M. C. the first things that attract our attention are
the representatives of two brazen pillars, one upon the left, the other
upon the right of the porch. The one upon the left, denominated * * *
denoted strength; the one upon the right, denominated * * * denoted
establishment, having reference to a passage of Scripture wherein God
said to David, "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established
forever before thee."

Those pillars were eighteen cubits high, twelve in circumference and
four in diameter. They were prepared of molten brass, the better to
withstand conflagration or inundation. They were cast in the clay
grounds of the river Jordan, between Succoth and Zaradatha, where K. S.
ordered all the holy vessels to be cast. They were hollow, four inches,
or a hand's breadth, in thickness, and served as the archives of Masonry
in which the Rolls, Records and Proceedings were kept. They were adorned
with two chapiters, five cubits each. Those chapiters were ornamented
with net-work, lily-work and pomegranate, denoting union, peace and
plenty. The net-work, from its intimate connection, denotes union. The
lily, from its whiteness, denotes peace. The pomegranate, from the
exuberance of its seeds, denotes plenty. Mounted upon the chapiters were
two globes, representing the terrestrial and celestial bodies, on the
convex surface of which were delineated the countries, seas and other
portions of the earth, the planetary revolutions and other important
particulars. They represented the universality of Freemasonry--that from
east to west and between north and south Freemasonry extends, and in
every clime are Masons to be found, and teach that a Mason's charity
should be co-extensive.

Masonic tradition informs us that those pillars were placed at the porch
of K. S.'s T. as a memento to the children of Israel of their happy
deliverance from the land of bondage, and represented the pillar of
cloud that over-shadowed them by day and the pillar of fire that
illumined them by night.

The next thing that attracts our attention is a flight of winding
stairs, composed of three, five and seven steps. The three steps allude
to the three principal officers of the lodge, three principal supports
in Masonry, and the three principal stages in human life. The three
principal officers are the W. M., S. W. and J. W. The three principal
supports are Wisdom, Strength and Beauty, because it is necessary to
have wisdom to contrive, streng