APR 22 1889

MISCELLANEOUS

NOTES AND QUERIES,

WITH ANSWERS.

"He who knows himself knows his own Creator."-HADEES.

VOL. VI.

MAY, 1889.

No. 5.

The Cubical Stone in King Solomon's Temple.

At the building of the Temple in Jerusalem, an unexpected and afflicting event occurred, which threw the Masons engaged in the work into the greatest consternation and confusion. The G. M., H. A. B., had sent to certain F. Cs. 13 stones, and directed that with these they should complete a small square near the capestone, that being the only portion of the fabric which remained unfinished. Every stone of the Temple was formed into a square containing 5 equilateral triangles, each being equal to a cube, lineally, and each side of the triangles being equal to a plumb-line. The space, therefore, which remained to be completed, was the last triangle of the last stone, and equal to the part of the plumb-line, or of the circle, and of the triangle, which number is 26, or the Great Name of the Almighty in Hebrew. The 13 stones consisted of all the fragments which remained from the building, and comprised two cubes in two divisions. In the first division was contained one cube in an entire piece, and in the second a cube in 12 pieces, namely, 4 parts in one piece, 2 parts in 4 pieces, I part in 1 piece, and a part in 6 pieces; total 13 pieces. The F. Cs. perceiving that they could finish the square with. the fragments in the second cube, rejected the first, observing that the exterior of the stone was marked with certain lines, namely, an equilateral triangle bisected, 3 lines: one side of the cube being the base; 2 squares diagonally bisected, and each having a perpendicular line to the center, 6 lines; 2 straight lines at right angles; and a square diagonally bisected, 2 lines; total 13 lines, or 5 surfaces of the cube. Seeing these lines, the Masons thought the stone was split, and therefore useless. It was then thrown aside, and one of their number in contempt struck the cube a violent blow with a wooden mallet (no