Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-10-16
WHY CANNOT A WOMAN BECOME A
MASON?

At the late anniversary celebration Of
the Masons of Austin, Nevada, the orator
of the day thus discoursed upon this vex-
ed 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 in
stitution. We will explain the reason
We learn that before the Almighty had
finished his work, lie was in some doubt
about creating Eve. The creation of ev.
cry 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. /,
H then caused all the beasts of the field
and 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 she
was allowed to participate in it. if he Gre
ated 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 senior warden,
placed Eve as the pillar of beauty in the
South, and they received their instruc.
tions from the Grand Master iu the east,
which when finished. 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 ex
PEELED 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 Mas
ter, he suddenly took his leave, telling
Eve to 60 to making aprons, she and Ad
am were not in proper regalia. She wen
and told Adam, and when the Grand
Master returned to the lodge he found hi'
gaval had been stolen.
He called for the senior and junior
wardens, who had neglected to guard thu
door, and found them absent. Aftel
searching some time he came to wher'
they were hid and demanded of Adam
what he was doing there, instead of hi
occupying his official station. Adam re
piled that he was waiting for Eve to Cal
the craft from refreshment to labor again
and that the craft was not properly cloth
ed, which they were making provision
for. Turning to Eve he asked her wha
she had to offer 10 excuse for unofficia
and unmasonic conduct. She replied tha
fellow passing himself off as a grant
lecturer had been giving her instructions
and she thought it was no harm to learl
them. The Grand Master then asked he
what had become Of his gavel she salt
she didn't know, unless the fellow hat
taken it away.
Finding that Eve was no longer trust
worthy, and that she had caused Adam
to neglect his duty, and had let in whom
he had expelled, the Grand Master ma
closed the lodge, and turning them out
set faithful tyler to guard the doc
with flaming sword. Adam, repentinI
of his folly, went to work like a man AM
good Mason, in order to get reinstate,
again. Not so with Eve; she got angr,
about it and commenced raising Cain
Adam, on account Of his reformation, wa
permitted TO establish lodges and worl
in the lower degrees; aud, while Eve wa
allowed to join him in the works of char
ity outside, she was never again to be al
mittcd to assist in the regular work 0
the craft Hence the reason why womal
cannot become an inside Mason"