Table of Contents

Matthew Magill
  1. The Reply
  2. A New Year's Greeting To The Craft
  3. "Summer Is Not Always Here"

    4. Who Was Magill?


"Are You a Mason?"

The Reply

This poem was written by Bro. Reverend Dr. Magill, Rector of St. Paul's Church in Peru, Illinois. It reportedly was written shortly after a lady asked him "Are You a Mason?"


I am one of a band,
1
Who will faithfully stand,
In the bonds of affection and love;
I have knocked at the door,
Once wretched and poor,
And there for admission I stood.
6

By the help of a friend,
Who assistance did lend,
I succeeded an entrance to gain;
Was received in the West,
By command from the East,
But not without feeling some pain.
12

Here my conscience was taught,
With a moral quite fraught,
With sentiments old and true;
Then onward I traveled,
To have it unraveled,
What Hiram intended to do.
18

Very soon to the East,
I made my request,
And "light" by command did attend;
When lo! I perceived,
In due form revealed,
A Master, and Brother, and Friend.
24
-------------------
Thus far have I stated,
And simply related,
What happen'd when I was made free
But I've "passed" since then.,
And was "raised" up again
To a sublime and ancient degree.
30

Thence onward I marched
That I might be "Arched,"
And find out the treasures long lost;
I beheld a bright flame,
From the midst of which came
A voice, which my ears did accost.
36

Through the "Veils" I then went,
And succeeded at length
The"Sanctum Sanctorum" to find;
By the "Signet," I gained,
And quickly obtained,
Employment which suited my mind.
42

In the depths then I wrought,
And most carefully sought
For treasures so long hidden there;
And by labor and' toil,
I discovered "rich spoil"
Which are kept by the Craft with care.
48

Having thus far arrived,
I further contrived
Among valiant knights to appear;
And as pilgrim and knight,
I stood ready to fight,
Nor Saracen foe would I fear.
54
-------------------
For the widow distressed,
There's a cord in my breast,
For the helpless and orphan I feel:
And my sword I could draw,
To maintain the pure law,
Which the duties of a Mason reveal.
60

Thus have I revealed,
(Yet wisely concealed),
What the "free and accepted" will know.
I am one of a band,
Who will faithfully stand,
As a Brother, wherever I go.

This poem was reportedly published anonymously in 1853 in the Masonic Review. The verses between the dotted lines were left off of subsequent reprintings, and the attribution at the beginning was added. Also in the 1853 version, line 60 read
Which the duties of Tempters reveal.
okl.

A New Year's Greeting To The Craft

Happy greetings, brethren all,
Where'er upon this earthly ball
You toil with heart or hand.
Another year has sped and gone,
And still we have to travel on,
And hope to reach the better land.

The year gone by has had its cares,
Its hopes, its joys, its doubts and fears,
But we have lived them through.
And still another year is given,
By our kind "Father who art in heaven,"
To whom our thanks and praise are due.

How few, within the year just past,
Have dreamed that it would be their last
And yet have passed away;
Have crossed the bourne whence none return,
While we are left their loss to mourn;
To work and labor whilst 'tis day.

Dear brethren, let us start anew,
Our faith, our hope, our love renew,
E'er walking by the square.
Let all our labors have a plan
To bind us truly, man to man,
In fellowship most rare.

This year the blind will need our light,
The poor seek favor in our sight,
And loudly they may call.
To us our duty is quite clear,
Nor should we rank or riches fear,
Nor into favoritism fall.

Those only who with honest mind,
With hearts prepared our light to find,
Such only should the craft accept,
As fit and worthy to be named
And stand most worthy Masons' framed;
All others let the lodge reject.

If thus our vows stand duly tyled
Our harmony cannot be spoiled,
But peace and love shall reign.
The craft will work with right good will,
Its purpose, aims and ends fulfill,
And Masonry her mission gain.

Peru, [IL], Jan. 1870
[Published in The Mystic Star Dec. 1870]


"Summer Is Not Always Here"

Rev. Magill writes: These lines were suggested by seeing in the MYSTIC STAR those excellent ones by M. C. Johnson, "Winter is not Always Here."

True, the wintry clouds and storms are past,
Nor could the frost and the snow always last;
Nor longer ice-bound, are our rivers and lakes,
Nor snow flying round us in silvery flakes,
The spring and the summer have come with their cheer,
But remember that "Summer is not always here."

How apt are we mortals to ignore the past,
Onward! yes onward! Oh we are living so fast;
That we take not due care, to note, as they fly
The months, and hours, and the days that go by,
We feel it is sunshine, and no winter we fear,
Forgetting that "Summer is not always here."

True, while sunshine is present "hay should be made,"
While youth is in vigor, life's plans should be laid;
Our powers and talents should be now put in play,
And work should be ours the whole summer day,
But alas, that we think not in the joy of the year
That the heyday of "Summer is not always here."

The Craftsmen should work with a hearty good will,
Their noble and glorious engagements to fill,
Every plan on the trestle-board should be observed,
And the effort put forth that truth be preserved,
For alas, winter's storms and tempests draw near,
And the bright light of "Summer is not always here."

We have age to provide for, and years that draw nigh,
When the wearied Craftsman shall fear "that is high,"
When the door shall be shut "and the grinding sound low,"
When the Tyler shall tremble — but yet without fear
As he feels that his "Summer is not always here."

Then, up and be doing, ye trusty and true,
Work while the sun shines, your labor pursue,
The Master will come when your toil is all o'er,
And call you from labor, to yonder bright shore
Where a welcome shall greet you and hearty good cheer,
In that region where "Summer prevails all the year."

Peru, Ill.
[in The Mystic Star for August 1868]

Matthew Magill (c.1820-c.1875)

The information we could find on Brother Magill has been spotty. He was an Episcopal minister. He was with a church in London, Ont. 1849-1852, and possibly Kentucky in 1857. He was in Ohio before moving to Illinois in 1861, and was posted to churches in other Ill. communities both before and after he served as rector of St.Paul's Church in Peru, Illinois in 1864. The two poems from the Mystic Star magazine reprinted above were also datelined Peru, Ill., in 1868 and 1870. He finally returned to Peru Illinois (probably in retirement) in 1873. As for his Masonic history, he was probably a Mason as early as his tour in Ontario, and was probably in Harvey Lodge during his time in Illinois.

okl.