The Arkansas banner., 1847-07-05

meets annshef, wheshvr amidst lhs iey mo,.. saIns of GreenIand, beneath the ba1inv s". ss ot Afrieas in tire dreary wiids ~ ssbev,. - |.
 n the polished esnamaaiaies of Earen. \. recognizes him by eonunsoa iameuass. .si tiads .rassy lFismd and brother.
 In our own country, masonry Is a haEmo- nszine sasaiin.ioR. Lake golden cAai. !, connects and binds together in caa hnrws. nous association, men of every pOifieal Ae. ton aud religious sect IL is a sacred rssre., where the hoaFae vaice of strifs is suhiusd anu sottened into the sweet tomss sf fsiend. ship where men of all parties and op;nsosa meet around common altar, and earre;.. toward each other the kinilies Ieellnas of ,he haman hearts
 There is another beanEigal feature h ma. sorry t is . IereiTng inssisusioa. When -snan enters her Temple, he leaves at the a,u,. n aa eld lsnhes bar, al hia wealth, AsnaEs and offices, and in these respects takcu hi. stand upon ieUel with mon of every con- dssions station and calling aud has to depena solely upon tile sqnaliticaGions of his isad and kcafs for ihe responsibility which is sc. eesded to him by the Fraternity! This ad. nirable feature af the syssen is founded in great wisdom, berAuse in the selfisA vorla. where men receive popalar applaass, and tAs caresses.of iawning syeophants on account of their wealth or station. is too oflen happens that the moment an unincky msn af iossanne's wheel sweeps these advantages away, tieR false friends and admirers iy from them ,s tpllafes from wasted cafcass, and Isass -tAem to sink into obscurity, oe bufIes alone the pillows of misfortanel But masonry. estimating man by his personal merits, So long as he Is faithful and true, extends tho hand of friendship to him, and when the clouds of diversity lower most darkty over him, she stands the closer by his side and supports hi,p in his trials.
 Years sgo- in my ss.ative Ssase, | knew man of genius, station and fortune. He vas mason, His liberal hand was open to the poor. and peanry and want found plenty st his board The Eay. the proud. the aspiring and the great crowded to his ample hail, re- veled upon his stores, aad with oily tongues poured aat,ery in his earl Years paassd away. His wealth, honors. faithlsss friends had Howa, another occupied his hall, and gathered hsrvesasf from his fields With wasted health, and broken spisits hs had retired with his family to aa shscurs cottage, and the angratefui world had soon forgotten him There wore, however, by his side two faithful friends--his srife and brother master masoR, who administered io all his wants, and endeayored to revive hb hopes and call him back to life. But be died. The Fraternity moarnfulIy gathered about hias, bore his body to its long home, and while they moissened his tomb with tears, they deposited the evergreen as an sm- blem of their faith that one day the light ef immortality would break into the grave, and call the sleeping brother to the Sublime Lodge above
 His widow bowed her head like tender plant bruised and e,ashed by the mercilsss' foot of tue storm.--bus as the plant lifts its head, enfolds its dropping leaves, and puts forth buds and flowers under the genial inaa. enee of the sun, as 1t beams from the pass ing cloud when the tempest is gona, so shs kindly offices of masonry healed the broken heart, and reanimated the k1Pss oif the sor. rowing one; sud this day she is living viI- mess to the benevoleace of our Order