Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-14

general; Bennett A. Allen, eminent grand
senior warden; William f. Hunt, eminent
grand junior warden; Henry X. Simpson,
eminent grand prelate; Edward II. Cham
berlin, eminent grand treasurer; Arvine w.
Johnston. eminent grand recorder; George
H. Walker. eminent grand standard bear
er; Thomas 2. Morgan, eminent grand
sword bearer; VIM II. H. Cisse, eminent
grand warder; Walter II. Klopfer, eminent
grand captain of the guard.
The retiring grand commander, Harrison
Dingman. in his address, reported the or
der to be in tiourishing condition in this
jurisdiction.
While the order of Knights Templar was
established in the national capital in the
earlier years of the latter's history, the
grand commandery of the District of
Columbia is of comparatively recent origin.
1t was constituted January Ia, 1896. the
seventy-frst anniversary of the date of the
first charter granted q cOmmandery in this
city. During all those years the various or
CARNATIONS of the order here were imme
diately subject to the grand encampment
of the United States, and the grand master
of the order issuer orders and dispensations
direct to them, sending inspecting officers
al rare intervals and governing the bodies
sometimes without fun knowledge of local
conditions and needs. Being left largely
to their own discretion in many matters,
and Interpreting the laws of the grand en-
campment sometimes improperly, and
again In ways that perhaps suited their
own convenience, the result was that err
rOrs crept into the practices of the several
communicates and there was a lack of uni
formity in drill and customs and uSages.
Besides, there was very little cOrrespon-
dence or relationship with the Templar
world outside of the District of Columbia,
and therefore very little knowledge of what
was going on in other Jurisdictions.
Though largely Outnumbering in member
ship many of the Jurisdictions throughout
q had lir,i tod
rights touching legislation in the national
organization, and consequently very little
influence in its affairs.
The Results Achieved.
This condition led to agitation from time
to time in favor of the organization of a
grand commandery for the District of
Columbia, 50 that the several Communicates
might be more closely in touch with the
governing body. Finally an agreement
was reached and the representatives of the
several local bodies signed a petition to
the grand master of the grand encampment
of the United States for a charter to open
a grand commandery The petition was
granted. and, on the 18th of January 1896.
the new organization was duly constituted
by NJ. L. Sir Knight Warren La Rue
Thomas of Maysvilie. KY, grand master
OF the grand encampment of the United
states, all the five Communicates of the
District of Columbia participating-W
lngton. No. l, chartered January ii, 1925;
Columbia, No. =, chartered September I,
1865; Potomac, No. 3, chartered September
Y, 1871; De Molay Mounted, chartered De-
cember 2, 1874 and Orient, No 5, chartered
August 20, 1895.
The result has justified the expectations
of those who favored the establishment Of
the new body. Whenever a dispensation
may be required an official interpreted
ton of a statute is desired the proper au-
thority can be readily reached, and it is
not necessary to wait for several days or
weeks for answer from the grand mas
ter, who sometimes happens to be a resi-
dent of distant part of the country. The
present grand master Is a resident of San
Francisco. Cal The local bodies now have
control of many matters that before were
denied them, in the way of uniform, drill
inspections, &c. Washington Commandery,
in respect to its uniform. was made an ex-
ception, and in the drafting of the consti-
tuition of the Grand COmmandery, following
the action of the Grand Encampment of the
United States. section was adopted al
lowing the former to wear their time-hon-
ored black uniform, the remaining COM
manderies, excepting in a few minor
changes, wearing the white" uniform
adopted by the order generally throughout
the country.
Strong in Membership.
The reports show that there are 1,497
members affiliated with the Communicates
of the District of Columbia, distributed
among the several Communicates as fol-
lows: Washington. No. l. 4S1; Columbia.
No. 2, 554; Potomac. No. 3, 100; De Molay
Mounted, No. 4, ZIG; Orient, No. 5, 143. The
average membership per commandery, It
will be seen, is about 300, which Is the larg-
est average of any Jurisdiction In the coun-
try Columbia Commandery Is one of the
largest Templar bodies in the world, and,
as will be seen in the enumeration given
above, Washington Commandery follows
quite close in it's wake.
The Grand Commandery starts off with
excellent prospects for a good record dur
ing the coming year. Its motto will be,
| Success to the Cause"
The first four officers will represent the
knights Templar of the District Of CO.
lumbia in the Grand Encampment of the
United States, which body will hold it's
| tWenty-eighth triennial conclave in Louis
| VILE Ky during the last week in August
next.
Mr., George Gibson, the newly elected
grand commander, is one Of our best known
| citizens He has been an enthusiastic Ma
| son for thirty-five years, and Knight
| Templar for thirty years. He served Co
| lumbia Commandery as It's treasurer fol
| fourteen years-1S76 to 1889; as its eminent
| commander In $780, and has recently been
| again elected to the responsible Office OF
! treasurer. The grand commanders who
| have preceded him are Noble d. Larner
Frank H. Thomas. Rein w. Darby. Ell
| dred G. Davis, VIM. T. Galliher and Har-
| rison Dingman.
| Alphonzo Hoffman was today committed
! in the Police Court OF making threats OF
| personal violence against his father. and
estate bond of 500 or go to jail for sixty
| DAVIS