Omaha daily bee., 1892-12-27
M,CURDY no TIE kNIGHTS.
Greeting of the Grand Commander to the
Faithful Tcmplars.

Faithful TCmplars.
DETROIT, Mich, Dec. 26-Hugh McCurdy,
grand master of the knights of Templar of
the United States, has issued the following
Christmas greeting, in respose to a toast in his
honor, which is being joined in by members
of that order at meetings held all over the
country today:
CoRuNNA, Mich, Dec. 26 1892 To All
knights Templar of our Obedience, Greeting:
Acknowledging with proud gratitude the
high honors which you tender me bymeeting
in your asyums this day at noon and joining
in this Christmas toast: ''To Our Grand
Master, Hugh McCmdy, from ocean to ocean
and from the gulf to the lakes, 900 Temp
lars send merry greetings"
In response to this greeting can only offer
you the promptings of heart overhowing
with gratitude and good will toward all
malice to nonc-mellowed and sanctiied by
the divine inspiration of this hallowed season
of the year. when heart goes out to heart,
and redolent JOY of sweetest fragrance fills
every member .- riL
! would not presume fifty to respond to
greetings from 100 600 Templars, from ocean
to ocean, from the gulf to the lalles,' We're it
not for the truth that Templarism's magic
word, is that little monosyllabe, One" In
this word what restf1l music we
find. OF it's charm, all are con-
scious. There is not word
i'll the language more powerful, it is the first
element of thought, it heads the place in
human life. 1t is the beginning and end of
all things. The best words of men have
been spoken in its spirit. In this spirit, Sir
knights, your greetings come; in this spirit
they are received. No greeting is more in
harmony with templarism and embodies that
Christmas greeting, with its inspiring men,
ories of the song: peace on Earth: Good
Will toward Men, Only so far as Templarism
work is for the friend has it claim to the
homage of men The world cares very little
for elevation of sentiment in greeting, in
! tested in some proof. 1t is not then 80 900
Templars sending Christmas greetings to
which lam 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
companionship Words, names, conditions,
| divide men. These all become meaningless in
the presence of the greetings of Christmas
time. How the walls of partition fall at the
sound of this word 'one," the word of the
century the watchword of our day. 1t Is
word which men may safely trust and may
follow wherever it may lead whomsoever it
may include. 1t is the mission of Templar-
ism, it is the mission of Christians, to con-
ciliate all antaeoniSms, all dividing and sep
arating influences, to make more sacred the
| brotherhood of man
Temparism is in the world, and we are
| TemplarS to seek and to save that which is
common TO all men, Human needs, human
! love, human society-in these all men are
| men.
Tcmplarism is in the world today,
| The banner of the cross to bear,
| And its strength with human weakness share
| Tho star flower of the virgin child,
sown by some wandering Frank to tell to
Men the story of savior's birth.
From natures face, that simple flower
The lines of sin and sadness swept,
And Magian pile and Pnnym bower,
In peace like that of Eden slept
So Templarism grows in all its true self tC
ease the turbulence of the world. Its true
life, like the life of its leader-the Star OF
! Bethlehen-is perfect song of music and is
the gladness of the world by an echo of that
first Christmas song of true brotherhood
Peace on Earth, Good viii toward Men,
And Sir knights. on this gaddest day o
all the year, assembled in your asylums anC
standing in the magic circle around oul
shrines, we pledge each TO the other and u
all sin knights throughout the world, a NOR,
answering faith in the principles ant
PRAYERS and practices of our magnanimou
brotherhood, let us sing with the voice:
Behold the drinks o gods,
They drink, and, 10, In heart and brain
A new glad life began
The grey-of-hair grew young again,
Ine SICK man laughed away MS pain,
The crippled leaped and ran.
Drink, mortal, what the gods have given
To bring the skies more near
And lift men up TO heaven.
And may the One spirit of Christmas tid
and true knighthood upon all mankind still
drop its dews of human quietness till ou
striyiugs cease, take from our souls tn
strain and stress, and let our ordered live
confess the beauty of its peace.
Sir knights, you will now participate il
this toast which | offer: Christmas Tn
birthday of Him Who is the embodiment o
all the Templars' hopes The inspirer o
spirit which makes all Knights Templar one
wheresoeyerd disposed around the globe.
HUGH MCCURDY, Grand Master