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النشر الإلكتروني

FREEMASON'S MONITOR.

PART FIRST.

BOOK III.

CHAPTER I.

Obfervations on the Orders of Knighthood.

As feveral orders of knighthood are conferred, both in Europe and America, reputedly under the fanction of, or in connection with, mafonic affemblies, it may be expected that fome notice will be taken of them in this work.

It may be neceffary to premife, that the orders of knighthood compofe no part of the fyftem of freemasonry: they are, in comparison to it, focieties of but yesterday; and all of them fall fhort of the excellence, harmony, univerfality and utility of that noble inftitution.

The defign of this part of the work will be to collect together fuch obfervations from scripture and hiftory, as are deemed applicable to the fevcral orders; and as in America they are only conferred as honorary degrees, it is poffible that this may be the means of producing a uniformity in their application and ufe.

CHAPTER II.

Of the Order of Knights of the Red Cross.

THE incidents upon which this order is founded occurred in the reign of Darius, king of Perfia. It is more immediately connected with fymbolic mafonry than any other order of knighthood. Their meetings are called councils ; their fashes are decorated with a sword and trowel, and trimmed with red and green.

The following paffages of fcripture are confidered by knights of this order as applicable to their inftitution, and are occafionally rehearfed in their councils.

Ezra iii. 8, 11. "Now in the fecond year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerufalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the fon of Shealtiel, and Jefhua the fon of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerufalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to fet forward the work of the house of the Lord. Then ftood Jefhua, with his fons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his fons, the fons of Judah, together, to fet forward the workmen in the house of God; the fons of Henadad, with their fons and their brethren the Levites. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they fet the priefts in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the fons of Afaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Ifrael. And

they fang together by courfe, in praifing and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth forever toward Ifrael. And all the people fhouted with a great fhout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the houfe of the Lord was laid."

Ezra iv. "Now when the adverfaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Ifrael, then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and faid unto them, Let us build with you; for we feek your God as ye do; and we do facrifice unto him, fince the days of Efarhaddon king of Affur, which brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and the reft of the chief of the fathers of Ifrael, faid unto them, ye have nothing to do with us to build an houfe unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Ifrael, as king Cyrus, the king of Perfia, hath commanded us. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building; and hired counsellors against them, to fruftrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Perfia, even until the reign of Darius king of Perfia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accufation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerufalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bifhlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the reft of their 'companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Perfia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue; Rehum the Chancellor, and Shimfhai the scribe, wrote a letter

against Jerufalem to Artaxerxes the king, in this fort: This is the copy of the letter that they fent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy fervants, the men on this fide the river, and at fuch a time. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews, which came up from thee to us, are come unto Jerufalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have fet up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls fet up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute and cuftom, and fo thou fhalt endamage the revenue of the kings. Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to fee the king's difhonour; therefore have we fent and certified the king: that fearch may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: fo fhalt thou find in the book of the records, and know, that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved fedition within the fame of old time for which caufe was this city destroyed. We certify the king, that if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof fet up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this fide the river. Then fent the king an anfwer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimfhai the fcribe, and to the reft of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the reft beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. The letter which ye fent unto us hath been, plainly read before me. And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old

time hath made infurrection against kings, and that rebellion and fedition have been made therein. There have been mighty kings alfo over Jerufalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute and custom was paid unto them. Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment fhall be given from me. Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why fhould damage grow to the hurt of the kings? Now, when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in hafte to Jerufalem, unto the Jews, and made them to ceafe by force and power, Then ceafed the work of the house of God, which is at Jerufalem. So it ceafed unto the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Perfia.

Darius the king having afcended the throne of Perfia, the children of the captivity were infpired with new hopes of protection and fupport in completing their noble and glorious undertaking, which had been so often and fo long impeded by their adverfaries on the other fide of the river.

The ancient hiftorians inform us, that Darius, whilst he was yet a private man, made a vow to God, that if ever he came to the throne he would restore all the holy veffels that were at Babylon, and fend them back again to Jerufalem. Zerubbabel, one of the most excellent and faithful of the rulers of the Jews, having been formerly distinguished by the favourable notice

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