American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-10-25

the country: Both were patriotic and vlrtuous men
and neither would have encouraged an INSTITUTION
hostile to morality, religion, good order and IN
public welfare. -
Washington became at an early period OF his lii
free mason, and publicly as we'll as privately ~
invariably evinced the utmost attachment 70 u. II
answer to . complimentary address, when Preslden
of the u. States, from the master wardens an,
brethren of King David's lodge in Rhode Island
he had no hesitation in saying, Being persuaded
that just application of the principles on whlcl
the masonic fraternity is founded, must be promo
tive OF private virtue and public prosperity shall
always be happy to advance the interest OF the soeie
", and TO be considered by them as deserving
brother" And in reply 10 the grand lodge o
Massachusetts, he explicitly declares, that th
milder virtues of the heart are highly respected b.
a society whose liberal principles are founded on lh
immutabe laws Of truth and justice. 0 enlarge
continued he, the sphere OF social happiness J
worthy the benevolent design Of masonic nslliu
tion and il is most icrven,ly to be wished that tn
conduct Of every member Of the fraternity, as wei
as those publications that discover the principle
which actuate them, may tend TO convince mankind
that the great object OF masonry Is to promote I'M
happiness OF the human race"
! Free masonry owes its introduction into Pennsyl
vania to BENJAMIN Franklin; the Gath June
1884. a warrant was granted by the grand lodge 0
Massachusetts, Tor holding lodge in Philadelphia
and appointing him the FIRST master.-He cultivated
masonry with great zeal, and his Partially suffered
no dimunition during his long and ustrious life
Laayet,e-thc good Lafayette, the patriot OF botl
hemispheres, was always the devoted friend OF fret
masonry: He saw in il constellation OF virtues
and wherever he went he took every opportunity o
demonstrating his attachment and ofexpressing m
generation. His countenance has done much good
and has impaired to it no inconsideraole portion o
his immense and deserved popularity Free ma
sonry like al, other instructions has its days OF pros
petity and adversy-its seasons OF REVEALS and dc
pressions-and it IS believed that when Lafayette
leli this country had never attained greater ali
ude Of usefulness and general regard.
After these ustrious wi.nesse. in favor OF onI
fraternity let not the dissensions which sometimes
prevail the vicious conduct Of some Of its mem
bers and the preyerslons Of The institution be ad
duced as proofs of its intrinsic vices.-Although il
has received the countenance ct the good and the
wise of all ages let il be understood that the char
acer OF institution does not necessarily form The
conduct Of lis members. Good societies may con
ain unworthy members, and bad societies may en-
rol good men among their members. Christianity
is often degraded BY proiigae professors. and the
heather religion has had Socrates, an Aristdes
and Cato
Ii cannot te expected tina: in any society there
Will uE pSIlSIk sSNpld aiiu "
Of tastes, and OF morals Hence, differences will
sometimes arise, and if conducted with good tenn
cr and canaonr, will rarely expand into violent
convulsans Wolves will sometimes ntrude into
HE flock and Sad men, under The cloak Of goodness
will frequently insinuale themselves into the mos
excellent associations.
For neither man no. angel can discern
Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks
Invisible except to God alone,
By his permsssc will through heaven and earth,
And Oft though wisdom wakes suspicion sleeps
81 stsdon,s gate, and TO simplicity
Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no Ill.
Where no i'll seeihs.-
In all associations Of men, there are pFeurbed and
uneasy spirits, who scatter discord and whom nc
command can rule counsel teach anG Who
like t,Ie tabled Enceladus create disturbance and
conyulson wherever they move. It's no easy task
10 withstand the Of hypocrites and the acts Of in
cendiaries If our society has suffered, under such
influences, l, participates in the tate Of all assem-
blies Of men; and the euds which sometimes di.
tract its tranquility. often the offspring OF vel
meaning and overweanins zeal, IS OF peryerse anc
evil designs.
That free masonry is sometimes perverted anc
applied to the acquisition Of political ascendancy
OF unmerited charity and 10 conyiyal excess cannot
Dc dlspu,ed but this is not the fault Of the nstitu
tion. fur il inculca,es an entire exemption from pc
hiical and religious controversy II enforces The
virtues 81 industry and temperance, and prescribe:
all attempts 10 crafty ambition ana cupldy or L
exceed the bounds OF temperance in conyival en-
Ioymsn,s, under lis shade or through its insirumen
taiy In lifting The mind ABOVE the dungeon OF the
bods, ]. yenera,es the grateful odour OF plain ant
modes, virtue, and pa,ronises those endowment.
which elevate the human character and adapt it Il
he high enIosmrn,s Of another and better world
\ Free masonry ha. hourshed exceedingly 10 III,
United States, and especially in this State Ini-Sl
> grand lnage was established 10 the city OF New
York, nnder charter from the grand lodge Of En-
siand y few years afterwards an independent gran;
odgr was nsii'uted and there are now in the State
near tive hundted lodges, and more than 600 chap
is,s. Owing % causes which am unable 10 explain
end q which have had no participation. two gram