The Portland daily press., 1897-06-25
HALF A CENTURY old.
Continued from First Page.

hope for few of the choice things that
have happened and even these few can
only be glanced at. Besides, have not all
these sayings and doings been most
deliberately compiled and written and
published by one of the scribes of the
tribe of Berry, whose facile pen makes
towards of us all, when we attempt any
thing in the line of history. This Berry,
whose surname is Stephen, is he not a
1ineal descendant of that Nestor of
Masonry, whose surname was Ira, and
whose memory will long remain green in
the hearts of us all who cherish with de-
light his famous ely story. The Fra
ternity throughout Christendom have
heard it and have shed clears of laugh
ter even at the thought of it, With
such history as this within the reach OF
all of you, l feel tonight like the little
boy who pinned the Lords prayer over
the head of his bed and tired and sleepy,
pointed to it as he jumped into bed, say
ing. Lord, them's my sentiments
l can only full out facts and fancies from
this and add whatsoever may have come
under my own observation. and serve 1t
to you as sort of hash, after the
s'bounteous banquet to which you have
done such ''full'' justice. l shall there
fore try and bring together some reminis-
cences of our excursions, trials and tribu-
lations, | find that the General Grand
Encampment of the United States issued
a Dispensation April 80, 1S47 to Portland
Encampment No. 2. and under which
Dispensation an organization was com
pleted May 10 of the same year, with
Charles B. Smith as Commander The
charter was granted Sept. IS, and organ
ization under it occurred Sept. 81 1877
so that we have not been chartered quite
half century as yet, but like a criminal
sentence we have earned this much for
our good behavior'-we early had a rep
utation, as l find we were invited the
next year to attend a celebration of St.
Johns day by the fraters of Portsmouth,
N. H., but through modesty / suppose)
we declined it. A very few such instanc-
es are on record, for usually we have taken
whatever was offered us and "1ooked over
our shoulders for more.
In this year we already began to 'sput
on airs, for find the first officer is
styled G.. c., instead Of plain c.. In '49
we had our first trolic for St. Johns day
was celebrated with great ceremony"
From this time members increased, some
coming from Gardiner to enable them to
complete No. Encampment, which was
done in 1854. In 1857 we dropped the
Grand Commander and adopted the Emil
nent Commander as title of the first Off
Ger, and in March 1858 the name Portland
Commandery first appears on the records.
This was done to meet the requirements
of the Grand Encampment. Not until
1850 does any. name of an officer appear in
the records, who is now alive. Then
come Howell, Fox and the Berrys-long
may they remain with us-after this we
made members who became charter MEM
bers of Bradford. July 5, 1858, the Com
mandery did escort duty in laying the cor
ner stone of the City building, feast fol.
lowed at the Commercial House, a good
time The funeral of Prelate Cummings
and Gov. Dunlap in $50 brought out "a
and 81 members respectively. In 1860
members had clam bake and another
later. August 20 Of the same year was
the first regular excursion, Moses Dodge,
Bangor by steamer Daniel Webster. /
am sure this was in all respects a typical
excursion for they visited not only Ban
gor, but the "Injuns'' at Oldtown, taking
everything that came in their way, from
Lew Barker to the City Greys at Belfast,
via Penobscot river--except river water
concerts, balls, luncheons, banquets, kept
them busy and they wound up by re-
ception by Mrs. Dodge, on their arrival
in Portland, and an elegant supper" by
the Masonic bodies-as Parson Smith said
of the Minister'S Conference "decorum
was lost sight Of
In 1861 an attempt was made to order
the Commandery into line, but rebellion
ensued and from that time all movements
have been made by a majority of the Com
mandery. They Can be cOaxed, but no
martial law has ever been tolerated. They
have ever held to the spirit of Democ-
racy, in its broadcast sense. In Sept. OF
this year short excursion was made to
Lewiston, only 25 went. 1t was troublous
times for the country and men were liter
ally "under arms" for warlike purposes,
s'playiDg soldier was mot in it, In
'62 came the centennial OF Portland lodge
and the Commandery turned out 20 and
received Providence and Portsmouth
Templars and escorted them to their place
in the procession: Aug: they attended
the funeral of their first Commander,
Charles B. Smith. Oct. Is they took part
in the reception to the 18th Maine Regi-
ment that had been sent home on furlough
by Gen. Mcclellan as a compliment to
their bravery at the battle Of Antietam.
In Ga they accepted an invitation from
Oriental Star Lodge in celebrating St.
funeral of Past Commander Stevens
Smith, and later a reception to the goth
and 18th Maine Regiments, brought out q
goodly number. On all these occasions
the music was furnished by the band of
the 18th U. S. Infantry.
In 1855 Monroe Commandery of Roches-
ter, n. Y, was given most royal recep-
ton by clam bake, concert bail. which
consumed most of the night Old Man
Chandler became the music man" from
that time forward. The Monroe Fratres
went home satisfied. July 4, 1866, will
be long remembered by the Commandery
as a diref1l day. The great fire which
destroyed not only the business portion of
Portland, but the hall, furniture, jewels,
banner, arms, uniforms and everything
but the charter of the Commandery. At
ter this we boarded round'' like coun-
try school master in Bro. Berry's print
ing office, Congress hall, Clapp's block:
finally in Mechanics hall. In 1867
Masonic Temple in Boston was dedicated
and of course Portland Commandery must
be there or the thing must be given up
we started Sunday, June %, (services on
the train by the Chaplain and refresh
ment committee) arriving at the Ameri-
can House "a strong at p. IN. Hugh de
Payens took charge of the next morning
and, put us through our paces' to the
tune of nine or ten miles (some thought it
20) under a broiling sun. 1t was a great
occasion and one long remembered by the
participants. Thirty Communicates were
in line, numbering 1900. Portland Com
mandery never saw and probably will
never see better looking body of men to-
gether No committee of arrangements
have ever given greater satisfaction. Sir
William 6. Davis was chairman, and
when YOU add to that Sir Payson Tucker