Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-09

of Wales might find it possible to at
tend, but he sent word several months
ngo that he would be unable to do so.
President Mckinley was waited on
by the committee from the grand lodge
of Virginia and said that it would give
him the greatest pleasure to attend and
deliver an address. The president took
his first degree in Masonry during
the civil war while his detachment
was stationed IN Virginia and is in
certain sense looked upon as a Vir-
ginia Mason. AS the grand lodge
of the state Of Virginia meets about
the time for the proposed celebration a
special dispensation was granted to
hold the session of the grand lodge at
Alexandria instead Of Richmond, the
segular meeting place.
The details for the celebration have
not been fully completed, but tenta-
tive order Of exercises has been ar
ranged which will be adhered to unless
circumstances compel its alteration.
On the evening of Dec. 13 the grand
lodge Of Virginia will assemble in its
annual communication at the opera
house in Alexandria, and the visiting
brethren and invited guests will be
entertained there and at Washington
lodge, No. %, and elsewhere.
On the morning of the 14th of December the
grand lodge of Virginia, Fredericksburg lodge.
No. 4; Alexandria W ashington lodge, No. %; Fed
eral lodge, No. l. of the District Of Columbia,
and invited guests. together with the civic and
military associations to conform nearly as pos
sible to the funeral ceremonies OF Dec. Is, 1873,
will proceed from Alexandria to Mount Vernon
by electric cars and steamboats, leaving Alexan-
dria at $3.50 .. m. sharp. At Mount Vernon the
Masonic bodies will FORM together with the invit-
ed guests, the east side of the mansion and
proceed 20 the old vault by the same path and in
the same order in which the procession was form
ed on the day Of General Washingtons funeral,
Dec Is, 1799. At the old vault the services viii
be conducted follows: Solemn dirge by the
band; prayer by Brother the Right Rev. A. n
Randolph, bishop Of the Southern Episcopal dio-
cese of Virginia; music by octet from the
grand lodge Of the District Of Columbia; address
by the grand master of Masons in Colorado.
The procession will then move to the new vault,
in which the earthly remains Of General Wash
ington and his wife lie incased in marble sar-
cophagi and to which his remains were removed
on April 19, 1881. sThe grand lodge will form in
circle around the vault, assisted by the grand
lodge of the District Of Columbia and representa-
tives of other jurisdictions in front, lodge No.
on the right, and lodge No. % on the left, and
Federal lodge of the District of Columbia in the
CENTER. Suitable Masonic services at the tomb
will be conducted by the grand lodge Of vir-
ginas assisted by the grand lodge of the District
Of Columbia and the representatives OF the other
grand Jurisdictions and will conclude as follows:
prov if,v }ba oh pJ,;1 10 h, lodc
Of Virginia; vocal music; benediction by the
grand chaplain of the grand lodge Of the District
Of Columbia.
The procession will then break up and return as
individuals to the east front of the mansion,
where the grand master of Masons in Virginia
will introduce Brother William Mckinley, presi.
dent of the United States, who will make suit
able address to the Mason, and the general public,
who will then be admitted to full participation.
Hymn, America" sung by all present, the band
leading.
During the ceremonies minute guns
will be fired from Fort Washington
and from a United States war vessel
in the Potomac opposite Mount Yer
non. Military salutes will be fired at
the same time on the grounds of Mount
Vernon. The funeral services will be
exactly the same as those which were
held 100 years ago ut the same place.
After the address by the grand mas
ter of Masons in Colorado the grand
masters Of the 13 original states will
then stand in line in front Of the
tomb, facing out. The grand masters
of other states and foreign jurisdic-
tions will stand in half circle, facing
them. The grand lodge Of Virginia
and other brethren will stand in cir
Gle around the tomb, joining hands.
After a prayer by the grand chaplain
the grand master of Virginia will state
the purpose of the assemblage and ask
for greetings and responses from the
13 original states. After these have
been given he will turn to the states
from each section. including north,
east, south and west, and ask for
tributes to the memory of him whose
name they celebrate The responses
will be extremely brief, but appropri-
ate. At the close of the ritual the
grand masters will deposit their ever
green wreaths and the craft slowly
march by the tomb and do the same.
After the benediction the brethren will
proceed to the mansion.
Regarding the part of the celebration
to be held in Washington the commit
tee makes the following recommenda-
ton:
As this will be the first gathering together of
Masons Of the United States and foreign lands in
the worlds history, it will be proper to entertain
them at the close of the exercises at Mount YER
non with a banquet. Obviously the proper place
to hold this banquet, because Of the national
character Of Washington and Of the gathering Of
Masons from the United States and other lands on
that occasion, will be in the city that bears Wash
ingtons name and which he himself laid out. In
this connection and at the request Of your COM
mittee the grand lodge Of the District OF Colum-
bia has appointed committee Of cooperation,
and while there has been meeting OF the COM
mttees your committee feels satisfied that the
observance Of the day win conclude with an i'm
mense reception given by the grand lodge Of the
District OF Columbia to the grand lodge OF Vir-
ginia and the representatives Of the other grand
jurisdictions present, probably in the large con-
.vention hall of that city, to which not only our
brethren and all Masonic brethren will be well
coined, but Masonic occasion Of this kind
would be complete without the presence of the
wives, sisters mothers, friends and sweethearts OF
the Masonic fraternity opportunity will be
given at that time and in that way for this most
interesting and proper feature in the conclusion