Leander Ker

“ The endless tide of public opinion rolls ceaselessly on, and each wave is swallowed up, by the succeeding. And what though that ocean, at times looks stormy rough and angry, and threatens destruction to all upon it: it is but the effervescence of our young, vigorous and healthy, American spirit, that sparkles, flashes, explodes and dies—the mere foam upon the surface while underneath, lies the pure, clear, deep fountain of sober thought, and vigorous intellect, with moral excellence, that, in the hour of our country’s extremity, will supply every needed aid. ”

“ But how wisely has God, who alone sees the end from the beginning, arranged all things, and rules and directs all events; making the physical arrangements of the world to harmonize with its moral contingencies and necessities. What so fortunate as the discovery of America, at the very time it was discovered!—and how well it suited the state of things in Europe, and met the circumstances and necessities of the times! And what so fortunate for the safety, progress and development of liberty, as the remote locality in which God placed this continent from the seat of all oppression and despotism! ”

“ Ever and anon, from out of the midst of that gross darkness, which envelopes the world, has broke, a lone, but brilliant and beaming star, whose twinkling light shone for a moment over the dark and dreary wastes below, revealing the horrors, which that darkness concealed, and then retired to its place among its sister stars. Ever and anon, has some ray of light, though few and far between, from the fountain of truth, swept across the great valley of the shadow of death, but soon retired, as if overwhelmed at the awful and hopeless scene, revealed to its light. ”

“ As soon will the sun roll his chariot back to the chambers of the morning in obedience to your mandate; and the wild turmoil of ocean—lashed into the utmost fury and wrath, sink into silence and repose at your bidding; or you might as well command the flashing lightening to slumber in the dark bosom of the thunder cloud as it rolls in darkning grandeur along the skies and shrouds in its sable robes the glories of the summer landscape, as arrest now the progress of liberty. She is going forth conquering and to conquer, nor will she halt until tyranny is driven from its last abode on earth. ”

“ Japheth was, by the conditions of that blessing, made superior to Shem—and that superiority he does and ever will retain. Japheth has the start of Shem, and he will keep it; and Shem has the start of Ham, and he will keep that too. And so it is with all the divisions and sub-divisions of the three great families of man.
Society in all ages and nations resembles a snake with its head and tail: the tail may now be where the head was—but the head is still as far in advance of the tail, as at the beginning; nor can the tail ever overtake the head. And just so is it with the fabric of society. ”

“ And to illustrate and enforce this great truth, let me refer you to the Bible—the Mason’s chart and guide; who, of all the sinful race of a fallen world, would have loved God, if He had not first loved us.
And now, brethren, may the Hall we dedicate to-day, be, while it stands, exclusively sacred and devoted to these great principles of charity,—brotherly kindness and truth. These are the pillars of Masonry, of christianity, and of the universe. Let no bigotry enter here. Let no sectionalism, political or religious, disturb the peaceful sanctity of your Hall. ”

“ Christianity has not only brought “life and immortality to light”; it has also brought liberty to light; as well as every thing else that is essential to the improvement, happiness and exaltation of our nature in time and eternity. Liberty as well as immortality, is not the creation of Christianity—much less the invention of men. It has a higher and holier origin, as well as a nobler mission to our world than to be a device, and prostituted instrument in the hands of selfish demagogues to serve their infamous purposes, at the sacrifice of honor, honesty and truth. ”

“ Our continent is not sufficiently large and wide a field for the development, display and exercise of the Anglo-Saxon, or rather the Anglo-American mind, talents and energies: the world is that field; the entire globe, the ocean and its isles, is the field worthy of that mind which is making its power and influence felt upon the condition and character of the age. What a mission is ours! ”

“ To injure or destroy us a nation;
They may plunder, rob and burn,
And cause our land to mourn,
But they shant have our happy land of Canaan:
Oh! no! no! no!—ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
To them the day of Vengeance is a coming,
We will never mind the weather—no,
For let it rain, or snow,
We will die for our happy land of Canaan.
With our Johnstons and McGruders,
Of the Ship of State the rudders;
And with Beauregard to drive them to perdition,
With our Longstreets and our Lees,
We can flog them at our ease,
And will drive them from our happy land of Canaan.
And oh! ho! ho!—ha! ha! ha! ha! ”

“ He sees no truth but in the single department, in which he moves and lives; and he has no sympathy of heart, no communion of mind, no fellowship of soul with any, save those, only, who live and move with himself. And thus he creates discord where peace would reign—creates division where unity would dwell, and as a final result sets man against man, and nation against nation, to propagate his epitome of truth by the sword, and consume by fire, all that he calls error, though it may be all truth. ”

“ That morbid and sentimental philanthropy which, at a distance, and in imagination, contemplates the difference between the slave and his master, may soon turn its compassionate eye to more proximate inequalities of life, rank and riches, and demand that the millionaries and others of less fortunes, divide with the children of poverty and want: insisting that as “all men are born free and equal,” itis no more than right, and the will of God, that they also live free and equal. And it would be quite as just and reasonable to make that a religious and political question as abolitionism. ”

“ We must meet our destiny, and our high calling as a people. Truth calls, humanity calls, the nations of the earth, that see the star of Liberty rising higher and higher and growing brighter and brighter in the western world, call upon us, as they begin to feel its vivifying light and warmth, to preserve its brilliancy that they may find their way out of the darkness of despotism and walk in its light, and repose beneath its smiles. ”

“ The true meaning of the original, is a guide, a counsellor to man, that is, by her love and devotion, her gentleness and virtue, she should cheer, guide and counsel him. But when woman forsakes and forgets these; when in her ambition for a higher position, she looks upon this station, and these qualities and duties, as unworthy her, and her “strong mind”, then she loses all that power and influence that charm and captivate heart, mind and soul; that rainbow of heavenly purity and divinity that like an arch of faith, hope and love enshrines every good and lovely woman. ”

“ And what distinguishes us as a nation, in this work of regeneration, from all the nations that have preceded us, is not the sword or physical power and force; but the mild, pacific and gentle spirit of liberty and our institutions; a mighty moral and political influence emanating from us invisibly, and which, like light, will penetrate to the utmost limits of the earth, becoming both visible and tangible in the great and beneficent results produced. ”

“ But, as a single drop of water may contain, within itself, all the elements and materials, out of which Omnipotence can create and replenish a world, so a single century may give birth to men and events, that will change the political and moral character of the world; which, giving life and being to a train of principles, whose operations and extension will tell, loudly and deeply, upon each succeeding generation; and whose consummated work of grandeur, wisdom and goodness will be read, only in the last, the brightest and the best pages of time’s recorded history. ”

“ This is the finale of all voluntary associations which have for their avowed objects the care and improvement of men. And looking at the practical operations of them, as they unroll themselves to view—; looking at the disorder and confusion in all; the gross follies—excesses and absurdities of others—and the multiplication of new ones—, in which liberty is either unknown—or has degenerated into unbounded licentiousness, while religion is but a mask to cover the most atrocious deeds, looking at all these things, a weeping philosopher might smile, and a smiling philosopher might weep. ”

“ Indeed, that very sphere is the very seat and throne of your power and influence for good. It is from that pure and virtuous station, woman’s sphere of life and action, that a refining, and harmonizing, and moralizing influence, goes forth over the earth, to refine, and soften and elevate man, who, but for that influence, would become rude, wild and savage. And as before stated, next to christianity is your sex indebted to Masonry for support, protection, and to that high position of honor, esteem and respect, to which the sex, in all christian and Masonic countries, have attained. ”

“ We are not the propagandists of Masonry, we compare neither sea nor land, to make a proselyte; but we are the propagandists of all truth. We boast not of our Institution, of its high antiquity, or of its spirit and deeds of benevolence, or of its illustrious names, whose deeds and fame is the patrimony of her sons; we call upon the world, and its enemies, to look at this unity and harmony, in all ill parts, and among all her sons; this unity in diversity, and harmony in variety. ”

“ We know—for such is the history of our race—that men have violated every precept in the Christian religion, and all for religion; and every principle of humanity, for humanity: and that the demon of malignity on the altar of benevolence, has ever held his richest and sweetest banquets: and we know also, that even honesty and conscience, when not guided by truth and knowledge, are as terrible and desolating in their career, as the worst passions of the human heart. ”

“ Oh how feeble and incompetent the sagacity of the statesman, and the wisdom of the politician to measure and estimate the future and ultimate results of Liberty, which is now just beginning to alarm the nations and “shake terribly the earth” And who does not feel the conviction growing stronger and deeper, that God has chosen the American nation as his agent to confer the last and greatest of blessings upon the world? God has ever pursued this course, of employing men and nations to execute his purposes of mercy and love and the contrary, and why not do so still? ”

“ Such in our world has been its reception; such its treatment, and such its vitality and power.—Crushed in one age, it appears in the next; banished from one country, it rises up in another; confined in dungeons and loaded with chains, burnt at the stake and beheaded on the scaffold, and when its destruction has been proclaimed, and its enemies exulting in the conviction, that truth will trouble them no more, of a sudden it appears in their midst, shaking its gory locks, the axe, the chains and the faggot, at its destroyers and its foes. ”

“ And who can tell why the progress of Liberty, dear to heaven as Christianity, should have been so slow among the nations of the earth? The causes of all these things which perplex the good and confound the wise, are alike hid, from the knowledge of angels and of men, wrapt up in the inscrutible councils of Him, whose thoughts are not our thoughts—and who giveth no account of himself to his servants. What a field for reflection is here! but man was made for action as well as reflection—and it is wisdom to act where reflection is useless and vain. ”