My Brethren:

I wish to extend my personal thanks to those who were responsible for making our first open Installation of Officers such a success. Those who were not able to attend this affair missed a memorable event in the history of our great Lodge.

I have changed the format slightly of our usual stated meetings in my schedule for this year. As we have two stated meetings a month, there will be the reading of, and balloting on petitions only at the second stated of each month. Masonic Birthdays will be celebrated at the second stated also. Formal introductions will be dispensed with entirely at the first stated each month and kept to a bare minimum at the second. I sincerely hope no one is offended by my actions.

At our first stated meeting on January 9th, our program will be entitled "Rededication to the Principles of Freemasonry". Our speaker will be Wor. Rev. Bro., E. P. Bell, Past Master of Macedonia Lodge No. 238 in Jefferson, South Carolina and now the Councilor and Minister at the Rehabilitation Center for Alcoholics at Occoquan, VA.

Wor. Bro. Cabell F. Cobbs, District Educational Officer for Masonic District 1-A, will visit with us on our second stated meeting on the 23rd. and share his ideas with us on Masonic Education in Virginia. This good brother, a Past master of Henry Knox Field Lodge No. 349, is an attorney by profession and usually speaks "off the cuff" and straight to the point, so be in Lodge n this night and support this member of the Grand Lodge "District Team".

Many of our brethren have not had the opportunity to read through the old minute books of this historic Lodge, so as I did, I took notes of some historic events which have taken place in this Lodge over the years and they will appear on the "Lodge History" page which has been added to the Trestleboard this year. To make our members more aware of the part our Lodge has taken in the nearly 200 years existence of our great country, I have several programs planned this year dealing with the various phases of the history of this Lodge.

Tickets to the George Washington's Birthday Banquet are now available from our Secretary or any of the officers. We can seat approximately 250 people in the dining hall, thus we have only 250 tickets available for this affair on a "first come, first served basis". This affair will be held on February 17th as per requirements of our By-Laws and our after dinner speaker will be Wor. Bro. John L. Crofts who is the Grand Master of the International Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay.

Sincere congratulations go to Wor. Bro. Robert C. Swiger for his outstanding leadership of this Lodge during the past year, it was truly a "year to remember".

Brethren, please note the many nights that degrees are being conferred on the candidates in this Lodge and I implore you to come out and take a part, or if you will just be there to assist in bringing our new brothers to "Light in Masonry" you will be doing a great service to your Lodge. An empty Lodge room does very little to strengthen the image of our great fraternity to a newly initiated brother.

Please note the Masonic Night Church service this year is on January 5th, and as usual, is being held at the First Christian Church in Alexandria. This sermon will be delivered by our Grand Master this year. Please come and bring your friends to this annual affair.

Don't forget that dues notice you recently received from our good Secretary. Please return it with a check now, and please remember the Masonic Home of Virginia while you have your checkbook out!

Sincerely and fraternally,

Donald M. Robey
Worshipful Master

CANDIDATE INSTRUCTION - Every Tuesday and Wednesday, 7:00 until 9:00 in Alex-Wash Lodge Room.

YOUTH MEETINGS AT GWMNM - Alexandria-Washington Chapter, Order of DeMolay meets in North Room 2nd and 4th Saturdays at 7:30 P.M. All Master Masons Are Invited to Attend.

Newly installed officers for the ensuing year were Reuben J. Schooley, W.M.; Thomas W. Robinson Jr., SW.; John T. Ashton, J.W.; Wor. James E. Shinn, Treas.; Rt. Wor. C. Page Wailer Jr. Sect.; W. Selden Washington, S.D.; C. Aubrey Callahan, J.D.; Charles F. Swetnam, S.S.; Wilmer J. Wailer, J.S.; George W. Zachary, Tiler; John S. Allison and Percy F. Hall, Chaplains. These officers were installed by Most Wor. Brother Charles H. Callahan, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia and a Past Master of this Lodge.

January 8, 1925 - Wor. Robert W. Reid, P.M. of Washington Lodge No. 21 of New York City was received by the Lodge for the purpose of inviting the Lodge to attend the 125th. Anniversary of the Lodge to be held on March 5, 1925.

January 14, 1875 - An original letter from our late Wor. Bro. Gen. George Washington to a Mr. Hershome of Alexandria, deceased, was presented to the Lodge. The Worshipful Master was requested to have the same suitably framed to be hung in the Lodge Room. The petition of Mr. Kosciusko Kemper for the mysteries of Masonry was also read for information.

January 28, 1875 - On the motion of Bro. J.W. Rock it was resolved that any artist photographer or other person or persons who may desire to obtain copies of any of our Lodges property, shall only be permitted to do so after the Master has caused the Lodge to be summoned and then only by unanimous vote of the Lodge. The ballot upon the petition of Mr. Kosciusko Kemper was also circulated and he was declared elected to receive the first degree in Masonry.

Newly installed officers to serve for the ensuing year were Dr. Thomas Semmes, W.M.: Charles Chapin. SW.; Joseph Eaches, J.W.; John Dunlap, Sect.; Charles T. Chapman, Treas.; Washington C. Page, S.D.; Thomas L. Martin, J.D.; George H. Smoot and M.T. Stribling, Stewards and Benjamin C. Wood, Tiler.

January 13, 1825 John C. Miller and James English were initiated as Entered Apprentices and received a Lecture and Charge from S.B.T. Caldwell at the request of the Worshipful Master. Dr. Gustavius A. Brown was present at this meeting.

David Arell, son of Richard and Eleanor, was born in the State of Pennsylvania and with his father and family moved to Alexandria prior to the revolt of the Colonies from the authority of Great Britain. During the war of the Revolution (1778), he commanded Company No. 2, in the 3rd. Virginia Regiment, of which William Heth was Lieutenant-Colonel, and Thomas Marshall was Colonel, He was a lawyer by profession; became a member of this Lodge in 1783, and in 1784 was Mayor of the town. He had two children, viz., Christiana and Richard.

His brother Samuel also became a member of the Lodge shortly after it's organization in 1783. He represented Fairfax County in the Legislature of Virginia.

David and Samuel were buried in the graveyard attached to the First Presbyterian Church, Fairfax Street, the gift of their father to that church in 1773 (Now the Old Presbyterian Meeting-House)