The Ironworker And King Solomon.

The Ironworker and King Solomon .

AMERICAN Art has had no more talented exponent in the domain of steel engraving than the famous artist , John Sartain 33 , whose connection with Masonry , and ardent services to the Order will long be remembered by his American brethren , and in a lesser

degree by many English Masons in this country . Bro . Sartain ' s first visit to this country was in connection with the American Exhibition in London some years since , when he occupied the position of Director of the Art Sections . His genial and attractive personality brought him hosts of friends , and a subsequent visit only served to increase the regard felt for him by his brethren of the Craft .

We have much pleasure in reproducing in the pages of "THE MASONIC ILLUSTRATED " one of his most famous pictures , which , in the original , has the following legend printed at the foot : — " When the Temple at Jerusalem was completed , King Solomon gave a feast to the Artificers

employed in its construction . On mounting the Throne it was found that a smith had occupied the seat of honour on the right of the King ' s place , not yet awarded ; whereupon the people clamoured and the guard rushed to cut him down . ' Let him speak , ' commanded Solomon . ' Thou hast , O , King , invited all craftsmen but me . Yet how could these

builders have raised the Temple without the tools I have fashioned ? ' ' True , ' decreed Solomon . ' This is his of right- —all honour to the ironworker . ' "

Bro . Sartain ' s works were numerous and of high artistic merit , but there is no finer example of his art as an engraver than " The Ironworker , " which has obtained the approbation of all art critics . In the interesting volume entitled , " Reminisences of a

Very Old Man , " published in 18 99 , two years after the artist ' s death , he tells the story of the origin of the picture" The last plate I engraved before leaving ( for Europe ) in 1862 , was from West's large picture known as ' Christ Rejected , ' which had been brought to this country by Joseph Harrison . A few years later Air . Harrison gave me a

commission to engrave another plate of the same size , as companion to ' Christ Rejected . ' It was from a picture painted for him by Christian Schussele , entitled ' King Solomon and the Ironworker , ' illustrating a rabbinical legend that at the dedication of Solomon ' s Temple a

blacksmith occupied the seat of honour at the right of the King . While a boy , working in a machine shop , Harrison had come across this legend , and it appealed strongly to him us upholding unci typifying the dignity of manual labour . After the successful completion of his contracts with the

Russian Government for building railways , he realised a life-long project in giving the order for this picture , and the commission for the engraving followed . "

The Late Provincial Grand Master For North Wales.

The late Provincial Grand Master for North Wales .

WE regret to record the death , on Monday , the 29 th August , after a very short illness , of R . W . Bro . Sir William Grenville Williams , Bart ., Provincial Grand Master of North Wales , whose appointment to that office , in succession to Lord Harlech , was so recently made .

Sir William Williams , the fourth baronet , born in 18 44 , was the son of the late Sir Hugh Williams and brother of the Bishop of Bangor . He was educated at Eton , and served for some years in the 1 st Life Guards , from which regiment he retired as Captain in 1873 . He was afterwards Colonel