“Did you ever return to the sanctum sanctorum or holy of holies of King Solomon’s Temple?”
Ans. “I did.”
“Was there anything particular took place on your return?”
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Ans. “There was, viz.: I was accosted by three ruffians, who demanded of me the Master Mason’s word.”
“Did you give it to them?”
Ans. “I did not, but bid them wait with time and patience till the Grand Lodge assembled at Jerusalem; and then, if they were found worthy, they should receive it; otherwise they could not.”
“In what manner were you accosted?”
Ans. “In attempting to retire to the south gate, I was accosted by one of them, who demanded of me the Master Mason’s word, and on refusing to comply with his request he gave me a blow with the twenty-four inch gauge, across my breast, on which I fled to the west gate, where I was accosted by the second, with more violence, and on my refusing to comply with his request he gave me a severe blow with the square, across my breast, on which I attempted to make my escape at the east gate, where I was accosted by the third, with still more violence, and on my refusing to comply with his request he gave me a violent blow with the common gavel on the forehead, and brought me to the floor.”
“Whom did you represent at that time?”
Ans. “Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, who was slain at the building of King Solomon’s Temple.”
“Was his death premeditated?”
Ans. “It was, by fifteen Fellow Crafts, who conspired to extort from him the Master Mason’s word; twelve of whom recanted, but the other three were base enough to carry their atrocious designs into execution.”
“What did they do with the body?”
Ans. “They carried it out at the east gate of the Temple and buried it till low twelve at night, when they three met, agreeable to appointment, and carried it a westerly course from the Temple, and buried it under the brow of a hill in a grave six feet due east and west, six feet perpendicular, and made their escape.”
“What time was he slain?”
Ans. “At high twelve at noon, when the Crafts were from labor to refreshment.”
“How come he to be alone at this time?”
Ans. “Because it was the usual custom of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, every day at high twelve, when the
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[paragraph continues] Crafts were from labor to refreshment, to enter into the sanctum sanctorum or holy of holies, and offer up his adorations to the ever living God, and draw out his plans and designs on his trestle-board, for the Crafts to pursue their labor.”
“At what time was he missing?”
Ans. “At low six in the morning, when King Solomon came up to the Temple, as usual, to view the work, and found the Crafts all in confusion, and on inquiring the cause, he was informed that their Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, was missing, and no plans or designs were laid down on the trestle-board for the Crafts to pursue their labor.”
“What observations did King Solomon make at that time? Ans. “He observed that our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, had always been very punctual in attending, and feared that he was indisposed, and ordered search to be made in and about the Temple, to see if he could be found.”
“Search being made and he not found, what further remarks did King Solomon make?”
Ans. “He observed he feared some fatal accident had befallen our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff; that morning twelve Fellow Crafts, clothed in white gloves and aprons in token of their innocence, had confessed that they twelve, with three others, had conspired to extort the Master Mason’s word from their Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, or take his life; that they twelve had recanted, but feared the other three had been base enough to carry their atrocious designs into execution.”
“What followed?”
Ans. “King Solomon ordered the roll of workmen to be called to see if there were any missing.”
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
