LADY MASONS.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3167, 14 April 1879, Page 1

LADY MASONS.

! " ;'. „[>BpM THE NEWT6BK 'riMßEJ!^''',^^ ; In the earlier days of Masonry,,;,atis shown by some ancient manuscripts, there were" Dame Masons " as well as " M«8- f/ t;er Masons," The " Apprentice" is charged in one manuscript that he" shall • not steal or pick away his master's oi^ dame's goods," and in another manuscript that •• he shall not disclose his master's or fl aame's counsel or secrets," whence it may be inferred that at oae time the ;wM6ws pf Masons wore permitted to carry on work under the guild, and in that case" the apprentice would serve out hisf time. Ylt may bo," adds the editor;of t^e,,WQrk of Masonic history to which we are "indebted for this information, " that this rule was even enlarged so as to admit the widows ._and daughters of MasoV/' a supposition which may well suggest misgivings about the secrets imparted to (hose who knew anything about the order. Formerly, both in France; and Germany, there existed—and now exists in the United States—systems by which women <!ould be made acquainted with certain signs and mysteries,-thus enabling them to make themselves known to members of] the craft. Concerning the German .' Mopses " a good deal of doubt prevails, inasmuch., as it is even a moot point whether the word " mops "signifies " the wife of a Freemason," or a Dutch mastiff pr pug dog"—or both. At any rate,nothing has been seen of the " Mppses " for over one hundred and fifty years. In' France " Maeonrierie d'aption " flourished during a considerable part of the eightteenth century, and was revived in the fearly years of the nineteenth century. Betw&n about 1740 and 1760 the French nation boasted of many (l[ what some (Englishman are pleased to"call "Androgynous " orders of Freemasonry. Among these wero "L'Ordre de la Feiicite, on less Feliciteries de I'Ancre," " L'Ordro ftesChevaliers et Nymphes.de la Eose," ," L'Ordre dcs Dames Ecossaisesr de rHospice dv Monthaba,". and " L'Ordre de la Perseverance.", ■„ ,:. \ Later, on, that is for fifteen or twenty ' Jrears before the outbreak of the revolution, secret societies were the rage -with^ all classes, even with the great ladies of the court." 'Under the patronage of Cardinal De Rohan, the notorious and infamous Cagliostro established 'his sySvi item' of "Egyptian Masonry," installed (himself as Grand Coplite, and opened^ Hodges for sisters as well as brethren atf jStrasburg, Lyons and Paris, of which jlodges the principal one were named •' Xia.r jSagesse Triomphan'te " and '• Les Phjlan. •thetes"' 1 ,; Another order . receivedvrtlier jparticular protection of thejPuchejJi,,de* LBourban and Princess de Lambelle, and in ithe Lodge of St.,Antoine, one of them as jGrand Maitresse, was in the habit of cbn-^ iferring the four degrees bf^V&pprcalio," — j" Qompagnbnne," "Maitresse,",*. and, j"Parfaite Maitresse." But the new 7" (sisterhood passed away with the old iregime, and although it was pjirtialjy jrevived under Napoleon I, andj "again under the Bourbons, it gradually came to an end; and does not exist. . ; ; it

In our own country an adoptive-rite-~4 the term adoptive seems to bc.tho Masonic equivaleiifc for female--was instituted' fn> 1855, co&sistipg of five degrees—Jephtha's dau^hteri' 1 or the daughter's aegreer Ruthj or'^ the^widqw's decreej'.Ksifeblr'i:'^ the wife's;degree;; Martb;a, or ibb^iiaferV degree ;. and ;Eleota, or <-■ the Christian martyr's degree,rthe whole assemblage* being called the Eastern Star. 1 N.p'w. this body of Freemasonry, never 'ckn'til 'Weemasonry, and is nof, of course, recognised by Masons in good standing. Nevertheless, it embraces only the wives; widows, mothers, daughters and sisters of M;aster' Masons,and allthe male persons w'ba art; melnbers in this adoptive rite must fteebssarily 'be masons. The origin an'd'prb«i gress of this rite is not even; fatniliarto' most Masons; It was first brought but in 1850, and tbe degree was first con* ferred in this city in April, 1853 ; but the order in itst present form was not .^introduced until in October, 1868, when the system of ceremonies for opening, closinfj and initiating candidates was exetnplifiod: for the first time before Alpha Chapter.' Since then it has spread all over the country, an 4in almost evdry State and^ Territory Chapters have already L been established. This Order now numbers nearly 20,000' members in this icduut^ alone; "But" there are signs of discord even in this'excellent order, and the chief msitter under dispute is, whether man or woman shall wear the apron of aafchorjlty,' and whether that apron shall or shall not have a bib to it. It sterns not to have been intended by the originators of! the Order that women should bo its leading executive officers, but rather as assist tants. Nevertheless the lovely creatures have succeeded in many jurisdictions id securing the control of the lodges,! and now hold the leading offices. .;..;; i In the meantime, the outside :world ii< called upon to stand and wonder while* these " female Freemasons" Settle the question, not only of authority, but o| uniformity in the clothing to be worn in Subordinate Chapters. Shall thejr';wea£ > sealskin or Astrakhan jackets, apronV with or without ruffles, and long or shorit pauts —that is to say, shall there be.uni*. forintty, and thus create harmony and goodness. Perhaps Miss Nilsson, who has just been elected to the highest grand office of the Order in England, can solve this question. , { ;