Evening star., 1925-02-22

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will unite in the restoration
of the "Old First Church" Of that city
This old church, which adhered to
the Northern Assembly at the time
of the Civil War, expired as an active
church body in 1886, but, with the
changed modern view of such mat
ters. members of the existing Pres
byterian Church in Alexandria, which
belongs to the Southern Assembly,
are waging a vigorous campaign in
Northern and Southern quarters to
have the "Old First Church" restored,
not alone for its great historic inter-
est, but as a symbol of the present
accord between the North and the
South.
George Washington's Masonic
brethren had a prominent part in
building the "Old First Church." and
1t was here, according to records of
the Alexandria, Washington Lodge,
that the fellow lodge members of
George Washington gathered on De-
cember 81 1893, for the Masonic fu-
neral honors to their departed broth
er and past master.
The report of the "Old First
Church" restoration committee deals
specifically with these George Wash
ington associations of the historic
edifice, now crumbling to ruin, as
follows:
Here it was, according to that
valuable work of reference by r. L.
Brockett and Alfred G. Uhler, The
Lodge Of Washington that the
Lodge of Washington held its first
religious ceremony after its institu-
ton under the charter of 1888. This
was on the occasion of the anniver-
sary of st. John the Evangelist in
that same year, 1888, when, it is re-
cited, 'on that day the lodge walked
in procession to the Presbyterian
Meeting House." Fairfax street, where
he (Parson Kieth) delivered a char
ity sermon, after which a collection
was taken up for the benefit of the
poor of the town
And thus 1t is that the annals of
the lodge show that the anniversary
of st. John the Evangelist, during
many years thereafter, was the oc-
casion commemorated in Masonic
manner at the Old First Presbyterian
Church.
"It seems clear that George Wash
ington was an attendant at various
of the Masonic commemorations of
the anniversary of st. John the Divine.
1T was in the Old First Church
| that the Masonic funeral honors were
solemnly paid to their departed brother
| and master, George Washington, by
Lodge No. %, the lodge of Washing
| ton, and Brooke Lodge, No. AZ, on
| December 81, 1893, and it was here
on the following Sunday. December
29, 1893, that the union memorial
sermons for the public were preached
| by the Rev. Thomas Davis in the
| forenoon, and in the afternoon by
Rev. DR.. Muir, both chaplains of the
lodge, and on the following Sunday
January 5, 1900, the Rev. Mr.. Talli-
| son delivered q discourse on The Death
of Washington
"In the First Presbyterian Church
/ at 10 o'clock on the 22d day Of
February, 1900. was observed tn.
| first Masonic celebration, at least BY
Alexandria Lodge and perhaps first OF
all, of the Birthday of Washington
1t was at the close of this Grafton OF
DR.. Elisha c. Dick that In alluding tt
| the fame OF Washington he stated
| His fair fame, secure in its immor-
| tality, shall shine through counties.
ages with undiminished luster. Il
shall be the statesman's polar star
the hero's destiny, the boast of age
the companion of maturity, and ths
goal of youth"
/ A MORE complete general histor,
of the "Old First Church" ap
pears in the Historical work of Rev
| e. B. jackson, one-t time pastor o.
the Baptist Church in Alexandria, en-.
titled Historic Alexandria" HI
| states:
This building on South Fairfax
street was constructed in 1774
though restored in the next centur.
I.after the fire. Before that time tn.
Presbyterians held their meetings IL
the Assembly Hail. located on tn,
site Of The present clerks ofics