Presently, the great regent of day himself, in slow and
silent majesty, made his appearance, and once more smiled on the City of
the Great King. At an early hour, multitudes were seen pouring into the
city, from east, west, north, and south, and on each countenance might
have been read a degree of excitement and animation. This was the
twenty-fourth day of the second month, in the second year after the
return from Babylon; and on this day was to be laid the foundation of the
temple of the Lord. This was well understood throughout the land; and we
wonder not that from cities and villages, from hill and valley, the
emancipated Hebrews hastened by thousands to witness a scene at the
thought of which their hearts throbbed with intense emotions. By the
sixth hour the great multitudes had congregated to witness the solemn and
joyful ceremony. There stood the priests, with their long, flowing robes,
with trumpets in their hands. There, also, stood the Levites, and the
sons of Asaph, with cymbals to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of
David, king of Israel.
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