The Portland daily press., 1894-12-26
GLOBE ENCIRCLING CUSTOM.
How Portland Mason Originated the
the Christmas Libation.

poses the Toast to the Grand Comman-
der-Pieasant and Largely Attended
Exercises in Portland Christmas Day.
Precisely at noon Christmas day, two
hundred sPortland Knights Templar,
bers of Portland and st. Alban
Communicates, gathered in the armory
on Exchange street to drink to the reg
ular Christmas libation the Grand
Commander of the knights Templar
of the United States, Hugh McCurdy,
of Corunna. Michigan. At the same
moment a large proportion of the
Knights Templars.in the United States
were drinking the same libation, and
in so doing were generally turning their
faces towards Portland, Me. The reason
of this is interesting
Stephen Berry, ESQ.,, of this city, is
the committee of the Grand Encamp-
ment of the United States. deputed to
propose on Christmas day at noon, the
toast TO the Grand Commander, which
TemplarsEdrink..l SO many places. Mr..
Berry is so commissioned because he is
the proposer and originator of this pleas
ing fraternal custom, which has be-
come popular with Masons jail over the
globe.
About twenty years ago, Mr.. Berry and
a few friends among the Templar cor
respondents, began informally to remem-
Der one another at noon Christmas day
by fraternal libation. The idea was
Mr.. Berry's. About ten years ago the
idea had become quite widely dissent
mated in a quiet way, when an incident
occurred which brought it to the atten-
ton of the Knights Templar of the
whole country. The Grand Commander
Of the United States at that time was ex-
United States Senator Withers, of Vir-
ginia. He was appointed consul at Hong
Kong, China, and was there when
Christmas day came. The happy idea
occurred to Mr.. Berry that those who
were drinking the Christmas libations
should toast their Grand Master on the
other side of the globe. General Withers
was greatly pleased.with the. compliment.
and:when he returned he brought the
m8Gb6T up IIACAA1dA OohSt0'o go
St.Louis in 1886. He complimented high
ly both Mr.. Berry and the idea. Grand
Master Roome, of New York. who sue
ceeded General Withers, also commend
ed the custom, which had continued to
spread, largely through Mr.. Berry's
efforts. Finally,at the TrieInial Con-
clave at Denver, in 1892, the Knights
Templar formally adopted the custom
and practically constituted Mr.. Berry the
committee for life, to send annually, on
behalf of the Grand Encampment, the
greeting of the order and the toast to
the Grand Commander.
The custom has extended far beyond
the limits of the United States. The
Masonic journals of England, Ireland
and Scotland publish the call, and the
Knights Templar there join in consider
able numbers In France the Knights
have not much hold, but few responded
to Tuesdays Christmas toast. In Aus
tralia and the Sandwich Islands response
to the toast is now regular thing. In
Lima, Peru, there is only one knight
Templar, a merchant named Crosby, but
be undoubtedly took up his glass at
about the hour when the Portland
brothers were drinking. So also did the
Knights in Mexico, and in Shanghai.
In India the custom is not yet estab-
lished to any extent.
At first the toast was drunk at noon,
Washington time; but since the adop-
ton of standard tim 9 Philadelphia, sew
enty- fifth meridian time is the stand
ard. The idea is that the toast shall be
drunk at the same actual time the world
over. Souwhilessnoon is the hour here
San Francisco, Masons drink at o'clock
Christmas morning, the Sandwich ISL
and brethren must be routed out long
before daylight. and those in Shanghai
and Australia don't drink on Chris tmas
day at all. In England it is towards
eveningzof Christmas that the libation
is drunk.
At some places, notably in Grand
Master McCurdy's home commandery
at Corunna, Mich, the occasion is made
one of particular social significance. and
the ladies are invited to participate. In
Portland the ladies have not yet been
invited, but the affair has become one of
the most important of the Masonic year.
Two hundred were present Tuesday
noon, and gathered about the punch
bowls at the appointed time. Those
bowls were filed with fruit punch or
lemonade, spirits not being generally
used. In many places where tine tenn
perance sentiment is less strong, wines
are used. Besides the health to the
Grand Commander of the U nited States
there were the following toasts: The
Grand Commander Of Maine, responded
to by Past Grand Commander Locke;
St. Alban Commandery, responded to by
Martin A. Dillingham;; Portland Com.
mandery, responded to by George E..
Whitney. A toast was also drunk to
Past Commaner William S. Corey of
Portland Commandery, who is now in
California, seeking health.
PERSONAL