The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-09-17
King Solomon's Blacksmith.

1AiH5 oOlOHlOHS b.aCRSnlhn.
And it came 10 pass when Solomon. th..
son Of David, had finished the Temple Of
Jerusalem, tlat lie called unto him The.
chief architects, the head allliccrs. and cum.
ming workers in silver and gold and i'll
wood, and in ivory. ANA S,onr-vca all who
had aided in rearing the Temple Of the
Lord, and he said unto them
"Sit We down at my table I have pre-
pared a feast for all my chief workers and
cunning artificcrs. Stretch forth your hands
therefore, and eat and drink, and be mcr-
rv. Is not the laborcr worthy Of his hire
Is not the sliiIIful arliliccr deserving honor:
Mnzzlc not the OK that trcadc,h out the
corn"
And when Solomon and the Chief wo,k-
men were seated, and the tatncss of the land
and the oil thereof were set upon the table;
there came one who Knocked loudly at the
door and forced himself even into the f.s
tai chambcr.-Thcn Solomon was wro,L
and said :
"Nhat manner Of man art thou ~
And the man answered. and said
"When men wish 10 honor me tLcv call
me Son of the Forge, Lut when they desire
to mock ne they call me blacksmith and
seeing that the 'oi'ny Of work in fir, covers
me with sweat and smut tic latter name @
Ming, is not inapt, and in truth, thy ser
want desires no better"
"Hut" said Solomon "why came thou
thus rn1ely and unbilden to the feast :.
where none save the chief workman Of the
Temple were invited o.
please yc, my lord, I came ru,le!y." re-
piled the man "because thy servant obliged
me to force my way bu, came not I'M
hidden. Was it not proclaimed that the
chief workmen Of the temple were invited
to dine with the king Of Israeli"
Then he who carved the cherul,im said .
"This fellow is no sculpture - and he
who in'aid the roof with pure gold said {:
"Ncther is he a workman in fine metals"
And he who raised the walls said ale
Is not cutter Of stone"
And he who made the roof cried "IIe
is not cunning in cedar wood neither
knowe,h he the mystery Of uniting pieces
of strange timber together"
Then said Solomon, "N'hal has thou TO
say, Son OF the Forge, why should not or
der thee to be pluckcd by the beard, scour-
gcd and stoned to death with stones q
And when the Son Of the Forge heard
this he was in no sort dsmaycd, bu, adj.
vancng to the table, sna,chns up and swal
lowed a cup Of wine, and said:
80 King, live forever! The chief men
o! the workers in wood, and gold, and
stone have said that am not of them. and
they have said truly am their superior
before they lived was created, am their
master, and they are all servants. And he
turned round, and said TO the chief of the
carvers in stone.
"Who made the tools with which YOU
carve q
And he said "tlc blacksmith.
And lie said to the chief of the masons ::
"Who made the chises with which the
stones Of the Temple were squared" ?"
And he said "lhe blacksmith 2"
And he said 10 the chief of the workers
in wood:
"Who made the tools will, which you
hewed trees on Lebanon, and formed them
into pillars and roof of tho Temple 2
And he said "the blacksmith"
Then said he to the artifcer in gold and
ivory:
"Who makes the instruments, by which
you work beautiful things for my lord, the
King2"
And he said "The blacksmith"
Enough, enough, good fellow" said Sol.
omon, "thou hast proved that have invi-
ted thee, and thou art all mems father in
art Go wash the smut ofthe forge from thy
face, and come and sit at my right hand.
The chief Of my workmeu are but men
thou art more."7 10; -.t-.
50 it happened at the feast Of Solomon.
and blacksmiths have been honored ever
since.--London Magazine.
A Maine editor says that pumkin in
that State grew 50 large that eigh. men
could stand'around it. f1n sla II,
Jeems says the chap that got off tie
above bit tefswits estisled to the pumpkin
upon lis shoulders, '1ial! .GsEH ;+s,azsr ;