The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-07-12
MASONIC.


Since the days of William Morgan til,
Freemasonry. Taking the falsehoods of that
man for foundation many others, as def
cient In mental vigor and tone, have thrust
upon the public books of various sizes and
shapes claiming to ''give away" all of the
secret work of the most ancient and honor
able of fraternities. A novel method
of exposure is the presentation of degrees at
opera houses and theatres as plays. This
was quite lucrative for awhile; then the PEG
pie reached the wise conclusion that they lad
been humbugged. Quacl Masonry has had
its run. The uninitated have desraircd OF
ever obtaining the secrets Of Ancient, Free
and Accepted Masonry. There is, how
ever, hardly Lodge that has not had deal
ings with men who, having read Morgan's
or some other expose, attempt to gain
admission into their halls. Book Masons
are easily and speedily detected.
A committee was asked for by young
man who wished to visit one of the Cincin-
natl Lodges. It was few years ago, before
the days of dudes, though this young man
ga
catalogue of idiocy had he not been born too
soon. His apparel was nobby, his hands lilly
white with bleaching, his face enamelcd and
his general get-np was killing On his shirt
front he wore a letter G. as large and bright
as policeman's badge While waiting for
the committee the Tiler engaged him in con-
versaton.
81 see you wear letter G, which is a
Masonic badge, / believe. l have almost
forgotten what it stands for Will you tell
me9" the Tiler asked in appale nt sweet
innocence.
The man at once replied: "0h, certainly,
certainly. The letter G stands for Jerusa-
lena sort of headquarters for us Masons,
you know"
1t is needless to add that when the com
mittee appeared they found their work
already well done. This is an average in
stance of the gross stupidity and insulting
impertinence of Book Masons.
1t is singular to outsiders that Masonry,
which does not regard the outside qualifiea-
tions of men, should be opposed to recog-
MIXING colored men as Brother MaSons. There
are hundreds of colored Lodges which do as
good work as their white Brothers. They
got their charters and their works from
England, and for this reason American
Lodges refuse to recognize them.
During the war Southern mans house
was foraged by some Northern soldiers
among them being Sergeant, an ex-slave and
as black as midnight. The soldiers slipped
moose over the Southener's head and
demanded to know where he had hidden his
silver and gold. He declined 60 tell. They
threatened to hang him. "I'll never tell,
he said. They threw the rope over limb,
jerked him into the air and tied him up to
die. Unable to speak, he made certain
Masonic sign and the negro sprang forward
and undd the rope. When the power of
speech re turned to tine half-choked man he
looked into tine face of his deliverer, and
still without recognizing him Masonically,
asked with incredible astonishment: "What
in the hi do you know about that sgn?'
The ex-slave answered: "YOu need not
hold Masonic conversation with me unless
you desire, but nothing can prevent me from
doing my duty to all Masons under the
sum-
Did not the negro display grander idea
of Masonic work, of Masonic Brotherhood
Why, the word Freemason is only corrup-
tion of the French Frere-macon, whichimeans
Brother Mason; yet the majority of Masons
understand the "free'' to have reference to
kind of liberty, license or privilege pecul
iarly theirs.
Heie is touching, beautiful instance of
true Masonic work:
The fire burned low in the CRATE, the cell
lar was empty of coal, the larder contained
neither bread nor meat and the home was
cheerless and cold. Death had entered that
humble dwelling with his stealthy, noiseless
tread, and taken thence the husband and
father to the narrow house of the dead. The
widow, with strength supelhuman, had
beaten back the wolf to the door until by
illness overwhelmed, when, powerless to do
no more, she gave away to despair. Then
not one ray of hope beamed in that stricken
cottage, and it was indeed lonely and desc
late. AS God willed, at this time stranger
passed that way, learned the tale of sorrow,
anu DtniB uedlb, iiliHl6uidUeil
extended relief. The children were fed and
clothed, the mother was attended with skill
by physician and nurse, CHEEKY fire lit up
the CRATE and the cellar was filled with coal.
The family purse SO long empty, was well
supplied, and in lieu of distress happiness
prevailed. The donor, Masoncally having
discharged his duty, disappeared none know
ing whence he came or whittier he went.
His charity by notrumpct bruited abroadno
one on the housetop proclaimed it, but the
All Seeing Eye benignly looked down and
approved his deed of true merit.
This is real, genuine Masonic work: "To
visit the fatherless and widows in their
afflicton." There can be no sham in such
work. If Morgan and his host of imitators
had truly exposed the beauty of Masonic
sympathy, and had pretended less to a
knowledge of the degrees, they would have
saved themselves to fairer reputation and
nobler renown.- Chronicle Herald.
New York and the Presidency.
Na,p Ynrk will ha tLa nivntal Statn in