Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-16
THE SCOTTISH RITE.
rug HOUSE OF THE TEMPLE STILL
pRAPEo IN MOURNING.
Acting 0ssnd Commander DR. j. o.
Bachelor and Observation-Disclosures IN
october, 1se2-- Growth Of tho Rite

n,orrcepondenco OF tho Richmond Dispatch.I
WAsursoros, D. c., August H.-Ths Ma
sonic pilgrim to the House of the Temple,
or Holy House. rs II IL sometimes called.
Al the corner of Third and E streets, misses
the illustrious head Of the Scottish Rite.
Albert Pike, who put OF mortality for
immortality" on the I'd day Of April last.
This now famous building, which for so
many years was to the philosophic Free
mason and man of letters what the Oratory
Of ST, Philip Neri at Birmingham,
England. during Cardinal Newman's
lifetime was to the Roman Catholic
and hero-worshipper. is still most
interesting place. even to the "profane.'"
for here is great library and arch@ologi-
cal collection and many curious designs IN
the way of household furniture and deco.
ration. The interior OF tho house IS still
heavily draped in mourning. and under
stand will be until after the meeting OF the
Supreme Council in 1892. The song OF birds
is no longer heard, General Pike having
bequeathed his large collection OF the
feathery tribe to his colored body-seryant'
leaving that faithful attendant free to dis
pose of them as he might SEQ ut. The
birds being an expensive luxury. the man
sold them to the friends of the dead mas
ter and realized quite large sum.
THE ACTING GRAND COMMANDER.
DR.. J. q. Bachelor, of New Orleans.
who by virtue of his Office of lieutenant
grand commander has charge OF the Scot
tish Rite, during the recess OF the Su-
preme Council took up his abode here at
the House of the Temple week before
the Grand Commander died, and now oc-
cupies the same quarters tnat his prede-
cessor did: and General Pixies daughter,
Miss Lillian, still occupies suite of rooms
on the third floor. DR.. Bachelor Is seven
ty-three years old, and is great sufferer
from rheumatism contracted during the
war. He was brave Confederate SOL
der, and was captain of a company
of good fighters. And besides his
rheumatism and wounds, he IS at
ficted with erysipelas, which keeps
him in bed great part of the time. He
is UP this week for the first time since
MAY. He is O most patient sufferer and is
able to attend TO q good deal OF official
business even when he Is on his back:
The old and faithful secretary-generai OF
the Scottish Rite, Frederick Webber. IS
always at his post. He does not live n the
Holy House, but his Office Is here and he
spends about twelve hours q day. at his
desk. His duties are numerous and exact
ing, and from one years end to the other
he rarely ever takes day of.
ELECTED AND coNsECRATED.
A new grand commander dd ritdn, will
be elected, consecratod, and crowned on
the third Tuesday in October. 1899. Who
that dignitary will be no one can tell. DR..
Bachelor may be the man (much, doubt
less. will depend upon his health). Grit NAV
be some other prominent 33d. The Supreme
Council for this southern jurisdiction is
limited to thirty-three active members,
and while It is likely that the grand COM
mender will be chosen from that au-
gust body there is no law prohibiting
the sceptre passing to an honorary
SD, of which there are several hundred.
Acting Grand Commander Bachelor is
man OF culture and gentleness and is tho:
roughly imbued with the responsibility OF
his high position. He reports a steady
growth of the bodies of the obedience OF
the Supreme Council" says he hopes to
be we'll enough to visit the Northern Coun-
Gil at its annual session, which will be held
in September at Boston.
EuLoGIEs on GENERAL PIKE.
A special bulletin will be- issued in few
weeks containing the eulogies OF distin-
guished Masons in foreign countries on
General Pike. One of the finest tributes
is from X. Y. Gould, the eminent English
AuSOulC dutuOl.
CERNEAU DUPEs.
II il said that the Cerneauites that gave
some trouble in Masonic circles few
years ago have about closed operations,
having been outlawed in at least ten or
twelve Grand Lodge jurisdictions. Ac-
cording to reports at the supreme council
office, most all of the Masons who joined
Cerneau bodies withdrew as soon as they
learned that they had been duped and
MANY of them, after withdrawing joined
bodies of the regular Scottish Rite. The
officers of the Scottish Rite here laugh at
the idea of " healing" the Cerneaus. They
say that the only way that any Of the Ger
neaus can be healed is to withdraw, be
elected in local body of the Scottish
Rite. pay full price. and receive the de-
grees Just ms If they had never been con-
nected with a Observation-Disclosures
Hibbs Consistory.
NowIs SCORE OF CITIES.
A few years ago there were only four or
five cities where the Scottish-Rite degrees
were conferred in all their splendor. Gin
cinnati took the lead. The actor Florence
told me that he saw the Rose-Croix de-
gree conferred at the old Masonic Temple
In Cincinnati twenty-five years ago in man
ner that was simply superb. Next to Gin
cinnati the finest degree work was seen in
Boston and San Francisco. But now there
are score of cities where the ceremonial
part of the Scottish Rite is said to be up
to that seen in Cincinnati. The Brooklyn
II" work" IS now noted all over this world.
The work here in Washington is magnif-
cent and among other places named where
il is exceptionally fine are New York city,
Cleveland, Louisville. st. Paul, Richmond,
and Plttsburg.