Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-19
THE KNIGHTS TEMpLAK.


nHmQUtt 81 the MAXWELL HOUSE.
Ascension Day was celebrated yesterday
by Nashville Commandery No. /, knights
Templar, in a manner long to be reinem-
bered. At four o'clock P. NJ. the knights
assembled at the Exposition Building, and,
headed by the 10th infantry Band, march
ed thence down Spruce to Church, Church
to Cherry, Cherry 20 Union, down Union
to College, thence along College to the
Public Square, where an hour was spent in
drilling under the command of Capt. w.
V. Richards, of the 10th Infantry, who is
Captain General Of the Nashville Com
mandery. aA.
The knights exhibited great proficiency
in the drill, and reflected great credit upon
their Captain General, the various eyolu-
lions being witnessed by large attendance
of our citizens.
At the close of the drill, the Knights re-
turned to their asylum, to assemble an
hour later in the parlors Of the Maxwell
House, where a
BANQUET
had been prepared for some two hundred
persons, there being large number of la
dies among the invited guests. The ladies'
ordinary was used as daIicing hall, the
tables being spread in the main dining
room. They were arranged so as to form
| three sides of hollow square, and were
handsomely decorated in addition to being
loaded with all the delicacies Of the season.
The centre piece was a magnificent speci-
men of confectionery, weighing one hun
dred and fifty pounds, and being repre-
sentation of Solomon's temple. On either
side Of this were immense Dolphin psra-
nbids, eocoanut pyramids, egg kiss pyra-
mids, etc, interspersed with tastefully ar
ranged bouquets and roses Of rare exotics.
In preparing this banquet Messrs. Emile
Ravenneu, head cook, and Martin HIM,
chief pastry cook, fully sustained their en-
Viable reputation.
At 1896 the knights and their GUESTS
proceeded to the banquet hall, and the next
half hour was devoted TO the rich siands
before them, then order was called by Sir
Knight Richards, who said:
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to intro
duce to you the most basbful, but yet one Of
the most worthy members uf our Order
| Sir knight Pitcher, the Eminent Comman-
| der Of the Nashville Commanderyi
WORTHY CoNMASDRR NJ. d. PILCHsR
spoke as follows: 1t1&o
1t is with grateful hearts that we look
tonight to the All-wise Father, and thank
Him for having spared our lives and for
permitting us 10 assemble again in our an
nual meeting around the festive board.
Especially are we gratifed in seeing so
many of our visiting Sir Knights present,
and to our fair friends, our wives andmoth-
eTs, who grace our entertainment with
their bright smiles and sweet faces, allow
me, in the name of the Commandery,
| to extend a most cordial and knightly
welcome. Let us now, my friends,
| give ourselves up wholly to the
pleasures of the hour and make this an occa-
sion that will contribute bright chapter TO
the volume of memorsl w our enjoyment
We ihust not forget our allegiance to the
Grand Commandery of the State, and l,
therefore, now ask you to join me in a
sentiment with full glasses and as loyal
| knights to that noble institution and to the
| gallant knight who has been so recently
placed at the helm. "The Grand COM
mandery of the State"-May its protecting
Egis be made invulnerable by the hearty
feally of it's subordlnates.
To this toast,
WORTHY GRAND COMMANDER N. y.
iiewEfr
responded by giving brief, but interest
| ing, review Of the origin and growth of the
Order in this State. He said he was pre-
sent at the organization of the Grand Cont
mandery. fifteen years ago, and was also
| present at the last meeting of the body at
Jackson last week, where he was proud to
see that the Nashville Commandery stood
| second to none in the Stats.
In response to loud calls,
SIR KNIGHT JOHN S. DASHED
spoke as follows:
Eminent Commander, Sir knights and
Ladies: / am truly thankful that l have
been spared to mingle with you on this in
teresting and happy occasion, TO share with
| you in the distinguished hOnOTs which
have been lately conferred upon our Com
mandery by the Grand Commandery at Jack
son; while they have been heartily appre-
| ciated, have resulted in increasing my ap-
probation for this Commandery and for the
Templar Order. but il seems to me very
much like pouring water into a cup that
was already full, because l had
long since come to the conclusion
that my unbounded respect and af-
fiction had reached their highest point.
/ trust that il may be so with all of us, and
that it may continue to the end of time.
There was a time, sir, in my recollection,
when Nashville Commandery was the only
one in the State. Organized in 1S48, it was
then composed of but nine Sir knights, all
but two of whom have closed their earthly
pilgrimage, and the name of only one now
remains upon our rolls.
Although the old fathers of our Com
mandery have passed away, /, their first
offspring, have been thus spared, Ito remain
with you, allow me say TO you, that / do
feel just pride in looking o'er this mag
nifcent and valiant array of young Knights
as the fruits of their labor.
For thirteen years Nashville Command
cry No. l remained the sole representative
and asylum of Templar Masonry in the
State Of Tennessee. At the end of that
period, in 1859, colonies, composed mainly
of its members, were organized into Sepa-
rate Communicates, and from these was
formed the Grand Commandery Of the State.
Thus it may be truly said that from the
little band of pilgrims that once met at the
shrine OF cur Commandery, has come to the
grand array now presented by the Tenn
plars of Tennessee. We are proud of our
COmmandery, and we believe we have
strong reason to be so.
Pursuing noiselessly the quiet tenor of
our way, we purpose to be true to the uust
reposed in us, and to do battle with Oppres-
sion and error wherever they may appear.
Sir KNIGHT II. c. Hensley proposed the
toast, sour Visiting Brethren" which was
responded to by Sir knight Richards in his
happiest vein.
Worthy Grand Commander Howell then
proposed, sour brother, DIR. Geo. S. Blackie |
absent, but not forgotten" which was |
drank standing and in silence, after which |
the company adjourned to the dancinghall,
where the festivities were kept up until a
late hour
Among the visiting members present
were Sir knights John Blount Robinson,
Grand Commander of the State of Louis
lana, Gen. Pennypacker and Chas. Skin
ner, of Mt. Calvary Commandery No. j,
Omaha, Nebraska.
TO-DAY'S RACES.
How the Entries Sold In the Pools