Evening star., 1895-07-13
GOING TO BOSTON
The Templars,. Coming Pilgrimage
to the Hub.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERIES GOING
To Attend the TrienniaI ConcIave
in Body.
NEXT MONTHS ENT


a body; that is to say, while each COM
mandery will act in a measure independent
ly they will leave Washington together as
a battalion, and travel by the same train
to the bay state capital. Each command
cry will have its own quarters at the
hub" and, except during the grand pa
rade. will not be together. In jurisdictions
where a grand commandery has been es-
tablished there is recognized authority to
decide all matters of controversy that may
arise but there being no such organization
in the District of Columbia the organiza-
tons drift along. trusting to that natural
courtesy and fraternal- feeling which should
always govern to prevent any clashing. A
friendly rivalry exist and possibly tinge
of jealousy may arise occasionally, but such
things have been manifest only at long in
torvals. In matters of precedence it has
Eeen the custom to allow the oldest COM
nandery to take the lead, this right falling
to the others in the order of the date Of
their organization.
Washington Communicates.
Washington Commandery. No. 1. is the
eldest in the District Of Columbia. 1t was
established more than seventy years ago
and has continued its conclaves without in
terruption from that time until the present
1t has born upon its rolls many of the most
eminent Masons of the country. BENJAMIN
B. French, who served as grand master of
Templars of the United States. was long
one Of its honored members. Gen. Albert
Pike, the most famous Mason of modern
times; Albert G. Mackey, Charles F. Stans-
bury, George c. Whiting and others, who
hcve been recognized as Masonic giants,
lcng since passed to their last home have
gathered at it's altar. This commandery is
distinguished above every other in the
country by being the only one named in the
constitution of the grand encampment of
the United States, which is permitted to
vary from what is known as the standard
uniform. The members of Washington
Ccmmandery wear what Is known as the
BLACK uniform" This uniform, however
is worn in other jurisdictions where a
grand conmandery Is established and has
the right to prescribe a uniform for it's
subordinates, but no other commandery
Immediately subservient to the grand en-
campment Of the United States can wear it.
At the triennial conclave of 1871 Washing
ton Commandery, being determined to ad-
here to the uniform which it had been
proud to wear nearly half century had
its charter arrested by the grand encamp-
n ent, but even this severe discipline could
not coerce its members. At the next tri-
ennial conclave held at New Orleans in
1874 It's influence was sufficient to secure a
revocation of the former action, and the
commandery was restored to all the rights
and privileges 1t had formerly enjoyed be-
sides which there was inserted in the con-
vision thatW ashington Commandery should
thereafter be permitted to wear it's black
uniform without a question being raised
against it.
lied during the late civil war. 1t, too had
the honor to knight eminent gentlemen
President Garfield, while member of Con-
gress from Ohio, received the orders in
this commandery. Columbia has an active
membership and is we'll otficered. AS do
all the other communicates In the District,
except Washington. No. l. Columbia wears
what is known as the standard uniform
Potomac Commandery. No. 3, and De Mo-
lay Commandery, No. 4. remain to be men
toned. They were organized, as their re-
spective numbers indicate, after Columbia
Commandery. Potomac is located in
Georgetown, and is. of course. largely COM
posed of residents of that section of the
District. 1t Is growing in membership and
mandery is one of the few mounted organ
izations in the United States. 1t always
makes handsome showing whenever 1t
appears in public and its members are en-
thusiastic in everything that pertains to
the organization. Washington, Columbia
and De Molay hold their conclaves in the
Masonic Temple. while Potomac. as noted
above, meets in the Masonic Hall at George
town. There is some talk of the estab-
lishment of still another commandery,
which will hold its meetings on Capitol
Hill in the new building recently COM
pleted by Naval Lodge. No. A. F. A. A. M.
All told, the Templars of the District of
Columbia number about 1900 swords
Washington and Columbia have each be-
tween Ave and six hundred members, while
the next strongest is De Molay. which has
a membership of between two and three
hundred.
Joint Action.
AS before stated there has never before
the present year been anything like united
action among the various communicates.
Each according to its bylaws has singled
out day on which to make its annual
pilgrimage to attend religious worship, and
but few months ago a movement was
inauguratsd to select one day in the year
upon which all the Communicates should
go to church in a body. Ascension day
was chosen. which was the day that had
been observed by Washington Command
cry, and hereafter all will celebrate that
sacred anniversary The proposed Pilgrim
age TO Boston as a battalion is also an
other step in the direction Of united ac-
ton. The four communicates. in accord
ance with the action of the joint commit
o'clock am. over the Baltimore. and Ohio
road, and at Jersey City will take the
steamer Connecticut of the Providence line,
to Providence, r. l., whence the journey
will be completed by rail to Boston. Be-
cause Of tho fact that the day of depart
ure is on Sunday no parade nor public
demonstration will take place in this city
On arriving at Boston on Monday, eacn
COLllidhuciJ WI 81
tel and rest until the following morning,
when the grand parade takes place: Each
will do its best to make good showing
in the big procession. Washington Com
mandery, No. l. will have at its head the
Mount Pleasant Field Band, under the d.
rection of Capt. ]. c. Churchill. Column
bia Commandery has engaged the Boston
Germanta Band, while Potomac Command
cry will be headed by the United States
Cavalry Band from Fort Myer. De Molay,
being mounted, will not require any music.
Representatives to the Grand En-
campment.
In the grand encampment each command
ery from the District Of Columbia will be
represented by its first three oficers-the
commander, generalissimo and the captain
general They are as follows: From Wash
ington Commandery. Alexander H. Holt,
Samuel C. Thompson, George H. Walker;
from Columbia Commandery, Frank H.
Thomas, Robert E. Constant Bennett A.
Allen; from Potomac Commandery, Web
ster Vinson, William F. Hunt, S. NJ. Yeat-
man, and from De Molay Commandery,
William T. Galliher, James NJ. Ford and
P. B. Otterback.
If there were grand commaudery in the