2nd Degree Tracing Board Flashcards
- When
When the Temple at Jerusalem was completed by King Solomon, it costliness and splendour became objects of admiration to the surrounding nations, and its fame spread to the remotest parts of the then-known world.
- There was nothing
There was nothing, however, in connection with this magnificent structure more remarkable , or that particularly struck the attention , than the two great pillars which were placed at the porchway entrance.
That on the left was called Boaz, which denotes Strength and that on the right was called Jachin, which denotes To Establish, and when conjoined Stability, for God Said ‘ In strength will I establish this my mine house to stand Firm forever.’
- The height
The height of those pillars was 17 cubits and a half each, their circumference 12 and their diameter 4
They were formed hollow, the better to serve as archives to Masonry, for therein were deposited the constitutional rolls .
- Being Formed
Being formed hollow, the outer rim or shelf was 4 inches or a hands breadth in thickness . They were made of molten brass and cast in the plains of Jordan, in the Clay land between Succoth and Zaradatha, where King Solomon ordered those and all his holy vessels to be cast. The superindendent of casting was Hiram Abiff.
- Those pillars
Those Pillars were adorned with 2 Chapiters, each five cubits high; the chapiters were enriched with network , lily work and pomegranates ;
- Network
Network , from the connection of its meshes, denotes unity,
Lily work , from its whiteness, peace,
Pomegranates, from the exuberance of their seed, denote plenty.
- There are two rows
There are 2 rows of pomegranates on each chapiter, one hundred in each row; those pillars were further adorned with 2 Spherical balls, on each which were delineated maps of the celestial and terrestrial globes, pointing out Masonry universal , they were considered finished when the network or canopy was thrown over them.
- They were
They were set up as a memorial to the Children of Isreal of that miraculous pillar of fire and cloud, which had 2 wonderful effects ;
The fire gave light to the Israelites during their escape from Egyptian bondage, and the cloud proved darkness to the pharaoh and his followers when they attempted to overtake them.
- King Solomon ordered
King Solomon ordered them to be placed at the entrance of the Temple, as the most proper and conspicuous situation for the children of Isreal to have the happy deliverance of their forefathers continually before their eyes, in going to, and returning from, Divine worship.
- At the building
At the building of King Solomon Temple an immense number of artificers were employed; consisting of Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts . The Entered Apprentices received a weekly allowance of corn, wine, and oil; the Fellow Crafts were paid their wages in specie, which they went to receive in the middle chamber of the Temple; they got there by the porchway entrance on the south side.
- After our Ancient
After our ancient brethren had reach the porch they arrived at the foot of the winding staircase, which led the the middle chamber. Their ascent was opposed by the Junior Warden, who demanded of them the pass grip and password. The passgrip you are already in possession of, and the password you will recollect is shibboleth, shibboleth denotes plenty and is depicted here by an ear of corn near a fall of water.
- The word
The word Shibboleth takes its rise from the time that an army of Ephraimites crossed the river Jordan in a hostile manner against Jephthah, the renowned Gileaditish general.
- The reason they assigned
The reason they assigned for this unfriendly visit was that they had not been called out to partake of the honours of the Ammonitish war, but their true aim was to share the rich spoils with which, in consequence of that war, Jephthah and his army were then laden.
- The Ephraimites
The Ephraimites, who had long been considered a clamorous and turbulent people, now broke out into open violence and after many severe taunts to the Gileadites in general, threatened to destroy their victorious commander and his house with fire. Jephthah, on his part, tried all lenient means to appease them, but, finding these ineffectual, he had recourse to rigorous ones.
- He therefore drew out his army,
He therefore drew out his army, gave the Ephraimites battle, defeated them and put them to flight. To render his victory decisive and to secure himself from like molestation in the future, he sent detachments of his army to secure the passages of the Jordan over which he knew the insurgents must of necessity attempt to go in order to regain their own country.
