The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-15

Enoch T. Carson Talks Of the
Claims and Plans Of Mrs. Lease.
He Tells Clearly What Androgynal or
Adaptive Masonry Is. and Thinks 1t
Is What She Has Learned.
Cincinnati Tribune.

fraud"
Those we're the words used yesterday by
Sir knight Enoch Terry Carson, past grand
commander Of the Grand Commandery Of
Ohio and president OF the Knights Tenn
plars' and Masonic Mutual Aid Association
OF Cincinnati. TO express his contempt for
AIRS. Mary Ellen Lease, of Kansas. whose
announcement OF an intention to organize
Masonic order for women. and whose claims
OF full knowledge OF Masonic rites were
stated in Chicago dispatch In yesterdays
Tribune.
Her declarations are absurd" Mr.. Car
son went on. They are entitled to no con-
sideration. She can have no knowledge Of
Masonry. She has been reading some al
legged exposure OF Masonic secrets, which
she bought at a bookstand, which anybody
can buy. No, the Masons have never taken
any steps TO discover whether her claims
have any basis Of genUineness. That would
not be worth while even If the Masons did
not know absolutely that they have none
There viii be no female Masonry in this
country. The obstacle to it viii always be
the immoralities it would involve"
Mrs. Lease was quoted in the dispatch
as saying: This is really no new de-
parture; in fact. it is old. At one time in
Europe principally in France. the crowned
heads all went wild over the scheme Of
comforting Masonic degrees on women"
what she refers to- said Mr.. Carson,
'is what is called androgynal or adaptive
Masonry. / have something on that topic"
He produced his Report on Foreign Com
munications." made to the Ohio Grand
Commandery at the annual conclave in Co
lumbus, in 1892. in which he comments on
an assertion by Grand Recorder Sir Jo-
seph h Wheeler, Of Connecticut that there
IS nothing Masonic in the Order Of the
Eastern Star. an assertion which Mrs
Lease also makes, prior TO her announce
ment. 81 propose to use the bona hde Ma
sonic order"
With these comments IS given this brief
history Of androgynal or female Freema-
THE FRENCH IDEA
Adaptive Masonry is a series Of degrees
for women, arranged in France somewhere
about the year 1865, and administered reg
ularly under the patronage Of the Grand
Orient Of France for many years. Adaptive
Masonry especially flourished under the
empire, the Empress Josephine being at
the head OF the order, and many noble and
illustrious women being members. 1t was
so called, IL is said in the ritual, because
the Freemasons adopted in their special
labors in these degrees certain ladies. to
whom they made known the mysteries that
are the basis OF this Masonry.
''Some thirty years ago." Sir knight Car
sons review goes on, at the request OF
Brother Moore. then editor of the Masonic
Review, 1 made a translation from the
French of the ritual of adaptive Masonry,
having In my private collection a great
number of manuscript rituals, as practiced
in France, going back to as early as 1850
or 1760. Here is a sample:
% The candidate is asked IL she is in
proper physical condition. She removes her
left garter, which is replaced by a blue
epple. and IL is a part OF the ritual for
the candidate to go through the ceremony
OF eating the apple She is taught by a
beautifully wOrded, but very suggestive
charge that modesty and virtue in a wom-
an go together; that the loss of virtue is
the loss OF everything 10 a woman; that
woman without that purity has no charm,
and that the woman who does not blush
loses her greatest attraction
Now, all of this is true" says the re-
viewer but where is the husband or
father or brother who would like 10 witness
this ceremony applied 10 his wife, daughter
or sister, at least in plain America? 1t
viii do for wOmen's rights advocates, those
female tramps but not for plain. matter
of-fact Yankee housewives and daughters.
In some or the lodges the candidate is
prepared by having her dress raised as
high as the knee. Here is an incident taken
from one OF the high grades of female
Adaptive Masonry the Templar Mistress. >
A man is laid upon the floor covered with
death cloth (drap de mOrt) The master
asks the candidate what she desires. She
- wish to know the living God
After long and elegantly prepared ad-
dress, the presiding officer asks:
l
shall command you TO do in the presence of
'.She answers. 4 do
He then points to the death cloth and
q Lie down near the cold corpse. Warm
II by your love; Say to it Lazarus arise, -
The assistants raise the death cloth; the
Candidate disappears under il; the others
arise and the choir sings 'Neni Creator
Then is heard the voice OF the simulated
corpse crying Gloria in Excelsis.' The can
the dead and the candidate is congratu-
NOT SUITED TO AMERICA.
Il have given you," writes Mr. Carson
addressing Grand Recorder Wheeler. "a
sketch OF Adaptive Masonry as it was
and as it is now in France Almost every
prominent woman (of the demi-monde) is an
Adopted Mason 1 don't want it. AS they
have it in France, so will it be here if
Adaptive Masonry is encouraged. 1 am
near the end OF my SEVENTEEN year; per-
haps. If was fifty years younger, 1 might
view the ceremonial differently.
$50 much. Brother Wheeler, for Adaptive
Masonry I believe that 1 express the
views Of 30 per cent. of the Masons Of the
Mr.. Carson's answer to Grand Recorder
Wheelers claim that there was nothing
Masonic IN the Order of the Eastern Star
will serve as an answer TO Mrs. Lease
similar claim. Mr.. Carson, 10 show that
there Is a great deal or Masonry in the
order. quotes from the ritual by Poberi
MacOy. one of its founders 20 this e. ect:
1.-THE time is not far distant whe.. this
system OF the Adaptive Rite will receive
Masonic official recognition and meet with
general acceptance even where il is now
neglected or prescribed.
Other proof Is given and then is answered
Mr.. Wheeiers query whether the Grand
Lodge o. Grand COmmandery Of Ohio had
succeeded III preventing its members from
Joining the Mystic Shrine, that Mr..
Wheeler says. builds upon the foundation
OF templary the same as the Eastern Star
separation from Masonry is declared TO be
no greater than that OF the Eastern Star
The response will indicate 10 Mrs. Lease
what her chances viii be, in Ohio. of secur-
Ing the cooperation and approval OF Ma
sons with a view 20 obtaining which she
says her organization is 10 be formed.
AS TO side DEGREES
"And now writes Mr.. Carson, "in reply
90 our brothers inquiries as TO what Ohio
has done, we viii furnish him with the
required Information, and il may perhaps
be wen for some Of the trafickers in the
order OF the Eastern Star in Ohio TO make
a note Of it,"
He then gives exhibiting the views OF
the Ohio Grand Lodge OF Masons. at Chilli
ccthe in 1873, on the subject OF the con-
forrfuv of so-oofia1 .ssf1ass Or