The Worthies Of Freemasonry.

the pious designs of his predecessor . For this purpose , however , he found it necessary to seek the assistance of Hiram , King of Tyre , the ancient friend and ally of his father . The Tyrians and Sidonians , the subjects of Hiram , had long been

distinguished for then- great architectural skill ; and , in fact , many of them , as the members of a mystic operative society , the fraternity of Dionysian artificers , had long monopolised the profession of building in Asia Minor .

. Hiram , mindful of the former amity and alliance that had existed between himself and David , was disposed to extend the friendship he had felt for the father to the son , and replied , therefore , to the letter of Solomon , promising him

assistance . Hiram lost no time in fulfilling the promise of assistance which he had thus given ; and accordingly we are informed that Solomon received thirty-three thousand six hundred workmen from Tyre , besides a sufficient quantity of timber and stone to construct the edifice which he was about

to erect . Hiram sent linn , also , a far more important gift than either men or materials , in the person of an able architect , " a curious aud cunning workman whose skill and experience were to be exercised in superintending the labours of the

Craft , and in adorning and beautifying the building . Of this personage , whose name was also Hiram , and who inlays so important a part in the history of Freemasonry , we shall have occasion in our next article to speak more particularly .

King Solomon commenced the erection of the Temple on Monday , the second day of the Hebrew month Zif , which answers to the twenty-first of April , in the year of the world 2992 , and 1012 vears before the Christian era . Advised in all the

details , as Masonic tradition informs us , by the wise aud prudent counsels of Hiram King of Tyre and Hiram Abif , who with himself constituted at that time the three Grand Masters of the Craft , Solomon made every arrangement in the

disposition and government of the workmen , in the payment of their wages , and in the maintenance of concord ancl harmony which should ensure despatch in the execution and success in the result . That no confusion might arise in consequence of

the great number employed , which has been estimated hy some writers at not less than two hundred and seventeen thousand two hundred and eighty-one , the workmen were divided into three classes , distinguished by their different

The Worthies Of Freemasonry.

degrees of proficiency and skill . To each of these classes peculiar signs and words of recognition were entrusted , and of each distinct duties and labours were required . The most admirable methods of paying the Craft were adopted , so that

every possibility of imposition on the part of the craftsmen , or injustice on that of the rulers , was easily avoided . All the stones were hewn , squared , and numbered in the quarries of Tyre , and the timbers felled and prepared in the forests of

Lebanon , whence they were carried by sea , on floats , as King Biraui had promised , to Joppa , and thence by land to Jerusalem , where they were deposited and seemed in their appropriate places by wooden mauls , so that , as Scripture as

well as Masonic tradition informs us , " there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building . " Another tradition seeks to impress upon our minds the favour with which the undertaking was viewed by

the Deity , by affirming that while the building was in progress it did not rain in the daytime , lest the workmen should be interrupted in their labours . —Masonic Miscellany .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONIC EXTRACTS . Would it not he desirable that our reading brethren should insert in the "Notes and Queries" column of the Magazine any exkacts from books which they may be perusing , in which the Craft is mentioned or alluded to ? It would be interesting to learn what

friends and foes say of us . I send a few extracts that I have lately made . Iu the " Hawaii , " by Manley Hopkins , there is the following passage : — " Besides the two allied agricultural societies , other institutions sprang up ; a Chamber of Commerce , a chapter and lodge of

Freemasons , the king himself ( Kamehameha IV ., since deceased ) being Grand Master of the Progres de rOceanie . " Will any brother who is acquainted with " Hawaii " kindly inform me as to the condition and prospects of Masonry in that kingdom ?—JOHN KINGSTON .

KINO LEOPOLD THE EIRST . The late King of the Belgians was , I am informed , a distinguished Freemason . It would be interesting to me , and doubtless to many of the Craft , if any of our Continental brethren can supply the Masonic career of the deceased illustrious sovereign . —ENQUIRER . —•

[ A Berne letter says , that the late King Leopold belonged for more than half a century to that friendly association ( Freemasons ) which has recently , been made the object of sueli violent attacks . He "was received in the Lodge of Berne in 1813 , as he was passing through Switzerland in the interval between the two campaigns . ]