The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-02-02
King SOlOmOn's Blacksmith.

l
And II came TO pass when Solomon, the
son of David, had finished the temple o
Jerusalem, that he called unto him the chic
architects, the head artifcers and cunning
workers in silver and gold and in wood and
in ivory and stone-yet, all who aided in
working on the Temple of the Lord and he
said unto them:-
"Sit you down at my table; have prepar-
ed feast for all my chief workers and arti-
fcers. Stretch forth your hands, therefore,
and drink and be merry. Is not the laborer
worthy of his hire? Is not the skillful arti-
fcer deserving of honor? Muzzle not the
OK that treadeth out the corn."
And when Solomon and the chief work.
men were seated, and the latness of the land
and the oil thereof were sci upon the table,
there came one who kis0cked loudly at the
door, and forced himself even into the fes.
tai chamber. Then Solomon, the King was
wroth, aud said, "What manner of man art
thoup
And The man answered and said "When
men wish TO honor me they call me Son of
the Forge; but when they desire to mock
me they called me blacksmith and seeing
that the toll of working in fire covers me
with sweat and smut, the later name, o,
King is not inapt, and in truth thy servant
desires no better"
"But," said solomon, "why came you
thus rudely and unbiddepto 10 the feast, where
none save the chief workmen of the temple
are InviedW
"Please ye, my lord, came rudely," re-
lied the man, "because thy servants obliged
me to force my way; but came not unbid.
den. Was it not proclaimed that the chief
workmen of the temple were 10 dine with
the King of Israel ?'
Then, he who carved the cherubm said !:
"This fellow is no sculptor"
And he who in laid the roof with pure
gold, said: "Neither is he workman in fine
metals"
And he who raised the walls, said: "He
is not cutter of stone."
Andhe who made the roof cried out: "He
is not cunning in cedar wood neither know
eth he the mystery of uniting pieces of
strange timber together.n
Then said Solomon "What has thou TO
say, Son of the Forge, why | should not or
der the 10 be plucked by the beard with a
scourge, and stoned 10 death with stones? ?n
When the Son of the Forge heard this he
was in no way disnagel; but, advancing
TO the table, snached up aud swallowed a
cup of wine, aud said -
so, King, live forever The chief men ol
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 my SER
wants." And he turned him around, and
said to the chief of the carvers of stone -
"Who made the tools with which YOU
carveW
And he said: "The blacksmith
And he said TO the chief of the workers in
wood "Who made the tools with which
you heWed the trees OF Lebanon, and torm-
ed them into pillars and roof for the Tenn
plew
And he said: "The blacksmith
Then he said TO the artifcer in gold and
ivory: "Who made your instruments by
which you work beautiful things for my Lord
the King"
And he said "The blacksmith"
Enough, enough, my good fellow, y. said
Solomon, "thou hast proved that I 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. The
chiefs of my workmen are but men-tho
| art more"
So it happened at the feast of Solomon
and blacksmiths have been honored eve
since.