The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-15
THE MAsoNs AND THE MONUMENT.
Why the Masonic Fraternity Was Not In
vited to Take Part in the Dedication

Why the Masonic Fraternity Was Not In
vited to Take Part in the Dedication
National Republican
Dissatisfaction has become general among the
members of the Masonic order here at the deter
mination arrived at by the joint commission on
the Washington monument not to allow them to
participate in the ceremonies OF the dedication
of the monument Feb 81
DR.. j. NJ Toner member of the joint COM
mission created by Congress at it's last session,
called on Col. byron NJ. Parker, the grano
master of the Masons Of the District of .o,,r,
bia, last summer, SOC" =. .cr the adjournment Of
Congress- and stated that it 1ss We .lle general de
sire OF members OF the commission to have the
Masonic order here take part in the dedicatory
ceremonies He said that the general plan OF
the commission was to have the ceremonies di-
vided into four parts to consist of an Grafton BY
Hon. Robert G. Winthrop celeh~o4;
Wy navy and a fourth by the
Masonic order Dr. Toner had talked with Sen
ator Sherman and other members of the com
mission individually and they seemed favora-
Die to this plan, although the commission had
not yet formally organized to take any action.
He asked Col. Parkers operation which was
promised cheerfuly
The idea of Col Parker was to communicate
with other grand lodges throughout the Union,
inviting them and Though them the subordinate
lodges, to join in tile ceremonies here, which
would consist of an Grafton by the most eminent
Mason available, procession, and the dedicatory
service Of the order at the monument. This he
urged would be eminently proper, Gen.
Washington was Mason, as we'll as the first
President of the United States. and soldier.
In an interview yesterday Col. Parker said:
when l returned from the Indian Territory
last month, and learned that the joint commits
sion had decided not to permit any official par
ticipation in the dedication ceremonies. which
would be confined to the Grafton in the House of
Representatives, thus shutting out our order
and the army and navy as WELL / had an inter
view with Senator Sherman, the president of
the commission, who told me that as the monu-
ment has been completed by appropriations
made by Congress- it assumed strictly national
character. and from this reason the commission
had decided that the ceremony should be wholly
under the direction of the national government
and the participation of Masonic or other bodies
would make it Of a local character. He suggest
ed to me, however, that the Masons had been
assigned the post of honor in the parade, follow
ing President Arthur and escorted by the mill
tary.
II told him that it was not the practice of Ma
sorry to help swell professions and street pa
rades, and even on this occasion they cannot be
induced to depart from their ancient customs
But had we been invited to perform an official
duty-Gen. Washington having been one of the
most eminent Masons of his time and master of
the Alexandria Lodge when lodges were few in
this country-we should have taken pleasure in
making our part of the ceremonies creditable
and to this end we had arranged to invite every
grand and subordinate lodge to assist us. The
grand lodge here should perform the dedicatory
ceremony, as that body laid the cornerstone in
1849, when the late B. b. French was grand mas
ter
'"The grand lodge also laid the cornerstone of
the Washington monument in the Pennsylvania
avenue circle at Twenty-third street. and after
ward dedicated the completed monument"
Col. Parker says that he officially informed the
grand lodge of the Districto these circumstances
and his action in refusing TO join in the ceremo
MES in such manner was heartily approved. He
has also communicated unofficially with the
grand lodge of Virginia and also with lodge in
New York city that proposed to come here
Judge Sener and another gentleman of the
lodge at Fredericksburg, Va, in which Washing
ton was made Mason, were here few days ago
as committee endeavoring to have their lodge
invited by the joint commission to take part in
the exercises the lodge claiming that it is better
entitled to recognition!than the Alexandria Lodge
of which Washington was a member,