ence to the triple office of our Saviour, which is a striking proof that Royal Arch Masonry was intended to pave the way for the Christian degrees of the Order.

23 The origin of the Scribes is uncertain. They were probably first employed in subserviency to the prophets, and perhaps educated in their schools. They seem to have been established as an order of men after the captivity, and to have risen into repute after the cessation of prophecy. They are mentioned in the New Testament as doctors of the law, and teachers of the people. They appear, however, in still later times to have corrupted the sacred writings by their traditions, and to have degenerated into a loose and luxurious style of living.

34 These were the three holy men who were preserved by the Messiah in person from Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace, into which they had been cast for refusing to worship the golden image on the plain of Dura. In the Chaldean language they were called Shadrach, Mesheck, and Abednego.

This number, say the Cabalists, was the Tetragrammaton, or Sacred Name, written 7 11 17 71, which are seventy-two. This interpretation is adduced in the Bereshith Raba, c. 44; Yalcut, art. 77; Taniya, in Hilchof Pesah; and R. Joseph, Caro in Beth Joseph, as one of the highest names, being taught by the priests once in seven years to their equals; and the pronunciation was accounted extremely difficult, and was preserved as a profound secret. The Sanhedrim sitting at Jerusalem, in the time of Christ, consisted of seventy-two persons, who were chosen principally from the sect of the Pharisees. This dominant party possessed the most profound learning in the traditional dogmata of the Talmuds, and therefore dictated to the people, with great haughtiness, the laws, both civil and ecclesiastical.

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36 These are included in that list of Masonic worthies, or holy men, whose actions are honourably recorded in Masonry, which has been furnished by the son of Sirach. How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand. So was Jesus, the son of Josedic, who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory. And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again." (Eccles. xlix. 11, 12, 13.)

37 In a degree called Master ad Vitam, the following Grand Masters are said to have travelled to Jerusalem on this occasion :-Esdras, Zerubbabel, Phaci, Jeshua, Elial, Torgada, Homen, Nehemias, and Malchias. They did not, however, all assemble at the same period.

38 Epiphanius and others affirm that he died at Babylon, and they say that his sepulchre was there to be seen many ages after in the royal cave. But it is more probable, according to common tradition, that he was buried at Shushan, where certainly he sometimes resided, and perhaps as governor of Persia, and where he was favoured with some of his last visions. Benjamin Tudela informs us, that he was shown the reputed tomb of Daniel at Tuster, the ancient Shushan; where likewise, as we are assured by Josephus, was a magnificent edifice in the form of a tower, which was said to have been built by Daniel, and which served as a sepulchre for the Persian and Parthian kings. This, in the time of the historian, retained its perfect beauty, and presented a fine specimen of the prophet's skill in architecture and masonry. (Gray's Key to the Bible, p. 408.)

39 It is said that the countrymen of Ezekiel were so incensed by his

reproaches as to put him to a cruel death. It was believed that his remains were deposited in the same sepulchre with those of Shem, the son of Noah, which was supposed to be situated between the river Euphrates and that of Chaboras; and it was much resorted to, not only by the Jews, but also by the Medes and Persians, who reverenced the tomb of the prophet with extravagant devotion.

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"As soon as the Jews were returned from Babylon, they applied themselves assiduously to the work of rebuilding the sacred edifice, that the worship of Jehovah, according to their law, might be resumed. This was at length effected by the piety and zeal of Jeshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel, the prince of Judah; although, owing to their desolate condition, the temple was so much inferior to that which the old men remembered before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, that they wept bitterly at the prospect when the foundations of the second were laid. The young men rejoiced with shouts and acclamations; but the ancient people disturbed them with their groans and lamentings, when they reflected on the superb magnificence of the first temple, and compared it with the expected inferiority of the present structure."-OLD LECTURES.

"On rebuilding the temple in the reign of Cyrus, the work was performed by the religious of the Israelites, and not by ordinary mechanics; for they refused to admit the Samaritans to a share of the work, although they petitioned for it under the denomination of servants of the same God; yet they were rejected, as unworthy of works of piety, and unacceptable to the God of Israel; for though they professed themselves to be servants of the true God, they polluted their worship by idols."

HUTCHINSON.

THE first business in which the redeemed Jews engaged after their return to Palestine, was to appoint overseers from amongst the Levites, that everything might be ordered in conformity with the law of Moses. They then set up an altar for sacrifice,' on which burnt offerings were offered and prayers preferred to the God of their fathers,2 that the work they were about to engage in might be attended with a blessing. While preparations were in progress for this holy undertaking, sojourners and pilgrims from Babylon, incited by the admonitions of the prophets, occasionally added to the number of those who engaged with enthusiasm in these laborious duties; and their example afforded great encouragement to the workmen.4

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The foundations of the temples were opened and cleared

from the accumulation of rubbish, that a level site might be procured for the commencement of the building. While engaged in excavations for this purpose, three fortunate sojourners are said to have discovered our ancient stone of foundation, which had been deposited in the secret crypt by Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, to prevent the communication of ineffable secrets to pro fane or unworthy persons. The discovery having been communicated to the prince, priest, and prophet of the Jews, the stone was adopted as the chief corner stone of the re-edified building; and thus became, in a new and expressive sense, the type of a more excellent dispensation. An avenue was also accidentally discovered, supported by seven pair of pillars,' perfect and entire, which, from their situation, had escaped the fury of the flames that had consumed the temple, and the desolation of war which had destroyed the city. This secret vault, which had been built by Solomon, as a secure depository for certain valuable secrets,10 that would inevitably have been lost without some such expedient for their preservation,12 communicated by a subterranean avenue with the king's palace ;13 but at the destruction of Jerusalem, the entrance having been closed by the rubbish of falling buildings, it had been now discovered by the appearance of a key stone14 amongst the foundations of the sanctum sanctorum.15 A careful inspection was then made, and the invaluable secrets were placed in safe custody.16

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When the first stone was laid," with solemn ceremonies,1 the younger part of the assembly shouted for joy;19 but the aged men, who had beheld the glory of the first temple, were grieved to reflect on their inability to restore the house to its former splendour; the returned captives being feeble in numbers, restricted in their resources, and having a prospect of being harassed by powerful foes who surrounded them on all sides, and might offer insurmountable impediments to obstruct the work. They were too much under the influence of prejudice to understand that the worship of God is spiritual; and that although pompous edifices and sublime ceremonies serve to impress the mind with an expanded idea of the divine magnificence and power, yet pure religion is a vital principle, which can exist in all its force even in the absence of these gorgeous appendages.20 The true ark of the covenant was lost,21 and never