The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-02-27

worldly THINGS the instability OF wealth and power and the
certain decay of all earthly greatness How effectively do
| they impress upon our hearts, that
IT'S not in empty or in vain delights,
Nor in the fading echoes of renown,
Powers purple robe or pleasures fowery lap
that should seek enjoyment. For what all these
things last What they here, where gded vanity
make display. and squad misery need not hide its
head Can the charms of beauty resist the progress of de-
cay? Can the rich his wealth to the grave. the
| ambitious WELD his power beyond the tomb!
Can honor's voice awake the silent dust
Or f1atery sOOthe the dull, cold ear OF death ?'
No! Here all distinctions cease The king and the beesar
last but Wondering clay. What lesson human
pride But why should man be proud What is the earth
which he inhabts but point In spacswha he himself but
ephemeon in duration The busy ant the moe-hll,
the sluggish insect the cabbage leaf the CANDY butterfly
that utters instant in the light, and then more
great compared with this vast universe The mghest
and the proudes who treads with naughty and mper-
among those who around and fawn before him
He may deem himself god. and he is but dust Let him
here and learn lesson of humiy-ean how little
and how much less he will be- But if his mind be
shut to wisdom and his heart still open to instruction. he
learns TO be humble let him learn to hope The grave
the end-deah not humiliation. However Insignificant
in the scale of being be- he is still under the
of Him to whom the initiate and the nnssimal alike
WHO with equal eye, as God of all,
A hero perish ard sparrow fall,
Atoms systems in ruin hurled
And now a bubble burst, and now world
And He the great creator and would not have
lighted the promethean spark within let gimmer
and then be quenched in eternal night He would
not have planted 10 minds the love of the sublime the
beautiful and the true the iradcabe hope of immortality
and the ardent yearnng after the mysterious and the
known, had we been intended merely pass few days
the earth and then to live He would thus have
Knocked his The the end of earthly
but is end When yonder shall sink
beneath the horizon he will be by eyes, yet
will not his usire be dmmed-he will be shorn of BEAM
robbed of no ray of glory but through bound
finn IN hyiob
So with the soul of MANTLE grave will shut its from
view, but it will not die The dark valley of the
shadow of death must be travered but it terminates
the portals of endless day. And the spirit of man. dsbu
dened fom the clogs of eahreleased from the dominion
of the animal appetites and passions
Shall flourish in eternal youth,
Unhurt amid the of elements
The wreck OF matter and the crush of worlds ~
scanning the workings of Almighty power participating in
the councils of divine wisdom and basknp forever in the
smiles of bOundless and ineffable love.
Brothers in view of our certain fate here and of the bright
and hopeful hereafter with what devotion should uphold
the holy principles of Order These teach to depise
the vanties and seshne of the wod-to look beyond
wealth. its power its titles its paise-teach but
little what of or how may be regarded
by our fellow worms-but to practice the virtues Oftenper
prudence honor and benevoenceto 60 about in the
highways and byways. in the hooks and of the
earth doing good for the sake of good seeking reward Of
men, but finding in the improvement of our own hearts
and in the bright hope of the which laying
for ourselves in another and better world Let us never
forget to practice the lessons which have been taught
Let show that worthy members of this great
brotherhood by relieving Distress sharing wo dy goods
with the destitute, smoothing the pillow and cooling the
eversh brow of sickness and finally when all else has been
DONE by burying deceny and respectfully. the dead.
Brothers, neither patience will permit
long discourse. 1t is enough for have recalled to
minds occasion like this. the principles and the
duties of our beloved Order 1t aims establish Friendship
Love- and Truth and to do this by the workings of Faith
Hope, and Charity
In our hearts enstrined and cherished,
May these feelings ever bloom.
Failing not when life has persisted,
Living still beyond the tomb.
The Grafton was listened to throughout with
much attention, and evidently created profound
impression on The assembage. Bro Lafue having
concluded, Bro. G. w. Christy came forward and
recited the following
POEM:
DELIVERED BY BROTHER GEO. w. CHR1sry.
". G. Of " Crescent Lodge No. g."
The solitude of Nature reigns around
Sweet Echo sleeps within these shades profound,
No broken strain, no hum from active life,
Recalls ambition and its endless STRIFE
But. all alone, with Nature and her God,
In humble prayer. we consecrate this sod
The mOurnful Cypress with its outstretched arms
The moss grown Oak wreathd with hoary charms
Like Sponsors stand: and deeper shadows SPREAD
Whilst thus found this =" City of the Dead
Oh fitting time; BETTING place indeed.
To scan the past, and Lfe's sad hist'ry read.
The curse of Adam, and fallen race
On every page our eager gances trace
And, close the Book, with trembling BREATH
| We sigh to think, Mans history is Death!
| First, mark the course of wild, impetuous Youth,
| All hope, all joy, all eloquence, all TRUTH
| Like billowng waves succeeding visions RISE
| Heaven beyond. and Earth Paradise.
| Sweet fancies, like the breath of early Spring,
| Unnumbered hamonies around him fling
| And ere the soul yet feels her steady aim,
Dream carves Renown upon the heights of Fame:
| No doubt intrudes when aspirations SWELL
! No hopes betrayed their disappointment tell
But, like the train of madens round bride,
Fair angel forms at his side:
Love whispers with her soft imprisoned tone,
| And w0oing wins, to wear him as her own;
Each bashful art but half conceals her chain,
Whose golden links whilst yielding. still restrain;
| And Friendship, poised in attitude of grief
With silent tears claims generous relief
Whilst untold purposes, to noble end
Sweep through the soul, and lingering swsey blend
Success and triumph with each vision fair,
| Which painted life joy without its care
| How changed each scene. The evanescent dream,
Like gltteung sunlight from the summer stream
Hath pass'd away the visions of an hour
Have faded with the freshness of the Gower
Hope yields to doubt and Ter the trembling soul
Dark fantasies like tfbubed waters roll
Lot Manhood next appears upon the stage
| Connecting link 'twixt Youth and feeble Age
Full.amed for strife and panopied in PRIDE
| Stern energies enlisted at his side
| And Godike Action bannering the way,
He stands warrior, impatient of delay
| Now plies the ready hand each thrftfuI art
Now tolls the dizzy brain 10 play its part,
| Till Wealth, accommodating centres power
And pompous Pride plays Nabob for the hour.
The midnight taper marks the Students toll
Whose fame grows brighter with the waning oil.
And DER the field where outraged Mercy strays
The Hero rushes to his need of praise.
The wayward Poet wakes his tunefu Tyre
To notes of scofn, or Loves more soft desire.
The Statesman bordering, knits his shaggy brow
As plant Srcophancy makes its bow.
And gifted Eloquence, sweet child of song,
With Wild enpassioned bursts, enslaves the throng
Vain efforts ALL The onward course of Time
But proves each struggle idle as this rhyme.
And Manhood turns from each ambitious aim
- To weep in solitude, the emptiness Of Fame,