Western Sun, Volume 8, Number 45, Vincennes, Knox County, 11 October 1817 — Page 1

THE WESTERN SUN

From the Press of ELIHU STOUT. Publisher of the Laws of the United State LOL. 8. J VINCBNNE8, (Ind ) SATURDAY OCTOBER it, 1817

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MASONIC ORATIOV, The following Vfasoaic Oratiow was delivered by ro (i. W. J. to the Members of the Vincennes I odge No. 15, and a iare concourse of citizens assembled at the Court-House in Vincennes on the 24-th June last, and published by request of the committee of arrangement. Brother Masons, And Fellow Citizens. AS Mark Anthony observed, so Will I, ftho' not upon the same occasion f r bffmpurrked but 1 rejoice.)" Listen to jinf mv cause and be attentive that youM iy hear " I come not with an expect at ion of exciting your wonder but a sincere wish to instruct And in attempting this, 1 must acknowledge, (for should endeavour to conceal, I am satisfied your penetration has discovered) my embarrassment h 1th mv Brother Masons kn t I stand extused and v it you my Fellow citi.ens I hope for excuse, under the principle that k virtue to shine more conspicuous ly should appear in a plain garb." By ti-.is quotation I wish not to be under stood as arrogating to myself the title of Virtues Orac e butthat I should be thanked for sp. iking as M a plain blunt man." Now to t.e point. The subject Upon winch you arc Called her to-dav, is M isonry A theme to which millions of Odes have been sung and it is ye1 unexhausted h will be c haunted In Anthems of praise until the 11 Angel sounds the lant trump" charge me not. my hearers with a ostentatious adulations or unmerited encomiums for the subject merits a much abler tongue than mine to io it any the least justice, or even portr iv. its sanitary fend happy tendency and effects T oUaands ten's of t ousands of able Ora tors h ive attempted an exposition of its benign principles and Influence on social man. an ! they are vet like unto m a cool ami never (ailing fountain,1 and (to use a metaphor,) as u resplendent k vi vyfvmg as the meredian sun." Its Ori gin is co-extensive with man and its effects are not confined even to the circumference of this habitable globe, but extend to that k nappy country from hose bourne no traveller returns " For rv part of the civilised world bears j testimony ot its Urigm ai and it f hts the man who adheres to its principles j Hot only for happiness here but for the serene sweet enjoyment of an endless Elysium. I hae said it was co-existent with "Man. Look into the annals of History both sacred and profane. Do t! e not instruct us that our first Parent Adam evidenced signs and left marks of his Masonic mind ? And when Moses went up oil the mount did not the Lou! from the burning bush say Unto him Moses) Moses, Moses take off thine shoos, for the place whereon UlOU standesl is holy' Call to your recollei tions the circumstance of Moses and the Serpent (Ex. 4 , -was he not asked hv the great Jehovah, k' Moses what is it that thou hast in mm, . . . thiiy: hand, and he answered I Serpent ? He was then directed to cast it on the ground and the Lord again spake unto him" Moses Stretch forth thine hand h take the serpent by the tail and Mow ! did so, and io it became a Hod !l! And did not Motes by this same h ine m igic wand alleviate the sufferings nuen the buttling breasts and refresh the

parched tongues of his followers the Israelites in tneir forty years journyings I V as there not forty and two thousand of the Eprhramltes taken and slain at the pass of Jordan because they could not frame to pronounce the word ? Let me Call your attention to that superb build ing the wise man's tcmipie at Jerusalem a. lasting evidence of Mason"' c. attachment to our supreme Architect. There Beauty, Strength and Wisdom shone forth most conspicuously ! Even the two pillars Jachin St Boaz winch supported the Outer porch of it, are sufficient evidences of my position But when you extend your enquiries something farther, and go into the Sanctum Sanctorum, your mind becomes almost sUr-charged with holy Electric fire and your wiioie soul overflows with fervent thanks-giving to him wh treated the heavens and the earth him woo rules on the one and the other side the grave Von are transported as it were from the abode of an to that of Angels 1111 Only call to mind with what greatness of design harmony and unanimity this building was erected. Great as being the most noble offi ring from a creature to his creator Harmonious because there were no discordant wills, all were animated with one mind No jarring sounds, all the materials so prepared on Mount Libanus, that neither the sound of the Ax or Hammer was heard at the seite ofthe temple Unanimous because very one km W and acted nis part ; No one attempted to supplant ins fellow ; and from this example nas sprang that mimitable axiom that 1 United we stand but divided we fall." This temple t ten es us that we should make a peace offering of our whole sou' to our God Be at Harmony our Maker and ourselves And extend the arm of charity to our fellow beings. have given you my fellow citizens, a few from amongst the many r ofthe Origin and anti uitpof our order and I have addressed you as a civilized and

christian people for you be so and if so, that yon with this sacred Book (t which I draw t; em i i h vour to convince you bj our order has retained its and will continue to do so srht to versant ) from endea Bil v luritv l.-tii ma terial creation becomes ext general Conflagration. Were our Mysteri s r? kin 1, t hev would long d cc violent shock incuriosity an abuse But M isonry ciaiw vine origin and pei nanatit in one z ordinary ave felt tne ina uated a more difoundation than most other societies which change with our manners or politics Out M -tic signs, token and expressions have afforded Sc. J trust i ver will afford Sta bility tooui order while our JeWi is en lighten and brighten tht craft Our House is hurt as the "raj ma rock ts nillars are immut upon a ble, as it was in the beginning is now an:l ever shall be." And now to draw to a point. This atonic rock, to which allude, is nothing less than M Heave;, born chari ty."l!l hen in the language of the Poet M if thou art rich, thank heaven which freely gave, And givt as fret ly to thy wanting neighbor." " Guide the rude tongue do injury to none, And stay the hand which means it to another " Now my fellow -citizens a few words upon the effects of Masonry, Turn our eyes IO w.ial part Of the civilized world We may Where science has exter.de ! her salutary influence and the an of pi inting exists, do not their annals prove that the first -ignitarics of State en of the most eminent talents exalted virtues, have loved and cherished, promoted and dignified our art embraced our faith am i become membci a of our mystic union' Examine the history of Mason ry and von will find that not only Kings, Prince-, k Potentates but their subjects also, as well as you; own Rulers and citizens have deem'd it honourable to their elevated standing to wear k often grace the Masons badge ! Look into the pages of Universal History and see whethr Masonry has not extended her benev liint arms fai and wide To almost all nay 1 assert without the risque or fear t

rif ion t under the canouies of heaen ; i - i ence of tongue Politics or Religious ets have not prevented nor can t h u pK vent its exu nsion and salutary influenceIts sound is glad tidings" to the weary the troubled and the distressed and to use a similie, its effects are as the light' ning from heaven, immediate and efficient !!! The inquisitive & cowanic world may probably say, if uch is Masonry, why should its mistic language be confined to certain persons why not extend it to all ? 1 answer, from the best of reasons and for the very best of purposes, namely ; to keefk ui its dignity the bet ter 'o extend it s influence and effects. For suffer mc to ask you, do you venerate a pedlars wallet ? who, in order to vend apart of his pitiable stock exposes the whole in an instant even turns it 4 inside out" committing, at the same time, an hundred impositions r venture to predict that your answer Will b$ taht of every moral and thinking person u away with such trifles, such baubles and (ew-gaws, such shadow s and common trash: j;ive us manliness" after gotls Own image," give us truth and useful substantial !!! Let us now. examine how the subject would stand, was its mysteries extended to all. Every reasonable being must believe that god made mar. and that it is beyond the power of man to unmake or new module that which god has made. Art may ist, but cannot essentially counteract nature thence . infer that as all cannot pu i the s one way, because ofthe vaiiety and in a great many instances the baseness of their dispositions) seisms, dissentions and blood shed would be the Inevitable result of such general participation, and the work of Masonry could not progress To elucidate & prove this position l ii make a comparison of a terrestrial to a celestial fact Couid the Angels in heaven all agreeX I answer they coUld not They with ami Against the thro. nus aim Sc monarchy of god Rais'd impioUJ war in heaven proud Sc battle in vain . ow w gr-af, r tht could not i thi perfection much Then surely if they there is bv far much J less firobabili or certainty, that man should ; and the work of Masonry requires concofd and unanimity. To give you another example 1 call your attention to the Tour of Bable ! could all there agree ? they could not ; and thence arose confusion, the veriest banc of Masonry. And now to make use of an old but true saying that what is the business of every one becomes that of no one -so would it become with us, if discord ant! envy occupied our breasts, but happily we profess only that noble emulation of seeing who can b st work and best agree. We say to the meritorious 4 seek and ye shaii find, km k and the door of Masonry shall be opei ed ui to you " And again t tat ,k many are calied but few chosen to perform the work of Masonry. But, retorts the censorious, why those dissentions and broils which are some times disc overed to exist in the Masoi ic famii) 1 I answer That" Error is the lot of our nature' That there is none IPrfect ; no not one" no that44 everv I'mman art may be contaminated & abused As a proof, only extend your mind to the time of the patriarchy when S division of the promised land was about to be made between Abraham and Lot (Gen X.il v 7 to 9.) was there not seism and discord I Did not Abram say Unto Lot, 1 let there be no strife betwixt thee and me I pray thee. T :kt thou to the right and. I to the left ?" Are not our passions discordant with our reason ? And has not disst ntion existed from time immemorial between mankind either from Political or Religious causes ? And have we not a right to conclude that it wi'l exist until 4' time shall he no mote." Witness the crusades the persecutions in England, Scotland and Ireland And those under Robespierre in France ! I Enthusiasm that infuriated Hydra, on the one hand and jealousy that infernal demon on the other) have heated and kept up the hot blood of discord. ()' thou twin, sister;, from Pandora's Bo, how baneful h LSI thou not proven to pub lie and private peace and tranquility I

of contradiction, to every civilized nation

do we not daily discover that thro thy influence potentates aie dethroned the limits oi Empires clianged Kcn-on shack ;ets and domestic happiness sapped? Naj een in the most ordinary concerns of life ii you (.i'oti our neighbour doing better oi ris tig b little above yourst ins jealousy immediate ly throbs in youi-breasts If you he; i two persons conversing in a langUi ge you do not understand, is not yooi jealous) immediately roused I ano you become i istrustful if not envious. Such is the trait" ty of poor human nature. And yet, i acknowledge, that notwithstanding all our necessary precautions, we have some unworthy members in our order and where is the one exempt ? But do not therefore suppose, mv f llowcitizens, that Masonry is w i thou tits proper and efficient col l ective Ever) ca filiction b om its strict princip.es can be, yea and ought to be prompt. y and sevi rely punished. Our Lodge holds the lash, and births fortune or education are no preventative when its u&e b. m ritedL We do to our brethren as God did to Cain when he slew his brother Abei We set a murk upon him, and everv brother's face is turned against him : For Masonry my fellow -citizens, is like a fruitful tree which requires lopping and pruning in order to produce more bountifully Our art throughout the globe is verging to the same centre Brotherly love and charity here and a preparation to pass into that 4 j odge not maue with hands, etetna; in the leavens " W herefore, my h other Masons 1 et your conduct be a- becomet! a mason. Then if any one revile you, it must be through ignorance or prejudice, therefore pity ti i m. You c annot seaitht envenomed lips of prejudice, or pluck out

the tongut of nlander ; however c'o w you reasonably and consistently ear. put them to shame 1 u in doing I you must observe this golden lu.e at to is to "do unto others as vou would be one by and a. ways observe a stead) com se it much assists the honest, t o conclude never hesitate my brethren, to open the benevolent breast and extend the arm of charity to the distressed, the poor and pennyiess and cover with the veil of Brotherly love the foibles and infirmities of such as have received and know ham to give. My fellow -citizens, may happiness crown your honest exertions. And my brother-Masons- may your light so shine before the world that neither the glo n of distention, ti e mists of prejndia or the pois nous ton gut of lander can dim Its lustre or even effect its brightness and may your faith secure you a happy rec ption in the realm of endless bliss ! !! Wm re " Seated on thrones of glory high, Singing with joy triumphantly ; O ! death where is thy stin & thou O ! Grave ! a here b tl y victory ! i" From the Philadelphia Gazette, The ship Christophei fhn e. from Holland, now hi ow, mtl 23 passengers is in a most wretched con iition from sickness. When she sa he from Amsterdam, she hd 280 passengers or board) who had been foi several weeks livim in the streets of Amsterdam, iik I.aza'oni, They wen shipped b) the civil authority ot Amsterdam, n.o-u oftl em ii, a sta'r of sickness Foi ty-nine adults pe thrown overboi rd during the passage including the mate and one ofthe seamen We understand that other ves& Ss freighted with these miserable creatures, were soon to sail foi this port. ... . A New-York paper announces the following instance of good fortune on the part of one ofthe aboriginal descendants, of this continent "The ticket No 19, 545, which orew t' e g35X)0 prize in the Medical Science Lottery, no drawing, was purchased by Geoxgi L arliv, chief cf a Cherokee trib of Indians and is now fa the hat ds of a gentleman of that c it v . It was sold at Ali ln's office. MARVEI LOUS. From a Bussiun A' wuficr fiubliah d a f ti' ueart since, a Si, PeteTsburgh June 4. In the nwticular h- kofth abitants of the country ea :' :! Trooiska, remitted in this year I 782' irto the I hanI eery of the town of Moakowa, there is