-
Articles/Ads
Article MASONIC ARCHÆOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Archæological Institute.
The Secretary , Bro . Hyde Pullen , then read several letters , amongst them one from Bro . Col . H . Clerk , S . E . F . R-S ., etc ., regretting his inability to attend and take tho chair that evening ; from Bro . Hyde Clarke , and others , regretting their inability to attend ; from Bro . W . T . Marchant , a member of the Institute ( ancl of tho Gooeh Loclge , 1 , 238 ) , presenting a very interesting collection of large ancl ancient plate engravings of the Holy Sepulchre and other buildings in the HolLand ;
y also from George Godwin , Esq ., relative to Masons' Marks . Several names of members elected by the Council were then submitted , ancl that concluded the preliminary business of the meeting . Bro . James Glaisher , in introducing Bro . W . Bosant to the meeting , and calling upon him to read his paper , expressed the great interest that hein common with all intellectual men and
, true Freemasons , felt in the researches now going on under the direction of Bro . Lieut . C . Warren , in and about tho Holy City , and after calling attention to some of the more important points to be considered in connection with the results which hacl been obtained through the instrumentality of the Palestine Exploration Fund , Mr . Besant read his paper as follows : —
The Excavations at Jerusalem . Tho introduction of this subject among those discussed by the Masonic Archaeological Institute needs no apology on the ground of its fitness for the consideration of the Craft . Independently of the strong Masonic interest attaching to all connected with the city of Solomon ancl the temple of his erection , the special importance of these works lias been recognised by so many
chapters and lodges , that some general account of them is due to the brethren , and the Archaeological Institute is by far the fittest channel by which this account can be communicated . I propose in this paper to deal with the works in some detail , but without reference to any special Masonic interest that they may possess . It would ill become me , in the presence of so many distinguished brethrento clo more than afford tho materials for
, their own historic speculations ; ancl I stand , so to speak , as an interpreter for our able brother Lieut . "Warren , of the shafts and excavations , the diagrams of which arc now presented before you . I must premise a few words on the origin of these works . The society which is well known to most of you under its name of the Palestine Exploration Fundhas among its various objects none
, so much at heart as the examination of buried Jerusalem ancl the . settlement by a simple appeal to facts of the controversies which have vexed the world for so many years on the position of its sacred sites . Not that this society has . undertaken this work in any partisan spirit , or with any idea of establishing this or that theory . A sufficient guarantee to the contrary is established by the mere list of names on our committee . Anion .
other names it is sufhient to mention those of the Earl Zetland , Dean Stanley , Mr . Hepworth Dixon , Mr . Tristram , Mr . Gilbert Scott , Mr . Grove , MY . Layanl , Professor Rawlinson , Mr . l ' ergnsson , and Mr . George Williams . A committee composed of these men , some of them representatives of different views , all of them distinguished for active interest in Palestine , could not be suspected of partiality or leaning to this or that theory . This committee it was which about two sent out Lieutenant
years ago AVai-rcn—who , I may mention here , is himself Past Master of a Masonic lodge and P . Z . of a Eoyal Arch chapter—with instructions us special as the delicacy of the task entrusted to him , and as tho importance of the issues at stake permitted . Stated generality his instructions were to keep as near as possible to the sacred area of the Temple , outside , but not within , where he was permitted by a vizierial letter to dig . It is my object to show
you to night in what way he has fulfilled his instructions . Perhaps a word or two on the principal points disputed may serve to interest some who may not have followed the questions raised by previous routes . There are , to omit minor differences , two chief combatants , two principal sides of the controversy . Tho Eev . George Williams , who may be considered as the representative of one side , and Mr . Fergusson as that of the other . not
I nm going to say a word about the respective merits of their arguments , or of those of their supporters . With them I have here nothing to clo . It will be enough to state their respective positions . These are as follows . If yon will refer to the small map of Jerusalem in your hands , you will find the space marked Moriah , " or " Harnm , " shaded in different portions to represent tbe localities of sacred buildings . The small round site in the centre is the " Kubbet es sakhrah , " or Dome of the Rock ,
the traditional site of the altar . Here , according to the traditions of a thousand years , stood the threshing place of Araunah . On this spot was the altar of Solomon ancl that of Herod ; round this , and on the platform in which this mosque is built , was the Temple itself . This is Mr . Williams' view . Now , carrying your eye to the west you observe on tho map the church called that of the Holy Sepulchre . The site is hallowed , if not bits being over the Sepulchre itselfat least by the prayers of
y , a thousand years , ancl the reverence with which tradition has so long regarded it , This , says Mr . Williams , is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . Tradition could not err in a matter so important , and the building which belongs to the throe churchesthe Greek , the Latin , and the Armenian—is not in name only , but in fact , the church over the Sepulchre of our Lord . Mr . Forgusson ' s view on the contrary , is that the Temple did
not stand iu the centre of the Haram Area at all ; that it was in the south-west corner , that corner where buildings stand at this day ; that the so-called Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands in a site where the Christians , after the capture of tbe city by the Mahometans , built a church commemorating their old church in the real site ; and that this real site is that actually occupied by the Dome of the Rock . You will see that these
two views admit of no reconciliation , no shading off of one into the other ; they aro diametrically opposed ; the partizans o f the one side have no common ground at all with the partisans of the other . It is , perhaps , permitted to me here to observe that Mr . Williams' arguments are a defence of the ideas and traditions of ail Christendom , and that Mr . Fergusson ' s view is entirely a modern one whichwhatever its other meritsfails in
, , commanding the same respect as his antagonist ' s time-honoured position . It was known by the occasional and partial excavations that hacl been made from time to time , that the modern surface of Jerusalem is a great deal higher than the former , and that the present city stands ou the debris of the ancient . The same thing may , of course , be said of every ancient town ; below the pavement of modern London workmen come on the
pavements of Roman London , and the dust and ruins of so many ages might well be supposed to be deep iu Jerusalem . No one , however , was , I think , fully prepared for the real depth of this debris . Lieut . Warren ' s shafts penetrate through a mass of
rubbish consisting of stone chipphigs and ruins , in which are scattered about foundations of houses , modern cisterns , and modern drains , for fifty , sixty , seventy , or eighty feet before arriving at the solid rock . Of course it may be urged that we should have to sink perhaps an equally deep shaft in London to reach rock , but it must be remembered that Jerusalem was built on a rock . The foundations of the Temple were laid in the rock itself-and the walls opening from tho rock . These
shafts are like slender pipes pierced through this rubbish . Their sides are supported by gallery frames , and the adventurous visitor has to be lowered by a rope . In the process of sinking them , some few , but very few , objects of interest have been found . These consist of iragments of pottery , lamps , pieces of carved work , sling-stones , and so forth , specimens of which are laid on the table before you . But , which is a point of great interestnothing has been found in tbe shape of tools or weapons
, not a single spear head , not the blade of a . knife , or the hilt of a sword , or the point of an arrow , has been turned up . A few nails , a feiv coins of not much value , and things like those on . the tabic , arc all that has hitherto rewarded Lieut . Warren ' s researches . He does not dig to find coins , but it is most curious that in all the rubbish lie has turned over nothing should havd been found of importance . One seal of undoubted antiquity ,
perhaps of Maecabean date , perhaps even earlier , has been chanced upon , but the present result of tlie excavations lias in this respect been most dis . ippointiii" -, and there is nothing to make him believe that in whatever direction he turns his shafts ancl galleries , anything will be discovered in this rubbish of greater importance than has hitherto been found . Only we must remember that the work is not as ¦ et allowed to bo carried on within the Haram . What secrets may lie buried beneath the area
of the ancient temple—what treasures may be hidden in those unknown vaults , we clo not know . Perhaps it is reserved for a future explorer to extend Warren ' s researches within this same precinct , perhaps permission may yet be accorded him to dig here . Remember , therefore , that these shafts of his , of wJiich I am fo speak , are mere slender pipes , as I have said , passed through the rubbish . They are three to four feet square . At the bottom tbe work has to be conducted by candle-light ; ou great occasions , ancl when strong light is wanted , the magnesium wire is
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Archæological Institute.
The Secretary , Bro . Hyde Pullen , then read several letters , amongst them one from Bro . Col . H . Clerk , S . E . F . R-S ., etc ., regretting his inability to attend and take tho chair that evening ; from Bro . Hyde Clarke , and others , regretting their inability to attend ; from Bro . W . T . Marchant , a member of the Institute ( ancl of tho Gooeh Loclge , 1 , 238 ) , presenting a very interesting collection of large ancl ancient plate engravings of the Holy Sepulchre and other buildings in the HolLand ;
y also from George Godwin , Esq ., relative to Masons' Marks . Several names of members elected by the Council were then submitted , ancl that concluded the preliminary business of the meeting . Bro . James Glaisher , in introducing Bro . W . Bosant to the meeting , and calling upon him to read his paper , expressed the great interest that hein common with all intellectual men and
, true Freemasons , felt in the researches now going on under the direction of Bro . Lieut . C . Warren , in and about tho Holy City , and after calling attention to some of the more important points to be considered in connection with the results which hacl been obtained through the instrumentality of the Palestine Exploration Fund , Mr . Besant read his paper as follows : —
The Excavations at Jerusalem . Tho introduction of this subject among those discussed by the Masonic Archaeological Institute needs no apology on the ground of its fitness for the consideration of the Craft . Independently of the strong Masonic interest attaching to all connected with the city of Solomon ancl the temple of his erection , the special importance of these works lias been recognised by so many
chapters and lodges , that some general account of them is due to the brethren , and the Archaeological Institute is by far the fittest channel by which this account can be communicated . I propose in this paper to deal with the works in some detail , but without reference to any special Masonic interest that they may possess . It would ill become me , in the presence of so many distinguished brethrento clo more than afford tho materials for
, their own historic speculations ; ancl I stand , so to speak , as an interpreter for our able brother Lieut . "Warren , of the shafts and excavations , the diagrams of which arc now presented before you . I must premise a few words on the origin of these works . The society which is well known to most of you under its name of the Palestine Exploration Fundhas among its various objects none
, so much at heart as the examination of buried Jerusalem ancl the . settlement by a simple appeal to facts of the controversies which have vexed the world for so many years on the position of its sacred sites . Not that this society has . undertaken this work in any partisan spirit , or with any idea of establishing this or that theory . A sufficient guarantee to the contrary is established by the mere list of names on our committee . Anion .
other names it is sufhient to mention those of the Earl Zetland , Dean Stanley , Mr . Hepworth Dixon , Mr . Tristram , Mr . Gilbert Scott , Mr . Grove , MY . Layanl , Professor Rawlinson , Mr . l ' ergnsson , and Mr . George Williams . A committee composed of these men , some of them representatives of different views , all of them distinguished for active interest in Palestine , could not be suspected of partiality or leaning to this or that theory . This committee it was which about two sent out Lieutenant
years ago AVai-rcn—who , I may mention here , is himself Past Master of a Masonic lodge and P . Z . of a Eoyal Arch chapter—with instructions us special as the delicacy of the task entrusted to him , and as tho importance of the issues at stake permitted . Stated generality his instructions were to keep as near as possible to the sacred area of the Temple , outside , but not within , where he was permitted by a vizierial letter to dig . It is my object to show
you to night in what way he has fulfilled his instructions . Perhaps a word or two on the principal points disputed may serve to interest some who may not have followed the questions raised by previous routes . There are , to omit minor differences , two chief combatants , two principal sides of the controversy . Tho Eev . George Williams , who may be considered as the representative of one side , and Mr . Fergusson as that of the other . not
I nm going to say a word about the respective merits of their arguments , or of those of their supporters . With them I have here nothing to clo . It will be enough to state their respective positions . These are as follows . If yon will refer to the small map of Jerusalem in your hands , you will find the space marked Moriah , " or " Harnm , " shaded in different portions to represent tbe localities of sacred buildings . The small round site in the centre is the " Kubbet es sakhrah , " or Dome of the Rock ,
the traditional site of the altar . Here , according to the traditions of a thousand years , stood the threshing place of Araunah . On this spot was the altar of Solomon ancl that of Herod ; round this , and on the platform in which this mosque is built , was the Temple itself . This is Mr . Williams' view . Now , carrying your eye to the west you observe on tho map the church called that of the Holy Sepulchre . The site is hallowed , if not bits being over the Sepulchre itselfat least by the prayers of
y , a thousand years , ancl the reverence with which tradition has so long regarded it , This , says Mr . Williams , is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . Tradition could not err in a matter so important , and the building which belongs to the throe churchesthe Greek , the Latin , and the Armenian—is not in name only , but in fact , the church over the Sepulchre of our Lord . Mr . Forgusson ' s view on the contrary , is that the Temple did
not stand iu the centre of the Haram Area at all ; that it was in the south-west corner , that corner where buildings stand at this day ; that the so-called Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands in a site where the Christians , after the capture of tbe city by the Mahometans , built a church commemorating their old church in the real site ; and that this real site is that actually occupied by the Dome of the Rock . You will see that these
two views admit of no reconciliation , no shading off of one into the other ; they aro diametrically opposed ; the partizans o f the one side have no common ground at all with the partisans of the other . It is , perhaps , permitted to me here to observe that Mr . Williams' arguments are a defence of the ideas and traditions of ail Christendom , and that Mr . Fergusson ' s view is entirely a modern one whichwhatever its other meritsfails in
, , commanding the same respect as his antagonist ' s time-honoured position . It was known by the occasional and partial excavations that hacl been made from time to time , that the modern surface of Jerusalem is a great deal higher than the former , and that the present city stands ou the debris of the ancient . The same thing may , of course , be said of every ancient town ; below the pavement of modern London workmen come on the
pavements of Roman London , and the dust and ruins of so many ages might well be supposed to be deep iu Jerusalem . No one , however , was , I think , fully prepared for the real depth of this debris . Lieut . Warren ' s shafts penetrate through a mass of
rubbish consisting of stone chipphigs and ruins , in which are scattered about foundations of houses , modern cisterns , and modern drains , for fifty , sixty , seventy , or eighty feet before arriving at the solid rock . Of course it may be urged that we should have to sink perhaps an equally deep shaft in London to reach rock , but it must be remembered that Jerusalem was built on a rock . The foundations of the Temple were laid in the rock itself-and the walls opening from tho rock . These
shafts are like slender pipes pierced through this rubbish . Their sides are supported by gallery frames , and the adventurous visitor has to be lowered by a rope . In the process of sinking them , some few , but very few , objects of interest have been found . These consist of iragments of pottery , lamps , pieces of carved work , sling-stones , and so forth , specimens of which are laid on the table before you . But , which is a point of great interestnothing has been found in tbe shape of tools or weapons
, not a single spear head , not the blade of a . knife , or the hilt of a sword , or the point of an arrow , has been turned up . A few nails , a feiv coins of not much value , and things like those on . the tabic , arc all that has hitherto rewarded Lieut . Warren ' s researches . He does not dig to find coins , but it is most curious that in all the rubbish lie has turned over nothing should havd been found of importance . One seal of undoubted antiquity ,
perhaps of Maecabean date , perhaps even earlier , has been chanced upon , but the present result of tlie excavations lias in this respect been most dis . ippointiii" -, and there is nothing to make him believe that in whatever direction he turns his shafts ancl galleries , anything will be discovered in this rubbish of greater importance than has hitherto been found . Only we must remember that the work is not as ¦ et allowed to bo carried on within the Haram . What secrets may lie buried beneath the area
of the ancient temple—what treasures may be hidden in those unknown vaults , we clo not know . Perhaps it is reserved for a future explorer to extend Warren ' s researches within this same precinct , perhaps permission may yet be accorded him to dig here . Remember , therefore , that these shafts of his , of wJiich I am fo speak , are mere slender pipes , as I have said , passed through the rubbish . They are three to four feet square . At the bottom tbe work has to be conducted by candle-light ; ou great occasions , ancl when strong light is wanted , the magnesium wire is