The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-09-17
why Women Cannot be Masens.

We invite the attention of our Ma
sonic readers to the following explain
alton of the reason why women are not
admitted to Masonic Lodges. At the
late anniversary celebration of the Ma
SONS of Austin, Nevada, the orator of
the day thus discoursed upon this vexed
question
Woman sometimes complains that she
is not permitted to enter our lodges and
work with the craft in their labors, and
learn all there is to be learned in the
institution. We learn that before the
Almighty hadsfnished his. work, he was
in some doubt about creating Eve. The
creation of every living and creeping
thing had been accomplished, and the
Almighty had made Adam (who was the
first Mason), and erected for him the
finest lodge in the world, and called it
Paradise No. l. He then caused all the
beasts of the field and the fowls of the
air to pass before Adam for him to name
them, which was piece of work he had
to do alone, so that no confusion might
thereafter arise from Eve, whom he
knew would make trouble if shs was
allowed to participate in it, ifhe created
her beforehand.
Adam being very much fatigued with
the labors of his first task fell asleep,
and when he awoke he found Eve in
the lodge with him. Adam being Sen.
ior warden, placed Eve as the pillar of
beauty in the South, and they received
their instructions from the Grand
Master in the East, which, when finish
ed, she Immediately called the craft
from labor to refreshment. Instead of
attending to the duties of her office as
she ought, she left her station, violated
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 several others, some
time before. But hearing the footsteps
of the Grand Master, he suddenly took
his leave, telling Eve to go to making
aprons, as she and Adam were not in
proper regalia.. She went and told
Adam, and when the Grand Master re-
turned to the lodge he found his gavel
had been stolen.
He called for the Senior and Junior
Wardens, 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 oc-
cupying his official station. Adam re-
piled he was waiting for Eve to call the
craft from refreshment to labor again,
and that the craft was not properly
clothed, which they were making pro-
visions for. Turning to Eve he asked
her what she had to offer i'll excuse for
her unofficial and unmasOaiC conduct.
She replied that fellow passing him
self off as Grand Lecturer had been
giving her instructions, and she thought
it was no harm to learn them. The
Grand Master then asked her what had
become of his gavel; she said she didn't
know, unless that fellow had taken it
away. ..s
Finding that Eve was no longer trust.
worthy, and that she had caused Adam
to neglect his duty, and had let in one
whom He had expelled, the Grand Mas
ter had closed the lodge, and, turning
them out, set faithful tyler to guard
the door with flaming sword. Adam,
repenting of his folly, went to work like
o man anda good, Mason in order to get
reinstated again;not so with Eve;she got
angry about it and commenced raising
Cain. Adam, on account of his reforma-
ton, was permitted to establish lodges
and work in the lower degrees; and,
while Eve was allowed to join him in
works of charity outside, she was never
again to be admitted to assist in the reg
gnlar work of the craft. Hence the
reason why woman can not become an
inside Mason.