WASHINGTON. 1799-1899. GRAND LODGE, F. & A. M., OFFICE OF THE GRAND MASTER OF MASONS, MASONIC HALL, New York, DECEMBER 9, 1899. To the Worshipful Master, Wardens, and Brethren of each Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the State of New York. GREETING: One hundred years ago, on the 23d day of December, 1799, an Emergent Communication of the Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York was held in the city of New York, at which the Deputy Grand Master announced the death of "Brother George Washington, late President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of its Army." Whereupon, a committee was appointed to unite with other committees of citizens to "devise some public testimonial of respect and veneration to the memory of our departed Brother." One week thereafter, on the 30th day of December, 1799, an Emergent Communication of the Grand Lodge was again called for the purpose of acquainting the officers of the several lodges with the form to be observed in the solemn funeral procession to be held in commemoration of our Illustrious Brother, George Washington." All the lodges in the city, escorting the officers of the Grand Lodge, participated with the citizens in general in the procession on the following day, the 31st of December, concluding the exercises of that day with appropriate memorial services in Saint Paul's Chapel. The phenomenal growth of our Fraternity, now numbering thousands, makes it impossible to repeat the exercises of that day, and yet it seems to me that some suitable service should be held to commemorate the tribute paid to the memory of Washington by the brethren of our Craft in the funeral display and memorial services of a hundred years ago. Washington is the noblest and most cherished son of America. Poets have sung his praise. Historians have made him the central figure in the world's history. All nations respect his memory. No other land has produced his equal. Wherever civilization extends, in every clime and in every tongue, the name Washington is the synonym of all that is great, and good, and true. The immortality of Washington's name does not depend upon the homage succeeding generations shall pay to his memory. The fidelity of his unswerving patriotism, the unsullied integrity of his personal character, and the unquestioned force of his military genius, have written that name first, in living characters, upon the brightest page of the Immortal Record. It is an inspiration to recall the life of Washington, who is as much admired for his noble deportment as a gentleman as he was distinguished for those gallant and glorious achievements which adorn the life of a soldier. He fulfilled a mighty destiny, and has left a name to which the generations of men yet unborn will pay homage when all the monuments a grateful country has erected to his fame are fallen in ruin. It is fitting that we, as members of the Craft whose ranks he adorned, should, at the close of this marvellous nineteenth century, in some form pay homage, gratitude, and honor to the name of Washington. I therefore suggest that the several lodges in this jurisdiction attend divine service on Sunday, the 31st day of December, 1899, in their several places of worship, and that the clergymen of the various denominations be requested at that time to preach a sermon upon the life and character of Washington. Lodges are hereby authorized to assemble at their several lodge rooms, the ceremony of opening the Lodge to be omitted, and march thence in procession, clothed in full regalia and with staves of office, to the place of worship previously selected. Where two or more lodges meet in the same city, town, or village, if more convenient a union service may properly be held. I further suggest that a brief report of the services so held be written by each lodge and forwarded to the Grand Secretary, to the end that the same may be printed in the Journal of Proceedings, and become a part of our permanent record. Fraternally, WRIGHT D. POWNALL, Grand Master. By the Grand Master, EDWARD M. L. EHLERS, Grand Secretary. EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND LODGE. Grand Lodge opened in due form. PRESENT. NEW YORK, December 23, 5799. The Right Worshipful JACOB MORTON, Deputy Grand Master. Temple Lodges out of the City, by Proxies : Lodge..No. 10 by the R.. W... MARTIN HOFFMAN. The Deputy Grand Master announced that the reason of convening this extra meeting of the Grand Lodge was, the mournful intelligence of the death of their illustrious and much beloved Brother, GEORGE WASHINGTON, late President of the United States, and Commander-in-Chief of its army; and urged with energy and respectful expressions the duties which belong to every Mason on such a painful event, and the necessity of this Grand Lodge to take such steps as are proper and Masonic to pay the tribute of respect due to a Brother who, being called to the celestial Lodge above, lives in the heart of the virtuous and the wise. Whereupon, the following was decreed : The Grand Lodge with the deepest and sincerest sorrow announces to the Lodges under its jurisdiction, the death of their illustrious and much beloved Brother, GEORGE WASHINGTON, late President of the United States, and Commander-in-Chief of its army. He closed his useful and honorable life at his seat at Mount Vernon, on the night of the 14th instant, in the 68th year of his age. When in the dispensations of Providence, the great and the good, when those whom we love and revere, sink into the silent tomb, the afflicted heart seeks its solace in rendering to their memories every honorable tribute which affectionate gratitude can devise. This is a feeling engrafted in our natures as an incentive to honorable ambition, and the expression of those feelings is a duty which the customs of civil society have enjoined; but in decreeing a tribute of respect to our deceased Brother, on this occasion there is nought we can devise which will fully evince our veneration for his virtues or our sorrow for his loss. To decree honor to that illustrious name upon which glory hath already exhausted all her store, to render a tribute of affection to his memory, who lived in the hearts of a grateful people, are duties which we feel we can never satisfactorily perform. That humble tribute which we are unable to pay we decree. Resolved, Therefore, that all the Lodges under our jurisdiction be clothed in mourning for the space of six months, and that the brethren also wear mourning for the same period. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to erect at the expense of this Grand Lodge, a monumental memorial to the virtues of our illustrious Brother, to be placed in the room occupied by the Grand Lodge for its sittings; and that the Right Worshipful JACOB MORTON, Deputy Grand Master, the Right Worshipful MARTIN HOFFMAN, Senior Grand Warden, the Right Worshipful ABRAHAM SKINNER, Junior Grand Warden, the Right Worshipful REINIER JOHN VANDENBROECK, Grand Secretary, and the Worshipful Brethren CADWALLADER D. COLDEN and PETER IRWIN, be a committee for that purpose. Resolved, That the said committee have authority to meet and concur with such other committees of our fellow citizens as shall be appointed, to devise some public testimonials of respect and veneration to the memory of our departed Brother. Resolved, That the Grand Secretary be directed to forward immediately a copy of these resolutions to the several Lodges in this State. tem. Grand Lodge closed. NEW YORK, December 30, 5799. Grand Lodge opened in due form, extra meeting. The Right Worshipful MARTIN HOFFMAN, Deputy Grand Master, pro tem. The Right Worshipful ABRAHAM SKINNER, Senior Grand Warden, pro The Worshipful ROBERT COCKS, Past Member of St. John's Lodge No. 1, Junior Grand Warden, pro tem. The Right Worshipful R. J. VANDENBROECK, Grand Secretary. Temple Lodges out of the City, by Proxies: Lodge.. No. 10 by the R.. W... MARTIN HOFFMAN. Bath 66 66 57 W... J. C. LUDLOW. The Senior Grand Warden announced that the extra meeting of the Grand Lodge was for the purpose of acquainting the officers of the respective lodges of the form to be observed in the solemn funeral procession to be held in commemoration of our illustrious Brother, GEORGE WASHINGTON, in conformity of the resolve of this Grand Lodge, the 23d instant. ORDER OF THE MASONIC PROCESSION. The Knights Templars in the form as directed by their The Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge in this City. The Tiler with a drawn sword, the handle covered with black crape. A Master Mason carrying the Warrant of the Lodge on a black cushion. Deacon. Master. Deacon. The other Lodges, in the order above described, will proceed, viz.: Three Master Masons, walking in triangle, each carrying a standard on which is a pendant of white, bordered with black, and written thereupon the cardinal virtues of Masonry: Faith, Charity. The Reverend Chaplains of the Grand Lodge. Hope, Three Master Masons, walking in triangle, each carrying a standard on which are written the characteristics of Masonry: Strength, Wisdom, Beauty. The Worshipful Brother CADWALLADER D. COLDEN, in mourning, holding in his hand a short standard with a white pendant, trimmed with black, on which is written: BROTHER WASHINGTON, THE GREAT, THE WISE, THE VIRTUOUS. Expressing also the figure of an hour-glass run out, and a sickle. |