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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 293, 13 December 1870, Page 2

Freemasonry and War. — The present war has been prolific in illustrations of the value of Freemasonry in dangerous emergencies, and the anecdotes are endless of the lives saved by its means. Among the cartloads of wounded of both nations which arrived from Sedan wore two men whose consideration for each other was so marked as to occasion inquiry. They wore the Prussian and French uniform respectively, and though neither could understand a word of the other's language, they shared their rations, aud seemed to be interchanging signals of amity all day long. Their story was a very simple one. The Prussian, who is an officer, and a man of thirty-five' or so, with a stern, grave face, and a heavy, overhanging moustache, had met the Frenchman, who is at least a dozen years his junior, on the battlefield, the latter being supported by ..a couple of comrades. Twice did the wave of couflict bring these men in contact, and on the last occasion the Prussian, who was himself badly wounded in the chest, presse 1 the youug. Frenchman hard, and had indeed, his sword uplifted to administer the coup de grace, when the latter, who was faint from loss of blood, made a hasty sign to his victor, which caused the latter to stay his hand. Parley was impossible both from the exigencies of language and the turmoil of battle j and besides, both men lost conciousness, and fell at each other's side. It turned out that the young Frenchman had been made a Freemason a few months before the outbreak of the war, and that he had instinctively made the sign by mfans of which members of the fraternity are j taught to ask their brethren for help. The Prussian was an old Mason, who recognised it instantly, aud who as instinctively paused, and before there was time for consideration both men fainted away. When consciousness was restored,, they found themselves side by side, and with the dead and dying around them. By a strange coincidence, their wounds were such that each could give the other some slight relief, and the. late enemies employed their weary hours, in which they lay disable! and uutended, in rendering little kindnesses to each other, and in thus cementing the friendship which had begun so strangely. When help came they petitioned to be permitted to keep together, telling their story with considerable effusiveness to the doctor, who after some time came to them on the field. This gentleman who was not a military surgeon, but a member of the blessed Society which dates from Geneva, raised*, his hands in pleased astonishment at thev tale he heard, and at once showed himself to be. a Freemason too ; so that three^brethrea