On tuesday night the seventeenth of August your Lodge has reserved the Little Theater of Alexandria for their production of "1776", a delightful and historical musical. Several of the brethren and I took our wives to see this play at a dinner theater a few years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. I personally am looking forward to seeing it again and hope that you can be with us. Be sure to bring the children and grandchildren as this is a show that will be enjoyed by all ages. You may obtain tickets from any of the Officers at $5.00 each. The theater only holds 200. so get your tickets as soon as possible. If you cannot get to Lodge to get your tickets. call me and I will have them mailed to you.

At our first stated meeting this month we will receive the District Education officer of Masonic District l-A, Worshipful Brother Vernon E. Durapau. who will be our speaker of the evening. I am sure you will find his views on Masonic Education very interesting.

On the weekend of September 24-26th we will be visited by the Brethren of Liberty Lodge of Beverly, Massachusetts. These Brethren, with their wives. visit us every four years and two years later, we visit them. During their stay in Alexandria we will be hosting the Brethren and their wives in our homes. Through the years, many valuable friendships have been made during these visits. Our guests will be arriving Friday evening the 24th at approximately 5:30 PM and will depart Sunday morning the 26th around 10:30 AM. We will need hosts for approximately twenty couples. If you would like to take part in what promises to be a delightful weekend contact our Senior Warden, Brother John Ranck.

I hope this summer, thus far, has been enjoyable and that the remainder will be even more so.

Sincerely and fraternally,
James B. Stone
Worshipful Master

Brethren,

Please check the date on your dues card. Make sure your dues have not fallen into arrears. Your assistance is appreciated.

August 26, 1926 - "Brother John T. Ashton presented the Lodge a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence which was accepted by the Master of the Lodge."

August 15, 1876 - "A funeral Lodge was held for Past Master John B. Hancock, who passed away on August 13th in the 81st year of his age. The Craft under the direction of Bro. John P. Clark as Marshall, proceeded to the residence of the deceased where his remains were received and borne to the "home of the dead" and deposited there with all the ceremonies prescribed for such an occasion, there to rest till the resurrection moment, when we hope he shall arise for judgement and be found purified and sanctified to take his place among the redeemed in the Temple of the skies."

August 10, 1826 - "It was moved and adopted that Bro. Gustavius A. Brown withdraw the petition of Caroline Kiffer" Note: Dr. Gustavius A. Brown was one of the physicians in attendance at General Washington's death. Did he propose a woman for membership in the Lodge?

M. Dulany Ball, son of Major Spencer M. Ball (whose groomsman, Lt. Robert Beverly Randolph, U.S.N., pulled the nose of President Andrew Jackson on board the steamboat "Sidney" while she was lying at the wharf at Alexandria. with Presidential party en-route to Fredericksburg, Va. May 6th, 1833, see page 177), born June 23rd, 1835, was captured with his Company, the Prince William Cavalry, of which he was Captain, by the Federal troops when they occupied Alexandria, May 24th, 1861, was exchanged and rose to be Colonel of the 11th Va. Cavalry, C.S.A. After the war practiced law in Alexandria, until appointed Collector of Customs at Sitka, Alaska, in 1878, he was afterwards, in 1885, made U.S. District Attorney of Alaska; about 1880, he with others, several of whom were officers of U.S.S. "Jamestown", organized a Masonic Lodge under a charter from the Grand Lodge of Washington State, of which he was made Master, he died at sea, three days out from Sitka, on September 13th, 1887. on his way home, and is buried at Falls Church, Va.

D.M.R.