The Washington times., 1902-01-12

on this occasion was a remarkable one.
Not only is solomon great character
in history. but he is particularly con-
sidcred by the Jewish People. as race,
national ideal, and by the Masonic fra
ternity as its founder What Dr. Kraus-
kopf did to Solomons fame was "a
plenty" His lecture turned out to be a
burning tribute indeed and has at
tracted much attention. 1t has just been
issued in pamphlet form. 4 couple of
/ paragraphs will suffice TO illustrate its
style.
The very first acts OF Solomon's reign"
said DR.. krauskopf. give the keynote of
his entire policy. He would have no war,
ro conflict Of any kind. He would have
peacc-with honor, if possible; with dis
honor, If no other course was open, and
he would therefore tolerate no one near
his throne who might endarger it. And
SO his very first act was brutal fratri-
eide. m assassination of an elder brother,
to whom, by right of seniority. the king
ship really belonged The next act was
the murder Of the last survivor OF the
| house OF the first King OF Israel. whose
life he had solemnly promised TO spare.
The next man to fear was the chief priest,
who had belonged to the party of the
murdered brother. whom he dared not
siay, because consecrated. and whom he
therefore banished out OF harms way.
The next to feel his murderous weapon
was Joab. the victorious leader of his
fathers hosts, the part-creator OF the
kingdom. This veteran soldier had lean
ed TO the side OF the murdered brother
and had therefore to meet like fate,
even within the Sanctuary, at the very
altar of God. as not to disturb the
peace of a sovereign, who would be an au
tocTat, and live unruified in the enjoy
ment Of voluptuous ease.
Not even SolononS S greatest glory sue
cceded in averting his shame. He reared
Temple of Jehovah, and in its shadows
he erected altars to the idols CT his
heather wives Only his lip.seryice gave
he to Jehovah. his heart his heathen
wives for their heather gods. He,
who had enslaved his people, became the
slave of his harem, and the greater the
harems ascendency over him, the lower
his descent into godlessness. His sensi-
bility estranged him from his Gcd his
despotism estranged his people from
him"
But, whatever the distinguished Rab- |
bis estimate is of the fame of Solomon, |
Masonry's traditional founder, there is |
no doubt of his high opinion of the Ma |
sonic craft. In his lecture he said: |
Whatever the voice of history and the de- |
mands of truth may compel US to say |
against the character of Solomon they |
cdnHCt pFedtHe even lhe idlhtesl pleath
of suspicion upon the grandeur of the |
truths of Masonry, founded not by but |
under that mighty but misled King of
Israel. If / can read the voice of his
tory correctly, ii tells me that Masonry |
arose despite the pretentiousness of the
royal and ecclesiastical and military |
castles. who looked down even upon the |
skilled artisan as infinitely inferior TO
them. Masonry as fraternity started as
a protest of the skilled artisan against
the overweening pride of the unproductiye
castles. This principle alone would have
sufficed to make the Fraternity of Ma
sons rank as high above King Solomon as
that monarch ranked above the lowest
subject of his realm, and render it forever
unharmed by whatever flaws or failings
the historian may point cut in the char
acter of him who stood godfather at the
Fraternity, entry upon life