Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-08-02


which was Just above the lodge room
and while he was reclining at night
on the planks which formed the gar
ret floor, these gave way and precipl-
tated tho unfortunate guest into the
center of the lodge in the very midst
of it's deliberations. The landlord,
who was also the tyler, was called up
| on for an explanation, and he, like a
good Mason, made clean breast Of
the whole affair Whereupon the
members of the lodge took up con
tributlon for the fugitive brother, and,
though. mis- enemy in war, assisted
him TO reach the American lines
across tho Hudson River.
Another instance of Masonic mag
nanimity occurred when the brave
Baron DcKalb; our German ally. was
slain at the battle of Camden in 1870.
Although he had crossed the Atlantic
| to take part in a quarrel that was
not his, against the British, he was
buried by them with both Masonic
and military honors. -4A
| These are illustrations which,
| thanks to Masonic teaching, reveal the
foe in better light than we are won't
to think of him. Let us notice some
expressions of the same spirit on the
American side. Lodge Unity, No. 1GS,
was Scottish military lodge in the
| 18th foot of the British army. In
| 1873, while the regiment was engaged
in skirmish, the constitution and
jewels of the lodge were lost, but were
returned to it by Col. Parsons of Am
erican Union Lodge in the opposing
army. A most striking instance oc-
Cured when the Masonic chest of the
46th British Infantry was captured
by the Americans. When General
Washington heard of it he ordered
the chest and other articles of value
returned to the owners, accompanied
by a guard of honor. The London
Freemason's Magazine, commenting
on the circumstances from an English
standpoint, says:
"The surprise, the feelings of both
officers and men may be imagined
when they perceived the flag of truce
that announced this elegant compli-
ment from their noble opponent, but
still more noble brother. The guard
of honor, their flutes playing a sacred
march, the chest containing the con-
stitution and implements of the craft
borne aloft like another Ark of the
Covenant, equally by Englishmen and
Americans, who, lately engaged in the
strife of war, now marched through
the enfiladed ranks of the gallant reg
iment, that, with presented arms and
colors, hailed the glorious act by
cheers which the sentiment rendered
sacred as the hallelujah Of an angels
song"
But perhaps the most significant IL
lifstfatfoh of the effect OF Masonry on
the warts the action taken by the
Grand Lodge Of Scotland. 1t is we'll
known that the war was unpopular iii
many parts of Great Britain, but some
of the subordinate Scottish lodges
urged perhaps, by Government Off
cials, had offered bounties for recruits
to the army. When the Grand Lodge
met it condemned this practice in un-
mistakable terms, and in it's instruc-
tions declared:
Masonry is an order of peace ant
it looks on all mankind to be breth.
rem and Masons, whether they be al
peace or at war with each other as
subjects of contending countries
Thus, above the storm and stress
of armed strife the soothing spirit O
Masonic fellowship brooded, like {
bird of calm. If Masons precipitatet
and promoted the struggle for inde
pendence, they likewise mitigated it,
horrors and made possible the dis
closure of the noblest traits in botl
American and Briton. 1t is the proud
est heritage of the Revolutionary Ma
sons on both sides that the fraterna
tie was one which not even the shocl
of arms could sever, and that ami,
the fiercest passions engendered b.
war they never forgot that they wer
brethren. The record of this form
the fairest, brightest page in the his
tory of the Revolution.
, , IN THE COUNCILS OF STATE.
} When we turn from scenes of earn
age to the more peaceful haunts o
{ statesmen and diplomat, during tn
, Revolution, we find Freemasons ther
active and influential. 1t is notabl
| fact that the earliest suggestion of
t Federal union of the American Colon
3 les came from the first America
Grand Master. Daniel Cox, who il
! 1880 received deputation as Provin
cial Grand Master, made this sugges
ton in work published as early q