Apache RewriteEngine conf problem

[phil at 1918.com (Phil Buckley)]

I am unable to configure apache 1.3.22 with  "RewriteEngine on"

Background...
configured apache like so...

SSL_BASE=../openssl-0.9.6c \
RSA_BASE=../rsaref-2.0/local \
./configure \
--enable-module=ssl \
--activate-module=src/modules/php4/libphp4.a \
--enable-module=php4 --prefix=/usr/local/apache \
--enable-shared=ssl \
--enable-module=so \
--enable-module=usertrack \
--enable-module=rewrite \
--enable-module=speling \
--verbose

everything went fine, it's up and running fine.... then I started to
modify the httpd.conf ...

<VirtualHost *>
    ServerAdmin webmaster at 1918.com
    DocumentRoot /home/1918/public_html
    ServerName www.1918.com
    ErrorLog logs/www.1918.com-error_log
    CustomLog logs/www.1918.com-access_log combined

    RewriteEngine on
</VirtualHost>

but when I run apachectl configtest...

it fails at the line where "RewriteEngine" on is....

additional info:
mod_rewrite files are located here:
/usr/local/src/apache_1.3.22/src/modules/standard/mod_rewrite.c
/usr/lib/apache/mod_rewrite.so

Anyone have any ideas where I'm screwing up?

Phil