Inventing America : The Role of Freemasonry in Early Washington
This , of course , spanned the events of the war of 1812 , when as a consequence of being burnt by the British ; the restored Executive Mansion became the White House to obliterate the permanent damage the fire caused . Still , records indicate that at least some of the brethren welcomed English and Irish military brothers , friendships in the midst of strife . 53
From These Ashes
The Grand Lodge had first appeared in public in 1815 when it laid the cornerstone of the Episcopal Church at 16 th and H . Streets Northwest . 54 More such events soon followed , and more cornerstones were laid , including for a Presbyterian Church in Georgetown in 1820 , and for the new City Hall for the District in the same year . This was a period of considerable construction in the district , and having a proper building possibly was on the minds of the brothers as they laid the cornerstones for the buildings of others . In 1819 , Congress was petitioned to allow the Grand Lodge to conduct a lottery for $ 50,000 , to be used for building the hall . Nothing came of that scheme , but the desire to have a fitting grand lodge edifice was a theme throughout the two centuries . 55
Many brothers involved at this time were what would be described as self-made men and emigrants . The life of the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge illustrates the personal challenges faced by early masons , who had left their native lands to make their own way in the world . Interestingly , in the 1990s , the Grand Lodge would move ahead by reaching out once more to emigrants . Valentine Reintzel ’ s parents were from Germany , first moving to Pennsylvania from the Rhineland in 1738 . As already mentioned , when he participated with
53 “ The War of 1813 , while bringing many exciting and terrifying days to the inhabitants of Washington , especially at the time of the occupation of the city by the British , does not seem to have affected the fraternity , the destructive work of the troops being confined to the public buildings , private property , in the main , being respected . In the defense of the Capital it is a matter of record that many members of the fraternity took part either in the force under Commodore Barney or in the militia called out to aid in repelling the invading army . A little later we find among the visitors to the various lodges English and Irish brethren whom it is reasonable to suppose wore the uniform of the enemy . Once over the threshold of the lodge , however , they met as brethren and not as foes , and who can estimate the vast influence for good that sprang , then as now , from this practical application of the spirit of universal brotherhood ?” Kenton Neal Harper , History of the Grand Lodge and of Freemasonry in the District of Columbia , Published by Order of the Grand Lodge , R . Bereford , 1911 , 52 . Retrieved October 20 , 2010 from
http :// www . archive . org / stream / cu31924030287712 / cu31924030287712 _ djvu . txt . Brother George Adams among others wonders if there is really documentary substantiation of Harper ’ s assertion . However : ... we find among the visitors to the Lodge brethren from English and Irish Lodges , whom it is reasonable to suppose belonged to the invading army .” Harper , History of Naval Lodge , 25 .
55 Harper , Grand Lodge , 56 .
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