The Woodville Republican., 1852-12-14
Gen. Washington n Mason

initiation of Washington inthe Mason
ic fraternity at New York, the oration
was delivered by Rev. s. II, Tying. D.
ID, II was a long and elaborate eulo-
logy on the character and services of
Washington
Speaking of his initiation as mem.
Der of the fraternity OF maSons. be said
he was iuSt of age when he was iniii>
ated. and throughant his subsequent
career he maintained his outward Twp
-ical councxinn with it. frequently visits
ing the lodges both in camp. and field
and city. As the Grand Master of the
MasonS of the United States, he laid
the corner stone of the capitol in 1893.
Md he was buried with Masonic ho
nors by the Lodge OF which he was first
Master. III 1909. In the very CLOSING
of his career, he said TO the brethren
in Rhode Island:
Being purSuaded that a Just appli
cation OF the principles ON which fhe
masonic fraternity is founded must be
prpmotive of private virtue and public
prosperity, shall always be happy to
advance he Interests of the society, and
10 be considered by them a deserving
brother"
To the Grand Lodge of Massachu>
sctts, be subsequently said:
"Flatlering as 1t may be TO the hu>
man mind, ard truly honorable as il is,
To receive from our lellow>ciizens tcs>
timoniieS of appreciation for exeriions
to promote the public welfare. il is no
less pleasing to know that the milder
virtues of the heart are highly respect,
ed by a society whose liberal prnc>
4 pies must be founded in the immufabIe
laws Of truth and justice"
The orator referred to an instance Of
the remarkable veneration in which
Washington is held among the mason,
! ic fraternity in foreign lands. He had
seen an account of "a Masonic celebra>
tion in Manchester, England, on the
10Th of June. which WAS intended 10
commemorate the anniversary of his
initiation in the order. There was a
mistake. however in the date, said DIR.
I Tying. for the facts of that event are re
corded IN the Frederickburgh Lodge Of
Virginia.
He was there initiated on the 4lh of
November, 1852 few months before
he attained his iull age of of twenty>
one. On the Sd OF March 1853. nine
daysa!ter he Was ot age, be WAS adj
vanced to the degree OF fellow craft,
and on The 4th of August, 1853, he was
raised 10 the degree Of Master Mason
This is the indubilable record of his
entrance into the full standing of the
order; and yet find it declared in nm
English publication, Che Free Mason's
| Quarterly Review. Tor July lS3l,) that
he was initiated in a lodge IN the 10th
Regiment of the British army. under
Gen Braddoca, during the service of
that Regiment in America. Ii is assert
ed that the copy oil the Holy Scripture
upon which his obligation was taken,
belonging to the lodge. is NV in the
possession ofa Captain Child, an officer
OF that Regiment.
Gen Braddock an officer under whom
Wash Ingion had his first connexion
with the British army, did not arrive in
Virginia until the Goth of February rs,
two years after Washington had be-
come a mason Nor was Washington
introduced to the British officers until
! April rs. Nor had he any personal
connexi0n with any regiment oil Eng
lsh troops till after that time. Though
it is very likely, therefore, that he re
tanned his masonic connexl0n with
them in the subsequent campaign, i
there really was militarylodge in the
army of Gen Braddock, it is not fac
that he was inflated INTO Masonry by
British officers.