innermost room was called the most holy place, and was
for the Ark, and its walls were beautiful with cherubim, and palm
trees, and flowers, overlaid with gold, as was the floor also. Within
this most holy place stood two cherubim fifteen feet high. They were
of olive wood covered with gold, and they stood with wings spread forth
so that they touched each other, and also touched the wall on either
side, and their wings overshadowed the mercy seat where the Ark of the
Lord was to rest. All the carvings upon wood were covered with gold,
and precious stones were set among them for light and beauty.

Solomon's workmen made two great pillars of brass to stand before the
house, and a great brass altar for the burnt offerings. They also made
ten basins of brass that were set upon wheels, and one very great one
called the "sea" which stood on twelve brass oxen.

They also made many things for the use of the temple--candlesticks, and
spoons, and censers all of pure gold, and there was also a golden altar
and a golden table.

Solomon was seven years building the house of the Lord, and when it was
finished, and its outer courts made ready, he called all the elders and
chief men of Israel together to carry the Ark of God to its place. So
the Ark, borne by the priests, and holding the tables of the law, was
carried into the most holy place, and set under the wings of the
cherubim. After the priests came out a cloud filled the house of the
Lord so that the priests could not go in. It was the glory of the
presence of the Lord.

Then Solomon stood before all the people and gave thanks to God and
asked him to take the temple for his own house to dwell in, and
kneeling down, he prayed that wherever the children of Israel might be,
at home, or captives in a strange land, that the Lord would hear them
when they prayed toward his house, and that all prayer offered in it
might be heard and answered

Then fire from heaven fell upon the great altar, and the sacrifice was
consumed, and all over the great pavement of the court the people bowed
and worshipped the Lord, saying, "For He is good, and His mercy
endureth forever."

There were offerings and feasting for fourteen days, and then the
people went to their homes to think of the wonderful things they had
seen. And there were sacrifices offered morning and evening each day,
on the Sabbath, and at the three great feasts of the year--the feast of
the passover, the feast of the ha