Part 13 (2/2)
Q. What followed? A. We were conducted to the second Veil, where the same questions were asked, and answers returned as before, with the addition of the pa.s.s-words and token given at the first Veil.
Q. What followed? A. The Master of the second Veil told us that we must be true and lawful brethren to pa.s.s thus far, but further we could not go without his pa.s.s and token, which he accordingly gave to us.
Q. What are they? A. The words are SHEM, j.a.pHETH, and ADONIRAM; the token is putting the hand in the bosom, plucking it out again, in imitation of the second sign which Moses was directed to make to the Israelites, when putting his hand into his bosom and taking it out again, it became leprous as snow.
Q. How were you then disposed of? A. We were conducted onwards to the third Veil, when the same questions were asked, and answers returned as before, with the addition of the token and words last received.
Q. What followed? A. The Master of the third Veil then gave us the sign, words, and signet, to enable us to pa.s.s the fourth Veil, to the presence of the Grand Council.
Q. What are the words, sign, and signet? A. The words are j.a.pHETH, SHEM, NOAH; the sign, pouring water upon the ground, in imitation of Moses, who poured water upon the ground and it became blood; the signet is called the signet of truth, and is Zerrubbabel. It alludes to this pa.s.sage, ”In that day I will take thee, O Zerrubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee.” [See Haggai, chap. ii. ver. 23.]
Q. What followed? A. We then pa.s.sed to the fourth Veil, where, after answering the same questions, and giving the sign, words, and signet last received, we were admitted to the presence of the Grand Council, where the High Priest made the same demands as were made at the Veils, and received the same answers.
Q. What did the High Priest further demand of you? A. The signs from Entered Apprentice to Most Excellent Master in succession.
Q. What did he then say to you? A. He said we were truly three worthy Most Excellent Masters, commended us for our zeal and disinterestedness, and asked what part of the work we were willing to undertake.
Q. Your answer? A. That we were willing to undertake any service, however servile or dangerous, for the sake of forwarding so great and n.o.ble an undertaking.
Q. What followed? A. We were then furnished with a pick-axe, spade and crow, and were directed to repair to the northwest corner of the ruins of the old temple and commence removing the rubbish, to lay the foundation of the new, and to observe and preserve everything of importance and report to the Grand Council. We accordingly repaired to the place, and after laboring several days, we discovered what seemed a rock, but on striking it with the crow, it gave a hollow sound, and upon closer examination, we discovered in it an iron ring, by help of which we succeeded in removing it from its place, when we found it to be the keystone of an arch, and through the aperture there appeared to be an immense vault curiously arched. We then took the stone and repaired to the Grand Council, and presented it for their inspection.
Q. What did the Grand Council then say to you? A. They told us that the stone contained the mark of our ancient Grand Master, Hiram Abiff; that it was truly a fortunate discovery, and that without doubt the vault contained things of the utmost consequence to the craft. They then directed us to repair again to the place and continue our researches.
Q. What followed? A. We returned again to the place and agreed that one of our number should descend by means of a rope, the middle of which was fixed firmly around his body, and if he wished to descend, he was to pull the rope in his right hand, if to ascend, that in his left. He accordingly descended, and in groping about, he found what appeared to be some ancient jewels, but the air becoming offensive, he pulled the rope in his left hand, and was immediately drawn out. We then repaired to the Grand Council, made our report, and presented the articles found, which they p.r.o.nounced the jewels of our three ancient Grand Masters, Solomon, Hiram, and Hiram Abiff. They commended us highly for our zeal and fidelity, a.s.sured us that it was a fortunate discovery, that it would probably lead to still more important ones, and that our disinterested perseverance should not go unrewarded. They directed us to repair again to the place, and make what further discoveries lay in our power.
Q. What followed? A. We again returned to the place, and let down one of our companions as before. The sun having now reached its meridian height, darted its rays to the inmost recesses of the vault, and enabled him to discover a small chest or box, curiously wrought; but the air becoming exceedingly offensive, he gave the sign, and was immediately drawn out. We immediately repaired to the Grand Council and presented our discovery. On examination, the Grand Council p.r.o.nounced it to be the ARK OF THE COVENANT, which was deposited in the vault by our ancient Grand Master for safe keeping. On inspecting it more closely, they found a key with which they opened it. The High Priest then took from it a book, which he opened, and read as follows:
Gen. i. 1-3. ”In the beginning G.o.d created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of G.o.d moved upon the face of the waters. And G.o.d said, Let there be light, and there was light.”
Deut. x.x.xi. 24-26. ”And it came to pa.s.s when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your G.o.d, that it may be there for a witness against thee.”
Ex. xxv. 21. ”And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above, upon the ark, and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.”
He then declared it to be the book of the law upon which the Grand Council, in an ecstasy of joy, exclaimed three times, ”Long lost, now found, holiness to the Lord;” at the same time drawing their hands across their foreheads.
Q. What further was found in the ark? A. A small vessel containing a substance, which, after the Council had examined, and the High Priest again read from the book of the law, Ex. xvi. 32-34, he p.r.o.nounced to be manna:
”And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commanded; fill an omer of the manna to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord to be kept for your generations. As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the testimony, to be kept for a token.”
The High Priest then took a rod from the ark, which, after he had read the following pa.s.sage,
Numb. xvii. 10. ”And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony to be kept for a token.”
He p.r.o.nounced to be Aaron's rod, which budded and blossomed as the rose.
Q. Was there anything further found in the ark? A. There was a key to the ineffable characters belonging to this degree, as follows
--|--|--| --|--|--|X
<script>