Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-05-21
THE KNIGHTS rEnpLAR.

One of the days u be remembered in
Audubon is May |, 1886, and its OBJ
seryance as Ascension Day by Godfrey
Commandery knights Templar.
In spite of she continued BAD
weather, the knights made "a notable
effort for the day, and, that their
effort was crowned with success is
admitted by al. Every part of the
program, with the exception of the
street evolutions was gone through
with in manner highly commendable
to the local committees having the day
in charge.
The special train from Atlantic ar.
| rived at o'clock and the visiting
knights and ladies were received at
the depot by the local body. The
ladies were taken to the Methodist
church, where the principal exercises
of the day were to be held, while the
knights assembled at the hall, prepare
tory to taking up their march to the
church.
At the church, the knights went
through with the solemn and impress
sive ritual appropriate for the day.
and listened to the address by Sir
Knight Rev. +. 4. Ilgentritz, of Stuart
With the Ascension as subject. the
| address was one OF the finest efforts
ever heard from an Audubon pulpit
The music, especially selected for the
occasion. was very fine, the choir being
a double quartet composed of Mes
DANES A. l.. Brooks, j. f., Russell, ).
Van Scoy, Charles Van Gorder and
Messrs. Ed Dickinson, Ed Van Gorder
Ralph Roberts and w. Il. Donaldson.
After the exercises ut the church the
knights went to the cemetery where
the grave of the one departed member
ofGodfrey Commandery, was decorated
and the peculiarly beautiful ceremony
of the Templars was gone through.
At $50 o'clock came the banquet
supper at she opera house. One
hundred and twenty-five covers were
laid, and the knights and their guests
set down to one Of the most elegant
collatiOns ever offered in Audubon.
The hall was tastefully decorated with
flowers and Templar emblems and the
supper was all that the most fastidious
palate could desire.
At the close OF the repast Toast
master Ed b. Cousins in his usual
happy way introduced DR.. Chas W.
Denote who spoke to the toast, "Our
Gusts" j. Il. Bruce, of Anita, re-
After which the toast master called o.
Revs. Dickinson and Dudley, on Mrs.
Osborne, of Atlantic, and Mrs. G. ii.
Jones, Of Audubon, and on Rev. Ilgen-
fritz, all of whom responded with APP
propriate remarks.
All then returned to the masonic
hall where pleasant hour was passed,
after which the home commandery
escorted the visitors to the depot
where their train WAS i'll waiting.
The day will be long remembered by
the members Of Godfrey Commandery,
and that the day was appreciated by
the visiting commandery will be seen
by the following taken from the
Atlantic Telegraph:
yesterday was day Of happy sur
prises to the knights Templar and
their ladies of Kedron Commandery.
When they accepted the invitation Of
Godfrey Commandery, Of Audubon,
they expected royal treat for they
knew of the hospitality Of the Audi
bon people; but when they participated
in the magnificent entertainment and
found the hearty welcome awaiting
them by the Audubon knights and
their ladies, for short time all the
spirit went out OF the visitors in sur
prise, for the whole city, old and
young, manifested such spirit OF
welcome and good cheer that the
visitors felt that there was nothing
left undone and the universal express
sion was: "What considerable fore
thought preparation; what brilliancy,
exactness and generosity or execu-
tion| What they propose, they per
form. 1t was even limited that the
Knights of Audubon must Of had con
troll of the weather for the occasion,
that they had secured by some UNI
known influence, asspecial dispense
| ton from the Grand Commander who
controls the elements, for the sun
which had SO long been obacured by
the rain clouds, burst forth in all its
beauty and shone during the after.
noon, making everything bright and
| cheerful for the visitors.
The services at the church and Gem
etery were of such beautiful and
sacred character that they will be
remembered by all with the lhappiest
and hottest recolectIons. The sermon