Washington's Masonic Career.

WASHINGTON'S MASONIC CAREER .

We are indebted to the Keystone for the following particulars respecting the Masonic life of this eminent man , Bro . G . H . Ramey being the writer of the article from which they are taken . There seem to be rival claims respecting the

maternity of Washington as a Mason . The records of Lodge No . 4 , Fredericksburg , which held its warrant under Grand Lodge of England , contain the following : — " 1752 . Nov . 6 th . Received of Mr . George Washington , for his entrance , £ 2 3 s . "

" 1753 . March 3 rd . George Washington passed Fellow Craft . " " 4 th August , 1753 , which day the lodge being assembled ; present R . W . Daniel Campbell , & c . Transactions of the evening are George Washington raised Master Mason . "

On the other hand the English claim that he was made a Mason in a military lodge , No . 227 , which worked in America during the French war . Bro . Ramey says , it is supposed that when Washington was on a visit to Philadelphia in 175- in order to enable him to

, visit the military lodges in that city , "he may have been 'healed' or re-made for that purpose . " During the War of Independence Washington evinced great interest in the military lodges attached to the American army , and it is said that on one occasion he sat in a lodge

presided over by a sergeant . On St John the Evangelist ' s-day , 1776 , betook part in the festivities which the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania held , and was honoured with the chief place in the procession . On 6 th October , 1779 , tlie Grand Lodgeof Massachusetts granted a warrant

to a new military lodge , which was named 111 his honour the "Washington Lodge . " The same year he was unanimously chosen by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to be Grand Master of the proposed Supreme Grand Lodge of the United States . Other Grand Lodges

concurred , but as no such Grand Lodge ever came into being , the election was only a further testimony of the respect and affection in which Washington was held by the Craft . In i / Si he was presented with a beautiful sash and apron , manufactured at Nantes , and these relics

are held by the Alexandria Washington Lodge , No . 221 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Vir . ginia , of which he was the first VV . M . as a Virginian Lodge . In 178 4 he joined his brethren of the Alexandria Lodge—which , by the way , was at the time No . 39 on the roll of

Pennsylvaniain celebrating St . John the Baptist ' s-day . The same year he was visited by General de la Fayette , who presented to him an apron , most elegantly worked by the fair hands of Madame de la Fayette . This relic is now in the possession of the Grand Lodge of the country . On

the 18 th September , when a second time President of the United States , Washington laid the corner-stone of the Capitol in the city named alter him , with full Masonic ceremonial . It may likewise be mentioned that among the numerous presents he received was a sword given by

Frederick the Great of Prussia , himself the foremost Mason in that country . The illustrious hero died , after a brief illness , on i + th December , 1 799 , at his seat , Mount Vernon , State of Virginia , and , in the funeral rites accorded , the Freemasons of the United States were foremost

in showing the depth and sincerity of the affection they bore him . Almost at the moment of writing the above , Part V . of the History of the New York Grand Lodge ha ? reached us , and from it we extract a few additional particulars as to the conduct of

Masonry on this sad occasion . On the 23 rd December of the year 1799 an extra meeting of G . L . of New York was called for the purpose of testifying to the love and respect in which Washington was held . A resolution was passed to the effect that all the lodges in the State should wear mourning for the space of six months ,

that a memorial in his honour be erected in the hall of Grand Lodge , and that a committee be appointed to take part with other committees in preparing some public testimonial of his public and private worth . On the 30 th of the same month a second extra meeting of the same Grand Lodge was held , for the purpose of holding a funeral procession to his memory . The Knights

Washington's Masonic Career.

Templar , ten lodges , and Grand Lodge took part in this ceremonial , the most prominent figure in the line of march being W . Bro . Cadwallader D . Golden , bearing in his hand a short standard , with white pendant trimmed with black , on which was written

"BROTHER WASHINGTON , THE GREAT , THE WISE , THE VIRTUOUS , " and expressing also the figure of an . hour-glass

run out , and a sickle . Such is only one instance of the respect shown to the illustrious deceased . In thus honouring its most iliustrious member , Freemasonry did honour to itself .

"Two Nuns" And A Dying Brother In Sydney.

"TWO NUNS" AND A DYING BROTHER IN SYDNEY .

A few months ago , Bro . Roache , Master Mason , arrived among us from New Zealand in a very delicate state of health and in circumstances depressed by poverty . He was a native of Barbadoes , a Nova Scotian Mason , and was ( as he told us ) a Protestant by birth , but had become

" a Catholic ' from companionship . Though now suffering from Res Angusta domi , yet once he was in affluent circumstances , and had not failed to support the interest of his adopted religion . On his arrival in Sydney he was visited by

two Romish ladies called "Nuns , " who asked him a variety of questions , and ascertaining that he was " a Mason , '' and , besides , had nothing to give for the behoof of " the Church "—being in forma pauperis , the pious ladies parted religiously , but , alas ! not like " the Black-eyed

Susan , " lo meet again . When dire want" Mashallah ! " as the Persian would ironically exclaim —had eclipsed the virtues of our brother and had become the sepulchre of the loving hearts of the " religious " ladies , theie was no shaking of hands and sorrow of heart when they

were about to part from a dying man and ' ¦ a brother "—ay , a brother in every sense of the word . Is it not too true that '• ' Poverty parteth good fellowship "—even the fellowship and friendship of such heavenly . minded and affectionate ladies as the " Nuns ? " Very truly , indeed , does an old Scotch song

say"When I hae saxpence under my thumb Then I get credit in ilka town ; But when I hae naethin , they bid me gang by ; Hech ! poverty parts gude company . " Our brother ' s impecuniosity having thus prevented the saintly ladies from administering to

him the consolations of his adopted reli gion , Bro . Roache very naturally sent for Bro . Dr . Beg , Grand Chaplain , E . G ., who immediately waited on that brother and introduced his destitute condition to different W . M . ' s , P . M . ' s , and brethi . n , who , in the spirit of Masonry , rendered

to ou brother considerable material assistance , and made him and his poor wife feel easy and comfortable . Our brother was also regularlyvisited by one of those humble agents—a selfdenying town missionary , who did not fail in the spirit of disinterested Protestantism to direct

the attention of our dying brother to the " Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith . " Poverty might be sin in the Vatican , but it is no sin in the Hiramic Temple . The religion ofRomemight provea sanctuary and a safe asylum for a Lord Ripon , a Dives who possesses the

purse of Fortunatus ; but-to a Roache , a Lazarus , who is " a poor man , " it is " a lion ' s den . " While an opulent Ripon—the quondum Grand Master of English Masons , who forsook , without " rhyme or reason , " the Benevolent Order of

Hiram , is made much of by the Order of Rome , on account of his " broad acres , "—a penniless , Roache is treated by the devout ladies of the self-same Order as a Vaurien—a worthless , goodfor-nothing fellow .

" O , what a world of vile ill-favoured faults Looks handsome in three thousand pounds a-year . " It is evident the two Orders ar

opposition to each other , for the motto inscribed on the Temple of Rome is "Amor Nu . imi , " that on the Temple of Abif , " Amor Fratris . " Bro . Roache was a Mason of ij years '

"Two Nuns" And A Dying Brother In Sydney.

Standing : he had "taken five degrees * . " had spent much of his . time in "lodges of instruction . " He departed this life on 28 th June . Our brother ' s remains were interred in the Necropolis :

Rev . Bro . Dr . Wazer Beg performed the funeral service , and Bros . Nixon , of Robert Burns Lodge , and Ellis , of the Lodge Socrates , Huntingdon , England , rendered fraternal assistance on the solemn occasion .

Out * brother has left a widow , quite unprovided for , who now appeals to the fraternity for that brotherly assistance for which the Order of Hiram is so well known in " the popular world , " and shall be held memoria in aeterna . Brethren

will please fraternally forward their donations to our office , 166 , Pitt-street , to Bro . Nixon , Secretary Robert Burns Lodge , E . G ., 785 , Georgestreet ; or to W . Bro . R . Leworthy , D . Grand Secretary , Freemasons' Hall , York-street . — Australian Freemason .

Freemasonry In The United States.

FREEMASONRY IN THE UNITED STATES .

NEW YORK . OFFICIAL VISIT . —We have witnessed many visits of District Deputy Grand Masters that are called official , but none of more real and truly Masonic character than the one recently paid to the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 11 , by R . W . Charles S . Arthur , the District Deputy Grand

Master of the I-ourth Masonic District . The duties of that officer were fully and thoroughly performed by him in his examination of the proceedings and records of the lodge , and at its conclusion he addressed the lodge upon the importance of each and every officer thereof being in his place at each and every communication . He also spoke earnestly upon the duties of the members to render all

poss ' iUc aid to the officers in the discharge of their duties , which he said " was the corner stone of success in lodge labour . " He remained with the lodge until its close , which isa feature in official visits rarely seer . CONSTITUTION LODGE ( NO . 241 ) . —A large number of Craftsmen gathered at the rooms of this lodge on Tuesday evening , the 28 th ult ., to witness the exemplific . ni-ii of

the work of the jurisdiction of New Jersey , W . William II . Dovins having extended an invitation to Oriental Lodge , No . 51 , of Newark , to conferthe Third Degree . VV . Isaac H . Pierson , Master of Oriental Lodge , assisted by all his officers , conferred the degree in a most able manner . In the East were the R . VI . James E . Morrison , R . . V . C . B . Conant , VV . Bros . Kaitoute , Merrill , Terrell , Valentine

Page , Jcpson , Phillips , Mitchell , and others . After closing the lodge , the guests were most hospitably entertjii . cd . EvAMiiii . isT LOUOF . ( No . 600 ) , —At the communication of this lodge , on ihe 28 th ult ., occurred the reception of R . VV . George L . Montague , D . D . G . M ., Seventh District , on the occasion cf his official visit . Seldom is the

opportunity offered to see such a royal greeting as was accorded the It . VV . brother . With every seat occupied , anil every eye beaming wilh that enthusiasm which actuates every good Mason , the impression was not lost on the visitor , who in his response 10 the address of welcome by the Master , warmed as he was by the exhibition of earnestness on every side , he seemed to be enraptured , and

eloquently did roll the words of commendation for present appearances as well as good advice for future actions . The Third Degree was conferred in the masterly manner for which No . 600 is renowned . The historical portion having been confided to the distinguished visitor , his words were eagerly devoured by the large concourse of

brethren present , all of whom remained till the close of the lodge . Many brethren of distinction from this and sister jurisdictions were present , among whom we name H . VV . E . JI . L . Elders , D . D . G . M ., Sixth District ; W . Uros . Farley , Thorns , Uuach , Marks , Andreas , and man ] , oihcrs . —A ' ei . York Dispatch .

Statistics Of Masonry In Germany.

STATISTICS OF MASONRY IN GERMANY .

In the German Empire there are at present in existence eight Grand Lodges , with 32 G subordinate lodges and five independent lodges . Their classifications are as follows : In Berlin the Grand Lodge ol thc Three Globes , wilh 111 subordinate lodges ; Grand Londes Lodge with 8 _ lodges ; Royal York with 49 lodges ; Grand Lodge of Hamburg with 23

lodges ; Grand Lodge of the Sun at Bcyrcuth with 21 lodges ; Grand Lodge of Saxony with 18 lodges ; Eclectic Ciiclc with 12 lodges ; Grand Lodge of the Union at Darmstadt with 9 lodges and 5 independent lodges , altogether 331 lodges . The kingdom of Prussia contains 220 lodges , or twothirds of all German lodges , of which Three Globes has 103 ; Giand L . [ .., 63 ; Royal York , 46 ; Hamburg , 1 ; Eclectic Circle , 6 ; and Union , I .

Of lodges working under Berlin Grand Lodges there are six lodges in Frankfort-on-the-Main , and one each in Hanau and Wiesbaden . German lodges are in activity in 2 C 9 cities , and one is in a village , of which Berlin has 17 ; Hamburg , 13 ; Frankfort-on-the-Main , 6 lodges . Six cities each 3

lodges ; sixteen cities Oh , 2 lodges , and the balance of cities each 1 lodge . Germany has in a population of 41 , ( 00 , 000 , 331 lodges , or one lodge to 124 242 inhabitants . France has in a population of 3 6 , 100 , 000 , 148 lodges , or one lodge to 141 , 536 inhabitants ,