apartment of Solomon, only nine were elected to avenge the death of Hiram Abiff; this makes good, that a great many are often called, but few chosen.  To explain this enigma, a great many of the profane have the happiness to divest themselves of that name, to see and obtain the entrance in our sanctuary; but very few are constant, zealous and fervent, to merit the happiness of coming to the height and knowledge of the sublime truth.

Requisitions to make A good mason.—­If you ask me what are the requisite qualities that a Mason must be possessed of, to come to the centre of truth, I answer you, that you must crush the head of the serpent of ignorance.  You must shake off the yoke of infant prejudice concerning the mysteries of the reigning religion, which worship has been imaginary, and only founded on the spirit of pride, which envies to command and be distinguished, and to be at the head of the vulgar; in affecting an exterior purity, which characterizes a false piety, joined to a desire of acquiring that which is not its own, and is always the subject of this exterior pride, and unalterable source of many disorders, which being joined to gluttonness, is the daughter of hypocrisy, and employs every matter to satisfy carnal desires, and raises to these predominant passions, altars, upon which she maintains, without ceasing, the light of iniquity, and sacrifices continually offerings to luxury, voluptuousness, hatred, envy, and perjury.  Behold, my dear brother, what you must fight against and destroy before you can come to the knowledge of the true good and sovereign happiness!  Behold this monster which you must conquer—­a serpent which we detest as an idol, that is adored by the idiot and vulgar under the name of religion.

Solomon, king Hiram, and st. John the Baptist.—­In the degrees of Elected of Fifteen, Illustrious Knights, Grand Master Architects, and Knights of the Ninth Arch, you have seen many things which are only a repetition of what you have already examined.  You will always find in those degrees initial letters enclosed in different triangles, or Deltas.  You have also seen the planet Mercury, the chamber called “Gabaon,” or the “Third Heaven;” the “winding staircase,” the “Ark of Alliance,” the “tomb of Hiram Abiff,” facing the ark and the urn—­the precious treasure found by the assiduous travels—­the three zealous brethren Masons—­the punishment of the haughty Master Mason, in being buried under the ancient ruins of Enoch’s temple—­and finally, you have seen the figures of Solomon, and Hiram, King of Tyre, and St. John the Baptist.

3.  I. I. I.—­By the 3.  I. I. I. you know the three sacred names of the Eternal and “Mount Gabaon” (Third Heaven) which you came to by seven degrees that compose the winding staircase.

The seven stars represent the seven principal and different degrees to which you must come to attain the height of glory represented by the mount, where they formerly sacrificed to the Most High!  When you arrive to that, you are to subdue your passions, in not doing anything that is not prescribed in our laws.