Religious - Old Testament Study Notes [R-7]

From Page 13 in Book

Page 1^st The Post Master's or fourth Degree in Masonry

As this order is merly a ceremony before you can obtain the superexcellent order
of the R. Arch, little is to be said on the subject

No. 4! The representation of the Ark of the covenant, that
was borne by the High Priest at the time that they surrounded the
walls of Jericho seven times, making long blasts with their
Ram's horns, &c. [Joshua 6] The Seven Lights on the plate is to represent the
High Priest that marched Seven times rong round the
walls of Jericho; & bore along with them the Tabernacle
& took its rise from the th time of Joshua, when the Israelites
had gained possession of the land of Canaan, by the overthrow
of Jericho, which was utterly destroyed; for the ^tabernacle^ Temple with
the aArk was then in Gibeon, & kept there untill the final dedication
of the Temple by King Solomon, & was the work that king Solomon
expressed by smiting his breast three times, when so and so was
missing from the Temple &c

And God said let there be light and there was light [Genesis 1:3]
And the light shineth in darkness ^but and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

To all Most Excellent Brethren, Royal Arch Super-Excellent Masons.

No. 5 Moses appears at the Burning Bush on Mount Horeb, [Exodus 3:1-2] on
Sinai displaying his sign, by casting his rod on the ground
turns to a serpent, and from a serpent into a rod again &c [Exodus 4:1-5]
being the first sign that Moses received by the Almighty or the
Mount, (but Moses appeared at the bush, his sandals or shoes

which were cast off, & his hand over his eyes, as a
sympathetic sign of reverence & humilety. 5 "The representation
of the High priest's Mitre whereon is a plate of gold, Engraved
Holiness to the Lord." [Exodus 39:30] 5. Twelve Lights placed in a triangular
form, is to represent the Twelve stones that was laid on the banks
of the river Jordan, also to the Twelve tribes of Israel, &c and
was placed at Gilgal, or the east border of Jerico. [Exodus 39:8-14] those stones
were named, & each Tribe bore on his sho^u^lder a stone according
to their different Tribes & superiority with the Twelve Tribes,
engraved, namely Reuben Judah Gad Zebulon Dan, Simeon,
Asher, Joseph, Levi, Naphtali, Issachar, And Benjamin. [Joshua 4:1-9] This was
in the year of 2942; so the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry
land, similar to the Red Sea under the command of Joshua
&c. and encamped in full strength in the plains of Gilgal; the
reason the st Sun & Moon stood still at the command of
Joshua, was owing to the Amorites worshiping them as their
gods so Joshua made them retreat from their gods in terror
& with great slaughter. [Joshua 5:1] 5 (Moses & Aaron) Aaron
Died on Mount Hor [Numbers 20:28-29] but Moses created a pillar before his
death on Mount Ebel (on the other side of Jordon) & inscribed
on it, or the blessings of obedience & the curses of Disobedience
which he pronounced at that time in the presence of all the
congregation of Israel, [Deuteronomy 27:1-8] then he ascended to the summit on top
of Mount Pisgah, there he took a survey of the land of Canaan
in the presence of Joshua & Caleb in the 120^th year of his age
and 1451 years before Christ, it was there & then Moses gave up
his office as the Leader of Israel to Joshua. [Deuteronomy 24:1-4] cCaleb his deputy

and Eleazar and Phineas was to be their G. Wardens
so Joshua & Caleb brought Moses down by night & buried
him privately, in the easternmost part of the Valley of Pisgaths
Mount as it was Moses's last desire, & to be kept secret from
all the congregation of Israel, for fear they might revolt in
rebel &c &c (see Page 17). [Deuteronomy 34:1-6] 5 Moses & Aaron were installed
in power & invested with all the apparlel of High Priest
in leaving Egypt with a rod or Staff in their hands, also
with a breast plate buckled in front which expressed Urim
and Thummin, which signifies perfect light; it was that which
led the Israelites safely in possession of the promised land [Exodus 39:1-31]
5^th The representation of Moses & Aaron on the Mount, which
with the Isradites under their direction that came out
from Egypt, from Pharoah & passed the Red Sea on their march
to the promised land, as God appointed it & their

[sideways text]
Tribes of Israel

numbers were 814,950, besides the mixed multitude that followed
them, it ^also^ shows the Egyptian Armies overwhelmed in the red
sea & Pharaoh in the midst of them. this took place on a Monday
May 11^th and 1461 years before the birth of Christ. [Exodus 14:13-31] 5. The Representation
of Moses bringing down the Tables of stone from Mount Sinai
showing the Israelites at the foot of the Mount, which was in
1491 [Exodus 34:28-29] (born in 1574 ^what [destined]^ and sent the ten plagues of Egypt in 1492
5 The representation of the first tent used as a Tabernacle at the
foot of Mount Sinai. [Exodus 39:32-43] This is to represent the Tabernacle that
was reared in the wilderness & taken with them During their
march through the promised land &c that contained the different
articles. The Holy fire was kept in it with the Ark, with which
all burnt offerings were offered, descended at all times from
Heaven at the consecration of Aaron, & was preserved
by the priests so long as the Tabernacle was in existence
untill the Babylonist cCaptivity, from which time it was
never renewed. This Tent or Tabernacle which Moses & Aaron

Page 1^st from page 38
Second Part

A further Account of King Solomons Temple

The prodigiousness of the work may be understood by the
number of the men employed in this structure, there
being 10,000 men per month in lLebanon to hew down
timber; 70,000 to carry burdens, 80,000 to hew the
stones, & 3,300 overseers who were all employed for seven
seven years. There was another edifice built over
the Temple of the same Dimensions with itself & makes
the whole height 120 cubits, and the whole building
was of free stone, so exactly joined, that it seemed
to be one entire solid rock, pouring these of its own
accord; this Temple was encompassed with a wall of three
cubits high to exclude the profane multitude & admit
none but the priest, & it was called Gisors; without
this wall stood a square temple, the doors of which was coverd
covered with gold, & all the people that were purified might
Enter here and from the ramparts which supported the wall
was 800 cubits on the top equal to a common place, or two
foot & a half, & the length of the ramparts below was 1,000 cubits
the bredth 100 Cubits, & the highth 300 cubits, the stones of
which they were built were 40 cubits long 25 broad & 8
high those were all of marble cut with saws & so exactly
Joined as to decieve the eye & looked all like one stone, the
pillars of parsian marble were l,453 Joined to the walls of [1 Kings 6]

they were of stone so thick as three men could scarcely
fathom them, none less than fifteen cubits & of the corinthian
order, beautiful to a wonder; the windows [tunels] there
in the pavement to let light into appartments under
ground were 2,246 & the length of the wall which inclosed
the Temple was 3,081 cubits, and six cubits & a hand breadth
thick, and betwixt this wall & the porch of the gentiles, was 37 1/2
cubits broad, & 768 cubits long. In the middle of the
Temple there stood the house of God, & was encompassed with
its own wall 100 cubits broad & 250 long & the gates were
covered with gold 13 cubits high & 8 Broad, the bredth of the
Tower was 64 cubits the hights to the corner stone were
125 cubits & the holy place 12 cubits high & 20 broad &
40 long 2 1/2 thick without any windows which divided the Sanctuary
from the Holy of Holies; in this structure were 732 chambers, &
most all of them square; & none less than 12 cubits of extent
but many of them much more, there were many appartments
under ground as kitchens, sacred & profane. also a large store
house for the first fruits of Israel & a vast Hall over the Sancturies
Sanctorium whare the tables, curtains & the rest of the instru-
ments of the Tabernacle, & sacred oOfferings were kept. The beams
were 12 1/2 cubits long, 1/4 thick, all of cedar, 1 7/8 broad, with
sculptures carved work and gold plates; the floor of the
whole structure was paved with stones of various colours
vary precious, & so artifiully artificially laid in [dequirs] worth
that they looked like one entire stone; the walls roof & floor
of the sanctuary were all covered with plates of fine gold,

Joined by golden nails the heads of which were of curious
workmanship, each of those nails were 25 ounces of gold, with
most precious jewles Jewels, of various coulours, set in & stone like
the stars in the firmament. Those belonged to the Temple 440,000
vessels of gold and 1,340,000 of silver, which took up 108,000 talents
and 2,000 shekels of gold, in the whole amounting to 1,817,654,024
Roman gold crowns, & of silver a million of talents, which
is 1,465,480,000 more such crowns; all this was consecrated to
the Temple, besides what was laid out on the wages & food of the
workman & other materials. The reduction of Roman gold
crown, which is about six shillings in English a peace, the gold amounts
to five hundred & forty millions, two hundred & three pounds ninty
& six thousand, & two hundred & three pounds, four shillings sterling;
and the silver came to four hundred & thirty nine million,
three hundred & forty two thousand pounds sterling. The weight
of the brazen alter was 2,000 talents; & that of the Brazen Sea
8,640. The roof of the Temple, being covered with plates of
Brass, comes to 500,141 talents, and 103 pounds weight. The two
Brass columns or pillars, called [blank] and [blank] at the enterance
of the sSanctuary weighed 19,027 talents, & being covered
with gold of an inch thick it amounted to 5,850 talents
of gold. Solomon employed in building the Temple 401,900
Israelites, the same number of Sydonians also Tyrians
& Egyptians, to each of whom, besides their daily wages and
diet, he gave when the Temple was finished, ten shekels of
gold. Solomon also gave the King of Tyre's household,
yearly 20,000 ears, or measures of wheat, each containing
eight bushels & a half. Winchester measure, & twenty measures [1 Kings 5-9]

of oil, of 75 wine gallons, & alone five pints each, which
was the contents of the ear for liquids; he gave them likewise
20,000 measures of wine, of the same contents. He gave the king
of Egypt as much; and the Tyrian workman all yearly,
120,000 measures of wheat, and as many of Barley; so that
all the workmen had evry year, 602,850 measures of
wheat & as many of Barley; so that all the workmen
had evry year besides 602,850 measures of wine, & the
like quantity of oil &c. He gave likewise to Hiram King of
Tyre, 20 towns in Galilee, & a gold pillar of great value. [1 Kings 9:11]
Villopandus says there never was such a magnificant
structure on earth as the Temple built by king Soloman;
the gold & silver vessels consecrated to the use of the Temple came
to one thousand & nine one million, five hundred fifty one
thousand & two hundred & three pounds four shillings besides the
gold plates with which the walls, roof, & pavement were lined; the
gold nails & jewels above mentioned are not valued. He gave
as a free gift to the workman, six millions, seven hundred
sixty three thousand & seventy seven pounds; besides their daily
wages & diet which are not valued, nor have we any valuation
of the Brass & other materials made use of in the building. v
Villapandus reckoned the jewel to excede this sum. Josephus expresses
4 hundred & 40 thousand gold vessels, & thirteen hundred & forty thousand
of silver for the use of the Temple. Ten thousand priests vestments
of silk with purple girdles & two million of purple vestments for
the singers. The Treasure left by King David towards building
the Temple one thousand eight hundred & seventeen Million,
six hundred fifty four thousand & twenty four Roman crowns of gold [1 Kings 5-9]

Page 5

they were supposed therefore to be forbid; and in Exod.
Chapt. 28, saying there are the garments which they shall make
this stay say excludes all that are not here named & Moses
being commanded at the burning bush to put off
his shoes, for the ground on which he stood was Holy
for the same reason—because of the extraordinary
presence of God there in that place, they made a further
argument for it. [Exodus 3:5] For say they, the Temple ws all Holy,
for the same reason, that is because of the extraordinary
presence of God, thus residing in the Shekinah over the
Mercy Seat, (this was the sacred name) & for further
reasons, it was most strictly exacted, that the priest should
^be^ always barefoot in the Temple, but the Jews & eastern Nations
uncovered their feet, that no dust or pollution might
profane the Holy ground. [1 Kings 8:10-11] Hence putting off a shoe among
the ancients, indicated reverence for the presence of God.
The customs was also expreniced of the cement of a bargin
or contract among the eastern nations; the party
conveying away a night or privilege, took off a shoe &
gave it to his fellow, as a pledge of his fidelity.

Amongst the Jews it was a token of renunciation, thus the
kinsman of Ruth renounced his claim upon her in
favor of Boaz; she loosed his shoe from his foot to show
she was released from all engagments by which the laws
of her country, had bound her to the claims of her nearest
relations &c. &c. [Ruth 4:7-8]

T. B. C. ^see if this is recorded in the Book^ was exhalted to the dignity of a God
under the appallation of Vulcan this was the first
instance of mortal man being Deified, & it took
place in the seventh generation from Adam
The Father of Hiram King of Tyre was Abibalus
& was the first artificer upon earth in those days. [1 Kings 5:1]

There followed Masonic Songs from the following took [heads]
in the same Book from which I copied the foregoing pages

1^st Masonic Songs, 2nd On the three Degrees, 3rd on the
Apprentices Order, 4^th All's Right Tune All's well

5^th Song of the R. A. 6^th The free & Accepted mason
7^th Burnes Farewell

[sideways text]
The foregoing 28 pages of writing was
copied from a Book with the following title

An Explanation of the Masonic Plate showing
the Emblems of each degree from the
Entered Apprentice to the Royal Arch or
Five orders in Masonry

Bristol, Printed & Published by John Harris
36 Broad Street
1843
[end of sideways text]