Masonic Stories.

MASONIC STORIES .

BY AN OLD UrASOST . No . I . I think that some of the stories which linger in note books or

AS my my memory may amuse some of the readers of Bro . Kenning ' s magazine , for which the reading members of the Craft ought to be grateful to him , I deem it well , ere " time and fate " stop my pen , to transcribe them for their amusement and , I hope , improvement . Yes ! and perhaps it is as well . Some day , when my papers are looked over by other eyes , and the books and MSS . of another departed Freemason attract the curious or edify the-collectorit will be as well

, , probably , if such stories as these should not fall into " profane hands , " and therefore I venture seasonabl y and thoughtfully to send them to the Masonic Magazine . Some years ago , when I was a very young Mason , by the way . rather green in addition , and extremely curious about things Masonic , I attended a Lodge in a great English garrison , well known to many " sojourners " there , Avhich ivas then principally composed of foreigners , though a few English

Masons were among them . In those days the brethren in that particular Lodge had swords ( a point I always object to in foreign Masonry ) , and on my alluding to that fact to my neighbour , a foreigner who spoke English , he said— " Well , you don't want them in England , and here they are really needless too ; but in my country , and other countries , they are sometimes very useful and needful . Let me tell you a little story . " I bowed my head and listened . " Some years ago , in a certain Spanish town which shall be nameless , there

was a Lodge of Freemasons meeting secretly , for it was then prohibited b y the Government of Ferdinand . " "Ah , " I said , " I think when Masons are forbidden by the laws to meet , they ought not to do so . Obedience to law is always a Masonic duty . " " Do not , " he replied , " let us argue that point , but be good enough to listen to my story . In those days , I repeat , urged on by the priests and the violent party in the Roman Catholic Church , King Ferdinand ' s Government tried vainlto crush Freemasons and Freemasonry .

y A leading member at Madrid was placed in the Inquisition , and released b y means of two Masonic familiars in a very short time , whose adventures you have doubtless read in ' Sandoval the Freemason . ' That worthy brother was , iu Christina ' s regency , Consul here , as you probably know . We were then about forty , composed of monks , the secular clergy , military officers , and civilian employes , ancl one or two professors . We were not , then , a political bod

y , though proscribed . We had amongst us a brother who , disappointed at not rising to office , and stirred on by the love of ' filthy lucre , ' went to the governor and offered to betray our whereabouts , so that the police might take us in actual 'session . ' The governor jumped at the idea , hoping to be benefited himself , and made a bargain with the ' traidor ' for so many thousand ' reals . ' But the governor had a secretary , a member of our Lodge , to whom he confidentially and exultingly said , ' Tiengo anora , questos Macones . " The secretary asked how . He told him , and the name of the informant . The

governor ' s secretary said nothing , but went and informed the Master of the Lodge , who immediately assembled privatel y all the brethren but the traitor in a lodge of emergency . It was then decided that they should hold their usual meeting , that the Master should summon all the brethren at a specified time , and deal with the matter as the safety of the brethren and the laws of 2 A