The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-12-24
SONS OF MALTA.
Grand DISCLOSURES Of the Cere monies and Mys
teries Of he Wonderful Order.
FUN AND MORE FUN-GRAND SELL.
From the Zanesville Aurora.

From the Zanesve Aurora.
In almost every town and city in thi,
country, there is lodge Of the Sons of Nal.
ia. This mysterious order took its rise in
New Orleans some three or four years ago
There IRE two accounts given Of its origin
1t is said by one account, TO have originated
with the army of" Walker the Fi!buster,'
at the time that worthy was preparing TO
take Cuba. Another account says it orig
mated during the ravages of the yellow fe-
the frightened people, az well as to supply a
fund for charitable purposss-such as bury
ing the houseless dead, etc., etc.
However it may have originated, it is not
the order outsiders take it to be; ~ we shall
presently show.
One Of the brethren, who had been turned
out Of the important and secret Office, the
initials Of which are &c. X. j. A." has
taken offence at the order and communcs-
ted to US the whole proceeding-p.ss word,
grips, signs, etc.
When about, to become a member Of the
|. o. S. NJ. (lndependent Order Sons Nal
ta,) the candidate or candidates present
himself or themselves in an outer room,
where he meets a committee of officers Of
the lodge who come to him, out of the lodge
room, with drawn swords in their hands,
and q kind Of three barred sheet iron hats
on, whIcH hides their faces, these officers
put test questions to each candidate and
any cnniidate who hesitates or faters is al
lowed 10 depart in peace; those who re-
main pay S. 90 each, and the committee re-
turns TO the lodge room to report on the Ca
ses and have them baloted for.
The funds thus raised pay the rent of the
room, and the balance is expended in chari-
ties-there are no other dues, for reasons
which will appear hereafter.
After the candidates are ballotted for and
elected, the grand conductor goes out to the
ante-room and escorts the candidates to the
inside entrance door, where he pounds on
the door with the hilt Of bis sword three
times-the inside sentinel raises little
slide in the door-peeps out; and the chief
officer from the inside ask in loud voice
"What j. the cause Of this hub bub -
The sentinel answers " Strangers coming in
to the campo To which tie chief. reply
is:' Let '.n rip"
What a sight breaks upon their vision =
| The room is near dark, and is only lighted
| by lamp Of alchohol, which sits upon
| coffin in the middle of the room and throws
it's ilickering light around upon the scene
The members, dressed as our citizens have
seen them upon the streets, are ranged
around the room, thus one lies upon his
back like corpse, and another kneels down
upon his knee beside him in the attitude of
Il mourner. All is as still as a tomb around
! the room, except Ia the centre where the
coffin lies upon the bier and the pale lamp
! hckers upon the scene. Beside that CONN,
which Is covered with pail or black cloth,
marches an old man who carries a mnsket
and bay onet upon his shou!der--an Old man
whose white locks Of hair hang in weird
and tangled masses about his neck-with
his left hand he snatches unmeanlngly ut
his hair, and then mutters to himself as he
turns upon his heel with military precision
and marches back and forth, passing and
re-passing the black pa!led coffin and flick
light. A, either end Of the coffin stands
! figure drnrped in white from head to foot,
with L,,lIfted hands and upturned eyes.
mutterlng lips from which no sounds issue,
aud nothing ot the face visible but the eyes
and mouth. At one end of the room sits
the Chief-blnzing in red and gold colors,
! but motion!es--a the other end ste u
skeleton with a gilded crown upon his head;
with one hony hard pointing upward, while
with the other he clasps to his teshess ribs
the figure of an infant-at either side Of the
room sits the Grand Chancellor and Record
er. Zach and ull rs motioness as the c0f-
fin or the skeleton.
Around the coffin the candidates march in
, an oblong ring, passing farthest from the
coffin and nearest to the officers and mem
bcrs-thus leaving the old man room to
pace to an fro, up and down the room
The:irand Conductor marches with drawn
sword at the tai. Of the line of candidates
for initiation. Three times around the line
marchcs-twice in painful silence, through
which nothing is heard but the clank-
ing ofswerd scabbards as they strike at each
step, the legs Of the Conductor and Ser
ceant--duriug the third round an organ or
melodeon strikes up low, wallng, tremu.
! lous, wild, hollow tune, which is echoed
back BY the members in low death song.
while the old man'marches more rapidly and
mutters louder and louder, until, as the can
didases finish their last round, the G. c.
las the chief is called (says in deep voice,
"Peacc, venerable father! Life is made up
of sorrow, and the world is riprning for
sorrow greater than thine! Peace! Pence
Be still thou wounded heart" To which
! all the nj mbers respond -" Peace. Peace,
Be still then the music stops and the
old man resumes his quiet march.
The candidates are now arranged around
the G.. Il. who questions them as to their
motive and intentions. If the answers are
satisfactory (as they always are) the canii
dates are cnducted to the chair Of the
skeleton where person, hidden behind the
grim figure, administers an obligation to
each which binds him from his cradle (rep-
resented by the infant y never to divulgo
what he may there see or learn. After as
suming the obligations the candidates are
conducted back to the G.. &. through the
! same scene Of silence and sorrow, who gives
! them some advice after which they are con-
iuctcd out to the antc-room. And this ends
! the first scene.
SCENE SECOND.
| After the candidates 90 out and the door
is closed, the members in an instant spring
to their feet, light up the room, throw off
their gowns, put away the c0ffa, etc. and
prepare for fun. In the meantime the can
ddates are being blindfoded so that they
cannot see in this condition they are CON
Quoted to the door again by the same part
les us before; the door is again raped up
on, and, this time, the &. c. says IN loud
voice.
"Whatis it makes the alarm 90
To which the sentinel replies:
"Friends! Who will do US no harm I"
To which the &. c. answers.
s' Bid them Beware Beware!
And welcome to enter here
To which all the members respond "Wel.
come to enter here.''
The candidatee are then led in. in single
file each holding to the coat-tail of the 9TH
er. In total blindness they are thus march
ed about the room several times while the
room is lighted brilliantly. All is now 81.
Ience and grins-except on the part of the
candidates, who are sternlv commanded to
indulge in .sNo Levity." 'fhev are brough,
to the chair Of the Grand Commander, and
are there asked all manner of questions
touching their fitness to bear arms, to swim,
to march, as to the condition Of their health
their teeth, etc.-as to their moral temper
ument-vhethpr they have baep or are in