The Old Masters Wages

[jonesvilletexas]

"The Old Masters Wages"
Author Unknown

I met a dear old man today,
Who wore a Masonic pin,
It was old and faded like the man,
It's edges were worn quite thin.
I approached the park bench where he sat,
To give the old brother his due,
I said, "I see you've traveled east,"
He said, "I have, have you."
I said, "I have, and in my day
Before the all seeing sun,
I played in the rubble, with Jubala
Jubalo and Jubalum."
He shouted, "don't laugh at the work my son,
It's good and sweet and true,
And if you've traveled as you said,
You should give these things their due."
The word, the sign the token,
The sweet Masonic prayer,
The vow that all have taken,
Who've climbed the inner stair.
The wages of a Mason,
are never paid in gold,
but the gain comes from contentment,
when you're weak and growing old.
You see, I've carried my obligations,
For almost fifty years,
It has helped me through the hardships
and the failures full of tears.
Now I'm losing my mind and body,
Death is near but I don't despair,
I've lived my life upon the level,
And I'm dying upon the square.
Sometimes the greatest lessons
Are those that are learned anew,
And the old man in the park today
has changed my point of view.
To all Masonic brother,
The only secret is to care,
May you live your life upon the level,
May you part upon the square.

 

[TexMass]

Grandpa’s Wooden Chest

I hated to hear the lawyer say
The things my grandpa gave away.
Like his old truck to Dad and Mom
And world war medals to Uncle John

My name was called
And something was said
About an old wooden box
Underneath his bed.

Just a worn out chest
With a rusty hinge
But I knew Grandpa kept
Something special within.

When I opened the lid
All I could see
Were some unused tools
And a letter to me.

A large fancy cloth
With two long strings
A small wooden hammer
Among other things

He wrote, 'a man’s job
Is to be a good husband father and a friend.
I built my life as best I could
By the tools laid here within'.

He said 'the compasses remind me that life has boundaries
So live your life within
The square proves true and so should you
When dealing with all your friends.

Be an honorable man and walk uprightly
According to the plumb.
And the level teaches us treat all men equal
Instead of only some.

And now it’s your turn
To start your journey for knowledge, love and faith
So live your life by the Square and Compasses
And tools of your trade'.

Many years have passed since I first opened
Grandpas wooden chest
The tools he gave me, the words he wrote
The challenge to be my best.

Today I’ll visit Grandpa
At the place where he was laid
To let him know he can be proud
I’m a Master of my trade.

-Wor. Jack Sutton