The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-12
Annual Meeting OF the Grand Com.
manSsory.

.uSSthhk OA tpS WThuO 9OuHs
manssery.
The Grand Commandery Of Virginia met
at IL O'Clock yesterday In annual session at
st. Alban'S Hall. 1t was more pumerousy
attended than any previous conclave of the
body. and numbering among the delegates
many of the most distinguished men in the
State.
The address of the Grand Commander,
Right Eminent William b. Isaacs, delivered
after the assembling Of the body, was an in
tercS'ing document, and from 1t it is ascer-
tanned that since the last grand conclave
he has performed the following official
duties:
On the 20th of December, by invitation,
he visited and constituted Old Dominion
Commandery. No. II subsequently visited
\. Z. Abell, No. 3; Grice, No. 16 Ports
mouth. No. 5: AppomattoX. No. 6; and
Richmond. No. 9. In all of them he had
the pleasure of witnessing the comforting
of the Order of the Temple in a manner
that reelected credit on the officers and men,
berS and they gave evidence Of their ap-
probation of the solemnty of the beautiful
and impressive ceremonies of the ritual.
The address also aludeS to the inspection
and drill in Norfolk on the 18th of June last.
On inc -.u I'll app IL luC 'ioho
issued dispenSation for the opening Of a
Commandery at Charleston, W. VA, and on
the 10th of May a dispensation was issued
Tor the opening of Commandery at Chris
tiansburc, Va. On the 10Th of February he
received the letter of resignation from SIR
samuel Kcnnerly, with whom he regretted
TO ;urt, aS an officer who had so faithfully
and diligently discharged all the duties In
cumbent upon him. Sir hnlShts Strother
and Coles were promoted, and appointed Sir
Knight j. L. Roper, of Grlce Commandery,
No. Is, as grand warden. During the year
he has received two letters appointing him
rs grand representative of the Grand Com
maudery of Iowa and Of Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, which he declined.
The subject of uniform has created ap.
parenfly quite n stir and excitement in some
of the sister jurisdictions, and the Grand
Commander respectfully calls attention, as
requested, 10 Il circular Of 22d May, Issued
by the Grand Comnlandery Of Maine, COM
municatng series Of resolutions adopted
by that grand body pertaining to that sub.
iect. - believe says the Eminent Com
mander, q" hat No. is the only command in
this Jurisdiction which adheres with deep
veneration and an abiding affection to the
uullOIu vi tuCll LIZ ino llOt
thought 1t necessary to call their attention
to the edict of the Grand Master ON that
subject. and had the question OF the neces-
sity or proprietv of change of the old
clothing of No. been brought up he would
have been found as private member op-
posed to 1t. "I have been taught" he
continues. :" that no man nor body of men
can make innovations IN the body Of Mason
ry; and while clothing cannot be legiti.
matey called landmark, yet in one sense ii
| IS. Yet change from that adopted at the
time of the introduction of the Order in this
country may make a radical and undesirable
difference in outward appearances. Ths one
now used by No. was adopted long before
many Of the advocates for Il change were
born and as distinctive mark in all assem-
blagee of NlasonS. II the regulation uni.
form be adopted, pcrforce it would be a diff
ticlllt matter for an outsider to tell whether a
procession in full regulation uniform was
composed Of Knights Templar or of that
gallant and excellent Order known as
knights Of Pythas."
In reference TO visits from other COM
mandcrieS. the Grand Commander says the
universal language of the Virginia Knights
is "Come along, all of you; we will be
clad 10 see you; and while IN our poverty
Wc cannot entertain you as we would Ike,
and rs we could and would have done in
onte.bellum times. we will do the best we
can. You will find warm hearts and open
armS ready to receive you. Don't wait to
ask our Grand Communicative are op'
posed to centraliZation.'
The address closes with words of con.
graduation.
The following grand officers were elected
for the ensuing year: R. Z. William B.
lsaacs. grand commander; K. Z. Withers,
deputy grand commander; L. +. johnson,
grand generalissimo James G. Balm, grand
captain-general; James Evans, grand treasu.
rer; John Dove, grand secretary George W.
Dame, grand prelate; John F. Regnault,
grand senior warden Peyton S. Coles, grand
Junior warden; Joseph l.. Roper, grand
standard. bearer; James s. Moss, grand sword
bearer; W. II. II. Lynn, grand warder ;
James Z. Riddick, captain Of guard.