The Lodge Room Over Simpkins' Store

Dated November 19, 1898

Written by MW Lawrence N. Greenleaf, the Grand Lodge of Colorado

Store

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.

At South Park City in Fairplay, Colorado there has been restored a pioneer lodge room, which has been appropriately named "The Lodge Room Over Simpkins' Store." The lodge room is completely equipped with pioneer lodge furnishings donated by more than twenty of the older Masonic Lodges of Colorado. It was dedicated on June 13, 1959 by the Grand Lodge of Colorado in memory of PGM Lawrence N. Greenleaf, who wrote this poem on November 19, 1898.

The Webmaster of this site had the priviledge of visiting this lodge room in August of 1994, and is proud to hold honorary membership 0668. Masons travelling in the Fairplay Colorado area should definately add this to their travel plans. It is not just the Lodge, but an entire town and the snapshot of an era.