George Washington's Hourglass

This is a special working tool and it had a very special owner... this hourglass belonged to Brother George Washington and he used it during his 20 months in office as the Worshipful Master of Alexandria - Washington Lodge No. 22.  Brother Washington was the Charter Master of this Lodge and many of his personal Masonic artifacts are kept in the "Replica Room" of their Lodge that is housed within the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.

The hourglass is an emblem of human life.  Behold! how swiftly the sands run, and how rapidly our lives are drawing to a close!  We cannot without astonishment behold the little particles which are contained in this machine; -- how they pass away almost imperceptibly! and yet, to our surprise, in a short space of an hour they are all exhausted.  Thus wastes man!   To-day, he puts forth the tender leaves of hope; to-morrow, blossoms, and bears his blushing honors thick upon him; the next day comes a frost which nips the shoot; and when he thinks his greatness is still aspiring, he falls, like autumn leaves, to enrich our mother earth.

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