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Article WATERLOO MASONIC ANECDOTES* ← Page 2 of 2 Article MASONIC ANECDOTE. Page 1 of 1
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Waterloo Masonic Anecdotes*
On the same evening , about nine o ' clock , about fifty men , nearly all wounded , the miserable remains of two French regiments , found themselves encompassed by a considerable party of the enemy ; after performing prodigies of valour , finding retreat ' impossible , they decided on laying down their arms ; but the enemy , irritated by their obstinate , defence and the havoc they had made , continued to fire on them . The lieutenant in command , as well as the men , considered that nothing but miracle could
a save them ; a sudden inspiration seized the officer , he advanced to the front in the midst of the firing , and made the sign of distress . Two Hanoverian officers observed him , and by a spontaneous movement , without consulting their commander , ordered the troops to cease firing , and , after securing the prisoners , they placed themselves at the disposal of their general , for the breach of military discipline ; he also ivas a Mason , and instead of punishing he approved their generous conduct .
Masonic Anecdote.
MASONIC ANECDOTE .
June 14 , 1823 . —The Minerva , a Dutch merchantman , returning from Batavia to Europe , with several rich passengers , nearly all of them Masons , among others , Brother Englehardt , Deputy Grancl Master of the Lodges in India , arrived on the coast of Brazil , where it encountered a corsair , * under Spanish colours . The Dutchman was attacked , and after a bloody engagement was obliged to strike . The corsair , irritated , ordered pillage and massacre : the conquerors had fastened one party of
the vanquished to the masts , but the passengers , by prayers and tears , at length obtained permission to be taken on board the corsair . They were received on board , but nothing could assuage the fury of the captain . In this extremity , Brother Englehardt made the sign for aid , and on the instant the same man , who the moment before was insensible to prayers and entreaties , became moved even to softness . IJ e was himself a Mason , as well as several of his crewwho were members of a Lodge at Ferrol
, . Hoivever , although he acknowledged the appeal , he doubted the truth of it , for the signs , tokens , and words agreed but imperfectly with his—he demanded proofs . Unluckily the Dutch Brethren , fearing , anel with some reason , to excite the anger of pirates , whom they considered to be the enemies of Freemasonry , had thrown overboard , previous to the battle , all their jewels and Masonic papers ; it was , however , providentially ordainedthat some fragments that were floating was
, among a torn parchment diploma ; it was seized , and on being shown to the captain ofthe pirate , his doubts ceased ; he acknowledged the Brethren , embraced them , restored their vessel and property , repaired the damage , demanding as the only remuneration , affiliation with a Dutch Lodge ; he then gave the ship a safeguard against the Spaniards for the remainder of the voyage . f
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Waterloo Masonic Anecdotes*
On the same evening , about nine o ' clock , about fifty men , nearly all wounded , the miserable remains of two French regiments , found themselves encompassed by a considerable party of the enemy ; after performing prodigies of valour , finding retreat ' impossible , they decided on laying down their arms ; but the enemy , irritated by their obstinate , defence and the havoc they had made , continued to fire on them . The lieutenant in command , as well as the men , considered that nothing but miracle could
a save them ; a sudden inspiration seized the officer , he advanced to the front in the midst of the firing , and made the sign of distress . Two Hanoverian officers observed him , and by a spontaneous movement , without consulting their commander , ordered the troops to cease firing , and , after securing the prisoners , they placed themselves at the disposal of their general , for the breach of military discipline ; he also ivas a Mason , and instead of punishing he approved their generous conduct .
Masonic Anecdote.
MASONIC ANECDOTE .
June 14 , 1823 . —The Minerva , a Dutch merchantman , returning from Batavia to Europe , with several rich passengers , nearly all of them Masons , among others , Brother Englehardt , Deputy Grancl Master of the Lodges in India , arrived on the coast of Brazil , where it encountered a corsair , * under Spanish colours . The Dutchman was attacked , and after a bloody engagement was obliged to strike . The corsair , irritated , ordered pillage and massacre : the conquerors had fastened one party of
the vanquished to the masts , but the passengers , by prayers and tears , at length obtained permission to be taken on board the corsair . They were received on board , but nothing could assuage the fury of the captain . In this extremity , Brother Englehardt made the sign for aid , and on the instant the same man , who the moment before was insensible to prayers and entreaties , became moved even to softness . IJ e was himself a Mason , as well as several of his crewwho were members of a Lodge at Ferrol
, . Hoivever , although he acknowledged the appeal , he doubted the truth of it , for the signs , tokens , and words agreed but imperfectly with his—he demanded proofs . Unluckily the Dutch Brethren , fearing , anel with some reason , to excite the anger of pirates , whom they considered to be the enemies of Freemasonry , had thrown overboard , previous to the battle , all their jewels and Masonic papers ; it was , however , providentially ordainedthat some fragments that were floating was
, among a torn parchment diploma ; it was seized , and on being shown to the captain ofthe pirate , his doubts ceased ; he acknowledged the Brethren , embraced them , restored their vessel and property , repaired the damage , demanding as the only remuneration , affiliation with a Dutch Lodge ; he then gave the ship a safeguard against the Spaniards for the remainder of the voyage . f