54 LIl'E AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [l/Sl 



and useful to operative Masons in America. The officers of Lodges, 

 and those members who wish to be more completely learned in the 

 grand science and sublimer mysteries of Ancient Masonry, will think it 

 their duty, as opportunities offer, to furnish themselves, or their Lodges, 

 with at least one copy of all approved and dul/ authorised books of 

 INIasonry, which may be published by the learned Lodges, or illustrious 

 brethren, in different languages and countries of the world, from time 

 to time. 



Upon this plan, therefore, it will not be necessary to detain the reader 

 with any long account of the antiquity of the Royal Art. Certain it is, 

 that when the first man was formed in the image of God, the principles 

 of Masonry, as a divine gift from heaven, were stamped upon his heart 

 by the great Architect of the universe. The same principles were after- 

 wards renewed and placed upon everlasting foundations, by the wisdom 

 of his glorious Son; and they are daily cultivated in every soul that 

 delights in order, harmony, brotherly love, morality and religion, 

 through the grace and goodness of his divine Spirit — thrice blessed 

 Three, in one eternal God-head ! 



Thus instructed from above, the sublime operative and mechanic part 

 of Masonry was practised by Adam in the bowers of Paradise, and 

 propagated among chosen men of his posterity, in a lesser or greater 

 degree of perfection, through the different nations of the world (as 

 learned brethren have fully shewn% nor was the noble art lost by the 

 Israelites either during their peregrination in Egypt, or journeyings i.i 

 the deserts of Arabia. For there it pleased the supreme Architect to 

 inspire those great Master Masons, Bezaleel and Aholiab, and to put 

 "wisdom and understanding into their heart, and to teach them how 

 to work all manner of work, for the service of the * Sanctuary, and 

 erecting that most glorious Tent or Tabernacle, wherein the divine 

 Shechinah vouchsafed to promise a special residence; which, although 

 not of stone or brick, was framed by Geometry, a most beautiful piece 

 of architecture (and afterwards the model of Solomon's Temple) accord- 

 ing to the pattern that God had shewn to Moses in the Mount." 



And thus Moses, a man supremely skill'd in all the Egyptian learn- 

 ing, who, to his other titles, added that of King of Jesurun, being 

 divinely taught in the art of building, became Grand Master-mason or 

 Builder among the Israelites, "and often marshalled them into a regular 

 and general Lodge, while in the wilderness ; and gave them Avise charges 

 and orders, had they been but well observed." — But of this no more 

 must be mentioned. 



We pass on to speak more particularly of Solomon's Temple, at the 

 building of which, under the divine direction, were displayed, in an 



* Exodus xxxvi. 



