Written by MW Lawrence N. Greenleaf, the Grand
Lodge of Colorado The plainest lodge room in the land was over Simpkins'
Store,
Where Friendship Lodge had met each month for fifty years or
more.
When o'er the earth the moon full-orbed had cast her brightest
beams,
The Brethren came for miles around on horseback and in teams,
And
O! what hearty grasp of hand, what welcome met them there,
As mingled with
the waiting groups they slowly mount the stair,
Exchanging fragmentary news
or prophecies of crop,
Until they reach the Tyler's room and current topics
drop,
To turn their thoughts to nobler themes they cherish and adore,
And
which were heard on meeting night up over Simpkins' Store.
To city eyes, a cheerless room, long usage had
defaced,
The tell-tale lines of lath and beam on wall and ceiling
traced.
The light from oil-fed lamps was dim and yellow in its hue,
The
carpet once could pattern boast, though now 'twas lost to view.
The altar and
the pedestals that marked the stations three,
The gate-post pillars topped
with balls, the rude carved Letter G,
Were village joiners clumsy work, with
many things beside,
Where beauty's lines were all effaced and ornament
denied.
There could be left no lingering doubt, if doubt there was
before,
The plainest lodge room in the land was over Simpkins'
store.
While musing thus on outward form the meeting time drew
near,
And we had a glimpse of inner life through watchful eye and
ear.
When Lodge convened at gavel's sound with officers in place,
We
looked for strange, conglomerate work, but could no errors trace.
The more we
saw, the more we heard, the greater our amaze,
To find those country brethren
there so skilled in Mason's ways.
But greater marvels were to come before the
night was through,
Where unity was not mere name, but fell on heart like
dew.
Where tenets had the mind imbued, and truths rich fruitage bore,
In
plainest Lodge room in the land, up over Simpkins' store.
To hear the record of their acts was music to the ear,
We
sing of deeds unwritten which on angel's scroll appear.
A widow's case
- Four helpless ones - lodge funds were running low.
A dozen brethren
sprang to feet and offers were not slow.
Food, rainment, things of needful
sort, while one gave load of wood,
Another, shoes for little ones, for each
gave what he could.
Then spake the last: "I haven't things like these to give
- but then,
Some ready money may help out: - and he laid down a
Ten.
Were brother cast on darkest square upon life's checkered
floor,
A beacon light to reach the white - was over Simpkins'
store.
Like scoffer who remained to pray, impressed by sight and
sound,
The faded carpet 'neath our feet was now like holy ground.
The
walls that had such a dingy look were turned celestial blue,
The ceiling
changed to canopy where stars were shining through.
Bright tongues of flame
from altar leaped, the G was vivid blaze,
All common things seemed glorified
by heaven's reflected rays.
O! wondrous transformation wrought through
ministry of love -
Behold the Lodge Room Beautiful! - fair type
of that above,
The vision fades - the lesson lives! and taught as ne'er
before,
In plainest Lodge room in the land - up over Simpkins'
store.
Visit a replica of a pioneer Lodge Room like "The
Lodge Room Over Simpkins' Store" (Pictured above)