The record-union., 1898-10-12

Iully except that at the time half the
marchers had gone by a given point it
began to rain in short but sharp show
| ers. However, not even the doWnpour
| appeared to have any visible effect
upon the enthusiasm of the paraders,
| nor did it drive the spectators from the
| sidewalks
There We're no serious accidents or
mishaps of any kind during the entire
march, which lasted fully three hours
There cannot be too much said of the
| arrangements Of the parade proper 1t
started at the appointed hour and con-
unued uninterruptedly. The body Of
| marchers was as fine a set of men as
could possibly be gotten together any
| where. Sir Knight Edwin Du Lawrens
charter member of Columbian Com
mandery, No. 1, of New York, who has
| been Knight Templar for fifty-six
years and enjoys the distinction of be-
ing the oldest Knight in point of SER
vice in the country, participated in the
parade, and whenever his venerable
| appearance was recognized he was
applauded.
The parade disbanded at Shenter
Park, and Immediately after the Grand
! Commandery met in Conference Hall
for the first actual business of the con-
| clave.
! After addresses of welcome by Chair
man Arthur B. Wigley, Mayor H. Ford
| of Pittsburg and State Grand Com
mander Kuhn, the Grand Encampment
was declared open, and Grand Master
Warren LaRue Thomas delivered the
annual address, after which the re-
ports of Grand Treasurer Lines and
Grand Recorder Mayo We're presented
| The Grand Master, in his annual ad-
dress, said:
THE gathering together of the
mighty hosts in this city at the pres
| ent time demonstrates the affection
and regard our membership has for our
! order. From every State and Terri
! tory in this great land has this mighty
! host come bearing aloft our beautiful
! banners on which appear the insignia
| and notices of our order. Great multi
| tud6s look on in wonder, and ask them
| selves and each other the meaning of
| this large assemblage. They cannot
| understand the motives that would in
| duce prominent men from every station
| in life to cast aside all business affairs
! for the time being, and leaving their
! homes and families, travel hundreds of
| miles TO mingle again with friends and
| brothers. They know nothing of the
| sacred tie that binds the hearts of all
| these Sir Knights SO closely together.
! They have only seen them as they have
| appeared in public, clothed in their
beautiful uniforms, marching to the
strains Of delightful music. They know
| nothing of the sweet moments in our
| llVeS, when in our asylums, to which
| the eye of the world is closed, all the
| pureSt and nobleSt emotions of our
| hearts are aroused It is there that the
| better parts of our natures show them
! selves. 1t is there that the noble pre-
| cepts of our order find lodgment in our
hearts and the seed is sown that brings
| forth the richest harvest It is here
| that we hold sweet communion with
| each other and renew our pledges of
devotion to our principles. It is here
| that the life and character of the
Savior of the world are shown forth
and we are taught to take Him as our
example through life and our hope for
| the life beyond. Our hearts are stirred
to their greatest depths by the recitals
of the life and death and resurrection
and ascension Of our Savior and one
must verify be hard hearted whose bet
| ter emotions are not aroused when wit
Messing such scenes. Tt is then that
we feel our utter help1essness: it is
| then that We feel our absolute depend
ence; it is then that we feel closer to
our brethren; it is then that we forge
| still tighter the chains of love and con-
! fidence that bind us together; it is
| then we exclaim, 'Emmanuel-God be
with us
1T is in the interest of such princi-
pies and motives that we assemble to-
day. Actuated by strong desire to
! build up our order, and as evidence Of
our love and devotion to the pure
teachings on which it is founded. we
come together to renew our pledges
and take counsel with each other as
| to the best methods of accomplishing
our objects. Let us enter upon this
work with pure and loving hearts, lay
ing aside and forgetting all else save
the good of the order. and the up
! building of the Masters kingdom
1T is my pleasures to inform you that
our order is in prosperous and -four
! ishing condition. The growth during
| the last three years, Notwithstanding
many discouIaging conditions, has ex-
ceeded anything in our history. Peace
and harmony have reigned supreme
throughout our Templar Jurisdictions.
and nothing has occurred to call forth
any exercise of the power and author
| ity vested in the Grand Master. The
most encouraging reports have come
to us from all quarters, testifying to
the love and loyalty our members have
for the order and for the Grand En-
campment. A good and healthy in
crease is shown in most of our Grand
Communicates, and the officers of these
grand bodies have shown themselves
to be thoroughly alive to the best in
terests Of our order, and are doing all
those things necessary to maintain the
high standards we have attained.
But while we as Knights Templar
have been moving along in the quiet
even tenor of our way, stirring events
have been transpiring around us in
which one and all have been deeply in
terested. The Star-Spangled Banner
that emblem of liberty and justice. has
been unfurled and, kissed by the
breezes blowing from every section of
our beloved country, has been borne
aloft by loyal and brave men ready to
die in its defense. The cry and wall
of the down-trodden and oppressed
yea, of the starving men and women
so near our own shores, at length awoke
strong and powerful nation to a
sense of justice and duty. Whatever
was left of sectionalism was wiped out
Party lines We're forgotten. Patriotism
asserted full sway, and each section
We'd with the other in demanding that