The Portland daily press., 1897-06-25

| that in ~ the two COnllnhuuolics 1Sdiu
united and invited st. Omer anu bTad-
| the whole affair was dress paraoe-We
| turned out rs. St. Alban 75 In 1873 we
were again in new quarters, where nope
we may long remain. This year we took
| in the White Mountains and Lycurgus
| Pitman, our esteemed Sir hnlgn1 oi
North Conway, N. II. July was marked
| by the funeral of our delegate to the TIL
ennial, Sir Knight Bedlow who was
drowned while attempting to rescue
Young Iady-he was successful i'll saving
her but lost his own life, he was much
beloved by us all. In Sept. the TWO
| Communicates made an excursion TO Oaco
and were entertained by Bradford. In
1880 was the famous excursion to Provi-
dence and Newport, where st. johns
Commandery of Providence entertained
us royalty both going and coming.
Springfield Commandery joined us, few
Sir Knights at Newport made our stay
agreeable there.
excursions written by our scribe Stephen,
many of which your historian participated
| in. Since 1880 the most important have
been the White Mountains, Poland
Springs, Charlestown, Rochester. Plym-
outh and the triennial at Boston. We have
had others on our own account and par
| ticipated in receptions to visiting COM
occasions within the past few years have
been the visiting at Red Cross meetings
| by different Communicates to Portland
Commandery. This began largely under
the regime of EN-. Com. harrington,
whose zeal in Templar work gave us sew
eral Of these gatherings. Much of the en-
| thuslasm that has been manifested has
been encouraged by his new departure.
Our Fratres of the jurisdiction of Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island, have often
joined US in the good work and most
friendly relations have thus been estab-
lished between us. think we may fairly
claim to have given our neighbors as good
as they sent us, inasmuch as they have
always promptly responded to our invita-
lions. They are good fellows, considering
that they have lived in Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, $50 far away from Maine''
we have done our best to induce them
to forsake their land on the other side, y
and live among us, but SO far without
avail. Many of them have come to play
in summer, and visit us on invitation in
winter. We shall still continue to let them
play in our back yard We owe them
much for the efforts made at the trien.
NAL, we would not forget the kindness to
Portland COMMUNICATIVE had no reason
to expect any special courtesies on an oc-
caston where so many bodies were present
from the entire country. To be sure we
behaved well, and looked we'll, and
marched well, and returned in good order
This we have always done and trust we
| shall continue in the same good wayne
are not too good as a commandery but
Just good enough Those who have been
Commanders for many years certainly
have not been SO good as to he taken
away. 1t is very pleasing Fstatement to
make that the last fifteen Past Comman-
ders are all living, withoutTa break-from
Preble to Whitney-two of them have
been Grand Commanders. EThe Comman-
derry has fourished from year to. year,
| members being constantly added. The
quality has been carefully kept up, SO
that we may without any invidious dis
tinction say that .our best citizens are
found within our ranks. We number over
four hundred, nearly as many as were to
be found in the whole United States
when the first Grand Encampment was
formed in 1916. We do not encourage
men to join our bodies unless we believe
they aresgood citizens and will be credit
to the order, and l am sure that while we
believe in the broadcast charity for the
frailties of humanity, we have ever main
tanned wholesome discipline for any
mem bers of the order who violates the
cardinal principles ON which it rests 1t
gives me great pleasure to say that Port
| land Commandery has had but very few
occasions for such discipline. While we
are not a reformatory institution, 1 be-
lieve the principles of the order tend to
save many men who might otherwise
you on the prosperity that has attended
you during your first half of century,
may the robust youth of fifty fulfill the
rich promise now given, at the end of the
century.
| DR.. Gordon had hardly finished his adj
dress when Recorder John S. Russell
was escorted to the presiding officer and
after being briefly addressed was pre-
sented with an elegant jewel which DR..
Gordon explained was given by certain
members of Portland commandery as a
slight expression of their consideration
of Recorder Russell's efficient and faith
full services. The recorder was quite
overcome by this agreeable surprise, Eand
his response was both brief and some
what inaudible, but the expression of his
countenance was sufficient evidence of
his appreciation Of the gift.
Congratulatory letters and kilograms
were read from Grand Commander F. H.
Twitchell, the grand prelate, grand
warden and others.
A poem specially prepared for the occa-
oioA ahO AiSAly CilJoyou was T6ClUeu ny
its author, Past Commander Frank G..
Stevens of Portland commandery The
poem did not directly relate to Knight
Templary, but it was none the less appre-
ciated.
The post prandial programme was
somewhat interfered with by the depar-
ture of many sir knights for the 515 boat
to the city. Brief addresses were given
by Past Grand Commander William J
Durham of Lewiston, Rev. William E.
Gibbs of Lawrence, Mass, formerly of
Portland, Past Grand Commander
Horace H. Burbank of Saco, Grand Re-
corder Stephen Berry of Portland, Past
Commander W. L. Sage of Monroe COM
mandery, Rochester, N. Y, Eminent Sir
Edward G. SWEET, Eminent Commander
Albert S. Plummer of Lewiston, Rev.
C. r. Ogden, Past Commander Miller
Of Connecticut Valley commandery and
Past Commander Clayton A. Harrington
A snecial triD was made nv the PiJoriro