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and the miserable cottage, to seek the unfortunate, and with the out stretched hand of charity, turning tears into stles and atfi ction into joy. May we not then expect the smiles of the great Being of the universe goen our \ some labors, and that when we shi be conveyed to that undiscovered country from whose bare no traveller returns, when Faith shall be chapt ** sight, Hope lost in fruition and Charity b cone เ Divine Love that then heaven and Cat will reward on work, and give us wisdom to relish, strength to sport, and beauty to adorn the perennial streams of costal joy.

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ere is no doubt that toward the end of his De Witt Clinton was not only the lead

emason in America, but the leading

en mitha Fire State. In the latter
re bal countless enemies, enemies

d to take Average of any matter which
d help a
gr personal fortunes or

1 success for the party. Outside of poline was far ions the country over for his standing as a Freemason and so when, in 1826, the Morgan excitement started, the real originators of that movement were animated by a desire, among other things, not to avenge Morgan, but to dethrone De Witt Canton from his pre-eminent position in the affections of the people. These schemers' designs agamst Clinton were frustrated by the death of their intended victim, but the movement had gained by that time such impetus that it resulted in the formation of a new party which upset the plans of the origira! political conspirators and carried on the cry against Freemasonry far beyond the point they originally conceived. This, however, is not the place to record that peculiarly sad story of the misapplication of pop ular enthusiasm, suffice it to say here t'..

for the political eminence of De Witt

the death of Morgan would have be

local excitement and probably never heard of outside of a small section o New York.

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in 1792, he was installed into the chair on being elected its Master:

The numberless ills to which humanity stands exposed render the tear of consolation and the hand of relief necessary to make existence supportable. There is a fund of comfort in unbosoming our distresses to a sympathetic friend and attaining our sensibility on the side of our misfortunes. A generous mind will cheerfully lend its assistance in administering all the consolations to be derived from a friendly communication of grief. But alas! more than words and tears is often requisite to arrest the arrows of affliction and to smooth the rugged paths of life. How many of our fellowmen are destitute of the common necessaries of existence; shut up in the dreary walls of prison and deprived of the light and air of heaven; languishing in the midst of helpless families of children, without clothes to screen them from the winter blast, or food to protect them from the voracious jaws of famine; no better prospect before them than misery; hope, the last refuge of the wretched nearly converted into despair, and the retrospect of past days serving as an ignis fatuus to bewilder them deeper in affliction and upon its disappearance to increase the “darkness visible" of their misery. How glorious, how godlike to step forth to the relief of such distress; to arrest the tear of sorrow; to disarm affliction of its darts; to smooth the pillow of declining age; to rescue from the pangs of vice the helpless infant, and to diffuse the most lively joys over a whole family of rational, immortal creatures. And how often has it showered down its golden gifts into the seemingly inacceptable dungeons of misery! How often has it irradiated with its beneficial rays the gloom of affliction, and converted the horrows of despair into the meridian splendor of unexpected joy! How often has it, with its philanthropic voice, recalled the unhappy wanderer into the paths of felicity, and with its powerful arm, protected from the grasp of malice and oppression, the forlorn outcast of society! Let the widow, the orphan, the prisoner, the debtor, the unfortunate witness its beneficent deeds, and in a symphony of gratitude declare, that on the flight of all the other virtues, charity, as well as hope remained to bless mankind.

We have seen the propitious influence of Masonry upon society and virtue. We have seen it arrayed with every respectable attribute that can dignify or embellish an institution-we have seen it the patron of science, the friend of good government, and the hand-maid of morality—and we have seen it, Howard-like, exploring the dreary prison

14

and the miserable cottage, to seek the unfortunate, and with the out-stretched hand of charity, turning tears into smiles and affliction into joy. May we not then expect the smiles of the great Being of the universe upon our Masonic labors, and that when we shall be conveyed into that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller returns, when Faith shall be changed into sight, Hope lost in fruition and Charity become as expanded as the Divine Love-that then the Grand Master of heaven and earth will reward our work, and give us wisdom to relish, strength to support, and beauty to adorn the perennial streams of celestial joy.

How many Masters of the present day take the chair with such principles in their hearts or give expression to such sentiments in language as elevated and graceful?

There is no doubt that toward the end of his career De Witt Clinton was not only the leading Freemason in America, but the leading statesman in the Empire State. In the latter capacity he had countless enemies, enemies ready to take advantage of any matter which would help along their personal fortunes or win success for their party. Outside of politics he was famous the country over for his standing as a Freemason and so when, in 1826, the Morgan excitement started, the real originators of that movement were animated by a desire, among other things, not to avenge Morgan, but to dethrone De Witt Clinton from his pre-eminent position in the affections of the people. These schemers' designs against Clinton were frustrated by the death of their intended victim, but the movement had gained by that time such impetus that it resulted in the formation of a new party which upset the plans of the original political conspirators and carried on the cry against Freemasonry far beyond the point they originally conceived. This, however, is not the place to record that peculiarly sad story of the misapplication of popular enthusiasm, suffice it to say here that but for the political eminence of De Witt Clinton the death of Morgan would have been but a local excitement and probably never have been heard of outside of a small section of northern New York.

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