THE BUILDER FEBRUARY 1916

ALEXANDRIA-WASHINGTON LODGE NO. 22

BY BRO. CHARLES H. CALLAHAN, VIRGINIA

GENERAL Washington, having resigned his commission as
Commander-in-Chief of the American army, arrived at his home, after
an absence of several years, on Christmas eve, 1783, and two days
later received a letter from the Master, Wardens and members of a
Lodge of Free Masons, which had just been organized in the little
city of Alexandria, Virginia, under a warrant from the Provincial
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, felicitating him upon his safe return
to private life. In reply to this fraternal communication
Washington wrote on December 28th, as follows:-- 

"GENTLEMEN: With a pleasing sensibility I received your favor of
the 26th and beg leave to offer you my sincere thanks for the
favorable sentiments with which it abounds. I shall always feel
pleasure when it may be in my power to render service to Lodge No.
39 and in every act of Brotherly kindness to the members of it.
Being with great truth, your affectionate Brother and obliged
humble servant, GEORGE WASHINGTON." 

In the following June the General visited his Masonic Brethren in
Alexandria and, according to the minutes, still extant, "was
unanimously elected an honorary member of the Lodge."

In 1788 the Lodge surrendered its Pennsylvania charter, under which
it had been known as No. 39, and applied to the Grand Lodge of
Virginia for a new warrant. General Washington became the first
Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22, under the Virginia Charter,
which quaint and historic instrument still constitutes its badge of
authority. Not only does this venerated parchment contain the name
of Washington as Master, but also the autograph of Edmund Randolph,
who was then both Grand Master and governor of the Commonwealth,
and who subsequently served in the Cabinets of our first President
as Attorney General and Secretary of State respectively. In 1805,
by permission of the Grand Lodge, the name or title of the Lodge
was again changed by adding the sir-name of its first Master,
making it Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22. It has been claimed
by some writers that General Washington lacked zeal in the cause
and work of our institution, and a few skeptically inclined have
contended that he was not even a member of the Masonic Fraternity.
The fallacy of this contention is positively proven by the records
of and personal letters from Washington to this Lodge. Indeed, the
Charter itself is an eloquent and emphatic denial of the claim. Mr.
Randolph, in wording the instrument, leaves no doubt as to the
identity of its first Worshipful Master. After the usual preamble,
it sets forth, "Know ye, that we, Edmund Randolph, Esq., Governor
of the Commonwealth aforesaid and Grand Master of the Most ancient
and honorable society of Free Masons, within the same by and with
the consent of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, do hereby constitute
and appoint our illustrious and well-beloved Brother George
Washington, Esq., late General and Commander-in-Chief of the forces
in the United States, etc." This settles beyond a doubt any
question as to whether or not it was the renowned leader of the
American Revolution, and the appointment also marks the beginning
of the great patriot's official association with the Masonic
Fraternity of his home town; an association which has made a little
obscure organization, situated in what was then an old fashioned
colonial hamlet, the most famous subordinate Masonic Lodge in
America--a veritable shrine to which thousands of patriotic members
of the Fraternity from all parts of the country annually wend their
way and reverently view the cherished mementos of their illustrious
Brother Washington, which hang upon its walls and rest in the
alcoves of its sanctum.

The General's official connection with the Lodge raised it to a
conspicuous place in the order from the very beginning of its
existence, and, as a consequence, few noteworthy events have
occurred in that vicinity in which it has not taken a prominent
part. We shall, however, only refer to those that have in some way
a direct association with the sage of Mount Vernon. On Friday the
15th of April, 1791, by invitation of President Washington and in
the presence of his special commissioners Hon. Daniel Carroll and
David Stuart and a large concourse of citizens, it laid the first
cornerstone of the District of Columbia; and on the 18th of
September, 1793, it acted as escort of honor to the President and
assisted in laying the corner-stone of the Capitol of the United
States. But the most important ceremony in which the Lodge has ever
participated, and which is undoubtedly the most important of its
character in the history of the American Fraternity, was the
funeral of General Washington on December 18th, 1799. Few people
realize how extremely simple and how truly Masonic were the
obsequies of this great man. Washington's last illness was sudden
and severe, lasting only twenty-four hours. There were four men at
his bedside when he died, viz: Drs. Dick, Craik and Brown and
Washington's Secretary, Tobias Lear. Three of these were members of
the Craft; Drs. Dick and Craik were members of his own Lodge, Dick
being the Master; and Dr. Brown was the fifth Grand Master of
Maryland, while Tobias Lear joined the Lodge in 1803. The funeral
ceremonies were arranged by a committee from the Lodge, consisting
of Dr. Dick, W. M., Colonel George Deneal, J. W., and Colonels
Simms and Little, members. The body was borne from the death
chamber at "low twelve" and deposited in the main room on the first
floor, and the funeral appointed for "high twelve" on the 18th.
Five of the six pall bearers, Colonels Little, Payne, Gilpin,
Ramsay an Simms, were members of No. 22, as were three of the four
ministers present, one of them being the Chaplain Colonel George
Deneal, J.W., commanded the military organizations in attendance
while several of his subordinate officers were members of the
Lodge. Owing to the late arrival at Mount Vernon of the Alexandric
contingent, which was composed of the Masons, militic and a large
concourse of citizens, the funeral cortege did not start until
three o'clock; but the body was borne from its resting place in the
State Dining-room to the front veranda at meridian, and there the
assembled throng took a last view of the remains.


The procession moved first north to the "Ha-ha Wall," which borders
the lawn (and which has been recently restored), then east to the
walk in front of the mansion, then, by this walk, in a southerly
direction, to the old tomb; the militia leading the way, followed
by the Masons, the family and other mourners bringing up the rear.
On arriving at the tomb, the procession divided column, facing
inward; reversing the order of march, the family and relatives
passed through the separated lines, forming an inner circle around
the tomb; next came the Masons who arranged themselves in an outer
circle around the family, while the militia filed back to the crest
of the hill, forming a column facing east toward the river. "The
ministers performed their divine services, the Masons their mystic
rites and the militia closed the ceremonies with resounding volleys
over the bier of the fallen chieftain."

The evening was far advanced and deep shadows fell upon the
familiar landscape around the beloved home of Washington, before
the Lodge, with its military and civic escort, took up its lonely
march over the snow-clad hills of Virginia back to the little town
of Alexandria, nine miles away. How distant these scenes now appear
under the later splendor of man's achievement. Several hours were
consumed by these devoted Craftsmen in their solemn march through
the gathering twilight from Mount Vernon to Alexandria, while in
this day of rapid transit tourists board a trolley car at Mount
Vernon gates, and, almost paralleling the road over which the
funeral cortege wound its way, make the trip in thirty minutes.

On the 12th of January, 1785, the General wrote in his diary: "Went
up to Alexandria, attended the funeral of William Ramsay, ye oldest
inhabitant of the city. Walked in the procession with the Free
Masons; he, being a member of that order, was buried with their
ceremonies." It was this William Ramsay who set apart in his will
an half-square of ground for municipal buildings in Alexandria,
reserving thereon a site for a Masonic Temple. Facing this plot on
the west stands the old city hotel, Washington's headquarters while
waiting for Braddock in 1755; from its steps in 1799-he held his
last military review and gave his last military order, thirty days
before he died. Facing it on the east is the equally historic
Carlysle House, Braddock's headquarters in 1755, where Washington
received his commission as Major on that ill-fated General's Staff,
and in which also, during the conference of the five governors,
holding at that time, was made the first suggestion of colonial
taxation by the British Parliament; and in the old Court House,
which stood on this square, Washington cast his last vote, in 1799-
-in it also his will was recorded, January 20th, 1800. In 1802 the
Lodge erected its first Temple on the site provided by Ramsay. It
was but-a small structure, flanked then on either side, as the more
modern and commodious one is today, by diverging wings of the City
Hall.

Immediately after Washington's funeral his friends and relatives
began to send, as presents to the Lodge, valuable mementos which
had been among the cherished possessions of the General or in some
way closely associated with him in life. So numerous were these
gifts that in 1818 the City Council of Alexandria, to relieve the
congested condition of the Lodge, set apart a room in the City Hall
adjoining the Temple for the specific purpose of exhibiting the
relics, and the Lodge appointed a custodian of this museum. In 1870
the old frame temple, erected in 1802 with the entire city hall,
containing the museum, was burned to the ground. Fortunately,
through the heroic efforts of the fire department and a number of
Masons who were present and assisted in the rescue, most of the
treasures were saved but some of the most valuable were either
stolen or destroyed. Among those lost was the bier on which
Washington was borne to the tomb, the crepe which hung on the door
at Mount Vernon at the time of his death, a portrait of Martha
Washington in her youth, Washington's military saddle, a settee,
which stood in the hall of Mount Vernon, Washington's card table,
numerous original letters of the General, the flag of Washington's
life-guard; a bust of the celebrated Paul Jones, presented to
Washington by LaFayette, the flag which flew over the "Bon Homme
Richard" in her death grapple with the "Seraphis," presented by
Paul Jones; and numerous other historic and highly prized
acquisitions went down before the fire king.

Notwithstanding this serious loss, there is- still remaining in the
present Lodge room, which was erected in 1872 on the site of the
old Temple, the most valuable collection of genuine Washington
relics and heirlooms in existence, with the possible exception of
the collection at Mount Vernon. There we see the Master's Chair,
presented by Washington, in use for one hundred and seventeen
years, now preserved in a glass case. In a niche in the wall, and
occupying a space of about 2x3 feet, you are shown Washington's
wedding gloves; farm spurs, pruning knife, a glove he wore when in
mourning for his Mother, his pocket compasses, his cupping and
bleeding instruments, a little pen-knife his mother gave him when
twelve years of age, in his possession fiftysix years; a button cut
from his coat at his first inauguration, a legging strap worn by
Washington in the Battle of Fort Duquesne, (these were presented in
1803 by Captain George Steptoe Washington, a nephew the General and
one of the executors of his will); Washington's Masonic Apron,
embroidered by Madame LaFayette, with silk sash and inlaid box,
presented to Lodge in 1812 by Lawrence Lewis, the General's nephew,
who married his adopted daughter, Nellie Curtis. In the same case
you see also a picture of Dr. Dick; Dick's medicine scales, and by
their side Washington's medicine scales; a piece of Braddock's coat
worn in the battle of Fort Duquesne, and other articles of great
interest.

In another case is shown the little trowel w which Washington laid
the corner-stone of the National Capitol, the representatives of
the lesser lights used on that occasion and at Washington's
funeral; Washington's bed-chamber clock, stopped by Dr. Dick at the
moment of his death and presented to the Lodge by Mrs. Washington,
its hands still pointing to the exact minute of his dissolution,
ten-twenty, P.M. It is said to be the only piece of furniture in
the room when the General died which has not been returned.


Hanging around the walls are numerous aprons of the General's
contemporaries, some of them of elaborate design with the emblems
of Masonry worked in silk, among them are Dick's and Craik's.
Autographic letters of Washington, and rare old engravings of the
Father of his Country and other important personages also adorn the
side hall, while paintings of historic characters, from the hands
of celebrated artists, embellish the Lodge room proper. Among these
we shall only name a few. Probably the most interesting of all is
the picture of the General himself, painted from life by Williams
of Philadelphia, in 1794, for the Lodge. It is a gem of art.
Notwithstanding it has hung in a glaring light for over a hundred
years, its bold lines and rich colors are as striking and as fresh
to-day, apparently, as they were when it received the last touch of
the Master's brush 120 years ago. Unfortunately, being a pastelle,
and, as we have stated, highly colored, this work cannot be
satisfactorily reproduced in a halftone, and to be fully
appreciated the original must be inspected at close range. The
Lodge has a standing offer for this picture of $100,000.

Avoiding publicity, the Lodge has refused all applications to
reproduce the picture until a few years ago. Permission was given
to have it copied in oil for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
Brother Julius Sachse, in making the request for a copy, stated
that his investigations of about fifty paintings of General
Washington, many of them made from life, convinced him that the
Williams was the most authentic likeness in existence. Not a
blemish on the face of the subject has been concealed or omitted.
The scar on the left cheek, shown as a dimple by others, the black
mole under the right ear and the pock marks on the nose are clearly
visible on the original of the Williams painting in the Lodge, and
to a less extent in the reproduction in colors given in The
Builder, which is made from the same plate as the frontispiece in
Charles H. Callahan's book, "Washington, the Man and Mason," which
is the first and only photographic reproduction in colors ever
made.

The history of this great work is brief. The Lodge desiring a
correct likeness of their illustrious First Master passed a
resolution requesting General Washington to sit for the painting,
obtained his consent and employed Williams, an artist of
Philadelphia, to execute the work. At the time the painting was
made, General Henry (Light Horse Harry) Lee, representing the
Eighth Congressional District, in which Alexandria is situated, in
the National Congress, being not only the official representative
of their section but a member of the Fraternity, arranged for the
sitting and introduced the artist to President Washington. After
the work was completed and General Washington had approved it,
Williams personally delivered the picture to the Lodge, who
officially approved it and paid the artist for his service.

The next important canvas is a life-size painting in oil of Thomas,
Sixth Lord Fairfax, Baron in Cameron, for whom Washington surveyed
when a boy, from the famous brush of Sir Joshua Reynolds. Being the
only picture of the old Lord extant, it has a two fold value, and
has been estimated by art critics to be worth $150,000. Besides
these we see La Fayette in Colonial uniform, by Charles Wilson
Peele, the Pope Peele picture of Washington, a rich engraving of
the Washington family by Savage (1798), a life size canvas of
LaFayette in Masonic regalia, showing him in his old age, and many,
many other unusual works of art, souvenirs and treasures that
cannot be either properly described or even scheduled in an article
of this kind. It is, indeed, a priceless collection, around which
the fondest memories cling and in their association form an
enduring fraternal link between the material present and that
romantic past.

Upon the erection of the new Temple and City Hall no provision was
made to restore the museum and these valuable heirlooms are now
kept in a non-fire proof structure erected over a public market and
heated by large cast iron stoves. Access to the Lodge itself is
through another building by a winding stair and by no conceivable
means could all of these treasures be saved from destruction if the
combustible temple should fall a prey to a disastrous fire as the
original did in 1870.

UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS IN MASONRY

True Masonry is universal. It knows no race but the human race. It
recognizes no distinctions of class or divisions of society but the
ability to serve mankind. It places humanity above nations and the
ranks of royalty. It lifts all men to the high level of the sons of
God, the brothers of men.

Masonry by lecture, symbol and drama represents truth, and truth is
truth the world around, be it in the great universities of America
or on the blooddrenched fields of Europe or in the darkest isle of
the sea. Masonry is religious since it readily lends itself to the
inculcation of those truths which bring satisfaction to the
universal longing in the hearts of men. Recognizing the Supreme
Architect of the Universe as Father and all mankind as one great
brotherhood, Masonry places upon every man the sacred obligation of
reverencing the Great Deity and of rendering service to his
fellows. Thus in its ideals and purposes Masonry is universal and
it is all but universal in its marvelous and benign influence.

Scottish Rite Masonry is the highest and best expression of the
universal elements of Masonry. About its altar come men of every
nation, of every rank, of every belief, to bow in reverence before
the Great Spirit whom we have learned to know as "Our Father in
Heaven" and to whom "alone we bow the knee." Here kindred spirits
blend as we break bread together in token of our friendship,
pledging ourselves anew to the common brotherhood. We drink the
common cup symbolical of our mutual needs, binding ourselves again
to charity and patience, to selfdenial and virtue, to truth and
honor. In this fellowship liberty is queen and with her scepter,
jeweled with toleration and appreciation, she holds loving sway in
every heart. --Charles Henry Stauffacher, Iowa.

TRUE KNOWLEDGE

When you know, to know that you know; and when you do not know, to
know that you do not know--that is true knowledge.
--Confucius.
 