Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-11-17
Washington as a Mason.

Washington as a Mason.
At the centennial celebration of the ini-
tiation of Washington in the Masonic Fra
ternity, at New York, last week, the ora
ton was delivered by Rev. Stephen H.
Tying. D. D. 1t was long and elabo-
rate eulogy on the character and services
of Washington.
Speaking of his initiation as member
of the fraternity of Masons, he said he
was just of age when he was admitted,
and throughout his subsequent career he
maintained his outward typical connection
with it, frequently visiting 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 1898. And he was buried
with Masonic honors by the lodge of
which he was the first Master, in 1899
In the very closing of his career, he said
to the brethren in Rhode Island:
Being persuaded that just applica-
ton of the principles on which the Mason
is fraternity is founded, must be promo
tive of private virtue and public prosperi
ty, shall always be happy to advance the
interests of the society, and be considered
by them a deserving brother" To the
Grand Lodge of Massachusetts,, he suisse
quently said q Flattering as it may be
to the human mind, and truly honorable
as it is, to receive from our fellow citizens,
testimonials of appreciation for exertions
to promote the public welfare, it is not
less pleasing to know, that the milder
virtues of the heart are highly respected
by a society, whose liberal principles
must be founded in tho immutable laws
of truth and justice"
The orator referred to an instance of
the remarkable veneration in which Wash
ington is held among the Masonic fratsr-
nifty in foreign lands. He had seen an
account of a celebration in Manchester,
England, on the 18th of June, which was
intended to commemorate the anniver-
sary of his initiation into the order
There was mistake, however, in the date,
said DR.. Tying, for the facts of that event
are recorded in the Fredericksburg Lodge
of Virginia
He was there initiated as an apprentice
on the 4th of November, 1859, few
months before he attained his full age
of twenty-one. On the Sd of March IT.
So, nine days after he was of age, he was
| advanced to the second degree of fellow
craft, and on the 18th of August, 1853, he
was exalted to the full degree of Mas
ter Mason. This is the indubitable re-
cord of his entrance into the full standing
of the order. And yet l find it declared
in an English publication (The Free Ma
sons Quarterly Review, for July, 1884, }
that he was initiated into masonry in a
lodge in the 10Th Regiment of the British
army, under General Braddock, during
the service of that regiment in America
1t is asserted that the very copy of the
Holy Scriptures. upon which his obliga-
ton was taken, belonging to the lodge, is
now in the possession of Captain Child,
an officer of that regiment.
Gen. Braddock, under whom Washing
ton had his first connection with the Bri-
fish army, did not arrive in Virginia until
the goth of February, 1755-bwo years
after Washington had become Mason.
Nor was Washington introduced to the
British officers until April, 1855. Nor
had he any personal connection with any
regiment of English troops till after that
time. Though it is very likely, therefore,
that he maintained his Masonic conuec-
ton with them in the subsequent COM
paign, ifthere really was military lod ge
in the army of General Braddock, it is not
the fact that he was initiated into mason.
ry by British officers. No Washing
tons masonry was as truly American as
the whole residue of his noble career.
No foreign soldiers taught him its sub
lime principles; though they gave him
ample scope to exercise and display them,
In the many provocations of that early
campaign, and in the long and faithful
probation OF his character, their bitter and
varied hosNlities in the subsequent revo-
lutionary war. Ofthat army under Brad
dock, he says, after their defeat
" The dastardly behavior of the REGULAR
troops $50 called) exposed all others who
were inclined to do their duty to almost
certain death, and at last, in despite of
all the efforts of the officers to the contra
ry, they ran as sheep pursued by dogs,
and it was impossible to rally them" Of
his own position in the unfortunate battle
of that day, he says :-.e By the all pow
erful dispensations of Providence, have
been protected beyond all human proba-
bllity or expectation. had four bullets
through my coat and two horses shot I'M
der me, yet escaped unhurt, although
death was leyeling my companions on ev-
cry side of me-" And of him. then but
% years old, the Rev. Samuel Davies
said in sermon delivered on the 18th of
August, 1855, but a month after the hat