There was an old Past Master,who
Was full of sayings,good and true;
Honours had he by the score –
Stepped was he in Mason’s lore;
He,all the Ancient Landmarks knew –
The Book of Constitutions too ! –
A fountainhead of knowledge he –
A walking “Goulds Freemasonry†!
One summer day we chanced to meet
I spied him sitting on a seat
Viewing a truly English scene;
Watching the bowlers on the green
In Preston Park; he beckoned me
To sit beside him ‘neath the tree.
We watched the game,then,at its close
We talked;the subject soon arose
Of Masonry,in other days,
In other places,far away
From Brighton on a summer day.
After a while,my way was clear
To say to him,in words sincere
“With all the knowledge you have stored
(Of your own free will and accord !)
Could I prevail on you to find
Tucked safe away,within your mind
Perhaps,a wise and telling phrase
To guide me on my future ways ?
My question asked,I silent fell
So that I should not break the spell:
He looked at me; I met his eyes
And they were,oh, so wordly wise:
The words he spoke are with me yet –
The words I never shall forget……
“What sort of Lodge would my Lodge be-
If every brother was-just like me ?â€â€¦â€¦.
Was full of sayings,good and true;
Honours had he by the score –
Stepped was he in Mason’s lore;
He,all the Ancient Landmarks knew –
The Book of Constitutions too ! –
A fountainhead of knowledge he –
A walking “Goulds Freemasonry†!
One summer day we chanced to meet
I spied him sitting on a seat
Viewing a truly English scene;
Watching the bowlers on the green
In Preston Park; he beckoned me
To sit beside him ‘neath the tree.
We watched the game,then,at its close
We talked;the subject soon arose
Of Masonry,in other days,
In other places,far away
From Brighton on a summer day.
After a while,my way was clear
To say to him,in words sincere
“With all the knowledge you have stored
(Of your own free will and accord !)
Could I prevail on you to find
Tucked safe away,within your mind
Perhaps,a wise and telling phrase
To guide me on my future ways ?
My question asked,I silent fell
So that I should not break the spell:
He looked at me; I met his eyes
And they were,oh, so wordly wise:
The words he spoke are with me yet –
The words I never shall forget……
“What sort of Lodge would my Lodge be-
If every brother was-just like me ?â€â€¦â€¦.
By W.Bro Ken Brown PPrGreg