The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-05-16
ASCENSION DAY.
Celebration by the knights Templar
of this City.

of this City.
The annual celebration OF Ascen-
cion Day by Cape Girardeau Com
mandery No. - of Knights Templar
was duly observed at the Presbyterian
church in this city on Thursday even
ing. The audience chamber was dec
GRATED in an appropriate manner. its
character indicating clearly the nature
of the celebration-a large floral cross
being prominent, withyarious Mason
ic emblems in their appropriate places,
and over all. and Immediately over
the cross. the inscription containing
the battle cry of the old soldier Tenn
plars. defenders of the scepulchre of
Christ and protectors Ofthe prilgrims.
''By this sign we Conquer"
y large and appreciative audience
greeted the appearance of the Knights,
and the choir rendered a song of well
come, which was evidently fully ap-
preciated by them. The opening
prayer was offered by Rev. S. Addi-
son McE.lroy of the Presbyterian
church.
Sir Knight William II. Miller of
Jackson. had been authorized, it seems,
by the COmmaudery to present on this
occasion IA pair of Past Eminent
shoulder straps to Eminent Sir Knight
William B. Wilson. Owing to sick
ness the latter was unable to be pres
ent the acceptance thereof and re-
sponse were deputed to Sir Knight
Alex. Ross of this city in behalf of
the absent Eminent Sir Knight.
Sir Knight Miller in making the
presentation, did so in an eloquent
address. replete with historical and
scriptural allusions, and paying n
high and well deserved tribute to the
absent Knight. Many of the audience
were impressed and delighted to know
from this splendid address of Sir
knight Miller that the Bible was and
is :; sacred book with the Knights. In
accepting the beautiful offering of the
Comm; ndery Sir Knight Alex. Ross
made very feeling and touching ad-
dress, and freely indOrsed all that
had been said of the absent knight, as
did the entire audience. The beauti-
fui ceremony which accompanied the
acceptance of the costly gift impressed
the .arge audience with the sense of
the sincerity and chivalry of the Com
mandery After Ascension Hymn the
Rev c. H. Briggs of Fayette. Missou-
ri. Most Excellent Past High Priest
OF Missouri. was introduced by Sir
Knight Z. 5. NIcCarty, and delivered
the Ascension sermon. and for more
than an hour held the vast au1ic1c..
spell bound by his wonderful state
ments wonderful at least 10 a large
portion of his audience-in reference
10 the relation which Masonry bears
TO christianity. His text was from
Luke 24: J0-Jl: "And he led them out
as far as to Bethany and he lifted up
his hands and blessed them. And it
came to pass, while he blessed them,
he was parted from them. and carried
up into heaven.
No synopsis OF this eloquent DIS
course can give an adequate idea OF
it. the fatherhood of God. the
brotherhood of man. the cross of
Christ and all that these imply. were
fully and plainly presented by the dis
tinguished Templar, and the audience
had Il highe,. conception than ever of
the grand mission of the Knights
Templar.
i.,Rev. NJ. 7. Haw of the Methodist
Episcopal church South made the
closing prayer, and after Home
Sweet Home was exquisitely rem
dered by the choir the benediction
was pronounced by Rev. II. Todd.
Rector OF the Episcopal church.