Indiana Centinel, Volume 5, Number 13, Vincennes, Knox County, 28 July 1821 — Page 1

Vol. V. Vincennes, Saturday July 28, 1821. No. 13-221

BY NATHAN" BL AC KM AN, and merits, and hope that thou wilt rePnhlisher of the Laws of the U. Slates, gard with a spirit of forgiveness our humOpposite -the Bank, of Vincennes. ble exertions to imitate thy glorious exr-. . ample. It is no longer given to mortal ADDltMSS mania any course of human events, to be Delivered on the anniversary of St. JAn the thy equal, lie is here to admire thee Ji tpfistyWill, before theT'rreJf ude Lodge, for thy universal benevolence, thy puriJiy Brother THOMAS II. BLAKii. ty of conduct, the great and lasting benPablhJudhy re'i'dcslof the L)d e efits thou hast rendered to his ignorant BBlVniREN, and utircgencrated race, and to try to apl now approach the discharge of my proximate thy transcendency. Vain are duty with embarrassment, in as much as his eulogies: he cannot give brighter colthe short notice of preparation I have re- ors to thy glory, or sinister enjoyments ceived, does not en ible ni2 to do justice to thy happiness; but oh, let him bepereithcr to myself or the subject. mitted to indulge in one of the most deIn every clime audio every age, has lightful of human luxuries, that of worit beeu customary to commemorate the shipping the illustrious dead! Brethren, birth day of great events. The people, it is indeed "passing strange" that there whether civilized or savage, the country, should be any hostility to our order auncicnt or niodern,all have had their jubi- mong the unprejudiced and enlightened, lees to memorize the good, the useful and for its doctrines arc the christian virtues the brave, and to perpetuate their glory, and the mot accomplished sciences. Nor has this noble feeling, so honorable Whenever free masonry has existed unto mankind, suffered i self to be circuni- shackled by despotism, the arts and sciscribed to this measure of celebration, and ences have flourished, the dignity of man gratitude. To that high toned senti- has been elevated, and throughout her merit which illumines, warms, dignifies whole progress in the world, her voice 'nnd cheers the hunnn heart, as the sun lias never been heard but in the languages does the Universe, which is excited by of benevolence. Various societies w earthe triumphs of oues Country, it is in i!ig the garb of innocence, have been the vain to speak in the language of dictation conclaves of conspiracies to revolutionary! s iv, " Thus far shall Hunt go and no ize governments or to gratify some feu- . further." In its progress to immortalize dal or political passion, but ours has ever the memory of the great and good, stu- winged its llight in a purer atmosphere pendous monuments have been erected, and soared bevond the sight of such local emulating the ingcauitios of nature. As and unhallowed considerations. In our the eve traverses over far distant regions, body the sound of political warfare is nevv.hich appear to have been first trodden cr mingled with the sound of the hambv the march of time, it beuoids pyra- mer; the mason has no thoughts about raids aspiring to the Heavens, as if to the " pride of circumstance or the pomp raise the glory of some distinguished fa- of war;" but that spirit which pervades vorites in competition wiih omnipotence, his hall is " peace on earth, good will to The " storied urn or animated bust," all men." There have been times when or other splendid exhibitions of merit power, merciless, superstitious and ignorand gratitude, may be considered a prop- ant, has endeavoured to suppress free rr tribute, and may serve to lengthen the masonry, and the means of a nation have years of some men's fame, bat there are been concentrated to that point; but aothers who need no such memorials of midst thosi- impious efforts of persecution, their virtues and services They have it has shone with a serene, steady and been so conspicuous in the paths of virtu- cheerful light, beaming like the star ous fame, that their memory is embalmed which first appears among the dark, fretful in the heart : it seems to be a part of our and llying clouds of the passing storm, nature, and the love and veneration en- Even in Knglund, the land of our foretcrtuncd for them, descends from the fathers, vhich is considered among those parent to the child the same as any other few happy climes where liberty delights inheritance. - Let me ask why should to dwell, attempts have been made by there be edifices of adamant or brass to military strength, at the particular inprotong the fame of some of our own stance, and the express injunction of the countrymen? The goddess of liberty has government, to force the sacred portals placed" it in indelible characters on her of masonry, disperse tiie members and own tablets, audit will be handed down to prevent the continuance of their private distant periods, when those monuments associates. During the reign of Queen would have mouldered away, and time Elizabeth in the year 1.5dl,an armed trampled in triumph on the last vestige of force was despatched for that purpose to their ruins. York, where the Grand lodge was then Among such distinguished personages i 1 session. The soldiery arrived, they of former times, we, on this occasion, surrounded the edifice in which the fralook to one who was truly great in every ternity was engaged in their solemn rites, attribute of useful character; whose fame and menaced war and annihilation unless 11 tlourishes in immortal youth," and who they immediately desisted from their is surrounded by a halo of eternal glon . proscribed practices. The innocent and It is. my Brethren, cur illustrious patron, virtuous may be alarmed at impending the anniversary of whose birth we have danger, but they cannot be driven to apthis day convened to celebrate. Oh. o-tatire from their principles, which have sainted brother '. We look up to thee with been to them the source of so much cot'3 pleasing cousciousiioa of thy virtues solution aui felicity j a&4 wkich c$uUtst

an impenetrable shield to human happi- try loaths at the sight, and turns to gaze ness m the worst vicisitudes of fortune. with rapture on the political prospects of On this occasion however, the Grand her own dear home. The trumpet of Master of the Lodge gallantly met the fume hath sounded the glorious tidi, to officers at the threshold, and with that the uttermost regions of the earth, "that calmness and resolution which indicated the rights of man to worship A.mi-hly conscious innocence, assured them that God after the dictates of hi- own conthere was nothiug in free masonry but science, shall be here considerea as nawhat was consonant to both moral and tional, and indefeasible, and inviolable, divine la.vs. That it would give him The altars which we raise, the temples much pleasure to see them in the Grand in which we worship, are the various reLodge, as it was only necessary to have ligious monuments of our own choice, and a proper opportunity to convince them the orisons and the hallelujahs which we that it was the most honorable institution send up to the throne of mercy, are the that had ever been established. This in- spontaneous effusion of the heart The vitation, thus given under peculiar cir- monarch of Spain, whose miserable, decumstances was accepted by some of tnc testable nature scarcely graduates bun principal officers who were reguiarly in- above some mishapen etiigy of the human troduced into their order They were species,mny go 0:1 to persecute the harmushered into the presence of the Lodge, less disciple of the square and compass, the film disappeared which had before his priests enjoy their horrid entertainbeclouded their eyes, they stood for a incuts of seeing his body broken on the moment lost in astonishment; that light wheel or writhing amidst flames at the which before they had never seen, burst stake, but they never, never can tramupon them, and with its encircling rays pie on the ashes of masonry They aie played upon every object of their aiten- only adding witnesses to testify hereafter tion: they beheld the beauties of free to their damning sins in Heaven's Chanmasonry ! The cry of battle is heard eery, for free masonry will and mut exlro more, the spear drops from the war- ist and llourish, until the ' sun himself nor's hand, the tear of fraternal sympa- grow dim with age and nature sink in, thy beams in his eye, he speaks an allec- years." tionate and faltering farewell, and returns Isretiiren, Among the many evidento his royal mistress and his peaceful ces we can adduce in favor of our order, home, more happy than if in field of bat- we have this fact, that those w ho have tie he had acquired a dcathiess renown, b cen ever idolized for their virtues and Thus ended this expedition against our intelligence, have put on its robes and order, and thus should virtue always tri- been proud of the distinction. The eelumph. This we believe was the hut c- cbrated philosopher Locke, after he had poeh when the banners of this Country attained to a very advanced age, and trawere unfurled to wage war against ma- versed the labryrinlh of the human unsonry, and indeed the only one, except a derstandir.g, embraced it with a zeal borfew previous and almost obsolete instan- deringon enthusiasm. In the Old World ces, when monkish superstition and ar- the great and the good are every where rogance contaminated the streams ofjus- to be found its proselytes In ours with ticeand darkened the course of Govern- many others whose ""deeds live immorment. How ditierent is the conduct of tal in story," we hail the memory of Spain! Our hapless brother finds no Washington, the patriot, the father of hii place of refuge there. It is in vain that I12 Country. He became a member of our appeals to the intelligent and powerful; peculiar and mysterious community when innocence is no guarantee of personal saf- lie stept upon the theatre of manhood, ety there ; the enemies of justice are not aud ever afterwards was an ardent adcloven down by her sword ; she llies from mircr and a strict observer of its duties, the horrid butcheries of their prostituted When living, its inlluence, the iegitichurch ; the poor mason is hunted like mate offspring of virtue, controled his acthe wild beast of the forest, and the hell tions, and when he sunk into the tomb, it hounds of their priesthood yelp in the cry, penetrated to its recesses to bless and hai and arc eager to slake their thirst in low it. But why oiler these or any othblood. Wherever man is not permitted cr similar, splendid demonstrations of to roam at large in the field of religious the worth of our order? our cardinal speculation, and to comply with the die- rules of action, as proclaimed to the tatescfiiis own conscience, but is con- Wor'd, are the universally acknowledged strained to prostrate himself before some qualities of right. Temperance, forticstablished altar, the inordinate influence, tude, prudence ami justice are the chararistocracy and corruption of the clergy acteristic traits of our persuasion, and must ensue, and from the same source charity to our brethren nnd also to ad otmiwt spring ignorance, superstition, fana- hers in distress, is one of its beautiful 1 etieism and the most cruel tyranny. To commendations. If relentless, insatiable such a degree have the monks and other war, or some other calamity inseparable ecclcsiasticks of Spain enchained its peo- from our lot, snatch a felioCv bein from pie and their minds, that unless recent the partner of ids affections, the grief of political events have produced miracles, the widow and the cries of the "orphan their credulity is still carried even be- no sooner raise the alarm of distress, btifi yond the extravagant beliefs of our infan- the good mason is at his post, and engagcy when we used to iisten by the fireside ed in his duty to soothe them', to alleviate to the frightful taies of fiction H ippy and remove "the burthen of their sorrovr. Aiuc;icui ! The Geuius of your Coua- Jn whatever shape nusfrrtuae w jrc