The Washington times., 1903-04-19
Anniversary TO Be CeIe-
brated by Masonic Fra
ternity of Georgetown in
Fine Style Next Tuesday,
Has the GaveI Used by
George Washington at
Laying of Cornerstone OF
National Capitol.

Potomac Lodge No. ., r A a NJ. of
Georgetown viii celebrate its Hath an
niversa-y Tuesday evening. al Masonic
Hall, Ia that section of the city The
occasion viii be one of the. most i'm
p0rtant events in the history Of the
lodge The committee on arre ugemeDts
consists. of Dr.. Charles T. Lindsey,
chairman; Lem Towers, jr-. 3 3. Hunt,
j G. Huddleston. H. c. Mclean. Isaac
Birch. James s. Raeburn. and George A.
LeissIer J. Holdsworth Gordon viii act
as POSTMASTER. The toasts of the even
ing VIII be Fraternity to be respond
Cd TO by the Hon W. D. Bynum; Our
Ladies', response by the Hon ". Z
Andrews; President of the United
States, response by Senator Burrows:
Grand Lodge Of the District of Column
bia, response by George H Walker.
The officers of Potomac Lodge are v.
Cliff Stump, worshipfuI master; Charles
T Lindsey. s W A. 3. Bennett. secre-
tary, Isaac Birch. treasurer; c, H. VIII
liams, s D; Lem Towers. if. J. D.: r.
S Clifton. s. s. Charles J ellis. J. $;
I B. MouIton, master Of ceremonies; G.
W Allen. tiler. and Rev William TaIoe
Snyder. chaplain. The living past wor-
shipfuI masters of the lodge are J.
Holdsworth Gordon. W T WheaJIey,
DR.. T. G Lookerman, Isaac Birch. J. 3.
Thomas. James s. Hayes. Malcolm Sea
Ton, George W. Fritch. C W CornweI
T. H. Brinkman. ". s. Waddey, E J.
Hultze. James 5. Raeburn. Fred ".
Daw, Judge John a Lacey, A ". Hud-
son, and Rev Stanley BIIheimer-
Organization Of the Lodge.
Potomac Lodge was organized April
q. 1888, with D. W Fierer. worshipful
master. and J. T. Grier, senior warden.
The lodge is the possessor Of the much
valued relic, The washington gavel.
which was used by Gen. George Wash
ingtOR al the laying of the cornerstone
of the National Capitol, September IS,
1913. After using the gayel. General
Washington handed it to the master Of
Potomac Lodge. The master of Potomac
Lodge at that tine was Valentine RENT
eel, afteTward elected the first master
OF Potomac Lodge, No. 43. OF Maryland,
when It was organized in 1896, and IN
1911, when the Grand Lodge Of Masons
OF the District was formed, he was
chosen as the first grand master.
The gayel 5 kept when not in use IL
the vaults o. the Farmers and Ne
chanics' National Bank of GEORGETOWN.
According to the rules Of the lodge It Is
allowed only TO be taken from the bank
in the charge OF a committee Of three
specially appointed for the occasion. II
mas participated IN Masonic celebrations
all over the United States Il was used
Ia "a Etsffr 70 To-
cenbsr IN Philadelphia at the sesqui-
centennial anniversary OF General
WashingtOn's Initiation, also at the lay
ing OF the cornerstone of the capitol
building al Harrisburg Pa and The
laying Of the cornerstone Of the War
College at Washington, the latter being
the last occasion on which II was taken
from the bank yault-
Building It's Present Home.
IN 1858 Masonic Hall, on Thirty-sec-
ond Street Just north of II. Potomac
Lodges present home. was erected.
The site was purchased for $1,000 Al
the laying Of the cornerstone Of the
building Grand Master Of the District
George C Whiting. after whom George
c. Whiting Lodge Of MasCns Of George
town took lis name. delivered an ad-
dress. in which he highly praised the
members OF the lodge for the spirit
shown in the attempt to erect in the
heart Of the town such q building to be
devoted exclusively 10 Masonic pur-
poses. The building was completed IN
May. 1883, when the lodge took posses
sion OF 1t. L cost $II, sec.
In 1873 the regular business Of the
lodge was conducted in the Z. A degree
After 1925 the lodge was generally
opened IN the Il. Nj. degree. but in 1871
would occasionally be opened in either
the z. A. or f. C. degrees. In 1875 and
1896 the past masters degree was con
ferred by the lodge on nearly all Of the
members.
Potomac Lodge laid the cornerstone
in 1911 OF the Lancaster schooIhousc. in
1929 Of the Methodist Protestant
Church. and in 1881 OF the Georgetown
poorhouse. Some Of the early masters
OF the lodge were Daniel Kurt. 1913.
1919, 1915, and 1916: John Wiley. 1917;
George Richards. 1913. and James King,
1919, 1920 1921, and 1922. John Meyers
was master in 1925 and again III 1885.
Brother Lorenzo Dow, the celebrated
eccentric. itiueraIt preacher. delivered
al address 20 The members Of the lodge
on May 10. 1886. He died IN 1884, at the
home o. George " Halter, in George
town. one OF the past masters OF the
lodge. On February l. 1884, Potomac
Lodge conducted the funeral services
over his remains.
At Low EbD.
IN the years 1926 and 1897. through the
inattentlon ana falling OF Of its mem
bers, the lodge was at a very low ebb,
and was only kept up by the exeruous
Of a few OF the more jealous members