Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1885 — WHY CAN’T A WOMAN BE A MASON. [ARTICLE]

WHY CAN’T A WOMAN BE A MASON.

A lady friend of ours and wife of a brother in good standing. has frequent* ly importuned us to disclose tho reason "Why a woman couldn’t be made a Mason.’’ We have thus far failed to comply with the request, but happily find a solution to the proposition in the following from an address delivered by Major Sherman at Austin, Nevada: “Women sometimes complain that they are not permitted to join our lodge and work with the craft in their labors, and learn all there is to be learned in the situation. We will explain the 1 reason. We learn that before the Almighty had finished his he was in some doubt about creating Eve. The creation of every living creeping thing had been accomplished, and the Almighty had made Adam (who wast the first Mason), and created him for the finest lodge in the world, and called it Paradise No. 1. He then caused all the beasts of the field and fowls of the air to pass before Adam for him to know them, which was a piece of Work he had to do alone, so that no confusion might therefore arise when Eve was created, whom he knew would make trouble if she was allowed to participate in it-, if he created her before hand. Adam, being very much fatigued with the labors of his. first task, fell asleep, and when he awoke he found Eve in the lodge with him. Adam being Senior Waiden, placed Eve as the pillar of beauty, in the south, and they received their instructions from .he Grand Master in the east, which when finished, sh ? immediately called the Craft, from labor to refreshment Instead of attending to the duties of the office as she ought, she left her station, violated the obligations, let in an expelled Mason, who had no business there, and went around with him, leaving Adam to look after the jewels. This fellow had been expeled from the Lodge, with several others, some time before. But hearing the footsteps of the Grand Master, he suddenly took his leave, felling Eve to go making aprons, as she and Adam were not in proper regalia. She went and told and when the Grand Master returned to the Lodge, he found his gavel had been stolen. He called for the Senior and Junior Wardens, who had neglected to guard the door, and found them absent. After searching for some time he came to where they were hid, and demanded of Adam what he was doing there, instead of occupying his official station. Adam replied that he was waiting for Eve to call thp Craft from refreshment to labor again; and that the Craft was not properly clothed, which they were making provisions for. Turning to Eve, he asked her what she had to offer in excuse for her unofficial and unmasonic conduct. She replied that a fellow passing biinself off as a grand lecturer. had been giving her instructions, and thought is was no harm. The Grand Master then asked her what had become of his gavel. She said she didn’t know unless the fellow had taken it away, .Finding that Eve was no longer trustworthy, and that she had caused Adam to neglect his duty, and had let in one whom he had expelled, the Grand Master closed the lodge, and turning them out, set a faithful Tyler to watch the door with a flaming sword. Adam, repenting of his folly, went to work like a man and a good Mason, in order to get reinstated again. Not so with Eve—she got angry about it, and commenced raising Cain. “Adam, on account of his reformation, was permitted to establish Lodges and work in the degrees, and while i ve was allowed to join him in acts of charity outside, she was never again to be admitted to assist in the regular Lodge work of the craft. Hence the reason why a woman cannot become an inside Mason.”— Oconomowoc Times,.