example of our ancient brethren, many instances of lofty virtue and scientific excellence which are worthy of imitation. The union of Speculative and Operative Masonry, by which our sublime science was modelled into its present form, is an event which we hail with. pleasure, and reflect on with admiration. It took place at the building of King Solomon's Temple, which hence constitutes one of the most important occurrences in the history of Freemasonry, and contributes its aid towards hallowing the floor of a Mason's Lodge. The subject is, therefore, of sufficient interest to demand the cool and impartial consideration of every brother who wishes to understand the great principles of the science into which he has been initiated.

In this Lecture, therefore, I will endeavour to disentangle the subject from some of its difficulties, and to explain the particular circumstances which produced the union of these two branches of our science, in an intelligible and, I trust, satisfactory manner. For this purpose I shall take a brief view of Operative Masonry as it passed through the descendants of those primitive people who had renounced the pure worship of the Creator, and practised the Spurious Freemasonry, which was of human invention.

It may not, perhaps, be necessary to recall to your recollection the fact, that pure or Speculative Masonry was conveyed, along with the true religion, by the pos terity-or, at least, by a portion of the posterity-of Shem and Japheth; while the arts and sciences attached to Operative Masonry were cultivated with triumphant success by the rest of the world. Before the time when temples were furnished with roofs, architecture had effected a considerable degree of refinement, which was displayed in the altars, pavements, and appendages to places of religious worship. Recent researches in Egypt have produced a series of interesting facts which prove the antiquity of architecture amongst its early inhabitants. From Wilkinson's Materia Hieroglyphica, we learn, that before the building of King Solomon's Temple, the Temple of Ammon was erected, and embellished by a succession of Egyptian Princes. Its original founder is unknown, but Thotmos III. 1367, A. A. c. added sculptures, colonnades, and obelisks. Amon-me-ameneto built

a propylon and an avenue of sphinxes; and Ramses III. added a side temple, and enriched its walls with many sculptures. This was the monarch whose daughter was married to King Solomon. The great temple at Ypsambul, with its gigantic statues and rich ornaments, was erected by Amon-me-Ramses, 160 years before the Temple at Jerusalem. Egyptian architecture, in its palmy state, was so sublime, that modern writers are struck with astonishment and awe at contemplating its vast remains. Denon says: "With the Egyptians the idea of the immortality of God is presented in the eternity of his temples. I have not words to express my feelings as I stood beneath the portico of Tentyra, and thought upon that nation of men who were capable of conceiving, executing, decorating, and enriching this edifice with every thing that could speak to the eye and to the soul." Champollion exclaims: "Imagination sinks abashed at the foot of the 140 columns of the hypostyle hall of Carnac or Ammon." To give some idea of the vastness of this latter temple, it may only be necessary to state, that each of these 140 columns was of the same diameter, and not much inferior in altitude, to the London monument on Fish Street Hill. What an immense idea must we form of the genius, as well as of the population and resources, of a country which was capable of erecting such stupendous buildings?

In the catalogue of expert architects of antiquity, the Tyrians will occupy a high and conspicuous place. Their ancestors had been masters of Egypt for more than two centuries; and when driven forth 700 years before the period to which I now desire to call your attention, viz., the era of King Solomon, carried with them the learning and talent for which that nation was so justly celebrated. And the posterity of these architects, living in constant communication with Egypt, were further improved by studying the great examples which the temples and monuments of that people exhibited, and which were unequalled in any other part of the globe.

-Art thrives most

Where Commerce has enriched the busy coast.
He catches all improvements in his flight,
Spreads foreign wonders in his country's sight;
Imports what others have invented well,
And stirs his own to match them or excel.

Cowper.

Their fame was so celebrated, that every thing which displayed superior taste or elegance, not only in the erection of splendid buildings, but in ornamented glass, working of metals, fine linen, or rich colours, was, by universal consent, distinguished by the epithet of Sidonian. Two hundred years before the building of the Temple, the city of Tyre was erected "by a body of Sidonian masons from Gabala, under their Grand Master, and proper princes or directors, who finished the lofty buildings of the city, with its strong walls and aqueducts, in a manner which greatly conduced to the honour and renown of those who planned and conducted this grand design."2

Here, then, we have a specimen of the skill displayed by the early Tyrian architects. Their city, though perhaps in its infancy, of no considerable magnitude, contained in its magnificent columns, porticos, and palaces, the germ of scientific knowledge. But it was a body without a soul. It wanted the invigorating impulse which can only be supplied by a full revelation of the Omnipresent Deity. This vivifying principle was inherent in Speculative Masonry. And when Operative Architecture was animated by this pure spirit, it produced a building which was the admiration and wonder of the ancient world; and for richness and glory has not been exceeded, even in the bright era of science which sue. ceeded the invention of printing, when all the knowledge and experience of former times became accessible to every enquirer. "Religion," says a modern writer, "thus being the parent of architecture-and a style, a symbol, device, or emblem, appropriated at first to religion and to nothing else-its object is to produce a devout abstraction in the spectator. The effect is heightened by its antiquity, and a certain mystery veiling it. It follows, then, that all styles of architecture are hieroglyphics upon a large scale, exhibiting to the heedful eye, forms of worship widely differing from each other; and proving, that in almost every religion with which we are acquainted, the form of the temple was the hierogram of its god, or of the peculiar opinions of its votaries."

1 Strabo. 1. 16.

Noorth. Const. p. 19.

* Menand. ap. Jos. Ant. Jud. 1. viii. c. 2. Bardwell's Temples, p. 55.

Hastening to the time of the monarchy in Israel, we find Hiram, King of Tyre, much celebrated for his architectural knowledge. He spread out the city to the temple of Jupiter, by adding many magnificent buildings, constructed of immense blocks of stone united with cement of the same colour;5 amongst which were two new temples, one of which was consecrated to Hercules, and the other to Astarte, the queen of heaven. And the temple of Hercules soon became a central point, round which all the Phenician nations assembled to celebrate the rites of worship, as the Jews were commanded to do at Jerusalem, and the pugnacious States of Greece at the temple of Jupiter Olympus.

The Spurious Freemasonry of the Tyrians was called the Mysteries of Thammuz. It was celebrated by Hiram with all the pomp and solemnity which characterized these institutions in any part of the world. And while the Tyrians practised Operative Masonry as a science from which they derived both pleasure and profit, their near neighbours were engaged in the beauteous celebrations of Speculative Masonry, under the superintendence of their Grand Master, David, King of Israel. A league of the strictest amity and brotherly love subsisted between these celebrated men, as the representatives and Grand Masters of the two branches or divisions of Freemasonry. Nearly three thousand years had elapsed since they were rent asunder by the violation of Brotherly love in the first fratricide; and they were soon to be reunited for another period of equal longitude. Passing events hastened the accomplishment of an union so pregnant with beneficial consequences to all posterity. Let us, then, consider the proximate causes by which this great design was accomplished.

When David found his flourishing kingdom in a state

"Alex. Mag. 1. 2.

6"In the first ages of the world, between the Jews and the Phenicians, there happened a great disagreement in maintaining of interests, rites, and ceremonies; but after some debate between them, the Jews taking a fancy to the Phenician worship, the Phenicians answered their kindness by affecting their mysterious doctrines and ceremonies; and so they exchanged the one for the other. The Jews sent their traditions, laws, and mysteries, in lieu of which was returned, a set method of idolatry. This went on from the time of the Judges; yet grew not up to its mature and full perfection till Solomon's time." (Sammes. Brit. p. 73.)

of profound peace, he had leisure to reflect on the impropiety, and, as he humbly thought, the sinfulness of dwelling in a princely palace, while the Ark of God, and the sacred symbols of his majesty, were deposited in a fragile and insecure tabernacle. Animated by divine wisdom,

Beneath whose clear discerning eye
The visionary shadows fly,

Of folly's painted show;

He saw through every fair disguise,
That all but virtue's solid joys
Is vanity and woe.

Carter.

And impressed with the pious principle that the most effectual method of securing God's favour was by providing and maintaining a national Temple for his worship, he conceived the magnificent design of erecting a building to the honour of God which should eclipse all the temples then existing in the world. The idea was sublime, but its execution was not permitted. The man after God's own heart devoutly bowed to the decision, and contented himself with procuring plans from the architects of Tyre, and collecting materials for the work, in perfect acquiescence with the divine promise that it should be completed by the wisest and most accomplished of his children. This assurance animated his zeal; and with prodigious labour and expense he heaped together vast treasures of gold and silver, wood and stone; which after his death were still more extensively increased by Solomon his son, and successor to the throne. Soon, however, this wise king became conscious, from an examination of the plans left to him by his father, that the work was on too extensive a scale to be executed by his own unaided resources; and, therefore, he made that famous application to the Grand Master of Operative Masonry which is recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles.

This application constitutes an era of great importance in the annals of both Speculative and Operative Masonry. The critical moment, which was to determine whether they should remain forever separate, was at hand. Various causes contributed to accelerate their union; and the embassy of Solomon to Hiramı, his father's friend, was the immediate agent of its triumphant completion.