The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-24 00:00:00

FREEMASONRY AND THE WAR

The present war has been prolific in illustrations of the
vette of Freemasonry in dangerous emergencies, and the
anecdotes are endless of the lives saved by its means. Amino,
the cartloads of wounded of bath nations which :Arrived at
Toasters from Sedan the other day, were two men whose
consideration for each other was so marked as to occasion
inquiry. They wore the Prussian and the French uniform
respectively, and though neither could undo stand as word
of the other's language they shared their rations. and
seemed to he interehanging signals of acuity all day lang.
Their story was a very simple one. The Prussian, vii, it an
racer, and 11111811 of thirAy-ftve or no, with a atern guava
face, and a heavy overhanging mouAtacSe, had met the
Frenchman, who is at least a dozen year. his Junior,
on the battle-2i eld, the letter being supported by In
couple of comrades. Twice did the wave of conflict
leing these men in contact, and en the last occasion the
Prussian, who was himself badly wounded in the chest
pressed the young Frenchman hard, goal had indeed hi;
sword uplifted to sdininisfer the my de grace, when the
latter, who was faint from loss of blood, made a tristy
sign to hls victor which caused the latter to stay his here.
Parley was Impossible, both from the e'Sgencles of lan-
guage and the turmoil of tattle; and besides, both men
lost conseiousuess and fell at each other'a aide. IL turned
out that the young Frenchman had been made a horn-
mason a few mouths (fro the outhreak of the war,
and that Ile had Instinctively male the sign by
means of which meneta-rs of the fraternity are taught to
ask their brethren for help, The I.:us:ilia was an old
mason who rccogn sod it hattntly sod who as 'embus-
lively canted, and hcfore there was time for collet:terms
lion both men fainted soap. When consciousness was re-
stored, they found themselves side lay side and with the dead
and dying round them By a strange coincidence, their
wounds were such th each could give the other some slight
relief, and the late enemies employed their weary hours, In
which they ley disabled mot untended, in rendering little
kindnesses to each other, and in thus cementing the friend-
ship which had began so strangely. When help came they
petitioned to bepermitted tokeep together, telling their story
with considerable effusiveness ts the doctor, who atter some
time came to them on the field. This gentleman, who was not rs
military surgeon, but a member of the blessed society tablets
dates from Geneva, raised his hands in pleased astonish-
'merit at the tale he heard, and at once showed himself to he
a Freemason too; so that three brethren of the myrtle tie
were to be seen wosedcrieri over the strange chance which
had thrown them together. I don't profess to be a'sle to
explatn the particular influence brought into play (remark.'
the correspondent from whose letter we are quoting), or the
, kind of solace which freer:leases fudln each other's company,
I bat Stir certain that the wounded men are supremely satiated
at the result and that their s•ory has gisen them quite a
celebrity among their felloweuffarent.
• • ••

At los, where the French prisoners were placed after the
capitulation of Sedan, and where, it is but too true, they were
all tail atarviag, some of their number contrived to make it
known to their captore that they were Mason', nod though
thia was Ice ff ..ctual in many instances, the sturdy and um.
Initiated Prussian' laughing the 11181501.i0 gestures to score,
wherever It succeeded the men obtained little cornier:a
which FM priceless. A stout trooper was seen handing
Warm frieze coat to one prisoner, and giving part of hie
rations to another; and explained his conduct to an hiquirer
with a sheepish rmrle, which sleek., volumes, "They
rre my brothe re, although I have fought citia them, end
they are hunoy and cold, and netted no helped. They would
do it for me." These are merely typical cases. But is la Im-
possible to mix much with the troop., particularly after a
battle, without hearing of kindred Instances of masonic mo-
t olnees. The maarns themselves are very proud of their
order, and of the way in which its principles have, they say,
rime superb_ rto sel.r. ilow Ills that these Lying brethren
Can ever hovel! inn at each other's throats, and niangled each
other's bodies, is another question, particularly as they toll
you that Louis Napoleon and Prince Frederick William of
Prussia are both Free lumens of high degree!.