Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-17
THE SECRETS OF MASONRY.

The London Standard in an ar
ticle on Masonry, says:
During the last two years 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 already
begun to lose some Of its interest
in the eyes of outsiders" who used
to look on,a Mason as most mys-
terious being.
1t may be asked, what is the
secret Of this popularity of Free
Masonry, and what is the special
influence at work which makes it
just now more popular than ever ?
A full answer to this would involve
a long disquisition. Suffice it to
say that the first and chief attrac-
tion of Masonry is the mystery with
which it is surrounded, combined
with an antiquity more respectable
and universally greater than has
been attained by any religion in the
world. Although the fact has been
questioned, it is generally believed
that Masonry is Of pre-christian
origin, and since its origin its prin-
ciples have remained unchanged,
and one great central idea has CON
tinued to run through all its forms
and ceremonies, though they have
received, from time to time, in diff
ferent countries, certain modifca-
tions, additions and diminutions.
Here, then, we have the great fact
that worldwide institution has
existed for an immense length Of
time, and that up to the present
moment the outside world is in ab-
solute ignorance Of the specific
forms and ceremonies, the signs
and passwords connected with this
wonderful fraternity; its general
principles, which it makes known
itself, are all the non-members
know of it. This is in itself enough
to attract candidates for admission,
prompted as they probably are in
many cases by no higher feeling
than that of curiosity.
If, as some people say, there are
no secret signs and words by which
Masons can recognize one another,
the curiosity is none the less to as
certain for a fact whether this be
so or not; for it would be equally
as astounding a fact that the secret
of there being no secret has been
kept as that the real secrets should
have remained inviolable. 1t was
curiosity which led Hon. Mrs.
Aldworth to secrete herself in a
Masonic lodge and discover the
secrets Of the craft, the story of the
"lady in the clock case" being by
no means apooryphal, as even the
generality Of Masons themselves are
inclined to treat it. 1t is simply a
historical fact, that the lady Just
mentioned did so secrete herself,
and further, that when discovered
she was at once "made a Mason"
She continued to take an active in.
terest in the order throughout her
life; she founded the Dublin benev-
Olentjnstitution for orphan daugh-
ters of Masons, and her portrait
still hangs in lodge-room in Cork,
and under it. in glass case, the
Masonic apron and jewel she used
to wear. Whether curiosity will
ever incite another lady to attempt
to elude the vigilance of the tyler
remains to be seen; but it may bo
taken for granted that men, who,
perhaps, are really as much crea-
lures Of curiosity as those to whom
they specially attribute this weak
ness, will continue to be Influenced
by it to join the mystic fraternity,
Il