, 1858-06-11
From the Alta California.
Tho First Masonic Funeral in San Francisco

| In the contemplatiVe hour OF retirement,
how many thrilling "reminiscences of the
past crowd upon the memory Some Of
them are Of a pleasing, and others are Of a
peculiarly painful character The year
lS49 will ever be a memorable epoch in the
history of California. The commercial and
gold-seeking adventurers met on the leveP'
in those days There was no granite bull
dings to trade in, nor were there splendid
palaces to live in, such as now adorn the
surrounding hills Of San Francisco. Thou
sands of people, long accustomed 10 all the
refinemenis aud luxnries Of Eastern life,
had to doff their fine linen and put on the
red shirt of the hardy miner Pride was
unknown for 4 time. Gentlemen had 70
stoop from their dignity, and awkwardly
wash their own clothing. They had to
kindle their own fires and do the work of Il
cuisiaier. Some reposed at night in can
vas tent, while others closed their eyes in
sleep among the sand hills, with no other
covering but the canopy of Heaven
"Bespangled with those isles of light,
So wildly, spiritually blight
Exposure and disease rapidly pcopled
the kingdom Of death AyUntamientO had
not yet set apart any ground for burial
purposes. The consequence was that
many were rudely buried in the suburbs,
and were afterwards removed to Yerba
Buena Cemetery, where the remains of
eight hundred lie huddled together in one
immense dismal grave There is not even
a common board to mark out the remark
able pit, in which sleep so many of the un-
fortunate pioneers of Upper California.
In those eventful times men were found
dead, and no one could tell from whence
they came. They passed away to their
graves unhonored and unknown. The Fra
ternity of "the mystic tie" had not organ
lied. There was not lodge in the State.
They only knew each other by the legal in
formation, which craftsmen only know and
properly understand. A wonderful in
stance of Masonic identity occurred in the
month Of August, lS49. A much respect
ed citizen and Mason, who is still living,
was quietly vending his way to Happy
Valley very early in the morning, when he
bebeld the corpse of man stretched upon
the beach. All was soft and still The
strangely mingled population of the tented
city was wrapped in deep repose The
mists still fingered on the hills, and the
morning star shone clearly in the sky. The
waters Of the bay were very smooth and
calm, and gently laved the feet of the dead
stranger, who slept the sleep that knows
no waking" The Great Dispenser of hu-
man events, in his inscrutable providence,
seemingly had determined that the tide
should bear his lifeless body to the shore,
where, discovered by a passing brother, it
would be assuredy carried to the grave iu
becoming solemnity, and deposited therein
with all the hOnors and ceremonial rites Of
the ancient Fraternity of Free and Accep-
ted Masons:
"Theres a Divinity that shapes our ends,
Roughhew them as you wiln
Some of the inmates of the neighboring
tents were roused from their slumbers. and
speedily repaired to the spot. The Alcalde
was Immediately sent for. He promptly
attended and acted as Coroner. The body
was removed to tent, where it wascare-
fully scrutinized. No indications of vio-
lence were visible. The mau had evidently
been drowned. His face was manly and
intellectual, and his hair was long and cur
ly and of dark auburn hue. He was
neatly dressed, and had a superior look Of
responsibility. The jacket and pantaloons
on his person were blue pilot cloth, and a
black silk handkerchief was tied in sail
or's knot around his neck. There was
nothing found in his pockets that could pos
sibly lead to his identity. However, iu re-
moving the flannel from his bosom, silver
mark of Mark Master was discovered
upon which we're engraved the initials o.
his name. A little further investigation
revealed to the beholders the most outre ex
hibition Of Masonic emblems that were ev
er drawn by the ingenuity Of man on tn,
human skin. There is nothing in tho his
tory Of Free Masonry equal to it. Beau
tifully dotted on bis left arm, in red AM
blue ink, which time could not efface, ap
peared all the emblems of the. Entered Ap
prentice. There was the Holy Bible, th
square and compass, the twenty-four incl
guage, and the common ell. There wer,
also the Masonic pavement, representing
the ground floor Of King Solomon's Tenn
Pile; the indented tressel which surrounds it
and the blazing star in the centre. On hi
right arm, and artistically executed in tht
same indelible liquids, we're the emblem
sppertaining to the fellow craft degree
viz: the plumb, the square and the level
There were also five columns, representing
the FIVE orders Of architecture-the Tus
can, DOric, Ionic, Corinthian and Compos
lite.
In removing the garments from his body
the Trowel presented itself, with all the
other working tools made use Of in opera
tive Masonry, besides oil the emblems pecu
liar to the degree Of Master Mason. Con
I spicuously on his breast were the three
Great Lights of Masonry. Over his heart
was the Pot of Incense On other parts
Of his person were the Bee Hive; thg)BoOE
|, Of Constitutions, guarded by the VI yler''
Sword; the sword pointing to q naked
heart; the All Seeing Eye, the Anchor and
Ark. the Hour Glass, the Scythe, and the