Washington’s Tribute.—The Philadelphia German Lutherans held a memorial service on May27, 1917, made doubly impressive at Zion’s Church, by the circulation of a letter written to the congregation by George Washington, in reply to congratulations on his first election as President of the United States. The letter concludes with the following words:

From the excellent character for dilligence, sobriety and virtue which the Germans in general, who are settled in America have ever maintained, I cannot forbear felicitating myself on receiving from respectable a number of them such strong assurance of their affection for my person, confidence in my integrity, and real zeal to support me in my endeavors for promoting the welfare of our common country.

Similar expressions are contained in a letter written by Jefferson, which see elsewhere. The church to whose congregation Washington’s letter was addressed, is the most historic church in the northern part of the United States, since it was built in1742, under the direction of the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America, Heinrich M.Muhlenberg, father of General Muhlenberg, of Revolutionary fame. For 178years the service has been conducted in the German language.