acquirements, and his exalted and useful position, which he adorned by faithful and excellent service. The title was given after an ancient oriental custom -many instances of its observance being familiar to readers of history, as that of Joseph in Egypt, who says, "God hath made me a father to Pharaoh" (Gen. xlv. 8); and also in Maccabees (1 xi. 32), the term is used as a mark of respect and esteem, and nearly all Roman coins have among other titles that of "father," as given to the emperor.

We have preserved but few details of the life of Hiram, King of Tyre. That he was master and overseer of his people who were in the service of Solomon is recorded, and he was long remembered as such.

A complete description of the Temple of Solomon is given in Kings, Chronicles, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah. The two pillars, JACHIN and Boaz, are minutely described in Kings and Jeremiah; Ezekiel also mentions two pillars-one on each side of the entrance.

Josephus writes about the great stones and of the foundation wall with understanding, because he saw them (as well as Herod's Temple, which was an enlargement of Zerubbabel's), and within a few years past the Palestine Exploration Society has verified many of his accounts.

The great stones which were sawed with saws (1 Kings vii. 9) lie just where they were placed by the builders, still bearing their craft-marks or direc tions for placing them. The lower courses were protected from wear and the action of the elements, by the dirt, mingled with stones, chips, etc., which was piled against them, and has never been disturbed un

til recently. The soil above this layer was full of pot tery, glass, etc., the usual evidences of occupation and use. Some of these stones are 6 feet or more thick, and 15 to 30 long. Their peculiar faces are shown on the plan-No. 58.

TEMPLE AREA OR ENCLOSURE, MARKED AAAA ON

THE PLAN.

The Temple area is 1,500 feet long, by an average width of 950; not regular, but as shown on the plan. The walls enelosing it are from 8 to 10 feet thick at the base, and 3 to 4 at the top, and 50 to 75 high above the present surface outside; and 10 or 12 feet above the floor. The ground is highest at the N.W. corner, and slopes south and east.

The original hill (see No. 58) was very uneven and sloping, nowhere having a level place large enough for the proposed temple; it was therefore necessary to build up a large platform, which was done by piers or columns arched over and filled in at the top with stone and earth. (Ant., XV., xi. 3.)

These substructures are still in their original posi tion, and are very minutely described by Dr. Barclay (City of the Great King), who measured them carefully, when employed as an assistant to the Chief Engineer of Repairs by the Pasha of Jerusalem. They extend across the southern end of the Temple area, being the highest at the s. E. corner, and from north to south from 186 to 247 feet. The piers vary in size from 3 to 8 feet square,

T

and in hight from 30 down to 2 or 3 feet, as the rock slopes. The Triple Gate (51 feet wide and 25 feet high) once opened into these galleries, which

are called Solomon's stables; there are three passages leading from them up to the area above, one of which is 247 feet long, the others shorter. It is supposed that this was the passage for the animals for the sacrifices, because the ascent is gradual all the way.