Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-12
TEMPLARS TO MEET.
THE SEVENTY sEvENTH C0SCLAvE
TO BE HELD HERE THURSDAY.
The GRAND RGYsL ARCH CAAPTER.
This BODY Also Meets Here THIS
Week In Annual Convocatior--b"'h
ORGANIZATIONS VIII Elect Officers
and Transact Other business.

The seventy-seventh annual conciaye OF
the Right Eminent Grand Commandery
of Knights Templar and appendant orders
Of Virginia will convene in the Masonic
temple next Thursday, the 10th instant
al ~ o'clock a. NJ.
The eouclave bids fair 20 be one Of the
most interesting which has been held In
years. and the indications are that it
will be very largely attended. The con-
claye Will be opened in ample FORM Dy
Right Eminent r. +. Woodhn, OF Hamp-
ton the Grand Commander, and all Sir
knights IN attendance Will appear III
full-dress uniform of a Tempiar on loot.
There are in the State eighteen suDor-
dipate communicates and each OF these
is expected to be represented by the emil
nent commanders past eminent com
manders, generahssimos. and captains
general. which would make an aggregate
attendance upon the session OF the grand
body Of about one hundred Sir Knights
The conclaVe only sits during one Gay,
and much business will be done before
adjournment. The first business viii be
10 receive the report Of the Grand Com
mander. which will be referred TO a spe-
cial committee for action and report
me Grand Commander will also receive
GERS. whose duty it is to annually in
spect and report on the condition Of the
various subordinate Communicates Of the
state.
THE NEW OFFICERS.
As soon as the routine matters which
will occupy the attention OF the Templars
is concluded. the election Of officers will
be gone into. The officers are now filed
as follows:
Right Eminent Philip Frasher Wood
tin, Grand Commander.
Very Eminent Benjamin Franklin
Buchanan, Deputy Grand Commander.
Eminent James Edward Alexander
Grand Generalissimo.
Eminent Louis Philip Ecker. Grand
Csptain-Gener9L
Eminent John Edward ToWnes, Grand
senior Warrior.
Eminent James Thomas lie sueur,
Grand Junior Walden.
Eminent George Wilson Poe, Grand
Treasurer.
Right Eminent James Braxton Blanks,
Grand Recorder.
Eminent Rev. f. T. McTaden, Gand
Prelate.
Eminent James Wilson Bryant, Grand
Standard-Bearer.
Eminent Thomas f. Schwartz, Grand
sword Bearer.
Eminent f. w. Cunningham. Grand
Warder
Sir William c. Wilkinson, Grand Cap
tain OF Guard.
1t is very probable that the usual order
will be observed, the Grand Commander
| retiring after one year and the other Of
ficers promoted in the regular order Just
as Grand-Commander James II. Capers
retired last year. Governor Woodfn will
| become Past Grand Commander this year
All Of the officers are elected except the
| Grand Standard-Bearer, the Grand Sword
| Bearer. and the Grand Warden. These
| are appointed by the Grand Commander.
They usually go on up the line, however,
| and through the chairs.
FILL TWO VACANCIES.
This year the Grand Commander will
have two appointive officers to name-the
| Grand Sword-Bearer and the Grand War
| den-as not only Will a vacancy be Gre
ated by the retirement Of Grandchildren
| Woodhn but Eminent Louis Z. Ecker
will resign the grand captain general
| ship. 1t IL an unwritten law that no
| Templar shall hold office in the Grand
| COmmaldery and reside without the con-
| fines OF the State Mr.. Ecker has re-
moved 10 Ohio. and though he will be
| here to attend the concaye, he will, it is
understood withdraw from official con-
nection with the Grand COmmandery. BY
virtue OF this, each OF the officers save
Deputy Grand Commander Buchanan.
who will be made Grand Commander, and
| Generalissmo Alexander, who will sue
| coed Mr. Buchanan. will move up two
| pegs.
| The Knights Temp!ar order, or, as they
| are sometimes called. Poor Soldiers OF
| . faI IL,
! IFS by nine French gentlemen at Jerusa-
lem for the defence of the Holy Sepuchre
and OF pilgrims. They had quarters in
the palace of the Latin kings. known also
as Solomon's Temple whence they de-
rived their name. Vows Of poverty, chas-
hty. and severe religious exercises were
taken. and their lives We're to be an in
| cessant conflict with the enemies OF
Christianity. Their history was almost
| completely identified with the Crusades
for ll0 wears. and their valOr and piety
won them fame throughout Europe
In 1914. in the midst of terrible persacu-
| lions Of Knights aTensiar, Grand-Master
de- Molay was burned alive, and a great
many others suffered a similar fare. Their
| property was also coniiscated in most
countries In Portugal the order was
never suppressed but In 1917 took the
| nam8 OF the OlueI Oh NHllsAi "h4Nh
name IT still bears. IL is to-day essential
lv q Christian order. and fits exercises are
opened with religious services, conducted
nv the prelate. who Is an ordained minis
| ter Of the Gospel
The Grand Chapter.
On next Tuesday the Most Excellent
Grand Chapter OF Royal Arch Masons
will begin its ninety second grand annual
| convocation. This body always meets IN
the same week with the Grand Com
mandery and az the same place.
The proceedings will be opened IN que
form by Most Excellent Thomas Edward
| schwartz. Of Luray Grand High Priest
| ana will probably continue two DAYS.
The other grand officers are: Right
Excellent Fred Greenwood, Norfolk
| Grand King: Right Excellent James Ed
| ward Alexander. OF Alexandria, Grand
| scribe. Most Excellent George Wilson
| poe. OF Richmond Grand Treasurer
| Right Excellent James Braxton Blanks
| NJ Petersburg. Grand Secretary; Excel
lent Elliott Thomas Brady, OF Marion
| Grand Captain of Host, Excellent VII
liam LANES HUBBARD. Of LynchOurg, Grand
| PRINCIPAL Soiourner; Excellent Joseph
| Vireinius Bidgood of Richmond, Roya
| Arch Captain: Excellent Edward smith
| Conrad of HarrisOnburg, Grand Master
! Third Veil. Excellent Sol. Louis Bloom
berg of Richmond. Grand Master OF Sc
| cond Veil: Excellent 5. W. Thomson. OF
| CuIpeper Grand Master First Ven; Eek
cellent Rev C.. n. Van HOuten. or Man
| chester Grand Chaplain; Companion Ju-
| 49,. roehv Of Richmond Grand