APRIL 30TH MARKS THE 220TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INAUGURATION OF
GEORGE WASHINGTON AS FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNTIED STATES
The Grand Lodge of Masons of the State of New York will again perform a public reenactment of the historic first inauguration of President George Washington, who took his oath of office as our nations's first President on April 30, 1789 on the steps of what is now Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City.
All Metropolitan District Deputy Grand Masters and Staff Officers, are invited to join our Deputy Grand Master, R:. W:. Vincent Libone and elected and appointed members of Grand Lodge at this year's ceremonies to be held in St Paul's Chapel on lower Broadway at high noon on Thursday, April 30th.
This annual event is also open to all Brother Masons as well as the general public. Once again, the historic St John's Lodge bible will be on display and utilized in the reenactment as it was 220 years ago when our Brother George Washington took his oath of office and reportedly then spontaneously kissed the holy bible upon which his hand had rested during the oath.
George
Washington
Inaugural
Bible
Washington's Inauguration
The
George
Washington
Inaugural
Bible
is
the
book
that
was
sworn
upon
by
George
Washington
when
he
took
office
as
the
first
President
of
the
United
States.
The
Bible
itself
has
subsequently
been
used
in
the
inauguration
ceremonies
of four
other
U.S.
presidents.
George
Washington
Inaugural
Bible
The George Washington Inaugural Bible
St.
John's
Lodge
is
the
owner
of
what
is
now
known
as
the
George
Washington
Inaugural
Bible.
On
April
30,
1789
it
was
upon
this
Bible
that
George
Washington
took
his
oath
of
office
as
the
first
President
of
the
United
States.[1]
Since
that
time,
the
Bible
has
been
used
for
the
inaugurations
of
Warren
G.
Harding,
Dwight
D.
Eisenhower,
Jimmy
Carter,
and
George
H.W.
Bush
(whose
1989
inauguration
was
in
the
bicentennial
year
of
George
Washington's).
The
Bible
was
also
intended
to
be
used
at
George
W.
Bush's
inauguration,
but
the
inclement
weather
prevented
it.
However,
the
Bible
was
present
in
the
Capitol
Building
in
the
care
of
three
members
of
St.
John's
Lodge,
in
case
the
weather
improved.[2]
Because
of
its
fragility
the
Bible
is
no
longer
opened
during
meetings
of
St.
John's
Lodge.[3]
In
addition
to
its
inaugural
duties,
the
Bible
has
been
utilized
in
the
funeral
processions
of
Presidents
George
Washington,
Abraham
Lincoln,
Andrew
Jackson,
and
Zachary
Taylor.
The
Bible
has
also
been
utilized
at
the
cornerstone
laying
of
the
U.S.
Capitol,
the
dedication
of
the
Washington
Monument,
the
centennials
of
the
cornerstone
laying
of
the
White
House,
U.S.
Capitol,
and
the
Statue
of
Liberty,
the
1964
World's
Fair
as
well
as
the
launching
of
the
aircraft
carrier
George
Washington.[4]
George
Washington's
inauguration
The
inaugural
ceremony
took
place
in
the
open
gallery
of
the
old
City
Hall
(afterwards
called
Federal
Hall)
on
Wall
Street,
New
York
City,
in
the
presence
of a
vast
multitude.
Washington
was
dressed
in a
suit
of
dark
brown
cloth
and
white
silk
stockings,
all
of
American
manufacture.
His
hair
was
powdered
and
dressed
in
the
fashion
of
the
day,
clubbed
and
ribboned.
The
oath
of
Office
was
first
administered
by
Robert
R.
Livingston.
The
open
Bible
on
which
the
President
laid
his
hand
was
held
on a
rich
crimson
velvet
cushion
by
Mr.
Otis,
Secretary
of
State.
With
them
were
John
Adams,
who
had
been
chosen
Vice
President;
George
Clinton,
first
Governor
of
New
York;
Philip
Schuyler,
John
Jay,
Maj.
Gen.
Henry
Knox,
Jacob
Morton
(Master
of
St.
John's
Lodge
who
had
retrieved
the
Lodge
Bible
when
they
discovered
none
had
been
provided),
and
other
distinguished
guests.
Without
reliable
contemporary
accounts,
the
most
common
account
(as
demonstrated
by
the
HBO
miniseries
John
Adams)
of
the
event
is
after
taking
his
Oath,
he
kissed
the
Bible
reverently,
closed
his
eyes
and
in
an
attitude
of
devotion
said:
"So
help
me
God!"
The
Chancellor
exclaimed,
"It
is
done!"
and
turning
to
the
people
he
shouted,
"Long
live
George
Washington,
the
first
President
of
the
United
States."
A
shout
that
was
echoed
and
re-echoed
by
the
multitude
present.
However,
there
is
currently
debate
as
to
whether
or
not
he
added
the
phrase
"So
help
me
God"
to
his
oath.
The
only
contemporaneous
account
of
Washington's
oath
is
from
French
consul
Comte
de
Moustier
who
reported
the
constitutional
oath
with
no
mention
of
"So
help
me
God".[5]
The
earliest
known
source
indicating
Washington
did
add
"So
help
me
God"
is
attributed
to
Washington
Irving,
aged
six
at
the
time
of
the
inauguration,
and
first
appears
60
years
after
the
event.[6]
At
the
conclusion,
Washington
and
the
others
went
in
procession
to
St.
Paul's
Chapel,
and
there
they
invoked
the
blessing
of
God
upon
the
new
government.
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