The Legend
According to the Masonic legend, Hiram Abiff was a man of Tyre, the son of a widow, and the chief architect of the Temple built by King Solomon. He was the central character in the building of the Temple and one of three leading characters along with King Solomon and Hiram, King of Tyre.
Hiram Abiff, Masonry teaches, was the only one on Earth who knew "the secrets of a Master Mason," including the most important secret of all, the "Grand Masonic Word," the name of God (the "ineffable name"). In the Occult, knowing the name of a spirit is a key to having its power, there was a very great power in knowing this word.
Knowing the other "secrets of a Master Mason" would enable the masons/workmen working on the Temple project to go out on their own, working as Master Masons and earning Master Mason's wages."
Hiram Abiff had promised to reveal the "secrets of a Master Mason," including the name of God ("Grand Masonic Word"), upon completion of the Temple, and to make the workmen Master Masons, enabling them to go out on their own as masters (instead of "fellowcraft" Masons). One day Hiram went, as was his custom, into the unfinished Holy of Holies at noon ("High Twelve") to worship and to draw up the work plans (on his "trestleboard") for the workmen to follow the next day. The workmen were outside the Temple for their lunch break ("…the craft were called from labor to refreshment…").
As Hiram was leaving the Temple he was accosted by three men in succession, who demanded that they be given the secrets immediately (without waiting for the Temple to be completed). He was handled roughly by the first man (Jubela), but escaped. Accosted and handled roughly by the second man (Jubelo), he again refused to divulge the secrets and again escaped. The third man (Jubelum) then accosted him and, when Hiram again refused to divulge the secrets, the man killed him with a blow to the forehead with a setting maul.
The body was then concealed under some rubbish in the Temple until midnight ("low twelve") when it was taken out to the a hill and buried. The grave was marked by an Acacia branch, and the three men then tried to leave the country. They couldn't get passage on a ship so they retreated into the hills to hide.
King Solomon was notified that these 3 men were missing in addition to Hiram Abiff who was also missing. Two searches were conducted. The temple was searched (presumably at the King's request) and none of the men were found. At this point 12 "fellowcrafts" reported to the King that they and three others had conspired to extort the secrets of Hiram Abiff from him but they had repented and refused to go through with the plan. They informed the King of the three men that murdered Hiram Abiff and King Solomon then sent out a second search party to look everywhere they could and find the body of Hiram Abiff.
It is unclear at this point how the search party ended up at the proper grave, but apparently, the sea captain who refused to take the three men onboard had some information that could be used. In either case, the search party finally discovered the grave with the Acacia branch at the head. They dug up the body and sent word back to King Solomon. It is then stated that King Solomon sent an "Entered Apprentice" to attempt to dig up the body, but because the body had already begun to decompose, they could not raise it..
King Solomon reportedly then sent a Fellowcraft to attempt to raise the body. This too failed since the "Grip" of the Entered Apprentice and the "Grip" of the Fellowcraft were inadequate for the job. The story then continues that King Solomon himself went to the grave and raised the body up with the grip of a Master Mason, (the "Strong Grip of a Lion's Paw.)"
It is then stated that Hiram was not only brought up out of the grave, but restored to life.
The first word he spoke was the replacement for the "Grand Masonic Word" lost at his death and that word is the one passed down to Master Masons to this day.
Most Blue Lodge Masons believe that this story of Hiram Abiff is a factual, scriptural and historical account.
The Masonic leaders and writers of doctrine agree that it is not only a myth, unsupported by facts, but acknowledge that it is but a retelling of the story of Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris!
Hiram Abiff compared to Osiris
The story is easily seen and recognizable. The basics of the stories are as follows:
(1) Both men went to foreign lands to share their knowledge of arts and sciences.
(2) In both legends there is a precious thing possessed: Hiram has the secret word; Osiris has the kingdom.
(3) In both legends there is a wicked conspiracy by evil men to seize the precious thing.
(4) In both legends there is a struggle and a murder of the leader. the one who holds the precious treasure.
(5) Both are murdered by their brothers (Osiris by Typhon; Hiram by Jubelum, his brother Mason).
(6) Both bodies are buried hastily, with the intention of a later, proper burial, hence the reason for the marker as outlined below:
(7) The graves containing the bodies were both marked by Acacia at the head.
(8) In both legends, there are two separate searches for the bodies.
(9) In both legends there is a loss of something precious: in Hiram's death, the secret word is lost; in Osiris' death, the phallus is lost.
(10) In both there is a substitution for the precious thing that has been lost; concerning Hiram it is the substitute for the secret word; concerning Osiris it is the substitute phallus.
www.elijahproject.net/abiff.htmlDiodoros goes on to relate that Daedalus,while still in Athens,took his young nephew Talos as an apprentice. To Daedalus dismay the boy proved more talanted then his uncle,inventing such tools as the compass,the saw,and the potters wheel. After watching Talos cut through a stick with a snake's jaw bone-the first primitive saw-Daedalus was consumed by envy and promptly hurled Talos to his death from a top of the Acropolis.He was caught tried for murder, and condemed. but Deadalus flee the country before sentence was carrried out.
According to Diodoros,Daedalus then traveled to Egypt,where he studied sculpture and architecture,winning "great fame because of his genius" and reciving devine honors from the Egyptians. One of Daedalus's legendary achievements in Egypt was his design of a magnificent pylon,or gate way for the "temple of Hephaistos" in Memphis-Daiodros's Hellenized name for the Temple of Ptah.
The Statues of Daedalus There is a another explanation for Daedalus's status coming to life that is even more suggestive of Egyptian influence. when Egyptian sculptures carved an image of a god, the statue was beleived to be dead untill bought to life by a priest.
Opening of the mouth ceremony
I particularly love the inscription on the Apprentice Pillar, "Wine is strong a King is stronger, women are stronger still, but truth conquers all." The master mason who began carving the pillar left for Rome to receive further guidance as to completing it, but upon his return found that his apprentice had continued working to the pillar's completion. The master was so angry that he killed the young man, thus earning the pillar its name.
writingplayground.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.htmlRosalyn chapel Scotland built by the Templars.
