of the Brethren bear in mind only too well , that the hope of reward sweetens labour ; and the earnestness with which they participate in the above mentioned degree only

increases their ardour for work ; and any delay or dallying in the inferior Lodge is onerous to them , inasmuch as it minimises the labour they are ready to bestow on the work in their superior Lodge . In Lodges of Instruction , on the other hand , the reward is ready within their reach . I therefore prefer to- confine my little addresses to the Lodges of Instruction .

I have chosen the subject just now for particular reasons . The seventeenth day of Tamuz , the fourth month in the Jewish year , is called the fiast of Tamuz , and was celebrated last Friday , 5 th i ' nst . During twenty-one days from that date , until the 9 th of the following month—Ab—there is a semi-fast among Jews ; and meat is not partaken of except on the Sabbath . The fast of Tamuz is kept strictly

by orthodox Jews . They abstain on that day from . all food , both solid and liquid . On the gth day of Ab , a very strict fast day is kept ; abstaining from ail food and drink from setting of the sun to setting of sun . It is a day of mourning and deep humiliation ; slipshod , and sitting on the ground ( a sign of mourning ) in their synagogues , they wail and mourn . The synagogue is deprived of embellishment and

decoration , the Ark of the Scrolls of the Law is bereft of its curtain , and at the evening service , the true Masonic light , " Darkness visible " permeates the sacred building . In the morning , after spending several hours in wailing and mourning at the synagogues , a pilgrimage is made to the Beth Chayim ( the house of the living ) as the cemetery is so significantly styled amongst the Children of Israel .

Why all this mourning , I hear the Brethren ask ? I will answer you by giving an imperfect sketch of an event which has left its indellible mark on all civilised peoples ; an event which has not only deprived the Children of Israel of their Paladium , but also their independence . It has shattered them as a , nation , and dispersed them over the habitable globe . Take your places . Brethren , either on . the

summit of Fort Antonia , or the Mount of Olives . Thence let your mind ' s eye be the spectator of a tragedy which I am about to unfold before you . Our own Order is so entwined and interlaced with the history of . the Holy City and its sacred edifice , thait you will require no impetus to lend me your ear .

On the seventeenth clay of Tamuz , the closer siege of the Holy City of Titus and his hosts commenced and culminated in the catastrophy—which made history for all future generations—on the 9 th day of Ab . It was on that day that the sceptre was taken from Israel .

I am indebted for a portion of my information and data to the works of Messrs . Li ghtfoot , Catherwood , and Dr . Robinson , all three excellent authorities . From Josephus I have gleaned but sparsel y , as I do not consider him very reliable . King Solomon employed in building his temple 70 , 000 men to bear burthens , and 80 , 000 to hew in the quarries and cut in the woods and hills . He had likewise 3 , 600 overseers . The city of Jerusalem was divided into three- nnrf ^ nnmf . lv

Zion , the city of David , where the king had his residence , surrounded by the palaces of the chief nobles—it was likewise called the upper city ; Akra , adjoining the temple , was cta-lled the lower city ; Moriah and Bezetha were suburbs until a century before the destruction of the city and temple . There was likewise a quarter called O phir , south of the Temple , on the lower parts of the ridge , which was inhabited chiefly by servants of the temple .

The city had three walls and nine gates . Of the walls , the first was the oldest The third was called Agrippa ' s wall . Previous to Zion being taken bv King David , for , although he had taken the whole surrounding country , and even the lower town , Zion held out , Hebron was his Capital . Of towers , came first , Fort Antonia—the Citadelabutting on the north wall of the Temple and predominatim ? it ( it is tne

now residence ot the Musuilman Governor ) then came , on the western or third wall , the tower of Psephinus and Hippicus—a portion of the latter still exists . Herod erected two others on the old wall separating Akra from Zion . He named them after his dead brother ^ hasashs , and his queen Mariamne . From measurements of the present wall , and observations of my own , when I was there , I should tne utmost

say circumterence of the outer wall was not more than nve mfles ; the city could , therefore , not have had more than 1 to to 200 thousand inhabitants , and yet , during the high festivals , more especially during the feast of Passover , we are told that two millions of people congregated there , of course campintr outside the walk

You will perhaps understand better when I describe the position thus Zion , the highest pinnacle to the left ; Moriah in the centre ; and Akra and Bezetha beyond . Ophir , is on the ridge , south of the 1 emple Such was the city , grand , stern , and impregnable , encompassed by its surrounding hills and ravines .

The temple and courts formed almost a square . It had three courts ; the Gentiles ' , the Women ' s , and Priests ' , also an innermost court . The Sanctuary was ascended from the first court by fourteen steps . The Holy House , in the innermost court , was ascended bv twelve steps , and formed the pinnacle of the whole . Then came the Holy of Holies , within the very centre . The gates were covered on both sides with plates of gold and silver ; even the hinges , & c , were

The 9th Day Of Ab.

of massive gold . The front of the Holy House was completely covered with a thick plate of gold , and reflected back a fiery splendour when the sun rose above the mountains of Arabia . Needless to say , that the table , altar , lamps , candlesticks and appliances were all of massive gold . The architecture of King Solomon ' s temple was of the

Tyro-Egyptian character , and that of Herod , Greco-Roman . In almost all other particulars , the temple destroyed by Titus was built on the same lines as that of King Solomon . One gate , called the " beautiful " is specially famed for its magnificence and splendour . In " Paradise Regained " Jerusalem is thus described :

' The air sublime . Over the wilderness and over the plain , Till underneath them fair Jerusalem , The Holy City lifted high her towers , And higher yet the glorious temple reared Her pile , far off , appearing like a mount

Of alabaster—tipped with golden spires . " I must not forget to tell you , my Brethren , that the temple at the S . W . coiner was joined to the upper city , or Zion , by a bridge . Long before Titus appeared before the walls , whilst still engaged in the WOTK of " pacifying" the country in the Provinces , the inhabitants of the Holy city were a prey to civil war . Eleazor

the head of the Zealots , so called for their determination to -reject all compromise with the Romans , was opposed to the moderate party , who sought peace from a conviction of the hopelessness of resistance . John of Gischalla , after his retreat from Galilee , entered the city with his troops . He pretended to be neutral . When , however , the people , led by Ananus , the high priest , goaded on by the crimes of the

Zealots , drove them into the second court of the temple , and there shut them in , John represented himself a . friend of the popular party , and obtained the office of mediator . Once among the Zealots , he threw off the mask and declared himself their partisan . Assistance was sent for privately to the Idumeans , and a host of those fierce tributaries arrived before the walls . Ananus endeavoured to disperse

them , but in vain . During a terrible storm , and profiting by the noise and confusion , the Zealots broke open one of the temple gates , stole past their enemies , and opened one of the city gates to their infuriated allies , who ascended into the city and overpowered the guards . A fearful slaughter of the people ensued . Ananus was put to death , and the wretched people were given up to the rapine and

violence of the contending factions . Eleazor and John , formerly partisans in oppression , were now at deadly feud between themselves . Eleazor seized the inner court of the temple . Constant conflicts ensued . The stores accumulated were wasted in reckless and drunken extravagance . John set fire to houses that were full of corn and other provisions .

Such was the misery of the people that they willingly admitted a third party into the city to check the others . Simon , the son of Gioras , had gathered a band of robbers and wasted the surrounding country . He was admitted , and occupied the upper part of the city , and thence directed his attacks against the Zealots in the temple . While the resources of the city were thus wasted by civil dissensions ,

Titus advanced with the Roman army . The north-west wall being the weakest part of the defences he took up his position there . A legion was likewise encamped at the foot of the Mount of Olives . In face of the Romans , the factions in the city were now compelled to unite for common defence . Step by step they defended the city of God and their fathers , sustained in the firm belief that in the

darkest hour He would appear gloriously for the delivery of His chosen people , and the confusion of her pagan oppressors . Near the tower of Psephinos , he planted his engines against the wall , and succeeded in erecting his battering rams against its weakest portion . Fierce conflicts took place around those engines , the Jews repeatedly sallied forth with torch and sword to destroy them .

To cover the attack and drive the Jews from the ramparts , three mighty towers were advanced to the wall , and stones and other missiles showered into the city , so that the defenders , who usually dropped huge , coarse and thick sacks against the outside of the wall , to break the force of the battering rams , could no longer do so . Those stones were white , and when the watch on the tower saw them coming , he cried out , " stone cometh , " and the people avoided them . Titus had them consequently painted black .

The first wall had to be abandoned , and they retreated to the second . To John was confided the Fort Antonia , and to Simon the Test of the wall . At length a small breach was made , and the troops poured into the narrow , crowded streets of the lower city . There they were attacked from house-roofs , and side alleys , with such

fury that , after great loss , the Romans were compelled to retreat without the wall . It was some days before Titus regained his advantage , and again ventured to enter the streets of the lower city . Meantime , famine—the most fearful and extreme—was preying upon the wretched inhabitants ; whole houses were full of dead .

The weak were the prey of the strong ; and the sword hung over the heads of those who sought to escape to the Roman camp . Satisfied with the ravages the famine was working , and admiring their unyielding courage , Titus ceased his attacks for a while . During several days his legions defiled in all the pomp of war round the city to excite terror in the war stricken inhabitants . The multitude of

dying wretches were hailed by the Romans with transport and delight . The Jews were , however , determined . In vain they were harangued bv the Apostate Josephus and others ; they defied the Romans to wrest from them " The City of God . " Thus repulsed , Titus decided to surround the city with a trench , to cut off all

possibilities of supply and leave the famine to do the rest . The trench Titus had surmounted by thirteen garrison towers . This measure increased the famine to the utmost . Fearful stories circulated in the Roman camp . Josephus declared that a woman of wealth , a friend of his , had cut up her own child and baked , partook