Words alone can not adequately express my sincere feeling of gratitude toward all the members of the Masonic community who took part in making my installation ceremony on December 27, 1991, the tremendous success that it was. I could not have asked for, or expected, anything better. I thank you very, very much. There were approximately 225 Masons and guests in attendance, but many of the invited guests were not able to attend due to sickness or conflicting commitments. So that all may share in my thoughts and desires, I have included below a portion of my message which I delivered to the audience at the ceremony:
JUST SHORT OF 204 YEARS AGO, ON APRIL 28, 1788, OUR LODGE WAS CHARTERED UNDER THE GRAND LODGE OF VIRGINIA, AS ALEXANDRIA LODGE NO. 22. ITS FIRST MASTER WAS ILLUSTRIOUS BROTHER GEORGE WASHINGTON. WHO, JUST ONE YEAR LATER IN 1789, BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. HE SERVED AS THE MASTER FOR 20 MONTHS FROM APRIL 1788 TO DECEMBER 1789.
BROTHER GEORGE WASHINGTON DIED ON DECEMBER 14, 1799 AND SIX YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, IN DECEMBER 1805, WASHINGTON'S NAME WAS ADDED TO THE NAME OF THE LODGE, THUS, IT BECAME ALEXANDRIA-WASHINGTON LODGE NO. 22.
WHEN BROTHER WASHINGTON WAS INSTALLED AS MASTER, THE PROPERTY AND FURNISHINGS OF THE LODGE CONSISTED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, OF A CHAIR WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE YOU SEE SETTING HERE, KNOWN AS THE "WASHINGTON CHAIR." THE CHAIR WAS GIVEN TO THE LODGE BY BROTHER GEORGE WASHINGTON WHEN HE BECAME MASTER; PRIOR, IT WAS USED BY BROTHER WASHINGTON IN HIS LIBRARY AT MOUNT VERNON. THE ACTUAL CHAIR RESIDES UPSTAIRS IN THE REPLICA LODGE ROOM. THIS ONE IS AN EXACT REPLICA OF THE ACTUAL CHAIR. UP UNTIL ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, THE ACTUAL "WASHINGTON CHAIR" WAS MOVED HERE TO THIS PLATFORM FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE MASTER, BUT, THIS PRACTICE WAS DISCONTINUED AT THAT TIME, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CHAIR HAD BECOME SO FRAGILE THAT EACH TIME IT WAS MOVED, IT WOULD SUFFER SOME DAMAGE. THE CHAIR IS NOW USED ONLY ON FEBRUARY 22, WHEN WE CELEBRATE GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. ON THIS DAY, THE GRAND MASTER OF MASONS IN VIRGINIA, MAKES HIS FIRST OFFICIAL LODGE VISIT AFTER BEING INSTALLED AS GRAND MASTER. DURING HIS VISIT, THE MASTER OF THE LODGE AND THE GRAND MASTER SIT IN THE CHAIR TO HAVE THEIR PORTRAIT TAKEN EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A REPLICA OF THE "WASHINGTON CHAIR; BELIEVE ME, IT STILL HAS THE SAME PROFOUND EFFECT AS BEING INSTALlED IN THE ACTUAL CHAIR. I AM EXTREMELY HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE 135TH MASTER OF THIS LODGE TO BE INSTALlED IN "THE WASHINGTON CHAIR."
SINCE WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF NON-MASONS IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT, I WANT TO TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES TO TELL YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO ME TO BE A MASON. IT CAN BE DESCRIBED...: ALL THAT IS GOOD; DOING GOOD FOR OTHERS. MANY SCHOLARS HAVE DEFINED OR DESCRIBED MASONRY IN VOLUMES OF BOOKS, BUT, I THINK IT CAN BE BEST DESCRIBED, BY TELLING YOU ABOUT TWO OF MY MOST RECENT EXPERIENCES.
ON MONDAY OF THIS WEEK, BROTHER GODFREY, OUR SECRETARY, AND I, TRAVELED TO RICHMOND VIRGINIA TO MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR THE LODGE ATTENDANCE AT GRAND LODGE IN FEBRUARY. WHILE WE WERE AT THE GRAND LODGE HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MASONIC HOME OF VIRGINIA, WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE HOME. WE HAVE TWO RESIDENTS FROM OUR LODGE WHO LIVE THERE.
WE FIRST MADE A VISIT WITH MRS BEATRICE ROBINSON. THE WIDOW OF OUR LATE MEMBER BROTHER WESLEY ROBINSON, WHO WAS A PRINTER AND PRINTED THE LODGE BULLETIN FOR MANY YEARS. "BEE; AS SHE IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN, IS NOW IN HER LATE EIGHTIES AND HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE HOME FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS. THIS WAS MY FIRST MEETING WITH BOTH RESIDENTS. WE HAD A VERY ENOYABLE VISIT WITH BEE, AND SHE SEEMED TO BE VERY HAPPY. AS I TALKED WITH HER, IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME, THAT SHE IS NOW AT A STATE WHERE SHE CAN NO LONGER TAKE CARE OF HERSELF AND NEEDS CONSTANT CARE OF A NURSE. IN THE MASONIC HOME, SHE GETS THIS CARE. BEE LIVES IN THE "CARE CENTER" WING OF THE HOME, WHICH IS MUCH LIKE A HOSPITAL, BUT, I WAS PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH THE FURNISHINGS OF THE HOME, AND THE FRIENDLINESS OF THE STAFF, WHICH MADE IT SEEM MUCH MORE LIKE AN ACTUAL HOME THEN A HOSPITAL.
AFTER COMPLETING OUR VISIT WITH BEE, WE FOUND BROTHER JULIUS PHIL PERSIANI WHO WAS IN THE SMOKING LOUNGE. BROTHER PHIL IS NOW 69, AND HAS BEEN IN THE HOME FOR THREE YEARS. BROTHER PHIL IS NOW IN VERY GOOD HEALTH, IS VERY HAPPY, AND IS VERY THANKFUL THAT HE NOW RESIDES IN THE HOME. THREE YEARS AGO, HE WAS HOMELESS, IN VERY POOR HEALTH AND IN FACT NEAR DEATH, AND HAD LITTLE WILL TO LIVE. YOU WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT TO SEE HIM AND TALK WITH HIM TODAY.
THE PHILANTHROPIC ENDEAVOR OF THE MASONIC LODGE IS THE MASONIC HOME. IT IS THROUGH THE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS LODGE AND THE OTHER 340 LODGES IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THESE TWO WONDERFUL PEOPLE, AND MANY OTHER LIKE THEM, TO LIVE THE REMAINING YEARS OF THEIR LIFE IN "GOOD" PEACEFUL SURROUNDINGS AND AMONG FRIENDS.
MY SECOND EXPERIENCE OCCURRED WHEN WE FINISHED OUR VISIT AT THE MASONIC HOME AND STARTED THE TRIP BACK TO ALEXANDRIA. WE STOPPED AT AN AUNT SERAH'S PANCAKE HOUSE IN RICHMOND TO GET SOME LUNCH. I WAS WEARING A SPORT COAT WITH A MASONIC LAPEL PIN. WHEN OUR YOUNG WAITRESS, NAMED "JENNIE" CAME TO THE TABLE TO TAKE OUR ORDER, SHE LOOKED AT ME, AND THEN AT GODFREY, AND THEN BACK TO ME AND SAID, "ARE YOU ALL MASONS?" I SAID, "YES." SHE THEN SAID, "ARE YOU A SHRINER?" I SAID, "YES, I AM BOTH." AT THIS POINT HER FACE LIT UP WITH A GREAT BIG SMILE, HER EYES TOOK ON A VERY SPECIAL TWINKLE, AND SHE PROCEEDED TO SAY, "OH! I AM SO GLAD TO MEET YOU. I LOVE MASONS AND SHRINERS!"
SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL US ABOUT HER LITTLE FOUR YEAR OLD SON, WHO HAD BEEN IN A ACCIDENT AND WAS BADLY BURNED ON HIS LEGS, AND THAT HE HAD BEEN TREATED INCORRECTLY AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. AND THAT THEY SAID HE WOULD NEVER WALK AGAIN. AND, AT A POINT WHEN THEY WERE WITHOUT ANY HOPE, SOMEONE TOLD HER ABOUT THE SHRINER'S HOSPITALS AND BURN CENTERS, AND SEVEN DAYS LATER, HER SON WAS TAKEN TO THE BURN CENTER AT CINCINNATI, OHIO WHERE HE IS NOW BEING TREATED, HAS IMPROVED GREATLY, AND IS NOW WALKING SHE WAS SO THANKFUL FOR THE SHRINER'S HELP. SHE CAME BACK TO THE TABLE ABOUT FIVE TIMES AND EACH TIME THANKED US AGAIN. JENNIE IS NOT FROM A MASONIC FAMILY AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A MASON OR SHRINER WAS BEFORE HER EXPERIENCES WITH THE BURN CENTER.
THE SHRINER'S PHILANTHROPIC ENDEAVOR IS THE SUPPORT AND OPERATION OF 19 CHILDREN'S ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITALS AND THREE BURN CENTERS. THE OPERATIONAL COST OF THESE 22 HOSPITALS IS IN EXCESS OF 40 MILlION DOllARS ANNUALLY, AND THIS MONEY IS PROVIDED SOLELY BY SHRINERS AND THEIR FUND RAISING ENDEAVORS. THIS YEAR, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE NOBLES OF OUR 30 MEMBER UNIT IN KENA TEMPLE, THE KENA 500, TO WHICH I BELONG, WE WILL HAVE DONATED JUST SHORT OF $10,000.00 TO THESE HOSPITALS. THIS MONEY CAME FROM MANY HOURS OF HARD WORK ON FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES.
FOR ME, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF MASONRY. TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING GOOD, AND TO BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE, BOTH MASONS AND NON-MASONS ALIKE, GIVES ME GREAT SATISFACTION. MASONIC WORK TAKES ON MANY DIFFERENT ROLES I COULD SPEND AN HOUR TALKING ABOUT THE CHILDHOOD LANGUAGE DISORDER CLINIC THAT OUR SCOTTISH RITE SUPPORTS AT JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY EVERY SUMMER, OR ABOUT THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR EYE FOUNDATION, BUT, I THINK THESE TWO EXAMPLES OF MASONIC WORK ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF WHAT MASONS DO AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MASON.
AS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE LODGE DURING THIS COMING YEAR, I HAVE SET A NUMBER OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, SOME OF WHICH I AM SURE WE WILL ACHIEVE AND PROBABLY A NUMBER WHICH WE MAY NOT ACHIEVE THIS YEAR, BUT, WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD DURING THE COMING YEARS. I WILL PLACE EMPHASIS ON A LODGE VISITATION PROGRAM, ON IMPROVING FRATERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, AND, ON MASONIC EDUCATION. WE WILL CONDUCT A LOT OF VISITS TO OTHER LODGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN ADDITION, WE WILL RECEIVE A VISIT FROM LIBERTY LODGE FROM BEVERLY MASSACHUSETTS IN MAY, AND A VISIT FROM CONSTITUTIONAL LODGE NO. 294 FROM BEVERLY, ENGLAND IN OCTOBER. SOME OF OUR OTHER MAJOR ACTIVITIES ... I HAVE PLANNED AN EXCITING AND CHALLENGING YEAR, AND ONE IN WHICH EVERY MEMBER OF THE LODGE CAN TAKE PART AND PARTICIPATE. I ENCOURAGE ALL TO BE ACTIVE IN THE LODGE EVENTS, AND I PROMISE I WILL DO MY BEST TO MAKE IT A GOOD AND REWARDING YEAR.
AS I STATED EARLIER, I AM THE 135TH MASON TO SERVE AS MASTER OF THIS LODGE.
SOME OF OUR PAST MASTERS HAVE BEEN VERY PROMINENT AND NOT ABLE PEOPLE, TO NAME ONLY TWO, ILLUSTRIOUS BROTHER GE0RGE WASHINGTON, THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF OUR COUNTRY, AND MOST WORSHIPFUL BROTHER CHARLES H. CALLAHAN, MASTER IN 1910 AND 1911, AND WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MAGNIFICENT MEMORIAL TO GE0RGE WASHINGTON AND TO MASONRY IN GENERAL, WHICH WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF USING TONIGHT.
MOST OF OUR MASTERS HAVE BEEN VERY AVERAGE MEN AND MASONS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. SOME TOOK ON VERY PROMINENT ROLES IN MASONRY AFTER BEING THE MASTER OF THIS LODGE, AND OTHERS DID NOT. AT THIS TIME, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT MY FUTURE ROLE WILL BE IN MASONRY, BUT, I HOPE IT WILL BE ONE OF DOING GOOO FOR OTHER PEOPLE, AND ONE WHERE AFTER MY EARTHLY LABORS ARE COMPLETED, FUTURE MASONS WILL SAY OF ME, "HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND A GOOD MASON."
I THANK THE BRETHREN OF THIS LODGE FOR ELECTING ME AS THE MASTER; I THANK THE INSTALLATION TEAM FOR INSTALLING ME AS MASTER; AND, I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS CEREMONY TONIGHT. I AM HONIORED BY YOUR PRESENCE, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE THIS A VERY SPECIAL OCCASION FOR ME, ONE THAT I WILL CHERISH FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY LIFE.
George Washington's Birthday Celebration
A REMINDER! The George Washington Birthday Celebration activities, which will take place on February 22, will include a banquet in the dining room, and entertainment by "The Singing Cedars" in the auditorium. Attendance at the banquet will be by reservation only, and your Ladies are invited to attend. The cost of the banquet is $12.00 per person. If you would like to attend the banquet, please send your donation check, payable to Alexandria-Washington Lodge, to me at my address as shown on page 8 and I will return your tickets to you either by mail or by giving them to you at Lodge.
Appointment of Assistant Marshal
I am pleased to report that Brother and Captain David Kitts Wallace, United States Navy, is now stationed at the Hoffman Building in Alexandria and is again able to attend lodge on a regular basis. I have appointed Brother Wallace as Assistant Marshal so he can assist Brother Colen with the Marshal duties during the stated meetings. Brother Wallace has been active in our degree work for the past several months and is attending the Sunday night Ritual School, which he tells me has been very helpful in learning the degree work and in refreshing his memory on Masonic Education. I commend the school to all who would like to become more active in the lodge events and meetings.
Scottish Rite Spring Reunion
THE 1992 SCOTTISH RITE SPRING REUNION, will be held on two Saturdays, March 28 and April 4, in the Scottish Rite Temple in Alexandria, Virginia. The fee is $175.00 for members over age 30 and $125.00 for age 30 or less. The deadline for submitting petitions is March 13, 1992. A portion of the fee must be submitted with the petition. Petitions can be obtained from myself or our Secretary. I would be honored to vouch for any member of the lodge who would like to join the Scottish Rite in this class.
Correction to the January Lodge Bulletin
In the January 1992 edition of the Lodge Bulletin, a list of the honorary members of the Lodge was shown. The name of RW Willard Dean Flockhart, PDDGM, elected 1990 from Henry Knox Field Lodge No. 349, was inadvertently omitted from the list. Please add RW Flockhart's name to you copy.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Granville C. Canard, Jr.
Worshipful Master
Charge of the Month
The A. B. C. of Freemasonry
by Delmar D. Darrah
Copyright 1915
Coming to the Point: No organization of equally high importance is as little understood as is Freemasonry. It is not an order in the sense that term is applied to the mushroom secret societies of the period, but rather a society. fraternity, brotherhood, or institution. It is not a club for it does not amuse. It is not a system of signs and grips for convenient use in traveling about. It is not an insurance society for it offers nothing in the way of sick and death benefits. In the ceremonies through which you have passed many definitions have been given you of Freemasonry. Some of them perhaps have been more or less understood. You were told that it is a system of ancient hieroglyphic moral instruction taught by types, emblems and allegorical figures, the early and primitive way of teaching men. To reduce this to simpler language would be to say that masonry is a system of morality veiled in allegory. But to define masonry in the simplest language possible would be to say that it is the science and art of right living. As a science it is concerned in discovering and classifying those principles which go to make upright moral conduct; the art is living those principles before the world. There is every evidence that the men who formulated Freemasonry had in mind the idea of a fraternity whose morality would satisfy their conception of a religious life and which could be best exemplified in their daily relations with the world and each other. In masonry will be found a blending of the best philosophies of all the world. This does not mean that those old philosophers who gave utterance to these truths were Freemasons but it does mean that the men who formulated Freemasonry have collected the best utterances of the wise and good men of the past and have cemented them into a beautiful mosaic and called it Freemasonry.
HISTORICAL NOTE
200 Years Ago
by. Rt. Wor. William A. Brown, Lodge Historian
February 22, 1792 - Establishment of the National Birthday Celebration to commemorate Washington's Birthday. Alexandria Lodge and Potomac Lodge had agreed to hold a joint meeting, and invited George Washington to join with them for a dinner celebration of his 60th Birthday. It is noted that on February 22, 1792, "Motion was made in Congress to adjourn for half an hour. It was perfectly understood that this motion was made to give members an opportunity of waiting on the Chief Magistrate to make the compliments adapted to the occasion. This action was seriously opposed, and the ayes and noes called upon the question. The adjournment was carried by forty to one upon the question." However, Washington sent his regrets, as he was unable to attend the Masonic Dinner, which was held in a Tavern in Georgetown.
"VIGNETTE" - by RW John Price Riddell, PDDGM
"OOPS"A Vignette, published earlier, referred to the original petition submitted to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania requesting the authority to operate a Masonic Lodge in Alexandria, Virginia. This petition, dated April 6, 1782 was signed by Robert Adam, the proposed Master, Michael Ryan, Senior Warden, Will Hunter, Jr., Junior Warden, John Allison, Senior Deacon, David Sturart, Junior Deacon and Robert McCrea, Secretary. The petition was properly submitted, and contained no apparent irregularities. Close inspection however, would have disclosed an obvious flaw which seriously compromised the credibility of that document. Robert McCrea, who signed the petition as Secretary, was not a Mason. The oversight must have gone undetected by the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge Officers; and most likely, the other five who signed the petition were also unaware that McCrea was not a Freemason.
This embarrassing impropriety received prompt attention at the first meeting of Alexandria Lodge No.39 on February 25, 1783; on that day, Mr. McCrea was initiated, passed and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Although the minutes did not record the hour of opening and closing, it must have been a long meeting.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
life is full of untapped sources of pleasure.
Education should train us to discover and exploit them.
Carl Frederick Murdock - November 27, 1991
Clarence Monroe Wells - December 22, 1991
Vincent Michael Mahoney - December 29, 1991
| Day | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 02/03/1992 | 7:00 pm | CALLED COMMUNICATION - Work in the MM Degree |
| Tue 02/04/1992 | 7:00 pm | CALLED COMMUNICATION - Work in the FC and MM Degrees |
| Fri 02/07/1992 through Sun 02/09/1992 |
Grand Lodge Floor Work, Hyatt Richmond Hotel, Richmond, Virginia | |
| Sun 02/09/1992 | NO RITUAL SCHOOL - Officers attending Grand Lodge | |
| Mon 02/10/1992 through Wed 02/12/1992 |
Grand Lodge Session, Hyatt Richmond Hotel, Richmond, Virginia | |
| Thu 02/13/1992 | 7:30 pm | STATED COMMUNICATION - Report on Grand Lodge Session. Program on Masonry in Japan; MW Floren Lamont Ouick, guest speaker |
| Wed 02/19/1992 | 7:30 pm | Alex-Wash Lodge Official Visit to John Blair Lodge #187, Alexandria Scottish Rite Temple |
| Thu 02/20/1992 | 7:00 pm | CALLED COMMUNICATION - Work in the EA Degree. Also, rehearsal for Officers to receive the Grand Master on Feb 22 |
| Sat 02/22/1992 | 8:30 am 9:30 am 4:30 pm 6:30 pm 8:00 pm |
George Washington's Birthday Celebration Activities Wreath Laying at Mount Vernon. All invited to attend Reception at Collingwood Ubrary. All invited to attend Receive Grand Master of Masons in Virginia for his Official Visit. MM only The George Washington Birthday Banquet. By reservation only Musical Program by "The Singing Cedars." Auditorium, GWMNM. All invited |
| Thu 02/27/1992 | 7:30 pm | STATED COMMUNICATION - Presentation on the Williams Portrait by RW William Adrian Brown. Presentation on Masonic Education by RW John Price Riddell. Masonic Birthday recognition |
| Fri 02/28/1992 | 7:30 pm | Visiting Lodge - Mt. Vernon Royal Arch Chapter #14 will conduct their February Stated Convocation in the Alexandria-Washington Lodge Room |
| Sat 02/29/1992 | 10:00 am | A. Douglas Smith Lodge of Research #1949 Stated meeting in the North Lodge Room. |
+ LODGE RITUAL SCHOOL - conducted every Sunday at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted in the Trestleboard. This school will cover work in all degrees and in catechisms. The school is for all members of the Masonic Community and ALL are invited and encouraged to attend.
+ OFFICER PLANNING MEETINGS - conducted in conjunction with the Sunday Night Ritual School.
+ MASONIC BIRTHDAYS - recognized on second stated unless otherwise noted.
+ STATED COMMUNICATIONS - second and fourth Thursday except Thanksgiving; Observance of George Washington's Birthday and Installation on Saint John Day, December 27th.
+ OTHER MEETINGS AT GWMNM - Alexandria-Washington Chapter, Order of DeMolay meets the first and third Monday at 7:00pm in the North Lodge Room; Bethel No. 22, I.O.J.D. meets the first and third Wednesday at 7:00pm in the North Lodge Room.