Lady Masonry, Or Masonry Of Adoption. *

Chartres presided m his quality of Grand Master . Nearly a thousand persons , the elite of society , assisted at this meeting . This first assembly was followed by others no less brilliant , and during

several years , says Boubee , there was united under the sacred banners of charity and the graces all that the court and the city contained of £ he most illustrious and distinguished , to the great joy and happiness of the poor in the capital .

In 1777 'her highness , the Grand Mistress , the Duchess of Bourbon , presided over the Lodge of Candour , and at one of the meetings there was a voluntary subscription to recompense an act of civic courage in the persons of a brave soldier of

the Anjou regiment , who had thrown himself into the frozen Rhone to save two drownine ' o children .

The 12 th of March , 17 v 9 , a letter was directed to the Duchess of Bourbon , in her quality of Grand Mistz'ess . It was sent by a poor family from the country . A meeting was held , presided over by the Duchess ; funds were subscribed for the poor

family , who had thus solicited alms . In 1779 the Lodge of Candour offered a prize for the best essay on the following subject -. " Which is the most economical way , the most healthy , and the most useful to society , to bring

up foundlings , from the period of their birth to tho age of seven years ?" A titled Mason , but a victim to family hatred , without a profession or resources , thanks to the noble sisters composing the Lodge of Candour , obtained , in 1779 , from the king a pension and a lieutenancy .

The court movements , we read in the " Umvers Maconniqne" of Cesar Moreau , caused the Lodge of Candour to be broken up in 1780 . The Quadruple Lodge of adoption of the Nine Siisters , so called after the regular lodge of the

same name , in 1776 and in 1777 , of Antenil , was held at Madame Helvetius ''; in 1778 at the same sister ' s , in honour of Bro . Benjamin Franklin ; and in 1779 , at Vaux-hall , philanthropic fetes were held . In 1780 , to celebrate the convalescence

of the Grand Master , the Duke of Chartres , the Lodge Social Contract formed a lodge of adoption at Vaux-hall , presided over by the Abbe Bertolio , assisted by the Princess of Lamballe . Three ladies received the Masonic light , viz : the Visountess of Afrey and Narbonne , and the Countess Maille . The approaching revolution prevented

the continuance of these most agreeable and charitable meetings ; even Freemasonry itself was scarcely able to resist this most violent and sanguinary of political disturbances . During the revolutionary period Masonry of

adoption almost disappeared ; and it was only at the commencement of the Empire that we see it rise again . In 1805 the Empress Josephine , who had been previously received in Paris , being at Strasbourg ' , presided over the Imperial Lodge of

Adoption in that city—the Francs-Chevaliersassisted by Madame Detrich , wife of the Mayor , and Grand Mistress . The Empress at this meeting admitted one of her la-dies of honour , Madame F . de Cauisy , into the mysteries of the Order . At

no period , says M . Boubee , had there been so brilliant a lodge ; the city itself took part in the solemnity , excepting the more secret portion . In 1807 the Lodge of St . Caroline , at Paris , held a meeting of adoption , presided over by

Madame de Vaudemont . Among the persons present were the Prince de Cambaceres , the then Grand Master , and other high dignitaries of the Grand Orient of France .

The Lodge of the Chevaliers de la Croix , writes Moreau , formed many lodges of adoption . "In 1811 and 1812 , through the Lodge des Militaires Reunis of Versailles , many lodges of adoption were formed . There appeared successively in this

struggle of honour and usefulness the lodges of Themis , the Golden Age , Anacreon , Perfect Union , St . Joseph , & c . ; and , in imitation of the Lodge of the Chevaliers de la Croix , the Lodge of the Commanders of Mount Thabor , created a

charitable association under the name of the Lady Hospitaliers of Mount Thabor . " Under the restoration , and subsequently , Masonry of adoption was but little in vogue ; there

was a meeting , however , on the 19 th of February , 1819 , at which there assisted the Prince Royal of Wurtemburg , the meeting- being presided over by Madame de Vilette , the devoted friend of Voltaire . There was also another on the 17 th , same month ,

presided over by Madame de la Rochefoucauld , assisted by those celebrated artists Talma and Madame Duchenois . All these lodges of adoption , according to Boubee , were distinguished by the regularity of their

woiic , by the large amounts given to the unfortunate and to the poor , but more particularly by those liens of friendship which are so expressive , where the etiquette of rank was not observed .