The Washington times., 1921-03-01
OLD Bible FOR
HARD|NG.OATH
New President to BE Sworn on
Ancient Book Of New York
Masonic Lodge.

Extraordinary precautions will be
taken by the committee of St. Johns
Lodge No. I, +. and A M, of New
York city in bringing to Washing
ton the Bible upon which George
Washington took the oath of office
as President of the United States.
President-elect Harding will take
the oath on the same Bible Friday.
LEAVES LODGE ROOMS TWICE.
the New York lodge for more than
100 years and on only two other oc-
casions has 1t left the lodge rooms.
In 1892 II was taken to Pennsyl-
vania for exhibition and few years
later 1t was carried to white Plains.
N. Y. also for exhibition purposes.
President Mckinley was going to use
the Bible to take the oath OF office,
but at the last minute changed to
Bible given him by his mother!
A committee consisting of Frederick
A. Onderdonk. master of st. Johns
lodge and past masters will arrive In
Washington with the Bible Thursday
on q special train attached to one of
the express trains from New York.
How Washington came to take the
oath on this Bible is interestingly
told by Adolph Geering. OF St. Johns
Lodge.
HOW WASHINGTON TOOK OATH.
Everything was ready for the ad-
ministration Of the oath of office to
the President Of the new Government.
when 1t was found that there had not
been provided a Holy Bible on which
the President-eiect could swear al
legiance to the Constitution. Jacob
Morton, who was marshal OF the par
ade and at that time Master of st.
Johns Lodge, was standing close by,
and, seeing the dilemma they were in.
remarked that ne could get the altar
Bible of st. Johns Lodge. which met
at the Old Coffee House. corner of
Water and Wall streets. Chancellor
Livingston begged him to do so. The
Bible was brought and the ceremony
proceeded.
'When the stately Washington had
finished repeating the oath, with his
right hand resting on the open book
and his head bowed in reverential
manner, he said in clear and dis
tinct voice, Il swear, so help me God"
Then bowling over this magnificent
Bible he reverently kissed 1t. Where
upon Chancellor Livingston in a ring
ing voice exclaimed, Long live
George Washington, President Of the
Unit ed States!
BORNE IN CORTEGE.
again our precious Bible was
closely linked with the immortal
Washington. On December rs. 1880. a
communication was received from the
grand lodge expressive of their most
ardent wish to pay reverence to our
iIlustrious chief and departed brother.
George Washington, and desiring our
concurrence. A committee was ap-
pointed which made arrangements for
attending his funeral obsequies, when
the Bible of the lodge. the same on
which he took his inaugural oath, was
carried in the funeral procession as
a last tribute of respect to departed
worth.
THE Bible was Printed by Mark
Basket, Printer to the Kings Most
Excellent Majesty, London, 1747.'
The Bible, in excellent state of
preservation. is. slightly smaller than
the usual family size Bible and also
smaller than the book. usually used in
Masonic ritual work. 1t Is now used
only in comforting the degree of mas
ter Mason in st. Johns, but the lodge
is considering omitting even this use
and bringing the relic out only on spe-
cial occasions.
1t is the custom to use a new Bible
in swearing in q President of the
United States and this procedure has
been deviated from only in a few In
stances. and then because VI some
sentimental value of the Bible that
was used. George Washington took
the oath on Bible that was not new,
because of an oversight on the part
of the men in charge Of the cere-
monies.
USED MOTHERS BIBLE.
Grover Cleveland took the oath on
a little worn red Bible that his mother
gave him when boy. bearing the
Inscription, as. c. Cleveland from his
affectionate mother. 1882"
Colonel Roosevelt likewise used a
Bible with personal associations, for
ADVERTTSE