Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-07

\ ~sS-;NssSA and issued by the Pro-
sM ~ vincial Grand lodge of
s1SN ~I~f Pennsylvania. L b s
EiSNM Nkn lodge continued for
~ some years TO hold its
Ell. COM. BARRINGER. meetings within few
miles of the present site OF Harrisburg until
after the laying out of that town IN 1888, when
it was permanently located there. Upon the
closing OF the Provincial Grand lodge and the
formation of the Grand lodge of Penn
sylvanie Perseverance lodge, No. 81, surren-
dered its provincial warrant to and received
from the latter grand body a new warrant,
bearing date March 10, 1877, under which it
still continues to work and to flourish. At
present there are the follow .ns Masonic bodies.
viz: Robert Burns lodge. No. 46i. L. and A. II /;
Perseverance chapter. No. q, RAM. Char
tered Februrry IL, 1920; Harrisburg council.
No. 7, r. and S.M.. and Harrisburg Sovereign
consistory, A.A.S.R. But Harrisburg was also
one of the earliest centers of knights Templar-
ism, not only in Pennsylvania but in this
country. About the year 1874 regular en-
campment of Knights Iemplar, No. 3, was
working at Harrisburg under blue lodge
warrant, and at the constituting OF the
Grand encampment of the state of Penn
sylvania, May IL, 1877, it was duly represented
and was thus one of the four encampments
constituting the first grand body of knights
Templar in the United States. Unfortunately
the records Of this encampment were destroyed
by fire in the burning of the Masonic hall at
Harrisburg in 1919.
With this disaster knight Templarism prob
ably died out, for we find by the records that
there was organized on November o. 1926
under dspensation issued by N. Z. Sir
Dewitt Clinton, general grand master of the
Grand encampment OF the United States, the
''Holy and Undivided Trinity encampment,"
with Rev. Sir Gregory Thurston Bodell now
Protestant Episcopal bishop Of Ohio, as the first
grand master or eminent commander. Sir
Simon Cameron, subsequently United States
Senator, Secretary OF War and minister to Rus
STA. was also one of the first members This
encampment for some time continued to hold
conclayes and confer orders U. d. But no char
ter was ever obtained, in consequence of the
application for the same having been mislaid
by the death of NJ. Z. Grand Master Clinton
some time prior to the meeting of the General
Grand encampment in 1922 In the meantime
broke forth the fierce fires of anti Masonic per-
secution. which resulted in the entire cessation
of Masonic work in Harrisburg from 1929 to
1910. In the latter year the blue lodge and
chapter resumed their labors, but Masonic
Knighthood slumbered fifteen years longer.
On December Is, 1885, a dispensatiOn was
granted by the r. Z. grand commander of the
Grand encampment of the state of Pennsylva-
MIA to organize at Harrisburg Parke command
cry, No. z, which was accordingly done Deem
Der Is, 1855, with Sir Benjamin Parke, after
ward MEG.H.P. of the Grand chapter of
Pennsylvania as eminent commander. in whose
honor the commandery was named. The char
ter was granted by the Grand encampment
June II, 1856, but upon the formation Of the
Grand co:nmandery OF Pennsylvania by the
union of the two Grand encampments Of the
state, June ], 1857, the number of the COM
mandery vas changed to No. II, the command
cry being numbered in the new grand body in
accordance with the respective dates Of their
organization. On August 5, 1869, the name was
changed from "Parke" to pilgrim command
cry" name significant Of Christian knighthood
being cOnSldered
Since its organization in 1855 Pilgrim COM
mandery has been exceptionally prosperous,
the very uniformity OF its prosperity depriving
history OF notable events. In its asylum the
orders of Masonic Knighthood have been con-
ferred upon more than three hundred candi-
dates, and large number of sir knights from
other Communicates have been admitted to
membership. Upon its roster appear the
names OF many men OF prominence in the
various walks Of life. Among those of its men,
bers who have attained high Masonic honors
may be mentioned e. Sir Robert A. Lamber-
ton, P.G.M. of the Grand lodge Of Pennsyl-
vania; RE. Sirs VIM. Fl. Egle, Md, now state
librarian of Pennsylvania, and John Waller
mandery of Pennsylvania, and RE. Charles H.
Mann, Pc. commander OF the Grand COM
mandery of Maryland. The commandery now
has 162 names on its roll.
The officers of the commandery are as fol-
lows: Sir Jacob P. Barringer, eminent COM
mander; Sir. John X. Shopp, generalissimo;
Sir Peter K. Sprenkle, captain general; Sir Vim.
i. Gorgas, treasurer; Sir Alex w. Bergstresser,
recorder, and Sirs Andrew X. Black, Luther
r. Welker and Samuel W. Fleming, trustees.
The past commanders of the commandery
are: w. II. Egle. P.G.C.; John Vallerchamp,
P.G.C.; Samuel II. Simon; Samuel E. Murphy,
Isaac d. Lutz, David X. Rudy, Abraham Z.
Kingport, Daniel W. Cox, John I. Beggs, VIM.
J.. Gorgas, Geo. W. SINNERS. Josiah P. Wilbar,
John d. Leler, Edgar A. Tennis, Luther r.
Kelker, com. division No. 10, and Daniel II.
Kelsey.
DeMolay, OF Washington, Pa.
Pennsylvania seems to be rich in fine COM
manderies. At the Howard house is the jacques
DeMolay commandery, No. 3, of Washington