The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-13

sailed, c0nSOied the DereaYed and the diving,
and buried the dead.r They became nnmer.
Gus aud wealthy Many mobiles joined them,
and endowed their retreats. Kings and
p0pes patroBized them, and their power and
prominence became great They were lead.
ers Of the'crusades. Their rainent was
white, to- signify that they had cast behind
,themla dark life, and must now preserve to.
wards the Creator aud their fellow-men a
pure, unspotted life. Pope Eugenius gave
,themIa red cross as g symbol of marty rdom.
Their .bannerlcalIed Beauseant (Bienseant,
''Well-beeoming} was half black and halt
white, to signify that theywere fair and fa-
yorabie to the friends Of Christ, but black
and formidable to His foes. res
! With The decay OF feudalism i'll Europe
and the discOntinuance of piIgrinages to Je.
rlsalem the special necessitudes of the exist
ence of the Order of Knights Templar
ceased. They were yet powerful and feared,
and hence became the victims of severe per-
secuuons until the remnant sought shelter
under the agis Of Freemasonry and became
an appended order, adopting it's symbolic de
grees asrrepratory to its own now-changed
character, ritual, and objects. But the sue
ceedipg order has preserved the distinctive
Christian faith and features of its predeces-
sor. AS the operative Masonry Of the
Middle Ages, then Christian aud eccle.
siastical, became the speculative modern
Masonry after the admission Of Sir Christie
pher Wren, the architect of st. Paul's, Lon
don, about the beginning of the eighteenth
century, so the Order of the Knights Of the
Temple conforined itselfto the conditions of
modern civilization and government. II
became q benevolent organization, with a
Christian code, and won its greatest successes
under the freedom of this Western land. Its
present structure is quite different from the
odd, as, indeed, 1t ought to be !; but right
principles are as right born Yesterday as if
begOtten in the dark womb of the centuries,
and principles are all of any worth intrinsi-
cally in any organized benefactions. We
have our Symbols, but to us they are seu-
fences of fact or precepts. We have our
signs, but they are our certificates of knightly
COMMUNICATION aud safeguards against
curiosity or unlawful intrusion. We carry
our swords, but not for strife or bloodshed !;
they are typical to us OF justice, fortitude, and
mercy. Towards one another we have pledged
only sympathy, charity, fraternity, and ben
efacticns. We have no party chickering's of
political life, no denominational creeds be-
You'd a protested belief in Christianity. We
have no unlawful or reserved purposes; no
conspiracies no concealed, revolutionary
objects. Curtains and our duties are openly
and frankly aVowed to the world. Our ritual
is simply symbolical. Our duties commend
themselves as proper to any reasonable mind
and heart. t-r .#..
But ! make no defence of our Order. 1t
needs none. The men who stand eminent
In their own communities ~ citizens. as gen
tlelnen, as Christians, and who yet willingly.
wear the uniform az they carry the loyal
heartsof true knights, ARE witnesses of our
honorable purposes and principles. We
seek. the elevation and blessings OF humanity
through the precepts Of Christian morality,
Aspersious have been cast upon us, but
s.'Tis envy's safest, surest rule
To hide her rage IN ridicule:
The vulgar eye she best beguilcS
When all her snakes are deckcd in smiles"
We may safely trust our rindication to the
practical exhibition of principles III the lives
Of our worthy adherents.
i But my brief limit of time permits no mi
oute discussions of history, Of principles, or
2f facts. In all frankness we must iusiSt
hat truth, and only truth. shall be written
ire imperfections. Without our asYlunlS !
some have intrudcd who unworthily assume |
our title aud falsely profess our principles. |
Hearts are not open to our inspection, and |
10 prophets gift enables us to forecast the |
ives of our pOstulants. Too often false |
charity or timid shrinking from z sorrow |
'ul duty retain unworthy names upon our |
znightly rolls to blemish our good name
among the good outside, who cannot know
,ur honest professions Of principles and
OUR own profound regrets over the faithless
md fallen. Dove do our duty to our Order
md 10 ourselves?
Let us in our lives commend the noble |
professions which VIC have mui ually made.
The. light of Judas was extinglIiShed by biz;
usts; let Us avoid the stu by following the
Saviour. We have kuelt often around the
same altar and prayed Z" lead us not into
but deliver us from evil" We
nave looked together upon the presented |
ross, the symbol of the worlds salvation,
md studied together its lessons of self.sacri-
ice, obedience, and fidelity unto death. We |
nave inspected the vacant sepuchre after /
Redeemer's resurrection. We have followed |
he form of an ascending Saviour. We have
,een grded with the armor of soldier in /
he service Of truth, of virtue, Of charity, |
nd of holiness. We ought to be better for
t. purer for 1t, nobler for it. We ought to
urn our swords against ourselves when the |
nemy seeks the citadel of our own hearts.
)ur se't-conquests are the noblest victories
# our Order.
But pardon nlC the uttciance Of a heart
hat loves you-that loves our pure and en-
Iobling principles; heart that ever prays
hat the blessings and guidance of cur liv-
ng Teacher and Saviour may rest on your
ives aud live In your hearts.
While we commend our principles to one
mother, let US also commend them TO the
World. until they shall become universal,
nd the prayer that we repeat become a
rayer answered: Thy kingdom come
'by will be done on earth as 1t Is done In
eayen-for Thine is the kingdom, and the
ower. and the glory, for ever and ever"
At the close Of DR.. Billings address C.
v. E. Tanner, Of Richmond Commandery,
ffered resolutions OF thanks to Norfolk and
portsmouth, knights, which were adopted by
lie. G. G. Isaacs declared Grand Com
,andery closed until Thursday succeeding
ecoud Monday in December, to meet ut St.
llban's hall in Richmond.
The visiting knights are now being BAN
ueted. They leave for their homes in the
lorning. .nG., -
r Indian Movements.
San FRANCISCO, June IA band of
Lpache Indians have started south, proba-
lyito invade Sonora. Another band y TO