Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-07-04
Kin. SOlORnOn'S Black smith.

And it came 10 pass when Solomon. the
son of David, had finished the temple at
Jerusalem that ne called unto him the
chief architects. the head aitificers. and
cunning workers in silver and gold. and
in wood. and III ivory. and in stone-yea.
all who aided III rearing the temple of the
Lord, and he said unto them, sit We down
at my table have prepared feast for all
my cunning artllicers. Stretch forth your
hands therefore, eat, drink and be merry
Is not the laborer worthy Of his hire! Is
not the skillful ar,ificer deserving of hon
or! MuZZlc not the OK that treadeth out
the corn"
And when Solomon and his chief work
men were seated and the fairness Of the
land and the oil thereof were set upon
the table, there came one who loudly
knocked at the door, and forced him
self even into the festal chamber.-Then
solomon the King was wroth and said:
"What manner Of man art thou!"
And the man answered and said,-
"When men wish to honor me they call
me Son of the Forge, but when they de-
sire to mock me, they cell me blacksmith
and seeing that toll of working i'll fire
covers me with sweat and smut. the latter
name, O King, is not inapt; and in truth
thy servant desires no BETTER
But said Solomon. why come you
thus rudcly and unbidden TO the feast.
where none save the chief workmcn Of
the temple are invited'
Please We, my Lord, | came rudely,'
replied the man, because thy servant
obliged me 10 force my way; but | came
not unbidden. Was it not proclaimed
that the chief workmen of the temple
were invited to dine with the King Of Is
raell'
Then he who carved the cherubim said:
This fellow is no scul ptor,' and he who
nlad the roof with pure gold said: 'Nel-
ther is he a workman in fine metals
And he who raised the walls said, he
is not a cutter of stone.
And he who made the roof cried out. he
is not cunning in cedar wood, neither
knoweth he the mystery of uniting pieces
OF strange timber together.
Then said Solomon. what hast thou 10
say why should not order thee to be
plucked by the beard, scourged with a
scourge and stoned to death with stonesH
And when the Son of the Forge heard
this he was in no sort dismayed, but adj
vancing to the table, snatched up and
swallowed a cup OF wine, and said, 90
King, live forever! The chief men of the
workers Of wood and of gold and of stone
have said that am not one Of them and
they have said truly am their superior,
DciOrc tnty It.cu was J Crchttu. oii
their master and they are all my servants
And he turned around and said to the
chicfof the carvcrs in stone. who made
the tools with which you carve'
And he said, the Black smith.'
And he said to the chefo of the masons,
who made the chsels with which the
stones of the Temple were squarcd'
And he said, The Blacksmith.
And he said to the chief of the work
ers in wood. who made the tools with
which YOU hewed the trees OF Lebanon.
and formed them into the pillars and root
of the Tcmple'
I And he said. The Blacksmith
Then said he to the artiflccr in gold
and ivory, who makes your instruments
by which you work beautiful things for
my Lord the king!'
i And he said, The Black smith
Enough. enough, good fellow said
Solomon. thou hast proved :hat | Invited
thee, and thou art all mems father in art
Go wash the smut of the Forge from thy
/ face, and come and sit at my right hand
4 The chief of my workmen are but men,
thou art more. So it happened at the
4 feast of Solomon, and blackSmi.hs have
been honored ever since London Mag
aZlnc.