(46) And Joseph died 2242 a.m. m the forty-sixth jubilee, in the sixth week, in the second year, and they buried him in the land of Egypt, and all his brethren died after him.

(30) but brief mention. These were Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, both devout men who, though not listed among the disciples or apostles of the Christos, were of all men chosen to be custodians of His sacred remains. Joseph of Arimathea was one of the initiated brethren and is called by A. E. Waite, in his A New Encyclopædia of Freemasonry, "the first bishop of Christendom." just as the temporal (or visible) power of the Holy See was established by St. Peter(?), so the spiritual (or invisible) body of the faith was entrusted to the "Secret Church of the Holy Grail" through apostolic succession from Joseph of Arimathea, into whose keeping had been given the perpetual symbols of the covenant--the ever-flowing cup and the bleeding spear.

(77) It was not needful that the Stone should be rolled away [from the Grave,] but to convince the blind Jews, that they might see it was but Folly in them to go about to detain or shut up God; also because of the Disciples weak Reason, that they might see that he was risen for certain; for [when the Stone was rolled away,] they could go into the Grave and see it themselves.

(45) And he slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the double cave in the land of Canaan, near Abra- ham his father in the grave which he dug for himself in the double cave in the land of Hebron.

(36) Wherefore bury me near Abraham my father, in the double cave in the field of Ephron the Ilittite, where Abraham purchased a sepulchre to bury in ; in the sepulchre which I digged for myself, there bury me.

(19) And they besought him, saying, " We shall give it to thee for nothing " ; buthe would not take it from their hands for nothing, for he gave the price of the place, the money in full, and he bowed down before them twice ; and after this he buried his dead in the double cave.

(31) Presumably obeying instructions of St. Philip, Joseph of Arimathea, carrying the sacred relics, reached Britain after passing through many and varied hardships. Here a site was allotted to him for the erection of a church, and in this manner Glastonbury Abbey was founded. Joseph planted his staff in the earth and it took root, becoming a miraculous thorn bush which blossomed twice a year and which is now called the Glastonbury thorn. The end of the life of Joseph of Arimathea is unknown. By some it is believed that, like Enoch, he was translated; by others, that he was buried in Glastonbury Abbey. Repeated attempts have been made to find the Holy Grail, which many believe to have been hidden in a crypt beneath the ancient abbey. The Glastonbury chalice recently discovered and by the devout supposed to be the original Sangreal can scarcely be accepted as genuine by the critical investigator. Beyond its inherent interest as a relic, like the famous Antioch chalice it actually proves nothing when it is realized that practically little more was known about the Christian Mysteries eighteen centuries ago than can be discovered today.

(27) And he took one of the stones of that place and laid it (at his head) under the tree, and he was journeying alone, and he slept.

(45) And he gave all his books and the books of his fathers to Levi his son thathe might preserve them and renew them for his children until this day. The Death of Joseph. The Bones of Jacob's Sons (except Joseph) interred at Hebron. The Oppression of Israel by Egypt (xlvi. -; cf. Gen. 1.; Exod. i.).

(35) And he said : "I will do all that thou hast told me, and I shall bury thee on the day thou diest near Sarah, my father's mother, as thou hast desired thather bones may be near thy bones.