Curious Old Attack On Freemasonry.

the maker of all things ; but our rcmarker upon the constitutions is A ery Aveak on that footing to introduce Tubal Cain , Jubal , and Jabal for their skill in architechture ; Avhereas the first Avas a Avorker in metals , the second a musician , and the third a tent maker . NOAV had this onnninp- dii ^ er

into the secrets of antiquity but consulted the Bodleian Library , he Avould have found in the Arabiek Catena , MS ., page 137 , that Adam caused a beautiful monumental stone to be formed for the depositing of his body ; on Avhieh Avas carved all the Geometrical figures and Hieroglyphicks afterwards used

by tho Ancient Egyptians , together Avith the particular signification of the letter Tau , Avhich Avas the mark put upon Cain least any one should destroy him , and Avas the mark afterwards used by Moses to protect the Israelites from the

destroyingangel . Now it happened wdien Adam Avas forc-Avarned of his approaching death , that he delivered this stone coffin of his , if I maybe so allowed to call it , to his son Scth , Avith this charge , that upon his decease his

body should be there deposited till at such time there should be found a priest of tho most high God to inter it , Avhich Avas verified iu that of Melchisedec ; for Adam ' s body Avas safely conveyed to Noah , Avho placed it in the centre of the ark , and daily offered prayers upon this monumental tomb

as an altar raised to God upon tho faith of his father Adam . NOAV this is Avhat the remarker of the constitutions Avanted to knoAv Avhen he mentions the two pillars of stone , Avhereon . Avere engiwcn tho liberal sciences , one supposed to be raised by Seth

and the other by Enoch ; Avhereas it appears plain it Avas the monumental stone Avhereiu Adam lay , that these figures he mentions Avere engraven , and Avhich stone , together with the body in it , Avas conveyed by Seth to Lantech , and so to Noah .

Japhet , Shem , and flam , according as Mr . Anderson says , right-Avell understood the rules of geometry , on Avhich Masonry is founded , since the science Avas so handed doAiui to them by the means aforesaid and undoubtedlthe AAdiole art Avas improved by

y hiiving recourse to Adam ' s stone for the space of 4-00 and odd years together , before it Avas buried by Melchisedec . And here I hope it Avill not seem much out of the Avay to take notice of a thin « often disputed by ignorant people , thai

Melchisedec Ai r as Avithout father or mother , because not mentioned in tho genealogy of Adam , Avhich only relates to that from Avhence the Messiah should be born ; UOAV the Arabiek Catena deduces Melchisedec

from Adam , both by father and mother ' s side , as plain as Abraham is descended from Adam , and the reader may see the said genealogy by gbdng himself the trouble to call , at tho printers of this tract . I must beg leave to dissent from the

author of tho Constitutions , AVIIO , speaking of the Egyptian Pyramids , says they are built of marble stones , brought a A ast Avay from the quarries of Arabia , and arc most of them . 30 feet 1 mm ' . Now if credit is to be

given to Sandys in his travels , Avho gives a very particular description of these pyramids , they are built entirely of artificial stone , or a compost of sand and other materials made upon the spot , raised one of them to 1200 feet , and the other to 1500 feet high ,

whereas our author only mentions 481 perpendicular height . It is plain Moses was instructed in all tho learning and knoAvledge of the Egyptians , but it does not follow from thence that he Avas Avell skilled in Masonry ; for

the pyramids themselves , though monstrous sized pillars , arc not built Avith any order or geometrical proportion , but are rude heaps of stone and sand ; so that Ave must come to the temple of Jerusalem before Ave can meet Avith beauty , order , and proportion ; which Avas there exercised Avith the utmost

perfection of art , and must be esteemed the completcst building of tho universe , as huAdng' the divine direction to conduct the mighty architects , as described to us by the sacred penman in the book of Kings , Avhich being in everybody ' s hands , it is needless here to burden the reader Avith . But I

Avonder that the author of the Constitutions should say that the firs and cedars of Lebanon Avere sent to Joppa to be conveyed to Jerusalem , Avhen it is not a third part of the Avay from Lebanon to Jerusalem , as it is from Lebanon to the nearest port before the said firs and cedars could be embarked for

Joppa . But here I must ask leave to turn back and reprove the author of the Constitutions for a grand mistake he makes in the story of Sampson pulling down the temp le of . "D agon , after ho had revealed his secrets to his Avil ' e , Avhich is impossible should be so , from the text Avhere it says , "Sampson