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From the memory of what I was oft may she borrow

A hope for her tears and a rest for her wo. New-York, Oct. 7th, 1820.

A SIMILE FOR THE LADIES.

In limpid streams a thousand forms we spy, Which raise amazement in the wondering

eye;

Whate'er of beauty on their borders grows, The floating glass in its fair bosom shows: The pride of every grove together meets, And charms us with a wilderness of sweets. Lo! with impetuous force a dreadful

shower

In torrents falls, and blots out every
flower.

Such is the fate of woman. Oft we find
A thousand graces in one body join'd;
A faultless shape, a skin of snowy hue,
All that is lovely, tempting, chaste, and

true,

A deity confess'd, a Venus form'd anew.

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Comes baneful sickness, with its numerous host,

The bright, ecstatic scene at once is lost.

FROM THE HAVERHILL GAZETTE.
TO HOPE.

Auspicious Hope! Thou Sprite benign!
Blest inmate of the peaceful mind!
Thy soothing pow'r elates with joy,
The wretch, deep-sunk in poverty;
Thy radiant beams illume the mind,
In wisdom taught, by arts refin'd
'Tis thou canst smooth the brow of care;
Dispel the fear of bleak despair;
Raise from the earth the wretch forlorn,
And point his way to spheres unknown.
Within the precincts of a cell,
Thy blissful presence e'er dost dwell;
The guilty murd'rer's piercing groans,
By thee are chang'd to wistful tones;
His raging breast, surcharg'd with grief,
Inspir'd by thee, now finds relief.
Offspring of Heav'n! berest of thee,
Severe, though just, man's destiny-
Doom'd, thro' earth's barren wilds, to

roam;

No shelter from th' impending storm :
Terrific visions haunt the mind,
Immers'd in gloom-to virtue blind.
But cheer'd by draughts of heav'nly love,
Life's greater ills, rich blessings prove.
Let envy's base, envenom'd darts-
Oppression bold-suspicion's arts-
False friendship, hatred, all conspire,
Those joys annoy, thou deiginst inspire:
As well may man restrain in height,
Imagination's tow'ring flight;

Or seek to chain that mind to earth,
Aspiring, though of humble birth.
Should rumbling thunders deep resound,
And vivid lightnings glare around;
Should yawning earthquakes mountains

rend,

And furious whirlwinds heav'n-ward tend;
Fair nature's realm in ruin lie,
And chaos reign triumphantly-
Hope smiles! still undismay'd their pow'r

defies;

Her eye intent on joys beyond the skies; Faith prompts her flight, while Heav'n

awards the prize.

THE HAPPY MAN,

Happy the man! whose tranquil mind
Sees nature in her changes kind,

And pleas'd the whole surveys;
For him the morn benignly smiles,
And evening shades reward the toils,
That measure out his days.
The varying year may shift the scene,
The sounding tempests lash the main,
And heaven's own thunders roll;

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The excellent Address, by Brother W. DOAN, Esq. is received, but too late for this Number; it may be expected in our next. HIRAM ABIFF, from Pittsburgh, was also received too late for publication this month. J*****, complaining of the injustice of a brother, cannot be admitted The reasons why, are obvious, and will easily be perceived by the writer, on reflection. We perfectly coincide with him in opinion re lative to civil suits between brethren of the fraternity; but must beg leave to disagree with him on other points.

The Editor respectfully solicits an interview with the brother who communicated the ancient documents, "concerning the Mason Oath," published in this Num

ber.

The several favours of our most excellent companions the grand high priest, and deputy grand high priest of the grand chapter of Kentucky, are thankfully received. We also acknowledge, with gratitude, the receipt of the proceedings of the grand lodge of Indiana, and the proceedings of the grand chapter of Connecticut, together with two valuable discourses, one by companion Asa Meech, and the other by brother William Burke.

Brother John Dean's letter, dated Bath, Upper Canada, March 24, enclosing a list of the chapters and lodges in that province, together with a list of subscribers for the Register, was received just as the last sheet of this Number was going to press. Brother Dean will please to accept our sincere thanks, in behalf of himself and the other brethren who have honcured our subscription list with their names; and we assure our Canadian brethren in general, that any thing relative to the fraternity, on their side of the water, will always be gratefully re ceived, and cheerfully inserted.

HOYT & BOLMORE, PRINTERS,
70 Bowery, New-York.

THE

AMERICAN MASONIC REGISTER,

AND

Ladies' and Gentlemen's Magazine.

BY LUTHER PRATT.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

[No. IX.]

FOR MAY, A. D. 1821. A. L. 5821.

MASONIC.

FOR THE MASONIC REGISTER.

BROTHER PRATT,

SOLOMON.

[VOL. I.]

patron, St. John. We have convened, to pay a tribute of respect due to his sacred memory. It was the day of his birth.

You again ask, why clad in these emblematical vestments? Why these

I have been permitted by the author, to take a copy of the following Ad-badges? We answer, to exhibit to the world our high calling; to shew, that as there is an uniformity in them,

dress, which, should you deem it worthy of the space it would occupy in your interesting Register, you are at liberty to publish. With cordial respect, and fraternal affection, I am, Sir,

Yours,

WILLIAM B. THRALL.

Circleville, Ohio, March, 1821.

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so there should be in our characters : that our morals should be as spotless as the lambs skin; our hearts, pure and mild as the blue vault of heaven, To each of our emblems, is attached an important moral lesson. By them, we are constantly reminded of our duty, aim, and end. They are vivid beacons, constantly throwing their light upon the Mason's path; pointing out his danger, and directing him to his destined port. Though silent, yet to him, they speak a language more forcible than words; admonitions more solemn than ever issued from human lips. If he give ear to them, it is well; if not, we can only mourn over the frailty of human nature.

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Our badges bespeak the station the wearer holds in the Lodge. Order

and harmony pervade the works of Deity; so should they of man. Without them, the moral, like the natural

world, would exhibit a scene of confusion, anarchy, and chaos. Hence, in every association, some must lead, direct, and govern. That brothers may know these, is the object of our badges.

A more important inquiry follows: What is the design, object and utility of the Masonic institution? If these are not good, all the rest is vain show, idle ostentation.

Man, in his primeval state, required no props to sustain his virtue; no excitements to awaken his benevolence.

He ate the forbidden fruit; at that moment a moral death ensued: then evil sprang up in his heart; vice became a part of his composition. With these, came haggard misery: cruelty, crime, fraud and violence followed. Paradise was changed to a hell; man to a savage. Still there remained in his heart, some seeds of his former virtue; some portion of that Divine spirit, which once wholly inspired him, still glowed in his bosom. To cultivate these seeds, to cherish and invigorate this spirit, was the design of our institution.With whom the design originated, we we cannot say. The institution probably had its origin in Asia, where science first dawned; where man first emerged from the low estate to which he had fallen. The broken column, the lofty pyramid, the ruined cities, bespeak the industry and the civiliza tion of the early people of that country; so the sublime morals, the elegant language, the beautiful allusions of Masonry, bespeak their genius, and their benevolence. So early was Masonry founded, that the date of its origin is veiled from human ken: no record, no tradition hath transmitted it down.

No human eye hath pierced the darkness of that period. But it bears the venerated impress of the remotest ages. We discover in it, marks of Egyptian antiquity; we note in it too, some peculiar features of the Israelites.

In its plan, it combines all that is sublime in morals, great in design, or grand in object. It has caught and

preserved all those grand moral max-
ims, which have been taught the hu-
man family, in that long succession of
ages. It has contrived an universal
language. No matter whether the
wanderer be taught in Europe, Asia,
Africa, or America; if he meet a bro-
ther Mason, he can converse with him
in friendship and confidence; he can
make known his wants; he can get
relief. In such a world as this, filled
with hate and envy; virtue and inno-
cence, wherever found, require protec-
tion.
They are the same, whether
veiled under an Ethiopean, Indian, or
European skin. No matter whether
their accents fall in the Sanscrit, the
Arabic, the Russian, or the English
language; if they have the language
of Masonry, they will be understood,
cherished and protected. Thus the
curse that fell upon the human race,
at Bahel's awful tower, is measurably
removed. Masonry, then, has for its
object, the mitigation of the two grand
curses that have befallen our species:
one at the fall of Adam, and one at the
building of Babel.

Do you ask for proof of this? I would point to you the inhospitable coast of Algiers. There you see the galley-slave, loaded with chains, and tugging at the oar. In anguish, he casts his dispairing eye around him: is there none to understand that look? Yes; it catches the eye of a brother Mason: thrilling with transport, he flies to his relief; he redeems him; he sends him home, to the bosom of a joyful family. Turn to the burning

* The redemption of captain Riley and his companions, by the benevolent Willshire, at Mogadore, has been much admired by the uninitiated; could not understand that Riley and Willshire were Masons; and that by this secret bond, Riley obtained that aid and friendship, which every Mason in like Daily instances of a similar nature occur, circumstances, was bound to give him.

which astonish those who cannot discern the secret cause. But it is unbecoming our institution, to trumpet them forth. To do their duty, and not to boast of it, is the pride of worthy Masons, and inculcated by Masonry.

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deserts of Arabia, to the rugged wilds our Saviour was found one traitor; of Tartary; you see the lonely, pen-why then should we be stigmatized, if sive wanderer, viewing his fellow man as a deadly enemy: you see him armed to shed his blood: a stranger meets his eye, furiously he rushes upon him; suddenly he discovers he is a brother Mason; his look of fury is changed to that of joy-his weapons fall harm-sition. Such, in brief, is the design

less from his hands-he embraces him as a friend! View your battlefield. You see the hostile ranks impetuously rushing upon each other; you hear the clashing of arms, the groans of the dying: you see one aiming his deadly weapon at the heart of the other; suddenly he desists-his countenance changes-he smiles in kindness upon his victim. You inquire the cause; he discovers they are brother Masons. Thus has Masonry, from time immemorial, strove to promote humanity, to inculcate morality, and to assuage the miseries, which, in ten thousand shapes, afflict our species. The stranger, if a Mason, finds a home in every lodge, a friend in every brother. If naked, he is clothed; if hungry, fed; if in prison, visited and relieved. Does he want money, it is given him; does he want the aid of friends, he need look no further. Though in adversity, deserted and calumniated by the ungrateful world, yet here he shall find friends, who will cleave to him closer than natural brothers.

These duties, it is true, we owe to all mankind; and towards all Masons are taught to exercise them. But we have no pledge against imposition. With our limited means, our bounty must be confined to the worthy; they alone have imperative claims upon us; it behoves us, therefore, to ascertain them. This is another object of our institution. If one be a Mason, it to us conclusive evidence that he is worthy of our aid. Though we are sometimes deceived, yet this only proves that poor human nature is heir to frailty, that nothing human is perfect. Among the twelve disciples of

is

a few are found occasionally lurking amongst us? If HE could not find tainly, should it be demanded of us. perfection among mankind, less, cer No human means, however, could more effectually guard against impo

and object of Masonry, its polar star, its grand secret; to feed the hungry, flicted, to stimulate virtue, to curb the to clothe the naked, to console the afcies; to inculcate charity, benevoangry passions, to humanize the spelence, friendship and philanthropy, and to adore the Deity.

You ask if it has this effect? We answer, this is its tendency. Though the situation of our species without we cannot tell what would have been tianity, we believe it has been the this institution, yet, next to Christing, civilizing, and humanizing the most operative instrument in cultivaspecies. It operates with a secret, with the silence of the light of heaven; unseen, and powerful force; it moves it diffuses its genial warmth; it invigorates, vivifies, and enlightens the huIts maxims are constantly gaining man intellect, with a force not inferior. ground: princes and nations assent to would cease, or lose half its horrors; their soundness: if fully adopted, war "the sword would be beaten into the ploughshare, and the spear into the his enmity, and look upon his fellow pruning-hook." Man would forget the oil of consolation into the wounds man as a brother. He would pour of affliction; he would cause the orphan to forget his loss, the widow to derer, to rejoice. When chained to smile, and the weary, destitute wanthe flames gathering around him, how the stake, surrounded by savages, and was our Putnam rejoiced at the appearance of a brother Mason! Though a stranger, of another country and language, yet he discovered Putnam flew to his relief; he quenched the was a brother. Swift as lightning he

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