Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-09
WASHINGTON MEMORIAL
Masons Will Celebrate Anniver.
sary of His Death,
CEREMONY TO BE NATIONAL.


Masonfc Bodies of the Whole Unior
and Foreign Countries Will Be
Represented - Washington's Flu.
neral Service to BE Repeated-AIl
Event.
The centennial anniversary of the
death Of Washington will be made al
event national in its significance. Dec
IA will be the occasion Of universal
mourning, and the day will be hallow'
ed by public commemoration of the
loss to the nation a century ago. Patri
otic organizations. especially the
Daughters Of the American Revolu
tion, are preparing to celebrate the
event in appropriate form, and the
Masonic order will be foremost in it,
ceremonies.
The Masons are preparing a pro
gramme to be given at Alexandria
Mount Vernon and Washington that
will surpass in impressiveness any
thing ever attempted in America by
that great body, says the Washington
Post. Masons of the highest rank
from every state and territory in the
Union will be in attendance, and the
president of the United States will de-
liver an address in memory of the man
who first took the chair he now oc-
cupies. The funeral services conduct
ed at the time of Washington's death
will be exactly reproduced, and the
solemn obseQuies of 100 years ago will
be faithfully repeated.
George Washington was member OF
the Alexandria Washington lodge, No.
%, at the time Of his death. He be-
came an entered apprentice of Freder-
icksburg Va.) lodge, No. 4, on Nov. 4,
1862; passed to the second degree
March 3, 1853, and was made mas
ter Mason Aug. 4, 1853. When the
Alexandria Washington lodge was
chartered in April, 17SS, Washington
Joined it as charter member and was
made worshipful master on May 20,
1888. The lodge still holds in its pos
session the same old charter it received
at the time, and it is one Of the most
valued relics in Masonry. When Wash
ington died. the old clock In the lodge
room was set at the hour he expired
1920, and the hands have never been
moved since.
In the lodgerooms are priceless relics
of Washington. His wedding gloves,
the knife that his mother gave him
when a boy, specimens of his manu-
script, the chair he sat in when pre-
siding over the lodge, all and number
less others are among the mementos
of the man who was a brother Mason
and at the same time the Father of His
Country. 1t is but fitting that the
lodge where he attended should lead
in this matter of celebrating his men,
DRY, and the distinction of being mem
ber of the lodge which Washington
attended is proud one indeed.
The grand lodge Of Colorado must
be given the credit of inaugurating
nial Of Wsshington's death among
Masonic bodies. The subject was pro-
posed by them back in 1893, and a
committee, consisting Of Roger Will
liams Woodbury., William D. Wright
and William David Todd, was appoint
ed to confer with other grand lodges
in the jurisdiction of the United States.
This committee deserves especial cred
1t for the energetic manner in which
1t has forwarded the plans. Through
its agency the other grand lodges in
the national Jurisdiction were commu-
nicated with. and the project received
the most hearty support.
A list Of 1S questions was sent out
asking replies which would suggest
the proper course to take. Among
these the different grand lodges were
asked to designate the grand lodge
which should have the lead in the cele-
bration. With common accord they
granted the honor to the grand lodge
of Virginia. Other valuable sugges-
tions were made as to the character Of
the ceremonies, the time and many
other details. The committee from
the grand lodge Of Virginia, which
then took up the work, consists of
Brethren Kosciusko Kemper, ]. B. Sen
er, John W. Daniel, Micajah Woods
and A. r. Courtney. Colonel Kemper,
being from Alexandria, has had great
deal Of the local details to attend to,
but he has been assisted by the whole
Masonic fraternity in Alexandria.
Most Worshipful Grand Master r. 7.
W. Duke Of the grand lodge of Vir-
ginia has also been very active.
The committee has assurances of
participation from about so grand
lodges with which they have been in
communication, including the grand
lodges Of New Zealand, Nova Scotia
and Quebec. 1t was hoped at one