The Voice of Freemasonry | Vol. 24 No. 1

Volume 24, Number 1

THE 275 ANNIVERSARY TH

AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

OF

WASHINGTON’S BIRTH

THE LEGEND LIVES ON

GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Voice of Freemasonry Volume 24, Number 1, 2007 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert B. Heyat, Grand Master MANAGING EDITOR Mansour Hatefi, Grand Secretary

THE LEGEND LIVES ON February 22, 2007 marks the 275th anniversary of the birth of the quintessential American icon, George Washington. Yes, we know that he was “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen”; but did the man really live up to the legend? This

The Voice of Freemasonry is an official publication of

issue of the Voice of Freemasonry endeavors to answer that question

the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons

by focusing beyond the romanticized stories and popularized myths.

(F.A.A.M.) of the District of Columbia. Unless otherwise

You will find articles discussing Washington as a leader and role

noted, articles appearing in this publication express

model and a man of conscience and great scope. Learn more about

only the private opinion or assertions of the writer, and

Washington the Mason and discover Washington the early Ameri-

do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Grand Lodge. The jurisdiction speaks only through the

can futurist. Read about why this virtuous man deserves the

Grand Master and the Executive Board and, when

impressive Masonic memorial that bears his name and how Wash-

attested to as official, in writing, by the Grand Secretary.

ington played the key role in the location and founding of our

The editorial staff invites contributions in the form of

national capital. You will uncover a Washington who, it turns out,

informative articles, reports, news and other timely

was every bit as great as we have come to believe.

information (of about 500 to 1000 words in length) that broadly relate to Masonic law, lore, customs, history, symbolism, philosophy, responsibility of membership,

Cover art is courtesy of National Heritage Museum in Lexington,

etiquette, current events, and/or general public inter-

Mass. George Washington, ca. 1847 by Rembrandt Peale (1778-

est. When possible, photographs that illustrate these

1860), oil on canvas (75.6).

informative articles should accompany the submission.

Pieces submitted should be typed, double-spaced and preferably accompanied by a computer disk in a neutral PC format or via e-mail to: grandlodge@dcgrandlodge.org

Table of Contents

Page

Cover Credit........................................................................................................2 Grand Master’s Message .....................................................................................3 Articles are subject to editing and, when published, become the property of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of

George Washington, Leader and Role Model ........................................................5 George Washington, The Man ..............................................................................6

the District of Columbia. No compensation is allowed

George Washington, The Mason ..........................................................................8

for any articles, photographs, or other materials sub-

George Washington, Early American Futurist ......................................................10

mitted for publication.

Grand Master’s Homecoming .............................................................................12

Permission to reprint articles will be granted upon

A Masonic Memorial to a Virtuous Man ..............................................................17

written request to the Editor from recognized Masonic

George Washington & Washington, DC ..............................................................20

publications and others. When reprinted, articles

Membership in the Grand Lodge ........................................................................22

should note: “Reprinted with permission of the Voice of

World Conference of Grand Lodges, 08 .............................................................24

Freemasonry in the Nation’s Capital, (month), (year).”

In Memoriam: Gerald R. Ford ............................................................................25 The National Masonic Trail .................................................................................26

Please direct all correspondence to:

Coming Events and Seminars ............................................................................27 2007 Grand Lodge Officers ...................................................................back cover

Managing Editor: The Voice of Freemasonry 5428 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. Washington, DC 20016-2524

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Photo credits: All photographs in this issue, unless otherwise indicated, were provided by the Grand Lodge photographer, Brother Sviatoslav V. Voloshin. Gallagher Photography produced the group photo appearing on the back cover and the George Washington Masonic Memorial provided the parade photo on page 19. Unless otherwise indicated all other images were derived from open sources on the internet.

GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE

Grand Master’s Message Brethren:

F

irst I want to thank all the brethren of our Grand Lodge, who have supported me and have put their trust in me. It is because of you all that I am standing here today to serve each and every one of you in your Masonic work in this Grand Jurisdiction. As the Grand Master, representing each and every member of this Grand Lodge, it is my sincere hope that we will work together as a team to accomplish our mission to advance the principles and ideals of our fraternity and to attain our goals. I also want to take this opportunity to thank immediate Past Grand Master, MWB Albert McNair Smith and all the Past Grand Masters who have supported and guided me and I look forward to their continued advice and support in future. I especially want to acknowledge my deep appreciation and thanks to my beloved wife Shahnaz and my children who have supported me throughout the many years in my Masonic labors. Without their understanding and support none of this would be possible.

I would also like to congratulate the brethren who have been invested as Grand Lodge Officers and once again remind them that in our endeavors we must remember that we are here to serve our brethren in this Grand Lodge.

As I alluded to in my remarks at our Annual Communication, belief in the Grand Architect of Universe and the universality of our Brotherhood forms the basic foundation of our Freemasonry. We all believe that we are descended from the same stock, partake of the same nature and share the same hope, working together for the same vision and mission. I am proud to be the Grand Master as well as a member of a Jurisdiction that is an oasis of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, regardless of creed, race and ethnicity.

Today we live in an interconnected world, with unexpected and fast changing conditions. We face complex problems which have resulted in much friction due to misperceptions and misunderstandings. Societies around the world are faced with chaos and grave problems of poverty, injustice, disease, and misery as a result of economic dislocation and erosion of moral and social values. In my view the mission of Freemasonry, confronted with these circumstances, should be

to adapt to the new conditions and strive to promote a global civil society to be used as a model to bring balance to the present chaotic situation. This civil society can exist only with equality for all without prejudice, and to provide liberty, security and wellbeing for each individual. I believe that we as Freemasons must be concerned with the problems of our societies. We must continue in our efforts to help good men to improve themselves and become better citizens and better leaders in their communities and societies by adhering to and promoting the ideas and ideals of Freemasonry.

M.W. Brother The reality of the present sugRobert B. Heyat gests that the future of our Craft will be determined in large part by what we will do today and in the immediate future; that is, to have an inspiring vision and a practical mission.

This can be achieved if we are truly builders, avoiding short-term fixes, intent on serving both the present and the future of our societies. We must have long-term strategies and projects within our lodges and the Grand Lodge, backed and carried out through the total dedication of both our leaders and the members in our Jurisdiction. We, as Masons, are not visible in the daily life of our communities and our identity is often misunderstood by people or misrepresented in the media or by our religious or political adversaries. For Masonry to grow and become strong, influential and relevant, we must provide value and challenge for our existing membership while at the same time projecting a positive image in the society, so that we can attract quality candidates and retain them. We should not concentrate our efforts only to increase the level of membership in our lodges; rather, we must provide the environment to attract quality applicants from all segments of society and give them real Masonic continued on page 4 The Voice of Freemasonry

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GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE

education, ritual proficiency and inspiration through mentoring, inculcation of moral values and meaningful challenges to create a deep sense of duty in their private and public life.

The average age of our membership is getting younger every year, and this generational change gives us an opportunity to begin our work with schools and universities, and through projects and interaction, to attract a new generation to our ideals, principles and conduct as a fraternity, thus creating a valuable source of potential candidates when they enter the society. In today’s world with so many professional obligations, the family plays an important role in our lives. We must transfer our knowledge of Masonic principles and mission to them, so that they are aware of the high value of our obligations and will support us in our efforts. Our activities must involve the family as much as possible, to foster a greater social and fraternal bond between our membership.

Effective public relations, publications, media programs, and effective communications through an easily accessible, interesting, and informative website, will make us more visible in the community. Special projects, Masonic exhibitions and events by our lodges and the Grand Lodge, involving Masons and nonMasons will help initiate the discussion of issues of importance to people, society and our Fraternity. We can promote Freemasonry through celebrating events

of national importance, cornerstone layings, wreath layings and through closer relations with the civil authorities for such events, as we have done in the last two years with The Initiated Eye, TV programs, the medal of freedom and wreath layings. Our charity and philanthropic programs can and should be more effective with real results and benefits for the recipients and our Grand Lodge. Except for a few special projects, all of these can be the programs of our lodges, whether individually or in concert with other lodges, and the Grand Lodge should be there to support them.

My brother, what I have shared with you, as my vision and mission in Freemasonry, has been my earnest belief since the day, forty years ago, when I was initiated into this noble Fraternity. I assure you that I honor your trust and I am fully committed and dedicated to fulfill my dream and obligations to this cause, and I ask all of you and all the brothers and sisters in our Appendant Bodies to come together as a team and work as a team, in order to achieve our goals for the Craft. All this can be done by working as a team with a shared vision, with a little personal sacrifice, and a lot of dedication, and by helping each other and our families, and by serving our communities and our great country. God bless you, God bless our Fraternity and God bless the United States of America.

Robert B. Heyat, Grand Master

“The fabric of our freedom is placed on the enduring basis of public virtue, and will, I fondly hope, long continue to protect the prosperity of the architects who raised it. I shall be happy on every occasion, to evince my regard for the Fraternity.”

Washington in his response to an address to Charleston, South Carolina Freemasons

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GEORGE WASHINGTON, LEADER AND ROLE MODEL

George Washington, Leader and Role Model Mansour Hatefi,

T

he rich and auspicious history of the United States is replete with heroes and icons and significant leaders. But I think it is fair to say that none – not a single one – is on a par with George Washington.

Washington, after all, was not only our first president, but also a man whose record as a soldier, statesman, and Mason, brings to us a lofty conception of his life and character.

Washington was a towering figure. A man who was a giant in his own time and a legend thereafter. Indeed, today, more than two centuries later, he lives on in the hearts of the American people: the embodiment of all that we – individually and collectively – aspire to and hold dear: Patriotism, Courage, Integrity, Judgment.

PGM, Grand Secretary

threefold characteristics of intellectual and moral capacity and visionary leadership over a long period of time. For the only valid test of a leader is his ability to bring people together to achieve sustainable results over time.

Washington knew the “true north” of his moral compass and was prepared to stay the course despite the manifold challenges and disappointments. He was more concerned about serving others than he was about his own success or recognition. His values, as a leader, were shaped by his personal beliefs, developed through introspection and consultation with others and years of experience.

Washington lived his life

–both public and private–

George Washington was not only a Freemason who lived in the Golden Age of Masonry, he was a Mason who truly embraced the values and principles of the Craft, which is something all of us need to keep in the forefront of our minds. Washington lived his life – both public and private – subsumed by the very code of ethics we honor today: dignity, charity, compassion, nobility and of course, all the laws of the land as well as those of the Grand Architect of the Universe.

That is why we honor and respect Washington and revere him as a man and a Mason. According to Washington biographer Joseph Dellaway Sawyer, the generally accepted definition for Freemasonry that Washington ascribed to was, “the activity of closely united men, who employing symbolic forms borrowed principally from the mason’s trade and from architecture, work for the welfare of mankind, striving to ennoble themselves and others, and thereby bring about a universal league of mankind.” This to me, my Brethren, is perhaps the best definition of our Fraternity.

subsumed by the very

Unfortunately, however, aspiration and achievement are two different things. And while we may still revere these qualities in practice, the moral value of the times we live in has elevated expediency above all else. As a result, never in our history have we needed to assess where we are headed—as we do today. And we have never been in need of genuine and visionary leaders as we are now.

code of ethics we honor today: dignity, charity,

compassion and nobility.

It is against this backdrop that I submit to you that we need to strive to revive interest in George Washington; to revive him as our prime national hero and role model, and renew his ideas which made our nation great. For in a very real sense, it was his character and leadership that forged this nation. And it is high time to return to the values he espoused and to communicate those values to the younger generation.

Then and only then, will they be in a position to appreciate that success and convictions are not mutually exclusive. And that the core values of this great brotherhood of ours are, in essence, the ideals Washington championed.

It has been suggested that the main reason for Washington’s emergence as the leader of our nation was his

Let us pledge here and now, then, that each and every one of us will do all we can to spread his philosophy of Freemasonry, and his and our virtuous ethos across this great land of ours. And thus serve our country, as well as our Fraternity. ■ The Voice of Freemasonry

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GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE MAN

George Washington, The Man O

ver the years there have been countless commemorations of our illustrious forefather, George Washington, our first president and the commander-inchief of the Continental Army – that miniscule force that won freedom for this country. Yes, the life of that great man has been told and retold. It’s my hope that this article will help add a new dimension to our collective appreciation of Washington, the man. This concept of Washington, the man, is stressed because he was like all of us – mortal in every sense of the word. We should honor him, emulate him, and appreciate his great contributions to his nation and to mankind.

But we should always remember that he was, in the last analysis, only a man. Why then do we pay him such great homage? The answer may be that Washington was the most distinguished man of his time.

Furthermore, he was a distinguished man who fully appreciated his relationship with the Grand Architect, one who understood his role as an apprentice laborer in the quarry of the master.

Walter R. Hoenes,

Past Master

grew more and more contentious. Historians tell us that Americans at that time were as disunited then as any group of people could possibly be. They had no unity of purpose, few agreed goals, and even on those objectives supported by a majority, there was disagreement as to how they might be achieved. At the time that Washington took over command of the Continental Army -- a rag tag outfit if ever there was one – the cause of independence was almost hopeless. Many, in fact, supported the Tory cause, and in good conscience. Washington was the underdog of all underdogs. Really he was an American David, or Gideon, a warrior who put his trust in God. There was no one else to whom he could turn.

This great man

spent his entire life

One wonders what Washington would think if he could see us today. Many of us are prone to look upon the social developments of our day with alarm and apprehension. We seemingly have lost our equilibrium, and in the process, we have begun to suspect each others motives, to distrust our most cherished institutions, and to fear for our safety in a world that daily grows more complex and terrifying. If our times seem grave, what would we have thought had we lived in the era of Washington and the other founders? Consider the perspective shared by Washington and his colleagues.

The ultimate capitulation of the British, did not, as some had hoped, lead to the harmonious unification of the colonies. Instead, with the end of the war, it seemed that everyone gave full time to the cultivation of his own special, selfish, and parochial interests. In time, Washington was called upon once more to smooth the waters of discord, when in 1787 he was summoned to Philadelphia to chair the Constitutional Convention. His character and reputation once more became the stabilizing rudder for a group that seemingly wanted to go in several directions at once. He answered the call of his country, yet again, by serving as its chief executive under the new Constitution. Truly, if it had not been for this man Washington, the fledgling republic, from which our nation evolved, might never have been born; even in the joy of military victory, many of our ancestors were locked in a selfish economic and political struggle.

Our country in the eighteenth century was a weak little outpost of western civilization, a land believed to contain immense wealth, for which the great powers vied over the course of many decades. War was a constant threat on the western frontiers, and with every passing year, relations between the several colonies and the mother country

Perhaps you are asking the same question as I am: why did the colonists turn to Washington when they faced these great challenges? Personally, I am of the opinion that Washington was chosen by his countrymen because they trusted him, and they trusted him because of his selflessness, his humility, and his dedication to duty and

doing his duty in an

attempt to establish a better society.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE MAN

service. So far as can be determined, he never refused an opportunity to serve others, and as a consequence, major portions of his life were spent away from the comforts and satisfactions of his beloved Mount Vernon. This great man spent his entire life doing his duty in an attempt to establish a better society. In this, he experienced no easy victories, and as a matter of fact, he lost many battles before he won his wars, military or political, but he never lost faith. He had a reverence for life that gave him strength, even when the odds were hopeless. He firmly believed that human happiness and moral duty are inseparably interconnected.

possible. As a result, his life was one of constantly growing responsibilities. To him it was a duty to have compassion for the other guy, to sympathize with him in time of sorrow and to share with him his joys. This is something that too many of us find hard to do.

Washington was also concerned with life’s depth, and for him the depth of life was to be measured in beliefs and convictions. He truly believed that no man is master of either his life or his possessions. To him, it was just as essential to have a firm trust in God as it was to have a firm foundation on which to set a building. In all that he did he demonstrated his belief in God as the creator and sustainer of mankind. Who can ever forget that he was on his knees at Valley Forge?

Yes, Washington accepted the fact that life has depth. One wonders how many of us can honestly do the same?

We should remember that there is a wholesome virtue in fidelity to principle, a fact that is attested by the dutiful life of Washington. His attitudes and beliefs were clearly shaped by his understanding of the scriptures, by his life-long association with Freemasons, and by his experiences generally.

Washington further THE PRAYER AT VALLEY FORGE, BY ARNOLD FRIBURG Washington measured his believed that life must life, as all God-fearing men must, with a spiritual rather have heighth. Like Emerson, he was of the persuasion that than a material yardstick. God was the compass that “low aim, not failure, is the greatest crime.” Washington Washington used in life, just as He should be ours. Wash- was a man whose ideas and ideals drove him onward and ington had no real concern for how long he lived, but for upward to the end of his days. He never lost the idealism how he lived. He was interested in the quality of life and of his youth, and throughout his life he sought the heights. not the number of years he amassed. Unlike Methuselah As he climbed, he dragged with him the people of the of the Bible, who is supposed to have lived 960 years “and emerging nation he so dearly loved. That nation, in which then died”, apparently without accomplishment, Washing- we live, is a monument to his great effort. ton lived but a short 67 years, but these were years filled We can say that Washington had a reverence for life that with service and accomplishment. He lived what another we might emulate in these trying days. He concerned president and brother, Theodore Roosevelt, would later himself with the affairs of mankind, and in so doing, he laud as the “strenuous life” of a “man in the arena”. learned to appreciate the beauty that is to be found in a life How did Washington measure life? On what did he place that has direction, breadth, and height. He recognized, as his hopes? To what can we attribute the matter that ended did the old musician, W.C. Handy, that life is like blowing a up on his trestleboard. For one thing, Washington firmly trumpet; you’ve got to blow something into it to get somebelieved that life must have direction, and that the direc- thing out of it. As we remember Washington, 275 years tion of life must promise profit. It is not sufficient for one to after his birth, we might well pause long enough to assess be merely busy. One must be busy doing something the dimensions of our own lives, using as a yardstick the worthwhile. standards that he established in a lifetime of diligent duty.

Washington was also concerned about the breadth of life, If we will do this, we might be enabled to perceive the neerecognizing that one must avoid slipping into the narrow dle of the compass and set our course toward goals that grooves of interest or specialization. To live life to the fullest are in truth worthy of our efforts as men who are brought meant to him that he should widen his horizons whenever together under the umbrella of Freemasonry. ■ The Voice of Freemasonry

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GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE MASON

George Washington, The Mason G

eorge Washington was a Master Mason. Masonry had a great influence on his life. The ideals of Masonry, which first attracted him were; “it was a liberal democratic order in which Masons sought to lead mankind through education into a more equitable and just society.” Washington was the man he was, in part, because his concepts on life and morality were intertwined with Masonic philosophy. Ethical principles of leadership were inculcated into all the brethren. His exposure to this philosophy helped frame his ideas on life, both personal and professional. Even from the time of his youth his vision began to evolve into the concept of the brotherhood of man with service to others.

Washington found the Masonic educational concept was divided into two parts: •

Each lodge was a school to its members for the teaching of Masonic philosophy in order to make good men better.

•

Each Mason would then teach the fraternity’s philosophy to the general community. Traits of effective leadership enhanced the ability to teach and to mentor others. Other important Masons during the Revolutionary War period were Franklin, James Otis, John Hancock, Marquis de Lafayette and John Paul Jones.

James Schouler in his book “Americans of 1776,” wrote that Freemasonry, with its sacred bond of brothThe Voice of Freemasonry

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James P. Hodges,

Ph.D.

erhood, started to establish lodges in America about the middle of the eighteenth century. Americans who lived in the thirteen colonies followed the English tradition of Masonry. It was an institution that attracted an ever-widening class of adherents. It had ancient and solemn rituals, which attracted the esthetic George Washington.

Equality of brotherhood was the spirit of the Fraternity. Within its walls, however, officers had high–sounding titles, which encouraged members to aspire to those conspicuous posts of honor. Those positions of responsibility were sought by members in order to render even more service to others.

Competition among the members was to see who could do the most good.

In the two-year interim between the victory at Yorktown in 1781 and the British evacuation of New York City in late November of 1783, General Washington’s military headquarters were located at Newburgh, New York. There his troops had constructed a twenty-foot by sixty-foot building called the “Temple of Virtue”. It was designed for the combined purpose of holding religious services as well as acting as a Masonic Lodge. It was in this ‘Temple of Virtue’ on March 15, 1783, that the commander in chief, through his impassioned speech, saved America from the tyranny of a military dictatorship. Many officers had suffered going without pay and allowances for up to six years. They had also been promised pension benefits and were incensed to the point of mutiny

GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE MASON

upon hearing a report that Congress was going to disband the army without ever honoring its commitments.

The fact that George Washington was a Mason, most of his officers were Masons, and that they were assembled in the Temple of Virtue, no doubt, helped influence them to overwhelmingly reject the mutinous plan to march on Congress and take over control of the civilian government in a coup d’etat.

Washington never forgot his connection to, and affiliation with, Freemasonry. As president he wrote in response to a letter from the King David Lodge on August 16, 1790, “Being persuaded that a just application of the principles on which the Masonic fraternity is founded must be promotive of private virtue and public prosperity, I shall always be happy to advance the interests of the Society and be considered by them a deserving Brother.”

members despite their origin or circumstance. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was one of the great creative assemblies of all time. Its leaders authored the American Constitution. William Gladstone, British Prime Minister, described our Constitution as, “the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.” Together they wrote the “Federalist Papers” arguing for ratification. The “Federalist Papers” is the greatest book produced by Americans in the field of government.

Masonry fostered a better

George Washington’s character and presence commanded the respect and confidence of both Americans and foreigners. Sol Bloom, in his “Masons and the Constitution,” stated that George Washington had: “Imbibed the wisdom, strength and beauty of Masonry. It exerted a profound influence upon his career, from the time he was raised a Master Mason in 1753 though all the vicissitudes of war, peace, and nation building. In him the sublime truth of the order found practical expression in shaping the character of the United States of America.”

relationship between the races, particularly black and white, which also included Native Americans who were members of lodges.

Masonry fostered a better relationship between the races, particularly black and white, which also included Native Americans who were members of lodges. During the Revolutionary War, lodges for blacks were established under the “Prince Hall” system. Old established principles of the white lodges were incorporated into their teachings. In some instances, particularly in the North, lodges opened their membership to black members. Masonry helped make us one nation of many diverse nationalities. The different ethnic groups that had immigrated to America were assimilated into the American fabric by membership in a lodge. It gave everyone a feeling of belonging and fellowship.

George Washington was instrumental in calling for a Constitutional Convention to establish a strong central government. Of the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention, thirty-three were Masons. Presiding as president, Brother George took his responsibility so seriously that he never missed a single minute of the sessions. The delegates often looked at him for his nod of approval or frown of disapproval as they debated issues. No doubt, Masonic brotherhood within the ranks smoothed the path for compromise and agreement. It provided camaraderie among its

President William McKinley, a Brother Mason, said about George Washington’s accomplishments on the centennial anniversary of his death in 1899, “The nation is his best eulogist and his noblest monument.”

William Duke, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, said about Brother George in 1899, “If we catch the inspiration of his great life, the dignity of his manhood, and the simplicity of his character, we can come to learn how man can achieve greatness without sacrificing himself to ambition.” If he were questioned today, he would probably say that his greatest memorial would be in the lives of those citizens, who sought to emulate in their daily lives those principles that guided his own life. I believe he would be most proud of us if we learned to keep bitterness out of our society and spread brotherhood and tolerance.

During the last twenty-two years of his life, George Washington attended over one hundred Masonic functions, wearing his apron with pride. The best continued on page 16 The Voice of Freemasonry

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G E O R G E W A S H I N G T O N , E A R LY A M E R I C A N F U T U R I S T

George Washington, Early American Futurist

Stewart Miner,

Grand Secretary Emeritus

Remarks of MW Stewart W. Miner, Grand Secretary Emeritus, on the occasion of the Reenactment of Laying of the Cornerstone of the Washington Monument, on July 18, 1998

O

n this occasion, when we are assembled to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of this magnificent monument, erected in tribute to and in memory of the Father of our country, it is appropriate that we briefly reflect on the nature of the America in which Washington lived, on his response to the issues of his day, and on the legacy which he decreed to us, the citizens of this great country.

The character of this nation, like that of all other nations of consequence, has been established, in large part, by the work, the words, and the wisdom of its leaders. In that respect our country has been richly blessed, and never more so than during the lifetime of George Washington. By virtue of decades of self sacrifice and selfless service, during which he solicited the assistance of able and like-minded men, Washington’s work and words, tempered always by calculated measures of wisdom, led his colonial compatriots first to demand and then to accept a new and revolutionary concept of nationhood.

Washington lived and worked at a time in history when long established values — social, economic, and political — were being subjected to unparalleled scrutiny and challenge, here in America and increasingly throughout the civilized world. During his lifetime, extending from his birth in 1732 until his death in 1799, a scant 67 years, his America suffered through scores of trials, all associated with the winning

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of freedom, the correction of a multitude of social and political wrongs, the development of a sense of national unity, and the creation — after decades of deprivation, dissent, and uncertainty — of a federal government.

WASHINGTON’S WORKS By his workmanlike response to the challenges of his day, Washington distinguished himself. In his responses he consistently demonstrated that he was an uncommon man; a man of imagination, resolution, and action; a man who opted always to manage, and not to avoid, the inevitable forces of challenge and change. In sum, by virtue of persistent work and wise words, Washington established himself not only as a patriot, but more importantly, as an early American Futurist. His interest was always focused on the tomorrow of time.

Washington was looking ahead, for example, when as a very young man, shortly after his 16th birthday, he journeyed into the unknown of the frontier to survey the holdings of Lord Fairfax along both sides of the Blue Ridge in the west of Virginia. In this mission he participated in the creation and recording of primary points of reference that formed the basis for the subdivision of land and property from that day to this. By his surveying, he served the future.

Washington was looking ahead when he defended his country as a soldier and, in due time, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. During his years in the military, Washington experienced both the agony of defeat and the bliss of victory, but after a battle was concluded, win or lose, he never looked back, convinced that strife, once finished, was but the prelude to challenge anew. By his military service, he served the future.

G E O R G E W A S H I N G T O N , E A R LY A M E R I C A N F U T U R I S T

Washington was looking ahead when he served in the House of Burgesses, in the Continental Congress, and as a member and presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where after a long and taxing summer, during which each proposal seemingly sired its own counterproposal, the greatest fundamental document in the history of the world was produced. By his work as a legislator, he served the future.

possibility of future instability in America. In proclaiming the virtues of and the necessity for unity, he served the future.

Washington recognized in this message that in the affairs of nations, change is a constant, domestically and abroad. Furthermore, in coping with change, he suggested, Americans should be alert to the consequences of factionalism, geographical or political; to the dangers that were inherent in the possible excesses of administration; and particularly, to the insidious wiles of foreign influence.

Clearly Washington was apprehensive of excess, regardless of source. In identifying possible sources of disruption to the nation’s peace and tranquility, Washington served the future.

In identifying possible

sources of disruption to

Washington was looking ahead when, following the approval of the draft of the Constitution by the required number of states in 1788, he accepted his unanimous election as the first President of the United States by the Electoral College on February 4, 1789. He then served two full terms, during which the major features of the Federal Government took form. Upon the inauguration of his successor, John Adams, in 1797, Washington returned to Mount Vernon to live out the rest of his days. By his work as our first President, he served the future.

the nation’s peace and

tranquility, Washington served the future.

WASHINGTON’S WORDS Washington also served the future by what he said, even though he was a man of few words. He was not particularly prone to speech making, but when he spoke, his words tended to be pearls of wisdom. His opinions were heeded by the masses, here and abroad, and his statements and views had unusual impact on the resolution of issues of import. Perhaps his greatest pronouncement was his Farewell Address, which was, contrary to title, not an address at all, but rather a written enunciation of how he viewed the America that was yet to be. While time precludes a line by line analysis of this great document, a few short comments may suffice to establish that not only by work, but also by word, Washington served the future.

In his final address to the people of America, after thanking his countrymen for the honors that had been heaped upon him, Washington proceeded to articulate the future of the nation as he saw it. He told his countrymen that unity of government was the pillar of their independence, the support of their tranquility at home; of their peace abroad; of their safety; their prosperity; of the liberty that they so highly prized. While one should not attribute clairvoyance to Washington, he did clearly foresee the

In his Farewell Address Washington alluded to the necessity for Americans, to promote, “as an object of primary importance,” institutions whose purpose was the dissemination of knowledge. “In proportion,” he said, “as the structure of government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion be enlightened.” Clearly he saw an immediate need to educate the American public, at a time when the educational process was largely limited to the already advantaged. In promoting the advancement of Americans by education, Washington served the future.

Finally, in his Farewell Address Washington proclaimed his belief that religion and morality were the indispensable supports of political prosperity. The man who would claim the tribute of patriotism, he stated, would do so in vain if he were to subvert what Washington considered to be “the great pillars of human happiness, the firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.” In his words, “Reason and experience forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” In supporting the proposition that there is a spiritual dimension of life, Washington served the future.

WASHINGTON’S CHALLENGE These brief references to the experiences of Washington lead us to contemplate what we should do, on this memorial occasion, to be deserving of the benefits that we enjoy continued on page 23

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GRAND MASTER’S HOMECOMING

Grand Master’s Homecoming M

ost Worshipful Grand Master, Most Worshipful Past Grand Masters, Right Worshipful Grand Lodge Officers, Worshipful Masters, and brethren all.

It is an extreme privilege for me to stand before you on this most special celebration for our Grand Master, for Mehr Lodge No. 90 and for the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.

George R. Adams,

PGM

As fate would have it, the winds of change blew over Iran and a ruthless gang of religious tyrants forced these Freemasons into exile. In many cases they were expelled under penalty of death if they returned to their homeland.

Thus, these Freemasons found themselves isolated from their country with no place to practice their Masonry.

Among those who were forced to leave their country and choose life in exile were MWB Christopher Sahakian, MWB Mansour Hatefi, and our Grand Master, Robert B. Heyat who came to America to find a new home. Like our ritual, these Persian Masons, who later became U.S. citizens, “traveled in foreign countries”, with no lodges to pay them their Master’s wages.

Imagine if you will the emptiness of your life without the many blessings derived from your Masonic experience. I think you would agree that your life would be incomplete without the rich teachings and brotherly love that we share as Freemasons.

Tonight we pay homage to a very special brother, our Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Robert B. Heyat, 33º at his homecoming to Mehr Lodge No. 90. And as part of our celebration, we acknowledge with deep gratitude his tremendous contribution to the growth of Freemasonry in our jurisdiction since his arrival on the scene in the late 1980’s.

It is good for Masons to review the chapters of their heritage. Like the ancient elders who sat around the ceremonial fire recounting tribal stories of past heroes, let us recount the story of a most important chapter in the history of our Grand Lodge, a history which began in a far away distant land… Iran.

The story begins with a group of highly educated, Godfearing Freemasons who diligently practiced their Freemasonry in their Persian home. These Freemasons counted among their ranks very prominent individuals, authors, businessmen, leaders, including prime ministers , senators and justices of the Iranian supreme court, Robert’s father- a professor, an economist, and philosopher-poet, as well as MWB Robert B. Heyat.

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The part of this story that relates to our Grand Lodge, began in the late 1980’s. With the decline in membership experienced across the board in Freemasonry, there were lodges in the District of Columbia that were struggling to survive. Faced with the need to find a home to practice their Craft, one solution to the problem seemed to be to have these Persian brethren join an existing local lodge in need of new members.

This was tried, but for the most part it was an unsatisfactory solution. Without the cultural template of Persian Freemasonry, experienced in their homeland, it just wasn’t the same for these brethren. There was something missing from the formula for creating a bilingual lodge. The transplant into an existing D. C. lodge for the most part did not take.

What was needed for our Iranian brethren was to have a lodge where they could practice their Freemasonry as it was experienced in their homeland, using the emulation ritual with which they were familiar and to be able to congregate using their own language.

This is where most MWB Robert came on the scene with his vision and leadership. He recognized the need for a culturally diverse lodge operating in tandem with other lodges in the District of Columbia and at his own expense, and

GRAND MASTER’S HOMECOMING

using his many contacts in the Iranian community brought together these Iranian Masons with the help of MWB Hatefi and MWB Sahakian and many others to form a lodge under dispensation, Mehr Lodge U/D.

acceptance of Mehr Lodge into our Grand Lodge was a statement that the District of Columbia practices what it preaches, namely universal brotherhood and brotherly love.

To the credit of then MWB Charles S. Iversen, the matter was brought before the Grand Lodge for a vote and by a close majority, Mehr Lodge was given a dispensation to operate as a lodge in the District of Columbia using emulation ritual and allowing the lodge the freedom to deliver the degrees in Farsi.

I was then Senior Grand Warden and was commissioned

by MWB Iversen to head up the dispensation committee for Mehr Lodge and report to the Grand Lodge on the progress of this lodge.

My first memory of Mehr Lodge was at Robert Heyat’s magnificent home in Kenwood. I recall being asked to say a few words that afternoon on the back porch of Robert’s home which overlooked his spacious backyard accented by a swimming pool and other amenities. At that time I alluded to the symbol of the Persian rug to describe what I saw as the vision of what we now call our bilingual lodges.

I remarked that it takes many diverse threads and colors to achieve the beautiful design of the Persian rug and a weaver to draw the threads together in a beautiful and harmonious pattern. Robert was the weaver; the bilingual lodges were the threads.

The members of Mehr Lodge were excited to have the opportunity to show our Grand Lodge that they were worthy of its trust. Mehr Lodge worked extremely hard that year to make sure that they performed with the highest standard possible in all aspects of their Masonry. The lodge became a model to be emulated by others in the jurisdiction and the man that we honor tonight was the principal pillar in the process along with MWB Hatefi, MWB Sahakian and others. Using his own personal resources, contacts and organizational skills he marshaled the brethren of the lodge into a cohesive unit of grateful, hard working brethren.

At the next Grand Lodge Annual Communication, Mehr Lodge was voted in by our brethren with less than a handful of dissenting votes marking a watershed event for Freemasonry in the District of Columbia. The admission of Mehr Lodge was the beginning of the construction of a multi-cultural bridge of tolerance and understanding in our nation’s capital and throughout the world. Its existence was proof that our Grand Lodge could accept as brethren those who practiced a different ritual and spoke a different language, regardless of their race, politics or religion. The

I happen to believe that when our heart is sincere and our motives pure, God directs our journey for our highest good. In this case, through the circuitous route of New York and Massachusetts, God brought MWB Robert B. Heyat to our door.

The word Mehr means “Light”. Using the prototype of Mehr Lodge #90 as a model, the outreach of universal brotherhood has extended over the past years from our nation’s capital throughout the world spreading the message of “Light and Brotherly Love”, the message that we can live with our fellow man in peace and harmony if we adhere to a common idealism.

Since the advent of Mehr Lodge, the number of bilingual lodges has increased tremendously. Let me list some names of lodges whose existence directly or indirectly has been influenced by the breakthrough caused by the precedent of the Mehr/Heyat prototype: • Mehr Lodge #90 • Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92 • La France Lodge No. 93 • Hayastan Lodge No. 94 • Massis Lodge No. 99, forming one of the three lodges incorporating the Grand Lodge of Armenia • Star Spangled Banner Lodge, Paris, France • Fiat Lux Lodge No. 1717 • Sojourner Kilwinning Lodge No 1798 • Nur Lodge No. 2000 • Italia Lodge No. 2001 • Azerbaijan Lodge No. 2002 continued on page 19 The Voice of Freemasonry

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Grand Master’s H

GRAND MASTER HOMECOMING

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Homecoming 2007

GRAND MASTER HOMECOMING

Mehr Lodge No. 90 hosted the Grand Master’s Homecoming on Friday, January 26, 2007. The evening, which was very well attended by Grand Lodge Officers, Past Grand Masters and other distinguished

Brethren,

included

thoughtful remarks, gracious presentations and a sumptuous Persian buffet.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE MASON

George Washington, the Mason continued from page 9

remembered occasion was on September 18, 1793, a big day in American history. It was a festive occasion with flags flying, splendid music, and drums. Happy spectators strolled about the Capitol grounds. Masons were everywhere, wearing their symbolic regalia. The day was set aside to lay the cornerstone of our new Capitol building. President Washington was wearing his Masonic apron, which had been lovingly knitted by Madame Lafayette. Her husband, the Marquis, was a Mason who belonged to the Lodge of Saint-Jean de la Candeur in France. The president, wheeling a trowel, slapped a load of mortar down upon the cornerstone, thus signifying that the Capitol would be built. His Lodge, Alexandria Lodge No. 22, had organized the parade with the president serving as master pro tem for the day.

Masonry transformed the social landscape of the early republic. It was a republican institution, and repudiated the old monarchal hierarchy of family birth and favoritism. Instead it substituted a new order that rested on “the real Worth and personal Merit” of an individual and “brotherly affection and sincerity.” The lodges were a means in which men who differed in everyday affairs, occupation, social rank and even religion could all meet amicably and converse sociably together. Strangers, removed from their families and neighbors, and coming together in brotherly love, seemed a vindication of the “Enlightenment” principle, of love flowing outward from the self. So a Mason could find himself liberated by belonging not to one

place but to places without number, and in almost every corner of the globe, and to which, by a kind of universal language, he could make himself known and from whom he could, if in distress, be sure to receive relief and protection. This concept of cosmopolitanism was the “Enlightenment” dream, and this attitude brought solace to the soldiers of the Continental Army, particularly those who were Masons coming from all the colonies, because they felt a brotherhood. Their joint suffering was for a noble purpose. Troops felt that they were all together in this crusade for freedom. The appeal to fight for this noble cause prevailed among both officers and men alike. Without Masonry as a binding force, the men might well have given up the struggle and gone home.

Here is a summation of those sentiments, which enticed George Washington to revere the institution of Freemasonry:

“Flattering as it may be to the human mind, and truly honorable as it is to receive from our fellow citizens testimonies of approbation for exertions to promote the public welfare, it is not less pleasing to know that the milder virtues of the heart are highly respected by a society whose liberal principles must be founded in the immutable laws of truth and justice. To enlarge the sphere of social happiness is worthy of the benevolent design of a Masonic institution; and it is most fervently to be wished that the conduct of every member of the Fraternity, as well as those publications that discover the principles which actuate them may tend to convince mankind that the great object of Masonry is to promote the happiness of the human race.” ■

James P. Hodges, Ph.D.

O

ne of America’s foremost authorities on Revolutionary War history and the life of George Washington, is a motivational speaker, member of the National Speakers Association, and several historical and patriotic groups. He is the recipient of the “George Washington National Honor Award” from the “Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge” With his upcoming book, Leadership by George true stories of George Washington’s ethical leadership principles come alive through Jim’s motivational speeches. Brother James Hodges is a long time member of our Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15.

For more information visit: www.leadershipbygeorge.com

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A MASONIC MEMORIAL TO A VIRTUOUS MAN

A Masonic Memorial to a Virtuous Man T

his year we celebrate George Washington’s 275th birthday. It’s also the 75th anniversary of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Yet 2007 is not simply a convenient reason to celebrate a birthday, remember Washington’s great deeds or visit the Memorial. Rather it is a time to contemplate the Memorial as a symbol of Freemasons’ reverence of Washington and to reexamine its purpose.

Since the forming of the Memorial Association in 1910, its mission has changed. Originally organized to create a fireproof building and proper exhibitions gallery for Washington relics owned by Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22, the Association soon determined to erect a grand memorial worthy of Washington on nearby Shooters Hill.

With ambitious goals and magnificent designs in hand, the Association began fundraising and promotional campaigns.

Grand Masters and Association officers spoke and wrote in support of the Memorial. The most forceful voice was Charles H. Callahan, Grand Master of Virginia. He argued that a Memorial was needed not simply to display relics, but to end any doubt that Washington and other patriots were proud Freemasons. More important, a Memorial would demonstrate the strength of modern day Masonry, the beauty of Masonic tenets and the loyalty of Freemasons to “the ideals of Washington and his Masonic compatriots.”

The relationship between Washington the man and the Masonic Memorial continued to evolve. At the 1932 Memorial dedication ceremony, Episcopal Bishop and

Mark A. Tabbert,

Past Master

Brother Mason James E. Freeman of the District of Columbia forcefully proclaimed:

“We are met here today not so much to think of Washington the patriot, the soldier, the commanderin-chief and ultimately the president of the republic, as of Washington the high exemplar of those splendid ideals for which this ancient Order stands.”

Immediately following Bishop Freeman’s remarks, Past Grand Master Melvin M. Johnson of Massachusetts declared: “George Washington was not great because he was a brother of the Craft. He was great because his natural abilities, willed into action, were guided and inspired by the fundamental principles which Freemasonry inculcates, and which so saturated every fiber of his being that he thought them, spoke them, and lived them.”

The Masonic National Memorial, therefore, was not dedicated to Washington because he was a Freemason, but because more than any other American he exemplified what every Freemason ought to labor to be: a virtuous man. In 2006, the Memorial Association reaffirmed this with a new vision statement that declares: “. . . to emulate and promote the virtues, character and vision of George Washington, the Man, the Mason and Father of our Country."

But what is meant by Washington’s virtue, character and vision? They are the same that every Mason learns when he takes his obligations, receives the lectures and is raised on the Five Points of Fellowship. These virtues were

GEORGE WASHINGTON LAYING THE CORNERSTONE OF THE NATIONAL CAPITOL, SEPTEMBER 18TH 1793, BY ALLYN COX. PHOTO BY ARTHUR W. PIERSON

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A MASONIC MEMORIAL TO A VIRTUOUS MAN

recognized in Washington at an early age, but were best articulated in the very moments of his retirement. Succeeding as the second president of the United States, John Adams said in his 1797 inaugural address:

“[Washington], by a long course of great actions, regulated by prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude, has merited the gratitude of his fellow citizens, commanded the highest praise of foreign nations and secured immortal glory with prosperity.”

Washington lived for 67 years and during the last 24, more than a third of his life, he was the foremost man in America and on whom the fate of the nation depended.

Yet the virtues Washington lived by were learned when he was a young man, before he entered history’s stage, and even before he became a Freemason, at the age of 20.

A brief survey of Washington’s life reveals moments when he learned those virtues and more importantly when he exemplified them by “squaring his actions by the square of virtue.”

expedition against the French and Indians. Thus he was prepared for the crushing victory by the British at Brooklyn Heights and the long deprivations of Valley Forge. Without Washington’s fortitude, the Continental Army would have lost its courage and the War for Independence.

Fortitude is a trait of the warrior; prudence is a farmer’s virtue. For a farmer must “wisely judge and prudentially determine on all things relative to his present, as well as to his future happiness.” Young Washington, like most tobacco planters, suffered from debt owed to London merchants. Washington wisely diversified his crops, bred new livestock and developed new industries at Mount Vernon, so by the Revolution, he was one of the few solvent Virginia planters. As the first president he understood his actions would determine the nation’s “future happiness.” His eight years in office established a deliberative and constructive executive, subordinate to the Constitution, yet equal to the legislative and judicial branches.

“Justice,” according to the Masonic lecture, “in Born into Virginia planter a great measure constisociety, Washington tutes the real good understood temperance man.” As a young man in youth. While many of Washington believed he his class fell into gamwarranted a king’s milibling, drinking, licentioustary commission for his ness and debt, Washingservice in the French ton memorized Seneca’s and Indian wars, but he Morals.

Through a WASHINGTON ON HORSEBACK. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARTHUR W. PIERSON was denied that honor. steady practice of the General Washington, 110 “Rules of Civility” Washington learned to avoid comhowever, always rendered every man his just due and mon vices. Many years later, as Commander-in-Chief, he awarded his men with promotion or the Purple Heart for was immune to far greater and insidious vices. He never courage. As President he supported benevolent and eduleft his army cold and hungry for the pleasures of Mount cational institutions as he shunned divisive sects and Vernon. He never squandered his men for military glory political parties. In life Washington aided those less fortuand he was never seduced by a king’s crown or a dictanate, respected his equals and served his superiors. tor’s power.

Washington’s last public act summarizes a life dedicated Young Washington learned physical fortitude surveying to virtue. At the beginning of John Adam’s presidential the Virginia country. He also learned military fortitude durinauguration, he led the procession on stage. At its coning the disasters of Fort Necessity and Gen. Braddock’s clusion, Washington insisted he retire not only after The Voice of Freemasonry

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A MASONIC MEMORIAL TO A VIRTUOUS MAN

President Adams, but also after Vice President Jefferson—a small courtesy, but one that demonstrates to all men, in every age, that the highest office is higher than any man who ever occupies it and that ultimately every office is subordinate to the law.

Such was Washington’s character, that from almost the day he took his Masonic obligations until his death, he became the same man in private that he was in public. In Masonic terms he remained “a just and up right Mason” and became a true Master Mason.

Washington was a “living stone” who is the cornerstone of American civilization. He is the milestone that older MASONIC PARADE UP KING STREET FOR DEDICATION OF THE MEMORIAL, 1932 civilizations follow into liberty and country is not how many adhere to any particular equality. He is Freemasonry’s “perfect ashlar” upon which creed, but how many accept as their standard the stacountless Master Masons gauge their labors in their own bilizing, constructive character of him in whose Lodges and in their own communities.

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial’s true purpose was first articulated by Past Grand Master of Pennsylvania and President of the Association Louis Watres:

“[The Memorial] will eloquently tell the world that Masons are builders—builders of individual character; and that the vital question of our time and our

Grand Master’s Homecoming continued from page 13

This list becomes more extensive and much more impressive if one considers the number of their sister lodges in France, Italy, Romania, Peru and Philippines, who have been twinned with our bi-lingual lodges during very impressive ceremonies at Universal Brotherhood Celebrations, thus extending and strengthening the outreach of Universal Freemasonry in our Grand Lodge.

The symbol of the Persian rug still stands today. The difference from when I stood on the back porch of MWB Robert’s house and today is that the “threads” represented by these bilingual lodges have become “intertwined” with the threads of our existing lodges forming a unique harmonious pattern to be emulated throughout the world of Freemasonry. Members of other Grand Lodges here and abroad marvel at the universality of our Grand Lodge.

memory this Temple shall stand throughout the coming years.”

The challenge Freemasons face this anniversary year is to ensure we are living today the virtues Brother Washington exemplified long ago; and in so doing, continuing the work of building a fraternity and a civilization worthy of so great a man. ■

Tonight is a night that we proudly celebrate to honor a man who has through his vision and effort set our Grand Lodge on the multi-cultural course of Universal Freemasonry and who, during this chapter in our Grand Lodge, brought to Freemasonry in the District of Columbia over 400 new members representing some almost 10% of our total membership.

A wise man once said, if you want to know how spiritual you are, ask yourself the question, “how universal is my consciousness?” Most Worshipful Brother Robert you have expanded our consciousness to include Freemasonry around the world and we thank you MWB Robert for your contribution to Mehr Lodge, our Grand Lodge and to our Craft.

As Grand Master, Most Worshipful Sir, you have been given the leadership role to continue the outreach and success of our Grand Lodge. May God continue to bless your journey and that of Freemasonry! ■

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GEORGE WASHINGTON & WASHINGTON DC

George Washington & Washington DC THE FEDERAL CITY

P

resident George Washington played a key role in the founding of Washington, DC as our nation’s capital. In the beginning, and between 1776 and 1800, the capital of the United States of America moved on fourteen occasions from one city to another. Following the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, George Washington, the first president, argued for the need of a permanent site for the Federal Capital. Given the rivalries that existed among the various states, President George Washington argued for the establishment of a “neutral” site that would neither be a State nor part of any State and would be located along the Patawomeke (Potomac) River. With the Act of 1790, the Congress of the United States specified the location of a federal district of “ten miles square” to be situated at any point above the Eastern Branch of the Potomac River. On March 3, 1791, at the request of President George Washington, the Congress modified the location of the federal district to include the town of Alexandria, several miles below that point – Alexandria was ceded back to the State of Virginia in 1846.

• “A Vision Unfolds” – Painting by Peter Waddell Copyright 2005 Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia 20

Deputy Grand Master

tect of the Federal District, President George Washington had another hurdle to overcome – how to deal with the privately owned lands located within the district’s limits. On March 29, General Uriah Forrest hosted a meeting a meeting at his home for President George Washington to address the principal landowners of the federal district in the presence of the newly appointed commissioners.

George Washington recorded his success that evening in his own diary:

Having picked Major Pierre Charles L’Enfant as the archi-

The Voice of Freemasonry

Akram R. Elias,

“The parties to whom I addressed myself yesterday evening, having taken the matter into consideration, saw the propriety of my observations; and whilst they were contending for the shadow they might lose the substance; and therefore mutually agreed and entered into articles to surrender for public purposes, one half the land they severally possessed within the bounds which were designated as necessary for the city to stand. This business being thus happily finished and some directions given to the Surveyor and Engineer with respect to the mode of laying out the district – Surveying the grounds of the City and forming them into lots – I left Georgetown, dined in Alexandria and reached Mount Vernon in the evening.” [1] In September 1791, the commissioners agreed to call the federal district “The Territory of Columbia” and the federal city “The City of Washington.” Although L’Enfant was dismissed less than a year after he was hired, he was able to set the mold into which the city was formed. In fact, no other person, with the sole exception of George Washington himself, had greater influence on the city’s conception and development. [2] Following Pierre L’Enfant’s dismissal as superintendent of the Federal City, George Washington kept the pressure on to insure that construction of the new capital would stay on schedule.

GEORGE WASHINGTON & WASHINGTON DC

Commissioners. The cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol was laid in Masonic ceremony by President Washington on September 18, 1793.

ENLIGHTENMENT

• L'Enfant-Ellicott map of Washington, 1792 Library of Congress

THE WHITE HOUSE George Washington selected the spot where the President’s House would be built. Accordingly, L’Enfant set aside space for building what he called a "palace" for the President. A competition was organized and architects submitted their own designs.

President Washington traveled to the site of the new federal city on July 16, 1792 to select a design for the White House out of the nine proposals submitted. He quickly selected the submission of James Hoban, an Irishman and Freemason living in Charleston, South Carolina. Washington asked that the house be enlarged by thirty percent and include a reception hall and the present East Room. [3] Construction began with the laying of the cornerstone on October 13, 1792.

THE U.S. CAPITOL In 1792, President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson proposed a competition that would award the winning design $500 and a city lot if submitted by mid-July. Seventeen plans were submitted but none was satisfactory to George Washington. In October 1792, a letter arrived from Dr. William Thornton, a Scottishtrained physician living in the British West Indies (and a Freemason), requesting an opportunity to submit his plan after the competition was closed. The Commissioners granted his request and President Washington commended the plan that was soon accepted by the

One cannot today but admire the beauty of Washington DC’s design and its harmonious layout. In fact, Washington, D.C. is the first national capital to be designed as a seat of government, and the only capital to symbolically reflect and foster guiding values and principles. The Founding Fathers envisioned a city so beautiful and balanced that it would inspire enlightenment in those who lived and worked there. George Washington played a key role in entire effort and helped cement our Fraternity’s ties to the establishment of the city through powerful symbolism. Here are a few facts for reflection on this matter: a.

George Washington requested the federal district be a “square.” Was it to send a message that this new form of government was going to operate “on the square” and be virtuous in nature?

b.

The boundary stones of the district were laid in Masonic ceremonies.

c.

Geometry is the basis on which the superstructure of Washington, DC was conceived. An aerial view of Washington reveals geometrical shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, trapezoids and rectangles.

Our Noble Initiatory Society has a rich legacy of fostering and promoting the ideals of the Enlightenment – namely virtue, reason, liberty, faith, equality, and fraternity. Was Washington, DC meant to be what it really is – a living monument to the ideals of Enlightenment? Did “fortuna” bless the effort? Did the gods conspire on behalf of the “great experiment?” Whether one believes in destiny or providence, one must be grateful to George Washington for having had the vision, will, resolve and steadfastness to make this “dream” a reality. ■ [1] Donald Jackson and Dorothy Toohig, eds., The Diaries of George Washington (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1979), vol. 6 [2] Christopher Weeks, AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington D.C. (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 1994) [3] The White House Association

On asked why he became a Mason, George Washington said, “My first desire to become a Mason was due to the fact that many of Virginia’s noblest sons were members of the Fraternity.

Therefore, it was not without forethought that, on Saturday evening, November 4, 1752, in the village of Fredricksburg, I was made an Entered Apprentice Mason. I passed, March 3, 1753; Raised, August 4, 1753, in Fredricksburg Lodge No. 4, A.F.&A.M.” The Voice of Freemasonry

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MEMBERSHIP IN THE GRAND LODGE

Membership in the Grand Lodge EDITORIAL NOTE: This article was prepared before his death by Carl R. LeVine, Grand Historian, for publication in The Voice of Freemasonry. It serves to remind us of the breadth of Carl’s interest in all facets of Masonry in the District of Columbia.

J

uly 4, 1776 has always been considered by the American people to be the date of this country’s independence from England. Yet it was not until April 4, 1789 that the government of the United States of America held the first session of Congress in Federal Hall in New York City. President George Washington and Congress very quickly saw the necessity for a permanent home for the new republic and decided to meet in Philadelphia for the next 10 years until such a place could be prepared.

The president, with three Commissioners operating under his direction, decided upon and fixed the boundaries of a 10-mile square of territory which included the cities of Alexandria in Virginia and Georgetown in Maryland on both sides of the Potomac River. The cornerstone of the new Federal District was placed on April 15, 1793, with full Masonic ceremonies, Since there was no capital city when the boundaries of the Federal District were laid out, the plan was to build an entirely new city in an area within the district that was set apart for it.

The entire 100 square mile area of the Federal District included Alexandria, Georgetown, and the City of Washington, and in 1811 it had a total population of only 24,023. Five lodges, with a total membership of around 250, constituted the Grand Lodge in that year.

At the end of the first decade, in 1821, the returns of the lodges showed a total of only 210 members, despite the addition of two lodges during that period.

WB Kenton N. Harper, in his History of the Grand Lodge and Freemasonry, offers a possible explanation of this falling off of numbers. In that work he states that “attention should be given to the fact that instead of separate units owing allegiance to distant Grand Bodies, the Lodges were welded together with common interests, and responsible to a common authority at their very doors, and this condition might well be supposed to result in the exercise of more special care in the selection of material and the weeding out of objectionable timber.”

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Carl R. Le Vine,

Grand Lecturer Emeritus

The William Morgan affair, beginning in 1826, created such an ominous cloud of public suspicion and political outrage that the very existence of the Craft was threatened. Many Lodges, particularly in the northern part of the country, were hit hard. The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia seemed to hold up fairly well in the period 1827 - 1829, perhaps because of having some influential support in the Capital. Anti-Masonry reached its climax during the period 1229—1832; however, the members of the Grand Lodge, while not going into hiding “adopted a policy of careful circumspection and governed themselves accordingly.” All of this must have influenced the acquisition of new members because at the end of 1830 the total membership was still under 300.

Between the years 1829 through 1845 the proceedings of the Grand Lodge were not printed and membership data available is uncertain and fragmentary. But it may be safely surmised that the membership in the Grand Lodge may have reached its lowest point sometime during those years.

As political and public pressures began to subside, the well being of the Grand Lodge improved, and with the resumption of normal activities, the yearly proceedings were regularly printed. At the close of 1850 the total membership of the then eight working Lodges had grown to 405.

The viability of the Grand Lodge continued to improve during the next decade. The proceedings grew in size and specifics, with more extensive coverage of all Grand Lodge work, and the returns of Lodges were reported in detail. By the end of the fifth decade the total number of members had reached 829.

During the difficult years of the Civil War, or as the fraternity was wont to refer to it - The War Between the States - the Grand Lodge took the position that “no war existed between the brethren of the Craft in Lodges or as Masons out of it whatever their political loyalties might be.” The general public was convinced anew of the good effects of the fraternity.

MEMBERSHIP IN THE GRAND LODGE

The period of the war witnessed a very impressive growth in numerical strength, the returns of lodges of 1863 showing a total of 1,233 and for 1865 a total of 1,720. The City of Washington had become, during this period, filled with and surrounded by thousands of soldiers and other members of the military, along with a large growth in civilian population. With a much improved pool of potential members available, the number of lodges grew to 15.

As the City of Washington grew and became more significant in the world scheme of things, so grew the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. At the close of 1890 there were 22 lodges working and the total membership had reached 3,797. The Grand Lodge enjoyed a steady increase in membership, year by year, to 5,917 with 25 working lodges in 1900, and to 23,161 members in 44 lodges -in 1930.

The level of membership in the Lodges held up remarkably well during the deep economic depression of the 1930s, dropping off gradually until by the end of 1943 there were a total of 19,767 on the rolls.

Beginning in 1944, probably because of a mass influx of civilian workers into Washington, the membership began to increase, and by 1953 it reached an all time high of 25,334 members organized into 48 working lodges.

Then for all of the well-appreciated reasons accounting for the decline of membership in the fraternity, a dramatic and continuous long slide in membership began, reaching a low of 4,642 members in 34 lodges in the year 2005. This decline reflects not only the factors that impact on all American Grand Lodges, but also on characteristics

George Washington, Early American Futurist continued from page 11

in consequence of Washington’s impact on the American way of life. As we think about these things let us recognize that on many an occasion Washington paused in his daily pursuits to appeal to his God, on behalf of America, as he did, in part, in 1783 with these words:

“Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that thou wilt keep the United States in thy holy protection; that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to

unique to the District of Columbia alone.

The District of Columbia lies between the States of Maryland and Virginia. The City of Washington has burst through the original Federal City and now encompasses the entire District. The 1960s and the l970s saw a general and continuing exodus of residents to the suburbs of metropolitan Washington which lie in Maryland and Virginia and are thus out of the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge and unavailable as Masonic material. With the reservoir for potential new Masons receding, the future viability of the Grand Lodge became a matter of serious concern. Pressure for requesting waivers of jurisdiction increased over the years.

Two of the three principal tenets of our order are brotherly love and relief. The Grand Lodges of Maryland and Virginia have both demonstrated the true meaning of brotherly love: Maryland by facilitating and easing their procedures for granting waivers of jurisdiction to this Grand Lodge and Virginia by changing its Masonic Digest in 1975 to allow concurrent jurisdiction with this Grand Lodge in the northern Virginia Cities of Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax and the Counties of Arlington and Fairfax, This legislation was sponsored by MWB Stewart W. Miner, Grand Master of Virginia in 1974 - 75 and subsequently Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.

The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia continues to enjoy a very cordial and harmonious relationship with both of her sister jurisdictions and will share with them in the future prosperity of the Craft. ■

government, and to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large.”

This touching exhortation suggests that our works and our words — our vision, if you will — like the works and words of our beloved Washington, should be generated today by no less a measure of love for God and country. It is to those ends, therefore, that I personally pledge myself on this glorious occasion, and I invite each and every one of you, the citizens of this great country, to join me in this noble resolve. God bless America. God bless the memory of George Washington. God bless you all. Amen. ■ The Voice of Freemasonry

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WORLD CONFERENCE OF GRAND LODGES

World Conference of Grand Lodges ‘08 THE 9 TH WORLD CONFERENCE OF GRAND LODGES COMES TO WASHINGTON, DC IN 2008

O

n May 8 – 10, 2008, the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia will host the 9th World Conference of Grand Lodges.

The theme we chose for the conference is “Making a Difference in a World in Turmoil.” In a world that is increasingly unstable due to the rise of the forces of darkness – ignorance, fanaticism and despotism – great challenges lie ahead for human civilization.

Can Freemasons make a difference? How and by what means? What does the universal nature of our Noble Craft entail? The conference will offer great opportunities for forging new friendships, renewing fraternal bonds, and most importantly, unleash a thousand points of light to illuminate the world in which we live.

After close to a 10-year absence, the World Conference is coming back to the United States, to Washington, DC. In November 2007, at the 8th World Conference in Paris, 91 Grand Lodges voted unanimously to bring the 9th World Conference in 2008 to Washington, DC. The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia is honored to host the conference and to organize memorable and enlightening activities for the occasion.

DRAFT CONFERENCE AGENDA Wednesday, May 7, 2008 • Arrivals • Early Registration • Welcome Reception Thursday, May 8, 2008 • Daytime: Plenary sessions and discussions • Evening: Banquet Dinner “A Celebration of the Arts” Friday, May 9, 2008 • Daytime: plenary sessions and discussions • Evening: Reception Saturday, May 10, 2008 • Site Visits • Wreath Laying Ceremony • Evening: Universal Brotherhood Gala Banquet Sunday, May 11, 2008 • Departures

For registration materials and more information, please visit www.glworldconference.org

This is a conference you do not want to miss. See you in Washington!

The Voice of Freemasonry

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O noble brow, so wise in thought!

O heart. So true! O soul unbought!

O eye, so keen to pierce the night And guide the “ship of state” aright!

O life so simple, grand and free, The humblest still may turn to thee.

O king, uncrowned! O prince of men!

When shall we see thy like again?

The century, just passed away, Has felt the impress of thy sway,

While youthful hearts have stronger grown And made thy patriot zeal their own.

In marble hall or lowly cot, Thy name hath never been forgot.

The world itself is richer, far, For the clear shining of a star.

And loyal hearts in years to run, Shall turn to thee, O Washington.

-- Mary Wingate

IN MEMORIAM: GERALD R. FORD

In Memoriam: Gerald R. Ford 38TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, IN OFFICE AUGUST 9, 1974 - JANUARY 29, 1977

B

orn July 14, 1913. called home by the Grand Architect December 26, 2006.

Masonic Record:

•

•

•

Initiated September 30, 1949, Malta Lodge No. 465, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fellowcraft and Master Mason Degrees were conferred by Columbia No. 3, Washington, DC.

On April 20 and May 18, 1951, as a courtesy to Malta Lodge, Brother Ford was made a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33º, and Honorary Member Supreme Council A.A.S.R., Northern Jurisdiction at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, on September 26, 1962, for which he served as Exemplar for his Class.

Brother Ford was unanimously elected and Active Member of the International supreme Council, Order of De Molay and its Honorary Grand Master, at its Annual Session held in Orlando, Florida, April 6-9, 1975. Brother Ford held this post until January 1977 at which time he became a Past Honorary Grand Master, receiving his collar and jewel on October 24, 1978, in Topeka, Kansas, from the Hon.Thomas C. Raum, Jr., Grand Master, Order of De Molay.

The Man from Michigan has been called home.

While he lay in repose under the Capitol dome Hundreds of mourners filed past his bier.

And, on passing, not a few shed a tear.

Many could remember when, in seventy-four, Thrust into the presidency, he would restore Integrity to the government, which Nixon lost, Vowing to do it regardless of cost.

A president of the people more so than the last, He acquitted himself well in the role he was cast.

Though his tenure was short in the presidential role, His accomplishments were many achieving his goal.

In a speech he said, “I’m a Ford not a Lincoln”.

He was, also, a thirty-third degree Mason.

Possessing qualities of both which, I feel, Among his peers gave him wide appeal.

He was unassuming, fair-minded and kind.

Attributes in world leaders hard to find.

But which, in his life, held him in good stead Among his countrymen whom he once led.

And now, fulfilling His promise of life immortal, The Grand Architect opened the Golden Portal.

And, in recognition of a life well spent, Welcomed home His good and faithful servant.

by Leslie L. Newton, Jr.

Dear Grand Secretary: Upon learning of the passing of our esteemed Brother and on viewing the impressive and moving ceremonies associated with his funeral, I was moved to write the attached verse as a memorial to his memory. I understand he was raised in Columbia Lodge No. 3 in The District. I would be appreciative if you would forward it to the Brethren of the Lodge with my condolences and fraternal greetings. If you find the poem worthy of further dissemination, feel free to pass it along.

Fraternally, Leslie L. Newton, Jr., PM Triangle Lodge No. 1 Portland, ME The Voice of Freemasonry

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THE NATIONAL MASONIC TRAIL OF WASHINGTON, D.C., “VOLKSMARCH”

The National Masonic Trail of Washington, D.C., “Volksmarch”, in June 2007 (AS PUBLISHED IN THE DECEMBER ISSUE OF THE AMERICAN WANDERER)

T

he Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia in Washington has joined forcers with AVA-901,US Freedom Walk Festival Club, Inc. to create a one-day volksmarch on June 9, 2007, that tells the story of Freemasons in the founding of the United States and the construction of its Capital City. The walk will take place as part of an international gathering of Freemasons in Washington D.C., and will be open to all. Ultimately, the volksmarch will coincide with the release of Mr. Dan Brown’s newest book in the “Da Vinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” series that will feature the Freemasons in the Washington, D.C., area.

The Grand Lodge is using this volksmarch to tell the true story to walkers of all ages.

Walkers will start at the Almas Shrine Center located at 13th and K Streets. They will then to four checkpoints arranged on the symbolic street pattern at the core of our nation’s capital city. This sacred design was intentionally placed into the D.C. streets by the Founding fathers that were Masons. Notable Masons will tell the story at each of the checkpoints so that when the walkers have completed the trail,

they will understand the Masonic contribution to America and the building of Washington, D.C. There will also be a special ceremony along the trail at the National Monument to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Back at the Almas Shrine Center there will be music and food in the traditional volksmarching spirit.

There will be a special pin awarded for all who register and pay the fees. The pin will be appropriate to wear on Masonic attire as well as a volksmarching cap.

Walkers from all over the world will participate in this unique event. One special invitee is the IVV President, Odd Ivar Ruud, who is a Mason in Norway. It will truly be in the spirit of fun, fitness and fellowship.

Watch out for details at the Grand Lodge’s website at: www.dcgrandlodge.org For more information: everyone interested in getting the latest information on this weekend walking event are encouraged to send their email address to AVA901 at MasonicTrail@aol.com . The planning committee will release a newsletter each month updating all walkers and participants on the latest plans.

“My best ambition having ever aimed at the unbiased approbation of my fellow citizens, it is peculiarly pleasing to find my conduct so affectionately approved by a fraternity whose association is founded in justice and benevolence.”

1791, George Washington writing to St. John’s Lodge, Newbern, North Carolina The Voice of Freemasonry

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COMING EVENTS & SEMINARS

Coming Events Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia Lodge Officers Seminars (see below)..............February, March 2007 Grand Lodge Golf Tournament ......................................April 30, 2007 Semi – Annual Communication.........................................May 9, 2007 Masonic Day of Thanksgiving .........................................May 20, 2007 Universal Brotherhood Celebration..........................June 7 - 10, 2007 Independence Day Palisades Parade & Picnic ................July 4, 2007

Lodge Officers Seminars

A

t his installation as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia, MWB Robert B. Heyat made "Investing in the Craft" the main focus of his administration. Accordingly, the Grand Master charged the Masonic Education and Service Committee to organize instructional seminars for all office holders in our constituent Lodges. The seminars have been custom designed to meet the needs and requirements of each individual office. The first seminar for Worshipful Masters was held on February 3, 2007. This effort is part of a larger multifaceted process aimed at assisting our Lodges get ready for 2011 when our jurisdiction will celebrate its bicentennial.

OFFICER

DATE

TIME

Senior Wardens Junior Wardens Secretaries Treasurers & Trustees Senior Deacons Junior Deacons & Inner Guards (Emulation ritual) Senior Stewards Junior Stewards Masters of Ceremony/Marshals Tilers Chaplains

2-17-07 2-17-07 2-24-07 3-3-07 3-10-07 3-10-07

09:30 to 12:30 1:30 to 4:30 09:30 to 12:30 09:30 to 12:30 09:30 to 12:30 1:30 to 4:30

3-17-07 3-17-07 3-24-07 3-24-07 3-31-07

09:30 1:30 09:30 1:30 09:30

to to to to to

12:30 4:30 12:30 4:30 12:30 The Voice of Freemasonry

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2007 Officers of the Grand Lodge FIRST ROW (L to R): David A. Balcom (7), Grand Chaplain; Robert F. Drechsler (21), Grand Treasurer; Joseph S. Crociata (15), Junior Grand Deacon; Mansour Hatefi (5), Grand Secretary; Kwame M. Acquaah (1798), Senior Grand Warden; Akram R. Elias (5), Deputy Grand Master; Robert B. Heyat (90), Grand Master; Paul D. Gleason (47), Junior Grand Warden; Jesse Villarreal (19), Senior Grand Deacon; Teko A. Foly (34), Senior Grand Steward; Kenneth D. Fuller (7), Junior Grand Steward; Sheldon I. Rappeport (45), Grand Lecturer. SECOND ROW (L to R): Franklin O. Gayoso (14), Assistant Grand Chaplain; Bilal M. Raschid (33), Assistant Grand Chaplain; C. Richard Weaver (21), Assistant Grand Chaplain; Gerhard Meinzer (25), Grand Tiler; Charbel T. Fahed (3), Deputy Grand Lecturer; Maximilian G. Ullmann (2001), Grand Chancellor; Yavuz Anahtar (2000), Assistant to the Grand Master; Walter F. Simon (45), Deputy Grand Chaplain; Gilbert Stepanian (94), Grand Pursuivant; Stewart W. Miner (3) Grand Historian; Sissay Awoke (47) Grand Lodge Physician. THIRD ROW (L to R): George S. Nicol, Jr. (33), Appendant Bodies’ Liaison; Christopher K. Mahaney (23), Assistant Grand Lecturer; Sviatoslav V. Voloshin (1), Grand Photographer; James T. Feezell (54), Grand Marshal; Christopher E. Taylor (1798), Grand Lodge Organist; Unal Bener (15), Assistant to the Grand Master; J. Kenneth Gibala (45), Grand Sword Bearer; Farshid Malek (17), Grand Almoner; Paul T. Sumler (12), Grand Standard Bearer; Walter R. Hoenes (54), Grand Master’s Administrative Assistant; Dean S. Clatterbuck, Assistant Grand Historian, not in photo. – Auditorium: Washington Valley Scottish Rite Center, 2800 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC

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