One of the best-known artistic images which came to be associated with Freemasonry in the 19^th century was the painting by Christian Schussele (1863) entitled “King Solomon and the Iron Worker”. The painting was originally commissioned by Industrialist Joseph Harrison to celebrate the iron and steel industries, in which he had made his fortune. The image depicts an iron-worker who appeared at the feast to celebrate the completion of King Solomon’s temple at Jerusalem. The worker was nearly turned away until he pointed out his important role as the toolmaker for the other artisans who built the temple.

This painting was made into a steel mezzotint engraving in 1876 by one of the most well known artists and Masons of his era, Brother John Sartain, 33rd degree and member of Franklin Lodge 134, Pa.

The engraving was later commonly used in American lodges to make the point that while Masons may take pride in work well done, overarching pride (inordinate self-esteem) surely comes before a fall, and that likewise, humility goes before honor.

“THE incident which this noble picture illustrates, although not as familiarly known as many others connected with the great Temple and the craftsmen employed in its construction, yet rests on records as authentic and reliable as most of those which we receive and accept as established history of times so remote.

The picture is designed to glorify work, but more particularly work in iron, to which are due all the varied triumphs of modern civilization; and the subjugation of the earth. The printer claims that "printing is the art preservative of all arts," but still the first place must be yielded to him who labors in iron, for his is the art that renders all other arts possible. Without iron fashioned into tools, the race must have remained semi-barbarous, or merely pastoral, and the art of printing, itself, unknown. All honor, then, we exclaim with King Solomon, to Tubal Cain and his successors!

The scene is laid in the inner court of the Temple, surrounded by massive architecture, the lofty columns supporting an entablature of a grand and unique character. The golden chair of Solomon, covered with elaborate ornamentation, interwoven among which appear those familiar to the craft, stands in the east between the two famous beautiful pillars of bronze, and beside it on the right the seat of honor to be awarded to that craftsman whose work shall be pronounced of most value in the erection of the building.

The story is found in ancient Rabbinical writings, and the following translation is from the pen of Mr. C. G. Leland.

KING SOLOMON AND THE IRON-WORKER, A RABBINICAL LEGEND.

1. And it came to pass, when Solomon, the son of David, had finished the Temple of Jerusalem, that he prepared a feast for his chief craftsmen and artificers, and spread the tables with the fatness of the land, and with the wine and oil thereof.

2. And the seat of the king was at the head of the table on a raised dais, and the two famous pillars of bronze with their beautiful capitals of lilies, pomegranates and delicate network, stood, one on his right hand and the other on his left, and the lintel thereof was as a canopy over the head of the king.

3. And Solomon had also prepared a seat of honor, and set it on his right hand, ready for that craftsman who might be pronounced most worthy among all who wrought in building the house of the Lord.

4. And when all was ready, he called unto him his chief architects and master-overseers, and the head-artificers who were cunning workers in gold and silver, in bronze and ivory, and in wood and stone, yea, all who had labored in building the Temple of the Most High, and he said unto them,

5. "Sit ye down at my table and partake of the feast which I have prepared. Stretch forth your hands, eat, drink and be merry. The skilled artificer is worthy of honor. Is not the laborer worthy of his hire? Muzzle not the ox that treadeth out the corn upon the threshing- floor."

6. And when Solomon and his guests were seated, there came one 'who knocked loudly upon the door, and having entered forcibly, advanced even to the festal board. And the king waxed wroth, and said, "What manner of man art thou? Why comest thou thus rude and unseemly and unbidden to our feast, where none are invited save the chief workers on the Temple ?"

And the man answered and said, "Please you, I came rudely, because the servants at the portal barred my entrance, and obliged me to force my way, but I came not unbidden. Was it not proclaimed that this day the chief workmen of the Temple dine with the king? Therefore am I come.'"

And when the man had thus spoken, the guests talked with each other, and he who carved the cherubim spake aloud and said, "This fellow is no sculptor. I know him not."

And he who inlaid the roof with pure gold said, "Neither is he of those who work in refined metals." And he who wrought in raising the walls said, “He belongs not with those who are cutters of stone."

And one who labored in shaping the timbers for the roof said, "We who are cunning in cedar wood, and know the mystery of joining strange timbers together, know him not. He is not of us."

Then said King Solomon, "How sayest thou now? Wherefore should I not have thee plucked by the beard, scourged with a scourge and stoned with stones, even unto death?"

But the man was nowise daunted, and taking a cup of wine from the table, raised it high and spake aloud, saying, “ O king, live for ever!" he then drank long until the cup was emptied.

He now turned to the guests who had rebuked him, and said unto the chief of the carvers in stone, "Who made the instruments with which you carve?"

And he answered, "The Blacksmith."

And to the chief of the workers in wood he said, "Who made the tools with which you felled the cedars of Lebanon, and shaped them into pillars and roof for the Temple?"

And he also answered, "The Blacksmith."

Then he spake unto the artificer in gold and ivory and precious stones, saying, "Who fashioned the instruments with which you make beautiful ornaments for my lord the king?"

And he too made answer the same, " The Blacksmith."

Then said the man to Solomon, "Behold, O king! I am he whom, when men deride, they call Blacksmith, but when they would honor me they call me Son of the Forge. These craftsmen say truly that I am not of them. I am their superior. Without my labor first, their labor could not be. The great Tubal Cain, whom all men honor, taught those who in turn taught me my handicraft, and the mighty Vulcan, who wrought in fire and smoke and sweat as I do, it was not deemed unmeet should have even the Queen of Beauty to wife."

" Son of the Forge," said Solomon, "I too honor thee, thou worthy successor of the great master Tubal Cain. Take thou this seat at my right hand prepared for the most worthy. It is thy due."

Thus came it to pass at the feast of Solomon, king of Israel, and from that time forth the smiths were held in high esteem, and greatly increased and multiplied in all lands.”

[The above text was included in an advertising pamphlet from the New York publishers of the prints: FISHEL, ADLER & CO., PUBLISHERS, 94 FULTON ST., NEW YORK.

And described as: “A first class engraving on steel, illustrating a tradition of the Great Temple at Jerusalem and its Builders. Suitable as an Elegant Wall Decoration for Parlor or Drawing-Room. Size of the engraving, exclusive of margin, 18’ x 26’’.

The original picture painted by Professor C. Schussele, in the collection of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Phila. The Engraving by John Sartain”]

So remember my Brothers, when we think we have done it all, all by ourselves, someone else may also be deservedly due some credit. And that "Pride goeth before a fall, but humility goes before honor.”

Sources: Fishel Adler Publishers, The Philadelphia Print Shop, The Library of the Grand Lodge of Pa.

NB. See the web site of the Philadelphia Print Shop Ltd., for the John Sartain engraving of the image. It still seems to be for sale.