Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-09-28
yestiges OF Masonry Among the In
diARs-NO. 9.

Among the Cherokees, ChOctaws
Chickassws, Creeks, SeminOles, anC
other Southern Indian tribes, there has
existed from time immemOrial secret
fraternity Of sworn friends, having signs
tokens and words known only to them
selves, and confined to the male pOpula'
ton. Their form Of initiation is said tC
be simple, but their obligations to each
other are held to be Of the most solemn
and binding nature through life. If one
Of the fraternity is in danger or trouble,
his claim for the protection or aid OF hl'
brethren is not 10 be disregarded; and d
at any time flight from enemies becomes
necessary, be is at liberty to mount the
horse of a Brother and flee from his per.
secutors. / am informed by many intel
iigent Indian FreemasOns that there Il
aTougb in the ceremonies and obligations
of this fraternity to justify the conciu-
sion that it had genuine Masonic Ori'
gin. though st what period It Is lmpos'
sible to determine; perhaps centuries
before this continent was known TO the
Anglo Saxon race.
An instance is related to me by Judge
Field. Of the Cherokee nation, wherein
a party of United States commissioners
sent to treat with the Seminoles, in Flor
ida. early in the present century, when
surrounded by enraged savages ano
about to be put to death, were saved by 8
half breed attached to the mission,
who gave the mystic sign of the frater'
nitv. which in q moment turned the fury
of the savages into the warmest demon
strstions Of friendship. "The grand
mailing signn OF this fraternity, if not
derived originally from genuine Ma
sourv, answered every purpose IN saving
the lives of this band Of white men, and
who can say that it had not a true Ma
sonic origin.
Another peculiar and striking feature
i'm this Indian fraternity is found in the
fact that, in starting out upon the hunt
or the war path. the Indians form In
groups Of three, fee, and seUeTl, ,twhO, on
such occasions, adhere one to another
even TO the death. These mystic num-
bers, three, five, and seven, are signiti-
cant TO MasoDs, and their existence
among this Indian fraternity cannot be
suDposed to be the result Of mere acci-
dent, for they are traditional numbers,
and are adhered TO with the most
scrupulous fidelity. II this custom is
not a vestige OF EreemasoDry the coin
cideuce is at least somewhat remarkable,
and il reminds Us Of the sworn friend
shin between Jonathan and David, an
terror 10 the time Freemasoury assumed
form under the Jewish fathers.
Pertinent % this point, though l do
not propose TO discuss the subject at
length, is the fact, that among our Amer
lean Indians generally there exists strong g
evidence Of their Hebrew origin, which,
if true, furnishes almost incontesuole
proof that their ancestors who hrst pop
ulated this continent brought with them
ancient Freemssonry, and Is another
proof Of the great antiquity OF our valua-
bic institution. This point has received
3 larger share Of the attention OF Adair
and others who have written on the sub
ject, and the evidences Of this origin may
be briefly summed up as follows:
/. Their division Of time.
3 Their worship Of our Great Spirit.
3. Their belief IN ministering angels.
I. Their prophets and priests.
5. Their festivals, fssts and religious
rites.
6. Their sblUtions and anointings.
=. Their laws upon unclesnliness.
s. Their marriages, divorces, and pun
ishmeDt for adultery.
9. Their cities Of refuge.
TO- Their publications before going TO
war.
II. Their methods Of curing the sick.
y. Their mode Of burying the dead.
l3. Their custom Of raising family to
a decesaed brother.
IA. Their monuments for the dead.
Is. Their choice Of names from cir
cumstances, times, etc.
These, and many other customs Of the
Indian which might be mentioned,
though, perhaps, not all Of them prac-
ticed by any single tribe, are very strong
if not absolute proofs Of their Hebrew
origin, and I am informed that these
evidences exist in a still higher degree
among the Comanches, the Kiowas, and
other south western tribes. cannot
learn, however, that circumcision has
ever been practiced among the American
Indians. If that religious rite ever was
practieed BY them, all tradition Of II
seems TO have been lost.
Upon the stones found In the ruins ol
temples built ages before the conquest OF
Mexico by the spsniards, are found