Brother Mark Twain called the later part of the nineteenth century the Gilded Age . ¹ Yet one might think it might have been a less prosperous time for Freemasonry in the United States given that the era began with a bitter war dividing the country . Surprisingly , while the American Civil War ’ s fratricidal conflict destroyed many institutions , and notwithstanding that Washington at the time was in respects a city with more of a Southern than Northern culture , the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia succeeded remarkably in keeping brotherhood alive , -- and the postwar years were also kind to the Craft . In fact , the war did not slow the growth of Masonry in the District . In 1863 , there were 1233 Masons in the capital . By 1865 there were 1720 members . New lodges were founded , including Harmony Lodge Number 17 in 1863 , Acacia Lodge Number 18 , and Lafayette Lodge Number 19 in 1863 . Columbia Lodge revived and its charter was returned in 1865 .

During the Civil War , Masonry ’ s cable tow was extended to families searching for loved ones , ⁱ even to the extent of the Grand Lodge supporting Masonic doctors who provided a service “ for the purpose of embalming and preserving the bodies of such brother Masons , citizens or soldiers who may be so unfortunate as to die or be killed , while at the seat of war and away from their families and friends , a service was free of charge to Masons .” ⁱⁱ Washington lodges provided travel money for stranded brothers and paid for clothes for brethren who were prisoners of war in the South . ⁱⁱⁱ Help continued long after the end of the war : in 1869 Masons in the District obtained a congressional charter for the Masonic Mutual Relief Association of the District of Columbia to assist widows and orphans . This program eventually became the mega company known today as Acacia Life Insurance . ^iv

Military lodges that traveled with the troops were another response to the crisis . ^v Washington Masons were staunch Unionists and many enlisted . In fact , in 1862 Naval Lodge presented Bro . Robert Clarke , its past master and now an active officer , with a sword , belt , and revolver . ^vi The first military lodge chartered was for the Seventh Regiment of the National Guard of the State of New York , followed by a lodge for the Third Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Corps , known as the Potomac Watch . Then the 59th Regiment New York State Volunteers was given dispensation for a lodge , followed by a dispensation for the Third Brigade of the First Division of the Fifth Army Corps Army of the Potomac , to be known as the Lodge of the Union . ^vii These traditions of supporting those in the armed services were reaffirmed in 2006 with the organization of Freedom Military Lodge No . 1775 for brethren in the military . ^viii

The social diversity of the membership of Washington lodges during this period was remarked about when the 140th anniversary of the founding of Harmony in 1863 was commemorated : “… recall Brothers C . Cammack , Sr .; E . C . Eckloff ; G . Alfred Hall ; J . E . F . Holmead ; J . W . D . Gray ; William Blair Lord ; Y . P . Page ; William H . Rohrer ; and W . Morris Smith . These were nine men who lived , worked , laughed , loved , suffered , and served Masonry 140 years ago . We know little about them as men except that their very names indicate their national origins as English , Eastern European , Scottish , German . Of such was our union of states created .” ^ix

Ritual, Secrecy and Civil Society Volume 1, Number 1, Spring 2013 | Page 61