Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-08-09
August Masonic Dates

versaries in August, memoralizing
great men who have knelt at Masonic
affairs and taken the vows, and re,
Numbering their achievements.
The first date that claims Masonic
attention is August A. Upon this date
in 1853, the father Of his country was
raised Master Mason in Fredericks-
burg Lodge No. 4, Fredericksburg,
Va. Thirty-five years later he be-
came the first Master of Alexandria
Lodge, now Alexandria Virginia
Lodge No. %, in Alexandria, Va,
Washington was proud of his Masonic
associations and during his long life
gave many public avowals of his in
terest in the Craft and his belief in
its principles.
Admiral Farragut.
Coming down to the days Of the
Civil War, August was the ami
versary Of the Battle of Mobile Bay
in the year 1864, at which time Adj
miral Farragut, in command of the
Union fleet of Fl wooden vessels and
ironclads (monitors), attacked the
two strong forts, Fort Morgan and
Fort Gaines, that guarded the en-
trance to Mobile Bay ran through the
channel which had been planted with
torpedo mines, and engaged and de-
stroyed the Confederate naval force
Of four ships inside. This was the &C.
casion when he gave utterance to the
exclamation: Oh the torpedoes!
Go ahead" Admiral David G. Farra-
gut was Mason and his burial SER
vice was conducted by the Masonic
lodge at Portsmouth, New Hamp-
shire.
The following day, August 6, Ma
sonic memories will return to Revo-
lutionary times in commemoration of
the Battle of Oriskany, fought in the
year 1777, the strangest and blood
lest battle of the war. The spectacu-
lar and tragic details are known to
every school boy. The force that was
sent to relieve Fort Stanwix was COM
manded by Gen. Nicholas Herkimer,
who was a member Of St. Patrick's
Lodge No. of Johnstown, N. Y, Gen.
Herkimer died a few days after the
battle from the wounds received.
General Nathaniel Green, another
famous Revolutionary general, was
born August T., 1742. He was a MEM
Der Of lodge in Rhode Island and
wore a Masonic emblem around his
neck all through the Revolution.
Monroe Doctrine
Every American patriot, whether a
Mason or not, should pay tribute to
the memory of George Canning, the
famous English statesman who died
August 8, 1927. Canning has been
given the credit of suggesting the po-
litical doctrine which later was enun-
ciated by President Monroe and bears
his name. Canning was constant
enemy of the Holy Alliance, an ALI
ance of absolutist monarchs and the
Vatican in opposition to the rising
tide Of republicanism Gaming served
notice upon the chancelories of Eu-
rope that the power of Great Britain
was behind the proclamation Of the
American President. This fortnight
position OF the British Prime Minister
prevented an attack upon the democ-
racy across the seas. Lord Holland
declared that Gaming "has the finest
logical intellect in Europe"
George Canning was made Mason
in Prince of Wales Lodge in London
in 1910.
Frederick the Great is the most IA
NOUS Mason of German history. In
the 18th century Freemasonry was
Furnishing in Europe but there were
no coordination or standardization of
the various degrees. Under the au-
thority of Frederick the Great the
Ancient and Accepted degrees OF the
Scottish Rite were established and, it
is said, the use of the double headed
eagle, which was the heraldic sign of
his house and is the distinctive SYM
boil of Scottish Rite Freemasonry, was
granted to the newly organized or
der as sign of royal recognition and
approval. Frederick the Great was
made Mason in Absalom Lodge,
Hamburg, August IA, 1873, and two
years later he was made the Master
of this lodge.
President Harding
It is long cry from the blood
thirsty Warrior Emperor to the gentle
spirited Warren G. Harding. August
2 brought the anniversary Of his death