Solomonb Tenple Was Sallt of Wood

Speaking of building things, how many of you lumber folks ever read the description of the construction of Solomon's Temple, one of the world's most famous structures?

We are told that he was the wisest man the world e'er saw, and that when his wisdom and powers were in their zenith, he built a great Temple to the Lord, that was the wonder of that age. So it is interesting to note how, and of what, he built it.

The Temple was built of stone, and of wood, and was of very remarkable construction.

He used 150,000 men in the construction of the Temple, and it took them eleven years, with this huge army, to complete the job. There were 70,000 bearers, who carried the materials, both stone and wood, down from the hills and the mountains, and 3,30O foremen over the workmen.

It appears that the foundations, and the inner walls of the temple, were of rock, and it must have been hewn in wonderful manner so that it interlocked, or in some manner fastened together, for says Verse 7, of the 6th Chapter of Kings: "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither; so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

This also shows that the architecture was worked out in detail in advance, so that the rocks could be hervn to fit, in the quarries.

Then, in Verse 10, Chapter 5, of the First Book of Kings, we are told that: "So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire."

Iliram, the King of Tyre, was Solomon's friend, and cooperated with him in furnishing materials for the temple.

Now, let us see hor,v Solomon went about the construction after he had completed the stone part of the temple:

Verse 9, Chapter 6, same book, tells us: "So he built the house and finished it, and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar."

Verse 15, same book and chapter, says: "And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house and the walls of the ceiling, and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir."

Verse 34, same chapter, says : "And the two doors were of fir tree, and the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding."

Verse 18 says: "And the cedar of the house within was carved with knobs and open flowers, all was cedar."

You will note that he first built the house of stone. Then he "covered the house with beams and boards of cedar."

And then, in Verse 18, comes the line: "THERE WAS NO STONE

SEEN.'' i

So the wisest man of the Bible haSrds down to us thb Iesson that stone makes fine foundations, and stout rvalls, and that wood is the stuff for roofing, flooring, interiors, exteriors, and for all uses that meet the eye.