Next month celebrations will take place throughout Scotland, and far beyond it wherever Scotsmen gather in celebration of the anniversary of the birth of our National Bard.
Amid these celebrations Freemasons will more especially refer to the connexion of Robert Burns with the Craft, not only in his home county, where he was initiated and installed, and in the Scottish Capital, wher he was affiliated and honoured, but in all quarters of the globe. "And from Nova Scotia to New Zealanil thera are many Scot Lodges that bear his With such a national spirit among. Scots we can appreciate and sympathize with a similar sentiment elsewhere. That spirit was fully manifested last month in connexion with the George Washington Masonic celebrations throughout the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodges of the United States of America on his Masonic birthday November 4, the date when in 1752 he was inted into the Fraternity in Fredcricksbure Lodge, No. 4, Virgi Our interest in the subject is enhanced by the fact that the hero of American Independence was a Scottish Freemason, and an interesting historical note upon this matter hay just been prepared by a leading Scottish authority. Tt appears that, in the early history of the Lodge: it was claimed that it was organized by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Boston, and again by the Grand Lodife of Philadelphia, but cords exist as to these matters. any vote the dubiety regarding authorities proved too onerous for the members. of the Fredericksburg Lodge, who desired to secure for themselves "an ample charter." They therefore on April 4, 175%, set apart the sum of seven pounds for such s Charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, which was ac~ cordingly applied for. The Charter was issued at Edinburgh on July 23, 1758, and is signed by Geo, Fray: ser, Dep'ty G. Master; Rich'a Tod Sub G. M.; David Ross, S.G.W. Will'm M'Ghie, J.G.W.; and is. stil one of the prized possessions of the Lodge and in excellent preservation, Washington never gave. up his membership of the Fredericksburg, Lodge, and was not a member of any other Jodgo when the Scottish Charter was obtained, He was therefore a Scottish Freemason from July, 1758, and he remained one for at least '20\ years. The Grand Lodge. of Virginia was established by & Convention in 1778 at which four lodges were represented, Fredericksburg then obtained a Charter fas No. 4 from the new Grand Lodge of the State, the Blandford Lodge, also a Scottish lodge with the orginal, number 82 becoming No. 3 Two other lodges in Virginia or ginally chartered by Mother Kilwinning also. joined up. Washington became a member of Alexandria Lodge, No. 39 Virginia, in June, 1784, and became its Master four years later,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.