TO HIS EXCELLENCY

GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESQUIRE,

GENERAL AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF

OF THE

ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH-AMERICA;

THE

FRIEND OF HIS COUNTRY AND MANKIND,

AMBITIOUS OF NO HIGHER TITLE,

IF HIGHER WAS POSSIBLE;

THE FOLLOWING SERMON,

HONOURED WITH HIS PRESENCE WHEN DELIVERED,

IS DEDICATED,

IN TESTIMONY OF THE

SINCEREST BROTHERLY AFFECTION

AND

ESTEEM OF HIS MERIT,

BY ORDER OF THE BRETHREN,

JOHN COATS,

GRAND SECRETARY, PRO TEM.

THE FOLLOWING SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE PROCESSION OF THE BRETHREN TO AND FROM CHURCH, &c. IS RE

CORDED BY DESIRE.

AT nine o'clock, A. M. near three hundred of the body assembled at the college; where being properly clothed-the officers in the jewels of their lodges, and other badges of their dignity-the procession began at eleven o'clock, viz.

1. The Sword Bearer.

2. Two Deacons, bearing wands, tipt with gold.

3. The Three Orders, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian; borne by three Brethren.

4. The Holy Bible and Book of Constitutions, on crimson velvet cushions; borne by the Grand Treasurer and Grand Secretary.

5. Our reverend Brother, William. Smith, D. D. appointed as Preacher.

6. Four Deacons, bearing Wands.

7. His Excellency, our illustrious Brother George Washington, Esq. supported by the Grand Master and his Deputy. 8. The Two Grand Wardens, bearing the proper Pillars. 9. The Past Masters of different Lodges.

10. The present Masters of ditto.

11. The Senior Wardens,

12. The Junior Wardens,

13. The Secretaries,

14. The Treasurers,

Of different private Lodges.

15. Brother Proctor's Band of Music.

16. Visiting Brethren: and,

17. Members of different Lodges; two and two, according to Seniority.

The Procession entered the Church in the order of March; and being seated in the middle Aisle, Prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. White, the Rector, now the Right Rev. Bishop White; and the following Anthem sung in its proper place by sundry of the Brethren, accompanied with the organ and other instrumental music, viz.

A GRAND SYMPHONY.

Chorus. Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren, to dwell together in Unity.

Solo. I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord! with my whole heart. Secretly among the brethren, and in the congregation will I praise Thee! I will speak the marvellous works of Thy hands; the Sun, the Moon and the Stars, which Thou hast ordained.

Solo. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great Light; and on them that dwelt in the land of the Shadow of Death, doth the glorious Light of Jehovah shine.

Solo. Thou hast gathered us from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South-Thou hast made us companions for the mighty upon Earth-even for princes of great nations.

Trio. O! I AM! inspire us with wisdom and strength to support us in all our troubles, that we may worship Thee in the beauty of holiness!

After Sermon, near Four Hundred Pounds were collected for the relief of the Poor. The Brethren then returned to the College in the same order as above described; from thence they departed to their several Lodges, and spent the remainder of the day with their usual good harmony and sociability.

A PRAYER,

BEFORE SERMON,

BY

WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. AND GRAND SECRETARY.

FATHER of Light, of Life, and of Love! Supreme ARCHITECT and RULER of Heaven and Earth! Infinitely glorious GoD Thou, at the beginning, willing to communicate happiness, and to establish Beauty, Order, and Harmony, didst, from the womb of thine own AWFUL ETERNITY, give birth to Time; and commanding the jarring Elements of Matter to cease their strife, didst marshal them into an UNIVERSE COMPLETE! Then, while the heavenly Hierarchies, with voice and harp, sung the loud anthem of Joy, thou didst crown thy glorious work by breathing the breath of life into THINE OWN IMAGEMAN!

Be Thou with us at our present beginning, and to the end. In thy Name we assemble, and in thy Name we desire to proceed in all our doings. Let the wisdom of thy blessed SoN, through the grace and goodness of the HOLY GHOST, so subdue every discordant passion within us, so harmonize and enrich our hearts with a portion of thine own love and goodness, that the LODGE, at this time, may be a sincere, though humble, copy of that Order and Beauty and Unity, which reign forever before thy Heavenly Throne.

We thankfully acknowledge that Thou hast loved us, O Lord our God, with an exceeding great and eternal love; and hast chosen us out of every people and language. Our Fathers trusted in Thee, and were not ashamed-for Thou didst teach them the statutes of Life, that they might do of Thy good pleasure with a perfect and willing heart. As Thou didst unto them, so do Thou unto us; still remembering Thy gracious Promise,

That where two or three are met together in Thy name, Thou wilt be in the midst of them."

May the present and succeeding Rulers of this Lodge be endued with divine knowledge to instruct, and with justice and prudence to govern, the Brethren, according to the true laws of our Royal Craft, as founded in Thy holy word; and may all the members of this Lodge be blest with a teachable disposition, and a spirit of love and just submission to those in authority over them.

By thus seeking and loving Thee, and by loving each other for Thy sake, shall Thy blessing and peace be upon us from the four corners of the earth. Thou shalt put understanding into our hearts and make us diligent to hear, to teach, and to do, all the words of Thy Law in Love-So shall we be built up a Spiritual Lodge, never to be shaken; but cleaving to Thy great name, and united to Thee in love and praise and freedom of soul forever! AMEN! SO MAY IT BE, FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR!

N. B. All the members of the Lodge stand up and repeat the words, "Amen! so may it be, for the sake of Christ our "Saviour!"