Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-04
Its One Hundredth Anniversary to Be
Commemorated.
TEE CEREMONIES At MOUNT VERNON
Ten Thousand Master Masons Ex-
pected to Participate.
THE COMMITTEE IN CHARGE

Lodge of Masons of Virginia to arrange
for proper observance of the one hun
dredth anniversary of the death of George
Washington, December IA, 1899, will hold
it's first meeting in Alexandria the 22d of
this month. Mr.. K. Kemper, grand junior
warden Of the Grand Lodge, is chairman.
and the other members of the committee
are j. B. Sener, John w. Daniel, ]. E. Will
lard and Michaja Woods. The anniversary
ceremonies are to take place at Mt. Yer
non, but the banquet Of it shall be decided
to have one) will be given in this city. An
Invitation will be sent to every Grand
Lodge in the United States, and 1t is be-
lieved that nearly every grand master will
be present. The committee expects to ar
range to accommodate ten thousand Ma
sons. The Grand Commandery of knights
Templar of Virginia will probably be in
vited to act as escort to the Grand Lodge.
AS President Mckinley is Mason he will
be invited to take part in the services at
Mt Vernon. and to deliver one of the adj
dresses. Gen. Washington was made Ma
son in the lodge at Fredericksburg. but he
was once master of Alsxandria-Was hington
Lodge of Alexandria.
The celebration will be under the imme-
date direction of the Grand Lodge Of the
Dis trict of Columbia, but will be partici-
pated In by all the grand lodges of the
United States, directly by those WITHIN
such radius will permit of personal at
tendance. 1t is intended that the services
at Mt. Vernon shall be similar to those of
the burial ceremony.
Inception of the Movement.
The movement for a proper commemora-
ton of the one hundredth anniversary of
the burial of Washington had its inception
about two years ago in the Grand Lodge of
Colorado. Since then one after another of
the grand lodges of the United States nave
appointed committees to take measures
for representation of their respective jur:s-
dictions
This movement, initiated by Masons, has
extended to all patriotic and civic socie-
ties. so that in every city, town, village
and hamlet a memorial service will b. held
December IS. 1899 There are cogent rea-
sons why this movement should appeal
with peculiar force to Masons everywhere,
for review of the records Of Washington's
death and burial is beautifully suggestive
of the high ideal of fraternal love and
charity ever cherished by the father of his
country.
Two days before his death. when max
Ing the circuit of his farm, Washington
was overtaken by showers of rain and
sleet, and he returned to the mansion
house at Mt. Vernon in chilled condition
Tho result was an attack of acute laryn-
gifts, from the effects of which he dice
while in the full possession of his facul-
uss, the morning of Saturday, December
IA, 1899.
OuIIIS Ills last illness tine general,
his friends and his neighbors called him,
was attended by three physicians The
first was his old friend and companion-in-
arms, DR.. James Craik, surgeon general Of
the continental army, and a member of
the Masonic fraternity. The other physician
from that neighborhood was DR.. Elisha
Cullen Dick, then master of Alexandria
Ledge. DR.. Brown of Port Tobacco was
called into consultation. At the moment
of Washington's death Dr. Craik stopped
the pendulum and hands of the clock that
stood on the mantel CT the room and which
remains today in the same condition it was
then left. The clock has become the pos
session of Alexandria-W ashington Lodge
No. ~, of Alexandria, Va, of which lodge
Washington was first master.
WashingtOn's Dying Request.
In his dying hours the general communi-
Gated to his secretary, Mr.. Lear, his desire
not to be buried until three days had
elapsed. His wishes were respected. A
family tomb, or vault, had been erected by
his brother, Lawrence Washington, on the
slopins hillside overlooking the placid wa
tiers of the Potomac river. Few and sim
pie, therefore, were the preparations re-
quired to bury the dead hero as modestly
and unostentatiously as he had lived. Con-
temporary accounts published at the time
state that multitude of persons asst m
bled at Mt. Vernon from many miles
around, Wednesday, December 49, 1893, the
day Of the burial.
After his military and public life Wash
ingtons standing as churchman and
Mason had made it Seem most fitting that
the ceremonial part of the obsequies should
be conducted by the clergy of the Protest
ant Episcopal Church and by his Masonic
brethren of Alexandria and Washington
city. As g. churchman he had generously
given of his substance toward the support
of public worship. The original records of
Christ Church. Alexandria, Va, show that
February 81, 1913, the then newly complet-
ed building formally cd tn 4 he
vestry, and the same day ten of the pews
were offered for sale. Washington becom-
ing the purchaser of pew No 3, paying
therefor 80 pounds and 10 shillings the
highest price received. The 2Sth of March
1863, when thirty-three years of age, Col
George Washington was elected vestryman
CT Christ Church. He did not then accent
this office, because he lived in Truro par
ism, and he. George Mason and others were
erecting Pohick Church, about four miles
from Mount Vernon. Of Pohick Church
he was a vestryman, ard here he commun-
ed, as his wife and many others have borne
testimony. In 1882 the old pastor of Po-
hick Church became disabled and his flock
scattered, many of them becoming mem
bers Of Christ Church, Alexandria, The
Rev. Thomas Davis, therefore, was selected
to read the burial office of the Protestant
Episcopal Church at the mansion house in
Mount Vernon and at the old stone arch
way of the Washington family vault Mr.
Davis was at that time rector of Christ
Church,
The Capitol Corner Stone.
AS Mason Washington had pre-
sided at the laying of the corner stone of
the Capitol in Washington officiating Sep
tember Is. 1893. as President Of the United
States and Masonic past master On that
occasion he wore his masters sash and the
apron presented to him by Lafayette and
which had been wrought with gold and
silver tissue and beautifully adorned with
Masonic emblems by the Marquise of La
fayette.
Lodge No so of Alexandria was formed
In 1888, working first under a warrant of
the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. After
wards this lodge adopted the name of Alex
drla-Washington Lodge, and as Lodge
No. % derived its warrant from the Grand
Lodge of Virginia.
To Alexandria-W ashington Lodge was CIV
en- the post of honor in the Masonic detach-
ment of the funeral procession. Masons of
the District of Columbia were also in line
OF the three lesser lights that were borne
into Washington's tomb two were held by
members of Alexandria, Washington Lodge
of Alexandria and one by Alexander Nc
Cormick of Georgetown. Two of these