they come and pray in this house: then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all the people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel; and may know that this house which I have built, is called by thy name.

"If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their sup. plication, and maintain their cause.

"If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives into a land far off or near; yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly

if they return to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

'Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made. in this place.

"Now, therefore, arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in good

ness.

“O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant." K 2

Chap. 7. "Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.

"And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

Chap. 9. "And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of So. lomon, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cup-bearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her. And she said

to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: Howbeit, I believed not their words until I came, and mine eyes had seen it and behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighteth in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore, made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice."

CHAPTER IX.

REMARKS ON THE SEVENTH, OR DEGREE OF ROYAL ARCH MASON.

This degree is indescribably more august, sublime, and important, than all which precede it; and is the summit and perfection of ancient Masonry. It impresses on our minds a be. lief of the being and existence of a Supreme Deity, "without beginning of days or end of years;" and reminds us of the reverence due his holy name.

This degree brings to light many essentials of the Craft, which were for the space of four hundred and seventy years buried in darkness; and without a knowledge of which the Masonick character cannot be complete.

The following passage from ii. Thessalonians, chap. 3. is read at the opening:

"Now we command you, brethren, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and