shippers of the true God, they polluted their religious ceremonies by idolatry.

Josephus, in his history of the antiquities of the Jews, in speaking of Solomon's commencing the erection of the temple at Jerusalem, gives copies of the letters, which passed between Solomon and Hiram king of Tyre, on that subject, which are as follow.

Solomon, to king Hiram.

"Know thou, that my father would have built a temple to God, but was hindered by wars, and continual expeditions, for he did not leave off to overthrow his enemies, till he made them all subject to tribute; but I give thanks to God for the peace I at present enjoy, and, on that account, I am at leisure, and design to build a house to God; for God foretold to my fathers, that such an house should be built by me. Wherefore, I desire thee to send some of thy subjects, with mine to Mount Lebanon, to cut down timber; for the Sidonians are more skilful than our people in cutting of wood. As for wages for the hewers of wood, I will pay whatsoever price thou shalt determine:"

Hiram, to king Solomon.

"There is reason to bless God, that he hath committed thy father's government to thee, who art a wise man, and endued with all virtues. As for myself, I rejoice at the condition thou art in, and will be subservient to thee in

all thou requirest; for when by my servants, I have cut down many and large trees of Cedar and Cypress wood, I will send them to sea, and will order my subjects to make floats of them, and to sail to whatsoever place of thy country, thou shalt desire, and leave them there; after which, thy servants may carry them to Jerusalem; but do thou take care to procure corn for this timber, which we stand in need of, because we inhabit an island.”

Solomon was wise in all the learning of the ancients, possessed of all their mystical knowledge, and was, likewise, enlightened by the immediate gift of heaven. It was also the mode and manners of the times, in which the temple of Jerusalem was erected, to use emblematical and symbolic ornaments in the public edifices; a fashion derived from the hieroglyphic monuments of the Egyptians, and the mysterious mode, in which their sages concealed their knowledge from the vulgar eye, and communicated science only to those of their own order.

The pillars erected at the porch of the temple were not only ornamental; but also carried with them an emblematical import in their names. Boaz being in its literal translation, In thee, is strength, and JACHIN, It shall be established, which, by a very natural transposition, may be put thus, "O Lord, thou art mighty, and thy power is established from everlasting to everlasting. Or otherwise, they might imply, as Boaz was the father of Da

vid, the house of David shall be established for ever. We are justified in this latter applicacation, by the express words of Nathan the prophet unto David, 2 Samuel, vii. 12. “ And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee. Thy throne shall be established for ever.

In commemoration of this great promise, we masons ornament the entrance into our lodges with these emblematical pillars, from our knowledge of the completion of that sacred sentence, accomplished in the coming of our blessed Redeemer.

CHAPTER XX.

The happy deliverance of the children of Israel, from their Egyptian bondage.

FROM the earliest period, mankind have ever had the most convincing proofs of the existence of a Supreme Being. Yet from the most ancient and best historians, we do not find it recorded, that any place was set apart for worshipping the true God, till after the emancipation of the Israelites from Egpy

tian bondage, when the Almighty revealed himself amongst men in so wonderful a manmer, as to render his name glorious throughout nations.

He did not lead the children of Israel through the land of the Philistines, though a much nearer way; but through the wilderness, wherein he shewed his great wisdom and mercy; as the spirit of liberty being yet in embryo, their hearts might fail them at the appearance of so warlike a people as the Philistines, and they return to their former slavery.

He, therefore, commanded his servant Moses to conduct them through the wilderness, to the borders of the Red Sea, in their way to the promised land, which made Pharaoh king of Egypt, regret that he had let so many useful slaves, as he termed them, depart from his dominions. He, therefore, ordered six hundred chosen chariots to attend him, with all the chariots and captains that were in Egypt, as he was determined to bring them back to their former captivity, or perish in the attempt.

The children of Israel finding themselves confined by the Red Sea in front, impassable mountains on the right and left, and the Egyptian army in the rear, were overcame by fear, and in their despair, they murmured sorely against Moses, saying, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore, hast thou dealt with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

Is not this the word, that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." Exod. xiv. 11, 12.

Moses addressed them in the language of comfort, and told them to fear nothing, for that on that day, they should see the salvation of the Lord, who would fight for them; and, in order to prove his assertion, he, by God's command, stretched forth his hand over the waves of the Red Sea, on which the waters were immediately divided, so as to be apparently a wall on each side, while the children of Israel marched through on dry ground

Pharaoh on perceiving this, became hardened in his heart, and attempted to follow them; but the Almighty continued his protection by a miraculous pillar, which had two wonderful effects, one was of light to the Israelites by night, to conduct them through the Red Sea, and the other as a pillar of cloud and smoke by day, which was darkness to the Egyptians, and prevented their pursuit. He also sent a further plague amongst them; for he sent an angel by night to strike off their chariot wheels, which caused them to drag so heavily, that the two armies came not together all that night.

When day appeared, Pharaoh perceiving the hand of God working sorely against him, attempted to return; but it was then too late; for, by the time the Israelites had gained the opposite shore, Moses desired them to look