2nd Degree Tracing Board Flashcards
- When the temple…
When the Temple at Jerusalem was completed by King Solomon, its 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 more particularly struck the attention, than the two great Pillars which were placed at the porchway or entrance. That on the left was called Boaz, which denotes in strength; that one the right Jachin, which denotes to establish; and when conjoined stability; for God said ‘In strength I will establish this Mine house to stand firm for ever’.
- The height of those pillars…
The height of those Pillars was seventeen cubits and a half each, their circumference twelve, their diameter four. They were formed hollow, the better to serve as archives to Masonry, for therein were deposited the constitutional rolls. Being formed hollow, the outer rim or shell was four inches, or a hand’s-breadth, in thickness. They were made of molten brass, and were cost in the plain of Jordan in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeradathah, where King Solomon ordered those and all his holy vessels to be cast. The superintendent of the casting was Hiram Abiff.
- Those Pillars were adorned…
Those Pillars were adorned with two chapiters, each five cubits high; the chapiters were enriched with network, Lily-work and pomegranates.
Network, from the connection of its meshes, denotes unity, Lilly-work, from its whiteness, peace; and pomegranates, from the exuberance of their seed, denote plenty. There were two rows of pomegranates on each chapiter, one hundred in a row.
Those pillars were further adorned with two spherical balls on 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 set up….
They were set up as a memorial to the children of Israel of that miraculous pillar of fire and cloud which had two wonderful effects. The fire gave light to the Israelites during their escape from their Egyptian bondage, and the cloud proved darkness to Pharaoh and his followers when they attempted to overtake them.
- King Solomon ordered them….
King Solomon ordered them to be placed at the entrance of the Temple, as the most proper and conspicuous situation for the children of Israel to have the happy deliverance of their forefathers continually before their eyes in going to and returning from Divine worship.
- At the building of King Solomon’s Temple….
At the building of King Solomon’s Temple an immense number of Masons were employed. They consisted 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….
They got there by the porchway or entrance on the south side.
After our ancient Brethren had entered the porch, they arrived at the foot of the winding staircase which led to the middle chamber. Their ascent was opposed by the Junior Warden, who demanded of them the pass grip and pass word leading from the First to the Second Degree. The pass grip you are in possession of, and the pass word, I dare say you recollect is Shibboleth; Shibboleth denotes plenty and is here depicted by an ear of corn near to a fall of water.
- The word Shibboleth…
The word Shibboleth dates its origin from the time that an army of Ephraimites crossed the River Jordan in a hostile manner against Jephtha, the renowned Gileaditish general. 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 partake of the rich spoils with which, in consequence of that war, Jephtha and his army were then laden.
- The Ephraimites had always….
The Ephraimites had always been considered a clamorous and turbulent people, but then 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.
- Jephtha, on his part,….
Jephtha, on his part, tried all lenient means to appease then, but finding these ineffectual had recourse to rigorous ones. He therefore drew out his army, gave the Ephraimites battle, defeated, and put them to flight; and to render his victory decisive, and to secure himself from like molestation in future,
- He sent detachments…
he sent detachments of his army to secure the passages of the River Jordan, over which he knew the insurgents must of necessity attempt to go in order to regain their own country, giving strict orders to his guards that if a fugitive came that way, owning himself an Ephraimite, he should immediately be slain;
- but if he prevaricated…
but if he prevaricated, or said ‘nay’, a test word was to be put to him to pronounce; the word Shibboleth. They, from a defect in aspiration peculiar to their dialect, could not pronounce it properly but called it “sibboleth”, which small variation which discovered their country and cost them their lives. And Scripture informs us that there fell on that day, on the field of battle and on the banks of the Jordan, forty and two thousand Ephraimites; and as Shibboleth was then a test word to distinguish friend from foe,
- King Solomon afterwards…
King Solomon afterwards caused it to be adopted as a password in a Fellow Craft’s Lodge to prevent any unqualified person ascending the winding staircase which led to the middle chamber of the Temple.
- After our ancient Brethren had….
After our ancient Brethren had given those convincing proofs to the Junior Warden, he said ‘Pass Shibboleth’. They then passed up the winding staircase, consisting of three, five, seven, or more steps.
Three rule a Lodge, Five hold a Lodge, Seven or more make it perfect.
