By an order of the lodge, and by funds to the amount of five thousand dollars, raised by its exertions, a very beautiful and faithful statue of Washington, in Masonic regalia, was wrought out of white marble by the great Virginia artist, Hiram Powers, while he was in Rome, Italy. It was safely transported to Fredericksburg, but before it could be erected the war came on. For safe keeping it was sent to Richmond, and there perished in the terrible conflagration of April 3, 1865. Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, has furnished six grand masters to the Grand Lodge of Virginia, as follows: Judge James Mercer, in 1784; Governor Robert Brooke, in 1785; Major Benjamin Day, from 1797 to 1800; Hon. Oscar M. Crutchfield, in 1841; Judge Beverly R. Wellford, Jr., in 1877, and Capt. S. J. Quinn, in 1907. Fredericksburg American Lodge, No. 63, furnished Hon. John S. Caldwell, in 1856. In 1873 Fredericksburg Royal Arch Chapter, No. 23, was organized. This chapter took the place of Fitzwilson Chapter, that flourished in town some years before the Civil war, although it did not take the old name or number. In the year 1875 Fredericksburg Commandery, No. 1, of Knights Templar, was instituted, and has continued to flourish to the present. Some years ago the various bodies of the Scottish Rite branch of Masonry to the thirty-second degree, were organized in town of the Cerneau division, but as the question of legitimacy was raised as to that rite these organizations were abandoned. The three Masonic bodies, however, that are now in operation are in a flourishing condition and can confer all the degrees in ancient York Masonry. On the 22nd of December, 1753, a "Royal Arch Lodge" was held in connection with the Fredericksburg Lodge, Simon Fraser, acting Grand Master. On that occasion the Royal Arch degree was conferred on Daniel Campbell, Robert Halkerson and Alexander Wodrow. The proceedings of this meeting were recorded in the record book of the lodge and are preserved to this day; and, strange as it may appear, the fact is well established and admitted by the Masonic historians of England that this is the oldest record, by nine years, of conferring this degree that has yet been discovered in any country. The next oldest record is found in York, England, which was made in 1762. ODD FELLOWS LODGE.