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Article SOME PECULIAR PHASES OF FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 2 Article SOME PECULIAR PHASES OF FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 2 →
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Some Peculiar Phases Of Freemasonry.
SOME PECULIAR PHASES OF FREEMASONRY .
rpHEEE seem to be even more advantages -L associated -with membership of the Masonic Order than we had been accustomed to recognise , but the latest addition to its many benefits which has come under our notice is one hardly likely to be generally taken advantage of , although it is some satisfaction to know that Freemasons are entitled to some special privilege in this particular direction ,
in case of dire necessity . If we are to credit a provincial contemporary , " there used to be a very curious belief amongst a great many people , both in England , America , and the Colonies , that a Freemason never had been , and never would be hanged ; " the idea ,
which is still believed in to some extent , says the writer , being "that the influence of the whole Masonic fraternity would be exercised to ensure the reprieve or escape of any Mason sentenced to death , whether he were guilty or not . " Here is an opportunity for the cold-blooded wretches who feel they
can only be relieved by the murder of their victims . It would seem they have only to secure admission to Freemasonry to escape the last penalty of the law , provided they should be so unfortunate as to come within its clutches ; but , adds our contemporary , needless to say , this very romantic theory finds credence only in the minds of those who know
nothing whatever of Masonry—its objects and obligations . But that it does exist , even in one of the principal towns of enlightened England is vouched for by a Birmingham journalist , who overheard a conversation outside one of the shops of the Midland
capital , and who states that " among the dozen or so who were gloating over the pictures of the Eainhill murderer , were two men whoso appearance of intelligence was belied by the remark of one , in which the other concurred , — ' Oh , well , he's safe from the scaffold anyway—a Mason never was hanged yet , and never will be !'" We are . not aware the Masonic Brotherhood enjoys the distinction of numbering this
monster among its members , but even if such be the case we are convinced that no claims of Brotherhood would be entertained on his behalf , much less that any strenuous effort would be made by the Craft to save him from well merited punishment . On the contrary , we should
expect association with Freemasonry to be a reason for the exercise of greater severity rather than of leniency , just as the American judge did in the case which wo remember having seen recorded some years back . It seems a prisoner had been found guilty of tlie
crime with which he was charged , and tho judge was hesitating as to what sentence he should pass , -the prisoner knew that the judge was a Freemason , and being himself an old member of the Order , he made a sign to the president of the Court . " Oh , " said the judge , " you are n Freemason , I see " ' ?
Some Peculiar Phases Of Freemasonry.
" Yes " , said the prisioner , " I once had the honour of attending the same Lodge as yourself , " and he hoped the recollection of that day would impress the judge in his favour . " Ah , I was just wondering , " replied the judge , " whether you fully appreciated your position when you were tempted to commit the crime
oi which you now stand convicted ; in fact , whether you had been properly educated to know how much wrong you were doing at the time ; but your avowal of Masonic membership has convinced me on that point . As a Mason you have been taught what is right in this direction , and can have no excuse for the course you adopted . The sentence of the court therefore is ,
that you be imprisoned to the fullest extent allowed by the law , and I can only regret that as you have been educated so as to fully understand the enormity of your crime , it is not possible to punish you even more severely . " Here was a case where association with Freemasonry could hardly be said to have
resulted in benefit to the person concerned , unless the lesson taught by the judge on that occasion had such an effect as to change the course of the man ' s life , and lead him to act up to the true principles of Freemasonry in the future . The event may or may not have happened , but it is just as likely to be true
as otherwise , and m any case may be taken as a iair exemplification of Masonic sentiment . Under such circumstances , then , we need hardly say that Ave do not believe in the likelihood of any effort being made by the Masonic Brotherhood to save a convicted
murderer from the extreme penalty of the law , and we even go so far as to express our surprise that , even among the lower classes of Birmingham , such a possibility should be entertained for a moment . Having disposed of this somewhat gruesome subject , we now turn to another recent newspaper extract , wherein a lady , " Inquirer , " asks an editor whether it
has ever struck any of the readers of the paper concerned " that Freemason husbands close their pockets to their wives more even than the generality of men do ? " The writer considers that " MaBonic teachings lift up men too much , and places women below everything . " Here is another strange theory in regard to
Freemasonry . Who would have imagined that a tan * " Inquirer" could have been led to believe that Freemasonry placed women below everything ? Is there anything in any part of the Masonic system that could have given rise to such an opinion ? Is it not rather the fact that Freemasonry teaches
reverence lor the weaker sex , and enjoins its members to show them every respect ? But it is always difficult to imagine how these peculiar ideas are formulated , and we must confess we are unable to solve the mystery associated with this particular idea . Fancy Freemason husbands " closing their pockets
to their wives , more even than the generality of men do . " This must be a mistake , for as is well known to those who are associated with the Order , all money and metallic substances are ignored in Freemasonry , and wc imagine it is money and metallic substances
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Some Peculiar Phases Of Freemasonry.
SOME PECULIAR PHASES OF FREEMASONRY .
rpHEEE seem to be even more advantages -L associated -with membership of the Masonic Order than we had been accustomed to recognise , but the latest addition to its many benefits which has come under our notice is one hardly likely to be generally taken advantage of , although it is some satisfaction to know that Freemasons are entitled to some special privilege in this particular direction ,
in case of dire necessity . If we are to credit a provincial contemporary , " there used to be a very curious belief amongst a great many people , both in England , America , and the Colonies , that a Freemason never had been , and never would be hanged ; " the idea ,
which is still believed in to some extent , says the writer , being "that the influence of the whole Masonic fraternity would be exercised to ensure the reprieve or escape of any Mason sentenced to death , whether he were guilty or not . " Here is an opportunity for the cold-blooded wretches who feel they
can only be relieved by the murder of their victims . It would seem they have only to secure admission to Freemasonry to escape the last penalty of the law , provided they should be so unfortunate as to come within its clutches ; but , adds our contemporary , needless to say , this very romantic theory finds credence only in the minds of those who know
nothing whatever of Masonry—its objects and obligations . But that it does exist , even in one of the principal towns of enlightened England is vouched for by a Birmingham journalist , who overheard a conversation outside one of the shops of the Midland
capital , and who states that " among the dozen or so who were gloating over the pictures of the Eainhill murderer , were two men whoso appearance of intelligence was belied by the remark of one , in which the other concurred , — ' Oh , well , he's safe from the scaffold anyway—a Mason never was hanged yet , and never will be !'" We are . not aware the Masonic Brotherhood enjoys the distinction of numbering this
monster among its members , but even if such be the case we are convinced that no claims of Brotherhood would be entertained on his behalf , much less that any strenuous effort would be made by the Craft to save him from well merited punishment . On the contrary , we should
expect association with Freemasonry to be a reason for the exercise of greater severity rather than of leniency , just as the American judge did in the case which wo remember having seen recorded some years back . It seems a prisoner had been found guilty of tlie
crime with which he was charged , and tho judge was hesitating as to what sentence he should pass , -the prisoner knew that the judge was a Freemason , and being himself an old member of the Order , he made a sign to the president of the Court . " Oh , " said the judge , " you are n Freemason , I see " ' ?
Some Peculiar Phases Of Freemasonry.
" Yes " , said the prisioner , " I once had the honour of attending the same Lodge as yourself , " and he hoped the recollection of that day would impress the judge in his favour . " Ah , I was just wondering , " replied the judge , " whether you fully appreciated your position when you were tempted to commit the crime
oi which you now stand convicted ; in fact , whether you had been properly educated to know how much wrong you were doing at the time ; but your avowal of Masonic membership has convinced me on that point . As a Mason you have been taught what is right in this direction , and can have no excuse for the course you adopted . The sentence of the court therefore is ,
that you be imprisoned to the fullest extent allowed by the law , and I can only regret that as you have been educated so as to fully understand the enormity of your crime , it is not possible to punish you even more severely . " Here was a case where association with Freemasonry could hardly be said to have
resulted in benefit to the person concerned , unless the lesson taught by the judge on that occasion had such an effect as to change the course of the man ' s life , and lead him to act up to the true principles of Freemasonry in the future . The event may or may not have happened , but it is just as likely to be true
as otherwise , and m any case may be taken as a iair exemplification of Masonic sentiment . Under such circumstances , then , we need hardly say that Ave do not believe in the likelihood of any effort being made by the Masonic Brotherhood to save a convicted
murderer from the extreme penalty of the law , and we even go so far as to express our surprise that , even among the lower classes of Birmingham , such a possibility should be entertained for a moment . Having disposed of this somewhat gruesome subject , we now turn to another recent newspaper extract , wherein a lady , " Inquirer , " asks an editor whether it
has ever struck any of the readers of the paper concerned " that Freemason husbands close their pockets to their wives more even than the generality of men do ? " The writer considers that " MaBonic teachings lift up men too much , and places women below everything . " Here is another strange theory in regard to
Freemasonry . Who would have imagined that a tan * " Inquirer" could have been led to believe that Freemasonry placed women below everything ? Is there anything in any part of the Masonic system that could have given rise to such an opinion ? Is it not rather the fact that Freemasonry teaches
reverence lor the weaker sex , and enjoins its members to show them every respect ? But it is always difficult to imagine how these peculiar ideas are formulated , and we must confess we are unable to solve the mystery associated with this particular idea . Fancy Freemason husbands " closing their pockets
to their wives , more even than the generality of men do . " This must be a mistake , for as is well known to those who are associated with the Order , all money and metallic substances are ignored in Freemasonry , and wc imagine it is money and metallic substances