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Chaplain, spoke of the craft having passed through a "characteristic dispensation," and the reports from sister Grand Chapters all conveyed equally hopeful words. It was this year that the Committee on Foreign Correspondence was first formed, and so the New York body fell into more active touch, through that committee's annual reports with the other Chapters throughout the country. But the business done formed the most hopeful sign of the times. The fee for a new charter was reduced from $100 to $60, and one new charter was granted-that to Rising Sun, No. 131, in Saratoga Springs-others were revived and the dues of several, including Phoenix, No. 2, were remitted and $120 was expended in charity. At the beginning of the meeting the Treasurer Treasurer reported aving $1,156.55 on hand, while the invested funds. were placed at $11,510.00. Before its close, however, a mortgage for $6,000 and a note for $1,000 were practically written off as worthless, and the actual assets, cash and securities, were then placed at $4,756.55. The receipts of the meeting itself in the shape of dues amounted only to $290.33-less than the cost of the gathering-but the receipts for interest, dispensations, etc., gave a profit on the year's finances of $201.53. A year later the tide of success was found to have continued. Three Chapters-Lebanon, No. 13; David's, No. 34, and Niagara, No. 71, were formed, and a new warrant was issued for a

Chapter at Canton, under the designation of St. Lawrence, No. 132. The receipts from dues were reported at $554 and the balance for the year was $327.07, and the situation. was eloquently summed up by Chaplain Town in these words:

We are all aware that the eyes of the world have looked on our institution with no small degree of suspicion, while the lives of its members have been subjected to the severest scrutiny. Not knowing precisely what was actually done within the walls of the Lodge-room, men have been prone to indulge in the most extravagant and visionary conjectures. These conjectures have been studiously disseminated among the credulous and oftentimes so exaggerated by repetition as to assume a veritable existence of the most alarming character both to the civil and religious institutions of the country. A most fearful exhibition of such a state of things has transpired within our own recollection. But the storm has passed, and while the floods of popular commotion have swept away the rubbish of the temple, not a foundation stone has been rolled from its bed, nor a well wrought material broken from the superstructure.

With these words we may close the chapter. Truly, as the good man pointed out, Masonry emerged from the storm without in the slightest degree changing its methods or altering its teachings, and thereby gave the world another illustration of the fact that it is founded on a rock, the rock of truth-the rock from which Divine Providence never ceases to shine.

CHAPTER VI.

TWENTY-ONE YEARS' UPBUILDING.

HE scope of this work will not permit a thorough presentation of the history of Royal Arch Masonry in the Empire State. To do that thoroughly would alone require a volume of equal size with this. We hope such a volume will yet be written, the sooner the better, and so give to the Masonic literary world a contribution of the greatest historical interest, some chapters of which would read like the pages of a romance. Here, after having detailed the early story of red Masonry. described the effects of the Morgan storm, and seen the Grand Chapter once again on the high road of success, we can only stop here and there on that high road and review the advancing column. The march is a wondrous one, on account of its success, its steadily increasing strength, but the evenness of that success, the steadiness of that advance and the continued story of accessions deprives the historian of much that would, in less happy circumstances, lend variety to his pages.

No better idea of the progress of Royal Arch Masonry can be formed than by comparing the statistics of the meeting of 1868 with those we have just given of 1847. There were in 1868 139 warranted Chapters on the roll, but a significant reminder of the havoc of the Morgan unpleasantness was that the last number on the roll was 217. The difference, it must be stated, was not altogether due to the breaks caused by the anti-Masonic crusade, but then many of those which went down in that crisis were afterward permitted to be revived on, we fear, very slender evi

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182 Watkins,.
183 Le Roy,.
184 Manhattan,
185 Delta,.
186 Neversink,
187 Deposit,.
188 Sylvan,.
189 Sandy Hill,.
190 Corning,.
191 Dunkirk,.
192 Hartford,.

193 Doric,.
194 Cortland..
195 Suwassett,.

196 Staten Island,. 197 Deer River,.

198 Progressive,.

199 Naples,.
200 Niagara,.
201 Griswold,.
202 Croton,.
203 Copestone,.
204 Rockland,.

205 Adams,...

..Coxsackie,

Lockport,

Dansville,

..Ovid,

.Bath,

Penn Yan,

.Hornellsville,

.Greenfield,

..Greene,

Brooklyn,

Northampton,

117 Newark,.

Newark,

131 Rising Sun,.

Saratoga Springs,

132 St. Lawrence,.

Canton,

.St. Lawrence.

133 Phoenix,.

Lansingburgh, Rensselaer.

135 Mexico...

Mexico,

. Oswego.

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211 Putnam,.

212 Washington,..

213 King Solomon's,

214 Banner..

215 Americus..

216 Sithra..

217 Geneseo,.

Rochester,

Cold Spring, New York,. .New York,. Long Island New York,. Greenport, Geneseo,

. Ontario.

Niagara. ...Wayne. Westchester. .New York. . Rockland. Jefferson, Queens. .New York.

Kings. Kings. Monroe.

Putnam.

New York. .New York.

City,....Queens. .New York.

Suffolk. Livingston.

This list is eloquent of progress to the student, but to the general reader a much more easily grasped comparison lies in the financial returns. The receipts from dues in 1868 were $10,466.10, and while the funds altogether amounted to only $9,438.87, that amount was invested as securely as could be devised, with the exception of the money in the hands of the Treasurer, and for his intromissions a bond was then demanded, the death (on July 27, 1867) of William Seymour, of Albany, who had held that office for eighteen years, rendering it possible to pass a law demanding a bond before the election of his successor at the meeting now under notice.

In the interim the remnant of the first generation of Royal Arch workers had disappeared from the scene and the places of Enos, Gilbert, Wadsworth, Cuyler and many others knew them no more. Of the leaders of 1848 none remained in harness, the longest holder

of office-the venerable Dr. Salem Town— having been compelled by the exigencies of age, and, it is to be feared, of fortune, to retire only in 1864, after having served as Chaplain for some forty-five years, although these were not consecutive. In continuity of service Dr. Town was surpassed by Grand Secretary John O. Cole, of Albany, who succeeded Wadsworth in 1825 and retained the office until 1866, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent of the office Christopher G. Fox. These long terms of service were nearly matched by the record of John Bull, Jr., who was Grand Marshal for thirty consecutive years (1818-47), which we mention to show that the Royal Arch fraternity thoroughly appreciate a faithful servant.

But if the original workers had all passed away, many of those who may be described. as of the second generation were still to the fore and continuing to take a most active interest in the work of the Chapter. Foremost among these in many respects was Ezra S. Barnum, who held the office of Grand High Priest in 1846 and 1847. In many ways we have often been disposed to think this devoted craftsman was one of the best representative types of the Royal Arch Mason which the Chapter has given to the world. He did not occupy the exalted station in life as did DeWitt Clinton, he did not hold office as long as Ezra Ames, but whatever he was called upon to do he did well, whatever station his lot called him to fill he filled gracefully and well and although his term as Grand High Priest was only two years there were more aspirants for the office than in Ames' time, and he continued to be active in the councils of the Grand Chapter to the meeting before his death, at Utica, on Feb. 20, 1878. Ezra Barnum was born at Danbury, Conn., June 21, 1792. In 1809 he was indentured as apprentice in a shoe-making, tanning and currying establishment in Utica and removed to that place destined to be his life-long home. In 1812, when the war with Great Britain

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his connections ranged through various trades -farming, confectionery, grocery, and it is hard to tell all what-but he won a measure of success in them all. Brother Barnum was more than a business man; he was active in many respects as a citizen. On this point the Utica Herald said:

Mr. Barnum bore an important part in public affairs during his long residence in Utica, and in every position discharged his duty with ability and painstaking fidelity. He was first elected to office in 1817, and put into triple harness as it werebeing elected constable, collector and coroner. While holding these offices he was appointed undersheriff, and, without his knowledge, justice of the peace. Concerning this appointment Mr. Barnum was wont to say, he never had "been able to find out who was so kind as to recommend him to Gov. Yates for the office." The newspapers of the day facetiously remarked, regarding the appointment,

that Utica had an officer possessing rare powers as well as qualifications: he could issue his warrant as justice, serve it as constable, try the prisoner as judge, hang him as sheriff, hold an inquest on his remains as coroner, and sell his clothes for taxes as collector. If he had been an undertaker he could have finished the job. Of course, the other offices had to be laid down on accepting the justiceship. Mr. Barnum undertook the business of justice with many misgivings as to questions of law. He told his friends he had little claim to education and none to law, but he had an idea of justice. He qualified, and so satisfactory was his administration that he was re-elected term after term, till at the end of seventeen years of service he absolutely declined to be a candidate. How well he did, notwithstanding his ignorance of law at the start, may be inferred from the fact that during his justiceship of seventeen years only two cases were appealed from his decision. One of these was reversed by the County Court, but on being carried to the Supreme Court the judgment of the County Court was reversed, and Justice Barnum's affirmed. The second case was never tried on appeal.

On retiring from the justiceship in 1835, Mr. Barnum was appointed Deputy United States Marshal and Commissioner of Deeds. In one or other of these offices he served over thirty years. In 1832 he was elected to the Board of Aldermen, and was several times re-elected.

At the organization of the Oneida Bank, in 1836, Mr. Barnum was chosen one of the directors. He served two years as Vice-President and one year as President of the Board, and attended over four thousand meetings of the directors.

He was for forty-two years a member of the Mechanics' Association, and was one of the subscribers to the old hall fund. He held the presidency of that Association, and for a long time was one of its trustees. He was one of the original subscribers to the Clinton Liberal Institute Fund, and was elected a member of the first Board of Trustees. He has been re-elected every year thereafter till his death, a period of forty-six years. He attended nearly every meeting of the Board, often making the journey to Clinton under difficulties which are strangers to these later days. He was also one of the original subscribers to the Utica Academy fund. In his earlier days he "ran with the machine," his name appearing on the roll of one of the first fire companies formed in Utica.

When Utica was set off from Whitestown, Mr. Barnum assisted in running out and establishing the boundaries of the village. The line on what is now Kimball street, was run through a forest so dense that a path had to be cleared with an axe to enable the signal flag to be seen at the distance of half a chain. The obstructions elsewhere were not so difficult to overcome.

During General La Fayette's triumphal tour through this country in 1824-5. Mr. Barnum was a member of the Utica committee sent out to Whitesboro to meet the committee from the West, having General La Fayette and son (George Washington La Fayette) in charge. In speaking of this incident Mr. Barnum said: "We brought the party to Utica through a new street just opened, which in honor of the General was called Fayette street." Twentyfive years later he met George Washington La Fay

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There remains to add a chapter of long and eminent service and high honors in the Order of Free and Accepted Masons. Few living Masons have been so long connected with the order. Fewer, if any, have been so highly honored. None have been truer to its principles, or cherish its tenets and associations with warmer appreciation.

He was elected a member of Utica Lodge, No. 47, F.:. A.:. M.:., in January, 1817. The following March, Oneida Chapter, No. 57, of Royal Arch Masons was chartered, and Brother Barnum was one of the first to take the Chapter degrees. The same years, 1817, he joined Utica Council, No. 28, of Royal and Select Masters. In February, 1823, Utica Encampment, No. 7, (now Utica Commandery, No. 3.) of Knights Templars, was chartered, with Sir Richard Sanger, Illustrious Grand Master, (or, as the title now is, Eminent Commander). The first conclave was held February 17, and among those elected to membership then was Ezra S. Barnum. In the bodies named he was early inducted into official position.

During the first year of his membership he was elected Royal Arch Captain. He was first elected to office in Utica Lodge in 1819. At the first election following his reception into the Commandery he was made Standard Bearer. In each of these bodies he was promoted from year to year, till the highest honor in its gift was bestowed on him. He served as Master of the Lodge three years, High Priest of the Chapter ten years, and Commander of the Commandery, five years of which record is made and several years of which no record has been preserved, in all probably twelve. Progressing rapidly he was elected successively Junior and Senior Warden and Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State. The last named office he was obliged to decline, both on account of ill health and a projected trip abroad. He has held almost all of the offices in the Grand Chapter, R.:. A.:. M.:., of New York, and has twice held the office of Grand High Priest. He has also filled nearly every office in the Grand Commandery of Knights Templars of the State, of which body he was Grand Master (Grand Commander) during the years 1835-41 inclusive. He has held several offices in the old Grand Council of High Priests.

In 1838 Mr. Barnum's Masonic merits were further recognized by his election to the office of Very Eminent Grand Sword Bearer in the General Grand Encampment of Knights Templars of the United States, at the encampment held in Boston. This office he held for six years, when he was advanced to Junior Warden. At the next encampment, 1847. he was elected Senior Warden, and in 1853 he was elected Grand Captain General. During the time of his service in the Grand Body of the United States, its meetings were held triennially, twice in Boston,

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