REBUILDING SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 250, 27 November 1909, Page 4

REBUILDING SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.

A TRIIBUTE THAT WILL COST MILLIONS. J Solomon's Temple is to be rebuilt in Jerusalem by Die Masons of the worm (says a Home paper). Hie idea comes lroni America, where it is being iukcu very seriously, the Masons ol Boston having formed a company lor the carrying out of the scheme. It will cost millions, but it is expected that Masons all over the world will give their help. Freemasons hold that Solomon was the founder of freemasonry, so they arc going to rebuild his temple as a tribute to his memory. ' This will not be the first time that the Temple has been rebuilt. Since Solomon finished it in 1012 B.C. it has been restored at leu.it three times: once by ifezekiah, once by Ezra and Nelicmiah, and once by Herod. It has been, pillaged over and over again, but was! finally destroyed by Titus, who, nine' years later, became the Koinan Em- 1 peror. , THE CK-NTKE OF THE WOULD. j Many envious buildings at present ■ cover the ancient site. The Dome of iliej ltoek is built round a mighty stoiri from which Mohammed i.s said to have ascended to the skies on his mysterious! steed. This was, according lo local j tradition, the rock on which Abraham! prepared to sacrifice Isaac. Here, 100, say the local guides, Jacob saw the ladder that reached up to Heaven. | It is looked upon as the centre of tlic.j world, and Mohammedans firmly believe that it is eighteen miles nearer Heaven than i.s anywhere else in the wmi I. Though many, traditions cluster round it, one fact seems certain that in Solomon's Temple it was the ancient altar of burnt offerings, It stands' exactly in the centre of the Temple site, which is about a mile in circumference. Within the Temple area there also stands a small and beautiful mosque called "The Dome of the Chain." Mo li.iiiiineilan tradition has it that here was David's judgment seat. A chain separated the king from those who came 'to demand justice, This (lie witness held with both hands as' be spoke. If indared to commit perjury a link fell from ■the chain. I Another shrine shelters a slab of jasper called "The Flagstone of I'.uadis-.' Into this Mohammed is supposed to have driven nineteen goblin nails, which fell one by nue al long intervals into Solomon's sepulchre below. The falling of the last nail was to be a sign that the end of the world was at lmif.

There are only three nails' still in place. | The tradition about the sepulchre is | that Solomon, who, ("lie fairy tales tell us, was ruler of all the genii, was placed I there on his throne after death, propped 'up by his staff, lost the evil genii who jswarmed around him should know that 'the master ivhom they feared and hated was dead. In course of time the stall' decayed ami the body fell forward, iThen the evil genii swarmed out into 'the world again to torment mankind. i lu the vaults known as Solomon's 'Stables' stand ancient pillar- pierced nv many holes. To iln-c tin- Crusaders are I known to have tethered their horses, i It is probable thnl no attempt will be made to disturb the many shrines that cover the Temple area. It is intended to secure some oilier site in Jerusalem. 'The Turkish Government Is not expected to make any difficulty about toe .! mat tor. ■i According to the llihle, (he lime laken In l.uild the original Temp!- of Solonun ■ was ton years, three being ■•'!> ill in pre- . paring (lie material,' ami swell in lice factual const ruction. Mil. Hiat limo [ should be cut down considerably in r.lmilding the cope, in these days of .;steam and hydraulic cranes, i PIiLLAUS 01' CLOl'l) AMD Kll!K. ij Though it may not be a long, it will i.lic a. stupeudousiy diflicttlt task, In spile lof the detailed 'description of the. oil ' giual given in the Old Testament, lie 1 cent discoveries of ancient temples ol flhc same period will help. The plans ol ■ a ilisfliignisheil Orman excavator, win ) recently built a s'niall model of the • Temple, may possibly be used. I A striking feature of the urigina f Temple was the pair of mighty pillar. ' that stood before the main doorway r They wore of hollow brass and beauti s fully ;r,id intricately carved. They havi e,lieen supposed to represent the pillar o ■cloud and the cloud of lire that guidei s the Israelites across the desert. These s jnf course, can never be exactly repro • dueed. :.] Though Solomon is definitely claimei '",!>" the foimiler of the Masonic order am '■|thc flrst flrand Master of the eraff e;logeml and fable would put the 'begin t tilings of Freemasonry as far back as til "■days of \oah. i-| Hiram, King of Tyro, who help.'. ■>•, Solomon to hum] his T.'mnlo. three (hoi " sand years ago, |s s.'id lo hive boon ''Mason and lo lim-o iVe-ii,„i Kin" «ol< ''.nion into the ir^<l,. v 1,. s ~f lb" crnft. '"I It is ni„b.ili!(J Mini „„ „„„eal "ill i ' issued shovtlv (.. M-'soiii' all over H' •'■world. With Co ■■■el.rl,t of 11.,. who order behind it Iho scheme cu »• scarcely fail.