his forces, took poffeffion of Jerufalem, and having made captive Jehoiachim the king of Judah, elevated his uncle Zedekiah to the throne, after binding him by a folemn oath neither to make innovations in the government, nor to take part with the Egyptians in their wars against Babylon. At the end of eight years, Zedekiah violated his oath to Nebuchadnezzar, by forming a treaty offenfive and defenfive with the Egyptians; thinking that jointly they could fubdue the king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar immediately marched, and ravaged Zedekiah's country, feized his castle and fortrefs, and proceeded to the fiege of Jerufalem. Pharaoh, learning how Zedekiah was preffed, advanced to his relief, with a view of raifing the fiege. Nebuchadnezzar, having intimation thereof, would not wait his approach, but proceeded to give him battle, and in one conteft drove him out of Syria. This circumftance fufpended the fiege.

In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, the king of Babylon again befieged Jerufalem, with a large army, and for a year and a half exerted all his ftrength to conquer it; but the city did not yield, though enfeebled by famine and peftilence.

In the eleventh year, the fiege went on vigoroufly; the Babylonians completed their works, having raised towers all round the city, fo as to drive the invaded party from its walls. The place, though a prey to plague and famine, was obftinately defended during the space of a year. and a half. But at length want of provifions and forces compelled its furrender, and it was

accordingly delivered, at midnight, to the officers of Nebuchadnezzar.

Zedekiah, feeing the troops enter the temple, abfconded by a narrow país to the defert, with his officers and friends; but advice of his efcape being given to the Babylonians, they pursued them early in the morning, and furrounded them near Jerico, where they were bound and carried before the king, who ordered his wives and children to be put to death in his fight, and then ordered Zedekiah's eyes to be put out, and himfelf conducted in chains to Babylon.

After this victory, Nebuchadnezzar difpatched his principal officer, Nebuzaradan, to Jerufalem, to ranfack and burn both palace and temple, to raze the city to the ground, and conduct the captive inhabitants to Babylon; this order he accordingly executed. Among the captives were the following perfons of eminence: Seraiah, the high prieft; Zephaniah, next in rank; the secretary to the king; three principal keepers of the temple; feven of the king's chofen friends, and other perfons of diftinction.

In the feventieth year of the captivity of the Jews, and the first of the reign of Cyrus, king of Perfia, he iffued his famous edict, purporting that the God adored by the Ifraelites was the eternal being through whofe bounty he enjoyed the regal dignity, and that he had found himself honourably mentioned by the prophets of ancient date as the person who fhould cause Jerufalem to be rebuilt, and reftore the Hebrews to their former ftate of grandeur and independen. cy; he therefore gave orders for the release of

the captives, with his permiffion to return to their own native country, to rebuild the city, and the house of the Lord.

The principal people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with the priests and Levites, immediately departed for Jerufalem, and commenced the undertaking; but many of the Jews determined to remain in Babylon, rather than relinquish the poffeffions they had obtained in that city.

Charge to a newly exalted Companion.

"WORTHY COMPANION,

"By the consent and affiftance of the members of this chapter, you are now exalted to the fublime and honourable degree of a royal arch mafon. Having attained this degree, you have arrived at the fummit and perfection of ancient mafonry; and are confequently entitled to a full explanation of the myfteries of the order.

"The rites and myfteries developed in this degree have been handed down through a chofen few, unchanged by time, and uncontrouled by prejudice and we expect and truft they will be regarded by you with the fame veneration, and tranfmitted with the fame fcrupulous purity to your fucceffors.

"No one can reflect on the ceremonies of gaining admiffion into this place, without being

forcibly ftruck with the important leffons which they teach.

"Here we are neceffarily led to contemplate with gratitude and admiration the facred fource from whence all earthly comforts flow; here we find additional inducements to continue fteadfast and immoveable in the discharge of our refpective duties; and here we are bound, by the most folemn ties, to promote each other's welfare, and correct each other's failings, by advice, admonition, and reproof.

"As it is our moft earneft defire, and a duty we owe to our companions of this order, that the admiffion of every candidate into this chapter should be attended by the approbation of the moft fcrutinizing eye, we hope always to poffefs the fatisfaction of finding none among us, but fuch as will promote to the utmost of their power the great end of our inftitution. By paying due attention to this determination, we expect you will never recommend any candidate to this chapter, whose abilities and knowledge of the foregoing degrees you cannot freely vouch for, and whom you do not firmly and confidently believe will fully conform to the principles of our order, and fulfil the obligations of a royal arch mafon. While fuch are our members, we may expect to be united in one object, without lukewarmness, inattention or neglect; and that zeal, fidelity and affection will be the distinguishing characteristics of our fociety, and that fatisfaction, harmony and peace be enjoyed at our meetings, which no other fociety can afford."

Clofing.

The chapter is closed with folemn ceremonies; and the following prayer is rehearsed, by the moft excellent high priest:

"By the Wisdom of the Supreme High Priest may we be directed, by his Strength may we be enabled, and by the Beauty of virtue may we be incited, to perform the obligations here enjoined on us, to keep inviolably the mysteries here unfolded to us, and invariably to practise all those duties out of the chapter, which are inculcated in it."

Refponfe. So mote it be. Amen.

After these obfervations, little more can be wanted to encourage the zealous mafon to perfevere in his researches. Whoever has traced the art in regular progreffion from the commencement of the firft to the conclufion of the feventh degree, according to the plan here laid down, will have amaffed an ample store of useful learning; and muft reflect with pleasure on the good effects of his past diligence and attention; while, by applying the whole to the general advantage of fociety, he will obferve method in the proper diftribution of what he has acquired, and fecure to himself the veneration of masons, and the approbation of all good.

men.