The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-02
MASONIC COLUMN.
Mother Kemp on Masonic History.

hAONhcr sAcnsp Oh mDSODtc EAtNfOrt.
On Sunday last we paid our usual visit
to the humble dom, lie of our highly es-
teemed old friend, Mother Kemp. We
found her sitting in her big armchair, with
her wcll-worn family Bible on her lap.
which she appeared to he perusing with
more than her usual interest. But few
Christian women read the good book more
than Mother Kemp.
81 have just been readin', Jeems" said
she, as she lifted her wel-worn specs to
the top of her head, ''of the history of Sol
onion. lie was a mighty smart man,
Jeems, to live so far back in history as he
did. But then the Bible tells us that God
gave him an extra amount Of wisdom in
order that he might have sense enough to
build that great temple of Jerusalem
| That was big job Jeems,' said She 'and
| there are but few men now, III these days.
who could have built such great, costly
house as that without breaking up at it."
"Was Solomon the first Mason, .]eems =
she asked.
Il judge not, Mother Kemp we re
sponded. 1.-The institution of Masonry,
we informed her, - went back of even Sol
omol's time"
'Went back of even Solomons time"
she repeated, with a stare of surprise.
Then it must be rs old rs the bible,
Jcems," she added. IF it is" said she,
:" it is the oldest institution we read of in
history"
at certainly goes bgci; long ways,
Mother Kemp, said we.
"Well but, Jeemes, why don't the Bible
say something about it then 2" she asked,
very inQuiringy.
II think it does, Mother Kemp, in
good many places" we affirmed.
"Well, now, Jeems, | would like for
you to show me the book, chapter and
verses where Masonry is named III the
whole Bible, she said rather defiantly.
We saw that the good old lady was get
ting in one of her philosophic ways, and for
fear she would lose her confidence in Ma
sonry, as well as in the antiquity of our in
stitution, we informed her that the Ma
sonic Order did not. like the churches,
profess to be of divine or Bible origin, but
that it claimed to be only fraternal So
ciety, organized lotg time ago. on the
moral basis of the Bible, but when qnd b.
whom we did not exactly know, nor did
we particularly care, as its present charac-
ter and vitality were worth great deal
more to us than any dead antiquities
Just so, Jeems, broke in the good wo-
man; II see now. why you all prize Ma
sontry SO much. 1t is not because it had
some great body to give it start. but as
you say because it looks after all of US
poor humans now. Well, Jeems," said
she, 'you know | first took a rotion to
Masonry when seed how good you were
to sister Forbes and her little children, al
though she was only a non-atfiliated widow.
liked your way of dom things in helping
her, and don't think you need care who
started Masonry up, if it always looks
after the poor and the sufferln, as 1t now
does, SO to speak.
"I'vc seen great many people in my
time, Jeemes," she continued, "who APP
pcared to care dreadfuly about their old
grandfathers and their old grandmothers,
and after all but very little about them
selves. They hold up their heads though,
Jeems, as if they were somebody, just be-
cause some of their family have been some
thing like squires or constables two or
three hundred years ago.
"Why, Jeems," said she, Il don't think
much of even them sort of masonry
brethren of your'n that have jined you just
! to git big name and to wear breast pins
, and the like to let everybody know that
EN-, ,Jeems, the other day and he was eatin'
, of parched coffee-I suppose to hide his
bad breath. lie had on his bosom great
, biz square and compass. | didn't say any
thing for suppose he knowed what he was
eatin and where he was gon'. But
couldn't help lookin at his big breastpin,
and wonderin' whetherit was gold or brass
rather think, though, Jeems. it was brass,
, for that poet wrote the truth when he said ::
"To prize ones self on his connections,
Is but n vain pretence;
IL shows the rule OF vain affections,
And want OF common sense
) As this was the first effort the old lady
had ever made in our presence to give a
, finale to her argument by quoting poetry,
we could but smile at her common sense
simplicity. But gatheriog her breath again
she went on after the following:
! ''Jeems, said she. Il have most always
known that the best class of people rely
: on themselves instead of on other people
and other things-I do not object to people
wearing breastpins, and ear rings and finger
h rings, and SIGH like, if they do not pin their
n faith to EN-. But if they have clean breasts
and honest ears, and not too long, Jeems,
= and Industrious fingers, it won't matter
l much what they put on EN-.
n On these pints my revered husband used "a
most always tell me To go slow, or | might
e hurt somebody's feelings, and try to do
= so Jeems, for it never does me any good Ia
tramp on other peoples toes
y but like your idees, Jeems, of mason
ic history" said the good old lady, as she
saw we were about to leave :" l see you
6 do not rely on masonry for its great past
n | history, but for its present charities This
: is right, my son" said she, land hope
q every one of your brethren will do the
!. same thing for am satisfied there is work
y. and plenty of il for all of you, ii you will
,. only keep your eyes open and your hearts
!, in the right place, when brother comes
: to you in distress, or when widows ask fol
n help, or poor orphans cry for bread
4 .JEEMs