Connecticut western news., 1880-05-12
SONS OF MALTA.
The Ridiculous Rites and Ceremonies that were Performed in Dread
 Secrecy-.-A Significant w InitiatOry Ode.


 defunct order of the Sons of Malta (whe is now frosty haired grand-parent), { Star reporter learned the following facts "The initiation fee was $5. Meetings were held weekly, and candidates for ad mission were ushered into the hall where those who were already members were ranged in BOWS, covered from head tc feet with gown of white material with slight cut for breathing place and holes for the eyes. With this garment on the identity of the wearer was per, fectly concealed, and the candidates, who were initiated one at time, did not know whether they were with friends or strangers.
 To each applicant asking for admission the "Master of Ceremonies, in most impressive way, stated the objects of the order, and in pleasing manner told how the brotherhood had come together with one object, one aim and one understand ling. "We are bound together" he said, "by the ties of love, confidence and charity for one anothes strength ened and solidified by the cement of con- fession. We open up the secrets of our hearts in the hearing and in the presence of each other We are all sinful creatures, and confession is good for the soul. Our good deeds speak for themselves, and our bad deeds are recorded, and in due time these records of folly are burned and the ashes are all that remain of dead and forgotten past" Then the candidate was asked if he was willing to leave the sinful world be- hind and enter upon the new life. An | affirmative answer and the initiation be- gan.
 The following ode was sung, to the air of ''Auld Lang Syne," at the begin ming of the initiatory ceremony:
 Rise, brothers, rise in calm array,
 And greet the strangers well,
 That they in confidence may stay,
 And our mystic letters spell.
 If aching hearts forget their woes,
 And mourning minds grow gay,
 It is because our welcome shows
 Much more than we can say.
 As the first step the candidate was blindfolded and led to step-ladder and told to ascend and seat himself on the top stair, and to fold his arms. This was the position each had to occupy while undergoing the ordeal of "con- fession of his misdeeds. He would be led along by skillful and adroit ques- tioning until he made what was regarded as "clean breast " of his moral short comings. When @ rich or unexpected admission was made, somber voice in deep bass tones, hastily drowning all irrepressible laughter in the room, sol emnly exclaimed: Record it," and immediately a heavy blow was struck upon 8 big drum to emphasize the sol emn words and drown all audible effects of mirth.
 If the candidate gave evidence of holding back anything he would be given to understand that the inner secrets of his soul were known to the order and to hesitate in giving them up would be an unpardonable crime in the eyes of the brotherhood. This would suffice for most of them, but now and then one would hold out and refuse to answer some indelicate question which was liable to lead into channel that might involve him in disagreeable confession. And all through, this was what was aimed at
 In such cases an intimate friend of the candidate would pass up to the master of ceremonies on slip of paper a point or two in some questionable transaction of the applicants life, and this would be the key to unlock the secret recesses of his heart. The master would say, in tone of rebuke:
 "The records of the order show that upon such day in such a year you did thus and so." Then in 2 tone mildly expostulary, he continued:
 "My friend-would I could call you brother-as I have said before, all your misdeeds are known to the order to which you are seeking admission. While crossing the portals which separate our brotherhood from the deeds of @ wicked and sinful world, and while about enter ing upon new life and breathing a purer atmosphere, you have ungratefully tried to deceive us. For this you are to be punished and thrust back into the wickedness you are so 10th to leave be- hind"
 In disguised voice he would vocif- crate: ''Sir Knight, summon the Coun- cil of Ten, and take the recreant before that tribunal for punishment" Then to the candidate, in saddened tone of voice:
 "Sir, there is but one way in which you can redeem yourself in the eyes of the brotherhood.
 The feeling that their secrets might in some way be in the hands of the brother hood, and an indefnable dread of what the "Councl of Ten' might do in the way of punishment, invariably unlocked the mouth.
 It was sight for the "Sons" to en- joy, to see candidate wriggling and squirming on the rack of tortuous cross-examination as to his moral tur- pitude. To the initiated, who knew what broad and wicked farce was be- ing enacted, the seriousness and gravity of the candidate and the mock solemnity of the ceremony was irresistibly comical. As the candidate was blindfolded he was unable to appreciate the situation !; but an occasional giggle would reach the ears of the Master, and in 8 solemn voice would come the words 'No levity. '~
 The stairs which the candidate was sitting upon were so constructed that a touch of spring transformed the steps | T