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Article A MASONIC MASTYR—HYPPOLITO JOSE DA COSTA... ← Page 5 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Masonic Mastyr—Hyppolito Jose Da Costa...
the Lodges were almost exclusively filled with members of the liberal or constitutional party . It was not that the Lodges excluded the absolutists , but that the absolutists excluded themselves ^ from deference to the priests . Thus the Lodges acquired a political character and significance , but the Lodges did not engage in intrigues ; so far from this the more advanced liberals , who required
a political organization * formed another society . In the cities of Lisbon , Oporto , Coirnbra , St . Ubes , Figueira , fce ., as there were many English Masons , the corruption of Masonry for political purposes , which took place in other parts of Europe , could not be accomplished by those who were so disposed . Hence , alongside of Masonry arose another secret order . As in the other southern peninsula the
carbonari , or charcoal-makers , gave name and form to the great political combination , so in the Iberian peninsula the gardeners ( in Spanish jardineros , and in Portuguese jardmheiros ) constituted the organization . All liberals were Masons , but the more advanced liberals were likewise Jardinheiros . Undoubtedly , as illuminati in
the last " "century were selected from the Masonic Lodges , so in this Carbonari and Jardinheiros were respectively selected from the Lodges . In the Lodges the heads of the Jardinheiros sought out their neophytes . One reason for the pursuit of " gardening , " as it was called , was because the absolutist authorities had become suspicious of Masonry , and a new organization was found useful .
During this time both Masons and Jardinheiros were subjected to much persecution , sometimes from false Brothers , and always from spies ; and when the usurpation of Dom Miguel took place , the Masons w ere expelled because the liberals were expelled , and the Lodges were closed . Furtive meetings took place among the Brethren , and initiations were still effected by the Brethren of hijgh
degrees in virtue of their privileges , for no Lodges being at work , the Bose Croix fulfilled the duty which had become imposed on them of propagating Masonry individually , which they did at the hazard of their lives . It may be observed , in reference to this interesting chapter of Masonic history , that it w as not in Portugal alone that Masonry was thus propagated by Brethren of higher rank , but likewise in Spain .
Sons were commonly initiated at sixteen , m conformity with Scotch law , and numerous strangers were brought in . Sometimes the initiation was performed by a single Hose Croix in some solitary place , sometimes by one or more , assisted by Masters and tried Brethren , but without the constitution of a Lodge . So , too , these new members were raised in tho solemnity of the desert , but never free from the sword
of the persecutor , in the dread of whose stroke the Brethren lived . These services were again called \\ x requisition even in the larids of their exile , in Belgium in particular , where tho Lodges , being chiefly filled with Hollanders , wore treated after tho revolution , of September , 1830 , as Orange institutions , and persecuted with all the penalties of the Code Napoleon . These Lodges being suppressed , the Spanish and Portuguese Masoms of high degree continued to initiate many
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Masonic Mastyr—Hyppolito Jose Da Costa...
the Lodges were almost exclusively filled with members of the liberal or constitutional party . It was not that the Lodges excluded the absolutists , but that the absolutists excluded themselves ^ from deference to the priests . Thus the Lodges acquired a political character and significance , but the Lodges did not engage in intrigues ; so far from this the more advanced liberals , who required
a political organization * formed another society . In the cities of Lisbon , Oporto , Coirnbra , St . Ubes , Figueira , fce ., as there were many English Masons , the corruption of Masonry for political purposes , which took place in other parts of Europe , could not be accomplished by those who were so disposed . Hence , alongside of Masonry arose another secret order . As in the other southern peninsula the
carbonari , or charcoal-makers , gave name and form to the great political combination , so in the Iberian peninsula the gardeners ( in Spanish jardineros , and in Portuguese jardmheiros ) constituted the organization . All liberals were Masons , but the more advanced liberals were likewise Jardinheiros . Undoubtedly , as illuminati in
the last " "century were selected from the Masonic Lodges , so in this Carbonari and Jardinheiros were respectively selected from the Lodges . In the Lodges the heads of the Jardinheiros sought out their neophytes . One reason for the pursuit of " gardening , " as it was called , was because the absolutist authorities had become suspicious of Masonry , and a new organization was found useful .
During this time both Masons and Jardinheiros were subjected to much persecution , sometimes from false Brothers , and always from spies ; and when the usurpation of Dom Miguel took place , the Masons w ere expelled because the liberals were expelled , and the Lodges were closed . Furtive meetings took place among the Brethren , and initiations were still effected by the Brethren of hijgh
degrees in virtue of their privileges , for no Lodges being at work , the Bose Croix fulfilled the duty which had become imposed on them of propagating Masonry individually , which they did at the hazard of their lives . It may be observed , in reference to this interesting chapter of Masonic history , that it w as not in Portugal alone that Masonry was thus propagated by Brethren of higher rank , but likewise in Spain .
Sons were commonly initiated at sixteen , m conformity with Scotch law , and numerous strangers were brought in . Sometimes the initiation was performed by a single Hose Croix in some solitary place , sometimes by one or more , assisted by Masters and tried Brethren , but without the constitution of a Lodge . So , too , these new members were raised in tho solemnity of the desert , but never free from the sword
of the persecutor , in the dread of whose stroke the Brethren lived . These services were again called \\ x requisition even in the larids of their exile , in Belgium in particular , where tho Lodges , being chiefly filled with Hollanders , wore treated after tho revolution , of September , 1830 , as Orange institutions , and persecuted with all the penalties of the Code Napoleon . These Lodges being suppressed , the Spanish and Portuguese Masoms of high degree continued to initiate many