(COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY ST. JOHN'S LODGE, NO. 1, NEW YORK CITY.) PAGE OF BIBLE ON WHICH WASHINGTON TOOK THE OATH ON INAUGURATION DAY, 1789, FROM THE ORIGINAL IN THE POSSESSION OF ST. JOHN'S LODGE, NO. 1, NEW YORK. PAGE OF BIBLE ON WHICH WASHINGTON TOOK THE OATH ON INAUGURATION DAY, 1789, FROM THE ORIGINAL IN THE POSSESSION OF ST. JOHN'S LODGE, NO. 1, NEW YORK. Grand Lodge and take rank of all Lodges that may be constituted by the Grand Lodge after said surrender." "St. John's Lodge, being of modern origin, took no part in the formation either of the inchoate Grand Lodge or in the Provincial Grand Lodge organized by the Ancients in 1781-2.”—McClenachan, “History," vol. i., page 188. MINUTE BOOKS: No records extant prior to 1793. BY-LAWS: The codes passed in 1772, 1784, and 1786 are all printed in the pamphlet issued by the Lodge under the title, "Proceedings on the Occasion of the Centennial Celebration of St. John's Lodge, No. 1" (held December 7, 1857). ANTIQUITIES: The priceless Bible on which GEORGE WASHINGTON took the oath of office on being first installed as President of the United States is in the possession of the Lodge, and is always used in the work of the third degree. Inscribed originally : "God shall establish, St. John's Lodge constituted 5757. Burnt down 8th of March, 5770; rebuilt and opened November 28, 5770; officers then present: JONATHAN HAMPTON, Master; WILLIAM BUTLER, Senior Warden; ISAAC HERON, Junior Warden." From Minutes, November 16, 1808: 46 'Worshipful BRO. OTTERSON remarked, that the Bible belonging to this Lodge is the very book on which General WASHINGTON first swore fidelity to the new Constitution of the United States, previous to entering upon its administration, and that it had long been contemplated to have that event inserted in some conspicuous part of the book. A committee of three were appointed, consisting of Worshipful BROS. OTTERSON and Cocks, both of whom had been thirty years members of this Lodge; and were present at the inauguration, and BRO. L. SEYMOUR, to attend to this business and have a likeness of that immortal patriot impressed on the same sheet recording that transaction." 66 November 24: The committee just alluded to were sworn on that Bible to faithfully perform the duties to which they were assigned." From Minutes, October 26, 1809: 66 The committee appointed on the 16th of November last relative to the inscription, etc., in the Bible, reported that they had completed the object of their appointment. This duty was very handsomely executed by the committee. An impression from the plate of the Washington Benevolent Society, of this city, was kindly granted us by Isaac Sebring, Esq.. their President, and underneath, Mr. Thresher (celebrated for his excellence in penmanship) wrote the following, viz.: 66 6 On this sacred volume, on the 30th day of April, A.L. 5789, in the City of New York, was administered to GEORGE WASHINGTON, the first President of the United States of America, the oath to support the Constitution of the United States. This important ceremony was performed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons, of the State of New York, the Hon. ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON, Chancellor of the State. "Fame spread her wings and loud her trumpet blew, SCHISMS: 1823, adhered to City Lodge. F. G. TISDALL wrote: " January 17, 1823: The Lodge by vote rejected the new proposed constitution, and appointed a committee with power to act in behalf of the Lodge in the convention formed for the purpose of adopting measures respecting the aforementioned constitution.' "It will be recollected that it was in June of this year the division of the State into two Masonic jurisdictions took place, when this Lodge adhered to the City Grand Lodge. June 1 moved to Union Hall. February 1, 1826, moved to Tammany Hall. "I have hitherto referred to the action of this Lodge at the time of the division of Grand Lodge in June, 1823. The only other allusion I find to those difficulties is the following: "June 8: At this meeting the members of this Lodge, on assembling at the usual hour, found the Lodge room in possession of one EBENEZER WADSWORTH and others, styling themselves the Grand Lodge; the doors being locked, we were unable to obtain admission. Subsequently, however, the brethren gained admission into the large room, but were then annoyed and interrupted by said WADSWORTH and several others of his party, and were thereby hindered and prevented from opening the Lodge till a late hour. These divisions, it is well known, were amicably arranged by the Union of 1827, and BRO. WADSWORTH is now an honored member of the united body then formed.'" In 1849, St. John's assisted to form the Phillips Grand Lodge. TISDALL afterward wrote: "The organization claiming to be a Grand Lodge, to which this Lodge attached itself in June, 1849, having been subsequently repudiated by many of the Grand Lodges in the United States, and in the early part of September, 1851, the decision of the Grand Lodge of England, as to its legality, by which this Lodge agreed to abide, having been received, adverse to its claims, on September 16th, this large Lodge called on its sister Lodges to meet with it in Convention on October 10th, and report some action for the entire settlement of all matters in dispute, on true and honorable Masonic principles.' October 23, 1851: The proceedings of that Convention were made known to this Lodge, by which it appeared the representatives of the Lodges met in Convention, concurred in the recommendation of the Grand Lodge of England, and the well known wishes of the Masonic Fraternity of this country; that a perfect reunion with the Sons of Light, all over the world, should be consummated at as early a period as possible.' December 5: This Lodge reunited itself with the Grand Lodge of the State, and on the 11th was visited by the Grand Master, his officers, and a numerous assemblage of the brethren, and welcomed in the most affectionate manner on its return. December 11th: The Lodge moved to City Hotel, No. 429 Broadway. May 14. 1857: The Lodge by an unanimous vote, instructed its officers to oppose in the Grand Lodge, a plan for a union with a remnant of the seceders of 1849, which was then submitted to it, viewing the same to be humiliating to the Fraternity, and a violation of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of New York." EXTRACTS FROM MINUTES: 1794. The bill for a quarter of a year's supply of dip candles was £14 11s. 6d. February 6, 1797: W.. BRO. OTTERSON moved "that refreshments of all kinds be expunged from the Lodge," but the motion did not prevail. May 18th: The Treasurer reported amount of funds on hand to be £4 7s. 3d. 66 April, 4, 1799: "Mr. JAMES BROWN, a Modern Mason, was brought forward and healed in first, second, and third degrees of Masonry," for which he paid £4 and 16s. expenses. "The unhealthy state of the city forbidding," there were no meetings of the Lodge from August 15th to November 14th. December 26th: A Communication was received from "The Grand Lodge; expressive of their most ardent wish to pay their last tribute of respect to our illustrious chief and departed brother, |