LECTURE XXIX.

WORLDLY POSSESSIONS.

"Before the general deluge there was a man called Lemeck, who had two wives, the one called Adah, the other Zillah; by Adah he had two sons, Jabell and Juball; by Zillah he had a son called Tubal, and a daughter called Naahmah; these four children found the beginning of all the crafts in the world.-Jabell found out geometry, and had divided flocks of sheep and lands, he built the first house of stone and timber; Juball found out music; Tubal found out the smiths' trading or craft, also the working of gold, silver, copper, iron, and steel."-ANCIENT MASONIC MANUSCRIPT.

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There is scarcely any sentiment in which, amidst the innumerable varieties of inclination that nature or accident have scattered in the world, we find greater numbers concurring, than in the wish for riches; a wish, indeed, so prevalent, that it may be considered as universal and transcendental, as the desire in which all other desires are included, and of which the various purposes which actuate mankind are only subordinate species and different modifications."-DR. JOHNSON.

“What does it denote? Worldly possessions.”—Dr. Hemming.

A LEGITIMATE Masonic landmark is here displayed, referring to an age long before the universal deluge; and in an endeavour to explain it on the true principles of the Craft, it will be necessary to revert to customs and usages that distinguished the period in which the scene is laid.2 The arts and sciences would be originated, partly from the effects of accident, and partly by observation and reflection, and the application of nature's works to the requirements and conveniences of life. Accordingly we find that Tubal Cains invented many of the arts which tend to increase the value of worldly possessions; and for his skill and ability he was venerated as a deity, under his own proper name, which was subsequently modulated into Vulcan,5 and it descended to posterity as a characteristic sobriquet of any one who was a worker in metals.

But Tubal Cain was not only an artificer in brass and iron, but originated the art of making and using edge

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tools, without which very little progress could have been made in civilization. Naamah, the sister of Tubal Cain, is supposed to have invented the art of preparing wool, spinning it into threads, and weaving it into garments." It has been doubted whether Tubal Cain was acquainted with the operation of smelting metals, or separating the pure ore from the dross by a refining process; and therefore it has been hastily concluded that he worked solely on native metals, which are iron and copper." Excessive rains pouring down the sides of the mountains where metals were deposited, would bring them to the plains and rivers in ingots and shapeless masses. But the metal would be pure. Even mines might be discovered as we know those of Potosi were-by accident. Metals, however, would be disregarded until the art of manufacturing them was invented; and this beneficial discovery did not occur till the eighth generation from Adam.

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Before the use of instruments was adopted,14 mankind must have lived in a very rude state, because they could only have used flints, bones of animals, and other imperfect substitutes for metal, which would have been insufficient either for hunting,15 war, or domestic purposes.16 It is clear that Tubal Cain was acquainted with the uses of fire," or he could not have been able to weld 18 iron and copper into form.19 It will be easy, therefore, to estimate the gratitude of mankind to him who first instructed them in that useful art, of which he might receive the hint from the melted lava 20 streaming down the channels of a volcanic mountain; and hence the tools or weapons would probably be cast. These were principally made of copper; for while that useful metal would be plentifully supplied, native iron would necessarily be scarce, and consequently a valuable article. And hence we find that in the early times after the flood, arms, implements of husbandry, and tools for domestic uses, were uniformly manufactured from copper. Even the bow was of brass or copper; and quivers, war hatchets, swords, and javelins, were all of the same material. The sword of the Grecian soldier, the hatchet of the Peruvian, and the celt of the British warrior were alike composed of this universal metal.24

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Thus the pupils of Tubal Cain would possess an

abundance of raw material to exercise their ingenuity upon;25 and scientific pursuits were accelerated by the new impulse which his inventions would convey to the talented workmen.26

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But their worldly possessions would be incomplete without a knowledge of the precious metals. Accordingly, if we use the analogy of the early periods after the flood, we may reasonably conclude that gold and silver were plentiful amongst the antediluvians, and contributed their share to the corruptions which ended in their destruction. As in other times, riches produced luxury, which always preceded ruin. It has been conjectured that the phrase "sons of God," signified men of great worldly opulence and power;30 who oppressed the poor, forcibly abducting their daughters, and treating them in a base and unworthy manner. Protected by their worldly possessions, they threw every kind of indignity on the lower classes, until they were goaded to retaliation, either in public or in private; and at length the earth became a scene of violence, which excited the divine indignation.

Coincident with other inventions, the science of operative masonry, or architecture, was developed, for the sacred writings inform us, that Cain built a city. And this would necessarily imply a competent knowledge of geometry. The invention of building is attributed by Moses to Cain and his issue; for it is certain he must have had many hands to join with him when he built his first city in the land of Nod, calling it by the name of his eldest son, Enoch. But in what century of his life this was done we are not informed; he might build this city in any part of his life, agreeably to the Mosaic history. It is probable that he did it when he was between seven and eight hundred years old, and had seven or eight generations descended from him; and the numbers so increased, as to be not only sufficient to build it but to inhabit and defend it. In this time, all the arts might easily be invented which were requisite for such an undertaking. Moses has placed all the artists of the line of Cain in the eighth generation, and they consist, as we have already seen, of three brothers, the children of Lamech Jabel, the father of such as dwell in tents. Jubal, the father of such as handle the harp (stringed

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music), and the organ (wind music); and Tubal Cain, an instructor of artists working in iron and brass.

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These remarks of Bishop Cumberland are peculiarly interesting when applied to the present subject, because they assert the occupancy of the Jewish land of promise before the flood, and speak of the remains of antedilu vian architecture after that event; although the land of Nod, to which Cain migrated with his family, was widely distant from his city of Cain; nor does his geography of that place correspond with the situation of the Cain of our Scriptures. But it assigns a high degree of perfection to the mechanical arts connected with operative masonry.

NOTES TO LECTURE XXIX.

The subject will not admit of an extended application, as the facts are few, and the subject obscure. The reference, however, will be easily comprehended, and the Brethren will find no difficulty in making the application.

It may, perhaps, be difficult to produce authorities in proof of the facts which it will be necessary to bring forward in illustration of this landmark; but I think the difficulty is not insuperable; and in the progress of our investigation I shall probably be able to furnish documents which will substantiate every argument that it may be expedient to adduce for the purpose of showing the nature of worldly possessions at the period alluded to.

3That Tubal Cain gave first occasion to the name and worship of Vulcan hath been very probably conceived, both from the very great affinity of the names, and that Tubal Cain is expressly mentioned as being an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron; and as near relation as Apollo had to Vulcan, Jubal had to Tubal Cain, who was the inventor of music, or the father of all such as handle the harp and organ, which the Greeks attribute to Apollo. And if that be true which Genebrard and others ascribe to Naahmah, the sister of Jubal and Tubal Cain, viz., that she was the inventor of spinning and weaving, then may she come in for Minerv . Thus we see there were some obscure footsteps preserved of that part of scripture history which preceded the flood." (Still. Orig. Sac. p. 592)

"Sanchoniatho says, that Chrysor (Tubal Cain) is called in Greek Hpaigtos; and his being the eldest of that name, is probably the man whom Manetho hath put first in his first dynasty of gods and demi-gods in Egypt, placed before the flood in Scaliger's Eusebian Chronicle in Greek. I have more respect to this first of their gods in that dynasty