The present General Aaron Ward, of Sing Sing.

238 HISTORY OF THE

and then gathered like a shock of corn ripe for the harvest. It might be asked, if insensible dust and ashes can be benefitted by monumental honors ? No I But it is the duty of the living to make and preserve memorials of the virtuous and distinguished dead ; for these memorials contain lessons of instruction that are constantly before our eyes.

The man to whose memory we are now erecting a tomb stone, was one of us, a citizen of Westchester county ; his name requires no lineal honors, no armorial bearings, to make it dear and precious with us. We knew him and that was sufficient, but for those who did not know him personally, (for his circle of acquaintance was not a large one,) we put his fame on his character as a patriot, and it gives me pleasure to state that he lived and died a christian. For his patriotism, it is enough to say, that Isaac van Wart was one of the captors of Andre. For proofs of his exemplary life, and for his firm belief in our holy religion, to you my friends I appeal as witnesses. Some of you have known him in the noonday and evening of life, have heard him breathe the patriot's prayer, " 0 God save my country," have seen his practical examples of virtuous conduct, his piety, his devotion, and his humble submission to the will of Heaven.