and for me." And the king who bore the aspect of a woman, answered,
"I am the Carpenter, and I bear the instruments of my craft; also
a box of frankincense for thee and for me." And the Angel-king
answered, "I am the Measurer, and I carry the secrets of the living
God, and the rod of gold to measure your work withal." Then the
first said, "Therefore let us go up into the hill of the Lord and
build the walls of Jerusalem. And they turned to ascend the mountain.
But they had not taken the first step when the king, whose name
was Stonelayer, said to him who was called the Carpenter, "Give
me first the implements of thy craft, and the plan of thy building,
that I may know after what sort thou buildest, and may fashion
thereto my masonry." And the other asked him, "What buildest thou,
brother?" And he answered, "I build the Outer Court." Then the
Carpenter unlocked his casket and gave him a scroll written over
in silver, and a crystal rule, and a carpenter's plane and a saw.
And the other took them and put them into his casket. Then the
Carpenter said to the Stonelayer, "Brother, give me also the plan
of thy building, and the tools of thy craft. For I build the Inner
Place, and must needs fit my designing to thy foundation." But
the other answered, "Nay, my brother, for I have promised the
laborers. Build thou alone. It is enough that I know thy secrets;
ask not mine of me." And the Carpenter answered, "How then shall
the Temple of the Lord be builded? Are we not of three Ages, and
is the temple yet perfected?" Then the Angel spoke, and said to
the Stonelayer, "Fear not, brother: freely hast thou received;
freely give. For except thine elder brother had been first a
Stonelayer, he could not now be a Carpenter. Art thou not of
Solomon, and he of Christ? Therefore he hath already handled thy
tools, and is of thy craft. And I also, the Measurer, I know the
work of both. But now is that time when the end cometh, and that