Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-14
AT MOUNT VERNON,
Masonic Exercises at the Grave of
WRshinEtOn.

Washington.
| The It'll street wharf was reached at 9:3(
Sd Cavalry Band 6were escorted aboard
the Manchester and the pilgrimage on the
Potomac to the Washington home and
| tomb was begun at 9:55 o'clock. On the
steamer the details to be observed at Mt
| Vernon We're perfected.
| In order that the column at Mt. Vernon
| might be organized in convenient order. il
| was necessary for the steamer carrying
| Masons from the District of Columbia tc
| er carrying the Virginia Masons fell behind
| the Manchester at Alexandria and was
| close behind when the Mt. Vernon wharf
| was reached.
| On disembarking the procession was
made up in the following order:
| Third United States Cavalry Band.
| Grand ttler of the Grand Lodge of Vir
| ginia, w. c. Wilkinson.
Master Masons of the District of Column.
| bia.
| Visiting master Masons.
| Master MaSons Of Virginia
| Federal Lodge, No. 1, of Washington
Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, of Fred.
| ericksburg, Va.
Alexandria Washington Lodge, No. %, OF
| Alexandria.
| Grand masters.
| Grand officers.
Grand representatives of jurisdictions out.
| side of the District of Columbia.
Officers of the Grand Lodge of the Dis
| trict of Columbia
Officers of the Grand Lodge of Virginia.
Grand masters of Virginia.
The procession as thus formed then
| moved by way of the Washington mansion
| to the old tomb. At the mansion Presi-
| dent Mckinley and party were in waiting,
having arrived on a special train over the
| electric railway. The President was ac-
| companied by Secretary OF State Hay, Sec
| rotary of the Treasury Gage. Secretary of
the Navy Long, Postmaster General Smith,
! Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock, Sec
rotary Of Agriculture Wilson, Secretary ].
| A. Porter, Assistant Secretary Cortelyou,
General Nelson A. Miles, General II. C.
| Corbin, Major John A. Johnson and Sen
| ator Clark Of Montana. Senator Clark is
| past master of Masons of Montana.
Funeral Procession Formed.
With this distinguished addition to their
ranks the Masons formed in funeral pro-
cessioll, duplicating exactly as possible
| the formation of the column that followed
| Washington's remains 100 years ago. The
procession halted at the old vault, where
Washington was first buried. The ranks
| opened, facing inward. The grand masters
| OF Virginia and invited guests passed be-
tween the ranks, which then closed. A
solemn dirge by the band meantime added
irSpressiveness to the service. The cere-
monies here were conducted on raised
platform at the side of the vault. They
Were opened by prayer, offered by the
Right Rev. A. NJ. Randolph bishop of the
Vocal music of appropriate solemnity was
rendered by an octet from the Grand Lodge
of the District of Columbia.
Grand Master Duke of Virginia stated
that as the idea of concentrating the one
hundredth anniversary Of Washington
death was conceived by. the Masons OF
Colorado 1t was appropriate that Grand
Master A. A. Burnand should deliver an
address on the occasion.
Grand Master Burnand was introduced
and spoke briefly in appropriate strain.
He emphasized the great gift which the
Supreme Being had bestowed on this coun-
try when He gave George Washington life.
The speaker believed that God had in
tended only one Washington, and dwelt on
his peculiar fitness for the time in which
he lived. Grand Master Burnand declared
the belief that Masonry had been one of
the most potent factors in producing the
strength and nobility exhibited in the life
of Washington.
With the conclusion OF the ceremony at
the old vault. the Masons marched to the
present tomb. where the grand master of
Virginia presided. The grand master gath
cred semi-circle in front of the tomb.