Newspapers / Masonic Journal (Greensboro, N.C.) / April 7, 1876, edition 1 / Page 2
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V ■ If ««;&' jf'J s'! , \ ili'jf: ••If■ I -=;i#-; l:)i#: ■^iKi ;Jr'»;', W- '■ ,| , ':.- it ri: 1:^: .'.y^ '■rV:* -f' .>iiiif'i ■■■i if fsi .S: W^/ THK MASONIC JOURNAL The Spirit of Masonry. A BALLAD. When Sol with grave motion had plunged in the ocean^ And Twilight liung over the border oi' day,‘ A splend'd r;‘fleclion, with downward direc t'oo, Stole softly t .e senses of moitals away. My thought^ werf‘ suspended, as darkness de- >c nded, AVith ni'/ht’s ample canopv widely unfurl- ed, In solemn procession, the mists in succes sion, Bade twilight in silence retire from the world I saw in sw'eet slumber, a beautiful crea- tme, BepV te with electrical transporting glee ; With rapture 1 trembL’d—I rlionght i ere- seinhled Some beautiful angel of humanity. As far as I view^ed liim my tancy pursued Ifm, His stutioo was lofty, and noble his mind ; He walked so discreetly, fullllling complete- 'y Tbe precepts of r-ature which wisdom eii joii.ed. My fancy, it caught him, home with me it brrmght him. And in my own bo-orn I bound it with ca;e Kor woul 1 I unloose him, for in his s >ft bosom I saw tli-‘ best image tfiat mortal can wear. I thought he said to me “In vain you pursue me, While on the swift wings of faT science I soar, But if you will hasten, become a Freema son. No bond of sweet Friendship so lasting and strong. There's one thing ’tis certain, is truly divert- in The keeping a secret of union so long, There’s no combin ition so firm as Freema son, No bon 1 ofsw:*et friendship so lasting and s’.rt .ng. The world may keep gazing their senses amazing, And rack t eir invention to rtnd out the f)lan ; Fct we'll tr -at them with me ^knessand pity their weakn so. And pro\e that a Mason’s a vir:uous man. Old time may keep beating, his cycL s in- cr asiivi-, And w^e..r out his wings in a region of years; But Wisdom and Beauty s!ia!l teach us our duty ’Till our Worshipful Master in glory ap- appears. —Anonymous. The Mystic Mill. OR, WHERE JOSEPH A. RITNER OOT HIS VOTES BY JEFFERSON. Away up above Red Stone Old Forf., now called Brownsville, fifty years ago, there stood on the banks of the Red Stone creak, what wa,s known as the Sharpless paper mill, a targe ohUblishment for the times, and one that wielded a wide influ ence over the surrounding country, fi nancially and politically. It was at this mill that most of the paper was made for the presses of all that part of the Key • stone state, consequently nearly every publish., r of a newspaper in the country was a debtor to the Sharp!ess paper mill. The location of the establishment was in a deep and dark ravine, which made the channel of the old Red Stone creek, and always bore the appearance of an isolated and dreary locality. On the hillsides and near the mill stood a num ber of tenements occupied by the employ ees, while the better-off p’oprietors lived in one a little more spacious tban the rest, but after all not much better. The mill stood there without any ve>y particular pretensions, and yet it was the center power of the Ian.1 in newspaper influence, and in all general elections. The overwhelming majorities of Gen eral Jackson in the great campaign of 13^8 had silenced and totally discourag ed the Adams m nority, so that but few had even a threadbare hope of any sort of a future political revival. The ava lanche had swept everything before ity and (be opposition wisely concluded that they must fight some one else besides Gen. Jack.sou if victory ever perched up on their banners. Every German in tbe land was a Jackson man, and they al ways made the majoritv. The political situation was wholly one sided, and the foitiines of the minority were utterly hopeless. Not long after the dust and confusion of the election of Jackson had passed away, an old German by the name of BaN singer visited the mill to chat away an hour and to learn what wa.s going on in the world of politio.s. Balsinger was a strong friend of Sharpiess, the proprietor of the mill, notwithstanding they had al ways differed politically. Oil the table of the office lay a pile of newspapers, just biought in by the mail, whioli was carrieil on horseback and de livered once a week. This made Friday —the mail day—of some greater note than any other day in the week, e pee ially among those who oared much about the news. Sharpless had been looking ovei the papers and had ju.st been reading a v.srv succino and minute account of the “hor rible murder of Wil iam Morgan of New York State, by the Freemasons,’' and hunting uptbe paper he read itail over for the enlightenment of Balsinger who sat in stolid silence, listening to the bloody story with as much interest as it it had all been endorsed from the Broth erhood. When Sharpless had finished the ter ribly told story, B.ilsinger drew a heavy sigh and said : “Datispad pisiness for de Mazons. Mei.ster Sharple.ss, and dey vill have to bay pig monies for it before dey die, yit.” “Yes, Balsinger, I believe they will, my,self," said Sharpless, as he folded up the paper again and laid it carefully away in his desk, with the purpose of read’iig it to others. “Boor man, dat Morgan,” exclaimed Balsinger, “to bo kilt dat way yust be- kase he would not keep dair vicked se- grets.” “It is horrible, horrible,” responded Sharj.less, “and every Ma.ioti in the coun try ought to abandon the society at once. It ought not to exist an hour in a free country like this ” ‘ Dat ish right,” said the honest Ger man, “dat ish jest vat should gome of de society vat kills and murters its own members, and all de heoples should hro- louncethe same sentence right awav now.” “They will, they will, I have no doubt of it,” chimed in Sharpless with deep feeling, for he hated the victorious party which had placed Jack.soii in power, and as drowning men catch at straws, be was willing, as were many others in the dire emergency, to ride any hobby-horse that would carry them to power. This paper mill, obscure as its location Was, became in a few years a powerful anti Masonic magazine. It made the pa per for the journai.s of this kith through all Western Pennsylvania. The fires of fanaticism were soon kindled, east and west, an anti Masonic pa-ty was organic ed. and Joseph A. Ritner of Washingtou county, was selected as their candidate for Governor of the State. To rouse the people, and especi illy the Gi rmans, whose votes ruled the elections, the Sharpless paper mill run a strong force and turned out paper by the thous and bundles, taking notes for the pay, and the whole State was flooded with the horrible hobgoblin stories of the wicked milrdef of William Morgan and there was only one ofhim after all and yet t ie people grew so superstitious and be come so excited that they looked upori the Lodge rooms of the Craft everywhere as dene of iniquity, hot beds of conspi racy, where plots were continiiallv going on to defeat the oouris of justice, to oVer ride the rights of the people an 1 to de stroy the lihei'tie.s of the Govenimeut, Men. women and children read the pa pers, they read Morgan, and Bernard, and Allyn, and they hurrahed for Ritner, and cried-'dow. with the Morgan-kill ers,” until tbe .storm turned to a politi cal hurricane and swept all before it. Dunng the co-itest they tried hard to find the ho !y ol Morgan, and at one ritile they thought they had siioceedeil, hut a woman claimed the body which thev liad fi.shed up from the bottom of tbe Niagara river as the bod-j of her own hu.«band, h-it thev denied her testimony and sail the body would at Ic.i.st aii.swer for pooi William Morgan until aftt-r the election. So it did, and thoiisand.s went to tbe polls and voted for Ritner, believing that the body hail been fonn-1, and i hat the Ma sonic murder had heenfunv proved. When the news came on Friday to the old Sharple.ss paper mill that Jase[ih A. Ritner had been elected Governor of the State of Penn-sylvania on the ,anti-Ma ■sonic ticket, there wa.s great joy in the camp of Israel. Siiaiple.ss was glad he- i-ause he knew he would get the cash for sll the paper he had sold out on cred.t. and Balsinger was happy because he had been elected on the same ticket to the Legislature, and men, women and chil d'en were all exii. erant because "tlieii- side had beat,’’ an-l the ghost of William Morgan bad been fully vindicated. Twenty-five years after this wonderful campaign we passed through this far lam ed battleground, and we found that al most every village ha-1 a Masonic Lodge in full tide of successful operation, and the best men of the country constituted the membership. With many of them •he Morgan crusade was unrememhered. They were too young to kuo-w anything of it, save by tradition The dark cloud of ignorance and per.=ecution had passed away and the kght was shining from the East with its wonted splendor, while the men who rode the anIi-M isonic hobhv were nearly all in their graves. It is thus with all men who fight tbe ancient Craft.—they die, hut Masonry still lives. Its life story is coeval «itii our race, as its work of charity can only end with time.—jjfosonic Adoocate. Origin of “He has an Axe to Grind.” We owe more of our cominou sayings and pithy proverbs to Dr. Fra klin than many jf us think or know. We say of one who flatters or serves us for the sake of some secret, selfish gain or favor, "he has an axe to grind.” In the doctor's “Memoirs” is the followir.g story (much after the manner of the “whistle story’’) which explains the origin of the phrase : Franklin says: When I was a little boy, I remember, one cold winter morn'- ing, I was accosted by a smiling man with an axe on his shoulder. “My pretty boy,” said he, "has your father a grindstone?” "Yes sir,” said I. “Y-'U are a fine little fallow,” said he "Will you let ms grind my axe on it?” Pleased with the compliment of “a fine little fellow, ” 0, yes, sir,” I answered ; “it is down in the show.” "And will you, my man,” said he pat- ting me on the head, "get me a little hot water? ’ How could I refuse? Iran and aoon brought a kettle full. . "How old are you and what’s youf name?” couiiuued be with,an wait' for a reply. '•Pm sure you’re one of t'h, finest lails I have ever seen ’Will , * ’’ you turn a tew miriute.s for me Tickled with the flattery like a fool I went to work, and bitterly did I nie the day. It. Wa.s a new axe, and I toiled and tugged fill I Was almost tired to death Tbe school bell tang, and I could uotgrf away. .My hail-Is were hli.slered, ami jj was not half groiiiiil. At length, hot?, ever, the axe was sharpened, and the mas turned to me with,—- ‘•Now, you little rascal, you’ve plaved tbe truant ; Scud to .school or you 11 gej it.'’ Alas! thoiiglit I, it was haid enoug’t to turn It grindstone this cold day, hut now to he c-allfi! a little rascal, was too miiL-h. It sunk deep in my miml and often have I thought of it since. When I see a luen-hant over [lolite to hi.s ciisto- iners, hedging them to take a little bran dy, and throw trig hi.s goods on the coun- tei, thinks I, that in.in has an aie to griii'i. When I see a man flattering the pro- pie, making great profe.ssions of aUach- inent to liberty and prating loinlly about economy, -whoijsin private a tyrant, me- tliinks. look oilf, goo-f people, tliatfellov would see yon turning a grindstone. When I see a man hoisted into oice by party spiirit, without a si.igle qiiaiiS. cation to render him either respectabls or n.sefiil, alas ! methinks, deluded peo* pie, you are doomed fora season to turn the grindstone for a boohv. Destruction of Property by Insects. —Prof- C. V. Riley asserts that in )8"4 the Southern States lost ^20,000.000 by the cotton worm in a single week; ibatin 1871 $80,000,000 worth of grain WM ruined tiv the ch iich bug: andthatin 1873, 1874 and 1876 the Rocky Moitn- lain grass hopper destroyed lood to the amouiil of $50,0o0,000. Bringing in ov- idence the attention paid by the French Government to the sMidv of tbe phylloi- era P'-of. Riley states that they hate offered a price of 300 000 francs for the discovery of a remedy, and are construct ing a canal capable of irrigating 60,000 acres of vine, helievitie tnat water will kill the phylloxera. The attention of our Government having been drawn to ward these insect pests. Prof. Riley ad vocates that a commission, extendi-ig over a period of five years, be empowered hj Congress to study these subjects, as he de clares that in le.ss than that time it would he impos.«ihle to discover tbe origin or habit of many of the insects, or deviie methods for their destruction. Glass Houses.—A very spunky young lady—not in Newberry—writeiae follows, and as the cap does not fit any one in this editorial depiartment, we have no objection to g-ve her animated viewf to the reader: "Those editors who are decrying the ‘pull-back’ skirt, and seeking to bring ridicule on the fair sex, would do well to look at home and mend their own foolish ness. They should stop coloring their whiskers padding their shoulders, wear ing box toed shoes, and eating olovee for the—toothache (?). Let them hack’ on some of their shortcomings first, before they read the ladies fearful let- turfs on what is evidently a good one. Newberry Herald. Tne New Masonic Temple, at India'- apolis, Indiana, was opened on March 29th, ult,. to the public, for the first time, the occasion being a Grand Concert, pre faced by an opening addresi from IR"- J. W. Gordon.
Masonic Journal (Greensboro, N.C.)
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April 7, 1876, edition 1
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