The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-02-15
THE GROWTH OF FREEMAsONRy.
MARKED DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRAFT
THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND
TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
LODGES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
WHY A WOMAN WAS "MADE A MA
SOM
From, The london Standard.

From The london Standard.
1t would seem that, financially, matters
are most hourishing with the Freemasons,
not to say nothing of provincial charities
and deeds of benevolence done by indi-
vidual lodges throughout the Kingdom
to their members and families when in
need of assistance. The three great cen
trail charities, the Boys School, the Girls
School, and the benevolent Institution,
received during the twelve months end
ing the last day of last year the largest
totals ever reached, the aggregate being
over $4,000, and exceeding that Of the
year before by $1,000. This financial
prosperity of the Masonic charities is an
index of the increasing popularity and
rapid extension of Frceniasol.ry in this
country. But even without this guide it
must have been patent to all observers
that during the last few years the devel-
opment of "the craft" has been most
marked. 1t has made great progress all
over the civilized, and even what we call
the uncivIized world. 1t shows in
creased vigor in India. in China and
Japan, and even in Africa; while in the
United States, in Canada, and all our
colonies, it has grown during the last
quarter of century, and particularly
within the last decade. But in no coun-
try has the progress of the fraternity been
so marked as in our own, from which
what may be called "modern" Masonry,
has spread into all other countries, Or
from which, at least, they have received
very great assistance in their develop
ment of it. The Grand Lodge of Eng
land was established in l7l7, and in 1913
existing differences among English Ma.
sons as to certain points Of order and
ceremonial were settled by the acknowl-
edgement of the one common jurisdiction
of the United Grand Lodge OF Freema-
sons Hall. From this latter year the
great progress of modern Masonry may
lie dated, but its greatest advancement is
rather OF the last ten or even live years.
The English monarchs and princes from
the reign of King Athelstane [ A. D. 926)
down to the present era, have from time
to time given encouragement to the craft
or become actual members OF it. The
greatest impetus of all impaired to it was
the installation Of the Prince of Wales as
Grand Master of English Masons in the
spring of 1875, when the ceremony in the
Albert Hall presented a most striking
spectacle. TIE number of lodges under
the English Constitution alone is now
little short of l,6UO, comprising we'll nigh
100000 members, to say nothing OF Ma
sons unattached" while in Scotland and
Ireland nearly one thousand regularly
constituted lodges are reckoned, and
hardly week passes without a new one
being consecrated in some part of the
United Kingdom. During the last two
wears the desire to become Mason has
amounted to a positive mania, and at the
present moment it has been computed
that nearly one out of every four or five
men Of the upper and middle classes is a
Mason and thus Masonry may have al
ready begun to lose some of it's interest
in the eyes of outsiders" who used to
look on Mason as a most mysterious
being. Familiarity, if it does not exactly
breed contempt, is sad detractor of
charms of many kinds; but if from its
increasing popularity, and its members
outnumbering the rest of the community,
Masonry loses some Of its peculiar attrac-
tons, we shall be able to console our
selves with the thought that the spread
of an institution founded, as it processes
itself to be. on the basis of universal
charity, will promote both peace and
happiness.
1t may be asked, what is the secret of
this popularity of Freemasonry, and what
is the special influence at work which
makes it Just now more popular than
ever? A full answer to this would in
volve long disquisition. Suffice it to
say that the first and chief attraction OF
Masonry is the mystery with which it is
surrounded. combined with an antiquity
more than respectable, and a universally
greater than has been attained by any
religion in the world. Although the fact
has been questioned, it is generally y be-
lieved that Masonry is of pre-Christian
origin, and since its origin its principles
have remained unchanged, and one great
central idea has continued to run through
all its forms and ceremonies, though they
have received, from time to time, in diff
ferent countries, certain notifications,
additions and diniinutions. Here, then,
we have the great fact that worldwide
institution has existed for al immense
length of time, and that up to the present
moment the outside world is in absolute
ignorance of the specific forms and cere.
monies, the signs and passwords connec-
ted with this wondrous fraternity; its
general principles, which it makes known
itself. are all that nom members know OF
it. This is in itself enough to attract
candidates for admission, prompted, as
they probably are in very many cases, by
no higher feeling than that OF curiosity.
IT, as SOME will have it, there are no
secret signs and words by which Masons
can recognize one another, the curiosity
is none the less to ascertain for fact
whether this be so or not; for it would
be equally rs astounding a fact that the
secret of there being no secret has been
kept as that the real secrets should have
remained inyiOlable. 1t was curiosity
which led Hon. Mrs. Aldworth to secrete
herself in Masonic lodge and discover
the secrets of the craft, the story of the
Gladly in the clock case" being by no
means apocryphal, as even the generality
OF the Masons themselves are inclined to
treat it. 1t is simply an historical fact
that the lady just mentioned did so
secrete herself, and further, that when
discovered she was at once "made Ma
SON" Sac continued to take an active
interest in the Order throughout her life;
she founded the Eublin Benevolent In
stitution for Orphan Daug ghters of Ma
sons, and her portrait still hangs in
principal odge-room in Cork, and under
it, in a glass case, the Masonic apron and
jewel she used to wear. Whether curl
osity will ever incite another lady to at.
tempt to elude the vigilance Of the "tiler"
remains to be seen; but it may be taken
for granted that men, who, perhaps, are
those to whom they specially attribute