Inventing America : The Role of Freemasonry in Early Washington
Recapitulating , by 1810 , Federal and Columbia shared their own building , Naval was ensconced by the Yard , and Potomac had built its new hall . There also were two lodges working in Alexandria . For a small town , this was a great deal of Masonic activity and needed coordination , so unsurprisingly on December 11 , 1810 , a convention was called for establishing a Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia . Present were brothers from Federal , Columbia , Naval , Potomac , and from Brook Alexandria , Virginia , under the jurisdiction of Virginia . There was no great debate about the need for a grand lodge ; the brethren did not procrastinate . At a meeting on January 8 , 1811 , Grand Lodge Officers were elected . The very young brother Jones was elected Grand Secretary . 35
This may appear as a small group with more ambition than resources , but it was a small town then , and there was now a strong Masonic presence as epitomized in a grand lodge . A grand lodge is in charge not just of its blue lodges , but of all Masonry in its jurisdiction . A distinctive feature of Freemasonry is that although a grand lodge concerns itself with the first three degrees or initiatory ceremonies , since the formation of the first grand lodge in London in 1717 , a grand lodge really controls all Freemasonry in its jurisdiction by virtue of nobody being able to hold other degrees unless they remain in good standing with those first stages or degrees ( Entered Apprentice , Fellowcraft , Master Mason ). This applies no matter how exalted the other degrees might appear . 36 One can have a whole collection of awesome titles in Washington , but in the end , it is those blue lodge degrees controlled by the Grand Lodge that make one a mason .
A Meeting at the End of the Day
When the Grand Lodge of the
District of Columbia was formed on February 19 , 1811 37 and its warrants were issued to the founding Lodges , based upon seniority in terms of continuity of oper-
35 Nearly 200 years later , when Anacostia lodge elected a 22-year-old Master , he bravely wrote : “ I have been a Mason for two years and I am only 22 years old . That makes me the youngest Master ever to raise a gavel in the East of our great lodge . Now that you know me , let me just say that I plan on having an interesting and fun filled year at Anacostia . I have events planned for the current year which I hope will be educational , inspirational , and provide just an all around good time . There is only one thing I ask of you brethren — come back to Anacostia . Sit once more in your mother lodge and enjoy the fellowship that brought you here the first time . It is only fitting that you allow me to learn about you so that I may know you as my brother and friend . ( Editorial comment : How could anyone not respond positively to this appeal from a young and highly motivated Master ?)” Shlagel , K . G . Wisdom from the lodges . The Voice of Freemasonry , 20 ( 3 ), 7 .
36 In the case of the District , the early Proceeding refer to the Past Master degree as a fourth degree convened for installing the Grand Master or the masters of lodges . That tradition continues , sometimes by asking masters to take the Past Master degree in a Royal Arch chapter , but is no longer referenced as a blue lodge fourth degree .
37 Selected Archives , Grand Lodge , F . A . A . M . of the District of Columbia , including Proceedings of the Grand Lodge , History of the Grand Lodge , The Voice of Freemasonry , and Selected Photographs , DVD user Manual .
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