The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-10

ANDERSUN, y. VI, Id
alive to the awkwardness and danger o.
her situation, and began. to consider how
she could retire without observation
She became nervous and agitated, and
nearly tainted, but so far recovered her.
self as to be aware of the necessity ol
withdrawing as quickly as possible. In
the act of doing so, being in the dark,
she stumbled against and overthrew 9
piece of furniture; the crash was loud,
and the Tler who stood on the lobby OF
landing, guarding the entrance to the
Lodge, at once gave the alarm, burst
open the door of the room in which Miss
ST. Leger was concealed, and with light
in one hand and bis drawn sword in the
other, confronted the now terrified and
fainting lady. He was soon Joined by
other members of the Lodge, and, it is
asserted, that but for the prompt appear.
ance of her brother, Lord Doneraile, and
other prudent members, she would have
paid with her life the penalty of what
was then esteemed her great crime.
The first care of the. brethren present
was to resuscitate the unfortunate lady
without alarming the household, and en-
deavor to procure from her an explana-
ton of what had. occurred. Having done
so, they placed her under guard of the
TiIer and another member in the room
where she was discovered. The MEM
bers re-assembled in the Lodge and de-
liberated as to what, under the circum-
stances, was to be done, and for two long
hours she could hear the angry discus.
sion upon motion deliberately made and
seconded that she should beput to death.
At length the good sense of the majority
succeeded in calming the angry and irri-
-tated feelings of the. members, when,
after much had been said and many
things proposed, il was resolved to give
her the option of submitting to the Ma
sonic ordeal to the extent she had wit
messed, and if she refused the brethren
were again to consult. Being waited, on
to decide, Miss st. Leger unhesitatingly
accepted the offer, and she was accord
ingly initiated, and the degrees of En-
tered Apprentice and Fellow Graft were
conferred upon her. She subsequently
married Richard Aldworth, Esq of New
Market, and was known and designated
among Masons as "Sister Aldworth.o y In
a memoir of this lady, published at Cork,
in the year 1so7, :, it is stated that, .placed
as she was by her marriage with Mr.-Ald-
worth at the head of 3 very large for
tune, the pooriin general, and the Ma
sonic poor in particular, had good reason
to record her numerous and bonntiful
acts of kindness. Nor was her charity
accompanied with ostentation-far from
it; it has been remarked of her that her
custom was to seek out bashful misery
and retiring poverty, and with a well di.
rected liberality to soothe manyia bleed
ing heart"
The only other instance of the initia-
ton of q woman into Free Masonry Is
recorded by that distinguished Masonic
writer, Clavel, in his admirable work,
the History of French Masonry. In the
year 1895, linsthe city of Paris, a Masonic
Lodge, presided over by Brother Cuvelief
de Trie as Master, having opened in the
first degree, among the visitors vino
waited IN the. ante.chamber and desired
admission was youthful officer in the
uniform. of q captain of cavalry. His
Masonic diploma or certificate was re.
quested of him by the member deputed
to examine visitors for the purpose of
having it inspected by the Lodge. After
some little hesitation, the military
stranger handed the member a folded
paper, which was Immediately carried
to the Orator of the Lodge, who, on open
ing it, discovered that it was the COM
mission of an aid-de-camp, which had
been issued by the French Directory to
the wife of General de Xantrailles, q
lady of the highest culture and refine
ment, who, like many of her sex inithat
revolutionary period, had donned the
masculine attire and had won military
preferment, at the point of the sword on
the field of battle. When. the nature of
the supposed Masonic diploma was made
known to the Lodge, gEeat, indeed, was
the surprise expressed. But the MEM
bers were Frenchmen-they were excl
table and they were gallant, and, conse-
quently, in. sudden and exalted fit of
enthusiasm, which, as Masons, we cam
not excuse, they unanimously deter
mined to confer. the first degree of Ma
sonry on the brave woman who had 80
often exhibited every manly virtue and
to whom her country, on more than one
important occasion, had committed trusts
requiring the greatest discretion and the
loftiest courage. Madame de Xantrailles
was at once made acquainted with the
resolution of the Lodge, and she replied,
"I have been man for my country, and
will again: be man for my brethren"
She was forthwith introduced and initia-
ted as an Entered Apprentice; and re-
peatedly afterwards assisted the Lodge In
its labors in the first degree. '-.;.t
: The reason, then, for the exclusion of
woman from the Masonic Lodge cannot
be found in any supposed want of in
tellectual fitness or inability to preserve
inviolate secrecy on her part. 1t must
be sought for where alone it can be-
found, in the origin and primitive char
acter and design of Masonry itself, and
Justice to our order demands that it
should be fully, though regretfully,
made known. Women are excluded
from the precincts Of our lodges, not be-
cause we would, but because we must.
As masons We recognize the nobility of
her nature, and honor her. lofty virtues,
not only while we are assembled in the
seclusion of the lodge, behind the mystic
veil which conceals from the eyes of the
profane that "Hieroglyphic bright which
none but craftsmen ever saw, ," but in the
worlds great arena,
Where manhood struggl.s for the sake
Of mother, sister, daughter, wife,
The graces and loves which make
The music of the march of Life;
And woman, in her daily round
Of duty, walks on holy ground"
Our ancient landmarks, however, in
exorably deny US the privilege of being
associated with her in the labors of the
lodge. These landmarks are the un.
written or common law of Masonry, de.