The New York herald., 1920-01-18

were seldom known to be such to the
outer world. 1t therefore supplied an
element of public surprise when General
Washington first emerged from the COM
parative secrecy he'd ging the craft and
walked openly in Philadelphia, in l77s. in
a Masonic procession of the Grand Lodge
| of PENNSYLVANIA to a st. Johns Day SER
mon at Christ Church.
It was at this time generally unknown
that in the previous year. during the long
and memorable Williamsburg convention
for the constitution of a Grand Lodge of
Virginia and election of a Most Worship
full Grand Master to render negative the
pretensions of the unwelcome British Pro-
vincial Grand Master, urgent and elo-
quent representations had been made to
General Washington with the object Of
inducing him TO accept the Grand Master
ship, which, following his refusal. was
conferred upon John Blair, OF Williams
burg.
The minutes of this transaction might
almost be termed the american Masonic
Declr ~ation Of Independence. for they
record the same successful effort to rem
der American Masonry independent of its
British sponsors as had been exerted by
the same men in the domain Of political
reorganization. Under date of June %,
1T7, they read:-"James Mercer being
elected president and James Kemp secre-
tary of this convention. the several depu-
tations being inspected and several letters
OF other lodges and also several charters
being read and considered this conven-
tion was unanimously Of opinion that
Grand Master for this State is essential
to the prosperity and dignity of Masonry
in general, but there not being a deputa-
ton from the majority OF the lodges
therein, decline the choice OF a Grand
Master for the present but in order to
prepare for the appointment of so essen
tial an officer in the amplest and most
constitutional mode by which scrupulous
Masons may be reconciled to such meas
ure, this convention are unanimously of
opinion that the most unexceptionable
mode of procuring such an officer in this
State. agreeable TO the several charters
constituting the different lodges herein.
will be for the respective lodges to solicit
their respective Grand Masters for the ap-
pointment of some one worthy Mason,
resident within this State. as Grand Mas
ter thereof, by which the several authori-
ties of the several Grand Masters OF Eng
land. Scotland and Ireland. from whom
the several lodges in this State hold their
charters, will be united In one and the
same person. and in order Ia continue
such an officer in this State the conven-
tion are of opinion that such charter OF
appointment should contain authority for
such Grand Master to resign the superior
ity of his principal into the hands of the
respective lodges in order that such
lodges by their deputys may form a gem
eral convention of tho craft, to elect a
Grand Master and proper officers of
Grand Lodge In time to come And in
order to give despatch to this business
this convention beg leave to recommend
to their constituents and to the members
of all other lodges in this State, His Ex-
cellency General George Washington as
n proper person to fill the office OF Grand
Master of the same and to whom the
charter OF appointment aforementioned
be made"
That the additional honor OF sitting as
the first Grand Master of the first Amer
ican Grand Lodge did not fall to the
'Father of His Country" was purely
matter OF his own modest disinclnation
and at that time unremittng devotion TO
sterner public business is now a matter
OF common knowledge.
Smoothing Rough Places.
The establishment or an Independent
Grand Lodge of Virginia with It's seat AT
Richmond did not, however. completely
the situation complained of at
the time Of it's organization. This we find
apparent in the subsequent existence of
a considerable schlsm. New lodges con-
tinued forming, who could or would not
accommodate themselves to the rules OF
the local Grand Lodge, and obtaining
charters from other grand jurisdictions
in defiance thereof. 10 was one of these
very contingencies when certain Masons
Of Alexandria petltioned the Grand rjodgo
-. rttlN mia far n rh tltaAx Ia