The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-15

friends among Templars from all over the coun-
try, and no Washington sir knight will be re-
ceived with more hospitality and kin lily well
come in 1892 than the popular aud good-natured
subject Of this sketch.
At the conclave of Columbia Commandery
No. Q Friday evening the committee appointed
to submit resolutions of respect to their de-
ceased frater, Sir j. H. Baxter, late Surgeon
General Of the Navy, will report. Eulogies
will also be deliverd in memory of Sirs William
Yerlke Atlee and William L. Ford by the Gen
erallissmo, Edwin B. Hay. Life-membership
certificates will be presented to Sirs j. s. Tom
llnson, S. F. Gill; and Ellery j. Burtt. At this
conclave the Drill Corps, in compliance with
the almost unanimous request of the individual
members of the commandery will give an exhi-
bition drill. meeting of the Denver Associa-
tion will be held Immediately after the conclave
to take into consideration methods for the in
vestment of the funds now in the hands of the
Treasurer
AT the communication of New Jerusulum
Lodge Thursday evening Past Master Fiegen :
baum was presented with Past Masters jewe
by Past Grand Master E. ii. Chamberla in in his
usual easy and happy manner. At the con-
| clusion of this pleasant incident Past Grand
Master Dingman took the floor and pr esented
! Bro. Chamberlain, who had just finis he'd his
presentation speech to Bro Fiegenbaum, with
! magnificent gold-headed cane. Bro. Cha mber-
| lain, everybody knows, recently served q
| second term as Worshipful Master of New
Jerusalem, and, having received a Past Mas ter's
jewel after his first administration, the lodge
sought to present some other testimonial as a
| reward for and in appreciation of his eminent
services during his last administration. Bro.
Chamberlain was very much surprised by the
action and deeply touched by this new evidence
of the affection and esteem in which he is held
by the brethren of his lodge.
Preparations for the Shrine seance on the
30th instant are progressing in a satisfactory
manner TO all parties concerned, and the class
of candidates will be unusually large interesting,
and selfsacrifcing, all of which attributes will
be duly appreciated by the initiators, who are
always desirous of witnessing proper amount
of respect and decorum on the part of the
initiates, and endeavor to impress upon them
the dignity of the degree and the gravity of the
situations in which the requirementso of the ritual
at times is apt to place them. The Shrine de-
gree is one that cannot be fully described or
analysed: TO be fully appreciated in all its
beauty and significance it must be seen
(some authorities go further and une-
quiyocally say-feltl to be fully understood.
Unlike other degrees the ritualism of which
is based purely on symbols, the Order of the
Shrine needs no exhaustive explanation of its
nteDts purposes, or results. 1t explains it.
self, and the weight of its arguments is felt by
the least sensitive of its candidates as he pro-
crosses step by step on his road to the definite
ing of all its principles. The dazzling radiance
of its mysteries does not, therefore, burst upon
thefcandidate in binding lightning flash of a
sudden disclosure, but burns itself slowly anG
by degrees into his soul and fills up the cavern
of his ignorance with the subdued and mellow
light of incontestible and well-authenticated
} facts, the value of which has been established
by unnumbered ages and countless centuries O.
, adequate proof and testimony. The grandeur
l of its ritual with its wealth of pageantry, tn,
! magnifcence of its tab,eaux, the brilliancy o.
its costuming, and the beauty of its eloquen
Verbiage is not intended to overawe or dismay
but in its very completeness and minuteness O
detail endeavors to teach and expound in
practical, illustrative, and systematic manner
: and il the truth of this statement is doubted
+. why, ask any Shriner and see If he will tell yor
S | differently.