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The meeting which established the Memorial Association in 1910 was held at Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22. At that meeting, M:. W:. William B. McChesney, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, said the following:
ReplyDelete“By the grace of God and the invitation of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22, we are here today to form an organization, which we hope will be as lasting as the memory of him whose birthday we celebrate. In the beginning I wish to state that this is a function entirely of Alexandria-Washington Lodge. I, like the other representatives from other Grand Jurisdictions, am an invited guest. They have conceived this to be something that is due the nation. Having, for their first Master, Worshipful Brother George Washington, they necessarily feel that he is of them and is theirs. They have priceless relics of his life surrounding them, and as they wish to preserve them for the benefit of Masonry in a national sense, propose to make this a national organization. If they desired to erect a building simply as an ornament to their city or for the comfort of their Lodge, the sale of these cherished heirlooms at public auction would yield a sum sufficient to build the finest temple in Virginia, but appreciating their history and believing that the other Grand Jurisdictions feel as deeply interested in Brother Washington as they do, they come before you with this proposition, that the matter may be taken up as a national project.”
After making this statement to the assembled group of eighteen Grand Masters, the following resolution was proposed and adopted, establishing the Association:
WHEREAS Alexandria, Virginia, was the home town of George Washington, he being a member of its Council, a vestryman in Christ Church, and first Master of Alexandria Lodge, No. 22; Alexandria’s citizens first celebrating his birthday; its soldiers, physicians, ministers and Masons ministering to him in life and death, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge, possessing, as priceless heirlooms, many of the personal effects and Masonic treasures of this man, “whom Heaven left childless that a nation might call him father,” and
WHEREAS, it has been aptly said that “until time shall be no more, will a test of the progress, which our race has made in wisdom and virtue, be derived from the veneration paid to the immortal name of Washington,” now therefore be it
Resolved, first that we approve and endorse the proposed erection of a Masonic Temple as a memorial to George Washington, under the auspices of Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, A. F. & A. M., of Alexandria, Virginia.
That we pledge our earnest support to this commendable undertaking and that all Grand Masters are earnestly requested to call the same to the attention of the Lodges within their several jurisdictions, and urge upon them their hearty cooperation and assistance.
Alexandria-Washington Lodge established the preliminary committee to explore the building of the Memorial on February 13, 1908. In 1909, the Lodge bought the first plots of land on which to build the new Temple.
-Andrew Hammer, PM
Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22