Year: 1866

IL appears llOuf All cultOIldl dItiClc
in the Charleston Daily South Carolin-
ian, that at the capture of Columbia by
Sherman's army, there was lost an art
icle of great antiquity, and highly treas
ured among the Masonic fraternity as
a relic of a great man and Of the past.
This was the famous Sword of State,
called among our Masons ''The Crom-
we'll Sword" and commonly believed
among them to have been once possessed
by the Lord Protector of England. We
draw attention AoT the fact of the loss
and to the descriptive particulars which
follow, in the hore that, public atten-
ton being drawn to its history, it may
be recovered, drawn from some obscure
hiding place, and restored to the Grand
Lodge Of South Carolina, to which it
belonged.


This antique weapon was subject
of peculiar interest as a relic, rather
than for its use and beauty. Its histo-
ry, as given by Dalcho, in his Masonic
writings, will crafty the curious as
well as the Masonic reader.


1t was large, once elegant and cur
ious two-edged weapon, in a rich velvet
scabbard, highly ornamented with Ma
sonic emblems, and with the arms of
the Grand Master. It had been pre-
sented to the Grand Lodge by the Pro-
vincial Grand Master, after the install
lation of the grand officers, was given
as consecrated sword, and received
with reverent assurance to keep it safe
ly, so far as human efforts could accord
safety. The weapon had been long in
possession of the Grand Masters fami-
ly, and was said to have once belonged
- Oliver Cromwell, legend to which
some degree of probability may be Civ
en-, from the fact that the Provincial
Grand Master was descendant of Ed
ward Leigh, who was a member of the
Long Parliament and Parliamentary
General in the time of the Protector,
from whom, perhaps, he received it.


The further history of this sword may
as well be given here. From the time
Of the presentation it continued in the
possession of the Grand Lodge, and was
borne by the Grand Sword Bearer, or
in latter times, the Grand Pursuivant,
in all public professions. At length,
at the conhagration which, in the year
1888, destroyed so large a portion of
the city of Charleston, and with other
buildings Masonic Hall, the sword was
with great difficulty, saved by Brother
Samuel Seyle, the Grand Tyler, with
the loss of the hilt, scabbard, and a small
part Of the extremity of the blade.
In the confusion consequent on the fire,
the sword thus mutilated was mislaid,
and for a long time it was supposed to
be lost. In 1852 committee was ap-
polluted by the Grand Lodge to make
every exertion for its recovery, and at
length, in the beginning of the year
1854, it was accidentally found by the
Grand Tyler in an outhouse on his
premises, and was by him restored to
the Grand Lodge in its mutilated con-
dition. The lost piece of blade was in
geniously replaced by a cutler in Char
lesion, and being sent to New York was
returned with new hilt and velvet
scabbard, and was used in its appropri-
ate place during the centennial cere-
monies Of that year.


With such history, and blended
with such tradition of its origin, we
need not feel surprised at the universal
and keen feeling occasioned by its loss.


INFLUENCE OF During
the raid of Quantrell in Kansas, and
the sacking and ravaging of Lawrence,
the gang came to the residence of
George Ford, whose neat house was
surrounded with flowers. The soldiers
appealed. to the leader to spare the
place, ''as it was to pretty to burn"
He assented, and the house was spared,
almost the only building left. Mr..
Ford says now he shall cultivate flowers
as long as he remembers the rebellion.
The charm of few flowers touched the
hearts.of men whom no misery or suffer
ing, in the midst of which they are rev.
elling, could reach, and saved from de-
struction the house referred to. Who
does not love flowers, and who will not
devote little time to them They
refine, they elevate.