Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-09-12
Mlistellaneuns Artitles.

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WHY CANNOT A WOMAN BECOME A Ma
SON AT the late anniversary celebration
of the Masons of Austin, Nevada, the ora
tor of the day thus discoursed upon this
much vexed question :.
Woman sometimes complains that she is
not permitted to enter our lodges and work
with the craft irtheir labors, and learn al
there is to be learned in the institution.
We will explain the reason. We learn that
before the Almighty had finished His work
He was in some doubt about creating Eve
The creation of every living and creeping
thing had been accomplished, and the AL.
mighty had made Adam (who was the first
Mason) and erected for himthe first lodge in
the world, and called it Paradise, No. l.
He then caused all the beasts of the field
and fowls of the air to pass before Adam fol
him to name them, which was q piece Of
work he had to do alone, so that no con
fusion might hereafter arise from Eve,
whom He knew would make trouble if she
was allowed to participate in it, if He crea-
ted her beforehand.
Adam being very much fatigued with the
labors of his first task, fell into a deep
sleep, and when he awoke he found Eve in
the lodge with him. Adam being Senior
Warden, placed Eve as the pillar of beau
ty in the South, and they received their in
structions from the Grand Master in the
East, which, when finished she Immediately
called the craft from labor to refreshment.
Instead Of attending to the duties of her Of
fee as she ought, she left her station, vio:
lated her obligation, and let in an expelled
Mason, who had no business there, and
went around with him, leaving Adam to
look after the jewels. This fellow had been
expelled from the Grand Lodge with sever.
al others, some time before. But hearing
the footsteps of the Grand Master, he sud.
denly took his leave, telling Eve to 60 to
making aprons, as she and Adam were not
in proper regalia. She went and told Ad:
am, and when the Grand Master returned
to the Lodge he found his gavel had been
stolen. .. ..
He called for the Senior and Junior War.
dens, who had neglected to guard the door,
and found them absent. After searching
some time, he came to where they were hid,
and demanded of Adam what he was doing
there, instead of occupying his official sta.
ton. Adam replied he was waiting fol
Eve to call the craft from refreshment to
labor again, and that the craft was not
properly clothed, which they were making
provision for. Turning to Eve, he asked
her what she had to offer in excuse for hel
unofficial and unmasonic conduct. She re-
piled that fellow, passing himself off as q
Grarl Lecturer, had been giving her in.
structions, and she thought it was no harm
to learn them. The Grand Master there.
upon asked her what had become Of his
gavel; she said she didn't know, unless that
fellow had carried it away.
Finding that Eve was no longer trust
worthy, and that she had caused Adam to
neglect his duty, and had let in one who
had been expelled, the Grand Master had
closed the lodge, and turning them out, SET
faithful Tyler to guard the door with a
flaming sword. Adam repenting of his
folly, went to work like man and q good
Mason, in order to get reinstated again.
Not so with Eve; she got angry about it
and commenced raising Cain. Adam, or
account of his reformation, was permitted
to establish lodges and work in the lower
degrees and while Eve was allowed to joir
in works of charity outside, she was never
again to be admitted to assist in the regu
lar work of the craft. Hence the reason
why woman cannot become an inside Ma
son.