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Article MASONIC SAYINGS AND DOINGS ABROAD. ← Page 3 of 3 Article THE WEDDING OF BRO. GEORGE WASHINGTON. Page 1 of 2 →
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Masonic Sayings And Doings Abroad.
The story , which has been going the rounds of the English and American Masonic press , that the Grand Master of Ohio had arrested the Charters of " Bethel " and " Warren Lodge , No . 255 , " for-working on Sunday , and which has given rise to a number of smart
and cutting saying 3 respecting our sister Grand Lodge , is , we are glad to state , officially denied by the Masonic Review . The Grand Master has arrested no Charter on such a charge . There is no such lodge as " Warren Lodge , No . 255 , " and the whole , story is a spurious manufacture . —Beeord .
The Wedding Of Bro. George Washington.
THE WEDDING OF BRO . GEORGE WASHINGTON .
[ In an old copy of "Appleton ' s Magazine" we erewhile came across the subjoined sketch . It will interest our readers , as always does anything connected with the life , habits , and labours of the good man and Mason , whose memory is revered amongst his countrymen . ]
It is now some years since I visited a venerable edifice intimately connected with the life of an old man—old St . Peter's Church , in New-Kent county , Virginia , where Washington was married . Let us leave for a moment the bustle , turmoil , and " rush , " of the Iron Age , and go back to the last century , when life was more deliberate , solid and picturesque .
The old church of Avhich I speak takes you easily back , as you gaze at it ; and there is the added interest of its association with the nuptials of Washington . Old St . Peter ' s Avas built as far back as the year 1703 , and is a long , low building , of " sun-dried brick , "brought over from England , as was then the habit , with a steep roof , and wall embrowned by age . A square tower rises
above tho open vestibule , on a level with the ground , and in this tower is the vestry room , to which you ascend by a lofty flight of ancient and creaking steps . CroAvning the tower is a sort of steeple , surmounted by crossed rods , bearing the letters , "N . S . E . W ., " and the summit of all is a small portion of an old weathercock , which probably veered in the winds of tho last century . The surroundings of the time-honoured edifice are as antique as the building , which stands on its wooded
knoll , Avith the sturdy air of a veteran , careles of " time aud tide . " Oil the bricks are carved names and dates by hands thatbave long crumbled . Oneof these dates inl 739 . On a great tombstone beneath the oriel Avindows , walled up , for some reason , is a coat-of-arms , raised in bas-relief , —a shield , Avith a " lone star , " upon it ; above , a knight ' s vizard , with a coronet—of a duke or marquis , apparently
—encircling it ; and , surmounting all , the grinning head of a wolf . On this stone , dark and durable as was the marble of that epoch , is cut the date , " 1716 . " Not a tracery has grown dim , not a letter or figure is indistinct . The wolC ' s tongue lolls out fiercely ; his eyes glare ; his teeth snarl . The rain and snow and sunshine have fallen for a century and a half on the knihtlhelmetand
gy , the head of the wolf , —and neither rain , snow , nor sunshine has affected the iron surface . These objects take you back to a remote period , very unlike the present , Avhen buildings , tombstones , and all things , seem constructed of transient materials . Another memorial of old times is the grove of old oaks around the church . What picturesque scenes these must have
witnessed ! Beneath their spreading boughs , generation after generation , rolled the chariot of the old-time Virginians , drawn by their four horses , containing the squire ,
his wife , and maidens and children , attending church . To these boughs were tethered the bridles of thoroughbred horses , ridden by gallant youths . Yonder the chariots discharged their burdens , —the pompous old lord of the manor , the good dame , his wife , and the little beauty , their daughter , in her great hooped dress , -cut bodicepowdered hairand red-heeled shoes
square , , , which she displays as she raises her silk dress and scarlet " petticoat , " as they called it then . You may see still , in imagination , as she smiles and nods , slaying , with her bright eyes , the youths in embroidered coats , long waiscoats , and ruffles , who hasten to assist her , and contend for the touch of the small hand .
All that has passed away ; the youths and maidens are long dead . The parson no more sweeps down the vestry stairs , or thunders or drones in his high , tub-shaped pulpit above the listeners in the lofty pews . Squire and dame , and parson and gallant lover , and little beauty , live only in the memory of the great oaks , which waved above them , wave still , and will probable rustle their
leaves in the winds of another century . Such is and was old St . Peter ' s Church—an interesting relic , to-day , of a time that is long dead ; interesting , more than all , as I have said , as having been the scene of Washington ' s wedding . The incident which led to that event is worth narrating , and is something of a comedy . I hope , in relating
it , I shall not be charged with "irreverence" to the memory of a famous bridegroom . He was a man of lofty pride , august dignity—a very grand type of manhood . But he was a man , not a demi-god , and "fellin love" at least twice in his life , like the humblest of his species . This Avas his second love , and something of romance was connected with the origin of the affair . It was in the spring of 1758 . Mr Custis , a planter , residing at his estate called " The Whito House , " was riding out one morning , when he met , coming from the
northward , a young gentleman of military appearance , excellently mounted , and accompanied by a gaunt old servant , or sergeant , who rode respectfully a few paces behind his master . The new-comers were Colonel George Washington , on his way from Winchester to Williamsburg , and his attendant , Bishop , formerly Braddock ' s body-servantnow his own .
, Washington was twenty-five at that time , and a young man of great sedateness and dignity . He was in chief command on the frontier , and saw or thought little of the fair sex . But on this spring morning of 1738 , his " time had come . " lviruustis mvitea to at tne
. greeted mm , ana mm stop White House . He would do so with pleasure , but it Avould bo for half-an-hour only . His business was pressing ; he must hasten on to see his excellency at Williamsburg . And , conversing , they rode back , and reached the White House , Here Washington dismounted and delivered his horse to Bishop , with orders to await him there he would continue his journey in half-an-hour .
; Bishop saluted gravely , with hand raised to his hat ; his master entered the house ; and the half-hour passed— -the old servant waiting patiently . His master did not , however , make his appearance . The event was unheard of ; Colonel Washington was the soul of punctuality ; he was on pressing public business ; what could be the meaning of this strange and unwonted
delay ? An hour—two hours—passed . Colonel Washington did not reappear . But a servant came out , and delivered an order from him to the motionless old body-guard . He would conduct the horses to the stables ; his master would dine , and possibly spend the night with Mr . Custis . Bishop obeyed—the Avorld was clearly coming to an end !
—and Colonel Washington was the guest of the owner of the White House . On the next morning , Bishop , in obedience to orders to that effect , saddled the horses , and waited before the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Sayings And Doings Abroad.
The story , which has been going the rounds of the English and American Masonic press , that the Grand Master of Ohio had arrested the Charters of " Bethel " and " Warren Lodge , No . 255 , " for-working on Sunday , and which has given rise to a number of smart
and cutting saying 3 respecting our sister Grand Lodge , is , we are glad to state , officially denied by the Masonic Review . The Grand Master has arrested no Charter on such a charge . There is no such lodge as " Warren Lodge , No . 255 , " and the whole , story is a spurious manufacture . —Beeord .
The Wedding Of Bro. George Washington.
THE WEDDING OF BRO . GEORGE WASHINGTON .
[ In an old copy of "Appleton ' s Magazine" we erewhile came across the subjoined sketch . It will interest our readers , as always does anything connected with the life , habits , and labours of the good man and Mason , whose memory is revered amongst his countrymen . ]
It is now some years since I visited a venerable edifice intimately connected with the life of an old man—old St . Peter's Church , in New-Kent county , Virginia , where Washington was married . Let us leave for a moment the bustle , turmoil , and " rush , " of the Iron Age , and go back to the last century , when life was more deliberate , solid and picturesque .
The old church of Avhich I speak takes you easily back , as you gaze at it ; and there is the added interest of its association with the nuptials of Washington . Old St . Peter ' s Avas built as far back as the year 1703 , and is a long , low building , of " sun-dried brick , "brought over from England , as was then the habit , with a steep roof , and wall embrowned by age . A square tower rises
above tho open vestibule , on a level with the ground , and in this tower is the vestry room , to which you ascend by a lofty flight of ancient and creaking steps . CroAvning the tower is a sort of steeple , surmounted by crossed rods , bearing the letters , "N . S . E . W ., " and the summit of all is a small portion of an old weathercock , which probably veered in the winds of tho last century . The surroundings of the time-honoured edifice are as antique as the building , which stands on its wooded
knoll , Avith the sturdy air of a veteran , careles of " time aud tide . " Oil the bricks are carved names and dates by hands thatbave long crumbled . Oneof these dates inl 739 . On a great tombstone beneath the oriel Avindows , walled up , for some reason , is a coat-of-arms , raised in bas-relief , —a shield , Avith a " lone star , " upon it ; above , a knight ' s vizard , with a coronet—of a duke or marquis , apparently
—encircling it ; and , surmounting all , the grinning head of a wolf . On this stone , dark and durable as was the marble of that epoch , is cut the date , " 1716 . " Not a tracery has grown dim , not a letter or figure is indistinct . The wolC ' s tongue lolls out fiercely ; his eyes glare ; his teeth snarl . The rain and snow and sunshine have fallen for a century and a half on the knihtlhelmetand
gy , the head of the wolf , —and neither rain , snow , nor sunshine has affected the iron surface . These objects take you back to a remote period , very unlike the present , Avhen buildings , tombstones , and all things , seem constructed of transient materials . Another memorial of old times is the grove of old oaks around the church . What picturesque scenes these must have
witnessed ! Beneath their spreading boughs , generation after generation , rolled the chariot of the old-time Virginians , drawn by their four horses , containing the squire ,
his wife , and maidens and children , attending church . To these boughs were tethered the bridles of thoroughbred horses , ridden by gallant youths . Yonder the chariots discharged their burdens , —the pompous old lord of the manor , the good dame , his wife , and the little beauty , their daughter , in her great hooped dress , -cut bodicepowdered hairand red-heeled shoes
square , , , which she displays as she raises her silk dress and scarlet " petticoat , " as they called it then . You may see still , in imagination , as she smiles and nods , slaying , with her bright eyes , the youths in embroidered coats , long waiscoats , and ruffles , who hasten to assist her , and contend for the touch of the small hand .
All that has passed away ; the youths and maidens are long dead . The parson no more sweeps down the vestry stairs , or thunders or drones in his high , tub-shaped pulpit above the listeners in the lofty pews . Squire and dame , and parson and gallant lover , and little beauty , live only in the memory of the great oaks , which waved above them , wave still , and will probable rustle their
leaves in the winds of another century . Such is and was old St . Peter ' s Church—an interesting relic , to-day , of a time that is long dead ; interesting , more than all , as I have said , as having been the scene of Washington ' s wedding . The incident which led to that event is worth narrating , and is something of a comedy . I hope , in relating
it , I shall not be charged with "irreverence" to the memory of a famous bridegroom . He was a man of lofty pride , august dignity—a very grand type of manhood . But he was a man , not a demi-god , and "fellin love" at least twice in his life , like the humblest of his species . This Avas his second love , and something of romance was connected with the origin of the affair . It was in the spring of 1758 . Mr Custis , a planter , residing at his estate called " The Whito House , " was riding out one morning , when he met , coming from the
northward , a young gentleman of military appearance , excellently mounted , and accompanied by a gaunt old servant , or sergeant , who rode respectfully a few paces behind his master . The new-comers were Colonel George Washington , on his way from Winchester to Williamsburg , and his attendant , Bishop , formerly Braddock ' s body-servantnow his own .
, Washington was twenty-five at that time , and a young man of great sedateness and dignity . He was in chief command on the frontier , and saw or thought little of the fair sex . But on this spring morning of 1738 , his " time had come . " lviruustis mvitea to at tne
. greeted mm , ana mm stop White House . He would do so with pleasure , but it Avould bo for half-an-hour only . His business was pressing ; he must hasten on to see his excellency at Williamsburg . And , conversing , they rode back , and reached the White House , Here Washington dismounted and delivered his horse to Bishop , with orders to await him there he would continue his journey in half-an-hour .
; Bishop saluted gravely , with hand raised to his hat ; his master entered the house ; and the half-hour passed— -the old servant waiting patiently . His master did not , however , make his appearance . The event was unheard of ; Colonel Washington was the soul of punctuality ; he was on pressing public business ; what could be the meaning of this strange and unwonted
delay ? An hour—two hours—passed . Colonel Washington did not reappear . But a servant came out , and delivered an order from him to the motionless old body-guard . He would conduct the horses to the stables ; his master would dine , and possibly spend the night with Mr . Custis . Bishop obeyed—the Avorld was clearly coming to an end !
—and Colonel Washington was the guest of the owner of the White House . On the next morning , Bishop , in obedience to orders to that effect , saddled the horses , and waited before the