The weekly union record., 1864-08-20
A Question and its Answer.

Bro. Wiggen VIII you please inform me
If it is true that the degrees of Masonry have
been conferred on woman? | have frequently
heard the assertion made that a woman was
once made Mason, but have never beer able
to obtain any reliable information concerning
so extraordinary proceeding.
Yours, etc, CURIOSITY.
Yes, il is true, and the fact is well authen,i-
Gated. Mss Elizabeth ST. Leger was the ouly
female ever initiated into the mysteries Of
Free Masonary. The story is au interesting
one, and. as nearly IS we can remember it, is
as follows: The father Of Mis-. ST. Leger, Lord
Donvaie, was very jealous Mason, and held
a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland to
open lodge and confer degrees of Masonry.
He occasionally opened Lodge al Donevaile
House, his sons and some Intimate friends as
sisjing; and ii is said that never were Masonic
duties more rigidly performed than by them.
On one occasion, during the initiation OF gen
tleman, Miss ST, Leger, who was then young
girl, happened to be in an apartment adjoining
the room generally used as lodge room. This
room al the time was undergoing some altera-
ton; among other things the wall was consid
ersbly reduced 10 one part. The young lady
having heard the voices OF the Freemasons, and
prompted by the curiosity natural TO her sex
TO see this mystery, so secretly locked up from
public view. picked brick from the wall with
her scissors and witnessed the ceremonies
through the first and second degrees Her Gu
rlosiiy having been satisfied. fear at once took
possession If her mind. There was no mode
Of escape except through the very room where
the CONCLUDING part Of the ceremonies in the
second degree were being solemnized, and that
being large room, dimly lighted, and the
bretEern all assembled at the farther end, she
had the courage 10 attempt her escape that
way. With light but trembling steps, she
gided along unobserved. and gently opening
the door, TO her horror and dsmay, before her
stood grim and sury Tyler. with his long
sword uDsheathed. 4 shrek that pierced
through the apartment alarmed the members
OF the lodge, who all rushing TO the door, and
finding that Miss St Leger had been in the
room during the ceremony determined, in the
hrst paroXism of rage, to put her to dea b !;
but, from the earnest suppllcation of her youn-
gest brother her life was spared on condition
of her going through the whole of the cere-
mony which she had unlawfuly witnessed. To
this she consented, and they conducted the
beautiful and terrified young lady through
those trials which are sometimes more than
enough for masculine resolution, little thinking
they were taking into the bosom of their Fra
teruliy member who would afterwards re-
fleet lustre on the annals of Masonry. Miss
ST. Leger was afterwards married to Richard
Aldworth, Esq of Newmarket and was gen
orally respected and beloved for her many
virtues Whenever benefit was given at the
theatres in Dublin or Cork, for the Masonic
Female Orphan Asylum" she walked at tue
head Of the FreemaSons, wearing her Apron
and other Masonic insignia, and sat in the
front row of The stage box. The house was
always crowded on these occasions Her por
trait is in the Lodge Room OF almost every
Lodge in Ireland