The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-25
THE GRAND MASTERS RESPONSE
To the Toast Which knights Templar
Will Drink Today.

Corunna, Mich, December 24.-The
following is from the response of Grand
Master Hugh McCurday, of the Grand
Encampment of Knights Templar, u S.
A., to the toast to be drunk to him at
noon, eastern standard time, on Christ
mas:
Returning thanks to our Father in
heaven for the privilege which he has
vouchsafed to US, in permitting us to
again assemble on this gladstone day
around our mystic triangle: and with
hearts strung in sweetest harmony with
the new life of this gracious day, we
thank you for the toast you offer us: TO
our Most Eminent Grand Master McCur-
dy-A huncred thousand Knights Tenn
plar send greetings, wishing him mer-
ryl Christmas, with peace, health and
happiness
christmas, the day of days, the
birthday OF Him whose coming gave
new meaning to the words of your Chris
tian greeting, peace, health and happi-
ness. OF each of these, and of every
word dear to mans heart, His life must
forever stand as the true exponent. He
defined words by living them. To know
His definitions and to live them, this
alone is life-this alone is Templarisr1.
.'Fo the true Templar, the incarnation
is the centre and heart of all worship,
obedience ssand morality--words which
are only the names for peace, health and
happiness. For Him, at Bethlehem S
cradle, peace, health and happiness had
their birth--there everything that was
old came to an end. everything that was
new had its beginning. Thus, Knights
Templar must ever give to Christmas
day with its song of peace and good will
to m ~, sovereign placs. Emmanuel
God with us, this is the essence of peace,
health and happiness-this the magic
| word which opens wide the doors to the
| grandest possibilities of human nature.
God with us as man. with human
heart in its sympathy and brotherhood.
This new presence signified new knowl-
edge, new hopes, new powers, new laws.
To us the Christ-child was born to en-
able each to reach the perfection for
which He was made. My fraters, is this
great truth to us a doctrine, tradition,
| philosophy. OF is it life as His life
| was? Are we SO learning this truth that
our manhood is developing into COM
! plete self? The more like him we be-
come. the more ourselves are we. We
are only truly manly when we share the
| completeness of His character.
| From hundred thousand Knights
! Templar, to whom the story of the Cra-
! die, the Cross, the Sepulchre. and the
/ Mount of Ascension is as familiar as
dear household words-from an hundred
thousand manly men comes to me once
again the Christmas greeting of peace,
health and happiness.
| 1T is the life men live that gives value
to their wishes and words. In this, your
| good wish for me, it is not you who
speak; it is the Manager, at Bethlehem,
| speaking of life, larger, nolber, more di-
vine, of character kingly, of service filled
with it's gifts of gold, frankincense and
myrrh. A good wish has value only as it
embodies the principles wrapped in the
Manager.
''It has thus it's highest value when
coming from men who, in their earthly
pilgrimage are guided by the star in the
East, as were the wise men of the Orient,
bringing their best offering to the Christ
child. A life of peace, health and happi-
ness is the best wish that man can offer
/ for his brother man. Such a life is a
continual Christmas greeting; such a
life it is the aim of every Knight Tenn
plar to live. That this is your aim, Sir
knights, is to me your best wish for my
merry Christmas-peace, health and
happiness"