Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1856-07-30

49, SsaA hsStOceiuS uCCUHHt OI inc
incident to which we1aife referring.
Brandt was initiated into the mys.
teries Of Free masonry while in Eng.
land, to which place he went under
tthe patronage Of the Earl Of Moirs.
He had previously received an excel
lent education under the care of the
Governor of Canada, Sir William
johnson. 1t happened during the
Revolutionary war, that at the battle
of the "Cedars," thirty miles above
Montreal, Col. M'Kinstry, then a cap
tain in Patterson's regiment Of Con.
tinental troops, was wounded and
taken prisoner by the Indians EN-.
| ployed in the British service. AS he
was a brave man, and one whom the
Indians had reason to fear, they il
accordance with the custom Of savage
warfare, doomed him to die. He was
fastened to q tree, and they were pre-.
pared and ready to inflict those horrid
torments which make the blood cur
die to think of, when sacrificing a
human being taken in war, and doom
ed to die at the stake. ...,J zE.t :. j.
The captive saw the preparations
going forward, with no hope before
him that his savage foes would re-
lent or stay their progress until they
had finished their work. His only
hope was in Him in whose presence
he shortly expected to appear. With
eyes uplifted toward the heavens, suf.
ferlng both mentally and physically,
he supplicated the Searcher. of all
hearts, and in doing SO, scarcely con.
scious of what he was doing, he made
that mystic appeal only known to Ma
sons, and which is never made only
on occasions such as the one We are
recording. 80 f.. !.
| II is somewhet singular, that al
though the .appear' has doubtless
been frequently made, and in the
presence, too, of many who were moi
Masons, yetit has always escaped tho
observation of those who knew moi
thesimport; but to the craftsmen, it,
language, how plain and easilysunder.
stood, although they may not under,
stand each others vernacular, the
"mystic sign is clear and ineligible
to all. 1t was seen and understood
and the position of the captive at once
comprehended By Brandt, who exertef
his influence in behalf of his brother
Free mason, and succeeded, I
Brandt, unwilling to let him remain
with the Indians, for fear that, a,
some unguarded moment, he nigh
be summary disposed Of and killed
by them, conducting him to Quebec
and placed him in safety in the hands
of the English, who permitted him
on his parole to return to his home
fCol. Kinstry was a member ( b
Hudson Lodge, No. Z, located a
Hudson, in the State Of New <Yorl
prior to the event related above. anc
continued to be a member until hi'
decease, which took place in the yea
1882. ~ - ~ @.,. A..
After peace was declared, Brand
frequently visited Hudson, and never
failed to call upon his friend, N Kins
TRY, between whom there existed eve
afterwards the strongest tie Of affec
ftion. Within the peaceful walls b
Hudson Lodge these worthy braves
often met, and in that sacred sanctu
airy the strife of battle and of war was
forgotten, and the better feelings 3
our nature, thosepure affections whicl
| flow from the breastof good and true
men were developed, as brother
greeted brother, and the hands offidel
| ity were. embraced in the friendly griI
Of d free and accepted Mason.