Comments on: Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions: awesomely dangerous pranks from the age of fraternal lodges

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:35:00 +0000

I’m a Past Master too, and these types of pranks were never used in Masonic Lodges, but they were (and sadly, still occasionally are) used by Square Clubs, or other social clubs that are offshoots of Lodges, but unsanctioned and unaffiliated with any Grand Lodge.

Still, these types of pranks were far more common in the more socially-oriented fraternal organizations of the 1800s and early 1900s, of which only a few are still around today.

By: Jonathan Moy

Jonathan Moy — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:04:00 +0000

I love the electric cane! Early prototype for the taser.

By: goatmuseumguy

goatmuseumguy — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:09:00 +0000

I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. Julia has put alot of time and painstaking research into this project. For anyone who wants to see the real thing, the DeMoulin Museum in Greenville, IL has 16 lodge initiation devices on display including the Electric Branding Iron (which still works and is occasionally “tested” on visitors). We also have numerous photos posted on the DeMoulin Museum Facebook page. It’s difficult for folks of today to understand why grown men at the turn of the century did this stuff…but it was 100 years ago when our society didn’t take itself so seriously, wasn’t as lawsuit happy, and lodges provided the only social/recreational outlet for men (and later women as auxiliary chapters were added.)

By: Sparg Otyebat

Sparg Otyebat — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Thanks for the info, pgt! I live down the road from Greenville and may check it out.

By: Mark Hewitt

Mark Hewitt — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 07:44:00 +0000

Awesome post :) Not to defend the vicious practical jokes they devolved into, but originally these type of ordeals in fraternal organisations – particularly the simulated execution – had a purpose beyond the amusement of other members.

The initiate was taken to the brink of death, to face his own mortality and come back with a revelation about the world and a new purpose. It’s a revelatory practice that goes back to the earliest known spiritual paths, and for many it was their most secret and powerful “magic” . Trying to think of a good source but The Golden Bough is the only one I can think of and it’s pretty heavy going :)

By: anderalert

anderalert — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:10:00 +0000

Indeed.

By: Jenny Reiswig

Jenny Reiswig — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:55:00 +0000

Christ, people are assholes.

By: Stefan Jones

Stefan Jones — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:31:00 +0000

” . . . now it makes marching band uniforms.”

With electric crotches!

By: CP-S

CP-S — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:24:00 +0000

I think it would be great to take that camel on wheels and mod it into a bike.

By: GrumpySteen

GrumpySteen — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:17:00 +0000

I must admit that I was horrified at what the “human centipede” might be after having seen the movie of the same name. It was a relief to see that it only involved electrical shocks to the groin.

By: Bob Eckstein

Bob Eckstein — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:02:00 +0000

This book looks so cool.

By: Bobsyeruncle

Bobsyeruncle — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Good thing nobody had pacemakers back then. Ouch!

By: pgt

pgt — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:22:00 +0000

I’m a Mason, and a Past Master of a lodge. I’ve heard of such things, but their use was confined to ‘side degrees’; extra events that a member could partake in, but in which they were certainly not required to participate. None of the items I’ve seen would be relevant in any way in actual Masonic ceremonies, and they’d be considered an odd anachronism even in side degrees today.

Googling “Demoulin Brothers” shows that there is a collector’s group, and a museum in Greenville, Il.

The company is still around; now it makes marching band uniforms.

By: jeligula

jeligula — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:06:00 +0000

The Human Centipede. Yes. Nothing says fraternal lodge initiation like a fertility killing shock to the scrotum. Quite handy as the lodge gene is not passed on to future generations. I think we can safely say this is the reason why interest in them waned.

By: Robert Cruickshank

Robert Cruickshank — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Some jokes never get old. Electric shocks will never be not funny. (if you doubt this, just enter the word “shocking” as a search term on the site of a certain well-known Chinese on-line gadget retailer.

By: Rasputin

Rasputin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Human Centipede. Ahrm.