Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-05-18
Speeches at the Washington Lodge
BanQuet

Master Charles Woodbury., Of Libsrty Lo's''
Beverly. Mas,. last Thursday mig upon the &C.
cssion of the presentation to Washington Looge
of the gsvel made of wood from the tree uLua.
which General Washington asSumea commanu "a
the American army:
rejoice To receive this welcome. and reJoee 'iie
more because / bring In my single Eoice anu anu 49,
the oft-repeated message OF ancient I,fn me
Massachusetts, TO Virginia. Though you "eicoiie e
IL is my lodge you honor; and rejoice mos. % a.
cause it is the old time alliance oil virginia anu
ehuseits the great tradition Of great past 10 witch
,c now do common reverence. That time Is more
than century old but this soil, in this spot how
near il seems. wish could express the Thoughts
ia, are in nv heart wish could utter the emotions
that stir and thrill me Tonight stinuihg On e so
Virginia the homo OF the Cavaliers VINO ud va ,,nn
snrvice for the King defence of the Colonies uhuer
Tho mother country; the birthplace oil the company
of illustrous soldiers, statesmen, ana orators la
and Christian gentlemen, whose lower III iouiiui's
this renubc was so nobiy felt and whose influence Ill
guiding and supporting its young lie WAS SO precious
come from the Puritan Coullnohweaitn, Tue non. VI
Carver and bradford and Sandish, Of John winthrop
I"hn EndicoIt and John Howard. from Lexington and
Concord and Bunker Hill, from the Old South meeting
House where sam Adams aroused the sons OF Liberty
N resistance and the old State House where no dehed
the roynl aud demanded the removal o thG
Kin, troops out of the town OF Boston from Faneul
Hall the first temple oil liberty In America whch rang
with The fryid elouuence of Otis and WARREN whose
echoes borne all the winds OF heaven were caught
up bv your own Patrick Henry III the House oil Deie
.,,tes 81 Williamsburg where he fired the hearts oil the
sons of Virginia i'll the cause OF the Colonies anu sem
them hllrrVlnL on their WHY 10 jun tuo SNisANSS'
srmv at Cambridge With such memories III my heart
cannot say with what awe and reverence my pilgrim
feet approached these places sacred 10 patriosh Tue
home and BIRTH place OF our greatest man VINO mas
made Virginia famous through all ages-the Father o
his Country Standing amid the scenes where his youth
was nurttired, beside this peaceful river on whose
hores he dwelt within the shadow OF yonder vsner-
able church. where he bowed his knees III prayer anu
in sight OF the haowed spot where his sacred dust Ie
poses recall with pride and emulation his great en-
reer MIS- unmatched character and his inmeiisuraDle
fame His portrait looks down upon me. stand IN
his lodge aud as look into your faces ana take you by
the hand rejoice to think that rs the republic lie
founded shall never fall from the earh so his uhdyins
memory shall forever be precious BOND between lie
common children Oh thAt county "h'eH "N' ~ wv
To be the honored guest OF the Lodge of Washington
Sill feel to be privilege. The Thought mas
often come to me whether the brethren OF this lodge
are fully of the exalted place you hod among
the Masonic bodies of America To mo you are the
most favored of them all, because you had Tor your
Charter Master the most precious Jewel In the crown
Masonry" But it has also been your privilege to
receive and entertain i'll your lodge that distinguished
patriot and soldier, the friend OF Washington ana
America, Lafayette II has fallen TO your fortune 10
share in many historical occasions o. the highest IN
terest and To represent the craft at the Oh the
corner stone of National Capital and OF the most
famous memorials of Washington erected by ms eoun
trvncr; and have borne upon your rol! An I'M
rvlIied number of chosc1 men, illustrious Tor hgh
station and useful 10 their day and generation III public
and in private life. Ii WAS through tns reiharhaDe
history that my interest in you began. brother Ma
,on who had wandered from his nntlye heath IN Nr-
ginG the quiet New England village beside the sea-
that am proud TO call my home, came into my store
pleasant autumnal day III the fall OF 1899 And from
him procured copy OF the history OF the Lodge OF
Washington. When found time to perus; IT, became
intensely interested in the lodge III the story OF It's
institution and o its public SERVICE It's celebration oil
st JOINS Day for many years. and III the ancient
manner by sermon aud banquet the record oil It's
long continued and abundant charities not ior your
selves but for the poor OF the cltyn worthy example
for the brethren OF all Masonic lodges ana one winch
would like To revived to-day fingered long over
tue biographical sketches of the brethrcn-that Boodly
company of men, who not only served their country Iii
hen day nj zen
euowmen WELL thus exempliiying in their daily
life and walk the great principles OF Masonry must
refer especially, the speech OF Dr. Dick, delivered
St. Johns Day in 1899 after the death of Washing
ton. The wish that he then expressed speaking of
the memory of Wnshington-that 1t might be par
ticuary nurtured by the fraternity of Free and Ac-
cepted Masons to the end Of time 80 impressed me
that determined 10 try 10 carry out the de SO lar as
could, i'll my lodge On the Both of April, 1909,
the anniversary OF the Inauguration of Washington as
President, l invited some OF my Masonic friends to
celebrate that event by banquet. Inspired by the
words of Dr. Dick. proposed that the company should
purchase bust Washington and present II 10 Liberty
Lodge. They received the suggestion with much en-
thusinsm and the bust obtained Then began my
fortunate correspondence with Worshipful Brother
Kemper which resulted in the graceful and much
priced gift of the gavel by your lodge on February
End, ieyJ. At that celebration brother, WHO had
visited your lodge told that by one OF thoce mis-
chances nsephrabie from war, your Savei once USED
by the hand of Washington in presiding over this lodge
had been lost to II seemed fitting to us that we
should endeavor to replace ii, and In looking about for
some material of real value and OF historic appropriate
ness. OF which to make il, eyes turned naturally
toward the Washington ELM in Cambridge. Through
Mavor. we were enabled TO obtain the wood from that
Historic tree
The Washington Elm stands on tho south side OF the
common i'm Old Iambrid,re. Tradition saws that Whit
field preached under fine tree i'm 5 but the great tree
destined to scenes that stirred the blood more
heard the ,vh-nernrs md of treason long
before the agitation had begun in the town OF Boston,
foonv from the COLLEGE, var at noon tide with
iii; c,o,en friends ~ rcst IN H. friendly shade and
unfold 10 them the vision OF his youth free and indie
oendcnt America n dream which he saw accomplished
DR. Holmes has recently written an account of this tree
which he calls the most honored of American trees
Iivnq, or dead h. smoke of The bontires he tells US
in which were burned the futile procnmations of the
King were waited through its bn,nches II down
ut ni,,bt unon the burial of the minute men of Cam
hrid vh felI on the nemorable 10Th of Anril II re-
ceved beneath ia sheering shade the patriot army AS
il retired from Runker UUlodef,ted hut not dscour-
AGED Sear il Was horn the Coniinef,ta army organ
led bv General Ward the Commander Of the h,ssa-
chusets troops The most memorable scene i'm the life