History of JC3


	HISTORY OF COLUMBIA LODGE No. 3, F.A.A.M. By: JOSEPH M. MARZOLF, Secretary NOVEMBER 8, 1932 More than 130 years ago a few Masons, imbued with the important part Freemasonry had played in the Revolutionary War and the establishment of what is now a great nation, conceived the desire to form a new Lodge at the Nation’s Capital, which at that time was little more than a country village, as Congress had designated this site for the National Capital in 1790 and the seat of the Government actually was no located in this vicinity until 1800. Apparently the leader in this undertaking was Brother Charles Jones, because on November 8, 1802 this Brother presented a petition to the Grand Lodge of Maryland, then only nineteen years old, signed by a number of Brethren working under a dispensation iii the City of Washington, praying for a warrant empowering them to convene as a regular Lodge in the jurisdiction. The sponsors and recommenders of our Lodge were the Master, Senior and Junior Wardens of Federal Lodge No. 15, now known as Federal Lodge No. 1 of the District of Columbia. The petition was granted and a warrant issued on November 8, 1802, designating the Lodge as Columbia Lodge No. 35 of the City of Washington. Brother Charles Jones was installed as Master in open Grand Lodge on the 9th of November, 1802. Patrick Kain was the first Senior Warden and John Burns the Junior Warden. The earliest available list of members, most of whom probably signed the petition, is as follows: Brothers Orlando Cook, Bernard Dolar, Niniam Beall, Isaac Wilson, John Heron, Samuel Russ, John Dobbyn, Francis Pick, Nathaniel Segar, Joseph Johnson Robert Spider, James Walker, Thomas Herty, James N. Robertson, Thomas Greeves, Andrew Barth, J. C. Shitidle and Nicholas Whelan (21 in all). Most of these Brethren appear to have been officials or employees of the Treasury Department. The first meeting place of the Lodge was on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue near 15th Street, in what was known as Lovell’s Hotel. At the time the new Lodge was chartered, it would appear that the only other active Lodge ID this vicinity was Federal Lodge No. 15. There had been a Lodge in Georgetown under the name of Columbia Lodge No. 19, chartered October 22, 1795. It is understood, however, that this Lodge suspended operations between December 12, 1796 and November 12, 1806 when upon petition of former members a new charter from the Grand Lodge of Maryland was issued on the latter date to Potomac Lodge No. 43. Two years after its formation, or in 1804 Columbia Lodge No. 35, together with Federal Lodge No. 15, purchased a site 23~x5O~ on the west side of Eleventh Street just south of Pennsylvania Avenue and erected the two-story structure which was known as Union Lodge Hal~~t~ter this building was used as a meeting place for other lodges which were subsequently chartered and this building, though unpretentious in appearance, properly may be termed the first Masonic Temple in the City of Washington. Our founders deserve our praise for their energy, enthusiasm and self-sacrifice for an ideal which has persisted through the many subsequent years and resulted in the great organization in this city at the present time. The Lodge continued to work under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Maryland until 1811. On December 11, 1810, a convention was called for the purpose of considering the right and expediency of establishing a Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. At this convention delegate8 from the following Lodges were present: Federal Lodge No. 15, Columbia Lodge No. 35, and Washington Naval Lodge No. 41 of this city; Potomac Lodge No. 43 of Georgetown, A C., under the jurisdiction of Maryland, and Brook Lodge No. 47 of Alexandria, Virginia, under the jurisdiction of Virginia. The delegates from Columbia Lodge were Brothers Charles Jones, Master; Orlando Cook, Senior Warden, and Ninian Beall, Junior Warden. It may be safely assumed that our representatives played an active and influential part in the deliberations of the convention and were instrumental in the formation of our Grand Lodge. At an adjourned meeting held on January 8, 1811, the organization was perfected and Grand Lodge Officers were elected. Our Master, Brother Charles Jones, was elected Grand Secretary, an office which he held only for a short time as he died the following October and was interred by the Grand Lodge with Masonic honors. This worthy Brother served our Lodge as Worshipful Master from the time it was chartered in 1802 until his death in 1811 and is deserving of the highest esteem of every member of the Lodge which he served so long and faithfully, as well as the respect of our whole Fraternity in this jurisdiction for the labor he contributed in forming our Grand Lodge. At the next communication of the Grand Lodge on April 9, 1811, Columbia Lodge No. 35 was chartered as Columbia Lodge No. 3 of the District of Columbia, although it was not until May 6, 1811 that the Grand Lodge of Maryland recognized the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. The assent of the Grand Lodge of Maryland was presented t;o our Grand Lodge at its communication on July 9, 1811, at which time the several Lodges were directed to return their warrants to the authority from whom hey had received them. However, permission had been granted by the Grand Lodge of Maryland to the several Lodges of the District of Columbia, working under the authority of that Grand Lodge, to retain their warrants if they so desired. Our Brethren apparently desired to retain their original warrant, which is in the possession of Columbia Lodge at this time, although it was lost for a number of years and later was found in the rubbish of the temple. The earliest minutes of the Lodge now available are for the communication of May 8, 1815, and they are practically complete from that time until January 9, 1836. During this period no doubt many events occurred of importance to the craft, both within and without the tiled doors of the Lodge, and it is regretted that the records are so meager concerning the steps taken to oppose the efforts of those enemies who attempted to discredit our Fraternity for political and selfish reasons. Et is also probable that many events of Masonic importance occurred which were not recorded. One reason for this fact may be the extreme secrecy with which our elder brethren shrouded all actions, charities and events pertaining to Masonry. In 1826 Federal Lodge No. 1, Columbia Lodge No. 3, Lebanon Lodge No. 7 and New Jerusalem Lodge No. 9 jointly purchased a plot of ground at; the southwest corner of D and 4~ Streets, N.W., now John Marshall Place, and thereon was erected a building first known as Central Masonic Hall and later as Freemason’s Hall. The laying of the cornerstone of this building was a great event, as practically all the heads of Departments, Judicial and City officials, as well as Army and Navy contingents joined in the procession. M.W.G.M. John N. Moulder, a member of Columbia Lodge, placed the cornerstone of this building. During 1834 and a part of 1835 Lodge communications were infrequent and virtually amounted to suspension. The charter was placed in the custody of Grand Master William W. Billings, who restored it to the members in 1835 when the Lodge was reorganized and James Lawrenson was elected Master. From this time the Lodge does not appear to have been in a very flourishing condition but seems to have feebly continued its existence through the efforts of a few zealous brethren until some time in 1837 when, by the sudden removal from the jurisdiction of a large majority of the members, mostly Germans, who had been admitted since the reorganization in 1835 and who it appears left in a body to migrate to the west, it became embarrassed to such an extent that the Master Brother F. L. Grammer was forced by the financial condition of the Lodge to petition the Grand Lodge to relieve him of the custody of the charter, which request was granted at a meeting of the Grand Lodge in May, 1838. The Grand Lodge, however, anticipating that at some future time an effort would be made to revive the Lodge, passed the following resolution: "RESOLVED: That this Grand Lodge accept of the warrant tools and other property of Columbia Lodge No. 3 and that the same be laid up for the use of any five members of said Lodge No. 3 and that should they apply, the same shall be given up for their use free of any charge on the part of this Grand Lodge." Columbia Lodge met in the building at D and 4th Streets until its charter was surrendered during the Morgan excitement which swept over the country. The stress of this period may be appreciated from the events which transpired subsequently because after our Lodge became inactive not only the other Lodges of the District, but also the Grand Lodge, were extremely straightened circumstances. Freemasons’ Hall was lost to the Fraternity by what today would be termed foreclosure proceedings and the Lodges were liable to find places to meet. Some meetings were held in private residences and one Lodge held its meetings over a stable. No effort was made to recover the charter as provided for in the Grand Lodge resolution until May, 1863, during the Civil War, when a movement was started to obtain five of the original members to petition the Grand Lodge for the return of the charter. On December 28, 1863, a petition signed by William Cooper, Samuel Sherwood, Thomas Donoho, Joseph Bryan and James Lawrenson wa8 presented to the Grand Lodge, but was laid over until the meeting of the Grand Lodge in May, 1864. In the meantime, the following additional signatures to the petition were obtained: Charles F. Wood, Joseph S. Wil8on, Charles W. Forrest, Charles H. Wiltberger, Michel A. Guista and Abraham Clark. In November, 1864, the matter again was brought to the attention of the Grand Lodge and again was postponed. It is not apparent why the Grand Lodge hesitated to comply with its previous resolution, but; it seems probable that there was some question as to whether the brethren were capable of proceeding as a constituent Lodge. Also, it is understood that; some of the signers of the first petition were not members of the Lodge at the time the charter was surrendered and because others had subsequently joined other Lodges. Brother Joseph S. Wilson had affiliated with Hiram Lodge No. 10, and Brothers Thomas Donoho, James Lawrenson, William Cooper and Charles H. Wiltberger with Lebanon Lodge No. 7. Thus the matter rested until the meeting of the Grand Lodge on St. John’s Day in December, 1864, when the subject again was brought up for consideration and the following resolution was passed: “RESOLVED: That the M.W.G. Master be authorized to restore the charter to any five Brethren who were bona fide members of No. 3 at the time of the surrender of its charter, and issue his dispensation for them to elect their officers.” A new petition was therefore prepared, signed by Brothers Joseph Bryan, Charles F. Wood, Abraham Clark, Michel A. Guista, Charles W. Forrest, Samuel Sherwood and Michael Caton, all members of the old Lodge at the time of surrendering the charter who had never joined any other Lodge. This petition was placed in the hands of the M.W.G. Master, George C. Whiting, who on April 12, 1865 returned the charter to the petitioners and granted a dispensation for them to elect their officers. The result of the election was as follows: W.M. Charles F. Wood; S.W. Michel A. Guista; J.W. Abraham Clark; Treas. Joseph Bryan, and subsequently after admitting him to membership under a special dispensation from the Grand Master, James Lawrenson was elected Secretary. The Officers were installed on the same evening by the Grand Master, and Columbia Lodge, after a dormant period of twenty-seven years, took her place once more among the Lodges of the jurisdiction. These eight brethren, inspired with the work they had assumed, proceeded with enthusiasm and the returns for the year 1866 reported forty members, a truly commendable achievement indicative of the zeal and Masonic enthusiasm prevailing among our brethren, to carry on the work of their beloved Lodge. At this time the Lodge met with other Lodges in what was designated as Central Masonic Hall located on the southwest corner of D and 9th Streets N.W. This was the home of our Lodge until the completion of the Masonic Temple at 9th and F Streets which was erected by the Masonic Hall Association incorporated by Act of Congress and approved by the President in 1864. The land on which this building is erected was purchased from Gonzaga College for $20,000. Columbia Lodge participated in the laying of the cornerstone of the Temple on May 2O, 1868. It is interesting to note that on this occasion members of the Fraternity in the Government Departments were excused and Brother Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, marched with his brethren in the character of a Master Mason. The procession on this occasion was strictly Masonic, no other civic, judicial or military bodies taking part, and the stone was placed by M.W.G.M. Benjamin B. French. As early as December 17, 1868 the Grand Lodge met in this Temple, but the bodies were not permanently located there until May, 1870, in which month the building was appropriately dedicated. The Lodge continued to hold its meetings at the Temple until 1886. At the 8tated communication on March 17th of that year, upon report of a committee that; the rent charged of $150 per year was excessive, the Lodge decided to move to a room in the Scottish Rite Hall at 1007 G Street, N.W., where a rent of $75 per year was charged. The Lodge held its first communication there on March 31, 1886. This building was the home of the Lodge until July 3, 1896 when it returned to Lodge Room No. 2, Masonic Temple, 9th and F Streets, N.W. Columbia Lodge took an active part in raising the necessary funds for the purchase of the site and erection of the Masonic Temple at Thirteenth Street and New York Avenue, N.W. Approximately fifty of our members paraded to the site on June 8, 1907 to assist M.W.G.M. Francis J. Woodman in the ceremonies of laying the cornerstone. Brother Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, delivered an address on this occasion. This building was dedicated on September 19, 1908. On October 9, 1908 Columbia held its first meeting in the new Temple and raised the first Master Mason to be raised in the new building. In 1911 the Grand Lodge appropriately celebrated its 100th Anniversary. AL this time Brother J. Claude Keiper of our Lodge was M.W.G. Master and presided with dignity upon every occasion in connection with this celebration, reflecting credit upon our Lodge as well as the Grand Lodge over which he had been called to preside. Columbia Lodge has always taken an active interest in the Washington Masonic Memorial and was one of the first Lodges to subscribe its quota for the erection of this building. On May 12, 1932 with other Masonic bodies, we participated in the dedication ceremonies. Brother J. Claude~ Keiper, P.G.M. has been Secretary of the Memorial Association for the past wonderful undertaking. The Lodge was well represented at the ceremonies incident to the relaying of the cornerstone of the United States Capitol on September 17, 1932 as part of the George Washington Bicentennial Celebration. On this occasion there was a very large parade; approximately 1,000 Masons taking part in colonial costume and it has been estimated that a total of 10,000 members were in the procession. A copy of the Lodge bulletin for September was placed in the stone actually deposited under the direction of M.W.G.M. Reuben A. Bogley. Columbia Lodge has furnished three Grand Masters to this jurisdiction: John N. Moulder, 1826-1827; Thomas F. Gibbs, 1891 and J. Claude Eeiper, 1911. In addition to the first Grand Secretary, Brother Charles Jones, that office has been filled by members of our Lodge as follows; James Lawrenson, Master in 1835, Grand Secretary from 1836 to 1842; and J. Claude Leiper, Master in 1899; Grand Secretary from 1024 to date. The history of our Lodge is comparable to human life. We have enjoyed prosperity and suffered adversity, but, thanks to the zeal and perseverance of our brethren, we have emerged a better Lodge, conservative always in actions Masonic, careful in admission of new members, judicious in matters financial, ever-sustaining and supporting the Grand Lodge and Grand Master in every laudable undertaking. Today we are justly proud of the honorable achievements of our Lodge and justified in looking forward with confidence to a glorious future, Then let us, as Masons and members of this wonderful old Lodge firmly resolve that no act of ours as individuals shall ever reflect discreditably upon our organization and that; we will persevere as steadily in advancing its interests and promoting its welfare as has been done by our worthy brethren who have gone before us. >BACK<

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA LODGE No. 3, F.A.A.M.

By: JOSEPH M. MARZOLF, Secretary

NOVEMBER 8, 1932

More than 130 years ago a few Masons, imbued with the important part Freemasonry had played in the Revolutionary War and the establishment of what is now a great nation, conceived the desire to form a new Lodge at the Nation’s Capital, which at that time was little more than a country village, as Congress had designated this site for the National Capital in 1790 and the seat of the Government actually was no located in this vicinity until 1800.

Apparently the leader in this undertaking was Brother Charles Jones, because on November 8, 1802 this Brother presented a petition to the Grand Lodge of Maryland, then only nineteen years old, signed by a number of Brethren working under a dispensation iii the City of Washington, praying for a warrant empowering them to convene as a regular Lodge in the jurisdiction. The sponsors and recommenders of our Lodge were the Master, Senior and Junior Wardens of Federal Lodge No. 15, now known as Federal Lodge No. 1 of the District of Columbia.

The petition was granted and a warrant issued on November 8, 1802, designating the Lodge as Columbia Lodge No. 35 of the City of Washington. Brother Charles Jones was installed as Master in open Grand Lodge on the 9th of November, 1802. Patrick Kain was the first Senior Warden and John Burns the Junior Warden. The earliest available list of members, most of whom probably signed the petition, is as follows: Brothers Orlando Cook, Bernard Dolar, Niniam Beall, Isaac Wilson, John Heron, Samuel Russ, John Dobbyn, Francis Pick, Nathaniel Segar, Joseph Johnson Robert Spider, James Walker, Thomas Herty, James N. Robertson, Thomas Greeves, Andrew Barth, J. C. Shitidle and Nicholas Whelan (21 in all). Most of these Brethren appear to have been officials or employees of the Treasury Department. The first meeting place of the Lodge was on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue near 15th Street, in what was known as Lovell’s Hotel.

At the time the new Lodge was chartered, it would appear that the only other active Lodge ID this vicinity was Federal Lodge No. 15. There had been a Lodge in Georgetown under the name of Columbia Lodge No. 19, chartered October 22, 1795. It is understood, however, that this Lodge suspended operations between December 12, 1796 and November 12, 1806 when upon petition of former members a new charter from the Grand Lodge of Maryland was issued on the latter date to Potomac Lodge No. 43.

Two years after its formation, or in 1804 Columbia Lodge No. 35, together with Federal Lodge No. 15, purchased a site 23~x5O~ on the west side of Eleventh Street just south of Pennsylvania Avenue and erected the two-story structure which was known as Union Lodge Hal~~t~ter this building was used as a meeting place for other lodges which were subsequently chartered and this building, though unpretentious in appearance, properly may be termed the first Masonic Temple in the City of Washington. Our founders deserve our praise for their energy, enthusiasm and self-sacrifice for an ideal which has persisted through the many subsequent years and resulted in the great organization in this city at the present time.

The Lodge continued to work under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Maryland until 1811. On December 11, 1810, a convention was called for the purpose of considering the right and expediency of establishing a Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. At this convention delegate8 from the following Lodges were present: Federal Lodge No. 15, Columbia Lodge No. 35, and Washington Naval Lodge No. 41 of this city; Potomac Lodge No. 43 of Georgetown, A C., under the jurisdiction of Maryland, and Brook Lodge No. 47 of Alexandria, Virginia, under the jurisdiction of Virginia. The delegates from Columbia Lodge were Brothers Charles Jones, Master; Orlando Cook, Senior Warden, and Ninian Beall, Junior Warden. It may be safely assumed that our representatives played an active and influential part in the deliberations of the convention and were instrumental in the formation of our Grand Lodge.

At an adjourned meeting held on January 8, 1811, the organization was perfected and Grand Lodge Officers were elected. Our Master, Brother Charles Jones, was elected Grand Secretary, an office which he held only for a short time as he died the following October and was interred by the Grand Lodge with Masonic honors. This worthy Brother served our Lodge as Worshipful Master from the time it was chartered in 1802 until his death in 1811 and is deserving of the highest esteem of every member of the Lodge which he served so long and faithfully, as well as the respect of our whole Fraternity in this jurisdiction for the labor he contributed in forming our Grand Lodge.

At the next communication of the Grand Lodge on April 9, 1811, Columbia Lodge No. 35 was chartered as Columbia Lodge No. 3 of the District of Columbia, although it was not until May 6, 1811 that the Grand Lodge of Maryland recognized the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. The assent of the Grand Lodge of Maryland was presented t;o our Grand Lodge at its communication on July 9, 1811, at which time the several Lodges were directed to return their warrants to the authority from whom hey had received them. However, permission had been granted by the Grand Lodge of Maryland to the several Lodges of the District of Columbia, working under the authority of that Grand Lodge, to retain their warrants if they so desired. Our Brethren apparently desired to retain their original warrant, which is in the possession of Columbia Lodge at this time, although it was lost for a number of years and later was found in the rubbish of the temple.

The earliest minutes of the Lodge now available are for the communication of May 8, 1815, and they are practically complete from that time until January 9, 1836. During this period no doubt many events occurred of importance to the craft, both within and without the tiled doors of the Lodge, and it is regretted that the records are so meager concerning the steps taken to oppose the efforts of those enemies who attempted to discredit our Fraternity for political and selfish reasons. Et is also probable that many events of Masonic importance occurred which were not recorded. One reason for this fact may be the extreme secrecy with which our elder brethren shrouded all actions, charities and events pertaining to Masonry. In 1826 Federal Lodge No. 1, Columbia Lodge No. 3, Lebanon Lodge No. 7 and New Jerusalem Lodge No. 9 jointly purchased a plot of ground at; the southwest corner of D and 4~ Streets, N.W., now John Marshall Place, and thereon was erected a building first known as Central Masonic Hall and later as Freemason’s Hall. The laying of the cornerstone of this building was a great event, as practically all the heads of Departments, Judicial and City officials, as well as Army and Navy contingents joined in the procession. M.W.G.M. John N. Moulder, a member of Columbia Lodge, placed the cornerstone of this building.

During 1834 and a part of 1835 Lodge communications were infrequent and virtually amounted to suspension. The charter was placed in the custody of Grand Master William W. Billings, who restored it to the members in 1835 when the Lodge was reorganized and James Lawrenson was elected Master. From this time the Lodge does not appear to have been in a very flourishing condition but seems to have feebly continued its existence through the efforts of a few zealous brethren until some time in 1837 when, by the sudden removal from the jurisdiction of a large majority of the members, mostly Germans, who had been admitted since the reorganization in 1835 and who it appears left in a body to migrate to the west, it became embarrassed to such an extent that the Master Brother F. L. Grammer was forced by the financial condition of the Lodge to petition the Grand Lodge to relieve him of the custody of the charter, which request was granted at a meeting of the Grand Lodge in May, 1838. The Grand Lodge, however, anticipating that at some future time an effort would be made to revive the Lodge, passed the following resolution:

"RESOLVED: That this Grand Lodge accept of the warrant tools and other property of Columbia Lodge No. 3 and that the same be laid up for the use of any five members of said Lodge No. 3 and that should they apply, the same shall be given up for their use free of any charge on the part of this Grand Lodge."

Columbia Lodge met in the building at D and 4th Streets until its charter was surrendered during the Morgan excitement which swept over the country. The stress of this period may be appreciated from the events which transpired subsequently because after our Lodge became inactive not only the other Lodges of the District, but also the Grand Lodge, were extremely straightened circumstances. Freemasons’ Hall was lost to the Fraternity by what today would be termed foreclosure proceedings and the Lodges were liable to find places to meet. Some meetings were held in private residences and one Lodge held its meetings over a stable.

No effort was made to recover the charter as provided for in the Grand Lodge resolution until May, 1863, during the Civil War, when a movement was started to obtain five of the original members to petition the Grand Lodge for the return of the charter. On December 28, 1863, a petition signed by William Cooper, Samuel Sherwood, Thomas Donoho, Joseph Bryan and James Lawrenson wa8 presented to the Grand Lodge, but was laid over until the meeting of the Grand Lodge in May, 1864. In the meantime, the following additional signatures to the petition were obtained: Charles F. Wood, Joseph S. Wil8on, Charles W. Forrest, Charles H. Wiltberger, Michel A. Guista and Abraham Clark.

In November, 1864, the matter again was brought to the attention of the Grand Lodge and again was postponed. It is not apparent why the Grand Lodge hesitated to comply with its previous resolution, but; it seems probable that there was some question as to whether the brethren were capable of proceeding as a constituent Lodge. Also, it is understood that; some of the signers of the first petition were not members of the Lodge at the time the charter was surrendered and because others had subsequently joined other Lodges. Brother Joseph S. Wilson had affiliated with Hiram Lodge No. 10, and Brothers Thomas Donoho, James Lawrenson, William Cooper and Charles H. Wiltberger with Lebanon Lodge No. 7.

Thus the matter rested until the meeting of the Grand Lodge on St. John’s Day in December, 1864, when the subject again was brought up for consideration and the following resolution was passed:

“RESOLVED: That the M.W.G. Master be authorized to restore the charter to any five Brethren who were bona fide members of No. 3 at the time of the surrender of its charter, and issue his dispensation for them to elect their officers.”

A new petition was therefore prepared, signed by Brothers Joseph Bryan, Charles F. Wood, Abraham Clark, Michel A. Guista, Charles W. Forrest, Samuel Sherwood and Michael Caton, all members of the old Lodge at the time of surrendering the charter who had never joined any other Lodge. This petition was placed in the hands of the M.W.G. Master, George C. Whiting, who on April 12, 1865 returned the charter to the petitioners and granted a dispensation for them to elect their officers. The result of the election was as follows: W.M. Charles F. Wood; S.W. Michel A. Guista; J.W. Abraham Clark; Treas. Joseph Bryan, and subsequently after admitting him to membership under a special dispensation from the Grand Master, James Lawrenson was elected Secretary. The Officers were installed on the same evening by the Grand Master, and Columbia Lodge, after a dormant period of twenty-seven years, took her place once more among the Lodges of the jurisdiction.

These eight brethren, inspired with the work they had assumed, proceeded with enthusiasm and the returns for the year 1866 reported forty members, a truly commendable achievement indicative of the zeal and Masonic enthusiasm prevailing among our brethren, to carry on the work of their beloved Lodge.

At this time the Lodge met with other Lodges in what was designated as Central Masonic Hall located on the southwest corner of D and 9th Streets N.W. This was the home of our Lodge until the completion of the Masonic Temple at 9th and F Streets which was erected by the Masonic Hall Association incorporated by Act of Congress and approved by the President in 1864. The land on which this building is erected was purchased from Gonzaga College for $20,000. Columbia Lodge participated in the laying of the cornerstone of the Temple on May 2O, 1868. It is interesting to note that on this occasion members of the Fraternity in the Government Departments were excused and Brother Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, marched with his brethren in the character of a Master Mason. The procession on this occasion was strictly Masonic, no other civic, judicial or military bodies taking part, and the stone was placed by M.W.G.M. Benjamin B. French. As early as December 17, 1868 the Grand Lodge met in this Temple, but the bodies were not permanently located there until May, 1870, in which month the building was appropriately dedicated.

The Lodge continued to hold its meetings at the Temple until 1886. At the 8tated communication on March 17th of that year, upon report of a committee that; the rent charged of $150 per year was excessive, the Lodge decided to move to a room in the Scottish Rite Hall at 1007 G Street, N.W., where a rent of $75 per year was charged. The Lodge held its first communication there on March 31, 1886. This building was the home of the Lodge until July 3, 1896 when it returned to Lodge Room No. 2, Masonic Temple, 9th and F Streets, N.W.

Columbia Lodge took an active part in raising the necessary funds for the purchase of the site and erection of the Masonic Temple at Thirteenth Street and New York Avenue, N.W. Approximately fifty of our members paraded to the site on June 8, 1907 to assist M.W.G.M. Francis J. Woodman in the ceremonies of laying the cornerstone. Brother Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, delivered an address on this occasion. This building was dedicated on September 19, 1908. On October 9, 1908 Columbia held its first meeting in the new Temple and raised the first Master Mason to be raised in the new building.

In 1911 the Grand Lodge appropriately celebrated its 100th Anniversary. AL this time Brother J. Claude Keiper of our Lodge was M.W.G. Master and presided with dignity upon every occasion in connection with this celebration, reflecting credit upon our Lodge as well as the Grand Lodge over which he had been called to preside.

Columbia Lodge has always taken an active interest in the Washington Masonic Memorial and was one of the first Lodges to subscribe its quota for the erection of this building. On May 12, 1932 with other Masonic bodies, we participated in the dedication ceremonies. Brother J. Claude~ Keiper, P.G.M. has been Secretary of the Memorial Association for the past wonderful undertaking.

The Lodge was well represented at the ceremonies incident to the relaying of the cornerstone of the United States Capitol on September 17, 1932 as part of the George Washington Bicentennial Celebration. On this occasion there was a very large parade; approximately 1,000 Masons taking part in colonial costume and it has been estimated that a total of 10,000 members were in the procession. A copy of the Lodge bulletin for September was placed in the stone actually deposited under the direction of M.W.G.M. Reuben A. Bogley.

Columbia Lodge has furnished three Grand Masters to this jurisdiction:

John N. Moulder, 1826-1827; Thomas F. Gibbs, 1891 and J. Claude Eeiper, 1911. In addition to the first Grand Secretary, Brother Charles Jones, that office has been filled by members of our Lodge as follows; James Lawrenson, Master in 1835, Grand Secretary from 1836 to 1842; and J. Claude Leiper, Master in 1899; Grand Secretary from 1024 to date.

The history of our Lodge is comparable to human life. We have enjoyed prosperity and suffered adversity, but, thanks to the zeal and perseverance of our brethren, we have emerged a better Lodge, conservative always in actions Masonic, careful in admission of new members, judicious in matters financial, ever-sustaining and supporting the Grand Lodge and Grand Master in every laudable undertaking. Today we are justly proud of the honorable achievements of our Lodge and justified in looking forward with confidence to a glorious future, Then let us, as Masons and members of this wonderful old Lodge firmly resolve that no act of ours as individuals shall ever reflect discreditably upon our organization and that; we will persevere as steadily in advancing its interests and promoting its welfare as has been done by our worthy brethren who have gone before us.

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