babel, with the rest of the leaders, replied, 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the King of Persia has commanded us.' 11* Hence it was that, to avoid the possibility of these idolatrous Samaritans polluting the holy work by their coöperation, Zerubbabel found it necessary to demand of every one who offered himself as an assistant in the undertaking, that he should give an accurate account of his lineage, and prove himself to have been a descendant (which no Samari tan could be) of those faithful Giblemites who worked at the building of the first temple. It was while the workmen were engaged in making the necessary excavations for laying the foundation, and while numbers continued to arrive at Jerusalem from Babylon, that three worn and weary sojourners, after plodding on foot over the rough and devious roads between the two cities, offered themselves to the Grand Council as willing participants in the labor of erection. Who these sojourners were, we have no historical means of discovering; but there is a Masonic tradition (entitled, perhaps, to but little weight) that they were Hananiah, Misael and Azariah, three holy men, who are better known to general readers by their Chaldaic names of Shadrach, Mesheck and Abednego, as having been miraculously preserved from the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar. Their services were accepted, and from their diligent labors resulted that important discovery, the perpetuation and preservation of which constitutes the great end and design of the Royal Arch degree. This ends the connection of the history of the restoration with that of the Royal Arch. The works were soon after suspended in consequence of difficulties threw in the way by the Samaritans, and other circumstances occp-red to pre. * Ezra, iv. 8. vent the final completion of the temple for many years subsequent to the important discovery to which we have just alluded. But these details go beyond the Royal Arch, and are to be found in the higher degrees of Masonry, such as the Red Cross Knight and the Prince of Jerusalem. "Melchizedek had preserved in his family and among his subjects he worship of the true God and the primitive patriarchal institutions: by these the father of every family was both king and priest; so Melchizedek being a worshiper of the true God, was priest among the people as well as king over them." ADAM CLARE ON GENESIS. THE design of this degree, so far as it relates to its symbolic ceremonies, appears to be to present to the candidate the bond of brotherly love which should unite those who, having been elevated to the highest station by their companions, are thus engaged in one common task of preserving the landmarks of the order unimpaired, and in protecting, by their high authority, the integrity and honor of the institution. Thus, separated from the general mass of laborers in the field of masonry, and consecrated to a Jacred mission as teachers of its glorious truths, those who sit in the tabernacle as the representatives of the ancient high priesthood, are, by the impressive ceremonies of this degree, reminded of the intimate friendship and fellowship which should exist between all those who have been honored with this distinguished privilege. FORNIA |