Morning journal and courier., 1892-12-26

cense of communion. To. day, I who wa
communicated, have communicated
(Applause). believe none of you woul,
believe me capable of psrtaking of tn
communion unless my conscience was 0
rest thank you for the wonderful ant
joyful appreciation you have shown.
| KNIGHTS TEmPLAR.
The Grand Encampmsnt Approves
and Gives Hts Omcial Sanction to tn,
Observance of Christmas Day-IIeso
Iutions Adopted at Denver.
PORTLAND, Me-, Dec. 25.-The following
was adopted at the late triennial conclav'
of Knights Templar at Denver, August 10
s'Resolved, That the grand encampmen
| approves and gives its official sanction Il
| the observance of Christmas day BY
Knights Templsr, either in their oficia
| capacity or as Communicates, and that an
| nnally there be Christmas toast and re-
| sponse prepared and transmitted to all
grand communicates and constituent com,
manderies owing allegiance to the grand
encampment.
tWhile life and strength remain to him
the management of the matter could not
be in better hands than those of the be.
loved Frater, to whom credit is due OF
originating the beautiful idea, and we
therefore further recommend that he be
charged with the duty of preparing the
sentiment annually during the pleasure
of the grand encampment, and that the ex-
penss thereof be paid on the order of the
grand master"
In obedience to that resolution the fol-
lowing toast was prepared:
"To our grand master, Hugh McCurdy.
From ocean to ocean and from the gulf to
the lakes, ninety thousand Templars send
merry Christmas greetings"
The grand master sends the following
response; u, ,..., e r,.
is the embodiment of all Templars' hopes.
The inspirer of that spirit which makes all
knights Templar one, wheresoeyer dis
persed around the globe"
A circular was recently sent by Stephen
Perry of this city, the committee inviting
all Sir Knights to join in these sentiments
on Monday, December 26th, at noon,
eastern standard time, equivalent to 8 p.
m. Greenwich), and to extend the invi-
tation to their command as well as to all
true Templars and their friends, where
soever dispersed, on land or sea.
Following is the grand masters COM
munication in full:
OFFIcE OBJ THE
GRAND MASTER KNIGHTS TEMPLAR,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
MoRUNNA, MICH, Dec. 28, 1892.
To all Knights Templar of Our Obedience,
Greeting:
~ Acknowledging, with profound. graft
tude, the high honor which you tender me,
by meeting in your ssylums this day, at
''To Our Grand Master Hugh McCurdy
from ocean to ocean and from the gulf to
the lakes, ninety thousand Templsrs send
merry Christmas greetings"
In response to this sentiment, can only
offer you the prompting of q heart over
flowing with gratitude and good will to all
malice toward none, mellowed and sancti-
fed by the divine inspiration of this hal
lowed season of the year, when heart goes
out to heart and redolent joy of sweetest
fragrance fills every memory.
would not presume fifty to respond to
greetings from "ninety thousand Templars
from ocean to ocean, from gulf to lakes"
were 1t not for the truth that templar-
ism's magic word is that little monosyla-
BILE one. In this word what 1estful music
we find. Of Its charms all are conscious
There is no word in the language
more powerful; 1t ia the first element of
thought; it holds the first place in human
life. 1t is the beginning and the end of
all things. The best words and deeds of
men have been spoken and done in its
spirit. In this spirit, Sir knights, your
greetings come; in this spirit are they re-
ceived. No greeting Is mora in harmony
with all that Templarism embodies than a
Christmas greeting, with it's inspiring
memories of the Angels song Of "Peace on
Earth, Good Will to Men," Only SO far as
Templarism works for this end, has it
IL -, 49, hHr &c u
cares very little for elevation of sentiment
in greeting, in sermon, or in song, unless
it sees it manifested in some proof. It is
not then ninety thousand Templsrs send
ing Christmas greetings, to which I am
invited to respond, but to the Templar
unity, which In the ever blessed spirit of
this glad season, greets all Templars and
which all Templars greet.
The spirit of Christmas tide is the spirit
of oneness: The spirit of the Son of Man
who Joined man and his God with sense
of partnership. Words, names, con-
ditions, creeds divide men. These all be-
come meaningless in the presence of Christ
mas time. How the walls of partition fall
at tbs sound of this word Ons-the word
of the century-the watchword of our day
q word which man may safely trust and
safely follow, wherever 1t may lead whom
soever 1t may include. It is the mission OF
Templarism as 1t is the mission of Christ
mas TO conciliate all antsgonism, all divid
| ing and separating influences, to make
| sacred the claims of the Fatherhood Of
| God and the brotherhood of men.
Templarism ia in this world, and we are
| Templars to seek and cave that which ii
| common to all men, human needs, human
love, human SORROW. In these all men ar,
one.
Templarism is in the world to-day,
4 s'The banner of the cross to bear,
And its strength with human weakness share.
| Here, like
1.-THE star-fower Of the virgin child
Sown by some wandering Frank, to tell to
Men the story of the Savior's BIRTH"
And, as
From natures face that simple flower,
The lines of sin and sadness swept,
And Magian pile and Paynim bower
| In peace like that Of Eden slept"
So Templarism grows in all its truei
better self to ease the burden of tn
world.
Its true life, like the life of its leader
the star-fiower of Bethlehem, is a pei
petual song whose music is the gladness G
the world, because an echo of that fire
Christmas song of a true brotherhood
"Peace on earth, good will to men,"
And, Sir Knights, on this the gladdet
day of all the year, assembled in you
| asylums and standing in magic circl
around our ehrines, we pledge each to th
other and to all Sir Knights throughor
the world a more answering faith in th
principles and practices of our magnan
, nous brotherhood. Let us sing with or
! voice and will
Il .Behold TIL drink of gods
They drink and 10! in heart and brain
A new glad life began;
The grey of hair grew young again,
The sick man laughed away his pain,
. The cripples leaped and ram
Drink, mortals, what the gods have given
To briug the skies more near
And lift men up to heaven"
l And may the one spirit of Christina
tide and true knighthood upon us and 6
g mankind
i drop its still oews Of quietness
q Till all our striving cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of its peace"
Sir Knights, you will now participate
this toast which offer: "Christ mas, t
= birthday of him who ia the embodiment
81 l III - fha IN pf Oh