Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
America.
receive the Mark Degree ? Notwithstanding the statement of Col . Flores , that his ancestor was associated with Washington in one of the Lodges of the revolutionary army , in which the Mark Degree was given , it does not follow that he had not previously received the degree in another Lodge . The jewel was of English manufacture , and was brought from England by Bro . Bystrzanowfski . It is possible that Col . Flores may have been mistakenand that his
, kinsman was associated with Washington in a British army Lodge , prior to the breaking out of the Revolution . This supposition would seem to be the more probable , from the fact that there is no evidence , within our knowledge , inde 2 > endent of that furnished by Bro . Flores himself , that the Mark Degree was conferred in any of the Lodges attached to the American army . If , therefore , we may suppose that Washington received the Mark Degree in one of the English Military
Lodges ( in which it is shown to have been conferred ) , then there is little difficulty in the way of the further conjecture that he received it in Lodge No . 227 , attached to the 46 th regiment . This conjecture , if allowable , will explain the entry in the records of that Lodge , and relieve the case of all its present embarrassments . " We do not , of course , offer these speculations as a conclusive explanation of the difficulty , but simply in the hope that they may
arrest the attention of our English Brethren , who have the records of the Lodge in their possession , and induce them to examine the subject , with a reference to the view in which it is here presented . " It may not be out of p lace here , nor wholly unacceptable to our readers , to give the anecdotes briefly referred to in the foregoing correspondence , in relation to the capture and return of the warrant and furniture of Lodge 227 , as they originally appeared , we believe , in the United Service Journal , from which work they were transferred to the London Review in 1834 : —
" * The annals of Lodge No . 227 , * under the Grand Lodge of Ireland , held by tho distinguished 46 th regiment , furnish some facts which are alike honourable to the Craft and to tho human heart . During the services of this regiment in America , General Washington was initiated into Masonry in their Lodge . Well can we imagine the gush of holy feeling with which his benevolent mind , so deeply imbued with the love of his fellow-creatures , received the sublime tenets of our Order . That the impression was of a highly-wrought character , his after-conduct proved ; for when war broke out between the States and the mother countryand he became divided frornthe Brothers of
, ^ his adoption , in feeling , in communion of soul , he was their Brother still . The Masonic chest of the 46 th , by the chance of war , fell into the hands of the Americans ; thoy reported the circumstance to General Washington , who embraced the opportunity of testifying his estimation of Masonry , hi the most marked and gratifying manner , by directing that a guard of honour , under a distinguished officer , should take charge of the chest , with many articles of value belonging to the 16 th , and return them to the regiment . The surprise , the feeling- of both officers and men , may be imagined , when they perceived the flag of truce that announced this elegant compliment from then- noble
opponent , but still more noble Brother . The guard of honour with their flutes playing a sacred march , —the chest containing the constitution and implements of tho Craft , borne aloft , like another ark of the covenant , equally by Englishmen and Americans , who , lately engaged in the strife of war , now marched through the enfiladed ranks of the gallant regiment , that , with presented arms and colours , hailed tho glorious act by cheers , which the sentiment rendered sacred as the Hallelujahs of an angel ' s song .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
America.
receive the Mark Degree ? Notwithstanding the statement of Col . Flores , that his ancestor was associated with Washington in one of the Lodges of the revolutionary army , in which the Mark Degree was given , it does not follow that he had not previously received the degree in another Lodge . The jewel was of English manufacture , and was brought from England by Bro . Bystrzanowfski . It is possible that Col . Flores may have been mistakenand that his
, kinsman was associated with Washington in a British army Lodge , prior to the breaking out of the Revolution . This supposition would seem to be the more probable , from the fact that there is no evidence , within our knowledge , inde 2 > endent of that furnished by Bro . Flores himself , that the Mark Degree was conferred in any of the Lodges attached to the American army . If , therefore , we may suppose that Washington received the Mark Degree in one of the English Military
Lodges ( in which it is shown to have been conferred ) , then there is little difficulty in the way of the further conjecture that he received it in Lodge No . 227 , attached to the 46 th regiment . This conjecture , if allowable , will explain the entry in the records of that Lodge , and relieve the case of all its present embarrassments . " We do not , of course , offer these speculations as a conclusive explanation of the difficulty , but simply in the hope that they may
arrest the attention of our English Brethren , who have the records of the Lodge in their possession , and induce them to examine the subject , with a reference to the view in which it is here presented . " It may not be out of p lace here , nor wholly unacceptable to our readers , to give the anecdotes briefly referred to in the foregoing correspondence , in relation to the capture and return of the warrant and furniture of Lodge 227 , as they originally appeared , we believe , in the United Service Journal , from which work they were transferred to the London Review in 1834 : —
" * The annals of Lodge No . 227 , * under the Grand Lodge of Ireland , held by tho distinguished 46 th regiment , furnish some facts which are alike honourable to the Craft and to tho human heart . During the services of this regiment in America , General Washington was initiated into Masonry in their Lodge . Well can we imagine the gush of holy feeling with which his benevolent mind , so deeply imbued with the love of his fellow-creatures , received the sublime tenets of our Order . That the impression was of a highly-wrought character , his after-conduct proved ; for when war broke out between the States and the mother countryand he became divided frornthe Brothers of
, ^ his adoption , in feeling , in communion of soul , he was their Brother still . The Masonic chest of the 46 th , by the chance of war , fell into the hands of the Americans ; thoy reported the circumstance to General Washington , who embraced the opportunity of testifying his estimation of Masonry , hi the most marked and gratifying manner , by directing that a guard of honour , under a distinguished officer , should take charge of the chest , with many articles of value belonging to the 16 th , and return them to the regiment . The surprise , the feeling- of both officers and men , may be imagined , when they perceived the flag of truce that announced this elegant compliment from then- noble
opponent , but still more noble Brother . The guard of honour with their flutes playing a sacred march , —the chest containing the constitution and implements of tho Craft , borne aloft , like another ark of the covenant , equally by Englishmen and Americans , who , lately engaged in the strife of war , now marched through the enfiladed ranks of the gallant regiment , that , with presented arms and colours , hailed tho glorious act by cheers , which the sentiment rendered sacred as the Hallelujahs of an angel ' s song .