Vol. XI 


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A MONTHLY MASONIC AND FAMILY MAGAZINE. 


Vol. XI. 


AUGUST, 1897. 


No. 8. 


Knight Kadosh. 


We often profit more by our enemies 
than by our friends. We support our- 
selves only on that which resists, and owe 
our success to opposition. The best 
friends of Masonry in America were the 
Anti-Masons of 1826, and at the same 
time they were its worst enemies. Men 
are but the automata of Providence, and it 
uses the demagogue, the fanatic and the 
knave, a common trinity in Republics, as 
its tools and instruments to effect that of 
which they do not dream, and which they 
imagine themselves commissioned to pre- 
vent. 

The Anti-Masons, traitors and perjurers 
some, and some mere political knaves, 
purified Masonry by persecution, and so 
proved to be its benefactors; for that which 
is persecuted grows, To them its present 
popularity is due, the cheapening of its 
degrees, the invasion of its Lodges, that 
are no longer sanctuaries, by the multitude, 
its pomp and pageantry and overdone dis- 
play. 

A hundred years ago it had become 

known that the were the Templars 

under a veil, and therefore the degree was 
proscribed, and, ceasing to be worked, be- 
came a mere brief and formal ceremony, 
under another name. Now, from the tomb 
in which after his murders he rotted, Cle- 
ment the Fifth howls against the succes- 
sors of his victims, in the Allocution of 
Pio Nono against the Freemasons. The 
ghosts of the dead Templars haunt the 
Vatican and disturb the slumbers of the 
paralyzed Papacy, which, dreading the 
dead, shrieks out its excommunications 


and impotent anathemas against the living. 
It is a declaration of war, and was needed 
to arouse apathy and inertness to action. 

An enemy of the Templars shall tell us 
the secret of this Papal hostility against an 
order that has existed for centuries in de- 
spite of its anathemas, and has its sanctu- 
aries and Asyla even in Rome. 

It will be easy, as we read, to separate 
the false from the true, the audacious con- 
jectures from the simple facts. 

“A power thatruled without antagonism 
and without concurrence, and consequently 
without control, proved fatal to the Sacer- 
dotal Royalties; while the Republics, on 
the other hand, had perished by the con- 
flict of liberties and franchises, which, in 
the absence of all duty hierarchically sanc- 
tioned and enforced, had soon become 
mere tyrannies, rivals one of the other. 
To find a stable medium between these two 
abysses, the idea of the Christian Hiero- 
phants was to create a society devoted to 
abnegation by solemn vows, protected by 
severe regulations, which should be re- 
cruited by initiation, and which, sole de- 
pository of the great religious and social 
secrets, should make Kings and Pontiffs, 
without exposing it to the corruptions of 
Power. In that was the secret of that 
kingdom of Jesus Christ, which, without 
being of this world, would govern all its 
grandeurs. 

“This idea presided at the foundation 
of the great religious orders, so often at 
war with the secular authorities, ecclesias- 
tical or civil. Its realization was also the 
dream of the dissident sects of Gnostics or 
Illuminati, who pretended to connect their 
faith with the primitive tradition of the 


340 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Christianity of St. John. It at length be- 
came a menace for the Church and So- 
ciety, when a rich and dissolute Order, 
initiated in the mysterious doctrines of the 
Kabalah, seemed disposed to turn against 
legitimate authority the conservative prin- 
ciples of Hierarchy, and threatened the 
entire world with an immense revolution. 

4 ‘The Templars, whose history is so im- 
perfectly known, were those terrible con- 
spirators. In 1118, nine Knights Cru- 
saders in the East, among whom were 
Geoffroi de Saint Omer and Hugues de 
Payens, consecrated themselves to relig- 
ion, and took an oath between the hands 
of the Patriarch of Constantinople, a See 
always secretly or openly hostile to that of 
Rome from the time of Photius. The 
avowed object of the Templars was to pro- 
tect the Christians who came to visit the 
Holy Places; their secret object was the 
rebuilding of the Temple of Solomon on 
the model prophesied by Ezekiel. 

“This rebuilding, formally predicted by 
the Judalzing Mystics of the earlier ages, 
had become the secret dream of the Patri- 
archs of the Orient. The Temple of Solo- 
mon, rebuilt and consecrated to the Catho- 
lic worship, would become, in effect, the 
Metropolis of the Universe; the East would 
prevail over the West, and the Patriarchs 
of Constantinople would possess themselves 
of the Papal power. 

“The Templars, or Poor Fellow-Soldiery 
of the Holy House of the Temple, intend- 
ed to be rebuilt, took as their models, in 
the Bible, the Warrior -Masons of Zoro- 
babel, who worked, holding the sword in 
one hand and the trowel in the other. 
Therefore it was that the sword and the 
trowel were the insignia of the Templars, 
who subsequently, as will be seen, con- 
cealed themselves under the name of 
Brethren Masons. [This name, Freres 
Ma9ons in the French, adopted by way of 
secret reference to the builders of the Sec- 
ond Temple, was corrupted in English in- 
to Freemasons, as Pythagore de Crotone 
was into Peter Gower of Groton in Eng- 
land. Khairum or Khur-um (anamemis- 
rendered into Hiram), from an artificer in 
brass and other metals, because the chief 
builder of the Haikal Kadosh, the Holy 
House of the Temple, and the words 
Bonai and Banaim yet appear in the Ma- 
sonic degrees, meaning builder and build- 
ers.] 

“The trowel of the Templars is quad- 
ruple, and the triangular plates of it are 


arranged in the form of a cross, making 
the Kabulistic pantacle known by the 
name of the Cross of the East. The 
Knight of the East, and the Knight of the 
East and West, have in their titles secret 
allusions to the Templars of whom they 
were at first the successors. 

“The secret thought of Hugues de 
Payens, in founding his Order, was not 
exactly to serve the ambition of the Patri- 
archs of Constantinople. There existed at 
that period in the East a sect of Johannite 
Christians, who claimed to be the only 
true initiates into the real mysteries of the 
religion of the Saviour. They pretended 
to know the real history of Yesus the An- 
ointed, and, adopting in fart the Jewish 
traditions and the tales of the Talmud, 
they held that the facts recounted in the 
Evangels are but allegories, the key of 
which Saint John gives, in saying that the 
world might be filled with the books that 
could be written upon the words and deeds 
of Jesus Christ; words which, they thought, 
would be only a ridiculous exaggeration, 
if he were not speaking of an allegory and 
a legend, that might be varied and pro- 
longed to infinity. 

“The Johannites ascribed to Saint John 
the foundation of their Secret Church, and 
the Grand Pontiffs of the Sect assumed the 
title of Christos Anointed, or Consecrated, 
and claimed to have succeeded one another 
from Saint John by an uninterrupted suc- 
cession of pontificial powers. He who, at 
the period of the foundation of the Order 
of the Temple, claimed these imaginary 
prerogatives, was named Theoclet; he 
knew Hugues de Payens, he initiated him 
into the mysteries and hopes of his pre- 
tender church, he seduced him by the no- 
tions of Sovereign Priesthood and Su- 
preme royalty, and finally designated him 
as his successor. 

Thus the Order of Knights of the Tem- 
ple was at its very origin devoted to the 
cause of opposition to the tiara of Rome 
and the crowns of Kings, and the Aposto- 
late of Kabalistic Gnosticism was vested 
in its chiefs. For Saint John himself was 
the Father of the Gnostics, and the cur- 
rent translation of his polemic against the 
heretical of his Sect and the pagans who 
denied that Christ was the Word, is 
throughout a misrepresentation, or mis- 
understanding at least, of the whole Spirit 
of that Evangel. 

“The tendencies and tenets of the Or- 
der were enveloped in profound mystery, 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


34i 


and it externally professed the most per- 
fect orthodoxy. The Chiefs alone knew 
the aim of the Order; the Subalterns fol- 
lowed them without distrust. 

“To acquire influence and wealth, then 
to intrigue, and at need to fight, to estab- 
lish the Johannite or Gnostic and Kabal- 
istic dogma, were the object and means 
proposed to the initiated brethren. The 
Papacy and the rival monarchies, they 
said to them, are sold and bought in these 
days, become corrupt, and to-morrow, 
perhaps, will destroy each other. All that 
will become the heritage of the Temple; 
the world will soon come to us for its 
Sovereigns and Pontiffs. We shall con- 
stitute the equilibrium of the universe, and 
be rulers over the Masters of the world. 

“The Templars, like all other Secret 
Orders and Associations, had two doc- 
trines, one concealed and reserved for the 
Masters, which was Johannism; the other 
public, which was the Roman Catholic. 
Thus they deceived the adversaries whom 
they sought to supplant. Hence Free- 
Masonry, vulgarly imagined to have begun 
with the Dionysian Architects or the Ger- 
man Stoneworkers, adopted Saint John the 
Evangelist as one of its patrons, associat- 
ing with him, in order not to arouse the 
suspicions of Rome, Saint John the Bap- 
tist, and thus covertly proclaiming itself 
the child of the Kabalah and Essenism to- 
gether. 1 ’ 

[For the Johan ism of the Adepts was 
the Kabalah of the earlier Gnostics, de- 
generating afterward into those heretical 
forms which Gnosticism developed, so that 
even Manes had his followers among them. 
Many adopted his doctrines of the two 
Principles, the recollection of which is 
perpetuated by the handle of the dagger 
and the tesselated pavement or floor of the 
Lodge, stupidly called “the Indented Tes- 
sel,” and represented by great hanging 
tassels, when it really means a tesserated 
floor (from the Latin tessera) of white and 
black lozenges, with a necessarily denticu- 
lated or indented border or edging. And 
wherever, in the higher degrees, the two 
colors, white and black, are in juxtaposi- 
tion, the two Principles of Zoroaster and 
Manes are alluded to. With others the 
doctrine became a mystic Pantheism, de- 
scended from that of the Brahmins, and 
even pushed to an idolatry of nature and 
hatred of every revealed dogma. 

[To all this the absurd reading of the 
established Church, taking literally the 


figurative, allegorical and mythical lan- 
guage of a collection of Oriental books of 
different ages, directly and inevitably led. 
The same result long after followed the 
folly of regarding the Hebrew books as if 
they had been written by the unimagina- 
tive, hard, practical intellect of the En- 
land of James the First and the bigoted 
solidity of Scottish Presbyterianism.] 

“The better to succeed and win parti- 
sans, the Templars sympathized with re- 
grets for dethroned creeds and encouraged 
the hopes of new worships, promising to 
all liberty of conscience and a new ortho- 
doxy that should be the synthesis of all the 
persecuted creeds.’ ’ 

[It is absurd to suppose that men of in- 
tellect adored a monstrous idol called 
Baphomet, or recognized Mahomet as an 
inspired prophet. Their symbolism, in- 
vented ages before, to conceal what it was 
dangerous to avow, was of course mis- 
understood by those who were not adepts, 
and to their enemies seemed to be panthe- 
istic. The calf of gold, made by Aaron 
for the Israelites, was but one of the oxen 
under the laver of bronze, and the Karo- 
bim on the Prohiaitory misunderstood. 
The symbols of the wise always become 
the idols of the ignorant multitude. What 
the Chiefs of the Order really believed and 
taught, is indicated to the Adepts by the 
hints contained in the high degrees of 
Freemasonry, and by the symbols which 
only the Adepts understand. 

[The blue degrees are but the outer 
court or portico of the Temple. Part of 
the symbols are displayed there to the In- 
itiate, but he is intentionally misled by 
false interpretations. It is not intended 
that he shall understand them, but it is in- 
tended that he shall imagine he under- 
stands them. Their true extrication is 
reserved for the Adepts, the Princes of 
Masonry. The whole body of the Royal 
and Sacerdotal Art was hidden so care- 
fully, centuries since, in the High De- 
grees, as that it is even yet impossible to 
solve many of the enigmas which they 
contain. It is well enough for the mass 
of those called Masons, to imagine that all 
is contained in the Blue Degrees, and 
whose attempts to undeceive them with 
labor in vain, and without any true reward 
violate his obligations as an Adept. Ma- 
sonry is the veritable Sphinx, buried to 
the head in the sands heaped round it by 
the ages.] 

“The seeds of decay were sown in the 


342 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Order of the Temple at its origin. Hy- 
pocrisy is a mortal disease. It had con- 
ceived a great work which it was incapable 
of executing, because it knew neither hu- 
mility nor personal abnegation, because 
Rome was then invincible, and because 
the later Chiefs of the Order did not com- 
prehend its mission. Moreover, the Tem- 
plars were in general uneducated, and 
capable only of wielding the sword, with 
no qualifications for governing, and at 
need enchaining, that queen of the world 
called opinion/ ’ 

[The doctrines of the Chiefs would, if 
expounded to the masses, have seemed to 
them the babblings of folly. The symbols 
of the wise are the idols of the vulgar, or 
else as meaningless as the hieroglyphics of 
Egypt to the nomadic Arabs. There must 
always be a common place interpretation 
for the mass of initiates, of the symbols 
that are eloquent to the Adepts.] 

“Hugues de Payens himselt had not 
that keen and far-sighted intellect nor that 
grandeur of purpose which afterward dis- 
tinguished the military founder of another 
soldiery that became formidable to kings. 
The Templars were unintelligent and 
therefore unsuccessful Jesuits. 

‘‘Their watchword was, to become 
wealthy, in order to buy the world. They 
became so, and in 1312 they possessed in 
Europe alone more than nine thousand 
seignories. Riches were the shoal on 
which they were wrecked. They became 
insolent, and unwisely showed their con- 
tempt for the religious and social institu- 
tions which they aimed to overthrow. 
Their ambition was fatal to them. Their 
projects were divined and prevented. 
[Rome, more intolerant of heresy than of 
vice and crime, came to fear the Order, 
and fear is always cruel. It has always 
deemed philosophical truth the most dan- 
gerous of heresies, and has never been at 
a loss for a false accusation, by means of 
which to crush free thought.] Pope Cle- 
ment V. and King Philip le Bel gave the 
signal to Europe, and the Templars, taken 
as it were in an immense net, were arrest- 
ed, disarmed and cast into prison. Never 
was a coup d’etat accomplished with a 
more formidable concert of action. The 
whole world was struck with stupor, and 
eagerly waited for the strange revelations 
of a process that was to echo through so 
many ages. 

“It was impossible to unfold to the 
people the conspiracy of the Templars 


against the Thrones and the Tiara. It was 
impossible to expose to them the doctrines 
of the Chiefs of the Order. [This would 
have been to initiate the multitude into 
the secrets of the Masters, and to have up- 
lifted the veil of Isis. Recourse was 
therefore had to the charge of magic, and 
denouncers and false witnesses were easily 
found. When the temporal and spiritual 
tyrannies united to crush a victim they 
never want for serviceable instruments.] 
The Templars were gravely accused oh 
spitting upon Christ and denying God at 
their receptions, of gross obscenities, con- 
versations with female devils, and the wor- 
ship of a monstrous idol. 

“The end of the drama is well known, 
and how Jacques de Molai and his fellows 
perished in the flames. But before his 
execution, the Chief of the doomed Order 
organized and instituted what afterward 
came to be called the Occult, Hermetic, or 
Scottish Masonry. In the gloom of his 
prison, the Grand Master created four 
Metropolitan Lodges, at Naples for the 
East, at Edinburg for the West, at Stock- 
holm for the North, and at Paris for the 
South. [The initials of his name, J. B. 
M., found in the same order in the first 
three degrees, are but one of the many in- 
ternal and cogent proofs that such was the 
origin of modern Freemasonry. The le- 
gend of Osiris was revived and adopted, 
to symbolize the destruction of the Order, 
and the resurrection of Khurum, slain in 
the body of the Temple, of Khurum Abai, 
the Master, as the martyr of fidelity to 
obligation, of truth and conscience, prophe- 
sied the restoration to life of the buried 
associations.] 

“The Pope and the King soon after 
perished in a strange and sudden manner. 
Squin de Florian, the chief denouncer of 
the Order, died assassinated. In breaking 
the sword of the Templars, they made .of 
it a poinard, and their proscribed trowels 
thenceforward built only tombs.” 

[The Order disappeared at once. Its 
estates and wealth were confiscated, and it 
seemed to have ceased to exist. Never- 
theless it lived, under other names and 
governed by unknown chiefs, revealing 
itself only to those who, in passing through 
a series of degrees, had proved themselves 
worthy to be entrusted with the dangerous 
secret. For the modern Orders that style 
themselves Templars have assumed a name 
to which they have not the shadow of a 
title.] 


THE TRESTLE BOARD, 


343 


“The successors of the Ancient Adepts 
Rose Croix, abandoning by degrees the 
austere and hierarchical, Science of their 
Ancestors in initiation, between a Mystic 
Sect, united with many of the Templars, 
the dogmas of the two intermingling, and 
believed themselves to be the sole deposi- 
taries of the secrets of the gospel of St. 
John, seeing in its recitals an allegorical 
series of rites proper to complete the ini- 
tiation. 

“The initiates, in fact, thought in the 
eighteenth century that their time had ar- 
rived, some to found a new Hierarchy, 
others to overturn all authority, and to 
press down all the summits of the Social 
Order under the level of Equality. M 

The mystical meanings of the Rose as a 
Symbol are to be looked for in the Kaba- 
listic Commentaries on the Canticles. 

The Rose was for the Initiates the living 
and blooming symbol of the revelation of 
the harmonies of being. It was the em- 
blem of beauty, life, love and pleasure. 
Flamel, or the Book of the Jew Abraham, 
made it the hieroglyphical sign of the ac- 
complishment of the great work. Such is 
the key of the Roman de la Rose. The 
Conquest of the Rose was the problem 
propounded to Science by Initiation, 
while Religion was laboring to prepare 
and establish the universal triumph, ex- 
clusive and definitive of the Cross. 

To unite the Rose to the Cross was the 
problem proposed by the High Initiation; 
and, in fact, the Occult philosophy being 
the Universal Synthesis, ought to explain 
all the phenomena of Being Religion, con- 
sidered solely as a physiological fact, is 
the revelation and satisfaction of a neces- 
sity of souls. Its existence is a scientific 
fact; to deny it would be to deny' humanity 
itself. 

The Rose- Croix Adepts respected the 
dominant hierarchical, and revealed re- 
ligion. Consequently they could no more 
be the enemies of the Papacy than of 
legitimate Monarchy; and if they con- 
spired against the Popes and Kings, it was 
because they considered them personally 
as apostates from duty and supreme favors 
of anarch. 

What, in fact, is a despot, spiritual or 
temporal, but a crowned anarchist ? 

One of the magnificent pantacles that 
express the esoteric and unutterable part 
of Science is a Rose of Light, in the cen- 
ter of which a human form extends its 
arms in the form of a cross. 


Commentaries and studies have been 
multiplied upon the “ Divine Comedy,” 
the work of Dante, and yet no one, so far 
as we know, has pointed out its especial 
character. The work of the great Ghil- 
bellin is a declaration of war against the 
Papacy, by bold revelation of the Mys- 
teries. The Epic of Dante is Johannites 
and Gnostic, an audacious application like 
that of the Apocalypse, of the figures and 
numbers of the Kabalah to the Christian 
dogmas, and a secret negation of every- 
thing absolute in these dogmas. His 
journey through the supernatural worlds is 
accomplished like the initiation into the 
Mysteries of Eleusis and Thebes. He 
escapes from that gulf of hell over the 
gate of which the sentence of despair was 
written, by reversing the position of his 
head and feet; that is to say, by accepting 
the direct opposite of the Catholic dogma; 
and then he reascends to the light by 
using the devil himself as a monstrous 
ladder. Faust ascends to heaven by step- 
ping on the head of the vanquished Mephis- 
topheles. Hell is impassable for those 
only who know not how to turn back from 
it. We free ourselves from its bondage 
by audacity. 

His hell is but a negative purgatory'. 
His heaven is composed -of a series of 
Kabalistic circles, divided by a cross, like 
the Pantacle of Ezekiel. In the center of 
this cross blooms a rose, and we see the 
symbol of the Adepts of the Rose- Croix 
for the first time publicly expounded and 
almost categorically' explained. 

For the first time, because Guillaume de 
Lorris, who died in 1260, five years before 
the birth of Alighieri, had not completed 
his “Roman de la Rose,” which was con- 
tinued by Chopinel a half century' after- 
ward. One is astonished to discover that 
the “Roman de la Rose” and the “Divina 
Commedia” are two opposite forms of one 
and the same work, initiation into inde- 
pendence of spirit, a satire on all contem- 
porary’ institutions and the allegorical 
formula of the great Secrets of the So- 
ciety of the Rose-Croix. 

The important manifestations of Oc- 
cultism coincide with the period of the 
fall of the Templars; since Jean de Meung, 
or Chopinel, contemporary of the old age 
of Dante, flourished during the best years 
of his life at the Court of Philippe le Bel. 
The “ Roman de la Rose” is the epic of 
old France. It is a profound book, under 
the form of levity, a revelation as learned 


344 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


as that of Apuleius, of the Mysteries of 
Occultism. The Rose of Flamel, that of 
Jean de Meung, and that of Dante, grew 
on the same stem. 

Swedenborg’s system was nothing else 
than the Kabalah, minus the principle of 
the Hierarchy. It is the Temple without 
the keystone and the foundation. 

Cagliostro was the Agent of the Tem- 
plars, and therefore wrote to the Free- 
masons of London that the time had come 
to begin the work of rebuilding the Tem- 
ple of the Eternal. He had introduced 
into Masonry a new Rite called the 
Egyptian, and endeavored to resuscitate 
the mysterious worship of Isis. The three 
letters L. P. D. on his seal were the in- 
itials of the words, Lilia pendibus destrue 
— tread under foot for the lilies (of France), 
and a Masonic medal of the sixteenth or 
seventeenth century has upon it a sword 
cutting off the stalk of a lily, and the 
words, talem dabit ultio messem — such har- 
vest revenge will give. 

A Lodge inaugurated under the auspices 
of Rousseau, the fanatic of Geneva, be- 
came the center of the revolutionary move- 
ment in France, and a Prince of the blood- 
royal went thither to swear the destruction 
of the successors of Philippe le Bel on the 
tomb of Jacques de Molai. The registers 
of the Order of Templars attest that the 
Regent, the Due d’ Orleans, was Grand 
Master of that formidable Secret Society, 
and that his successors were the Due de 
Maine, the Prince of Bourbon-Conde and 
the Due de Cosse Brissac. 

The Templars compromitted the King; 
they saved him from the rage of the peo- 
ple, to exasperate that rage and bring on 
the catastrophe prepared for centuries; it 
was a scaffold that the vengeance of the 
Templars demanded. The secret movers 
of the French revolution had sworn to 
overturn the throne and the altar upon the 
tomb of Jacques de Molai. When Louis 
XVI was executed, half the work was 
done; and, thenceforward, the Army of 
the Temple was to direct all its efforts 
against the Pope. 

Jacques de Molai and his companions 
were perhaps martyrs, but their avengers 
dishonored their memory. Royalty was 
regenerated on the scaffold of Louis XVI, 
the church triumphed in the captivity of 
Pius VI, carried a prisoner to Valence, 
and dying of fatigue and sorrow, but the 
successors of the Ancient Knights of the 


Temple perished, overwhelmed in theil 
fatal victory . — Masonic Chronicle. 1 

o 1 

Knight Templarism. 1 

In the progress of the first crusade, A. 1 
D., 1099, Jerusalem was captured from! 
the Mohammedans, and the Christian ] 
kingdom of Jerusalem was organized, with 
Godfrey of Buillon as its first sovereign. 
This, of course, represented a tremendous 
revolution in the political condition of the 
world. The establishment and mainten- 
ance for over half a century of a Christian 
government in Palestine and Syria divided 
the Moslem power, and helped to prevent 
it from overruning Europe at a time when 
such an invasion might have been fatal to 
Christian institutions. 

The illustrious order of Knights Tem- 
plar was organized to alleviate the dan- 
gers and distresses to which the Pilgrims 
to the Holy City were exposed from bands 
of Moslem brigands, and to guard the 
honor of saintly virgins and matrons and 
to protect the gray hairs of the saintly 
Palmer, nine noble Knights, led by the 
stalwart Hugh de Payens, formed a holy 
brotherhood in arms, and entered into a 
solemn compact to aid one another in 
clearing the highways and in protecting 
Pilgrims through the passes and defiles of 
the mountains to the Holy City. 

These nine Knights renounced the world 
and its pleasures, and in the Church of the 
Resurrection, in the year 1113, in the 
presence of Arnulph, Patriarch of Jerusa- 
lem, they embraced vows of perpetual 
chastity, obedience and poverty. 

In 1 1 18 Baldwin II, third King of Je- 
rusalem, gave the new Order accommoda- 
tions in the Church of the Virgin, one of 
the buildings connected vtfith the Temple 
of Solomon. It was from this that the 
new Order took its name, the Knighthood 
of the Temple of Solomon, contracted 
afterwards into Knights Templar. 

The new society received the sanction 
of an ecclesiastical council and of Pope 
Honorius II. in 1128. 

Immediately after this sanctioning of 
the order by the ecclesiastical authority, 
Hugh de Payens visited France and Great 
Britain, with the result that a large 
amount of wealth was put into his hands 
for the prosecution of the work, and a 
goodly number of men followed him on 
his return to Jerusalem. 

From near this time till near the close 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


345 


of the 13th century, the Knights continued 
with varying fortunes to fight the Moslem 
hordes and to defend the interests of the 
cross in the Holy Land. In the battles of 
this period success sometimes rested with 
the soldiers of the Red Cross and some- 
times with those of the hated crescent. 

It was the time when such names as 
Hugh of the Temple and Roger Mobray 
and William of Warrenne adorned the 
annals of the order of the cross, while such 
as the dreaded Nouveddin and the almost 
invincible Saladdin were numbered among 
their opponents. 

It was an era of great deeds, of unflinch- 
ing devotion and matchless valor; but it 
was an anachronism in the history of the 
gospel. It belonged to the times of David 
and Saul, of Gideon and Jeptha rather 
than to the reign of Him who died for a 
lost world, not using the sword for his de- 
fense, but praying for the forgiveness of 
those who slew him. 

Little by little, contesting every inch of 
ground and performing prodigies of valor, 
the Knights were driven back by the Mos- 
lem invasion. In October of 1187 Jeru- 
salem was lost, after being held by the 
Christian forces for 88 years. Crusade 
after crusade followed, but the Knights 
were finally driven out of the country. 

The next period of Knight Templarism 
had its scene in Europe, and dates from 
the overthrow of the Christian power in 
Palestine in 1291 to 1313, when James de 
Molay, 22d Grand Commander, was burned 
at the stake in Paris. 

With the loss of the Holy Land and the 
concurrent loss in Europe of interest in 
the war of the Crusaders, the original em- 
ployment of the Knights of the Temple 
passed away, and the feeling of depend- 
ence on their prowess gave place, in the 
hearts of civil and religious authorities, to 
one of jealousy of their immunity from 
ecclesiastical taxation and control. The 
impossibility of ruling the order in the 
interest of priest craft exposed it to the 
hatred of the popes and their coadjutors, 
while the great wealth, which unfortu- 
nately for the Knights had been lavished 
upon them during the period of the cru- 
sading craze, made them an agreeable prey 
for the unscrupulous political power of the 
time. The record of the persecution is 
but a sickening succession of the horrors 
of the inquisitional chamber and the ac- 
companying atrocities of the stake and 
fagot. 


The transition from the military order 
of Knighthood of early years and eastern 
lands to the fraternal organization now 
existing in this country and in Europe 
under the same name is involved in ob- 
scurity. The change represents, however, 
not a degeneracy of the knightly spirit, 
but a change in the condition of human 
society. There is no longer any necessity 
of defending Pilgrims to the Holy City 
from the cruel attacks of Moslem brigands, 
and the Crusaders, of which the Knights 
were a chief support, could have no place 
in these days. This change in the politi- 
cal and social condition of the world has 
led, as it was inevitable that it should do, 
to the abolition of the ancient order of 
Knighthood, in so far as its active military 
character is concerned. But out of the re- 
lation of brotherhood, of unflinching, un- 
failing sympathy and assistance fora com- 
panion in need, which was developed amid 
the perils of the wars of the early years of 
the order, and amid the baptism of fire 
which it suffered in the fierce and cruel 
persecutions of subsequent times — out of 
that heroic relation of knight to knight has 
grown the brotherhood of these later years, 
in which the element of fraternal love and 
support is the distinguishing characteristic. 

— Rev. G. A. Cleveland. 

o 

Diana Vaughan is a Myth. 


A colossal fraud has just been exposed 
in Paris. With inimitable self-assurance 
the inventor of this gigantic swindle, this 
amazing hocus-pocus, has come forward 
and told a wondering world how for years 
he has been duping credulous souls, and 
duping them so effectively as to win praise 
and blessings from some of the most potent 
persons living. Great in his day was 
Cagliostro, prince of mountebanks and 
quacks, but equally great as a mystifier is 
this nineteenth century trickster. Candid, 
and at times offensively frank, was Rous- 
seau when he told the strange story of his 
life, but not more candid or offensively 
frank than this astute gentleman of our 
time, who, to serve his own ends, has for 
years been lying with a shamelessness that 
the immortal Munchausen could hardly 
have matched. 

This interesting individual is LeoTaxil. 
A well-known man he is, and one who is a 
familiar figure in more than one European 
capital. Much has been heard of him 
lately in connection with the mysterious 


346 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Diana Vaughan. Journals throughout the 
world have told the extraordinary story of 
Diana’s initiation into a diabolical society 
and of her subsequent conversion to the 
Roman Catholic Church. Many sensitive 
souls shuddered as they read her horrible 
tale, and general wonder was expressed 
that in these enlightened days any persons 
could be found willing to join such a mon- 
strous and sacrilegious organization as she 
described. 

So the weird tales of devil worship and 
of uncanny nocturnal ceremonies went the 
round of the press, and the excitement 
gradually increased until a few days ago, 
when it was buzzed abroad that the mar- 
velous Diana would hold a meeting in 
Paris, and would there and then reveal all 
the secrets of diabolism and the causes of 
her conversion. An invitation to attend 
the meeting was sent to several journalists, 
as well as to several well-known Catholic 
clergymen and free thinkers. 

There was nothing unusual about the 
wording of this invitation except the rath- 
er singular fact that the generous Diana 
announced her intention of offering a 
prize, for which the journalists were to 
draw lots. Somehow this introduction of 
a lottery feature seemed rather suspicious 
to a few who had followed with interest 
Diana’s meteoric career. It looked to 
them too much like an attempt to curry 
favor or to rake in shekels. 

Still Diana had promised to show them 
some wonderful sights that evening, among 
them being certain extraordinary pictures, 
including photographs of Goblet d’Alviella 
in the costume of a Magus and of his com- 
pact with the Serpent; portraits of Albert 
Pike, Liliana Pike, John Vaughan and 
Diana Vaughan herself, grouped together 
in the garden of a certain Nathaniel Levin, 
of Charleston, S. C., and reproductions of 
Thomas Vaughan’s compact with Lucifer 
and of the first pages of the “Book of 
Apadno,” written by Lucifer. Further- 
more, the audience expected to see a pho- 
tograph representing Diana receiving from 
the infernal Asmodeus a diadem of steel, 
which had been fashioned in the subaque- 
ous smithy at Gibraltar. This photo* 
graph, it was said, was taken by John 
Vaughan and with Lucifer’s consent. 

Finally a glimpse of the following pic- 
tures was promised. The departure of a 
serpent rose on its mission, a blessing by 
the Grand Master of the Perfect Triangle, 
a scene taken from the Triangle Galeas 


Caracciolo of Naples; Eden (the earthly 
Paradise) as it exists at present, Eve’s 
apple tree, antediluvian animals, and a 
photograph by a certain gentleman of 
curious sights seen by him in the Garden 
of Eden. 

At last the evening of the meeting came, 
and a select audience gathered in the hall 
of the Geographical Society to hear Di- 
ana’s confession. When they were all 
seated lots were cast for the prize, and it 
was won by Ali Kernel, a correspondent of 
the Constantinople paper Ikdam . Then it 
became known that every one had been 
obliged to leave his cane or umbrella in 
charge of an attendant at the door, and 
the result was a natural buzz of surprise. 
Why had such an order been given ? 
Surely no one supposed that this meeting 
was going to be a sort of Donnybrook 
Fair ! 

But where was Diana, this mysterious 
maiden whom no one had seen in the 
flesh, but of whom all the wide world had 
heard so many wonders ? 

The audience began to grow impatient. 
The staid clergymen looked expectantly 
toward the raised platform; the little group 
of free thinkers smiled incredulously; the 
journalists wondered whether, after all, 
they were not wasting their time. Sud- 
denly a black-robed figure moved quickly 
through them and ascended the platform. 
It was Leo Taxil. 

Every one there knew him, and for a 
minute or two no one wondered at his ap- 
pearance. A stout champion of the 
Church he has apparently been for some 
yearst fighting for her with all the weapons 
at his command, and especially proving 
useful to her by his thorough knowledge 
of the inner workings of secret societies. 

Of devil worshipers he was the pro- 
nounced foe, and many alleged secrets of 
theirs were revealed by him to Church 
dignitaries. Moreover, he claimed to 
have been a Freemason in his early years, 
and his antagonism to that order, after he 
became a Catholic, made him a marked 
man. Again, he was supposed to have 
been instrumental in converting Diana, 
and hence, on this august occasion, it was 
surely fitting that he should take a front 
place. So they waited patiently to hear him. 

But hardly had the first words come 
from his lips when a look of utter aston- 
ishment swept over the faces before him. 
And no wonder, for these were his as- 
tounding words: 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


347 


“Ladies and gentlemen, you desire to 
see Diana Vaughan. Look at me ! I am 
Diana Vaughan !” 

The audience was actually so paralyzed 
with astonishment that not a word was ut- 
tered, and Taxil went on as calmly as 
though he were delivering a lecture on the 
mountains of the moon. On his face there 
was a self satisfied smile, and in his voice 
there was that emotion which we usually 
associate with the voice of a well fed phi- 
lanthropist. It never seemed to occur to 
him that there was anything shameless in 
his conduct; on the contrary, he seemed to 
glory in it. 

After informing the audience that there 
was no such person as Diana Vaughan he 
launched into a history of his career. To 
fool men had always given him pleasure, 
he said. Thus on one occasion he had 
frightened the people of Marseilles almost 
to death by telling them that the quays of 
the city were in danger of being destroyed 
by sharks, and on another occasion he had 
bamboozled the greatest archaeologists in 
Europe by a cock and a bull story of a 
city at the bottom of Lake Geneva. 

In 1885 he decided to fool the Catholic 
Church, so he went to a leading ecclesiastic 
and told him that he had repented of all 
his sins and desired to spend his remaining 
years in doing good. This desire was not 
immediately gratified. The Church, in 
fact, did not take kindly to this repentant 
sinner. It suspected him; it was not quite 
sure that he was not a wolf in sheep’s 
clothing. 

Finally, Taxil appealed to the Arch- 
bishop of Paris, and the latter handed him 
over to a Jesuit father, one of the shrewd- 
est churchmen in Christendom. To him 
Taxil made a confession that lasted three 
days. Among the crimes of which he 
confessed himself guilty was murder. The 
Jesuit father finally gave him absolution 
and ordered him to pay a pension to the 
widow of the murdered man. 

“Of course,” explained Taxil, with a 
smile, “there was not a word of truth in 
my confession.” 

Cries of “Liar! Scoundrel! Rascal!” 
came from the angry audience. Some of 
the clergymen left their seats and went out 
of the hall, meanwhile protesting vigor- 
ously. Those who remained, sco>vled bit- 
terly at the speaker, and a few openly re- 
gretted that their canes and umbrellas were 
not at hand. Indeed, it was well for Taxil 
that these useful weapons were not within 


the reach of certain muscular arms. But 
he seemed utterly indifferent, and, smiling 
blandly, he continued his tale. 

About this time, he said, the Pope is- 
sued his encyclical against the Freemasons, 
and here was a golden opportunity to show 
zeal for the Church. He showed his zeal 
by writing criticisms on certain books and 
doctrines of the Freemasons, and by the 
barefaced assertion that Freemasons wor- 
ship Lucifer, the Prince of Devils. This 
assertion he tried hard to make plausible 
by misquoting several passages from Ma- 
sonic text books. He succeeded beyond 
his utmost expectations, and straightway 
he evolved out of his inner consciousness 
a complete ritual of devil worship and a 
thorough history of the manner in which 
modern Freemasons worship the devil. 

For this laudable work he not only re- 
ceived high praise from the clergy and 
warm encouragement from lay Catholics, 
but he also received a blessing from the 
Pope himself. Moreover, he also received 
a large cheese from the Marquis de Mores, 
on the rind of which religious texts were 
printed. 

“This cheese,” remarked Taxil, “had a 
very pronounced odor, and impelled me 
more than ever to wage an unrelenting war 
against the Freemasons.” 

Shouts of “You reprobate !” “You 
scamp !” were heard from the audience. 
Meanwhile some more clergymen left the 
hall. 

Taxil smiled, and went on to tell how 
he journeyed to Rome, and how Cardinal 
Rampolla received him graciously and gave 
him high praise for his “distinguished 
works” against devil worship and the 
Freemasons. The Pope, too, gave him an 
audience. 

“That’s enough for me,” remarked a 
Catholic journalist, leaving his seat. No 
Christian person can remain in this hall.” 

But the others paid no heed to him, be- 
ing determined to hear the strange story to 
the end. 

“The bishops,” continued Taxil calmly, 
“who examined mv books found them en- 
tirely true; especially Mgr. Meurin, who, 
after a thorough study, arrived at the same 
conclusions as I did. But I wanted further 
evidence of this truth. One of my friends, 
Dr. Hacks, a navy surgeon, collaborated 
with me under the name of Dr. Bataille, 
and the result was a book, entitled ‘The 
Devil in the Nineteenth Century,’ in which 
we gave our own experiences of devil wor- 


34 « 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


ship, or Palladismus, a 3 long the Freema- 
sons. 

“Next I engaged as secretary an intelli- 
gent young girl, who was employed as 
copyist by an American firm in Paris, and 
I got her to write letters from women who 
were formerly Freemasons, in which all 
the horrors of Lucifer worship were graphi- 
cally depicted. I paid her for this work 
i5of. a month. In this way I got the ma- 
terial for my book, entitled ‘Are There 
Women Freemasons?’ 

“My secretary, under the assumed name 
of Diana Vaughan, entered into direct cor- 
respondence with the dignitaries of the 
Catholic Church, especially with the pri- 
vate secretary of the Pope, and he sent her 
with each letter the especial blessing of the 
Holy Father.” 

Renewed excitement among the audi- 
ence, but the arch mystifier went on 
calmly: 

“If the clergy were tricked they may 
blame themselves. We had told them 
that the head center of Palladismus was in 
the Masonic Lodge at Charleston, in 
America. Moreover, in my book on the 
devil I published a ground plan of Satan’s 
chapel, which, I said, formed part of the 
Lodge in Charleston. When the Bishop 
of Charleston heard of this he journeyed 
to Rome and told the Pope that the whole 
story was a pack of lies. He assured the 
Pope that he had searched careiully, but 
could not find a Satan’s chapel anywhere, 
and he maintained that the Freemasons of 
Charleston were honorable citizens, who 
would certainly not take part in any devil 
worship. The Pope ordered the Bishop to 
keep silent on the subject, and when Diana 
Vaughan informed him a few days later 
that the Bishop was himself a Freemason 
the Pope sent her his blessing. 

“There is another example, showing 
how easy it is to trick the clergy. Diana 
Vaughan said that under the rock of Gib- 
raltar there was a shop or smithy, in which 
all the utensils necessary for devil worship 
were fashioned. When he heard this 
story the Apostolic Vicar of Gibraltar sent 
a protest to the Pope, but the protest was 
pigeonholed, and Diana Vaughan received 
another papal benediction, the special rea- 
son being that Diana gave the Pope’s rep- 
resentative most interesting details about 
the smithy beneath the rock of Gtbraltar, 
and even assured him that all the work 
there was done by means of hell fire.” 

Taxil next tried to show that the Vati- 


can wanted to use Diana Vaughan for the 
purpose of perfecting a monstrous swindle. 

According to him, the world was to be 
made to believe that the heart of Joan of 
Arc had been discovered in an Italian 
nunnery. Taxil took the hint, and wrote 
a hymn in honor of the Maid of Orleans, 
which he set to music and published under 
the name of Diana Vaughan. This hymn 
was sung at patriotic gatherings in French 
churches, and especially at the Sacre 
Cceur in Paris, and no one noticed that 
the melody was that of an old popular song. 

Again bitter cries assailed the speaker, 
and it looked for a moment as though a 
rush would be made to the platform. But 
Taxil softly assured them that his story 
had been told, and that he would not 
worry or annoy them any longer. Cyni- 
cally he explained why he made this brutal 
confession. 

To be brief, he knew that, if he did not 
confess, some one would expose him. To 
use a slang phrase, he saw that “the game 
was up.” In conclusion he said that, 
having worked the ecclesiastical field for 
all it was worth, he would now look for 
“fresh fields and pastures new” in France, 
England and America. 

It is certain that he could not have kept 
up the deception much longer. At the 
Anti-Masonic Congress, which was held in 
Trent in September, 1896, and over which 
Prince Loewenstein presided, a heated dis- 
cussion arose in regard to Diana Vaughan’s 
identity, and the Archbishop of Cologne 
did not hesitate to express his opinion that 
she was an imposter. He admitted that 
many letters could be produced in her 
handwriting, but he said that no one could 
be found who had actually seen her or who 
could prove that she had really been bap- 
tized and converted to the Catholic 
Church. 

Now the Archbishop represented the 
potent Cardinal Krementz, and his severe 
attack must have convinced Leo Taxil that 
he could no longer hope to make capital 
out of Diana Vaughan. That she has 
proved a regular gold mine to him for the 
past few years is generally believed. The 
end, however, being clearly at hand, he 
prepared a grand and sensational finale, 
and how it succeeded is here told . — N Y. 
Herald. 

o 

The word “free” meant, originally, that 
the person so called was free of the com- 
pany or guild of incorporated Masons. 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


349 


His Wife’s Chum. 


He had been married a year, and still 
found that marital happiness was really a 
tangible thing, not the fanciful vaporings 
of poetic enthusiasts. He was able to 
crumble in the dust the highest and strong- 
est arguments brought forward by cynical 
bachelors that marriage is a failure. But 
yet, with all his devotion, he was able to 
appreciate a pretty woman. He kept this 
appreciation to himself. In a year’s time 
he had learned many valuable truths of 
whose existence he had not even dreamed 
before. One of these was that it was far 
better for a married man to keep some 
things to himself and observe a religious 
silence on others. One subject upon which 
he kept a religious silence was that of 
praising pretty women in his wife’s hear- 
ing. When he married her he thought his 
wife the most beautiful creature which the 
wildest dreams of a lover’s fancy could 
conjure up, but after a year’s constant as- 
sociation with her he had been forced to 
acknowledge to himself that there were 
others as pretty, and, at last, had decided 
that some were prettier, but that none were 
better or sweeter he never doubted. 

One morning, at breakfast, as his wife, 
clad in a bewitching gown, was pouring 
the coffee, the smart, white-aproned maid 
came in with the mail, and amid the pile 
of letters was one upon which his wife 
seized eagerly and tore open with the un- 
conventional aid of the butter knife. 

“Oh, Jack,” she said joyfully, as she 
read on with a smiling face, “Maud is 
coming. You remember Maud ?” 

He did not remember Maud, and said 
so. 

“Oh, yes, you do,” his wife replied, 
“She was my chum when you came to see 
me before we were married. She used to 
plague us by coming in when we wanted 
to be alone. Don’t you remember ?” 

Jack had a dim recollection of a small 
girl who used to make herself “too con- 
foundedly numerous,” as Jack had once 
said in a moment of exasperation, but her 
face he could not call to mind. So he 
nodded, and asked when she was coming. 

“Tonight, she says. She does not 
mention the train. There are two, you 
know. I suppose she will take the 10:35 
from Boston, where she wants to do some 
shopping. I am so glad she is coming. 
We can have such fun talking over old 
times, and, oh, lots of things.” 


Jack folded his napkin, got his grip, 
and, accompanied by his wife, walked to 
the door which opens on a pretty porch, 
with the woodbine and the view of the 
garden and the woods crowing the hill. 
The old familiar scene was enacted at part- 
ing for the day, and Jack went briskly 
down the path to the road which leads to 
the railroad station, stopped at the gate 
long enough to look back and wave a fare- 
well to the figure in the bewitching morn- 
ing gown, which stood in the door framed 
by the woodbine. He boarded the train 
which took him to Boston at just the same 
time every week day. Jack was a young 
lawyer of considerable ability, and already 
had a fairly good practice in a profession 
which is so overcrowded. 

Every afternoon, at 5:30, the train start- 
ed back from the big, smoky, noisy B and 
A station, and every afternoon, at 5:30, 
Jack entered the last car with his grip and 
his paper. In the middle of the week the 
train was seldom crowded, and often Jack 
found himself entirely alone for most of 
the journey. This happened to be one of 
the days, and Jack stretched himself out 
comfortably and began to read the paper. 
The main line pulled out in a slow and 
dignified manner. Jack saw a flash of 
white fly by the window, and the next 
moment a charming young woman, with 
dark brown hair, laughing brown eyes 
and a jaunty blue and white shirt-waist 
and a red necktie stood in the door, a 
vision of summer personified. She was so 
extremely pretty that Jack could not help 
looking at her again as she came down the 
aisle. She caught his eye, a half- surprised 
expression flashed over her face, she paused 
uncertainly, and then deliberately sat down 
directly opposite Jack. She arranged her 
blue skirt daintily, looked out the window 
and then at Jack, who found himself steal- 
ing a surreptitious glance at her from the 
edge of the paper which he was pretending 
to read. The same little comedy was gone 
through with again, and this time she 
smiled slightly but encouragingly, and 
Jack smiled back. Nay, do not frown. 
What would you have done under the cir- 
cumstances, O stern and moral benedicts 
of a year’s standing ? 

At any rate, Jack smiled, and then, 
with malice aforethought, as he very well 
knew, this pretty girl began to struggle 
ineffectually to raise the car window. Now 
this has been the accepted prelude to car 
flirtations since the invention of railroads, 


350 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


and there is good ground for thinking it 
may be the reason why car windows al- 
ways stick. As soon as Jack saw her at- 
tempts he gallantly sprang up and offered 
to help her. With a charming confusion 
she accepted, and after a few vicious tugs 
the window came up, and Jack sat down 
beside the charming young woman. He 
was so exhausted he had to. 

'‘Oh, thank you so much,” said she. 
‘It is so hard to get these windows up. 
As I was coming through on the main line 
I tried so hard to get one up, and no one 
offered to help me.” 

“Have you ever been out this way be- 
fore ?” he asked. 

“Oh, yes, I used to live in Boston or 
about here.” 

“Then you are acquainted hereabouts ?” 

“Yes, indeed, I know — er, that is, I — I 
do not know any one now. Everybody 
has moved away.” 

“Now, what in the dickens made her 
blush like that?” thought Jack, as the 
young lady suddenly became intensely in- 
terested in the passing landscape. She 
turned back again after a time, but evi- 
dently had great difficulty in meeting her 
companion’s eyes. Every reference to 
Boston or its vicinity was discouraged 
with restrained confusion. Jack made 
some tactful attempts at getting her name, 
but every one was foiled. 

“She’s a bright girl,” said Jack to him- 
self, ‘ ‘but what makes her want to giggle 
all the time ?’’ 

The train approached Alton Center, and 
the young lady made preparations to leave 
the train, and while it pulled into the sta- 
tion Jack carried her bag to the door, and 
wished her a good-bye. She turned as if 
to speak to him, and then ran down the 
steps. t 

“She is a mighty pretty girl,” mused 
Jack as he resumed his seat. “But what 
— wonder if I’d better say anything to 
Edith about it. No, I won’t; no need of 
it,” and he began to read his paper. 

His wife met him at the gate, and her 
face wore a look of disappointment. 

“Maud is not coming to-day, Jack,” she 
said. “She wrote me that she was going 
to stop off to see a friend, and come on to- 
morrow on the afternoon train. Isn’t it 
mean, after all my preparations, too?” 

Jack thought it was, and the subject 
dropped. In the evening they went over 
to the Van Pluys to play whist, and Edith 
beat Jack and Mrs. Van Pluys, much to 


Edith’s delight and Jack’s chagrin, for if 
there was one thing on which Jack prided 
himself it was his whist and his famous 
combination play of the king second hand, 
which had never failed of its object, but 
did fail signally that night. 

For some unaccountable reason the next 
day did not pass as well for Jack in the 
city. Everything seemed to go wrong. 
His typewriter spoiled two briefs when 
they were almost done, and he dropped 
his big inkstand and spilled all the ink on 
the pretty rug which he and Edith had 
selected to make the office look more 
cheery. When it came time for him to 
go to the station he was glad, and sank 
within his accustomed seat with a sigh of 
relief. He remembered the affair of the 
day before, and wished that he had told 
Edith, and compromised with himself by 
deciding to tell her when he reached home. 
The monotonous rattle of clicking cars 
jarred upon him, and he could not read. 
When the train stopped at West Alton 
his temper had not improved materially, 
and when he ran into a fat man with two 
grips he did not even beg the fat man’s 
pardon, although he knew that it was his 
own fault, but muttered savagely something 
about people not looking where they were 
going. 

Edith did not meet him at the gate as 
usual, and that irritated him more. As he 
neared the little porch he heard the sound 
of animated voices. One was Edith’s; the 
other sounded strangely familiar. Where 
had he heard it before? He racked his 
brain, but could not determine. As he 
opened the door to the cool, darkened sit- 
ting-room Edith met him. 

“Maud has come, Jack,” she said, and 
dragged him into the room where, seated 
on the divan with the big cushions, was a 
white form which his eyes, unaccustomed 
to the dimness of the room, could not 
make out. 

“Maud, this is my husband, Jack,” said 
Edith. “You remember Jack.” 

“I believe that we have had the pleas- 
ure of meeting more recently, Mr. Strong,” 
said Maud, with a roguish smile. 

Jack started back with his mouth open, 
but no voice came from it. He was petri- 
fied. He could only stare at her hopeless- 
ly. She was the girl whom he had met so 
unconventionally the day before in the car. 

“Er — ah, yes, yes, of course,” he man- 
aged to gasp, “delighted” — and sank down 
upon the nearest chair with the perspiration 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


35i 


standing out upon his forehead. The wife 
stood like a statue of ice, and looked from 
Maud, who was smiling self possessed, to 
Jack, who looked like a melting molasses 
candy image. 

“I do not quite understand,” she began. 

Maud said nothing, but kept her calm, 
roguish smile. Edith turned to Jack, and 
almost caught him in the act of making a 
wild gesture toward Maud. He wilted 
further. 

“John,” said Edith — and when she said 
“John” she meant what she said, and Jack 
knew it — “John, what does this mean ?” 

“Er — my dear — it means — I — the fact is 
— oh, dash it — I — I saw her yesterday in 
the car. That is what it means,” and 
Jack blurted it out in a voice which was a 
combination of a groan and a shout. 

“Met her in the car? Well, I see no 
reason w T hy you should be so confused 
about it.” Edith had become very haughty. 

Jack said nothing. He was swearing. 
He w’as swearing to himself. Maud saw 
that it had gone far enough, and that it 
was time for her to speak. 

“Come, Edith,” she said, “I’ll confess. 
When I entered the car yesterday after- 
noon I recognized your husband at once, 
and was going to speak to him, but I saw 
that he did not recognize me. I — well, I 
do not know why I did it, but you know 
my fault in liking fun and practical jokes, 
and all that, and I just thought that it 
would be fun and play a trick on him, and 
then tell you all about it. He kindly 
helped me” — here she smiled at Jack, w T ho 
cursed mentally — “to raise the window, 
and then he talked very nicely to me. 
And I nearly died wdth laughing and hav- 
ing to keep it to myself. When I left the 
train at Alton I intended to tell him all 
about it, but the thought of seeing the ex- 
pression on his face when he met me to- 
day kept me from it. That’s all, Edith. 
It was just one of my awTul practical jokes. 
Forgive me, dear, but really I could not 
help it.” 

Jack had straightened up when she be- 
gan her tale, and when she had finished 
added emphatically, “Yes, by George, 
that’s all, Edith. I was going to tell you 
about it to-night myself.” 

Edith looked from one to the other 
doubtfully, and when she thought of the 
unutterable woe depicted upon the face of 
poor Jack and his bad quarter of an hour, 
her sense of humor came to her, and she 
was forced to smile, and was, joined by 


Maud, who had had great difficulty in 
keeping her face straight for the last fif- 
teen minutes, and by Jack, upon whom 
the smile of Edith had produced a reaction. 
They all laughed loudly, and Edith kissed 
Maud, and then everybody went into one 
of those delightful little dinners for which 
the Strongs are so justly famous. 

But that night after Maud had gone to 
her room and Jack was smoking his pipe, 
Edith looked up from her book and gazed 
at Jack long and earnesdy. He met her 
gaze with a fond smile. 

“Jack, Maud is a dear girl, isn’t she?” 

“Why, yes, of course she is.” 

“She’s an old friend of mine, too, and 
1 think a great deal of her. She and I 
went to school together. She was always 
so jolly and so fond of practical jokes and 
that sort of thing, you know.” 

She paused and fingered the cover of 
her book. She was in deep thought. 

“Jack, don’t you think that people who 
are that way carry things a little too far 
sometimes ?” 

And Jack smiled. 

o 

Mrs. Maberly’s Neighbor. 


“Paul ! it is the loveliest little house 
I’ve seen yet. Let us take it.” 

“I confess I like that long veranda,” 
said Paul, “and those beeches and chest- 
nuts on the roadside are simply superb.” 

“Yes, they are very beautiful, and, let 
me see, two cherry trees, one peach, one 
pear and six apple trees, all in good con- 
dition, in the side and back yard,” said 
the young wife, reading from the slip of 
paper she held in her well -gloved hand — 
pretty shaped hands she had. 

“And the view is not half bad, either. 
I think more of that than of the fruit, 
which, like the peach of emerald hue, can 
do some harm. Remember, we have a 
two-year-old boy who is very ambitious 
where climbing is to be considered. I’m 
afraid these fruit trees will tempt him too 
sorely. ’ ' 

“How very ridiculous, when I am 
around !” was the laughing response. 
“Ernest is scarcely ever out of my sight, 
and he is very obedient. I like this bay 
window, it commands such a pretty view; 
the parlor just suits me, it is exactly what 
one needs in a country home. My lace 
curtains will fit the windows; there is just 
enough room for the furniture. I can see 
just w’here to put everything. The floors 


352 


THE TRESTLE BOARD , . 


are oiled, and our rugs will go down nice- 
ly. The people who lived here have taken 
good care of the house.” 

“The people who lived here built the 
house,” her husband said, “and evidently 
took great pains to make it comfortable, 
but something happened that caused them 
to break up.” 

He did not admit that the something 
was a forgery, and that the man had fled, 
leaving his helpless little wife and children 
to go on as best they could. Why should 
she know it ? It might lessen her pleasure 
in living in the place if she did. 

They went upstairs, down into the cellar, 
and found all the appointments perfect. 
Mrs. Maberly was in raptures. If they 
had built it for themselves, she said, it 
could not have been more to her liking; 
indeed, she had planned a house exactly 
like it. 

The veranda went round two sides of 
the building, and there were still hanging 
from the beams overhead baskets of last 
year’s plants, some of them yet thrifty. 
Vines had been carefully trained over the 
lattice-work, and a thick mass of foliage 
rendered it almost impossible for wind or 
rain to get in. 

The next house on the right was but a 
few rods away, a bright-looking stone cot- 
tage against which clung English ivy, the 
sun’s level rays turning the leaves to 
crimson and gold. 

“I wonder who lives there?” Mrs. 
Maberly asked. 

“The name is Warren,” said her hus- 
band. “I have seen him once or twice, 
but have never spoken to him.” 

“Warren; it is a good name, and it 
seems to me I have heard it in connection 
with some of my friends, but I forget. I 
hope they are nice; one has sometimes to 
depend upon neighborly offices. They 
certainly show good taste. I can see from 
here that the garden is beautiful, and the 
baby carriage in the yard is very pretty 
and costly. The nurse wears a cap, too. 
How trim she looks — and well dressed ! 
That speaks volumes for the mistress of 
the house. Of course none but nice peo- 
ple would live in a cottage like that, or,” 
she added, laughingly, “this.” 

“ That goes without saying,” said her 
husband, “but hadn’t we better be going ? 
The horse is getting impatient.” 

“Oh, yes, and the boy will be fretting for 
me, poor little fellow ! I’m so glad there’s 
a barn on the premises. Don’t you think 


we could afford a cow ? I could make 
such delicious ice-cream.” 

“We’ll see about it,” her husband said, 
smiling. 

In less than a week the house was ready 
for occupancy, and Mrs. Maberly was as 
happy as the day is long settling things. 
Of course it took weeks to get everything 
in place, and then a rearrangement was 
often decided upon, but, at last, the piano 
was satisfactorily disposed of, the furni- 
ture and the bric-a-brac set out to advan- 
tage, and the little woman felt very proud 
of her house, which really reflected great 
credit upon her taste and ingenuity. As 
for the boy, he lived out of doors. His 
quarters in the city had been rather limited, 
but here he had, as his father expressed it, 
“all creation to roam in.” 

Often as Mrs. Maberly sat on the veran- 
da, the white capped nurse came by, draw- 
ing the exquisite baby carriage, in which 
sat a fairy princess, so white and sweet, so 
wrapped in fine fabrics, rich laces and 
lovely carriage blankets, that the little 
woman wondered more and more who her 
neighbor could be. One day she met the 
nurse and child on the road. She had 
been to the unpretending cottage on her 
left where she occasionally bought eggs 
and cream of the good farmer’s wife who 
lived there, and she stopped as the carriage 
came towards her. 

“I must have a glance at that beautiful 
baby !” she said, placing her basket of 
eggs on the ground. “What a lovely 
child ! How old is she?” 

“Sixteen months,” said the nurse, with 
a broad smile, that some way looked fa- 
miliar to Mrs. Maberly. 

“I don’t know as I ever saw quite as 
lovely a baby,” said Mrs. Maberly, smil- 
ing down upon the child, whose great blue 
eyes were fixed upon her face. “How I 
wish I dared to kiss her ! but babies are 
so capricious.” 

‘ ‘She’ 11 let you, ’ ’ said the girl. ‘ ‘Mabel, 
kiss the lady.” 

The cherubic little lips came together 
at once in a charming pout that made them 
look more than ever like two ripe cherries. 

“You perfect darling !” exclaimed Mrs. 
Maberly, as she received and returned the 
coveted kiss. “I’m dead in love with you. 
Whose child is it?” she asked, as she re- 
sumed her basket and prepared to move 
away. 

“Why, ma’am, is it possible that you 


THtL TRESTLE BOARD . 


353 


don’t remember me?” was the astounding 
form of the girl’s answer. 

“Remember you !” exclaimed Mrs. Ma- 
berly with unfeigned astonishment, and 
then it slowly dawned upon her that the 
face she was looking at was not unfamiliar. 

“Yes, I’m changed, of course, ’cause 
it’s years ago since you used to come to 
Miss Mabel’s for to stop in your vacations. 
Don’t you remember the old plantation 
down in Georgy and the old hands ? I’m 
old Marthy’s daughter — Marthy, that used 
to be laundress, and I’m growed up, you 
see.” 

“ Old Martha ! — Mabel ! — the old plan- 
tation down in Georgia !” Mrs. Maberly 
felt dizzy as she heard the w r ell-remem- 
bered names. 

“You see, Miss Mabel married a North- 
ern gentleman, after all, and came here to 
settle.” 

“And she — she is — our next-door neigh- 
bor,” said Mrs. Maberly in a faint voice. 
She felt dazed. “I think I understand 
how one might be knocked down with a 
feather,” she said, in speaking of the mat- 
ter to her husband afterwards. 

“Mabel — Georgia,” she kept repeating 
to herself, “and she is my next neighbor. 
If I had known it I would never have taken 
the house.” 

The brightness had all died out of her 
face. She wanted to ask some questions, 
but would not allow herself to do so. The 
nurse’s chocolate-colored face was on a 
broad grin. How much did she know of 
the state of affairs between these two wo- 
men who had once been the closest friends ? 

“No, I would never have taken that 
house,” she said over and over, as she 
moved on, still in a dazed, started mood, 
that even the sight of her beautiful boy, 
waiting outside the gate for “mamma,” 
failed to change. A cloud seemed to have 
been suddenly thrown over the gray stone 
cottage. Vines and flowers and all the be- 
longings were as if they had never been. 
Mrs. Maberly turned her face resolutely 
away and went into her own house. 

“Oh, dear, I have found out at last who 
our next door neighbor is !” she exclaimed, 
as her husband entered the hall, where she 
was awaiting him that evening. 

You don’t seem to be very much de- 
lighted over the discovery,” was his reply. 
“I met the gentleman to-day in a business 
affair. He is very genial. It seems his 
wife is something of an invalid, and seldom 
goes out.” 


“I’m so glad !” exclaimed Mrs. Ma- 
berly, with heart-felt emphasis. 

“That don’t speak much for your Chris- 
tian charity,” said Mr. Maberly, smiling. 

“I don’t mean that I’m glad she is sick, 
but that she seldom goes out,” said his 
wife. 

“That will make it encumbent on you 
to call on her, won’t it.” 

“I’ll never call on her/* w*as the reply, 
delivered with almost spiteful energy. 

“Why, what on earth has happened?” 
her husband asked, now really puzzled. 
“Heretofore you have seemed to wish for 
her acquaintance. I’m sure I have heard 
you w T onder why she did not call.” 

“Very true; but then I did not know 
who she was; now I do,” and she narrated 
her interview with the nurse that morning. 

“So, you see, I know her; she used to 
be one of my dearest friends. I think at 
one time I almost worshiped her.” 

And you have spent days at her house ?” 

“Indeed I have; one of the loveliest 
plantations in the State of Georgia. In 
my vacations, when mamma and papa 
were abroad, I always went home with 
her. But now I dislike her quite as much 
as I loved her then. When we last parted 
I told her nothing would induce me ever 
to speak to her again, or to treat her with 
respect. Oh, we said very bitter things, 
both of us; but it was she who was the 
first offender ! And now I am sorry you 
bought the house.” 

“Don’t you know you are nursing the 
spirit of revenge?” her husband asked 
gravely. 

“I know that I never could respect my- 
self, after what she said to me, if I as 
much as noticed her, and very likely she 
feels the same towards me. What a pity 
that we are neighbors !” 

“I am very sorry to hear all this, as I 
like Mr. Warren remarkably well, and 
promised that you should call. However, 
it can’t be helped. Here we are, and here 
we shall stay, so we must make the best of 
it.” 

“Yes, we must,” his wife said, regret- 
fully, “ but I shall never feel again the in- 
terest I once did in our pretty home.” 

“To change the subject,” said Mr. Ma- 
berly, “I bought a cow to-day.” 

“Oh, a real cow for our own !” cried 
Ernest, looking up from his toys. 

“Yes, a real cow, and we shall have real 
cream,” said his father. “She is coming 
here to-night.” 


354 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Mrs. Maberly said nothing. She had 
been very anxious for the cow, but her 
thoughts were all taken up with the knowl- 
edge she had gathered that day. 

“And I kissed her baby !” she said, 
over and over, “and that girl will tell her. 
I would never had made such a concession 
if I had known.” 

The next day she carefully shut the 
blinds to all the windows that overlooked 
the pretty gray stone cottage, thus denying 
herself a view that had come to be almost 
a necessity of her beauty-loving nature. 

“They never shall be opened again,” 
she said bitterly. “I want nothing to do 
with her or hers.” 

The time went on, and winter came 
with its deep snows and keen, biting winds. 
The blinds were still kept closed on the 
south side of the house, and the next 
neighbor was seldom mentioned. One day 
Mr. Maberly spoke of him on his return 
from business. 

“It is a bitter night,” he said, “and I 
wouldn’t like to be in Warren’s place.” 

“Why, what is that?” his wife asked, 
with some show of interest. 

“His wife’s father is not expected to 
live, and Mrs. Warren is not able to go. 
There are some business matters to be at- 
tended to, and his presence is needed. It’s 
a long, cold journey. It must be hard for 
the poor wife that she cannot see her dying 
father. I feel very badly for them both. 

“It is very hard,” Mrs. Maberly forced 
herself to say, and once or twice in the 
night she thought of the lonely woman, as 
the snowflakes were whirled against the 
window in the heavy wind-beat of the 
storm. She could not help picturing her, 
wide-awake and tearless in her misery. 
And yet she never suggested to herself she 
ought to call or betray any interest in her 
neighbor’s sorrows. 

“I said I never would speak to her 
again,” she said, “and I never will. She 
brought it all on herself.” 

“Don’t expect me home till the last 
train to-night,” Mr. Maberly said the next 
morning. “There’s a meeting of business 
men that I must attend, so I shall be obliged 
to stay in. Send John down with the 
sleigh about eleven.” 

The day proved a pleasant one, and 
Mrs. Maberly felt unusually light-hearted 
as she sang and worked about the house. 
It was not till evening that she realized 
how very lonesome she was. Ernest had 
been kept up an hour beyond his time, 


and it was not until he pleaded to be sent 
to bed that she allowed herself to carry 
him upstairs. His prayers were of the 
briefest, although she tried to prolong* the 
process of undressing, but he was too 
sleepy; and, presently, as his head touched 
the pillow, he was in the land of dreams. 
Something prompted the woman as she 
went out in the hall to open the inside 
blinds and lift the curtains from one of the 
windows that commanded a view of her 
neighbor's house. 

All between was one bed of snow — trees, 
shrubbery, fences, garden; and the moon- 
beams fell gently over the wide, white, un- 
even space, and bathed the opposite cot- 
tage in its silvery radiance. She looked 
toward the house. On the white surface 
of the window were shadows flitting and 
coming, seemingly going to and fro in 
great haste. 

“I suppose they are putting the baby to 
bed,” she said to herself, “or perhaps she 
has company; it looks like it.” 

Carefully closing the blinds again, she 
went downstairs. The parlor looked very 
cozy with its rich red drapery, made more 
intense in color by the blazing coal fire, 
and yet the woman had a vague feeling of 
uneasiness. Opening the door, she could 
distinguish voices in the kitchen. John 
was talking with the cook, and the sound 
reassured her somewhat; but, oh, how she 
missed the genial companionship of her 
husband ! Suddenly there was a peal of 
the door bell, so sharp and sudden that it 
set all her nerves tingling. 

“I’m so glad John is in !” was her in- 
ward comment, as she heard his heavy 
footsteps across the hall. 

Presently the front door was open. The 
accents of a woman’s voice, as if in de- 
spair, came faintly to her ears. The par- 
lor door was opened, and John was saying, 
“The madam is in here,” when there ap- 
peared, pale and drawn in its agony, the 
face of her neighbor of the gray stone 
house. The room seemed to whirl round 
her as she looked. What could it mean ? 

“Oh, Anne ! Oh, Mrs. Maberly !” cried 
the woman in a choking voice, her tightly- 
clasped hands unconsciously extended as 
if in supplication, “something sent me here 
to you. My baby, my beautiful baby, is 
dying — dying before mv eyes, and I am 
all alone. Come and help me, if ever you 
loved me, come and help me. You have 
studied medicine, and will know what to 
do. I have sent for a doctor, but he is 


THE TRESTLE BOARD 


355 


ten miles oft with a patient — and that hor- 
rible croup.” Her voice failed her. 
There was a noise in her throat like the 
coming of hysteria. Mrs. Maberly had 
sprung forward and caught her, or she 
would have fallen. Into her voice crept 
the old-time tenderness, into her hands the 
old caressing movements. 

“Don’t worry,” she said, “wait till I 
get a shawl — wait till I get my medicine 
box, and I believe I can help you. Don’t 
give up heart. You were too ill yourself 
to come out; you should have sent for me.” 
All this time she was going rapidly around 
the room preparing herself to go. 

“Yes, but I remembered — oh, I thought 
if I came myself in all my misery, you 
would take pity on me ! Oh, my baby ! 
my baby ! My poor old father is dying, 
too, and I can’t be with him. It seems as 
if I cannot bear it — to lose my father and 
my baby, too,” and she wept bitterly. 

“Don’t give up heart and hope,” said 
Mrs. Maberly. “There, I am ready; I can 
help you, with God’s blessing, I am sure 
I can. Hush, don’t cry so; lean on my 
arm,” and so she tried to comfort her un- 
til the two entertd the gray cottage, Mrs. 
Maberly wondering all the time where her 
resentment had gone. 

It was a pitiful sight, the baby in the 
arms of her nurse, struggling for breath. 
Giving orders in a low voice, forcing her- 
self to be calm, with the beautiful, agon- 
ized face looking up in her own, Mrs. 
Maberly worked quietly and efficiently 
with the remedies she had brought, and 
which, fora long time, seemed unavailing. 
But, even as the agonized mother hid her 
face from what to her were the death strug- 
gles of the child, her neighbor bade her 
take hope; and after nearly two hours of 
steady battling with the dreaded disease, 
and just as the doctor’s carriage drove up 
to the door, the labored respiration gave 
way to easy breathing, the flush of anguish 
was gone, and the little sufferer slept on 
Mrs. Maberly’s knee. 

“It’s mighty lucky you had such a 
neighbor,” said the doctor, speaking to 
Mrs. Warren; “ she knew just what to do. 
I couldn’t have treated the case better my- 
self.” 

For answer, Mrs. Warren went on her 
knees and kissed the hand under the head 
of her baby; then, bowing her own head 
beside it, she sobbed and sobbed. Was it 
thankfulness for the service rendered, or a 


mute avowal that she had wronged her old 
friend ? 

Mrs. Maberly had news for her husband 
when he returned that night. 

“So you really found that you had a 
neighbor,” he said, when she had finished. 

“I think it was she who found the neigh- 
bor,” she said, flushing. “And who would 
not help her worst enemy in such an emer- 
gency ? Really, nothing could have hap- 
pened better, since it had to happen, and 
she will always feel as if I saved the baby.” 

After that, one might have seen frequent 
crossings over to the cottages, alternately. 
Sometimes the pretty baby carriage, with 
its beautiful occupant, stood for hours in 
the front yard of the Maberly’s, and often 
the two mothers sat on the porch talking 
of old times, and finding pleasure in the 
renewal of themes that had been so long 
forbidden to them. 

Under Mrs. Maberly’s directions, the in- 
valid gathered health and strength, and 
the two families became, in deed and 
word, the best of good neighbors. 

— Mary A. Denison , in The Housewife . 

o 

Good Weight. 


Lillian Snell, teacher of the first grade 
in building No. 3, public school of Wind- 
sor, turned quickly from the blackboard 
whereon she had been drawing a pert wren 
swinging on a spray of clover. 

“Who is crying?” she asked, in a 
sweet, firm voice. 

“It is little Agnes Gregory,” volun- 
teered a dimple- faced boy who sat near. 

Miss Snell crossed the room, and bent 
over the child. 

“Agnes, little sunshine lassie, what is 
it ? Can you not tell me about it ?” 

Sobs were Agnes’ only reply. Miss 
Snell kissed her gently, then went back to 
her work. When it was finished, and the 
children all provided with work, she lifted 
the sobbing child, and tenderly carried 
her to the teacher’s desk. Here, some- 
what removed from the curious little ones, 
Lillian set about soothing her pupil. 

Agnes was a pretty, fair- faced child of 
six. She had sunny blue eyes and her 
hair, a golden chestnut, curled about her 
face and neck. Her clothing was clean, 
but well worn, and Lillian noticed the 
gaping hole in the tiny shoes as well as 
the thinness of the faded dress; noticed it 
with a sympathetic thrill of the heart that 
throbbed with something of the divine 


356 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


spirit of motherhood toward the children 
in her care. 

Agnes’ story was soon told. Her wid- 
owed mother had had no breakfast for her 
little ones. 

‘‘I don’t care so much about myself, 
Miss Snell,” the child went on artlessly, 
“ ’cause I’m mamma’s brave girl, but 
when little brother Royce wakes up he 
will be so hungry, and he is only three 
years old. He does not know he mustn’t 
cry.” 

A little more questioning, and Lillian 
learned that some one owed Mrs. Gregory 
for sewing, also that she hoped to have 
dinner ready when Agnes came home. 

Lillian looked out into the driving 
storm of a January forenoon. She knew 
Mrs. Gregory, and her heart ached for the 
pale young mother. 

Miss Snell was quick of thought and 
action. Ten minutes later Agnes was in 
a warm cloak room feasting in the dainty 
lunch Mrs. Snell had prepared for her 
daughter’s midday meal. The young teach- 
er had written a note and a list of articles 
of food, and was at the door of the room 
across the hall. 

The teacher, Florence Fox, listened 
sympathetically to Lillian’s story, and to 
the suggestion that her own twelve year- 
old brother be called from the sixth grade 
to deliver the note. 

‘‘Of course Fred can go,” she cried, 
‘‘and Lillian, you say you have written to 
Mr. Davis the circumstances, and asked 
him for good weight. I’ll send an order 
to Cousin Hugh for a half- cord of wood, 
tell him the story, and ask him for good 
weight.” 

A faint crimson flush stained Lillian’s 
cheek, but she warmly thanked her friend, 
and hurried back to her work. 

Mark Davis was a stout, genial- faced 
man of thirty-eight. He sat in his office, 
his morning’s work at his book just fin- 
ished. Through the open door he could 
see brisk clerks stepping about in the 
grocery store from which the office opened. 
There was an odor of spices, coffee, fruit 
and fish in the air. 

“Eight hundred dollars more profit this 
year than last,” the grocer said to him- 
self. “Somehow it don’t do a man any 
good to pile up money when he has no 
one to spend it on.” 

Here his reverie was cut short by the 
entrance of a clerk who handed him an 


envelope, saying: “A boy just brought 
this.” 

Two papers dropped from the envelope 
as he tore it open. The first was a list, 
including a loaf of bread, potatoes, crack- 
ers, dried beef, and a few other articles. 
He glanced over it, and opened the other. 
It was Lillian’s note: 

“Dear Mr. Davis: A little girl in my 
room is crying because she has had no 
breakfast. Her name is Agnes Gregory, 
and her mother is a poor widow who lives 
on the third floor of No. 4 Hampton street. 
Please send the things ordered at once. I 
will come in after school, and pay for 
them. And, Mr. Davis, please give good 
weight. Truly yours, 

“Lillian Snell.” 

Mr. Davis had been a friend of the Snell 
family for years, and it was not the first 
time that Lillian had appealed to him for 
help in her charitable work. So that was 
not the reason that so strange a look came 
into his honest brown eyes. 

“Agnes Gregory, and lives on Hampton 
street,” he murmured. “It surely must 
be Margaret’s child. Good God ! Mar- 
garet and her child wanting bread !” 

A half hour later Mark Davis was mak- 
ing his way up the stairs to the floor upon 
which Mrs. Gregory’s rooms were situated. 
His knock at the first door was answered 
by a red- faced woman. 

“Mis’ Gregory, is it you air wantin’ ?” 
she asked sharply. ‘ ‘And it’s no bad news 
you air after b ringin' her, I hope.” 

“I wanted to deliver some groceries a 
friend has sent her.” 

The clouded face cleared as if by magic. 
“Heaven’s blessin’ be on your head, then ! 
Mis’ Gregory, she’s gone out, but I’ve her 
key here, and will unlock the door. That’s 
her boy, and a swate child he is.” 

Mark eagerly looked at the pink and 
white face of the boy. He held out a 
great golden orange, and little Royce 
sprang for it, his childish laugh echoing 
through the room. Then the grocer fol- 
lowed Mrs. Donovan to the home of Mar- 
garet Gregory.” 

It was a bare place, but clean and neat. 
Mark sighed as he noted the signs of ab- 
ject poverty. While the deliveryman was 
bringing up the parcels, Mrs. Donovan 
volubly explained that Mrs. Gregory had 
gone to try to get money due her. The 
warm-hearted Irish woman had surmised 
that fortune was at low ebb with her neigh- 


THE TRESTLE BOARD, 


357 


ber, partly because of little Royce’s un- 
usual fretfulness, which had been quieted 
by a huge slice of bread and butter. 

“She's worked her precious fingers 
’most to the bone,” she concluded, “but 
work's scarce, and I don’t know what’s 
ever goin’ to become of her and her babies. ’ ’ 

The wood soon came. Florence’s half 
cord had been re-enforced by a whole 
cord, perhaps because she had written her 
cousin that the needy widow was a protege 
of Miss Snell’s. 

As to Lillian’s order for groceries, Mr. 
Davis had added to it a sack of flour, a 
ham, coffee, tea, sugar, apples, cookies, 
cheese, canned fruits and meats, and a 
big bag of candy. 

Mrs. Donovan went back to her own 
room, and the wagons rolled away. Mark 
hastily built a fire, then sat down to think 
how best to explain the liberty he had 
taken. 

The bare room faded from his vision as 
he sat there. In its place came an old 
country garden overgrown with roses and 
chestnuts. It was June, and the air was 
heavy with the scent of many blossoms. 
By his side was a beautiful girl in whose 
curls the sunshine seemed entangled. He 
bent lower, and the rose-red lips of his 
companion murmured, “Ilove you, Mark.” 
Still lower his head sank until his lips 
touched the ones that had uttered the sweet 
words. 

A start, and he sat upright, glancing 
around him. That was ten years ago. He 
was poor then, and Margaret, beautiful 
Margaret Henson, had been the only 
daughter of a wealthy home; so their en- 
gagement had been forbidden. They parted, 
vowing eternal constancy. A year later 
Margaret became the wife of Vance Greg- 
ory, but it was not until months after that 
Mark learned of the treachery and deceit 
that had been employed to urge her to 
that step. 

It was too late then. There was noth- 
ing to do but to endure. 

He had known for some time that Mar- 
garet was a widow and lived in the city. 
He knew nothing of her poverty, suppos- 
ing that her means were ample. To go to 
her now with a story of love had never 
occurred to him. She knew nothing of 
what had parted them. He could not 
blacken the memory of the man who had 
been her husband, the father of her chil- 
dren. 

He sprang to his feet. There was no 


need of an explanation. He passed out, 
pausing for a final word with Mrs. Dono- 
van. 

“Tell Mrs. Gregory the things came 
from the teachers at No. 3.” 

“To be sure, Mr. Davis,’’ responded 
the woman who had recognized Mark, 
“I’ll tell her all ’bout it. And many the 
blissin’s of all the saints rest on your dear 
head !’’ 

Mark hurried away, leaving a ahining 
silver dollar in Royce’s hand. 

It was only a few minutes after his de- 
parture that a thinly clad woman came 
toiling wearily up the stairs. It was Mar- 
garet Gregory. The woman who owed 
her was out of town. The needy mother 
had applied at several places for work, 
only to meet with refusal. Then she had 
gone to a store and begged for credit, but 
in vain. 

She had reached the end. There was 
but one way open. She would ask Mrs. 
Donovan to give her children their dinner. 
When she had rested and conquered the 
bitter rebellion in her heart she would go 
out again and apply to the city for char- 
ity. 

Margaret Gregory was proud. She was 
already faint for the want of food, yet she 
turned in loathing from the thought of a 
meal obtained in that way. It would be 
worse than death, but death does not come 
at one’s call, and there were her babies. 

A dry sob burst from her lips. She 
passed Mrs. Donovan’s door in silence. 
She must have a moment to herself before 
she could ask charity of one so poor as 
her kind neighbor. Hurrying on, she 
pushed open her own door. 

A bright fire was blazing in the cracked 
stove. Mrs. Donovan had prepared po- 
tatoes for the oven and cut slices ready for 
frying from the ham. The open door of 
the wood closet showed a huge pile, while 
the table was heaped high with food. 

For a moment she stood gazing wildly 
around her. Then she dropped on her 
knees, ai.d with a shower of tears relieved 
her overwrought nerves. 

The next day’s mail brought a letter 
from Margaret to Mr. Davis. The writer 
had gone to Miss Snell to thank her. 
From the young teacher she had learned 
of Mark’s connection with the affair. 

It was an earnest, grateful letter, blotted 
here and there with tear stains. She ac- 
cepted his generosity; for her children’s 
sake she could not refuse charity. She 


358 


THE TRESTLE BOARD 


referred to the friendship that had existed 
between their parents, but Mark was glad 
that she was too womanly a woman to even 
hint at the relation they had once borne to 
each other. When he finished reading the 
letter his heart was light, for he under- 
stood that Margaret knew of the treachery 
that had blotted the sunshine out of his 
life. 

Mark went straight home and told 
his aunt, who was also his housekeeper, all 
about it. Mrs. Everts was knitting before 
the open coal fire. She was a bright- faced 
old lady with soft white hair and a serene 
face. When he had finished she laid 
down her work and sat for a long time, 
gazing into the dancing flames. 

“The only daughter of my old friend, 
Rebecea Henson, in want of food,” she 
said, a note of pain in her voice. “Mark, 
you and I both have plenty of money. 
There is room in this house and in our 
hearts for Margaret and her babies. But 
she is proud. Go and ask her to come 
and sew for me. Tell her I am lonely 
and ask her to bring her little ones to 
brighten me up.” 

Mark bent to kiss the placid face. 
“Thank you, Aunt Elsie. I see you un- 
derstand.” A few hours later he knocked 
at Margaret’s door. He saw that the 
years had changed her. The wild rose 
bloom had faded from her cheeks, tears 
had washed the joyous light from her 
blue eyes, yet it was surely the Margaret 
that he had loved that stood before him. 

She met him frankly and with undis- 
guised pleasure. Her voice trembled 
when she undertook to express her grati- 
tude. Mark made light of the whole af- 
fair and insisted on talking of their child- 
hood days. The fruit and nuts he brought 
proved an open sesame to the hearts of 
Agnes and Royce, and they were soon on 
the best of terms with the caller. 

Margaret was very grateful for the offer 
of work. She hesitated a little over ac- 
cepting Mrs. Everts’ kind invitation, fear- 
ing lest the children prove an annoyance. 
But when Mark drew a touching picture 
of the loneliness of his aunt she gladly 
consented to come. It was arranged that 
the carriage come for the Gregorys the 
following afternoon. 

One morning, two months later, Flor- 
ence Fox tripped across the hall of No. 3, 
and entered Miss Snell’s room. 

“Of course you are going to the wed- 
ding reception Thursday evening,” she 


began. “I think it is such a lovely mar- 
riage, don’t you ?” 

“Indeed I do,” Lillian replied warmly. 
“Yes, I am to go in the afternoon and 
help with the decorations. The whole 
house is to be in green and white, smilax, 
ferns, roses and carnations. Mrs. Everts 
says Mr. Davis cannot do too much for 
his bride, ‘our dear Margaret,’ the sweet 
old lady calls her.” 

“And I believe it all came about from 
your begging him to give her good 
weight,” Florence cried, merrily. “He 
is obeying your request in an extravagant 
manner. And Lillian, is not that pretty 
pearl ring and the beatific expression on 
cousin Hugh’s face the result of my ef- 
forts along the same line of charitable 
work ?” 

The bell rang then, and the blushing 
Lillian was spared the necessity of a reply. 

— Hope Daring, in Womankind . 

o 

Murdering Wagner. 


I was amused the other night at a joke 
I had read, and was laughing at it when 
Gretchen came into my den and asked 
what so pleased me. 

“Why, this,” I replied, and I read the 
joke, which was as follows: 

“Excuse me, sir,” said the detective, 
as he presented himself at the door of the 
music academy, “but I hope you will give 
me all the information you have, and 
make no fuss about it.” 

“What do you mean ?” was the indig- 
nant inquiry of the professor in charge of 
the academy. 

“Why, that little affair, you know,” re- 
plied the astute detective. 

“I don’t understand,” rejoined the pro- 
fessor, growing more indignant. 

“Why, you see, we got the tip from the 
house next door that somebody here has 
been murdering Wagner, and the sergeant 
sent me down to work up the case; so, I 
hope, you will give me as little trouble as 
possible, and deliver up the guilty party.” 

Gretchen laughed when I had finished 
the story. 

“Well,” she said, “I think there are a 
great many Wagner’s murdered, and a 
great many people who are murdering 
Wagner.” 

“ Yes,” I replied, “ and murdering lots 
of other people. There are more murders 
committed every day than ever find its 
way into the papers, or are reported to 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


359 


the sergeant of police. The fact is there 
is wholesale murder going on all the 
time, and few people know it. Masonic 
work is murdered, the English language 
is murdered, form and ceremony are mur- 
dered and the murdering business pros- 
pers. I was reading, not long ago, an 
account in an English paper of high re- 
pute, of a banquet at which a number of 
toasts were proposed. In recording the 
fact the careful reporter said: ‘Of course 
the Queen was drunk/ etc. Now, think 
of it, ‘the Queen was drunk’ — poor old 
lady, after nearly sixty years of honorable 
reign, to be reported in one of the period- 
icals of the realm, as ‘drunk.’ Its a shame 
to murder the Queen’s English so, and in 
that murdering to murder the good name 
of the best Queen who ever sat upon a 
throne. The fact was, you know, that the 
Queen was not present at all, and the 
record should have been, ‘The health of 
the Queen was drunk,’ etc. 

“And precisely so are reputations as- 
sassinated and unhappiness produced. 
Men either thoughtlessly or by design 
traduce their fellows, and imagine they 
are doing great things to ‘tell tales out of 
school,’ and it matters not much, whether 
they stretch their imagination a little in 
the retailing of the tale, and make a ‘moun- 
tain out of a mole hill,’ or turn white into 
black, so they tell the tale, which is mur- 
dering somebody.” 

“But,” said Gretchen, “the murdering 
of Wagner that was the cause of the de- 
tective’s visit to the academy was not that 
kind. ‘ It was a gross misinterpretation of 
Wagner’s music. It was making Wagner 
out a liar, for he never wrote the notes 
the murderer produced, but he or she, the 
murderer aforesaid, sung falsely and so 
out of tune that it was no music at all. 
Wagner’s conceptions were grand, sublime- 
ly grand, and his mind must have dwelt 
in celestial grandness. Sung or played as 
Wagner wrote it, and as his mind con- 
ceived it, his music lifts the soul to the 
bliss of the seventh heaven. I like Wag- 
ner when he is not murdered.” 

“But Wagner is noisy,” I suggested, 
“and those who reported that he was be- 
ing murdered maybe mistook his grand 
choruses for some battle of the gods. 
Noise is not always music, and all music 
is not noise. But I will admit that when 
Wagner is murdered the pandemonium 
must be almost beyond endurance, and 
when Wagner is played out of tune I 


don’t wonder at the people next door giv- 
ing the ‘tip.’ I was in a Lodge not long 
ago where the officers had no proper con- 
ception of the beauty of the degree. The 
Master, in a sing song, monotone, stum- 
bled over the work, and Demosthenes 
Cicero, the Senior Deacon, murdered 
Wagner most outrageously. He strutted 
about, bellowing his part like a Free Sil- 
ver Populist preaching sixteen to one. I 
thought then that if the ‘people next door’ 
would send down to the sergeant of the 
police and report the case, there would be 
a pretty good chance for the public exe- 
cutioner to perform on the strings of the 
electric chair, for the ‘murder of Wagner’ 
was a self-evident fact, and the witnesses 
to the crime numerous. 

“But the murder of form and ceremony 
is not so bad as that which, is often com- 
mitted outside the Lodge. Men are so 
ready to condemn without a hearing, to 
speak evil instead of good of their fellow- 
men, to look for motes in a brother’s eyes, 
and never for a moment stop to think that 
there is a beam in their own. They meet 
in a social way to enjoy a glass of ‘new 
brewed ale,’ and the while the foam is set- 
tling the froth of evil-speaking bubbles 
over, and the story of Brother Goodfellow’s 
mishap is discussed — Wagner is murdered. 
If we would all only bind up ‘Wagner’s 
wounds instead of tearing them open’ we 
would be doing good instead of bad. But, 
I suppose, Wagner will be murdered until 
we all wear white wings.” 

— Lounger , in N Y Dispatch . 

o 

Masonry a la Lease. 

The Masons at Helena, Mont., are, to- 
day, wiser if not sadder men. Many of 
them, perhaps all, once thought that Ma- 
sonry was peculiar to Masons, and that 
their wives, at least, didn’t know a thing 
about the mysteries of the order. Last 
night it was demonstrated that the secrets 
of the Lodge were in the hands of the 
women, who had even the sublime au- 
dacity to institute a Masonic order of 
their own, and then boast about it In 
some respects feminine Masonry is su- 
perior, it is said, to the genuine article. 
It has a “heap more fun in it,” as one 
Mason of high degree expressed it last 
night, and is, perhaps, simpler. At any 
rate the women, to show — what any man 
will admit — their superiority, invited their 
husband, brother and father Masons into 


360 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


the lodge room last night, and gave them 
an exposition of Masonry “a la Lease.” 
It may be that by such delightful hospi- 
tality and courtesy they hope to some 
time be invited into the Lodges of their 
brother Masons, or there may have been 
other reasons, but, whatever they were, 
the men responded nobly. 

Masonic hall was crowded with visitors 
when the most illustrious high mogul, in 
flowing velvet robes, marched into the 
hall at the head of the exponents of Ma- 
sonry a la Lease, who were also attired in 
the robes of the order. If there had been 
a roll call, the following would have an- 
swered: High mogul, Miss Josephine Is- 
rael; grand high pull hauler, Mrs. George 
Booker; grand inner guard of the temple 
key-hole, Mrs. August Weisenhorn; grand 
outer guard of the temple key-hole, Mrs. 
Peter Hart wig; sister royal panjandrum, 
Mrs. Laura Comstock; sister high muck- 
a-muck, Mrs. Leslie Sulgrove ; sister 
hobble de-hoy, Mrs. Dudley Halford ; 
sister gibble gobble, Mrs. J. W. Payne; 
sister linen draper, Mrs. Emma Trevise; 
sister A. F. and A. M., Miss Bertha 
Buscher. 

The entrance of the sisters, who imme- 
diately ranged themselves in a circle, was 
greeted with a shout of laughter from the 
big audience awaiting them. The sisters 
gravely took their seats. The grand mogul 
directed the inner guard to inform the 
outer guard of the temple key-hole that 
the mystical lodge was about to be opened 
in the grand, solemn and impressive de- 
gree of Queen of Sheba Temple of Ancient 
Free and Accepted Masonry, that she 
might guard well all avenues of approach. 
Then, addressing the sisters, who were 
grotesquely arrayed in white robes and 
caps about her, the high mogul in im- 
pressive accents said: 

'‘Sisters of Belva Lockwood Lodge, No. 
i, as I have previously stated, we are 
about to open this mystical lodge in the 
grand, solemn and impressive degree of 
Queen of Sheba. Let me hear if you are 
all correctly posted in the requirements of 
your various positions in that degree your- 
selves. Sister Royal Panjandrum, what is 
your contribution to the work of this noble 
degree ?” 

Sister Panjandrum rose, and, after a 
salaam, answered: 

“I endeavor to persuade all inquirers 
after light to resist the domineering de- 
mands of the tyrant man, and instruct 


them in the best methods of doing the 
same.” 

“Sister High Muck-a-muck, what part 
do you take in this impressive degree?” 
inquired the high mogul. 

“I endeavor,” responded the sister, 
earnestly, “to cause the candidates’ as- 
pirations to soar high above the degrading 
and groveling requirements of their or- 
dinary every-day existence, thus prepar- 
ing them for the exalted and elevated 
position they will eventually occupy over 
the opposite sex.” 

“ Sister Hobble-de-Hov explain your 
part in this noble woik,” commanded the 
mogul. 

“My part,” the sister replied, “is to 
endeavor to infuse into my hitherto down- 
trodden sisters the importance of using 
their eyes and ears, thus enabling them to 
acquire the knowledge and wisdom which 
the Masonic brethren have believed be- 
longed to themselves alone.” 

Around the circle continued the cate- 
chising until all the sisters had explained 
their positions, among them being linen 
draper, who said her duty was to keep her 
sisters informed of the best bargains to be 
found at dry goods emporiums. At the 
command of the high mogul, the grand 
high pull hauler, who was attired in a 
green gown and an immense bonnet, col- 
lected the pass-word and unveiled the 
dark mysteries of the order to each other. 
The grand high pull hauler’s antics created 
no end of fun among the spectators, but all 
was as grave as should be among the ex- 
ponents of the new Freemasonry. The 
sisters then stood up in a circle and sang 
the opening ode, of which the following 
was the chorus: 

It's time the men should stay at home, while we all gather 
here; 

We won’t go home till morning bright, till daylight does 
appear. 

Once we were all down-trodden wives; we’d wash and 
bake and scrub; 

They said our place was home, while they attended lodge 
and club. 

At last the poor worm will turn, of lodge we’ve claimed a 
share; 

These things we now have leveled up; we think we’ve 
made them square. 

The Lodge was duly declared open at 
the end of the song, and then a visitor 
was announced in the person of Mary 
Ellen Lease. There was a moment of 
wild excitement, in which each sister asked 
her neighbor if her hat were on straight. 
Then, escorted by the guard, the dis- 
tinguished visitor, who was Mrs. Sol 
Genzberger, gowned in black with a spot- 
less shirt boson and silk tie decorated 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


361 


with ribbons, walked into the circle with 
the air of a leader of new women. She 
was received with exclamations of delight 
from the sisters, who, at the command of 
the high mogul, gave her the “grand hon- 
ors. * * The visitor acknowledged the honor 
and told how she happened to be present. 
She was .on her way to a national conven- 
tion, where the great question, “ How can 
we make our husbands more submissive ?” 
was to be considered. She was breathless- 
ly asked to answer the question, and al- 
though pressed for time, said she could 
not resist this splendid opportunity to talk, 
whereat the appreciative audience ’round- 
about laughed immoderately. Then, in a 
way that brought down the house, Mary 
Ellen began her address. 

“It rejoices me to know,” she said, 
“that my sister women are alive to their 
need of enlightenment in the various 
branches formerly supposed to belong to 
those who egotistically style themselves 
lords of creation. It is time these self- 
constituted bosses were turned down to 
give place to the sex which has proved it- 
self equal to every emergency.” 

A sister became so enthusiastic at that 
stage of the address that she shouted 
“Amen !” Mary Ellen then, in flowing 
language, said that woman was fit to reign 
as ruler anywhere. 

“As an example of this,” she continued, 
“look, for instance, at the tariff matter, 
which that unfortunate and ordinary thing 
called man has got in such a terrible mud- 
dle the last few years. How can there be 
any question about that ? How can there 
be any doubt in regard to the right of the 
producer to produce, or the consumer to 
consume ? How can there be but one an- 
swer to the economic conundrum, shall the 
manufacturer manufacture or be manufac- 
tured ? These questions are so simple 
that they answer themselves. I say yes, 
certainly, of course, by all means. 

“Then look at the money question, 
wdiich that miserable being man, to whom 
I before alluded, falls down and flounders 
about. Look, too, at us; do we have any 
trouble handling money, whether silver or 
gold ? I should say ‘No.’ Are we em- 
barrassed by the financial arguments ? If 
you doubt it attend the next dry goods or 
millinery opening, and watch us make the 
money fly. For example, a man gives his 
wife five dollars to go down town to do 
shopping. Observe the load she brings 
home in the evening. The same man 


takes five dollars and goes down town — 
observe the load he brings home in the 
evening.” 

Mary Ellen’s speech continued at some 
length, and was received at every pause 
with wild applause by the sisters — applause 
that the audience echoed. After disposing 
of the tariff and money issues she turned 
her attention to politics in general, and 
landed in the White House at the end of 
the speech. 

After her address, Mary Ellen Lease 
was given a place of honor, and then the 
guard announced several candidates. 
Among them were Mrs. William McKin- 
ley, Queen Victoria, Mrs. Astor and Miss 
Carrie Chapman Catt. Miss Catt was 
given the preference, as only one candi- 
date could be admitted at that session 
and she was brought in on a monster goat. 
She was put through the degree, every de- 
tail of which was ridiculously funny, and 
was finally declared a “ female Mason.” 
Suddenly a mysterious figure in a sheet 
was noticed hovering in the background. 
The horrifying discovery was made that it 
was a man. Paul Pry, whose part was 
taken by John Edgerton. The intruder 
was seized and for a moment confusion 
reigned. Finally, as a way out of the 
difficulty, the man w r as given the choice of 
death or joining the lodge. He hesitated, 
but chose the lodge, and was then given a 
diabolical oath that bound him to secrecy. 
When that ceremony was over, a great 
rapping was heard on the portal, and the 
guard announced a “big man” who wanted 
admittance. It was decided to adjourn, 
and thus outwit the second man who de- 
manded entrance. Catching hold of the 
“goat” and the other paraphanaia of the 
Lodge, the sisters marched out by another 
entrance, singing a song of which the fol- 
lowing was the chorus: 

Drat the men, they’re always around, 

And it is most provoking, 

We cannot have a Mason’s lodge, 

But in it they are poking. 

The farce was happily presented. The 
scores of Masons who saw it roared with 
laughter at every hit, and the two hundred 
of the opposite sex present seemed to enjoy 
the fun as much as the men. Preceding 
and following the farce was a musical 
program of excellence, in which the fol- 
lowing took part: Miss Stella Flaherty and 
Prof. Nunvar, piano duet; Mrs. Laura 
Comstock, solo; Miss Mora Preuitt, reci- 
tation; Mrs. Clare Avery, Mrs. Adams 
duet; C. J. Clark, piano solo, L. I. Israe 


362 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


solo; Asa Fisk, solo; Mrs. John Edgerton, 
piano solo; Miss Lizzie Sweeny, solo; 
Miss Ethel Booker, instrumental solo. 

— Helena , Mont . , Independent. 

o 

Woman and Masonry. 


The new woman is not wholly absent 
from Freemasonry. In the north west 
especially her voice is heard in the Lodge- 
room, not merely as a quartet singer, but 
as a solo speaker. The Eastern Star is 
shining forth and the wives, sisters and 
daughters of Masons, being organized into 
lodges, are becoming familiar with affairs 
belonging only to men. Many brethren 
and companions in some States are en- 
couraging this new departure. It is a 
passing show of course. And when the 
craze is over, when the epidemic ceases, 
we shall be, if not we, our children will be 
what we were and our parents before us. 
The men will grow beards and sing bass, 
and win bread and be fathers, and wear 
pants, and fight the battle of life in field 
and farm, and the women, God bless them, 
will be mothers and wives and sisters and 
daughters of men, queens of the home, 
ruling there by right divine, and making 
it like heaven, dispensing love and joy in 
human hearts, and being happiest of mor- 
tals from making others happy; in their 
own sphere will they rule and shine a little 
lower than the angels. Let us not encour- 
age their mania for clubs and circles and 
lodges and chapters, or anything that 
tends to lower them in our esteem, weaken 
the home tie, destroy their holy influence, 
or bring them to our level !” 

There is one thing I like about the 
above, and that is the reverence the writer 
has for women. His wife and daughters, 
if he has a wife and daughter, are all in 
all to him, but with all his respect and 
reverence he is not, to use an expression 
that may be a little slangy, “up to date.” 
In other words, I fear that Mr. Ingersoll 
is something of a “back number.” He 
does not understand the woman of to-day. 
She has no objection whatever to men 
“growing beards,” wearing “pants” or 
singing “bass.” What makes the woman 
of to-day weary is that there are so many 
men that want to “sing bass” all the time. 
That is not literally, but figuratively. No 
woman cares to look up to a man simply 
because he can “sing bass,” wear “pants” 
or grow a “beard.” What the woman of 
to-day wants is companionship. She does 


not care to be made a “queen of the home” 
and dispense love, joy and happiness about 
a husband unless there is also some happi- 
ness scattered about her pathway. “A lit- 
tle lower than the angels” is very nice, 
indeed, but she wants her husband to come 
up to her level, not remain below it. 
Wearing “pants,” growing a “beard” and 
singing “bass” will not do this unless he 
executes a bass solo once in a while that 
will show that he appreciates the fact that 
he is subject to the queen who rules the 
home. To go away and set up business 
as a king upon his own account and leave 
the poor queen alone at home six nights 
in the week while he attends a lodge meet- 
ing or the chapter or commandery or 
meets a committee or “sees a man” is ex- 
ercising his prerogative to court around in 
“pants” and sing “bass,” and he thinks 
the oft-repeated music will not cloy upon 
the sensitive ear of the “queen,” made 
more sensitive by the cries of little ones 
and listening to childish tales of woe and 
the anxious questioning of the juvenile 
mind. 

I do not know that I care to be cata- 
logued “Class A. No. 1, New Woman,” 
but I plead guilty to riding a bicycle and 
being able to swim and fish, and walk ten 
miles and feel no evil effects. Such exer- 
cise is good for young men, and why 
should it not be for young women ? The 
woman of to-day, by reason of advanced 
ideas and her manner of living, is more 
robust and healthy than at any period of 
the world’s history. She is strong limbed, 
deep chested, bright eyed, and when she 
is called upon to assume the holy function 
of motherhood her children will be strong 
and healthy and well developed, physically 
and mentally. Mr. Ingersoll and good 
old Mr. Carson are of the class, though, 
who would have her sit about playing at 
beine “a little below the angels” and the 
men would sing “bass,” wear “pants,” 
“win bread” and “fight the battle of life.” 
A woman wants to be good friends with 
her husband. They ought to be “chums,” 
and if one looks about at the coming man 
and sees the miserable, pin-headed, cigar- 
ette-smoking, cane-sucking specimen, she 
is entitled to entertain a serious doubt as 
to whether, all things considered, in future 
such beings will be “fathers” and sing 
“bass.” She sees a very poor field, in- 
deed, from which may come one who is to 
be friend, adviser, lover, companion and 
the father of her children. She knows she 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


363 


is intellectually the superior of the 4 ‘new 
man,” and to support this it is only neces- 
sary to cite the fact that graduating classes 
composed wholly of young women are in 
the majority. 

Mr. Ingersoll says “the Eastern Star is 
shining forth,” but concludes that “it is a 
passing show” and refers to the time when 
the “craze” will have passed. This brings 
me to the first conclusion, that he is a 
“back number.” Let us see about the 
“craze” and how it is dying out. In 1850 
it had its commencement, but not until 
1868 or 1870 was the present order per- 
fected. I am sorry that I have not at hand 
ampler statistics, but from what I have we 
will examine a little as to how rapidly the 
“craze” is passing. In 1870 in 23 States 
and territories we find 47 chapters bearing 
an aggregate membership of 1,910; 1875, 
223 chapters, 12,094 members; 1880, 311 
chapters, 16,246 members; 1885, 458 chap- 
ters, 24,693 members; 1890, 874 chapters, 
45,541 members. This is in but twenty- 
three States and territories. It is not con- 
fined to the north-west, either, for New 
York in 1890 had 42 chapters with a 
membership of 2,448. From this it will 
be readily seen how the craze is dying. 

Mr. Ingersoll does not want us encour- 
aged in the work, and intimates that it 
might bring us to the level of men. Oh, 
dear me ! A beautiful course of reason- 
ing, truly. He would not have us engage 
in work which has for its object the lifting 
up of the fallen, the relief of distress, the 
widened teaching of the One whose “star 
we have seen in the east.” He would re- 
serve that for those who wear “pants” and 
sing “bass,” while those “a little lower 
than the angels” sit on the fence and ap- 
plaud. 

What harm can there be in the female 
relatives of Masons assembling themselves 
in chapters of the Eastern Star in company 
with their fathers, brothers and sons ? 
There is no claim madethat it is Masonry 
or that any part of its ritual is Masonic. 
Then is it any business of Mr. Ingersoll or 
any other outsider for that matter ? Don’t 
be fearful that we will want to be Masons, 
or that we will take to the order the title 
“Masonic,” for we will do neither the one 
nor the other. Don’t be alarmed about 
the “craze,” or figure about its “passing.” 
Just get down to your books and study of 
it; watch its work and you will be so im- 
pressed with its good that you will take 
your wife and daughters and with them 


knock for admission to some Chapter. 

— Edith , in Kansas Freemason. 

o 

Making too Much of Masonry. 

I know that sometimes we are cau- 
tioned against making too much of Ma- 
sonry, and not unfrequently are we ac- 
cused of doing so, and yet, in the true 
sense of the word, that were impossible. 
He whose attention is almost wholly ab- 
sorbed by the forms and ceremonies of 
our Order is not making too much of 
Masonry; he is making too little of it; he 
is mistaking the shell for the kernel — the 
shadow for the substance. The same is 
true of him who regards mainly the his- 
tory or the jurisprudence of our Inititu- 
tion; for while all these pertain to Ma- 
sonry and are interesting in themselves, 
and are by no means unimportant, yet 
they are not Masonry. They are but little 
more than the husks — the dress in which 
Masonry is clad. I have known brethren 
who were perfectly familiar with our ritual, 
and could repeat it verbatim et literatim el 
punchiatim from beginning* to end, and 
yet they were not Masons. I have also 
met those who were diligent students of 
Masonic history, were enthusiastic in their 
researches, and yet they were not Masons, 
and also those who were versed in all its 
jurisprudence, perfectly familiar with its 
technicalities and able to split the finest 
judicial hair in the nicest possible manner, 
and yet, in the truest sense of the word, 
they were not Masons. What then, you 
ask, is Masonry? We reply, “a system 
of morality veiled in allegory and illus- 
trated by symbols.” If it is not morality, 
it is nothing — nothing worthy of either 
our time or attention, and its forms and 
ceremonies, its history and laws are valu- 
able, and only valuable as they serve to 
direct our minds to this great central fact. 
If these things are so, is it possible for us 
to make too much of Masonry ? Can we 
be too moral ourselves, or too diligent in 
teaching good morals to others ? Ma- 
sonry is “ Temperance, Fortitude, Pru- 
dence and Justice, Brotherly Love, Relief 
and Truth.” Can we be too temperate, 
too prudent, too just? Is it possible for 
us to be too truthful ? To sympathize 
with the suffering too strongly, stretch 
forth the helping hand too often, or cul- 
tivate the spirit of brotherly love too 
much. Masonry teaches us to be lovers 
of the arts and sciences; and in the morn- 


3^4 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


ing of life as Entered Apprentices, to em- 
ploy our minds in the attainment of useful 
knowledge; in manhood, as Fellow Crafts 
to apply our knowledge to the discharge 
of our respective duties to God, our neigh- 
bors and ourselves, that so in age, as Mas- 
ter Masons, we may enjoy the “ happy re- 
flections consequent on a well-spent life, 
and die in the hope of a glorious immor- 
tal ity. M Are not these things all good? 
Is it possible to bring out too prominently 
or make too much of teachings like these? 
If not, then we cannot make too much of 
Masonry. Our danger lies not in that 
direction, but rather in the opposite — we 
are making too little of it. It should 
mean to us far more than it does. We 
have not been half alive to its capabilities 
of blessing the human race. It opens 
out fields of usefulness into which we 
have scarcely entered. It presents to us 
means of alleviating the miseries of men, 
the efficiency of which we have hardly 
tested. Brethren, with some of us, the 
day is far spent and the night is at hand. 
What we do must be done quickly. Let 
us arouse from our slumbers; view these 
matters in their true light; no longer mis- 
take the shadow for the substance; and, in 
the name of our Supreme Grand Master, 
let us go forth to make of Masonry all 
that it is capable of becoming to ourselves 
and others. — Bro . Chas. Griswold , P. G. 
M. } of Minn. 

o 

Making a Mason at Sight. 

The following appears in the July num- 
ber of the Masonic Constellation , which we 
take great pleasure in answering: 

“Good heavens ! what does Bro. Bun 
Price mean ? Is he crazy ? It seems 
strange that he writes as he does. In re- 
gard to making a Mason at sight, which 
he well knows can not be done only in 
name, yet he puts himself on record as be- 
ing willing to sell the degrees — the case of 
Gov. Bushnell of Ohio who donated $10,- 
ooo, being under discussion. We quote: 

“ ‘Such munificent gifts should be en- 
couraged, and men of means given to un- 
derstand that the Masonic Fraternity 
stands ready to recognize such acts of 
charity by the highest power known to the 
law. When we were Grand Master we 
were importuned several times to ‘exercise 
our prerogative,’ but in every instance de- 
clined because we thought the applications 
without merit. Finally, we were asked 


‘upon what ground would we make a Ma- 
son at sight?’ To which we replied, 
‘Bring us some man who is willing to en- 
dow our Orphans’ Home, whose character 
is above reproach, and we’ll consider the 
matter. ’ 

“Can it be possible that Bro. Price is 
deficient in his early teaching. ‘That Ma- 
sonry regards no man for his worldly 
wealth or honors,’ or has he forgotten it ? 
Yet he comes out flatly and admits that he 
would, under certain limits, set aside all 
and every law, rule and recognition, and 
make a man a Mason because he had the 
power, provided he was a good man and 
would or had put up his ducats. Shame 
on you, brother.” 

No, Bro. Rickart, we are not crazy, but 
feel fully satisfied that were one to follow 
the lead in regard to Masonic law, of some 
Masonic editors we know, it would not be 
long until a very thin cuticle would separ- 
ate reason from reason dethroned. We 
still insist that we can produce as much 
law to justify the “making of a Mason at 
sight” by the Grand Master, as Bro. 
Rickart can to the contrary, and we are 
glad to say that we are not alone in our 
opinion. Bring on your law, my brother, 
to show wherein we are wrong. 

Yes, we are perfectly willing to “sell 
the degrees” under our conditions and at 
our price, and feel fully satisfied that our 
purchasers would line up with, and do in- 
finitely more credit to, the Fraternity and 
the cause of Masonry than the many who 
enter it for mercenary motives. Again, 
money is not the only thing that would 
cause us to “exercise our high preroga- 
tive.” There are many things we think 
far more meritorious than the possession 
of money. 

We are happy to state that we are not 
“deficient in our early training,” and we 
still believe “that Masonry regards no man 
for his worldly wealth or honor,” but we 
also believe that wealth and good character- 
are no barrier to a man being made a Ma- 
son, and if he has the “ducats” and wishes 
to build a monument to his memory by the 
erection or endowment of a widows and 
orphans’ home and his character is above 
reproach, we’ll save him the trouble of 
Lodge petition and committee waits by 
the “exercise of our high prerogative,” 
and never “set aside any law or regula- 
tion” either to do it, Bro. Rickart to the 
contrary, notwithstanding. Or, on the 
other hand, should he be as “poor as Job’s 


THE TRESTLE BOARD 


365 


turkey” and do some meritorious act, such 
as saving the lives of the widows and or- 
phans contained in the home erected by 
our rich brother, we would alike compli- 
ment him, provided, always, that his 
character would “stand the test of the 
overseer’s square.” 

We are sorry that Bro. Rickart takes 
this matter so to heart as to seek to ‘ ‘shame’ ’ 
us from our position without producing 
any law or argument to assist him. Sim- 
ply by his own ipse dixit he says to us, 
“You’re wrong, and we don’t believe it.” 

— Memphis Appeal. 

o 

Taxation of Church Property. 


The assessed value of New York city 
church property, exclusive of parsonages, 
is $51,217,525. Walk up Broadway from 
Rector street, and out Fifth and Madison 
avenues, and from these streets alone you 
can see the under estimated value of church 
property in New York. The great estates 
of Trinity and the Collegiate churches 
alone are estimated at $50 000,000. Two 
hundred millions of dollars is something 
like a conservative estimate of the value 
of church property of the metropolis, and 
when we remember that the assessed value 
of the real estate of the city is less than 
$2,000,000 ooo, it can easily be figured 
out how highly oppressive exemption be- 
comes to other tax- payers. The taxes have 
to be paid, and the property that is ex- 
empt, or rather omitted from the tax roll, 
is simply spread upon the other property. 
Everybody’s tax goes up at least one- tenth. 
The American people would rise up in re- 
bellion against direct taxation for church 
support, but what is “exemption from 
taxation but an indirect state support of 
the church, a virtual subsidy for its sup- 
port and at the expense of the general 
public? The state avoids a deficiency in 
its revenues by transferring to other prop- 
erty increased taxation, not by the volun- 
tary action of the tax payers, but by the 
compulsion of law, all of which is out of 
consonance with our republican institu- 
tions. The founders of our republic wise- 
ly separated church and state. But if we 
are taxed for the support of churches it 
cannot justly be said that the church and 
state are separated. 

The churches enjoy no immunity from 
the operations of the law’s of God. They 
place roofs upon their buildings to keep 
out the rain, and put up lightning rods to 


prevent the lightning from strikng them. 
If God does not vary his laws for the ben- 
efit of the churches, why should the State 
be expected to do so ? 

It is argued that many churches are 
not self-sustaining at present, and that to 
tax them would render them still less so. 
Thousands are less able to provide for 
their children because of the tax collector. 
Why should the laborer pay taxes upon 
his humble home and the religious cor- 
poration be exempted ? Make all prop- 
erty bear its just and equal share of taxa- 
tion and you lessen the laboring man’s 
burden. When the w’orkingman feels that 
his burden is heavier because the magnifi- 
cent possessions of the church are omitted 
from the tax roll, do you w’onder that the 
church loses its pow’er over him? Tax 
churches and only those able to bear taxes 
will dare to be extravagant. Tax churches 
and modest buildings will be erected w’here 
they are most needed instead of a few’ 
imposing structures in the fashionable 
quarter. Every tax payer in the State has 
his percentage of State tax corresponding- 
ly increased because of the needlessly ex- 
pensive church properties of the cities — 
churches which he may never enter. 

The saloon-keeper by force of law is 
compelled to help pay the taxes on my 
church, in the use of w’hich I denounce 
his infernal traffic. If the saloon-keeper 
is taxed to support my church, in all fair- 
ness he ought to have something to say in 
its management. “No taxation without 
representation.” 

Churches are undoubtedly a public ben- 
efit, but if the doctrine of benefits be fur- 
nished as a reason for exemption on be- 
half of religious corporations, it refutes 
itself by proving more than the State can 
admit without bankrupting itself, for there 
are other institutions which are public 
benefits. It costs the community some- 
thing to enjoy property, and if the church 
paid taxes, it would pay only its honest 
share to secure its enjoyment of the use of 
property. 

Taxation of church property is to the 
interest of American principles and in 
harmony with the experience of nations. 
Taxing one man for the propagation of 
another man’s religion is admittedly un- 
just, and, moreover, it is a relic of the 
principle of church and State alliance in- 
herited from the old w’orld, and not yet 
eliminated from our political system. 

— Rev. Madison C. Peters , of N Y. 


366 


THE TRESTLE BOARD , . 


They Are Not Masons. 


There has been considerable comment 
recently by many of our exchanges con- 
cerning Chinese Masonic Lodges, and 
aside from those supposed to exist at 
Butte, Mont., San Francisco and other 
places on the Pacific Coast, it was said 
that there were Lodges at Silver City, 
Idaho City, Centerville, Salmon City, 
Nampa and many other Idaho towns. 
During our travels the past year we have 
been permitted to go into many of these 
lodge rooms, and there is nothing that can 
be recognized as having any connection 
with Freemasonry. During a recent visit 
to Boise county the lodge rooms at Idaho 
City and Centerville were opened, and by 
the kindness of those in charge every piece 
of furniture was closely examined. The 
things most in evidence is their visitors’ 
register and the lights; there being an 
abundance of punk and candles. The 
visitors’ register is a long board, and 
when a stranger comes to visit, he pays 
$2.50 to have his name entered upon this 
board. This fee is all he ever pays that 
Lodge, and is entitled to all the benefits 
and privileges, if there are any, so long as 
he remains there. But wherever he goes, 
he pays $2.50 when he makes his first 
visit. This register at Idaho City is about 
four feet wide and some twenty feet long; 
and the query is, “How many names does 
it contain.” These Chinese Lodges are 
all on the ground floor, and during the 
initiation it is an easy matter to slip by 
the guard and witness the performance. It 
is usually so dark however that little can 
be seen. Here, at Nampa, their pow- 
wows are held late at night out in the open 
air. The workers bunch up closely to- 
gether, while from three to five members 
are stationed some distance away to give 
the alarm should any one appear. 

Gee Sing, a cook, who has resided here 
for several years, claims to be a Royal 
Arch Mason and wears a beautiful gold 
charm, somewhat the shape of a keystone. 
Gee claims membership at Boise, and has 
frequently given the writer the grip and 
signs. He is quite intelligent, reads Eng- 
lish and speaks very plainly. During a 
conversation recently on this subject he 
said: “Me heap sabe you. You high up 
Fleemason. Me read ’em in papers. You 
sabe this?” And then with his right 
hand would stroke his left arm from wrist 
to elbow, at the same time would advance 


with the left foot bringing the toe of the 
right to the heel of the left, continuing 
this for a number of steps; always keeping 
the left foot in front. The grip is given 
by clasping right hands and pressing hard 
with the thumb on the back of the hand 
near the center. 

But they are not Freemasons, but High- 
binders, and practice nothing but “ways 
that are dark, and tricks that are vain.” 
There may be a Chinese Masonic Lodge 
at Butte and at San Francisco, but there 
is none in Idaho, and we doubt the state- 
ment very much that there is one in the 
United States . — Idaho Mason . 

— o 

What Masonry Once Was. 

The following, copied from a Masonic 
publication, is as appropriate to-day as 
when published nearly twenty-five years 
ago: 

“It has been said by the oldest Masons 
that in the early days of Freemasonry in 
America visitors were welcomed in Lodges 
and Chapters with the most sincere affec- 
tion and courtesy. It has been said by 
these oldest Masons now living, that no 
act of fraternal etiquette was spared to 
make them understand that they were 
really glad to see them. Visitors were 
greeted with open arms and warm hearts, 
that showed them that wherever they trav- 
eled they found among Masons brethren 
of the mystic tie, who are really brothers 
indeed. Nothing could be more fraternal 
or cordial than the greeting such brethren 
received as they were introduced to the 
Lodge-room. 

“The Master invariably sounded the 
gavel, and ordered the Lodge to take a 
recess for a few moments, for the purpose 
of giving the brethren an opportunity of 
being introduced to the stranger. The 
Master then took his position beside the 
visitor, and introduced each member of his 
Lodge by name, and thus, in a true fra- 
ternal spirit, a Masonic acquaintance com- 
menced. 

“The Brethren, surrounding his visitor, 
made his stay agreeable in the Lodge, and 
when the Lodge was closed all partook of 
substantial refreshments, and pledged 
friendship and love as united in the bonds 
of brotherhood. 

“If the visitor remained a few days in 
the place, the brethren would call the next 
and succeeding days at his hotel, and would 
try to make him happy, and destroy the 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


367 


monotony of life among strangers by all 
those acts of courtesy and fraternal friend- 
ship which make the time pass pleasantly. 
When strangers settled in the place, their 
first business seemed to be to make the 
visiting brothers acquainted with the town 
and its inhabitants, and thus enter on life 
in a new place under the comforting aus- 
pices of the Brethren of the Masonic Fra- 
ternity. If a brother from abroad was 
taken sick, not only was a proper physi- 
cian procured, but watchers and nurses 
were provided, and brothers visited the 
bedside so often that the visiting brother 
could want neither care, nor comfort, nor 
attendance. And when death claimed the 
visitor, his remains would be taken to the 
loved ones at home with that tender and 
loving solicitude that characterizes the 
true Mason from the heartless and ignorant 
pretender. 

‘‘All this has changed ! Masonry re- 
mains in its ritual and its principles, but 
that individual responsibility that each 
Mason has pledged to another is dying 
out. Unless it is stopped at once it will 
entirely change the character of the Fra- 
ternity we love and cherish. Selfishness, 
conceit, ambition and avarice will take the 
place of love, charity and friendship. 

“In no way can this change be so surely 
felt as traveling among Masons and visit- 
ing Lodges at the present day. In small 
towns and sparsely settled communities, 
the visiting Mason may yet receive a cor- 
dial welcome, but in all our large cities he 
will not.” 

o 

The Wisconsin Proposition in Iowa. 


M. W. George W. Ball, Grand Master 
of Masons in Iowa, in his annual address 
laid before the Grand Lodge a letter from 
a committee of the Grand Lodge of Wis- 
consin, rearguing the question of Masonic 
relief. The matter was presented to that 
Grand Lodge last year, and the Wisconsin 
idea disapproved. The Wisconsin com- 
mittee, nevertheless, asked that the sub- 
ject be again considered. The Wisconsin 
idea is, that it is the duty of each Lodge 
to take care of its members wherever they 
may be, and in case it is unable to do so 
the duty devolves upon the Grand Lodge. 
Hence, it is inferred that Lodges to which 
brothers in distress belonged must refund 
to others all money contributed for the re- 
lief of its members, or, if it can not do so, 
the Grand Lodge, under whose authority 


it is held, must make reimbursement for 
its subordinate. 

Grand Master Ball thinks this doctrine 
is not based upon any teaching of Ma- 
sonry. Such a law, he thinks, would 
change the character of the Institution as 
a purely charitable and benevolent organ- 
ization to that of an insurance company. 
To these reasons, which are already familiar, 
he adds that in Iowa it is wholly unneces- 
sary. A fund has been created there, 
known as the Grand Charity Fund, the 
purpose of which is to provide relief when 
the Lodge is not able to furnish it. This, 
however, is discretionary with the trustees 
•of the fund and not compulsory. 

Grand Master Ball mentions some in- 
stances where the trustees of the Charity 
Fund have refunded money expended in 
other jurisdictions for the relief of Iowa 
Masons. In one case there was a charge 
of eight dollars for a band which accom- 
panied the brother’s remains to the ceme- 
tery. This was a cheap enough band, but 
the charity trustees thought a band was 
not necessary, so it struck out that charge, 
and paid the remainder of the bill. In the 
case of an Iowa brother, for whom Wis- 
consin Lodges had expended $900, the 
Iowa trustees recommended that the money 
be refunded by the Grand Lodge, and this 
recommendation was endorsed by the Grand 
Master. Thus it would appear that Grand 
Master Ball, while rejecting the Wisconsin 
idea in principle, is inclined to go a rea- 
sonable distance toward carrying it out in 
practice . — Home Journal , of Ky . 

o 

Masonic Insurance. 


During the year I have had reason to 
examine into the modes of doing business 
of several so-called Masonic Insurance 
Companies, either life or accident, and 
from my investigation of these matters I 
have come to the conclusion that as a rule 
the word “Masonic” or “Knights Tem- 
plar” in the name of the Company is 
simply put there for the purpose of ad- 
vancing the business of the Company with- 
out intending to deal in a manner at all 
Masonic with those who take any accident 
or life insurance, as the case may be, with 
it. Let me call your attention to two in- 
stances; one is the action of the Knights 
Templar and Masons’ Life Indemnity Co., 
in refusing to pay to the widow of Past 
Grand Master George E. Dowling, who 
was his beneficiary, the amount of a policy 


368 


THE TRESTLE BOARD 


for $5,000 which he held in that Company. 
The facts in this case as I learn them are 
these: Brother Dowling had carried this 
policy from December io, 1890, during 
which time he had been in the habit of de- 
positing with the Company sums ranging 
from $12 to $50, to be used by it in pay- 
ing assessments on his policy. He did not 
pay each assessment by direct remittance 
to the Company, but as the assessments 
were called the amount of his assessment 
was charged to his account. He generally 
kept a balance to his credit to meet all as- 
sessments, although sometimes his account 
was overdrawn and a statement rendered 
him, showing a balance due the Company, 
which he always paid. An assessment 
was called for in November, 1895, and 
notice of the assessment was mailed to 
Brother Dowling, but owing to Brother 
Dowling’s absence the letter containing the 
notice was not opened and did not receive 
attention until January 27, 1896. On that 
day a draft for $50 was sent to be depos- 
ited to the credit of Brother Dowling, to 
be used in the payment of the assessment 
which had been called, and other assess- 
ments as they might be called in the fu- 
ture. The draft was returned to Brother 
Dowling on January 30, 1896. On Feb- 
ruary 3, 1896, Brother Dowling sent it 
back to the Company, together with a let- 
ter explaining the matter. The Company 
retained this draft in its possession from 
that time until after Brother Dowling’s 
death, which occurred on March 30, 1896, 
and then returned it to Mrs. Dowling, de- 
nied its liability on the policy and has 
never paid the same, or any part of it. 

The other case is one in which a mem- 
ber of mv own Lodge is one of the parties. 
The facts are as follows: Brother Jay N. 
Blake, a member in good standing in Gen- 
esee Lodge, No. 174, had an accident pol- 
icy in the National Masonic Accident As- 
sociation of Des Moines, Iowa. He was 
riding on a train going from Rochester to 
Binghampton in the State of New York, 
on July 31, 1896, when he was struck in 
the eye by a hot cinder from the engine. 
He was taken off the train and taken to a 
hospital. He was away from his home 
and his friends. For more than three 
weeks he was under constant treatment by 
skillful physicians and grave doubts were 
entertained as to whether his eye could be 
saved. He suffered intense pain and 
agony all the time. Finally his eye got 
better and as soon as he was in condition 


to do so he wrote to the company and in- 
formed it of his injury. In a few days he 
was surprised to receive from them the 
cheering intelligence that inasmuch as his 
policy required him to give the company 
notice of an injury within ten days, and he 
had not done so, it was not liable to him 
for anything. Knowing the facts I wrote 
the company and explained the matter 
fully to it. My letter is yet unanswered. 
This company has since written to Brother 
Blake and offered to compromise the mat- 
ter by paying a fraction of his claim in set- 
tlement of the whole amount, which offer 
he has refused. Let me .quote to you 
from a circular which this same company 
sends out: “Reasons why every Mason 
should place his accident insurance in this 
association.’’ 

1. It is composed entirely of Masons. 

2. It affords fraternal as well as legal 
protection. 

4. There is no call for litigation, all 
differences being settled in a manner purely 
Masonic. 

It is true that in the first of these cases 
technically the time for paying the assess- 
ment had expired, and in the second case 
technically the time had elapsed when no- 
tice of the injury under the strict terms of 
the policy should have been given; but 
where was the Masonry in the action of 
either of those companies in these cases ? 
If they are permitted to use the word 
“Masonic” in their name and thus give 
the members of the fraternity who patron- 
ize them to understand that they are Ma- 
sonic institutions, then they should do 
business in a Masonic manner. I am firm? 
ly convinced that the word “Masonic” in 
the name of many of these Institutions is 
put in there for the purpose of inducing 
members of the fraternity to go into them 
in the belief that with them they are safe; 
that technicalities will not be resorted to 
in case they or their beneficiaries have a 
claim against them; but that as soon as a 
claim arises, no matter how just it may be, 
they will take advantage of the merest 
technicality in order to try and defeat it. 
I think the time has come when this Grand 
Lodge should prohibit the use of the word 
“Masonic” in the name of any business 
institution, and make it a Masonic offense 
for any member of the fraternity to solicit 
business for any such institution. The 
word “Masonic” has no place in business: 
it belongs exclusively to the fraternity. I 
therefore recommend that Section 48, 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


369 


Grand Lodge By-Laws, be amended by 
adding thereto the following: “The use 
of the word ‘Masonic’ in the name of any 
business institution or association, whether 
the members of such institution or associa- 
tion are Masons or otherwise, is also strict- 
ly prohibited, and all Masons are pro- 
hibited from soliciting any business for 
any such institution or association. Any 
Mason who shall violate any of the pro- 
visions of this Section shall be deemed 
guilty of a Masonic offense and shall be 
subject to trial in the same manner and 
the same penalty as for other Masonic of- 
fenses.” 

— Bro. John J Carton , G. M. of Mich . 
o 

Tobacco and Tobacco Using. 


When Columbus discovered Cuba, in 
1492, he sent two sailors to explore the 
island, who reported, as one of their dis- 
coveries, “that the natives carried with 
them light fire-brands, and puffed smoke 
from their mouths and noses.” As this 
was the first time civilized men had seen 
tobacco-smoking, the sailors mistook the 
object of the smoking, and supposed it 
was a way the savages had of perfuming 
themselves. The explorers afterwards as- 
serted that they saw “the naked savages 
twist large leaves together, light one end 
at the fire, and smoke like devils.” 

There is a conflict of authorities, and, 
therefore, doubt concerning the origin of 
the word “tobacco.” Most writers think 
the word originated from tobaco , a peculiar 
instrument used by the inhabitants of San 
Domingo for inhaling the smoke. Some 
derive the word from Tabaco, a province 
of Yucatan, where the plant was seen by a 
Spanish monk; others from Tobago, one 
of the Caribbean Islands. 

Tobacco is indigenous to tropical Amer- 
ica; but, since the plant does not now grow 
wild in any part of the Western Conti- 
nent, it is not now known which country 
of America originally produced it. 

Fra Romano Pane, a Franciscan, who 
went with Columbus on his second voyage 
(1494-96), first saw and described the 
habit of snuff taking; and in 1502 the 
Spaniards on the Coast of South America 
first saw the practice of tobacco chewing. 
The following words of Cartier show how 
tobacco was used in Canada in 1535: 

“Where grows a certain kind of herbe, 
whereof in summer they make provision 
for all the yeere, and only men use it, and 


first they cause it to be dried in the sunne, 
then weare it on their necks wrapped in a 
beaste’s skinn, made like a little bagge, 
with a piece of stone or wood like a pipe; 
then when they please to make powder of 
it, and then put it in one of the ends of 
said cornets of pipes, laying a coal of fire 
upon it, and, at the other end, smoke so 
long that they fill their bodies full of 
smoke, till that it comes out at their mouth 
and nostrils, even as out of the tonnel of a 
chimney.” 

Sir Walter Raleigh, who “tooke a pipe 
of tobacco a little before he went to the 
scaffolde,” popularized the habit of smok- 
ing among the courtiers of Elizabeth; and, 
although he was not the first English 
smoker, his influence and example estab- 
lished the habit; hence, the statement has 
been frequently made that he introduced 
smoking into England. Early in his 
career as a smoker, Raleigh had a rather 
amusing experience. At one time, while 
he was quietly enjoying his pipe, a ser- 
vant, ignorant of the smoking habit, en- 
tered Sir Walter’s room, but, finding him 
enveloped with smoke, and. supposing 
him on fire, rushed from the room, but 
soon came back with buckets of water, 
with which he completely drenched the 
illustrious smoker. 

Though tobacco seed was sent to Spain in 
1518, the plant itself did not reach Eu- 
rope until 1558. The seed reached France 
in 1560 from Lisbon, through the French 
ambassador, Jean Nicot, from whose name 
the words “nicotine,” “nicotina,” etc., are 
derived. In Holland the cultivation of 
tobacco was begun in 1615, and, soon after, 
it began to be raised in England. It is 
thought by some that it was introduced 
into China somewhere about this time. 
Tobacco received little attention during 
the sixteenth century, but after 1650 its 
use became quite general, and it began to 
enter largely into the trade of the Ameri- 
can colonies with the nations of Europe. 

Mankind has always opposed new things 
whether good or bad; hence, it is not sur- 
prising that tobacco met with violent op- 
position on its first introduction into Eu- 
rope. James I, in 1616, wrot£ a book en- 
titled “ Counterblast to Tobacco,” which 
he perhaps thought would utterly over- 
throw the habit of using the detested drug. 
Pope Urban VIII issued a bull excom- 
municating all priests who should use 
snuff in the churches, while Innocent XII 
would not allow any one to use tobacco in 


370 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


any form in church under penalty of ex- 
communication. In Russia the laws against 
tobocco using were very severe; the penalty 
for the first offense was a severe whipping; 
for the second, the nose was to be cut off, 
while death was the penalty for the third 
offense. The Persian laws were so severe 
that, according to Kellogg, “the devotees 
of the weed were obliged to flee to the 
mountains, where they preferred to wander 
in exile among the rocks and caves, with 
liberty to use their fascinating drug rather 
than dwell in the peace and purity of 
home without it.” America, as well as 
Europe, opposed the tobacco habit; but, 
notwithstanding the stringent laws, the 
use of tobacco spread throughout all na- 
tions, and, as Pope Benedict himself, who 
revoked the bull of Innocent XII, and 
many of the rulers became devotees of the 
drug, the laws against its use, in course of 
time, were repealed or became inoperative. 

It is estimated that not less than 900,- 
000,000 people use tobacco in some form; 
and its use is nearly universal among all 
classes of both sexes in India, Siam, China 
and Burmah; and to this list Turkey 
should, perhaps, be added. The amount 
of tobacco annually produced in the world 
is about 3,000,000 tons, the price of which 
would be sufficient, at the ordinary cost of 
construction, to build sixteen railroads 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or two 
railroads around the earth. The number 
of acres devoted to the cultivation of to- 
bacco in the world is not far from 5,500,- 
000. In the United States about 500,000 
acres of the richest cultivated land are 
used for the cultivation of tobacco, and 
the annual crop varies from about 400,- 
000,000 to nearly 500,000,000 pounds. 
During the ten years preceding 1882, the 
average annual production was 472,000,- 
000 pounds. There were made in this 
country last year 6,869,084,965 cigars and 
2,398, 195, 1 10 cigarettes. According to a 
recent estimate, 310,000,000 pounds of 
tobacco are consumed annually in the 
United States; and the price of this amount 
for three years would equal the national 
debt. The tobacco bill of Great Britain 
is $80,000,000. From these facts it is 
evident that the tobacco question is an ex- 
ceedingly important one; and, because of 
its importance, it ought to receive a care- 
ful consideration from every one inter- 
ested in the welfare of the human race. 

If tobacco be a good thing, its cultiva- 
tion and use ought to be encouraged, but 


if it be an evil thing, the sooner the fact 
is realized the better. — Thomas G. Rob- 
erts , M.D . , in People' s Health Journal . 

o 

“ You Are Too Old.” 

In this day and generation it seems to us 
that the aged have not that consideration 
shown them that they ought to have. Look, 
if you please, at the many men, who have 
passed the meridian of life, out of employ- 
ment; how eagerly they answer notices in 
the “want columns,” and run ’down the 
shadow of a job about which they may 
hear some one speak. We assert, without 
the fear of contradiction, except in isolated 
cases, that the man who has passed fifty 
years of age and loses his position, if he be 
a laboring man, will go hungry many times 
and oft before he again finds employment, 
and his wife and children will thank their 
neighbors and kind hearted people for sus- 
tenance and food. 

Of our own knowledge, we know many 
brothers who are thoroughly capable, strict- 
ly honest and wholly temperate, who are 
out of employment, and can get nothing to 
do, simply because they “are too old.” 
How do you know they are ? Give them 
a chance and see. They may not be able 
to cut the same capers as a younger man, 
but, depend upon it, they will keep their 
work up. 

It is no crime to be old, but in these days 
of rapid conclusions and pushing business 
methods young blood asserts itself, and the 
business man of forty years ago is unques- 
tionably a back number, and is so considered 
by his “young boss,” notwithstanding he 
taught him the first rudiments ol business, 
and was his balance-wheel until he “got his 
start,” and his rapidly increasing bank ac- 
count turned his head. 

We are led to these reflections by the re- 
marks made to an old brother a few days 
ago upon applying for a position as book- 
keeper. He made his application to a well- 
known firm, every member of which was a 
Mason, but the junior partner told him “he 
was entirely too old. They wanted a lively, 
young, hustling fellow.” The old brother 
bent his head in tears and left, and when he 
told his aged wife of the occurrence she, 
too, who had shared his joys and sorrows 
for many years, gave way to her feelings, 
and they wept together. This old brother 
was ruthlessly cast aside because nature, by 
her never changing laws, had made him 
old. The young man who had thus wound- 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


37 * 


ed him was just in the blossom of his life, 
and his young manhood was so elated by 
success in business, that he forgot the sil- 
vered hairs and wrinkled face of his aged 
brother, and thought, perhaps, that he 
would always be young. What a mistake ! 
The day will come, my young brother, if 
your life is spared, in which this remark 
will be brought vividly to your mind, and 
should you be placed in a similar position, 
and meet with a like rebuff, the sting of 
conscience will so shake your trembling 
form as to cause you to stagger under its 
lashings. 

There is nothing that pays so great a 
dividend on the investment as kindness, 
politeness and gentlemanly deportment. 
You cannot be too careful in your dealings 
with your fellowmen, especiallv old men. 
They become very sensitive, and bv a kind- 
ly act or sentence, you can send joy to 
their hearts, or be rude, and cause them 
many heartaches. “No man liveth unto 
himself,” therefore treat your fellowman 
and brother as you would like to be treated 
by him under the same circumstances. 

— Bun F. Price . 

o 

“Worthy of All Imitation.” 


At the last annual meeting of King 
Solomon’s Lodge, No. 260, Bro. Gustave 
Gunzendorfer, the Master, who had served 
two years with credit to himself and honor 
to his Lodge, gave an address, which the 
Lodge deemed worthy of preservation and 
had printed in a pamphlet of twenty-six 
pages, which included a financial state- 
ment and roster of the membership. The 
address was prefaced with a fine portrait of 
Bro. Gunzendorfer. The address contains 
much of general interest, from which we 
excerpt the following: 

I have always strongly advocated more 
frequent Masonic attention to the ladies. 
By having occasional entertainments for 
the women folk we accord them a con- 
sideration which they truly merit, and we 
will also serve to dissipate much latent as 
well as active opposition on their part to 
the Fraternity. Women, as a rule, do 
not feel kindly disposed to us, as an Or- 
der, because we selfishly spread too many 
feasts for ourselves and none for them. 
As men, we must realize that woman has 
to-day gained an ascendency in the world’s 
affairs such as she never had before, and 
that her power for good or evil is a fact so 
formidable that it compels recognition. 


She can do much to advance the Craft, 
and she should be encouraged. 

***** 

Grand Master Preston, in his address, 
reported several decisions which, I think, 
it well to draw to your attention. He laid 
down the rule that “an applicant for the 
degrees, who is otherwise worthy and well 
qualified, is not ineligible because of a 
suspicion of African taint in his blood.” 
This is good Masonic law so far as it 
goes, but in my judgment does not go far 
enough, for to be true to our teachings 
and professions we ought not to inquire or 
be forced to inquire as to the character or 
quality of a man’s blood, or as to the color 
of his skin any more than we should raise 
an issue as to an applicant’s race, national- 
ity or religion. The only question with 
us should be whether or not the seeker 
after light is a good man, and whether or 
not he will devote himself to the Craft, 
and endeavor to promote its objects. The 
moment you limit the universality of our 
Institution in any of the particulars men- 
tioned, that instant you have circumscribed 
its efficiency and usefulness, and have put 
about it a barrier to the full exercise of the 
great principles' that we teach. While 
my views may not accord with yours, yet 
they are consonant with the more liberal 
tendencies of the age as well as with the 
spirit of those 41 ancient landmarks” you 
hear so much about. With the latitudi- 
narian expansion that is now forcing at- 
tention, ours must of necessity eventually 
become the most powerful organization of 
individuals in the world, and, at the same 
time, as broad, liberal and catholic as the 
most generous impulses can demand. 
***** 

During my two terms I have personally 
attended the Board of Relief. This Board 
assists none of the brethren, widows or 
orphans belonging to local Lodges. I 
can candidly say that I would not willing- 
ly surrender the experience there gained, if 
such a thing could be, for any considera- 
tion. Masonic charity is there seen in all 
its varying phases, and the judgment, 
delicacy and tact required to dispose of all 
the cases daily demanding attention is of 
such high order that no matter how great 
one’s experience and knowledge of affairs 
may be, he cannot but be benefited by his 
term therein. There one learns, probably 
for the first time, that the country abounds 
with clever frauds and imposters who, 
under one pretense or another, claim our 


372 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


help. To fathom their ruses, expose their 
contemptible deceptions, and to decide be- 
tween the worthy and the designing, and 
to judge of the extent of our bounty to 
those entitled, requires the most careful 
attention and consummate skill. Day by 
day the sixteen members work with hearty 
assiduity, and their work is not child’s 
play by any means. As the custodians of 
a sacred fund they constantly strive to do 
their duty to the Fraternity and to the 
needy. The San Francisco Masonic Board 
of Relief is the greatest relief body in the 
Masonic world, and to be a member of it 
is an unusual honor. Its record shows a 
greater number assisted and a larger 
amount bestowed than any similar organ- 
ization. Its situation is peculiar for the 
reason that so many brothers and indigent 
widows and orphans migrate here believ- 
ing the Golden State a Mecca where their 
physical and financial ills are sure to dis- 
appear. Greater demands are, therefore, 
made upon our funds than is usual in older 
communities. But very little of the money 
expended ever comes back, so many of the 
jurisdictions holding to the doctrine that 
no obligation for repayment is incurred, 
and that to force repayment deprives the 
act of its charity, and makes it commer- 
cial and unmasonic. Most of the eminent 
Masonic authorities say that to exact re- 
payment is not in accord with the land- 
marks, but as Masonry is presumed to be 
progressive and the old duty to do charity 
was personal, it seems with improved con- 
ditions, facility for travel and the great 
growth of the Order, unusual burdens 
ought not to be laid upon the Craftsmen 
in a new community like California. Ev- 
ery Lodge ought justly to care for its own 
whithersoever dispersed. Such questions 
as this and numberless others, many of a 
constitutional nature, comes constantly be- 
fore the Board for instant determination, 
and make its meetings spirited and inter- 
esting. The Master who fails in his at- 
tendance upon this Board never attains a 
just appreciation of the greatness and 
goodness of his Order. All members of 
our Fraternity should visit the Board, 
where alone they can gain, in one evening, 
an adequate idea of the beneficence of the 
Institution, the greatness of its work and 
the grandeur of its charity. In 1895, the 
Board expended about $15,000 and buried 
twenty-six soj ourning brothers. This year, 
to date, the Board has expended about the 
same amount and buried twenty-five 


brethren. Since its organization, forty 
years ago, the Board has expended in 
charity about $320,000. 

In this connection it may not be im- 
proper to here refer to our own charities 
during the past twenty- four months. The 
total amount bestowed for these purposes 
in that period has been $1,870.95. a re- 
spectable sum as you will all readily con- 
cede, but none has been unworthily given. 
Taking into consideration our age as a 
Lodge, the number of our dead, our pres- 
ent membership and our anuual income, it 
will be seen that the amount is quite small 
and that the calls upon our bounty have 
not been great. I have occasionally heard 
objections by members to the amount of 
charity we do, but it has always seemed to 
me that such criticism is unmasonic. 
Above all other things which should in- 
duce us to cherish our Order, it is that we 
practice true charity. No one should 
criticise unless he knows whereof he passes 
comment. To me the great beauties of 
our aid are its silence and adequacy. To 
give grudingly and inadequately is worse 
than not giving at all; it merely adds 
poignancy to the grief that needs it and 
drives no shadows away. If anything, we 
ought to give more, not less; we ought to 
do well by our own or cease entirely. It 
is a bitter reflection that if, perchance, 
after our death, the ones dear to us need 
help, a few coins will be doled out to them 
in the name of charity, whereas it is noth- 
ing but meanness and parsimony. It were 
better not to own our own hall than to 
stint those who depend upon us. I speak 
thus, because I sincerely feel that many of 
the Craft are unconsciously drifting away 
from one of the well-established landmarks 
and are unknowingly endeavoring to en- 
graft upon our system the more heartless 
dispensations of other Orders. Charity 
with us should not be a meaningless term, 
but a word so potential that its exercise 
should be the very highest and truest and 
best realization of the thought. During 
my two terms I have monthly visited and 
seen all of our sick and needy, and I can 
bear testimony that every cent conferred 
has been duly appreciated and judiciously 
expended. 

While I am on this theme. I trust you 
will pardon me for suggesting, in view of 
the nearness of the holiday season when 
our needy widows and orphans will be 
witnesses to the general rejoicing, that we 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


373 


do something to make them feel that it is 
well with them too. I, therefore, recom- 
mend that we make an extra money dona- 
tion to each needy widow as a holiday 
token. 

^ 

In passing I also desire to draw atten- 
tion to what has seemed to me to be un- 
businesslike in the handling of our cur- 
rent moneys. Under our by-laws the 
Treasurer is enabled to retain in his pos- 
session the maximum sum of $1,000. As 
a matter of fact that amount seldom ac- 
cumulates in his hands; heretofore it has 
averaged about $500, but, on whatever 
amount, the Lodge gains no interest. It 
would seem easy to frame an amendment 
to our by-laws requiring the desposit of 
our current funds in some savings institu- 
tion whence it can be cashed out by check, 
thus affording an additional voucher, earn- 
ing some interest and in all events secur- 
ing our moneys against every contingency. 
In making these comments I wish to be 
understood as in no way reflecting upon 
the integrity of the present or of any past 
incumbent of that office. The fault, if 
any there be, rests with the Lodge. 

Singular as it may seem it has not been 
customary for our Blue Lodges to hold 
memorial services for their dead. This 
has always appeared to me to be a grave 
omission. We should, at least once every 
year, hold some sort of service by which 
we can recall those who have gone before. 
To remember our departed associates with 
appropriate ceremonials, to testify our ap- 
preciation of their virtues, to recount their 
goodness and to honor their memories 
would be peculiarly fitting and beautiful; 
and I trust that our Lodge, always a leader 
in Masonic ideas, will soon inaugurate 
such a custom. 

I think, also, that our Blue Lodges 
ought to give some thought to the Cere- 
mony of Adoption practiced among our 
French brethren here and elsewhere. 
Many of you, no doubt, have witnessed 
the rite as conferred by the French Lodge 
of this city, and have unquestionably 
admired it. With but little trouble we 
can devise an appropriate ritual. I am 
convinced that it would be to the manifest 
advantage of the Lodge to dedicate our 
brethren’s children to Masonry. 

In line with these thoughts I trust I may 
be pardoned for suggesting that we ought 
to have more reunions and social occa- 
sions. Nothing is so calculated to cause 


lessening, of interest in the Lodge as the 
almost entire absence of such events. 
There is too much work and no play. In 
this direction we annually ought to have 
a “Past Master’s Night,” when all Past 
Masters should be summoned to attend, 
and which could be made one of the jolli- 
est functions of the year. 

Despite the commercial depression of 
the past two years we have worked con- 
stantly. Though we have conferred 116 
degrees the membership has not appre- 
ciably increased owing to withdrawals of 
which we have had 11, suspensions of 
which we have had 16 and deaths of which 
we have had 12. We have gained 38 
Master Masons by petition and 5 by affili- 
ation. Seventeen petitions and 6 applica- 
tions have been rejected. The present 
membership as the Secretary’s report 
shows is 238. As an interesting coinci 
dence I may state in each of the years of 
my Mastership I have conferred exactly 
58 degrees. 

* * * % * 

o 

Nathaniel Greene Curtis. 

Having been personally acquainted with 
him since May, 1850, a period of more 
than forty-seven years, from the time of 
his arrival in California, I think that, per- 
haps, with the exception of a few, I knew 
him the longest of any of the Masonic 
brethren now living, and being intimate 
with him officially, socially and fraternal- 
ly, and with his record given to me by 
himself, I think that with that and from 
the archives of the Masonic Veteran As- 
sociation of the Pacific Coast, I am the 
best able to give that information so much 
desired by the Craft, and which should be 
permanently preserved. 

Bro. Curtis was born February 8, 1826, 
on the banks of the “beautiful Neuse” 
river, in Warte county, North Carolina, 
and was named for General Nathaniel 
Greene, the great patriotic general of the 
Revolutionary War, who was sent South 
by Bro. General George Washington to 
command the Southern troops in the Con- 
tinental line in driving out the British 
General Tarleton and forces under his 
command There, on the banks of the 
“beautiful Neuse,” Bro. Curtis was born 
and reared upon his father’s plantation 
and estate, his home at the old manor 
house, a building of large dimensions, 
constructed of stone and fortified during 


374 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


the Revolutionary War, and at various 
times was the headquarters of General 
Nathaniel Greene. 

When a young man, Bro. Curtis, who 
still owned the old homestead, before at- 
taining his majority, determined to see 
something of the world for himself, and 
removed to Memphis, Tenn., where he 
remained some four or five years in the 
study and practice of the law. Upon learn- 
ing of the discovery of gold in California, 
he arranged his business in 1849 and 1850, 
and started for California via New Or- 
leans and the Isthmus of Panama, arriving 
in San Francisco soon after the great fire 
of May, 1850, and went immediately to 
Sacramento city, which he made his home, 
and where he ever since remained. 

He practiced law for a period of two 
years and a little more, when he was 
elected to the office of Recorder or Police 
Judge of Sacramento city, and was con- 
tinuously re elected from 1853 to 1856 
inclusive, a period of four years. Bro. 
Hon. E. H. Heacock, ex-District Judge, 
and now U. S. Court Commissioner, was 
the clerk of his Court and Bro. Past Grand 
Master John A. Tutt, his Bailiff or Con- 
stable. 

At the close of his last term of office he 
again entered actively in the practice of 
law, and was eminently successful. His 
honesty, integrity and ability were of the 
very highest order, and he was a gentle- 
man who commanded the respect, con- 
fidence, esteem and love of the entire com- 
munity, and those whom he admitted 
within the inner circle of his friendship 
were fastened to him as with hooks and 
bands of steel. 

His mind and judgment were always 
evenly balanced, yet he possessed a keen, 
analytical brain, and a courage that was 
never questioned. Politically his relations 
and affinity were with the Democratic 
party, but he was an American citizen and 
true patriot who could not be fastened 
down or hampered with party lines, when 
loyalty to his country and devotion to the 
Union were to be considered and the in- 
tegrity of the national government was at 
stake. 

In June, 1860, he was appointed by 
Governor John G. Downey, Major-Gen- 
eral, commanding the fourth division of 
the National Guard of the State of Cali- 
fornia, and by his wisdom, good judg- 
ment and discretion, he rendered most 
valuable and important service in pre- 


venting local hostilities from breaking out 
in his section of California during the war 
of the rebellion, and maintaining peace. It 
was during this exciting period that he 
was elected and served as Assemblyman 
from Sacramento county in the State Leg- 
islature during the 1 2th session in 1861. 
He was then elected and re elected Satte 
Senator from Sacramento county, and 
served in the 17th session of 1867-68; the 
1 8th session in 1869-70; and in the 2 2d 
session of 1877-78, until the new Consti- 
tution was adopted, when he declined 
further election and service. 

Upon his receiving the commission of 
Major-General of the National Guard of 
California at the breaking out of the re- 
bellion, a large committee of an organized 
body of rebellion sympathizers called up- 
on him, and he being a Southern man by 
birth, education and large properties, which 
he still held in Tennessee by inheritance 
and otherwise, they naturally supposed 
that he was with them in sympathy, and 
ready to co operate with them in turning 
over the State government, which would 
have drenched California in blood. They 
unbosomed themselves to him freely, and 
when he learned how far they had gone; 
that they were fully armed and equipped, 
and ready to commence action, he calmly 
and quietly tried to dissuade them from 
their proposed undertaking; but if they 
wanted to fight the United States govern- 
ment he advised them to leave California, 
and return to the States from which they 
came, and take their chances there. They 
then asked him, “Are you not a Southern 
man?” He replied, “Yes, I am.” They 
then asked him what he would do if a 
column of the Southern army should in- 
vade California, would he fight them. 
He replied, “Yes, as long as he had a 
drop of blood in his veins, and was able 
to stand.” They then asked him, “Would 
you go South to fight them, the secession 
army there?” To which he replied, em- 
phatically, “No ! Judging from the in- 
dications here, my services seem to be 
needed nearer home.” Some of them be- 
gan to manifest their disappointment as 
well as displeasure at his attitude taken, 
and expressed themselves accordingly. He 
tried to reason with them, but apparently 
to but little purpose. Finally, he said to 
them, “Gentlemen, you sought this. inter- 
view, and I have granted it to you, and 
endeavored to dissuade you from your in- 
tentions, which are wrong, and your pur- 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


375 


poses treasonable; I have listened to you 
and given you advice, both as a friend 
and good citizen, to return to your homes, 
put away your arms, and conduct your- 
selves quietly as peaceable citizens, but 
you do not seem to be disposed to accept 
this advice from me as your friend. I 
now give you due notice that if you do 
not do so at once, I will make prisoners 
of you inside of twenty- four hours, take 
your arms and confiscate your property to 
the State. I am a Southern man, but I 
am loyal to the Union and to the State of 
California, which have my double oath, 
both as a legislator and a military officer, 
entrusted with command, to maintain and 
support the Constitution of the United 
States and the Constitution of the State of 
California, and those oaths I will maintain 
unto the last extremity. Now go, and do 
as I direct you, or I will have you under 
arrest before to-morrow morning.” 

It was owing to his firm determination 
and expression, which they knew would 
be fully and promptly carried out, that 
they quickly retired, put aside their arms, 
and this incipient rebellion subsided. 

After his retirement from political life, 
he continued in the practice of the law 
and at the head of the bar in this State. 
He acquired a competency, accumulated 
property in various localities, and a hand- 
some mansion, with well laid out grounds 
and lawns ar his home in Sacramento on 
the northwest corner of H and Sixteenth 
streets in that city. His retirement from 
the practice of the law was in accordance 
with his own tastes and desires, for there 
was no further necessity for labor of brain 
and tongue in that arduous profession. 

His Masonic record is one of the most 
remarkable in the history of the Craft. 
He was initiated an Entered Apprentice 
Mason February 17, 1846, in South Mem- 
phis Lodge, No. 1 18, at South Memphis, 
Tenn. The record of this Lodge states: 
“On February 17, 1846, the degree of 
Entered Apprentice was conferred for the 
first time in the young Lodge, the candi- 
dates being Nathaniel Greene Curtis and 
John Patten, the East being filled by James 
Penn, P. G. M., of Alabama. Bro. Curtis 
was the first Fellow Craft passed, and also 
the first Master Mason raised in the Lodge, 
March 23 and April 8, 1846, respectively, 

Note. — He was initiated when but twenty years and 
nine days old; and elected Worshipful Master of that 
Lodge one month and nineteen davs before he was twenty- 
one years old, having been the youngest Master of a Ma- 
sonic Lodge on record 


and proved excellent material, being hon- 
ored with the office of Worshipful Master 
at the first election held under the Charter, 
held in Hightown Hall, December if, 
1S46. Bro. Curtis rendered the Order 
faithful service here until he removed to 
California. He served as Worshipful 
Master of this Lodge in 1847-49. He 
demitted therefrom on March 8th, 1850, 
and affiliated with Washington Lodge, 
U. D., at Sacramento, February 21, 1852, 
and was appointed Worshipful Master of 
Washington Lodge, No. 20, when char- 
tered May 5, 1852. He was elected Wor- 
shipful Master of the same in December, 
1852 and 1853, and of which he remained 
a member until death. 

He was elected Deputy Grand Master 
May 8, 1854, and Grand Master of Ma- 
sons of California in 1857, 1858, 1859 and 
i860, during which period of four terms 
of office as Grand Master he laid the cor- 
ner-stones of the State capitol at Sacra- 
mento and of the Masonic Temple at San 
Francisco, and many others. He served 
continuously as a member of the Commit- 
tee on Jurisprudence of the Grand Lodge 
for nearly thirty-seven years, and was its 
Chairman at his death. He was the Grand 
Representative of the Grand Lodge of the 
District of Columbia, near the Grand 
Lodge of California. 

He was exalted to the sublime degree of 
Royal Arch Mason in 1848 in Memphis 
Chapter R. A. M. at Memphis, Tenn., 
and demitted therefrom in 1849, an d be- 
came a Charter member of Sacramento 
Chapter, No. 3, July 28, 1854, and of 
which he was a member until death. 

He received the degrees of Royal and 
Select Masters in Sacramento Council, No. 
1, of which he was a life member. 

He received the Order of Red Cross 
July 7, 1859, and Knight Templar and 
Knight of Malta July 21, 1859, in Sacra- 
mento Commandery, No. 2, of which he 
was a member until his death. 

He was one of the founders of the Ma- 
sonic Veteran Association of the Pacific 
Coast on December 27, 1S7S., and of which 
he was a life member. 

He died at his home at Sacramento on 
Monday, July 12, 1897, aged 71 years, 5 
months and 4 days. His funeral took 
place from his family residence at H and 
Sixteenth streets, Sacramento, on Thurs- 
day, July 15, 1897; the services at the 
house being conducted by Rev. Mr. Red- 
dick of Sacramento and Rev. Mr. Me- 


37 $ 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Kelney of San Francisco. Sacramento 
Commandery, No. 2, of Knights Templar, 
with the Second Infantry Band, acted as 
escort, followed by the members of the 
Sacramento Pioneer Society, Sacramento 
Chapter, No. 2, of Royal Arch Masons, 
Washington Lodge, No. 20, F. & A. M., 
with a large number of the Masonic Fra- 
ternity under the direction of the Grand 
Lodge of California, M. W. William T. 
Lucas, Grand Master; Past Grand Masters 
William A. Davies, Hiram N. Rucker and 
Edmund C. Atkinson; George Johnson, 
Grand Secretary; and William H. Ed- 
wards, Grand Lecturer, and other officers 
appointed pro tem. 

The pall- bearers were Past Grand Mas- 
ters William A. Davies and Hiram N. 
Rucker, who represented the Grand Lodge 
and the Masonic Veteran Association of 
the Pacific Coast; John W. Rock and W. 
B. Davis representing Sacramento Com- 
mandery, No. 2, of Knight Templar; Ed- 
win Glover and John J. McKinnon repre- 
senting Washington Lodge, No. 20; P. S. 
Lawson and H. M. La Rue representing 
the Pioneer Association; A. P. Catlin and 
John H. McKune representing Sacramento 
County Bar Association; J. H. Glide and 
L. L. Lewis representing the family 
friends. 

The Masonic funeral service was per- 
formed at the grave by M. W. William T. 
Lucas, Grand Master, assisted by the other 
grand officers, and the members of the 
Craft there assembled shedding tears of 
sincere sorrow as they dropped the fragrant 
sprig of acacia, the symbol of our own 
immortality, and the body of Past Grand 
Master Nathaniel Greene Curtis, embalmed 
with the sweetest flowers of the valley of 
the Sacramento, was at rest. 

“ Green be the turf above t lee, 

Friend of my better days; 

None know thee but to love thee, 

None named thee but to praise.” 

Edwin A. Sherman. 
o 

Bro. Charles Fred. Crocker, 33 0 . 


Editor Trestle Board: During the past 
few weeks the Masonic Fraternity of this 
State has gone into camp at the various 
cemeteries, and retired in sorrow under 
the somber shade of the weeping willow or 
the thorny acacia, with open graves floral 
lined along the color line and the bosom 
of mother earth ready to receive her chil- 
dren, which she brought forth; and were 
there no reasonable grounds for faith and 


hope in a glorious immortality, creation 
would be a failure, life would not be worth 
the living, while despair would be crowned 
king, and his coronation robes would be 
composed of desolation and inconsolable 
grief. 

Sadness and sorrow have come into the 
homes of our brethren, and we who claim 
to be Masons and our Lodges dedicated to 
the Holy Saints John, can exclaim with 
Saint Paul, who teaches us what true Ma- 
sonic charity is, “For now we see through 
a glass darkly, but then face to face; now 
I know in part, but then shall I know even 
as also I am known; and now abideth faith, 
hope and charity, these three; but the 
greatest of these is charity.” And one of 
the brightest examplars that ever glad- 
dened the heart of the widow and orphan, 
the sick and distressed, and relieved suf- 
fering humanity, and did so, quietly, un- 
ostentatiously and generously, was our 
noble, liberal- hearted and liberal -handed 
Brother Charles Fred. Crocker, one of the 
very best of her sons brought forth on his 
native soil of California. 

I knew Bro. Crocker from his infancy, 
and it was indeed a happy Merry Christ- 
mas in his father’s home in Sacramento, 
when on December 25, 1854, Christ’s birth- 
day, the wife of Charles Crocker, the 
leading dry good’s merchant of that city, 
presented her husband with a new-born 
babe as a Christmas gift. When the father 
came into my office, which was the next 
door to his store, and told a few of us, his 
friends, that he had a baby for a Christmas 
present from his wife that day, and we in- 
quired as to its sex, he replied: “It will 
give employment to a tailor, and not a 
dressmaker, for I don’t keep boys’ cloth- 
ing in my store.” 

We watched the little fellow as he grew 
up, and he was the proudest youngster 
that ever walked down J street the first 
time he appeared in pants. Just as soon 
as he was old enough he was sent by his 
parents to the public schools of Sacramento 
city. Then when he became a larger boy, 
and somewhat advanced, he was sent to the 
California Military College at Oakland, 
and after that he was sent to the Polytechnic 
School at Brooklyn, N. Y., where he 
graduated. Preferring an active life by 
employment in the service of the Central 
Pacific Railroad Company, of which his 
father was one of the original Company, 
he worked his way along, step by step, 
from that of a clerk, until he was given a 


THu TRESTLE BOARD. 


377 


railroad to manage himself, and the Mont- 
erey division was placed in his charge, 
until his experience widened and expanded, 
and he grew with these enterprises, when, 
upon the death of his father, he rose to the 
highest position but one, that of President 
of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, 
and he might have had that position, but 
he w'as unwilling to displace one of the 
original progenitors of the Pacific Railroad 
Companies, who, at one time, staked his 
all upon the enterprise, when nearly every- 
body prophesied it would be a failure, as 
it would have been, had not Abraham 
Lincoln, as President of the United States, 
stretched out his long arm and hand, lifted 
it up and put it on its feet, by directing 
the First Mortgage Bonds to be issued at 
the last extremity’ under the law, which 
provided that they should be issued when 
the railroad reached the base of the Sierra 
Nevada mountains; but when within about 
fifteen miles of the immediate foot of the 
mountains, all private means and the coun- 
ties’ aid had been exhausted, President 
Lincoln, upon being appealed to, asked, 
“Does the water stand there, or does it run 
down hill?” On being told that at the 
end of the railroad, as far as completed, 
the w’ater there runs down hill, “Well,” 
said Lincoln, “if the water there runs 
down hill, I will call it the base of the 
Sierra Nevada, and direct the bonds to be 
issued.” Said Assemblyman Tukey (for- 
merly Marshal of Boston), “Abraham Lin- 
coln has done what God Almighty could 
not do, or has not done, for he has moved 
the western base of the Sierra Nevadas 
fifteen miles further into the Sacramento 
valley. But this is a digression. 

The interests and wealth of Charles 
Crocker, Sr., was inherited by his chil- 
dren, and by none of them has it been 
more wisely, generously and charitably 
used than by Bro. Charles Fred. Crocker, 
who became identified with nearly every- 
thing of a public benefit or good. He 
was President of the Board of Trustees of 
the California Academy of Sciences, of 
which his father was so liberal a patron. 
He was a member of the Board of Regents 
of the State University of California and 
of the Board of Trustees of the Leland 
Stanford, Jr., University, and his aid in 
astronomical instruments presented to the 
Lick Observatory are of the most valuable 
character. 

In 1880, he was commissioned as Colonel 
on the staff of Governor, but now United 


States Senator, Past Grand Master George 
C. Perkins. He was modest and retiring 
in his manner, and friendly with the hum- 
blest laboring man under his employ, be- 
ing always easy of approach and prompt 
to see that justice was done where there 
was any reasonable complaint. He was a 
courteous gentleman under all circum- 
stances, and met his fellowman on the 
level of common humanity — like any one 
of the rest among the people. He w r as 
not troubled wfith any undue expansion of 
the cranium, which is too often the case 
where great wealth is inherited. 

He was eminently social and fraternal in 
his tastes and disposition, w’hile at the 
same time he was patriotic and proud of 
his native State of California. As one of 
the Native Sons of the Golden West he 
contributed largely to the restoration or 
reconstruction of the Mecca of the path- 
finder, John C. Fremont, and of the Argo- 
nauts of 1849 — Sutter’s fort at Sacramento. 

The favors granted to the Sloat Monu- 
ment Association are gratefully remem- 
bered, and when the monument at Mont- 
erey is completed to commemorate the 
taking possession of California and the 
raising of the American flag at that place 
on July 7, 1S46, the people of this State 
will also cherish the memory of Bro. 
Charles Fred. Crocker, whose Masonic 
record w r e give as follows: 

He was initiated an Entered Apprentice 
Mason March 15th, passed to the degree 
of Fellow' Craft March 22d. and raised to 
the Sublime degree of Master Mason 
March 29, 1888, in California Lodge, No. 
1, at San Francisco, of w f hich Lodge he 
remained a member during life. 

He received the Capitular degrees of 
Mark, Past and Most Excellent Masters, 
and w r as exalted to the Sublime degree of 
Royal Arch Mason on May 1, 15, and 22, 
1888, respectively, in California Chapter, 
No. 5, at San Francisco, of which he con- 
tinned a member during life. 

On December 4, 1S89. he received the 
degrees of Royal and Select Masters in 
California Council, No. 2, at San Fran- 
cisco. 

He was knighted Red Cross, and on 
March 15, 1889, Knight Templar and 
Knight of Malta in California Command- 
ery, No. 1, at San Francisco, of which he 
continued to be a member through life. 

He received the degrees of the Ancient 
and Accepted Scottish Rite of Free- 
masonry as follows: The 4 0 to the 14 0 in- 


37 $ 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


elusive, September 14, 1888, in Yerba 
Buena Lodge of Perfection, No. 6, at San 
Francisco; the 15 0 to the 18 0 inclusive, 
December 14, 1888, in Yerba Buena Chap- 
ter of Rose Croix, No. 4, at the same 
place; the 19 0 to the 30° inclusive, Decem- 
ber 27, 1888, in Godfrey De St. Omar 
Council of Kadosh, No. 1, at the same 
place. The 3 1° and 32 0 , January 10, 1889, 
in the Grand Consistory of California. He 
was elected to the Honorary rank of 
Knight Commander of the Court of Honor 
in October, 1890. 

He was elected to receive the 33 0 and 
last degree of the Ancient and Accepted 
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, October 
21, 1892, in the Supreme Council of the 
33 0 degree for the Southern Jurisdiction 
of the United States. He was coronnetted 
a 33 0 and an Honorary Inspector General 
at a special session of the said Supreme 
Council, convened in the Masonic Temple, 
San Francisco, on December 22, 1892, 
111 . Thomas H. Caswell, 33 0 , as Grand 
Commander; 111 . George J. Hobe, 33 0 , as 
Lieutenant Grand Commander; 111 . Wil- 
liam A. Davies, 33 0 , as Grand Prior; 111 . 
Edwin A. Sherman, 33 0 , as Grand Mar- 
shal of Ceremonies, assisted by other offi- 
cers acting also pro tem. On Thursday, 
January 14, 1897, he was elected Grand 
Master of the Grand Consistory of Cali- 
fornia. 

He was elected an honorary member of 
the Masonic Veteran Association of the 
Pacific Coast, August 24, 1889, for his 
eminent services and aid rendered to Free- 
masonry in Masonic charity in general, to 
the Masonic Board of Relief of San Fran- 
cisco in particular and to that Association. 

He was one of the Directors of the Ma- 
sons Widows and Orphans’ Home, and an 
ardent worker for its success. 

The last time that I saw him alive 
was when, at his special request, I asststed 
him as Grand Marshal of Ceremonies at 
the installation of the officers of the Scot- 
tish Rite Bodies of Masonry in Oakland a 
short time ago, when he, as Grand Master 
of the Grand Consistory of California, in- 
stalled the officers. 

He died on Saturday evening, July 18, 
1897, more universally regretted than any 
of its prominent citizens for many years. 
His funeral, which took place on Tuesday 
following, was the largest Masonic funeral 
of any heretofore held in San Francisco. 
The Temple was too small, and would not 
hold one-fourth of those who desired to 


attend, and the First Congregational 
church, on the corner of Post and Mason 
streets, was secured for holding the funeral 
services. 

California Lodge, No. 1, never appeared 
so well in numbers as on that occasion, 
and it was largely augumented by the Ma- 
sonic Veteran Association and brethren 
from other Lodges. California Command- 
ery, No. 1, of which he was also a mem- 
ber, Golden Gate Commandery, No. 16, 
together with the Grand Consistory of Cal- 
ifornia acted as escort to his remains, the 
mourning relatives and a long train of sor- 
rowing friends. 

111 . Thomas H. Caswell, 33 0 , Grand 
Commander of the Supreme Council, who 
had conferred the 33 0 upon him, was one 
of the chief pall-bearers, with a large 
number of others, while 111 . Bro. William 
Frank Pierce, 33 0 , Active Inspector Gen- 
eral for California, as Chairman of the 
Committee of Arrangements, performed 
his duties so well that every detail was in 
perfect harmony and order. The church 
was packed to its uttermost, while the 
streets were lined by thousands to witness 
the mournful cortege. 

Never have we heard our beautiful, ten- 
der, sympathetic and eloquent ritual of our 
funeral service so well and more feelingly 
rendered as it was on that occasion by W. 
Bro. William Graham Brown, the Master 
of California Lodge, No. 1, or the re- 
sponses more earnestly made. The music, 
by the Masonic choir, under the leader- 
ship of Bro. Samuel David Mayer, the 
Grand Organist, was exquisitely sweet, 
and as the dying notes of '‘Good Night” 
vanished uuon the ear, the impression was 
like the flitting of a dove passing in at 
one window and out through another, and 
we could imagine the soul of the departed 
alighting and nestling for repose in the 
bosom of its God. 

The exercises of the church being con- 
cluded, the procession took up its mourn- 
ful burden, and bore it away to Laurel Hill 
cemetery, where the last sad rites in honor 
of the illustrious dead were performed by 
W. Bro. William G. Brown, the Master of 
California Lodge, No. 1, assisted by his 
officers, and mother earth received the 
dust of her offspring once more into her 
bosom, where it was placed beside that of 
his beloved wife, while his family, broth- 
ers and mourning friends, with the Craft 
there assembled, shed sympathetic tears 
over the grave of our lamented brother. 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


379 


The Rev. Dr. Mackenzie, who had de- 
livered a brief, but fervent and eloquent 
eulogy at the church, pronounced the ben- 
ediction, and the brethren returned to the 
Temple. 

Brother Crocker commenced the ascent 
of the rounds of the ladder of the Scottish 
Rite of Freemasonry by being crowned 
with the laurel; again was he crowned with 
the laurel when he reached the topmost 
round, and in his descent of the ladder of 
the Kadosh as its Grand Master, he finds 
repose for his body in Laurel Hill ceme- 
tery', while we doubt not a golden crown 
of laurel awaited him when he was received 
and welcomed by the All Father, the Su- 
preme Grand Master of the Celestial Grand 
Lodge above, with “Well done thou good 
and faithful servant. I know thy works, 
where thou hast dwelt and thou holdest 
fast my name, and hast not denied my 
faith, and I will give thee the morning 
star. Enter thou into the jov of thy 
Lord!” 

“ When by a good man’s grave I mcse alone, 

Methinks an angel sits upon the stone. 

Like those of old. oo that thrice hallowed night. 

Who sat and watched in raiment heavenly bright 

And with a voice inspiring joy, not tear. 

Says, pointing upward. *iCnow he is not here; 

He is risen !’ ” 

This is a tribute from his life-long friend, 
who knew him from the cradle to the 
grave, nearly fortv- three years. 

Fraternally yours, 

Edwin A. Sherman, 35 0 . 

o 

Do We Meet Him on the Level ? 


To meet upon the level 
Is an easy thing to say. 

But when it comes to practice. 
Do we do it everv day? 

Do we meet him on the level. 

If the Brother chance to be 
Just a little out a: elbow 
Or baggy a: the knee? 


“So Mote It Be.'* 


“So mote it be,” what memories throe r 
Whene'er we bear those mystic words. 
What hopes, what aspirations strong 
Stir the hea t s deepest, inmost chords. 
To hear in mystic harmony 
The Craft’s response, “So mote it be.” 

When first as \ outbful neophytes. 

With fear the dangerous path w e trod. 
And. humbly kneel' ng prayed for ight. 

Pro essmg there our tiust in God 
We heard in tones of sympathy 
The deep amen, “So mote it be. ’ 

Supreme Conductor, wheresoe’er 
A Craftsman turns in pra er to Thee, 

In meres* lend a listening ear. 

Give faith, give hope, give chanty. 

And let the Craft from sea to sea 
Respond amen, “So mote it be.” 

When Craftsmen cm the level meet. 

Or pari uprightly oo the square. 

In mvstic form each other greet. 

And raise their hearts to thee in prayer; 
Join every soul in harmony 
While we respond, “So mote it be.” 
O 

March of the Masons. 


From out of the d .stant past 
The early Masons came. 
And labored to the last, 

To win a noble name. 


With dag of peace unfur' ed, 

They tourneyed far and wide; 

And raised throughout the world 
The temples now our pride. 

Honor those of old. 

The true and great, the great and good 
In wisdom’s ranks enrolled, 

A faithful brotherhood. 


For as they marched a ong r 
The aged and the youth. 

They strove to conquer wrong 
With Love, Reliei and Truth. 

J. H. Gray. 


O 


Rural Pleasures. 


Far from the city’s noise and hea: 

I own a 1 tile cot. 

A modest gal mg from the street 
Shuts on its garden plot. 

Here. when my work in town is doue, 
I hasten ere the set of sun. 

For here, my wife and children three 
With loving greetings wa t for me. 
And here the fragrant cup of tea 
(I always drink the best ' Bohea” 
“Which cheers but not inebriates ’ 
Me. weary pugrim. waits. 


When we meet him in the workshop. 
Do we greet him with the grip 
That we do the noted statesman 
On a European trip ? 

Do we meet him on the level 
And give him inst the chance 
That we do the dashing fellow 
With the creases in hrs pants ? 

If fortune does not smile on him 
In sunshine and repose. 

Do we meet him on the level 
In his second-handed eWhes ? 

Do w e invite him to our church. 

And seat him in our pew. 

And warm our hearts by clasping hands 
As Brothers ought to do ? 

Yes, we meet him on the level. 

On the broad Masonic plan. 

Whenever we know him tc be 
A Ma son and a mac. 

WeT meet him cn the level, 

And part upon the square 
And then, peshaps, he’ll vouch for us 
Wnen we meet him over there. 


Our supper o’er, while yet the glow 
Of sunset's m the sir, 

Forth to the garden wa ks we go — 

Wife, chi'dreu dear, and I. 

The scent of flowers is oo the rr, 

Sweet blossoms meet us everywhere — 

A lovely p’ace in which to stav 
■sad watch the sunset s mger-a-g rav* 

But quicki\ for the bou«e we start. 

For we ha\ e felt the ’ skeeters * dan. 

And all the romance of the scene 
Has vanished like a dream. 

At sunrise I awake, and so 
Out of my bed 1 get. 

And forth into the garden go 
The grass is soak ng wet . 

How sweet that burst of melody 
From robin up in yonder tree 
Dew drops are ghstenmg eveiyw-here. 

And new-mown bay perfumes the air. 

Much I enfoy the balmy breeze. 

But soon, alas ! I 'gin to sneeze: 

“This morning air is bad. I’m told, 

“I fear I’ve caught a cold.” 

— J. F. Brinckerboff in Boston Ideas 


380 THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 

A National Masonic and Family Magazine. 

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE 

TRESTLE BOARD ASSOCIATION. 

Terms — |i.oo per year sent in United States, Mexico and 
Canada, and other Countries $1.25 strictly in advance. 

Single copies 10 cents. 

Subscribers not receiving numbers will notify us, and 
they will be supplied free. 

Discontinuances.— Subscribers wishing our magazine 
stopped at the expiration of their subscription, will please 
notify us by postal card otherwise we may consider it their 
wish to have it continued. 

How to Remit. — Send Cashier’s Check, Express Or- 
der, Post Office Money Order, Postal Note or Greenback in 
Letter. Receipts will always be sent enclosed in the next 
number issued after the receipt of the remittance. 

C. MOODY PLUMMER, Manager. 

Alvin Plummer, Advertising Manager. 

408 California St., San Francisco, California. 


Right to Visit in Missouri. 


The non-afiiliate Mason should remem- 
ber that he is not entitled to visit when his 
dimit is over one year old. The Grand 
Lodge virtually says that if he don’t con- 
tribute to the support of the Institution he 
cannot enjoy its benefits. 

— Sprig of Acacia , of Mo . 

From the above we should think the 
Grand Lodge of Missouri was pulling up 
some of the stakes or landmarks of Ma- 
sonry. Forty years ago a novitiate could 
become a Mason, and was supposed to be 
always thereafter under the obligations of 
Masonry, and was commended to the kind 
care and friendship of brethren whither- 
soever dispersed around the globe. It was 
optional with the novitiate to become a 
member of a Lodge or not. If he pre- 
ferred to do his duty as a Mason in his in- 
dividual capacity that was his own affair. 
After he received the third degree, he was 
informed that if he desired to become a 
member of the Lodge he could do so with- 
out a ballot or any expense by signing 
the by-laws at the time. If he did not be- 
come a member, which was not often the 
case, he could visit when he desired, but 
held only the general claims of a Mason 
upon the Craft, which he could avail him- 
self of if necessary, and was likewise obliged 
to perform his individual duties and obli- 
gations toward all brethren in circum- 
stances requiring their performance. It 
would seem that in Missouri, as perhaps 
elsewhere, the principal duty of a Mason 
is to help aid and assist the Lodge and 
Grand Lodge, to the neglect of individual 
duties if need be, and that if a brother 
does not do this he is to be deemed no 
better than a profane. 

The Trestle Board objects to this 
pulling up of these ancient landmarks, and 


excluding brethren, for reasons satisfactory 
to themselves, from the privilege of a Free- 
mason, to contribute wherever and when- 
ever h‘e pleases. One-half the Masons in 
the United States, if not the world, are 
unaffiliated. That is their privilege, and 
those who conduct Lodges have their priv- 
ilege of making Masons, and receiving the 
fee therefor to enable them to support the 
burden of Lodge membership. If the fees 
for degrees are not sufficient, then should 
brethren be asked by their officers to con- 
tribute so far as they can without serious 
injury to themselves or those dependent 
upon them according to their obligations. 
In some sections bequests and donations 
are in order, and often given to Lodge 
funds, but where dues are relied upon and 
required under penalties, they cannot be 
expected. Charity is not charity where it 
is thus forced, and the word is a misnomer 
where arbitrary dues are demanded. Re- 
lief may be given, but it is simply relief. 
It is not charity. It is their due because 
they have paid the fee of insurance. * 
o 

Observance of St.John’s Day. 


There seems to have been an increased 
observance of St. John’s Day among the 
Craft than for many years before. We 
have notice of many of these affairs through- 
out the country. The excursion of the 
members of Weber Lodge, No. 6, of 
Ogden, Utah, with their families, was a 
notable one. In the great strife for wealth 
and for bread these matters are neglected 
in some localities. There is no reason 
why Masons and their families should not 
mingle more together in social intercourse, 
unless it is the bugbear of caste Although 
distinctions set up by wealth and worldly 
honors are not countenanced in our pre- 
cepts, we often hear objections to more 
social relations, which are based upon the 
shallow objections of society. We believe 
that it would be better for the Craft and 
for the world if Masons and their families 
would come together at least twice a year 
on St. John’s Days, and show the world 
that it is a universal institution, knowing 
no distinctions of worldly wealth or honors, 
and dwell together a few hours in brother- 
ly love and harmony, using the ceremonies 
of breaking bread together interspersed 
with speech, song and innocent amuse- 
ment, and making the occasion one of joy 
and pleasure to our families, as well as 
using the opportunity for receiving contri- 


THE TRESTLE BOARD 


33i 


butions for the relief of worthy distressed 
brethren, their widows and orphans. How 
much more consistent with the spirit of 
Masonry than the cold-blooded way of be- 
ing enrolled a member, and seldom or 
never present at Lodge, and paying arbi- 
trary dues, or become suspended if de- 
linquent, and looked upon with pity and 
contempt therefor ! 

o 

Editorial Chips. 


There is a contradiction in the fact and 
the title of “Freemason.” The fact is he 
is not free. He is not permitted to hold 
Masonic communication with his brethren, 
but is subject to the whims or caprice of 
any captious member who may exclude 
him from any Lodge for good or no rea- 
son, even the doubtful one that the har- 
mony of the Lodge may be disturbed. 
And if not excluded for that reason, he 
may be if he has not a voucher about his 
person that he has paid his dues to his 
Lodge within six months or a year; or, he 
may be excluded because his memory is 
partially at fault. He is not free to par- 
ticipate in the duties of associated mem- 
bership where he may live, because he 
may in the exigencies of times have re- 
moved from the place w’here he first saw 
Masonic light, and cannot safely take out 
his demit therefrom, and transfer his mem- 
bership to where he resides and is under 
the jurisdiction thereof. There are other 
reasons why in fact a Freemason is not 
really free. These regulations are not 
“landmarks,” and it would be no violation 
of them if they were disturbed. How long 
shall the title and fact continue contradic- 
tory ? 


The Grand Chapter of Maryland cele- 
brated its centennial anniversary on June 
24th at Masonic Temple, in Baltimore, 
with an elaborate program and banquet, 
with a large attendance. We are indebted 
to Bro. Geo. L. McCahan, Grand Secre- 
tary, for full account of the proceedings. 


According to the newspaper reports from 
Humboldt county the recent trip of Cali- 
fornia Commandery, No. 1, must have 
been very enjoyable. 

The Illinois Freemason says that “from 
returns received by the Grand Secretary (of 
Illinois) so far, it is apparent that the gain 
in the membership will be quite small. The 


amount of work done is much less than 
last year, while the number of suspensions 
is greater.” Some of our contemporaries 
will attribute the amount of work to the 
hard times, and the suspensions to the in- 
corrigible dispositions of brethren. 

In Viginia and in Kansas it is optional 
with a novitiate of a Lodge to become a 
member at the time of receiving the third 
degree. 

The highest number of any Lodge on 
the Grand Lodge of England register is 
is 2,667. Twelve warrants were granted 
in the first quarter of this year, including 
5 in London, 5 in provinces, 1 in Ceylon 
and 1 in Western Australia. 


Grand Lecturer Wm. H. Edwards is 
making a tour among the Lodges in north- 
ern California. 


Bro. Judge A. L. Fitzgerald. of Nevada, 
w T as recently made the beneficiary of an 
estate to the amount of about $100,000. 
The Trestle Board tenders its con- 
gratulations. 

The Masons of Los Angeles, supported 
by the Blue Lodges, are about to establish 
a library for their membership. 

Bro. Chas. E. Gillette, of Oakland, 
Cal., recently produced in court a will of 
the late Bro. Louis F. Reichling, whose 
estate is being contested to prove no un- 
due influence in a subsequent will. 

Vancouver Commandery, No. 10, has 
been instituted at Vancouver, B. C. 


The Grand Lodge of Vermont has appro- 
priated $30,000 additional to a former ap- 
propriation for the purpose of building a 
Masonic Temple at Burlington. 

The Grand Lodge of Washington held 
its annual communication at Seattle last 
month. In the absence of any authorized 
report of the proceedings we rely upon the 
Post Intelligencer , in which we find in its 
report of the 9th of June the following, 
w'hich indicates that the race problem is 
presented to that Grand Lodge to solve: 

“A feature of the morning session was 
the application of African citizens of the 
United States residing in the State of 
Washington for recognition by the Grand 


382 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Lodge. The communication resulted in a 
general discussion, and the final reference 
of the application to a committee, with in- 
structions to prosecute vigorous investiga- 
tion, and report at the next session of the 
Grand Lodge.’ * 


Three-quarters of the Masons of the 
world are in North America, and yet the 
statistics of the General American Relief 
Association show that more than half the 
relief extended the past year has been to 
foreign Masons. Would it be possible to 
persuade the Grand Lodge of Great Brit- 
ain to become responsible for all relief af- 
forded to their members, if that plan were 
adopted ? — Masonic Tidings . 

The Trestle Board thinks not. There 
is too much selfishness in human nature 
to permit that yet. 


Ferndale Chapter, No. 78, R. A. M., 
was instituted by M. E. Comp. Wm. 
Frank Pierce, June 26th. The officers are: 

Wm. Dunsmore, H. P.; Frank W. Luther, K.; F. W. 
5 wilt, S.; Frank W. Oliver, C. of H.; Chas. A. Doe, R. A. 

C. ; Frank G. Williams, P. S.; E. A. Pierson, M. 3d V.; Ira 
A. Russ, M. 2d V.; Jos. A. Shaw, Treas; J. H. Trost, Sec’y; 

D. Stillings, Guard. 

The Grand Lodge of Oregon held its 
45th annual communication at Portland, 
June 9th. The following were installed 
officers: 

W. H. Hobson, of Stayton, Grand Master; J. B. Cleland, 
Portland, D. G. M.; J. M. Hodson; Eugene, G. S. W.; W. 

F. Butcher, Baker City, G. J. W ; Jacob Mayer, Portland, 

G. Trnstee; D. C. McKercher, Portland, G. Treasurer; 
James F. Robinson, Eugene, G. Sec’y; Gustave Wilson, 
Portland, G. Tvler. 

Bro. Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger, of San 
Francisco, was present, and made a very 
eloquent address. 


The Grand Lodge of British Columbia 
held its 26th annual communication at 
Victoria, June 17th and 18th. The follow- 
ing were installed officers: 

E. D. McLaren, Vancouver, Grand Master; Prof. D. 
Wilson, Victoria, D. G. M.; J. W. Coburn, Nanaimo, G. S. 
W.; R. E. Walker, New Westminster, G. J. W.; Rev. J. M. 
Logan, Union, G. Chap ; A. B. Erskine, Victoria, G. Treas- 
urer; W. J. Quinlan, Victoria, G Sec’y.; Geo. Cunningham, 
Essington, G. S. D.; S. N. Jarratt, Vancouver, G. J. D.; 
Dr. W. A. Richardson, Victoria, G. Sup’t of W.; H. S. Per- 
kins, Victoria, G. Marshal; A. C. Muir, Esquimalt. G. 
Organist; H. H. Watson, Vancouver, G. Pursuivant; Dr. 
S. J. Tunstall, Kamloops, G. Steward; E. Hosker, Van- 
couver, G. Tyler; D. Wilson, Victoria, R. E. Walker, Van- 
couver, and F. McB. Young Nanaimo, D. D. G. M. 


At the 8th annual conclave of the Grand 
Commanderv of North Dakota, held in the 
city of Devils Lake, July 1st and 2d, the 
following officers were installed: 

John D. Black, Valley City, G. Commander; Theodore F. 
Branch, Jamestown, D. G. Commander; John Holmes, 
Valley City, G. Geno.; Clark W. Kelley, Devils Lake, 


G. C. G.; Geo. H. Phelps, Fargo, G. Prelate; Wm. H. Top- 
ping, Grand Forks, G. S. W.; Almond L. Woods, Grafton, 
G. J. W.; Frank H. Sprague, Grafton, G. Treasurer; Frank 
J. Thompson, Fargo, G. Recorder; Thomas Baker, Jr., 
Fargo, G. St. B.; Robert M. Carothers, Grand Forks, 
G. Sw. B.; Robert D. Hoskins, Bismarck, G. Warder; 
Frederick B. Fancher, Jamestown, G C. of G.; Alexander 
C. Mather, Grand Forks, D. G Recorder. 

O 

Elections in California. 

San Luis Obispo Commandery, No. 27, K. T — Benjamin 
Brooks, Commander; John Whicher, Geno.; Arthur Bray, 
C. G.; Joseph IT. Seaton, Prelate; Joseph Lind, S. W.; Fred 

A. Dorn, J. W.; Pietro B. Prefumo, Treas.; Ralph P. Sutliff, 
Rec ; Philip F Ready, St. B.; Robert E. Jack, Sw. B.; George 

B. Nichols, Warder; Jesse E. Lewis, Sentinel; Antonio 
Tognazzini, Charles H. Reed and Joseph W. Smith, Guards. 

O 

Chips from Other Quarries. 

There were 44,291 members of the 
Mystic Shrine on the roll May 1st; a net 
gain of 2,789 in a year. The net assets of 
the Order amounted to $440,591.44. For 
the past ten years the Order has made an 
annual growth of about $4,000 a year. 
The Christian offerings to the poor, dona- 
tions to benevolent institutions, etc., for 
the year amount to $25,754.44. 

— N. Y Dispatch . 


Recently an ex- confederate and an ex- 
federate soldier together helped raise a 
flag over a public school building. Com- 
pleting their work the ex confederate 
turned to the other and said: “It is a com- 
fort to me to know that the school system 
and the flag will make their battle togeth- 
er, because experience has taught that 
that cause is handicapped which arrays 
itself against our flag.” True. It don’t 
matter how much Rome may shed croco- 
dile tears over her loyalty to the flag, 
while she holds the torch to the little red 
school-house, she is an enemy of this Re- 
public. — Tyler . 


The triangle, being the first perfect fig- 
ure in geometry, is therefore the universal 
symbol of the Deity. The letter “G” 
cannot be universal. 


The homeless author of “Home, Sweet 
Home,” John Howard Payne, a poor but 
genial -hearted man, was walking with his 
friend in London, and pointing to one of 
the most aristocratic houses in Mayfield, 
he said: “Under that window I composed 
the song of ‘Home, Sweet Home,’ as I 
wandered about without food, or a re- 
semblance of shelter I could call my own. 
Many a night since I wrote those words, 
that issued out of my heart by absolute 
want of a home, have I passed and repass- 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


383 


ed in this locality, and heard a siren voice 
coming from within those gilded walls, in 
the depth of a dim, cold London winter, 
warbling ‘Home, Sweet Home,’ while I, 
author of them, knew no bed to call my 
own. I have been in the heart of Paris, 
Berlin or London, or some other city, and 
have heard the people singing ‘Home, 
Sweet Home,’ without a penny to buy the 
next meal or a place to put my head in. 
The world has literally sung my song un- 
til every heart is familiar with its melody. 
My country has turned me ruthlessly from 
office, and in my old age I have to submit 
to humiliation for bread.* * 


There are many sensitive brethren 
who are apparently comfortably situated, 
but who, in reality, are straitened in their 
financial affairs, who are obliged to deprive 
themselves of social enjoyments, which 
once they could afford, and they are men 
that will not ask any social society to 
which they may belong to be placed on 
the roll of beggars. Heaven bless them 
for their manliness. 

— C. S. Glaspell, in Orient \ 

A key or cipher, purporting to contain 
the ritual of the Grand Lodge of Massa- 
chusetts, was put in circulation about two 
years since in Boston and its vicinity. 
The Grand Secretary brought this fact to 
the knowledge of the Grand Lodge, and 
as evidence produced a copy of the cipher. 
He stated also that only two brethren had 
access sufficiently long and often to the 
original to enable them to prepare the 
cipher for the press. One of the two 
brethren was the Secretary himself, who 
protested his innocence, and advised vig- 
orous measures for the detection and pun- 
ishment of the guilty parties. A com- 
mittee of five was appointed for investiga- 
tion. This committee reported at the next 
quarterly communication that they had 
met with many difficulties in their labors. 
Some of the interrogated brethren had re- 
fused to answer questions, because they 
were disinclined to involve in disgrace 
and punishment any of their Masonic 
friends; while others assigned as a reason 
that their knowledge of the enterprise was 
a secret committed as such to them by 
Master Masons, the revelation of which 
would cause them to commit perjury. 
The other brethren alluded to with an- 
other were expelled from all the rights 
and privileges of Masonry. 


We are of the opinion that the Grand 
Lodge of Massachusetts by these proceed- 
ings stultified itself. The second degree 
enjoins the study of logics as one of the 
liberal arts. The question arising here is: 
If it be wrong to work out and print a 
cipher, is it not a ten- fold more so to 
write down the original ? The Grand 
Lodge violated the O. B. of the first de- 
gree. How can it logically forbid and 
judge others for doing the same thing in a 
ten fold milder form by elaborating from 
the original merely a cipher, intelligible 
only to the initiate ? 

— Bro. Dr. E. Ringer , of N. Y. 

The Grand Lodge of Nebraska provides 
that Master Masons who have been in good 
standing thirty years, and who have reached 
the age of sixty-five, may be exempted 
from all Lodge dues and the Lodge ex- 
empted from dues on such members to the 
Grand Lodge. It would be as well for 
the Grand Lodge of Canada and other 
Grand Lodges to adopt a similar law. If 
subordinate Lodges would make by-laws 
to the same effect the spectacle of “kicking 
the old man out’* would be a thing of the 
past . — Canadian Craftsman. 


A brother editor, in reply to the ques- 
tion, “Do hogs pay?’* says: “A great 
many do not. They will take the paper 
for several years, and then, some day, the 
paper will be sent back marked ‘refused.’ M 


The following statistics as to the diver- 
sified wealth of the new Negro in the Union 
has been given out as official: Alabama, 
$10,120,137; Arkansas, $9,810 346; Cali- 
fornia, $4,416,939; Colorado, $3,400,527; 
Connecticut, $550, 170; Delaware, $1,320,- 
196; Florida, $8,690,044; Georgia, $15,- 
196,885; Idaho, $16,411; Illinois, $11,- 
889,562; Indiana, $4,404,524; Iowa, $2,- 
750,409; Kansas, $4,296,644; Kentucky, 
$10,976,411 ; Louisiana, $19,918,631 ; 
Maine, $196,732; Maryland, $10,392,130; 
Massachusetts, $9,904,524; Michigan, $5,- 
200,122; Minnesota, $1,210,259; Missis- 
sippi, $16,742,349; Missouri, $8,366,474; 
Montana, $132,419; Nebraska, $2,750,000; 
Nevada, $276,209; New Hampshire, $331,- 
731; New Jersey, $3,637,832; New York, 
$19,243,893; New Mexico, $395,244; 
North Carolina, $13,481,717; North Da- 
kota, $84,101; Ohio, $8,580,000 ; Ore- 
gon, $93,500; Pennsylvania, $16,730,639; 
Rhode Island, $3,740,000; South Carolina, 


3^4 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


$16,750,121 ; South Dakota, $136,787 ; 
Tennessee, $11,446,292; Texas, $32,852,- 
995; Utah, $82,500; Vermont, $1,112,731; 
Virginia, 10,932,009; Washington, $623,- 
515; West Virginia, $6,164,796; Wiscon- 
sin, $156,312; Wyoming, $243,237; Dis- 
trict of Columbia, $5,831,707; Indian Ter- 
ritory, $761,111; ‘Oklahoma, $4,213,408. 
Total, over $400,000,000. 


It is our United States brethren who are 
always in trouble about non-affiliates. It 
is the almighty dollar that is always upper- 
most in their minds. They don’t seem to 
grasp the idea that Masonry is free, and 
that no one can join our Craft without 
their own free consent, and that when they 
tire of membership they are free also to 
leave. This trying to place burdens on 
the unwilling may be good law in a bene- 
fit society, but it is out of place in a Ma- 
sonic Lodge. Charity is not that charity 
that is laid down as a landmark of the 
Craft if it has to be forced from the un- 
willing craftsman. During an experience 
of thirty- two years in Quebec and Ontario 
I never saw a non -affiliated Mason refused 
admission to a Lodge, and still the Craft 
in Canada can show as good a record as 
any on this continent. 

— Canadian Craftsman . 


The Spanish newspapers have of late 
contained much information about the 
trouble in the Phillipine Islands, and the 
clerical party is taxed with attempting to 
damage members of the Craft in that 
Spanish possession. The Phillipine Is- 
lands have, ever since becoming a colony 
of Spain, been overrun with priests and 
monks, who established such an organized 
system of extortion that at last the people 
objected. Noticing the popular clamor, 
and wishing to turn it from themselves, 
the party is credited with informing the 
government, through the Governor of the 
Island, that an insurrection was pending, 
and that this was being fomented by Free- 
masons. The government of Senor Cano- 
vas appears to have swallowed the bait, 
for instructions were immediately issued 
that all Lodges were to cease working, 
and all papers, etc., were to be seized. 
These orders were carried out, but the 
officials at Manilla exceeded their author- 
ity by imprisoning leading men who are 
Masons, and generally interfered with ev- 
ery one who was suspected of belonging 
to the Order. It is needless to say that 


after a full inquiry had been made it was 
found that the government had been mis- 
led, and that the Craft had nothing what- 
ever to do with a movement for which the 
clerical party is mainly responsible. One 
of the Madrid newspapers, in a scathing 
article, reminds Spain that nothing has so 
much harmed its progress as the interfer- 
ence of the clergy. It states that through 
their intrigues she has lost her possessions 
in America one by one; their system of 
extortion has also caused a revolution in 
the Phillipine Islands, and, on account of 
the machinations of the priests, a nation 
gifted with rare intellectual qualities, and 
a country rich in resources, no longer oc- 
cupy that position of importance which 
they formerly did. 


In Missouri, where the wish has been 
expressed by the brother to have a Ma- 
sonic funeral, we give it, whether it is 
to be held at the crematory or cemetery, 
and no questions are asked. 

— Sprig of Acacia. 


It is beyond dispute that true Masonry 
is universal; exacting no dogmatic tests, 
imposing no sectarian doctrine, and re- 
quiring no confession of religious belief 
other than that “in which all men agree.” 
Hence it would seem that any associations 
of Masons, which excludes from its com- 
munion the followers of any school of re- 
ligious thought that recognizes the funda- 
mental tenets of Masonry, or which con- 
fines its membership to the adherents of a 
particular form of theological belief, by 
such acts virtually denies its own claim to 
affiliation with the ancient Craft. In a re- 
stricted sense this is undoubtedly true, 
and to the extent that Templary is not of 
universal application, it is not Masonic as 
that term is now generally understood. 

— Geo . W Warvelle , of III. 


The regulations of the Grand Lodge of 
Counecticut provide that Lodges are per- 
mitted to receive and act upon applications 
for affiliation unaccompanied by a demit, 
provided, however, that such action, if 
favorable, shall not take effect until the 
demit of the applicant shall have been de- 
posited with the Secretary of the Lodge. 
This regulation of the Grand Lodge was 
adopted, in order to expedite affiliation, 
so that the Lodge could act without wait- 
ing for a formal demit. Has the brother 
a demit from the first Lodge ? If not, he 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


3*5 


is still a member and entitled to it, if not 
under charges of Masonic censure, or if his 
withdrawal would not materially reduce 
its membership. If he has a demit, then 
he is an unafhliate Mason, unless the ac- 
tion of the Lodge, in permitting a new 
ballot, and thereby rejecting him, was un- 
lawful. — /as. H. Walsh , G. M., of Con?i. 

Knight Templarism is an Order of lofty 
ideals. The ancient Knight swore to speak 
the truth, succor the helpless and oppressed, 
never to turn back from an enemy, and to 
uphold the Christian religion. The lofty 
teachings of the Order embodied truths 
that produced boundless enthusiasm. The 
defense of right against wrong should like- 
wise stimulate the Knight of to-day as it 
did the early founders, to heroic deeds. 
We do not now draw the sword in actual 
warfare, but our conflict is none the less 
real, for vice, ignorance, fanaticism, super- 
stition, bigotry and many other foes of 
that ilk abound all around us, and require 
our utmost watchfulness and alertness; 
therefore, none should be found in our 
ranks whom we are unable to feel will 
prove true and valiant members of the 
Order on every occasion. A personal re- 
sponsibility rests upon each and every 
Knight in this connection. — Sir Will H. 
Whyte, Supreme Grand Master, London , 
Onl. 


The N Y. Dispatch , commenting on 
the statement that the “Chinese Masons of 
the Pacific Coast had a three days’ celebra- 
tion at Monterey, Cal., a short time ago, 
and that they went by special train from 
San Francisco, and carried with them two 
bands of music and lots of refreshments,” 
says: “What rot ! Every secret society 
of Chinese or Hottentots is called Masonic, 
when the fact is there is no more Masonry 
in them than there is in the Nihilists of 
Russia. The fact is the devil does get 
into some Masons, and they see in every- 
thing secret a Masonic sign, and some 
papers seem to be afraid that some dire 
calamity will befall the Fraternity, and 
they are ready to defend it on all occa- 
sions. Masonry needs no defense.” 

The chief reason for Roman Catholic 
opposition to Freemasonry is the Open 
Book. Freemasonry upholds the open 
Holy Bible, and protests against keeping 
the mass of the people in ignorance, and, 
consequently, under priestly domination. 


Freemasonry upholds civil and religious 
liberty in all the world, and sustains the 
Open Book as the best means of enlight- 
ening all. Roman Catholicism wants no 
enlightenment, no religion and no govern- 
ment that is not wholly of its faith. It 
wants no Washingtons, no Garibaldis, no 
Victor Emanuels, no Don Pedros, no 
Diazes, no pure patriots, no world’s bene- 
factors, and, consequently, no Freema- 
sonry. 

We are glad to find that our principles 
are penetrating the exclusiveness of the 
churches. Many preachers take credit for 
the great advance made in the closer union 
of professing Christians in works of charity 
and mercy, but we think the credit is due 
more to the laymen who are the leaders in 
the Craft and other associations similarly 
constituted, in bringing about this happy 
result. However, the world moves, and 
the clergy and churches must follow the 
trend of right, and we trust the day is not 
far distant when all those who believe in 
the principles of Masonry may be enabled 
to meet “Upon the Level.” 

— Cayiadian Crafis7?ian. 


The foundation-stone of all Masonic 
teachings, the principles of Masonic con- 
duct, the precepts for Masonic practice, are 
all found in the Entered Apprentice de- 
gree. All that follows is but the unfold- 
ing and development of the divine idea of 
Fatherhood and Brotherhood. There is 
no need of describing the growth and de- 
velopment of this system. 

— Masonic Tidbigs. 


Masonry is unity not dissension, peace 
not war, and when one hears of the petty 
strifes that all too frequently arise between 
not alone individual brothers but entire 
Lodges one cannot but feel that the par- 
ticipants are Masons in name alone. Per- 
fect harmony may be too ideal for realiza- 
tion in the present state of mankind, but 
the true Masonic spirit knows how to dif- 
fer and yet to forbear. 

One-third of all the people on earth have 
scant food and clothing, and seldom enough 
of either for comfort for two days in suc- 
cession. Another one-third have enough 
for to-day, but none on hand for to-mor- 
row. Of the remaining one-third, some 
have enough, a few have plenty and a very 
few have altogether too much. Under 


386 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


present conditions the earth produces 
enough for all, but none to spare. Some 
men possessing enough to support in lux- 
ury 100,000 men pass blind beggars every 
day in the street without contributing a 
cent to the out- stretched hand. 

— Idaho Mason. 

Masonry regards the Bible as one of the 
great lights, not only of the brotherhood 
but of civilization. It does not make the 
Bible a substitute for God or character, 
but regards it as a guide to show men the 
way to God and true manliness. The only 
way it can be made such a guide is by 
studying it and seeking to live its best in- 
structions. It is the intention of Masonry 
that every brother should know the Bible 
and live its teachings. 

— J. W. Frizz el> of Wisconsin. 

In California no subordinate Lodge can 
spend over five per cent of its revenue for 
banquets. This is hard on Lodges with a 
membership of twenty or twenty-five, and 
collect only three dollars per capita for dues. 
It is well there is no corner on weinerwurst 
or tamales on the Pacific Coast. 

Bun F. Price , in Memphis Appeal. 

It is said that the government of Spain 
forbid the wearing of Masonic charms or 
pins in public. It would not be amiss in 
some other lands to require a little modesty 
in the display of Masonic jewelry. 

— N. Y. Dispatch. 

An expelled Mason has no Masonic 
rights whatever; but Masonic charity, be- 
ing as universal as the Institution itself, 
may well be bestowed even upon an erring 
brother. — Grand Master of Minnesota. 

A certain Grand Jurisdiction has a rule 
of order “that no member shall speak 
more than twice upon any question.' * 
This rule is an outrage on our sex, and 
was, doubtless, introduced by a man. What 
would Grand Matrons do who sometimes 
speak ten times on a question ? — Orient . 

From one of our fashionable suburbs 
comes a tale of revenge that would make 
a Sioux Indian turn green with envy. A 
young man just home from an Eastern 
college invited a young lady of the village 
to a Sunday morning ride on his tandem 
bicycle. She was delighted, and could 
scarcely wait to carry the news to her par- 


ticular girl friend, who, it happened, had 
heretofore occupied the front seat on that 
same tandem. Then the plot was laid. 

“ How nice," said her chum. “ Have 
you a bicycle suit ? Why not wear mine ? 
Don't you think this will look lovely ?" 

Now, the garment exhibited happened 
to be a bathing suit of pronounced colors 
and unique design, but as the first young 
lady had never been within sight of salt 
water, and was of a guileless nature anyhow, 
the bunco game worked to perfection. 

The young man’s breath suddenly left 
him that Sunday morning when his com- 
panion came out ready to mount, but that 
was nothing compared to the panic they 
created along the route. Pious matrons 
on their way to church threw up both 
hands and prayed fervently, and the male 
population on the streets stopped spell- 
bound and watched them out of sight. 
The young man had little to say, but it is 
claimed he broke Zimmerman's record get- 
ting to the unfrequented streets. 

— Cincinnati Enquirer. 


“Folks nebber is saterfied,” said Uncle 

Eben. “Er white young lady is alius 

tryin' ter git frizzes in her hair an’ de 
culled young lady is alius tryin' ter git 
’em out." 

A good many of Kansas City's women 
want the curfew law amended so as to 
apply to their husbands as well as their 
ch i 1 dren. — Freemasons Repository. 

o - 

We have received printed copies of the 

proceedings of the following Grand Bodies for which the 
Secretaries have our thanks: Grand Lodges of New Hamp- 
shire, Iowa, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts and 
Quebec; Grand Chapter R. A. M, of North Carolina; Grand 
Councils R. & S. M. of Missouri and Connecticut; Grand 
Comraanderies K. T. of Minnesota and Colorado; Grand 
Chapter O. E. S. of Kansas; Imperial Council A. A. O. of 
Mystic Shrine for North America. 

O 

Deaths. 

In San Francisco, July 3d, Samuel L. Sachs, a native of 
New Jersey, a member of Fidelity Lodge, No. 120, aged 46 
years, 3 months. 

In San Francisco, July 9th, Joseph M. Marks, a native of 
Missouri, a member of Crockett Lodge, No. 139, aged 48 
years. 

In Sonoma, July 22d, Capt. E. P. Cutter, a native of Bos- 
ton, Mass., aged 61 years. 

In San Francisco, July 23d, John Louis Schroeder, a 
native of Hanover, Germany, aged 77 years, 1 month 28 
days. His funeral was attended by Mt. Moriah Lodge, 
No. 44. 

O 

Employment Wanted 

By a brother thirty-five years of age; in last employment 
for nine years; strictly sober and not afraid of work. Can 
do good office work; understands duties of shipping clerk 
and good inside salesman. Am a wine-maker, distiller and 
cellar- master by profession; but would like to get something 
different. Address at this office. 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


California Safe Deposit and Trust Company. 

Corner California and Montgomery Streets. 

Capital fully paid, - $1,000,000 00 

Transacts a general Banking business and allows interest on deposits payable on demand or after notice. 
Acts as Executor, Administrator and Trustee under wills or in any other trust capacity. Wills drawn by the 
Company’s Attorneys and are taken care of without charge. 

SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES to rent at prices lrom $5 per annum upward according to size, and valuables of all 
kinds are stored at low rates. 

DIRECTORS— J. D. Fry, Henry Williams, I. G. Wickersham, Jacob C. Johnson, James Treadwell, F. W. 
Lougee, Henry F. Fortmann, R. B. Wallace, R. D. Fry, A. D. Sharon and J. Dalzell Brown. 

OFFICERS— J. D. Fry, President; Henry Williams, Vice President; R. D. Fry, Second Vice President; 
J. Dalzell Brown, Secretary and Treasurer; E. E. Shot well, Ass’t Sec’y; Gunnison, Booth & Bartnett, Attorneys. 


The German Savings and Loan Society. 

526 California Street, San Francisco. 


Guaranteed Capital and Surplus, 
Capital actually paid up in Cash, 
Deposits December 31, 1896, 


1,840,201 66 
$1,000,000.00 
27,730,247.45 


OFFICERS — President, B. A. Becker; ist Vice President, Daniel Meyer; 2d Vice President, H. Horstmanu 
Cashier, A. H. R. Schmidt; Assistant Cashier, Wi liam Herrmann; Secretary, George Tourny; Assistant Secre 
tary, A. H. Muller; Attorney, W. S. Goodfellow. 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS— B. A. Becker, Daniel Meyer, H. Horstmann, Ign. Steinhart, N. Van Bergen, Emil 
Rohte, H. B. Russ, D. N. Walter and N. Ohlandt. 


SHIP US YOUR 



HIGHEST PRICES. QUICKEST SALES. 
PROMPTEST RETURNS. 

Incorporrted. Capital Stock, $25,000. 

TRY US. 

POULTRYMAN’S UNION, 
Co-Operative Commission Merchants, 

425 1-2 Front St., San Francisco. 

MANN & COMPANY, 

Book Binders, 

535 Clay Street, 

SAN FRANCISCO. 

CHARLES S. TILTON, 

ENGINEER & SLR VEYOR. 

Twenty-five years experience in the City and County 
Surveyor’s office. 

Charges Moderate and all Work Warranted. 

420 Montgomery' St., San Francisco. 


GEORGE GOODMAN, 

Patentee and Manufacturer ol 

ARTIFICIAL STONE, 

In all its branches. Schillingers Patent Sidewalk. 

Garden Walk a Specialty. 

Office, 307 Montgomery Street, 
Nevada Block, San Francisco. 

The Original Swain’s Bakery. 

213 Sutter St., San Francisco. 

SWAIN BROTHERS. 

Edward R. Swain, Frank A. Swain. 

4 ®- Country Orders will Receive Prompt Attention. 

BLAKE, MOFFITT & TOWNE, 

Importers and Dealers in 

Book, News, Writing, and Wrapping Papers, Card 
Stock, Straw and Binder’s Board, 
Manufacturers of Patent Machine Made Paper Bags 
512 to 516 Sacramento St., San Francisco. 


MASONIC, 


KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, ETC., CARDS 
PROGRAMS AND MENUS. 

The largest manufactory' in the United States. 
Having the cuts and dies for all the different bodies of Masonry, 
we can furnish same on any kind of stationery' at low rates. 

If you wish a Menu for a special occasion write us WALTFR N 
particulars and we will send an appropriate sample. iHLitn n. 

Telephone, Main 330 


BADGES, INVITATIONS, 


535 CLAY ST 
San Francisco 
California 



Established 1850. Telephone No. 43. 

N. GRAY & CO., 

UZKTDEIRT.A.IKIIEIR.S , 

641-645 Sacramento, Corner Webb Street, 

Embalming a Specialty. SAN FRANCISCO. 



THE WHITE IS KING, 


THE IMPROVED 


SPEED, STRENGTH, 

BEAUTY and QUALITY 
make the WHITE 

BICYCLE. 


Handsome in appearance, 

Light Running, 

DURABILITY. Simplicity 

of Construction, and Modern Improvements 
make a WHITE SEWING MACHINE. 

Write us for catalogue, prices and terms to agents. 


W-E; Preeminently the Sewing Machine 
for Family Use. 

Send for Catalogue. 

itfuSS 

’ J. W. EVANS, Agent, 
ii© 1021 Market St., San Francisco. 


WHITE SEWING MACHINE CO. 
Corner Ellis & Mason Sts., 

San Francisco, Cal. 


■OF CALIFORNIA. 


ESTABLISHED IN 1889. 

Subscribed Capital 
Paid in Capital 
Monthly Income, over 


$ 4,500,000.00 
- 500,000.00 

30,000.00 


Report of Business for first three monfhs of 1897 . 

Loans for three months 8^ 

Amount Loaned $91,700.00 

Shares Coupon Certificates of Deposit, 

(6 and 7 per cent guaranteed) 631 

Installment Shares issued 7,94 = 


HOME OFFICE 

isome St., San Francisco 

WILLIAM CORBIN, 

Secretary and General Manager. 


When you write, please mention The Trestle Board,