The New York herald., 1920-01-18

priceless relics, will serve as an eternal
fraternal tribute to him whose name It
| bears.
| 1t is curious THAI one of the most dis
tinguished or virginisn Freemassns after
ward became of the most dis
tingushed of New York Freemasons,
little known bit of Masonic history. This
was Most worshipful Joseph d. Evans.
Master of st. Johns Lodge, No. SO, Rich
mond. Va, in the year 1876 note In
the lodge record records that in this year
the Worshirful James Evans, Master re-
signed. sim1ly to permit Brother Joseph D.
Evans. Senior Warden, to be advanced to
the East. an honor which he stated he
had earned by zeal and faithful service.
Master Worshipful Brother Joseph Evans
was born in New York in 1907, but was
taken to Virginia when very young. He
was made Mason in Marshall Lodge,
No. 80. Lynchburg, Va, in 1872 and de-
mitted into st. Johns. No. g. Richmond
soon after. He returned to New York in
1913, where he became an energetic worker
in Capitular. Cryptic and Chivalric Ma
sonry and also prominent in the Scottsxe
Rite. He rose to be an Inspector General
OF the Thirty-third degree in the North
ern Jurisdiction In 1854. M. W. 3. Evans
was elected Grand Master OF Masons of the
State of New York and lived to enjoy his
Masonic honors many years. as he survived
lunti 1888
When Richmond Fell.
During the occupation of Richmond by
| federal troops, in 1868. the building al
ready referred to as the Oldest Masonic
edifice on American soil. was protected
| by a special guard, which permitted no
disturbance of any Of its property. An of
flcers cavalry sabre, left hanging on the
hall rack at the time OF this episode. has
never been removed from where its owner
| left it
The proceedings of Richmond Randolph
Lodge, No. is, contain an amusing account
Of singular proceedings" in the year
l7S. which are Of a nature illustrative
OF the liberty Of those rare old times. but
would cause the modern District Deputy
to faint dead away did such ever come
! to his official ears in the line OF duty.
On December 6. 1851. one "Mr. William
Lambert" was proposed, elected and ini-
tiated at the same meeting. he being a
transient person." On December 13 he
was elected secretary OF the lodge for the
remainder OF the Masonic year. On the
| 18th he was made a Fellowcraft and
signed tho proceedings as secretary at
the next occasional meeting held Deceu-
ber %. at which meeting David LAM
| BERT" who had been secretary. was
elected treasurer. On December - Eil-
lam Lambert was raised to the sublime
degree OF Master Mason.
In 1871. a single black ball having been
deposited against a candidate in this lodge.
the Master ordered the election to lie
over" and the person who cast it to state
his reasons. The reasons were declared
mot good by the Master. who declared
the candidate elected. and elected he was.
In 1872 n candidate proposed as a elan
destine Mason was balioted for. elected
and initiated anew. This We now call
healing but the entry stands as above.
! In the same year this undeniably john
ny the spot lodge expelled a trades
man for crooked dealing with the breth-
ren.
Lodges Nos. 10 and 10 laid the corner
stone OF the first Virginia State Penlten-
tiary in August. 1921.
Richmond Randolph. No 10. received and
bandueted General Lafayette on October
30. lS24.
During he civil war all of the lodges
enumerated performed many faithful Of
fices of Masonic relief and charity to
brethren and temporary foe alike bury
! ing members of the craft belonging in
discriminatory 10 either army whenever
the slain bore evidence Of Masonic affiis-
/ dion. with The honors due.
Naturally. in this brief sketch OF the
enormous field OF interest presented by
the myriad ramifications of Virginia Ma
sonry, its noble Scottish Rite bodies, it, !.
splendid Temparsm, it's energetic Chap
terS OF fOgdl RTCl Aa@ollIE' us pIoSTeS-
sive shrines. cryptic rite and other fea-
lures, especially the charitable ones. have
been impossible Of inclusion, but they are.
all there, "and then some"
Virginia Freemasonry. consisting OF 3cs
lodges is presided over by Most Worship
ful Ernest Lee Cunningham. a young.
handsome and worthy successor of such
men as John Blair and Edmund Ran
dolph. who has added TO the faurets or
the Virginia Jurisdiction during his ener-
getic term. The hospitality OF Virginia
Freemasons Is proverbiaL No Virginia
Mason ever forgets that his IS the Ma
sonry OF Washington or fails TO represent
the spirit OF the Cavalier state as Wash
ington would wish him to reflect IL