Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-29
FORMAL OPENING
Of the 26th TrienniaI C0nCIave
of Knights Templar.
Address Of Grand Master Hugh Nc
Curdy---Reports Of Officers.
The Day Spent in Business, Drills. Sight.
seeing and Other Pleasures.

| Boston, Aug. 2S.-The triennial con-
clave of Knights Templar was formally
opened by Grand Master Hugh McCurdy
at 10 O'Clock, this morning. His address
was as follows:
''Otficers and Sir knights of the Grand
| Encampment OF knights Templars of
the United States Of America:
"In the name of noble and chivalrous
ancestry, bid you welcome to the Goth
triennial conclave of our magnanimous
order.
II bring you glad tidings of peace and
prosperity from all parts of the Templar
kingdom. Tidings of a largely increased
membership, more devotion to Masonic
life, a greater enthusiasm in our work,
an ever deepening loyalty to the sublime
principles of Templar Freemasonry.
peace hath her victories no less re-
nowned than war The deeds of valiant
knights of ancient days are celebrated in
song and story, but never assembled
serriod host on battlefield, or followed the
flaming beauseant to the fair city of the
sepulcher, nobler band of chivalrous
knights than this vast army Of good men
and true who have assembled here In this
beautiful city of St. Botolpb, with hearts
attuned to the impulses of mans better
nature, and the instructive yearnings of
mans better self. The very atmosphere of
this city is laden with the spirits of all that
gives life and permanency to chivalry.
''Here is that noble architecture which
Lowell called an element of patriotism,
and an eminent one of culture. Boston Is
the front door of America-the Amrican
Athens. Well might Lowell say, see
Boston and die Massachusetts needs no
encomium There she is-behold her
and judge for yourselves. There is her
hstory--the world knows it by heart
The past is secure
There is Boston, and Concord, and
Lexington. and Bunker Hill and there
they will remain forever. The bones of
her sons fallen in the great struggle for
Independence, now lie mingled with the
soil of every state from New England to
Georgia; and there they will lie forever
And where American liberty raised its
first voice, and where its youth was nur-
tured and sustained, there it still lives, In
the strength of its manhood and full of
its original spirit-it will stand to the
end by the side of that cradle in which its
infancy was rocked; it will stretch forth
its arm, with whatever vigor it may still
retain, over the friends who gather
round, and it will fall at last, if fall it
must, midst the proudest monuments of
its glory, and on tho very spot of it's
origin. Happy the jewellers In such "A
state-yea, thrice happy they who have
Boston for their dwelling place.
II see before me, Sir Knights, many
new faces. l have heard many voices |
never heard In triennial conclave before |
l have clasped in fraternal greeting many
a hitherto untouched hand. All of these |
we welcome; but of familiar faces we
miss. We sigh for the touch OF vanished |
hands, and the sound of voices that are |
still. To these. both the living and the
dead, We send a God bless you that can |
come only from hearts and to hearts knit |
as one by tie that neither absence nor
death can sever
A review of the official announcements
of the demise of distinguished Sir
knights, officers of the grand encamp-
ment and others which have taken place
on the present administration, then fol-
lowed, the grand master adding feeling
personal tribute in connection with each
name
Next followed a review of the questions
OF Jurisprudence which the grand master
has adjudicated upon, and statement of
the new Communicates constituted and
established under dispensation, and of the
grand communicates organized during
his term, the latter being two in number,
viz. Arizona, organized at Phoebix, Nov.
IA, 1892, and Florida, for which authority
was granted Aug. 1895, but from which
the official return has not yet been re-