Chap. 164.—An ACT to authorize the erection of a Washington Ma-
sonic Memorial Temple in Fredericksburg.

Approved February 22, 1888.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
Robert B. Berry, worshipful master of lodge number four, |
of Fredericksburg, Virginia, (of ancient, free and accepted
masons,) in which lodge George Washington was initiated on
the fourth day of November, seventeen hundred and fifty-
two, passed to a fellow-craft on the third day of March, sev-
enteen hundred and fifty-three, and raised to the sublime de-
gree of a master mason on the fourth day of August, seven-
teen hundred and fifty-three, and who was a member of said
lodge at the date of his death, December thirteenth, seven-
teen hundred and ninety-nine, Isaac Hirsh, high priest of
Royal Arch chapter number twenty-three, of Fredericksburg,
Virginia ; James P. Corbin, eminent commander of Freder-
icksburg commandery number one, knights templar, and
James B. Sener, S. J. Quinn, William H. Russell ani A. P.
Rowe, junior, they and their successors in office, lawfully
chosen, be and they are hereby incorporated as the board of
trustees of the Washington masonic memorial temple, to be
located at and built within the town of Fredericksburg, to
commemorate for all time, the initiation, passing and raising
of George Washington, general-in-chief of the armies of the
patriots, in the war for American independence, and first
president of the United States of America.

2. The worshipful master of lodge number four, the high |
priest of chapter number twenty-three, and eminent com-
mander of commandery number one, at the time of the pas-
sage of this act, shall each of them be and remain a member
of said board of trustees for and during the periods that they
shall respectively hold their offices of worshipful master, high
priest and eminent commander; and thereafter every wor-
shipful master of lodge number four, every high priest of
chapter number twenty-three, and every eminent commander
of commandery number one, | shall, during the times and terms

63 = fal ai
for which they respectively hold their said offices, be, by vir-
tue of such offices, members of the board of trustees of the
Washington masonic memorial temple, of Fredericksburg,
Virginia.

3. The last four mentioned trustees in this act of incorpo-
ration shall hold their offices respectively for the terms of one,
two, three and four years from February twenty-second, eigh-
teon hundred and eighty-eight, their respective terms to be
ascertained by lot at the first meeting of said board for or-

anization, and to be certified by the secretary to lodge num-
fer four, and by it to be entered of record. At each election
to fill the places made vacant by the expiration of the terms
of those herein designated, the election shall be for the full
term of four years: provided that vacancies shall only be
filled for the unexpired terms, and shall be filled by the re-
maining members of the said board of trustees.

4. Lodge number four shall annually, at the first meeting
of the lodge in February, choose, by a viva voce vote of the
members of said lodge present at such meeting, or by ballot,
one trustee to succeed the trustee whose term shall expire on
the twenty-second day of February in that year.

5. The trustees herein designated shall, within thirty days
after the passage of this act and its approval, meet and orga-
nize by the election of a chairman of said board of trustees,
who shall hold his office at the pleasure of said board, and for
aterm not to exceed four years from February twenty-sec-
ond, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, a secretary, assistant
secretary, and also a treasurer, who shall hold for a term not
exceeding two years from February twenty-second, eighteen
hundred and eighty-eight, and during the will and pleasure
of said board. The chairman must, at all times, be a member:
of said board, but the secretary, assistant secretary and treas-
urer shall be members of said board or not as may be deter-
mined by said board of trustees: provided that no one shall
be a member of said board of trustees or an officer of said
board who shall not be a master mason and a member in
good standing of said lodge number four, of ancient, free and
accepted masons, of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

6. The secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer shall
each execute to said board a bond with security, to be ap-
proved by said board, in a penalty not exceeding twenty thou-
sand dollars, conditioned to pay over promptly all money that
may come into their hands for the use of said board, and
otherwise faithfully to discharge the duties of their said offices.

7. The said board of trustees of the said Washington ma-
sonic memorial temple shall be known in law as such, and as
such shall have perpetual succession, with power to sue and
be sued as such, and authority to acquire by purchase or
otherwise, and to hold, as trustees and in trust, real estate:
not exceeding one acre in extent, and to cause to be erected
thereon a suitable temple for all masonic purposes, for the use
of said lodge, chapter and commandery, and such grand ma-
sonic bodies of the state as may elect to hold their meetings

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therein, but at no time or under any circumstances shall it
be lawful to use the rooms dedicated strictly to masonic uses
for any other purposes.

8. The control of the said temple in its building, and all
that relates thereto, and its use and management when built,
shall be always, and at all times, under the said board of
trustees and their successors in office. The trustees herein
named, and their successors, shall not be personally liable for
any contracts entered into by them, nor liable in any way ex-
cept for the fands which may pass under their control, and then
only if they shall fail to act in good faith in the execution of
their trust. The said Washington masonic memorial temple,
its library and furniture, and the ground on which the same
may be situated, together with all funds that may be raised
or collected to build the same and keep it in preservation,
shall be forever exempt from all taxation, state and city.

9. That in order to build a temple that shall stand for all
time asa fitting memorial to the great man to whose ma-
sonic memory it is to be erected and dedicated, it shall be
lawful for such trustees to appeal for donations in such man-
ner and by such instrumentalities and agencies as they may
deem proper.

10. That all moneys intended for the erection of said tem-
ple shall be sent to the secretary, and payable to the joint
order of the secretary and treasurer, and that a list of the
same shall be kept by each.

11. That all funds shall be held by the treasurer, and shall
be kept on deposit in the National bank of Fredericksburg,
Virginia, or such other national bank as said board may se-
lect. Said funds shall be kept to the credit of the treasurer of
said board of trustees, and shall be only drawn on the order
of the board of trustees in open monthly meeting, and en-
tered of their records, the checks to be attested by the secre-
tary, drawn by the treasurer, and countersigned by the vice-
chairman of said board, it being permissible in said board to
elect one of the number for that purpose, who shall likewise
preside in the absence of the chairman over the meetings of
the said board: provided that it shall be lawful for said board
to invest all sums in excess of one thousand dollars, not im-
mediately needed, in United States bonds, only to be sold
when needed for the purposes contemplated by this charter.
Such bonds shall be kept on special deposit with such bank.

12. That to aid in carrying into effect this charter, it shall |
be lawful for said board of trustees to conduct at Fredericks-
burg, Virginia, a quarterly publication to be known as the
Washington masonic memorial, which shall be conducted by
a master mason to be chosen by said board of trustees, and
who shall hold his place at the pleasure of the said board. In
it shall be published the names (when practicable) and in all
cases the amounts cqntributed to the erection of said temple,
and a copy of said publication shall be sent once to each per-
son, lodge, chapter, commandery, or masonic body con-
tributing.
13. The erection of the temple herein provided for, shall
be begun within three years, and finished within ten years
from the passage of this act.

14. The said board of trustees shall adopt a seal and have
an office at Fredericksburg, Virginia, which as well as the
temple when completed, shall be open to every master mason
in good standing, during such hours of each week day as said
board from time to time may prescribe; said office shall be as
the board shall fix before, but shall be in the temple after the
completion thereof. Said board of trustees shall fix the times
of their meetings, which after their organization shall be at
least once a month, except during the months of August and
September of each year; and they shall keep a full and com-
plete record of all their actings and doings, which shall at all
times be open to the inspection of any committee duly ap-
pointed by either the lodge, chapter, or commandery for
whose use this temple is to be erected.

15. The said board of trustees are also authorized and
required, if possible, to provide in said temple when finished,
a suitable library, and place in it as far as possible, all books
relating to masonry, by approved masonic writers, and such
other good books as they may select; and to choose annually
after such library shall have been secured and put in place, a
librarian therefor, on the twenty-second day of February of
each year, or as soon thereafter as practicable. Such library
and the use of the books thereof shall be always free to every
master mason, and the widows and unmarried daughters of
such, and the sons of all master masons until they arrive at
twenty-one years of age, under such regulations as the board
may prescribe.

16. The said board of trustees shall, within six months
after the passage of this act, adopt and print’ suitable rules
for their guidance and control during their existence, which
may be altered, but which shall be strictly carried into effect
as adopted.

17. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.