Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-30

-s-Lo,, aftsrvards became Grand Masters
Of ,be State aud Mr. Books also aitsl Irs'
20 tbe exalted position of Governor OF VII
giuia.. H., .oconitnlates
the early history of Masonry IN nlaI -
all. Of course, connected to greater - -
degree with the Fredericksburg L' 1i;e,
which. as has been stated ID tne ea a.s-
wears If its history performed the iuIot'Ouo
IF he Grand Lodge. The FrederieKsDu.Is
To5ge nlsved an important part IN spreau-
ia, Nasonic truth and in building up tne
o-5er in various parts OF Virginia. 10 tne
observance Of ST. Johns Day, December
D. q was customary 70 begin the exercises
a,;,b rsIigous worship and conclude with
5srcs or hall An invitation to one OF
tbsse halls in 1867, written on the eignt Vi
sDsdes Is now in the museum Ct MsshiDs
ION Lodge, in Alexandra, Va 1he ste"
ards of the lodge provided out OF the con-,
mon fund "hquors aud fine eanoies anu
9th pecessaries for the use OF the looge'
the assessment per capita being %. As
-esnl. of this action two large Gem inns
were placed in the ante-room OF the iouse,
which were kept constantly supplleo-UVDe
with the best Jamaica rum ana ine oIueI
with Holland gin. Ore Of these demlJ ohus
was called joachim and the other BOZ. suu
tradition s1vs the brethren were Oi'en
sfrengtbsued in their resolutions from thSse
sonrcss of inspiration. To Keep up 'De
foTds necessary for charity the treasurer OF
the lodge was authorized, at his dlscrsuon'
IN ,n-cbsse. on account OF the ledge, SIX
i,tts-r tichets The tickets, according
10 coalition. were issued IN Alex
sDdris. and we're signed ny George
washington as president OF the
comnspv "Jschin and BOaz" have long
been kicked from the ante-room OF the
lodge and modem ideas hsye abolished
the lottery which in other doys was en-
ploved to further the highest and most
benevolent and religious OBJ
'ects. Fredericksburg Lodge laid the cor
ler stone Of the monument to Mary, the |
mother Of Washington. The lodge also
aid the cornerstone of the national monu- |
nent to Washington, and thirty-seven
wears afterward participated in the csre-
mony Of its dedic5tiOn.
The address concludes with defense OF
.he religion, charity and patriotism OF the /
Masonic order In regard TO the exploded |
.ha-gs that 'Meeonry inculcates disloyalty |
10 the government, " Mr.. Q linn says:
NO charge would be more absurd Let
ls look mo Independence Hall, IN Phi!a- |
ielUhia. on the fourth of July, 1777. We /
here see ffy-six men who have solemnly |
or days and nights considered and have
,d1p'ed paper known as the Declaration |
# Independence. They are stixinE their
signatures TO IL, and pledging their lives,
.oriuuss q, d sacred honor fOT its rIsinten- /,
,ncs. We are told that ffty-two OF these
ifty-six patriots are FreemasOns. Look |
40 the American army, and we find lis
leader and nest Of his subordinate officers
re Mssons. The colonial governments
are in most part controlled by Freemasons,
AZ we'll as the Continental Congress that
conducted the war for indsp ndence. Ii
was Washington, a Mason, who led the
army 70 victory that established our free |
dom; Warren I'D Mercer, Mssons, sned |
their IFS blood on the battle field for no. !
srty, while Lafayette, Lse, Putnam, Sulh-
van, Barton, Jackson and Wooster, Ma
sous, seconded the efforts and Strengthened
Z be hand of their ctief
i was Thomas Nelson, Mason, Gov
arnor Of Virginia, who, in the darkest
iays q the Cont, deTation, helped to raise
s. GOO 900 90 prosecute The war; who paid
n .wo regiments with his OWL private
meau-; Who by his undGu=ted courage
gave ,rt ard hope to the disOrganized
roops ia Virginia and kept them IN line,
sud who finally impoverished himself to
save his country. And time would fail
me 10 speak Of the Franklins, Raudolphs,
Johnsors. Msrshalls, Davies, Caswel, Sea
bury and others who have held high po-
siiou m boto church and state, and who,
.shis .boy Sov- ben l~yel - Na~"e@'yi
have baen supporters and defenders OF the
Government. Tcus it WAS, then, that
Nss.ns wers most loyal sns devoted to
their country; thus it HIS been since, Is
now. aad viii be as long IS We have
country TO love and a Government to de
fa.7 90