CHAPTER XXIII.

THE CARBONARI.
Centuries ago the wood-choppers and charcoal-burn- ers of the forests of Germany, France and Switzerland had a kind of union among themselves for their mutual protection against robbers and enemies. In the French department of the Jura the hewers of wood called them- selves ^'le bon cousinage" (the good cousinship) and this society spread into Italy during the time of the first Napoleon. Refugees from political feuds, victims of tyrannical rulers, revolutionary leaders, and escaped prisoners often made their homes among these dwellers of the forests and employed themselves in cutting wood and making charcoal. Under pretense of carrying it for sale, they introduced themselves into the village.^ and bearing the name of colliers, carbonajo, or Carbon- ari, they easily met their partisans and mutually com- municated their different plans. They recognized each other by signs, grips, and pass-words. When Xapoleon 3, had invaded Italy the Carbonari declared themselves a political society determined to free Italy from the for- eign intruder. Gradually the leaders avowed an Ital- ian Republic, and when the expelled dynasty was rein- stated upon the throne of Xaples, they assumed an atti- tude of uncompromising hostility against monarchism. Their prograui was: ''Italy shall be free and inde-
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pendent. Its boundaries shall be the three seas and the Alps. Corsica, Sardinia, Sicil}^, the seven islands along the coast of the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Ionian seas, shall f9rm an integral part of the Konian Empire of which Eome shall be the capital." The reigning sovereigns were to be disposed of and at the death of the Pope the society was to take hold of the Papal states and the College of Cardinals was to be abol- ished. The new Italy was to be called by its ancient Latin name, Ansonia. All means leading to their ob- ject were deemed just. Though in th^ir aggressions against the ruling sovereigns the Carbonari were de- feated and their leaders arrested and the organization disbanded, their principles found followers and their mm. an apparent realization when on October 8, 1870, Victor Emanuel declared himself in a manifesto from the Quirinal at Eome, King of United Italy.
The Carbonari had three degrees of fellowship. Ac- cording to their ritual the places of their meetings were called barraca or collier's hut; the interior of the bar- raca was called the vendita (from the sale of coals) and its arrangement most simple. At the end of the barn- shaped vendita there must be three blocks of wood, each supported by three legs, for the Grand Master and his tAvo assistants. On the block for the Grand Master there must be the following symbols: A linen cloth, water, salt, a cross, leaves, sticks, fire, earth, charcoal, a crown of white thorns, a ladder, a long pole, a shovel, a ball of thread, three ribbons — one blue, one red, and one black. A furnace and a tree with the roots in the air finish the symbolic furniture. There must be an il- luminated triangle on the right and-left^with the arms of the vendita and the initial letter of the pass-word of
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the first degree. The Grand Master and the two as- sistants hold hatchets in their hands. The members 6it along the walls on wooden benches without backs. The symbols are thus explained: The furnace is the collective work at which the Carbonari labor; the sacred fire they keep alive is the flame of liberty with which they desire to illumine the world. Charcoal is the fountain of light and warmth that purifies the air. The tree with the root in the air is a figure of kingdoms de- stroyed and thrones overthrown. The cross serves to crucify the tyrant? that persecute us; the crucifix re- minds us of our redemption. The crown of white thorns means the trouble and struggle of Good-Cousins ; the crown that is to pierce the tyrant's head. The thread coTumcmorates that the ^Mother of God spun it ; it denotes the cord which is to lead the tyrant to the gibbet and the ladder will aid him to mount it. The leaves are nails to pierce his hand and feet. The pickaxe will penetrate his breast and shed his impure blood. The Jixe will separate his head from his body. The salt will prevent tlie corruption of his head, that it may last as 71 m.onument of the eternal infamy of despots. The pole will serve to put his head upon. The furnace will burn his body. The shovel will scatter his ashes to the wind. The water will purify us from the vile blood we shall have shed. The linen will wipe away our stains, etc.
The initiation into the first degree was similar to that in other secret societies, apparently harmless in order to ilupe the candidate. In the second degree the candi- date represented Christ, the Grand Master took the name of Pilate and his two assistants those of Caiphas and ]Terod ; the Good Cousins are then called the people.
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The candidate is first led to the Garden of' Olives and there repeats the words of Christ in a mutilated form : "If the sufferings I am to undergo are to be useful for men I do not ask to be freed from them, but thy will,. 0 Lord^ and not mino be done." Having taken a draught from a cup filled with bitter drink the candidate is brought before Pilate and accused of being a disturber of the people and ambitious, desiring to destroy the re- ligion and govern the peopk. He is then led to Cai- phas and from him to Herod. Herod asks him who he is and the reply is : "I am Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.'^ A white garment is put on him and, being- brought, back to Pilate, the master of ceremonies says: "This is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The- candidate is then scourged, a crown of thorns placed upon his head, and then Pilate says: "Ecce homo," but people cry, "Crucify him; his blood be upon us- and our children." The sentence of death is pro- nounced, the cross laid upon the shoulders of candidate when the people cry: "Mercy, mercy." The candi- date takes an oath binding himself under the penalty of having his body cut to pieces and burnt if he should prove false. The higher degree of Grand Elect was^ conferred only upon those who had proved their ef- ficiency for work by having manifested their hatred for the rulers of ancient Ausonia (Italy.) The candidate had to take the following oath : "I, N. N., a free citi- zen of Ausonia, swear before the Grand Master of the Universe, and the Grand Elect Good Cousins, to devote my whole life to the triumph of the principles of liberty, equality and progress, which are the soul of all the se- cret and public acts of Carbonarism. I promise that, if it is impossible to restore the reign of liberty without a
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struggle, I will fight to the death. 1 consent, should I prove false to iny oath, to be slain by my Good Cousins Grand Elect; to be fastened to the cross in a lodge, naked, crowned with thorns; to have my belly torn open the entrails and heart taken out, burned, and the ashes .scattered to the wind. Such I swear." The Carbon- ari spread the report that they had the approbation of the Holy See and for a time succeeded in deceiving the ignorant masses. Pius VII condemned them repeat- edly in 1814, 1815 and 1821; as also Leo XII in 1825. The society spread into France where it assisted in the devolutions that agitated that country, during the last century.* Giardiniere was the name of the women's branch of the Carbonari, the word meaning garden- women, each sister taking the name of a flower.
THE MAFIA
Is the society of Italians which has been prominently before the people both in Italy and the United States during the last twenty years. The candidate, upon liis knees, places the point of a stiletto upon his bare breast over the heart, and swears that he would plunge the blade into his heart rather than betray his brothers in tlie Mafia. The societ}^ was accused of killing the Chief of Police of Xew Orleans in 1890, and eleven of its members, who had been arrested and acquitted of the charge, were taken from the jail by a mob and Ivnched.
*Ia 1835 Malegari descriited the reason d'etre of the Carbonari in tbese words : "We form a union of brothers In all parts of the earth; we all strive for the freedom of mankind; we wish to break every kind of roke."
. 1 CHAPTER XXIV.
ODD-FELLOWS.
The Cyclopaedia of Fraternities enumerates the fol- lowing Orders of Odd-Fellows : Albion Order of Odd- Fellows ; Ancient and Honorable Order of Odd-Fel- lows. Kent Unity : Ancient Independent Order of Odd • Fellows; Ancient Noble Order of Odd-Fellows; Brit- ish United Order of Odd-Fellows; Derby Midland United Order of Odd- Fellows; Economical Order of and Independent Order of Odd-Fellows ; Grand United Order of Odd-Fellows: Improved Independent Order of Odd-Fellows; Independent Order of 0 dd- Fellows ; Household of Euth; Independent Order of Daughters Militant of Odd-Fellows; Independent Order of Daughters of Kebekah of Odd-Fellows; Independent Order of Imperial Order of Muscovites of Odd-Fel- lows; Independent Order of Patriarchs Militant of Odd-Fellows : Independent Order of Manchester Union of Odd-Fellows; Kingston Unity of Odd-Fellows; Leeds Unity of Odd-Fellows ; Leicester Unity of Odd- Fellows; Loyal- Union Order of Odd-Fellows; Norfolk and Norwich Unity of Odd-Fellows; Ancient Imperial Imdependent Nottingham Order of Odd-Fellows; Pa- triotic Order of Odd-Fellows; Staffordshire Order of Odd-Fellows; United Order of Odd-Fellows; Odd La- dies; Odd Sisters, and West Brunswick Order of Odd- Fellows.
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Odd-Fellowship as an order dates back, according to the Encyclopasdia Britannica, to the year 1745, when the first Lodge was founded at Southwark, England. In 1819 the first Odd-Fellow Lodge was organized in the United States at Baltimore, Maryland; and today the order claims to have the largest membership of any benevolent Fraternal Order.
Xeither in this, nor in any subsequent description of an Order, do I deal with the beneficiar}^ or the financial doings thereof, but confine myself to proving the re- ligious character, which will be evident from a careful perusal of the extracts I make from the rituals.
Rev. A. B. Grosh, the author of ^'Odd-Fellow's Im- proved Pocket- Manual,^' says : "Our institution has instinctively, as it were, copied after nearly all secret associations of religious and moral character. * * '" In Egypt, the most ancient among the ancient King- doms, an institution of this kind existed from the earli- est period.'' On page 27 of the ^lanual he tells us "the Fatherhood of God and the Brothorhocd of Man are its foundations of precept and of practice."
On page 109 a. f., we are told : "The internal, 'truly living spirit of liOve and of universal fraternity, per- vading all our rituals and ceremonies, recognized in emblems, colors, and regalia ; using every adjunct for strengthening its influence on the soul; speaking to ear and eye in everv lecture, charge^ sign, and token, and to the touch in grip and pressure; and manifesting it- self silently like rain, and sunshine and electricity, in beneficent organizations and institutions; this soul of all its teachings and workings of Odd-Fellowship, the hidden name in the white stone, Avhich he knowetli best w^ho most truly possesses it. The Fatherhood of
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God and the brotherhood of ]Man, then, are the greact principles of our Order, embodied in the mottoes there- of, *In God we trust,^ and ^Friendship, Love and Truth/
" * * * The most important uses and aims of Odd-Fellowship are: the imbuing of the minds of our brethren with proper conceptions of their powers and capabilities, giving them just and practical views of their duties and responsibilities, exhibiting their de- pendence upon God, and bringing them to a knowledge and practice of the true fraternal relations between man and man. * * * rpQ qj^q whose generous heart delights in well doing, and admires our princi- ples, and desires to find means for increasing his use- fulness to suffering men, our Order presents the strong- est inducements. We open for him a field beyond the limits of his party or his church, as well as within it, needing his labors and offering joyous recompense for his toils. No church in its present state is extensive enough in its fellowship to embrace many good men who need the ministration of kindred spirits, nor far- reaching enough to reach even its own members when distant from it, and needing aid and protection."
In the "North West Odd-Fellow Eeview" of Febru- ary, 1895, we find this: "Our own and kindred as- sociations would never have been called into existence if the churches had done their duty, and, as a matter oi fact, our prosperity is mainly due to the great want felt for such institutions. And, when I call to mind the vast amount of work which has been accomplished by our Order, how it has alleviated the sufferings of humanity, has nourished the widows and orphans, and given new life and hope to many a fallen brother, and
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contrast it with the havoc which has from time to time been wrought, the lives that have been sacrificed, the bloodshed and indignities heaped upon mankind in en- deavoring to uphold some church doctrine which in all ])robability Avill cut no figure whatsoever when we meet at the final tribunal; I incline to the belief that the strong hand of Providence will continue to guide and sustain us in the work which we have undertaken, no matter what the rule of any church may be to the con- trary."
In the May number of the same Review for the same year we read: "The teachings of Odd-Fellowship tend to liberalize the mind, broaden the lives, deepen the springs of action and give us a clearer conception of our duties to ourselves, to our fellow creatures, to our country and to our God.
*'The principle of our Order is one divine in origin, universal in application and elevating to all who em- brace it. * * * '^0 home can be an ideal one un- less the principles of our good and glorious Order are represented therein, and its teachings made the rule of life.''
The Past Grand, in his charge to candidate, says: "Odd-Fellowship is founded upon that eternal prin- ciple which, recognizing man as a constituent of ono universal brotherhood, teaches him that as he came from the hands of a common parent he is bound to cherish and to protect his fellow-man. It thus pre- sents a broad platform upon which mankind may unite in offices of human benefactions. Under its compre- hensive influence, all the nations of the earth may con- centrate their energies for the good of the common race. Based upon certain truths which are like ax-
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ioms among all nations, tongues and creeds, its sacred tolerance presents a nucleus which, by its gentle influ- ence, gathers within its orbit antagonistic natures, con- trols elements of discord, stills the storm and soothes the spirit of passion, and directs in harmony man's ef- fort to fraternize the world. This is the great first principle of our fellowship, which we denominate fra- ternity, a universal fraternity in the family of man.
^* ■!« * * "\y(i gg^j^ ^Q improve and elevate the character of man, to imbue him with proper concep- tions of his capabilities for good ; to enlighten his mind, to enlarge the sphere of his affections; in a word, our aim is to lead man to the cultivation of the true fra- ternal relations designed by the Great Author of his being.*^
The meetings open and close with prayers. At the opening the Chaplain shall say:
"Thou King eternal, and invisible, the only wise God, our Saviour, Thou art the Sovereign of universal nature, the only true object of our best and holiest af- fections. We render Thee hearty thanks for the kind Providence which has preserved us during the past week, protecting us from the perils and dangers of this life; and for permitting us now to assemble in Thy name for the transaction of business.
''We humbly beseech Thee, our Heavenly Father, to preside over our assembly, to breathe into our hearts the spirit of love and of a sound mind; and may each and all be governed by an anxious desire to advance Thy glorv^ and ameliorate the condition of mankind.
"Let Thy blessing rest upon our Order, upon all the Lodges, Grand and subordinate, belonging to our en- tire family of brothers. Let Friendship, Love and
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Truth prevail, until the last tear of distress be wiped away, and the lodge below be absolved by the glory and grandeur of the Grand Lodge above. This we ask in humble dependence upon, and in most solemn adora- tion of Thy One mysterious and glorious Name. Amen."
About Initiation, the Rev. Grosh has this to say:
•^Every Odd-Fellow should keep clearly impressed on his mind and heart the lessons taught at initiation. They are a guide to understand properly all that fol- lows after — an epitomized summary of the great prin- ciples and objects of the Order. They contain the germs which after instruction and his own practice should develop and mature into blossoming and fruit- fulness. In one word, what regeneration by the word of truth is in religion, initiation is in Odd-Fellowship.'*
The Degree of Friendship is based on the history of David and Jonathan as related in the First Book of Kings.
"Odd-Fellows of the First or Friendship Degree should maintain their feelings and friendship to a brother under the most severe tests. Let David be true to Jonathan, and Jonathan be true to David." (Odd-Fellow's Monitor and Guide, by Rev. T. G. Beharrell).
On pp. 55, 56 and 57 of the same, he says: "The Degree of Brotherly Love brings before us the inimit- able parable of the Good Samaritan, and all the im- pressive teachings of the degree on the principle of brotherly love can be called to our remembrance as we read:
" ^\nd a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which stripped him of
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his raiment, and wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead." (He lies by the roadside weltering in his blood, and, though conscious, he is unable to help himself. His money is stolen, his raiment is taken off and carried away, while his wounds are gaping and ble
" ^And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him he .passed by on the other side." (Here was a functionary of the Jewish church who heard the groans of the wounded man and saw him in his helplessness, but had no sympathy awakened in his breast),
" ''And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked at him, and passed by on the other side." (There was another who assisted in the serv- ices of religion, but his feelings were not enlisted; he asked no questions of the sufferer).
'' ^But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him he had compas- sion on him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the mor- row, when he departed, ho took out two pence and gave it to the host, and said unto him, "Take care of him, and when I come again I will repay thee." Here was a man who had broken over party prejudice and dis- tinctions, and showed that his religion was not devoid of compassion. This is brotherly love. This is gen- uine kindness — all that is beautiful and lovely com- bined. Self and prejudice is sacrificed on the altar of humanity, goodness and mercy. The ties of our brotherhood are not easily broken, and this parable gives us an answer to the question, Wlio is my neigh-
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bor? aiul avo readily see that the Good Samaritan was a neighbor to him who fell among thieves. We aceept the injiinetion of the great Teacher, *'Go Thou and do likewise.''
When the candidate is admitted to this Degree he is asked M-hat he wants, and the Vice-Grand answers: '^Admit him, that he mav be instructed in the divine lesson of humanity.*' When the candidate has taken the nsnal obligation, he is told "Heaven has witnessed your vows, and the Common Father has smiled on that compact."'
In the third or highest degree of Odd-Fellowship, in the Subordinate Lodge, the Noble Grand is dressed as High Priest during a certain part of the perform- ance.
Savs Eev. Beharrell. page 59: "When the myster- ies of this degree are given, he (candidate) graduates, and in the u^e of his knowledge goes forth to a prac- tice of wliat he has learned- --an exemplifictaion in his life of the principle of our Order. He is now to rep- resent the ministers of God at the sacred altar iu the ]>erformance of their work and odice."
The candidate who applies for admission in this de- gree of Truth is asked "whv does he sock to obtain this degree?" and the answer is: "l>ecause Truth is the Imperial Yirtiie." Xoble Grand : "\\'hat does he ex- pect from the Truth?" C'ondtictor: "That it will teach him his diitio=^ to God and to his fellow-men."
The candidate is dres'jed in a white robe and a stole put around his shoulders. The symbols and emblems of the Order are then explained to him. AVhon this is done the Xoble Grand, dressed as High Priest, will sav: "Mv brother, vou are now admitted to
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the Third Degree, known as the Priestly Order. You have already been informed that it is ded- icated to the principles of Truth. You were prepared for admission by having placed on you a white robe. This was intended to represent the purity of truth. But "the emblematic color of this degree is scarlet, implying that truth is an Imperial virtue. The pure white robe is an external symbol, representing that your lips should speak the truth, and at all times be ready to ad- minister words of affection to a brother requiring con- solation. You are now placed in a position among us to gain rank, and the highest in the lodge. It, there- fore, becomes your duty to enforce by example as well as by precept, the tenets of our Order. Its mysteries are confided to your charge; 3^ou are to preserve them in- violate; duty and honor, your own solemn vows, all re- quired that you be faithful, and that you also guard yonr brethren against any breach of fidelity. Be true and steadfast in this as well as in all things, and thus dem- onstrate that merit constitutes tlie great title to our privileges, and that on you they have not been unde- served] v conferred."