The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-01
JULY THE FOURTH A SIGNIFICANT DAY ID MASONIC ORDER
Freemasonry a Dominant Force In Days Of The Revolution

Independence Day is celebrated throughout the Masonic world as a Masonic festival not only because the great principles of human rights for which the fathers fought liberty, justice, equality. popular sovereignty-are distinctively Mas onic, but bePPacIse the foremost leaders in the struggle for freedom were Masons.
 The magnif cent Masonic mem orial to Washington now being erected at Alexandria, Virginia, Is a noble tribute to the Great Eman- cipator. who at one time plesided as Master over a Masonic lodge.
 That patriarch of liberty, popular ly known as the Father of the Ameri- can Revolution, Samuel Adams, was a Mason.
 | Patrick Henry whose fiery elo- quence swept the Virginia HoIse of Burgesses into line. belonged to the Craft.
 Paul Revere, whose midnight alarm aroused the Niddlesex farmers, was at one time Grand Master of Ma pms of Massachusetts.
 l Robert Newman, who hung the signal lantern in th4 old North Church tow>r in Boston was a mem- Der of the Paternity.
 ce: eral Josep.. Warren, one of the | first to give his life for liberty and in whose memory Bunker Hill Monu- ment was erected, was at one time Grand Master of Masons of Massa- clusetts.
 The first Continental Congress was composed largely of Mascns. In fact, the statement has beer made that | with five members absent the Con- g"ess could have opened as a Masonic lodge. Peyton Randolph, the pre- siding officer was Past Grand Master of Virginia. John Hancock, wh sue ceeded him. and whc e signature on the Declaration of Independence stands out boldly so that "The King
 of England could read .. without spectacles", was a Mason.
 Benjamin Franklin, whose states
 manl1ke sagacity. irresistible person. l allty. and rocklike character, added | force and power to the Revolutionary | cause, was Past Grand Master of Pennsylvania.
 During the war, nearly all of
 Washington's generals were Masons; i; LaFayette, Won Steuben, DeKalb, who
 Tell at Camden, Knox, Greene, Moul- trie of South Carolina, Stirling.
 who was appointed to receive Corn.
 wallis sword at Yorktown, St Clalr who won renown at Quebec under
 wolfe, the brave Montgomery, Liv- insston. James and George Clinton. Mad Anthony Wane, Light Horse
 Harry Lee, who in honor of Wash
 war first in peace, first in the hearts or his countrymen,"-read the roll
 or the men whose names are forever glorious as compeers of the Immortal
 Washington. the great majority of them were Masons
 Lafayette has been quoted aa sav- ing that Washington never gave his confidence to any of his generals un- less he knew them to be Masons. The infamous Quartette of major generals whose treachery. ingrati- tude and selfishness jeopardized the cause or the colonies were not Ma sons: Lee, the traitor of Monmouth. the contemptible Gates, continually plotting Washington's downfall; the arrogant adventurer Conway: the conspirator Miflin.
 Gen. John Sullivan. the liberty lov- ing 1rishman, was Grand Master Of Masons of New Hampshire. Gen. Joseph Reed, who was offered S6o.OO0 and the best pot in the British government If he would turn traitor, cried, indignantly, T am not worth purchasing. but such as am the King of England Is not rich enough
 to do It." Reed was Mason.
 John Paul Jones, recognized as the father of the American navy, whose
 splendid heroism is the inspiration of America's youth and who, for the
 first time flung Old Glory to the breeze from the-mast of his ship, was devoted Mason.
 John Marshall, our first chief jus tice, and the greatest jurist of the worlds greatest tribunal; Alexander Hamilton. the founder of our national monetary system. and the supreme financial genius of our early govern
 nent; Haym Solomon, the Polish Jew of Philadelphia who gave all told | s65S,000 to the cause of freedom, all were members of the craft. So runs the story. Wherever Ma l sonic lodges meet this week and next, | tributes will be rendered to the heroic men. members of the mystic
 tie, who In the days that tried men s
 souls gave freely, and some to the
 uttermost sacrifice, to the principles $ of human freedom. Many lodges bear the names of these famous Masons of Revolutionary days, and this Is a
 custom worthy to be widely followed. The Masonic apron in all ages has
 been the symbol of liberty. justice l and human rights.
 Mason of Edinburgh. made many Ma | sonic bequests in his will; among