Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-11
THE TEMPLAR TRIENNIAL.
Interesting Facts and Figures-NearIy
q Million MasOns and Tcmplars In
the United States.

tne Snhte0 states.
To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
Inc interesting interview In Saturdays STAR
relative TO the approaching triennial concIave OF
the order OF Templar Knights at Washington and
the vast concourse OF visitors anticipated on that
occasion, may suggest the query, allow many
members does that order really number at the
present time under the Jurisdiction OF the grand
encampment OF the United States!r The grand
encampment itself has existed more than seventy
years, having been organized at MaSon's Hall, In
the city OF New York, the Goth and y OF June,
1915 at a convention consisting OF delegates from
eight encampments by the formation OF const1-
tuuon. which, with few amendments, still remains
In force The number OF encaInpments or COM
manderieS was then small. The number OF MEN,
Ders could be counted only by hundreds, and dur
Ing the dark decade OF the ant-Masonic craze,
from 1896 10 1886, that number did not, PROBABLY,
Increase. Twenty years later very different as
pect Is presented. Official returns 10 the triennlal
coDclave ut Chicago in 1859 exhibit a membership
OF ., 143 In 1877 communicates twenty years later
stu, despite the intervention OF the civil war, IL
had reached total OF 1924, aud official returns
TO the ST. Louis conclave In 1856 give more than
10000 tenplars in 10 Communicates. During
that year the number knighted was nearly equal
u the entire membership In 1859, and II the In
crease has been similar during the ensuing years.
the grand aggregate, on the assembling OF the con-
claye year hence, can hardly be less than 80 600
after due deduction TOR Omission, decrease,
suspension, and expulsion. OF the last named
there are reported but - In an aggregate Of more
men who are templars, or who can become SO. No
man not a believer In the Christian religion Can
honestly become a Templar knight, and the rule OF
Tue church Is scarcely more exacting than that OF
the temple. worthy hebrew or Mohammedan
may ascend to the Royal Arch and the council
chamber, or 10 the most exalted OF the Unreliable
degrees, but, conscientiously he cannot enter the
temple.
Large, however, as is the number Of Templars In
the United States, 1t would, probably Oe aug
mented To tine round number or 100000 IL to 1t
were added those who, though In good and regular
health, or lDlpoSSiDi!1ty or regular attendance,
nave dlmlted or retired, and are no longer af1il-
lated with any cOmmandery, yet could, al once,
ON appncatlon, be rttnStated.
TEMPLARS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
The number OF Templars In Canada In 1886 is
reported at $50; in England and Wales at 9, 800;
In Ireland at ], 300, and In Scotland 49, making
an aggregate OF only $780, not one-twelfth Of the
aggregate or membership In the United states,
and hot greatly exceeding that or the state OF
Michigan alone. No returns appear from the con-
unenL OF Europe, though the order surely exists
In France, Claiming regular descent fIom the
Iemplar Knights OF the Middle ages. But never,
PROBABLY, from the formation or the order by De
PayenS, at Jerusalem, at the commencement OF
the twelfth century, 10 It's abolition military
fraternity by Pope Clement ana Philip OF France,
at the commencement OF the fourteenth, did these
warrlOr-mOnkS, from whom the peaceful affiliaton
OF the nineteenth century claims nneaI descent
number In all their prioreS and preceptOres, and
asylums, all over Europe and In the Holy Land, as
many as 100000 knights. Though comparatively
ana single Knight, Clad lii steel, was more than
match 1or scores OF the common soldiery o: that
age; and Tor Two centuries they Were the wonder
and the terror Of Chr1Stendom and the infidel.
by latest accessible official returns the number
or Royal Arch MaSOnS II the United States In 1887
was ABOUT l450O0 and or Master MasOnS COS 4OS;
or at the rate OI Increase from 1856 To 1887, the
aggregate at the present tiuIe hardly be less
Lhdn 100000. The number OF TempiarS In 1887 is
given at 49, ga. In 1879 the percentage OF lem
par5 TO Master MaSOus Is stated at 80; in 1887 IL
was II per cent: Whether in preparing these olfi-
clal data II has been borne in mind that the route
10 the Temple Is through the Blue Lodge and the
Chapter, and that every Templar Knight must, OF
necessity, be also Master Mason and a Royal
Arcn Mason, does not appear. Ii not, the true ag-
gregate or members or the subordinate degrees
would OF course, be less. AS To the three iuelfa-
Die degrees, embracing the three degrees or the
Blue Lodge, with the addition OF thirty other de-
greeS in wise connected with those OF the Chap
ter Council Oh kn1ghJhood degrees, ana designated
as The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite" the
number oi members IN its COnslStOrieS, councils,
Chapters and Lodges may probably be estimated
by hundreds Ill the United States rather tEan by
thousands, OF which number nearly 300 are said TO
be In Washington. All are, OF course, Master Ma
sons, anu most, or many OF them, may be TEN
piars. Their total, therefore, need hardly be added
10 make up the grand aggregate vi 500, 900 Masons
anu Iemplars In the United States.