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

her eitua.ion, and began 70 consider how
che could retire without observation
Sac became nervous and agitated, and
nearly faihted, but 50 far recovered her,
self IS 20 be aware OF the necessity oi
withdrawing as quickly as possible. In
the act Of doing 90, being In the dark,
she stumbled against ond overthrow 9
piece of furniture; the crash was loud,
and the Tiler who stood on the lobby OF
landing, guarding the entrance 70 the
Lodge, sc once gave tho elarun, burst
open the door of the room in which MiE,
st. Leger was concealed, and with light
in one hand and his drawn sword in the
other, confronted the now terrified and
fainting lady. He was soon Joined by
other members of the Lodge, aud, it 20
asserted, that but for the prompt appear
ance Ct her brother, Lord Doneraife, and
other prudent members, che would have
paid with her life the penalty of what
was then esteemed her great crime.
The first care Of the brethrea 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 men,
befs re-assembled in the Lodge and de-
liberated as to what, under the circun-
stances, was to be done, and for two long
hours she could hear the angry discus
sion upon q motion deliberately made and
seconded that she should be put to death.
AT length the good sense of the majority
tated feelings of the members, when,
after much had been said and many
things proposed, II was resolved to give
hor the option of submitting to the Fin.
sonic oedeal to the extent she had wit
uessad, and if she refused the brethren
were again to coneult. Being waited on
to decide, Miss ST. Leger unhesitatingly
accepted the offer. and ehe 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 mas known and designated
among Masons as "Sister Aldworth." In
o memoir of this lady, published at Cork,
in the year 1907, it 10 stated that, "placed
as she was by her marriage With Mr. AID
worth at the head of . very large for
tune, the poor in general, and the Ma
see:::;c poor in particular, mad good reason
TO record her numerous and bonntiful
acts of kindness. Nor was her charity
accompanied with ostentation--far from
it; 1t has been remarked of her that her
custom was to aeek out bashful misery
and retiring poverty, and with o we'll di-
rected liberality to soothe many bleed
ing heart"
The only other instance Of the initia-
ton Of o woman into Free Masonry is
recorded by that distinguished Masonic
writer, Clavel, in his admirable work,
the History Of French Masonry. In the
year 1855, ia the city Of Paris, o Masonic
Lodge, presided over by Brother Cnvelieg
do Tie es Mss.a: having opsssa IN the
first degree, among the visitors who
waited in the. anta-chamber aud desired
admission was q youthful officer il the
uniform. of 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, tho military
stranger handed the member o folded
paper, which was Immediately carried
to the Orator of the Lldge, who, on open
ing it. discovered that it was the com.
mission of an aid.de-camp, which had
besu issued BY the French Directory to
the wife of General do Xantrailles, q
lady Of the highest culture and refine
ment, who, like many of her sex In that
revolutionary period, had donned the
masculine attire and had won military
preferment at the point Of the aword on
the field Of aeiue- When the z.;ssSssEe of
the anpnoaad Masonic diploma was made
known to the Lodge, great, 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 Eomsn who had go
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 Xantrailies
was ct once made acquainted with the
resolution of the Lodge, end sh> -enl;ed
II have been man for my country, and
will again be q man for. my brethren, Z,
She was forthwith introduced and initis-
ted as an Entered Apprentice, and re-
peatedly afterwards assisted the Lodge in
its labors in the frst degree. .siF
The reason, then, for the exclusion Of
woman from the Masonic Lodge cannot
be found iu any supposed want of in
tellectcal fitness OK inability to preserve
inviolate secrecy on her part. It must
be sought for where alone it can be
found, in the origin and primitive c,lsr.
acter and design Of Masonry itself, and
jus.sce 10 our order demands that il
ahould BE fully, though EsgTe ifhuiiy,
made known. Womea are excluded
from the precincts OF our lodges. mot be-
cause we would, but because we must.
AS rasons we recognize the nobility oi
her nature, and homer her. lofty virtues,
not only while vse are assembled in the
seclusion Of the lodge, behind the mystic
veil which conceals from the eyes of the
profane that "TIieroglyphic bright which
none bnt craftsmen ever saw,n but in the
worlds great arena,
"Wnere manhood struggle for thesake
vi mother, sister, daughter, wife,
The graces and loves which make
The music of the march OF life;
And woman, in her daily round a.t
OF duty, walks on holy ground"
Our ancient landmarks, however, In,
exorably deny uB the privilege of being
associated with heT in the labors OF fh(
lodge. These landmarks are the un.
written or common Law OF Masonry, de
rived from the ancient customs Of Ma
soma and the decisions ofthe highest Ma
sonic tribunals, which, like Hehc laws o.
the Medes and Persians. change not"
It is declared ia one Of our most veneS
able landmarks. which forrns a mart q,