Louis Armstrong

made Jephthah went to war with the Ammonites, conquered them and took over their lands.

On his return to his home his daughter, his only child, ran out of the house to greet him. Remembering his promise to God he said ‘Alas, my daughter! Thou hast brought me very low, for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back.’ The daughter recognized the predicament but asked to be given two months to go into the mountains and weep with her friends. Having spent the time in the mountains she returned and was sacrificed. This event was the foundation of a long-standing custom in Israel involving the daughters of Israel going into the mountains for four days each year.

After the Ammonitish war Jephthah was approached by the Ephraimite elders who demanded of him an explanation as to why they had not been invited to participate in the Ammonitish war and threatened to burn down the house of Jephthah. Jephthah reminded the elders that he had consulted with them prior to the war and asked that they join his forces; however they refused, leaving his army to fight unaided. This argument was obviously wasted as the Ephraimites’ army crossed the River Jordan and invaded Israel. Jephthah led his army and conquered the Ephraimites. The resulting developments are outlined in verses 5 and 6 of the 12th Chapter of Judges – ‘And the Gileadites took the passages of the Jordan before the Ephraimites; and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, ‘Let me go over (the river)’, that the men of Gilead said unto him ‘Art thou an Ephraimite?’ If he said Nay; then said they unto him, say now ‘Shibboleth’; and he said Sibolet; for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him and slew him at the passages of the Jordan; and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.’

Jephthah continued as a judge and ruler in Israel until his death six years later.

As masons we are very familiar with this story, but it is interesting to read the account provided in Chapters 11 and 12 of the Book of Judges.

About a brother

BIG CHEEKS. I bet you don’t know a personality who was known as ‘Big cheeks.’

Big cheeks, a grandson of slaves, was born in a poor neighbourhood of New Orleans known as the ‘back of town.’ His father abandoned the family when the child was an infant. His mother became a prostitute and the boy and his sister had to live with their grandmother.

Early in life he proved to be a gifted musician and with three other kids he sang in the streets of New Orleans. His first gains were coins that were thrown to them.

A Jewish family, Karnofsky, who had emigrated from Lithuania to the USA, had pity for the 7-year-old boy and brought him into their home. Initially, giving ‘work’ in the house, to feed this hungry child. There he remained and slept in this Jewish family’s home where, for the first time in his life, he was treated with kindness and tenderness.

When he went to bed, Mrs Karnofsky sang him a Russian lullaby that he would sing with her.

Later, he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs.

Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family. The Karnofsky family gave him money to buy his first musical instrument; as was the custom in the Jewish families.

They sincerely admired his musical talent. Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions, such as St James Infirmary and Go Down Moses.

The little black boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family who had adopted him in 1907. In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore a Star of David and said that in this family, he had learned ‘how to live real life and determination.’

You might recognize his name. This little boy was called: Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong proudly spoke fluent Yiddish! And ‘Satchmo’ is Yiddish for ‘Big cheeks’!!!

And I’ll bet you did not know many of these things, or that he became a Freemason.