Table of Contents

The Pot Of Incense

The incense in its gilded pot
Gives off a fragrance when it's hot
Which will remind the sense of
The spreading nature of God's love.

And like the smell of incense rare,
Which sweetens every breath of air
Contained in temple's holy halls
Of cedar beams and marble walls.

Just so, the love from one pure heart
Will spread to fill up every part
In lives of those who pause to tell
The Lord our God, they love Him well.

from The Royal Arch Magazine, Spring 1990

The Craftmen's Clock

The craftmen's day is marked out well.

For by the sun

Our lives are run,

From dawn's first light till day is done.

Yes, by the sun is how we tell

The time as sure as crier's bell.

We timely, honest craftsmen.

The rising sun marks day's first call.

A time to rise,

And clear our eyes.

To stretch our arms, and sinews try.

To gather trowel and setting maul,

And set one's mind on raising wall

We rising, waking craftsmen.

The sun in east marks time to start.

The night is gone.

Tie apron on.

Consult the plans by master drawn.

Designs for forming every part

Of stone and wood, is on that chart.

For ready, willing craftsmen.

The sun in south marks midday rest.

To seek some shade

In nearby glade,

And stories with my fellows trade.

Take nourishment from food and jest.

And gather strength for coming test

Of resting, waiting craftsmen.

As sun proceeds on westward course

We cut the rock,

And set the block.

No time to waste in idle talk.

As sun beats down with God-like force,

To make us sweat like plowman's horse.

The steady, working craftsmen.

The sun in west marks end of day.

Aprons untied,

We lay aside.

Reflect upon our work with price.

Then from the temple courts we stray.

And once a week we gather pay.

Oh happy, weary craftsmen.

Six days we toil on temple hill,

And by the sun

Let lives be run.

And so it shall be, till we're done.

But seventh day our work is nil.

We let the sun pass as it will.

We reverent, faithful craftsmen.

from The Royal Arch Magazine, Spring 1990

Mark L. Jarvie (1956- )

Brother Jarvie writes:

For Bio info: I was born in 1956 in Battle Creek MI. I'm married to Kathryn and have three grown children. Have been a lifelong Michigan resident. Worked for 25 years for the U.S. Postal service before leaving in 2003 at the age of 46 to answer a call to become the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Lake Odessa MI.

Joined Kalamo Lodge 327 in 1985. Have received all the York rite degrees but am now only active in blue lodge. Am a past master of both Kalamo lodge 327 and Britannia lodge 601.

Sorry, I looked, but couldn't locate the folder that had my old Masonic poetry in it that I wrote back in the late 80s. All before computers you know! Oh well, am happy to have you use what you've got and any others you may come across in old Masonic or other publications. I don't remember how may were ever published but I think it was about half a dozen or so.

May the Lord bless your day,
Rev. Mark L. Jarvie  }  }  }  ><((@>