Evening star., 1880-02-14
THE MASONIC "ExPOsE,n

and would ''work the third Degree Those
who arrived after 7:2o p. m. found the house
1ull 10 overnow1ng and the doors locked; and
II is fair to estimate that at least 500 people
went away unable to gain admission. The
audience assembled to see the ''show" was COM
posed OF men from every walk and station of
lie, not few being freemasons attracted, as
one OF them expressed 1t, by ''the boldneSs of
sh,srn she man WI who feared not to violate the most
were not less than fifty ladies present, who
seemed intensely interested In the proceedings
sra Wg IL rs na 70 S Were there to
TO the ''odious lodge" of which they had been
able to learn so little from their masonic hus-
bands, fathers, and brothers. The performance
Chambers-street Church, who announced him
Sc sen ,S as In hearty sympathy with the exposure
enemy to Christianity. He was followed by
MI Rathbun, rough-loOking specimen OF the
genus yclept Hoosier, whose style was as melo-
dramatic and ludicrous as his rhetoric was un-
grammatical and absurd. After listening for
some moments to the 'eloquence" OF this expo
nent OF the Gospel of Christ 1t was not dificult
concert gardens draw larger Sunday audiences
than do the churches. The recreant mason had
Still, 1t seemed. some few qualms of conscience
at the character OF the mission in which he was
engaged, for he devoted nearly half an hour to
ALI attempt to convince his hearers that he con-
stdered himself absolved from the oath which
he had taken never to reveal
THE SECRET WORK OF THE ORDER
with which he had voluntarily connected him
self. He was still engaged in explaining that
Masonic oathS are prOfane oatfs which are
better broken than kept" when "1 oure liar!"
sounded loud and clear above the murmur Of
voices which arose In muttered chorus from
some OF those present. Rev. Mr.. McFal at this
point jumped up and tntimated that he would
call In the officers II there was any more inter-
ruption. Mr.. Rathbun, with good-natured
smile upon his not very handsome face, an
nouneed that he was not doing this for money,
l''Doing it for love, eh7" queried voice in the
audience,] that he was not hypocrite, but was
serving God and his conscience, and that all the
money he got out of the thing was enough for
ter an appeal for order, the foe to masonry
clothed himself In the full regalia of worship
m lul master and proceeded TO open his lodge.
The space in front OF the chancel was utilized
as lodge room, and an altar was improvised
out OF small valise, set up on end and covered
with cloth. On this lay a small and well-worn
by the square and compass. -Four tallow can
dies, in shabby candlesticks, burned ON this
altar, and gave evidence Of deliberate inten-
ton to burlesque all the appointments of the
as possible upon the ceremonies of the tnstitu-
uOn. Mr.. Rathbun pressed into the service
them and a ''Rev." Mr. stoddard, a fellow
worker, soon got to work, Rathbun personating
all the officers Of the lodge, and reciting their
parts In turn, while his assistants, clothed in
white aprons were merely dummies. Some
little delay was caused by the unwillingness Of
any one to act as the candidate upon whom the
third degree was to be worked, according to
announcement. young man was finally found
who agreed for So to take the contract, and he
was led behind a couple of bedquilts, stretched
across the corner of the church, 10 prepare him
self for the ceremony, while the audience good
naturedly Joked and guyed him as to his proba-
BILE fate. Rev. Mr.. McFall furnished most of the
material for the explosive element in the audi
ence by his threatening language and urgent
calls for order.
YOU'RE DIsGRAC1Na BOSTON
by such conduct" he exclaimed, in loud tone
to young man In the centre OF the house. SIT
are to and to Doa
was the ready retort which was hurled at the
now excited divine, and which caused deafen.
and 1frue for you, my boy!" McFali persisted
in Irritating the crowd by his advice and sug-
gestions, and was only S1lenced when some one
In the rear shouted In stentorian tones, shut
up; this Is pretty business for minister to be
mixed up I'M"
At this point signal from behind the bed
quilts In the corner, announced that the candi-
date was ready, and, handicapped with the title
of "Rev. stephen JONES'" the chap who did the
novitiate for 81 note emerged, led by Rathbun.
The young man was clothed in shirt with
sleeves rolled up to the elbows and breast laid
bare, pair OF cotton drawers rolled up to the
knees, and white apron secured by cord at
the waist. He was barefooted and was blind
folded, a green handkerchief being bound about
his head. ''Rev. stephen JONES'" was we'll
built, healthy-looking fellow, who seemed to
enjoy sport quite as much as did those who
witnessed the farce In which he was so i'm
IOrtant an actor. The ceremony had scarcely
got under way when the irrepressible McFall
called upon a policeman to put out man in
the centre OF the church. At this grand
chorus arose from all parts OF the house: '.You
can't put him out" and above all rang out the
voice of the dtsturber: my forefathers were
ard you can't put Inc out, and don't you forget
1t!' which declaration of rights was received
with uproarious applause by some, and shouts
OF Shut up" and ''Sit down" by others. just
then
SIX POLICE OFFICERS ENTERED,
az the dsturber concluded he wouldn't argue
the point any further at present. The entrance
OF the police served to quell the risibilities Of
the audience for while, and Rathbun pro-
ceeded to ''do" the third degree" "Rev. Ste
phen jones' was led to the altar, and an oath
to him by Rathbun. This was repeated word
for word by the candidate who caused great
laughter by continuing to repeat his tnstruc-
oath was concluded. From this point until the
crowd finally dispersed, the scenes were, it is
safe to assert, such as was never before wit
c Of GI at IL
phemous manner in which most sacred Oaths,
pledges, and professions OF fidelity were held
up to laughter and ridicule burst all bounds
en1ng chorus of Jeers, misses, and shouts filled
the alr. Some chap In the audience SHE'D
cabbage stalk stalk at Rathbun. but missed his
"been so interfered with In the 25 states in
which have spoken" A little "Pinafore" and
chorus OF cat-callS greeted this remark and
one voice cried out, 1.-THE minister's round,
Stevie: look out for pocket-book." A decidedly
ludicrous scene was enacted when the candi-
date was being marched up and down from the
'EaSt"to the South" and back to the s'West,na
crowd in the centre of the house whistling a ia
miliar and mirth- provoking snatch of song.
This was repeated at each pilgrimage across
the room made by "Rev. Stephen JONES'" and
THE UPRoAR BECAME GENERAL.
At precisely $3.50 o'clock the first man was
fired OUT by the police and Capt. Ford of the
Third division, who was present in citizens
clothes, was appealed to by another individual,
whose right of free speech was, he seemed to
think, being interfered with. The last-named
party was advised to keep quiet, the crowd as
suT1ng him that he shouldn't be put out. At
this point the familiar ''Cawt cav! caw!r of the
'Three Black Crows" added not little to the
confusion OF the scene, and Rev. Mr.. McFall
tried to make another speech, but was ''bottled
up" by the crowd ''Rev." Mr.. Stoddard es-
sayed little harangue, but with little better
success
A voice-'If Masons who violate their oath
are cut in twain and disembOwelled, as the
oath says, why is this man alive to-day preach
ing against FreenlaSonry?"
Another voice-"BecauSe they don't dare do
as they threaten"
Just here an excited auditor sprang to his
feet, and called upon all those who believed
Rathbun and his stories about Masonry, to
stand, upon Wholesome 80 or IS persons includ-
ing two ladies in the centre of the house, rose
to their feet. The call for ''all those who don't