The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-29

ing that early peflU1 WITH the present,
| we find abundant cause for congratula-
tion and for glad and grateful celebra-
tion OF this significant anniversary" The
speaker then passed TO trace the changes
that have taken place IN city. state and
nation existent with the life of 81
Johns commandery.
1T is fitting" no said, that the ser
vices OF today should be held In this eui-
fce. hallowed by age and association.
The First Baptist Meeting House OF
Providence was erected In 1774. accord
ing TO the quantity worded statement: For
the public worship OF Almighty God, and
also for holding commencements in 1t
has also been the scene OF many notable
civic gatherings and it's hospitality has
from time TO time been rendered TO the
Masonic fraternity for anniversary and
other important occasions. In this con-
nection IL may noted that the first church
In Rhode Island. the first Baptist church
In American. the second I'm the world,
was organized by Roger Williams, its
first pastor. and IL other persons, In 1898
and is perpetuated by the body OF Chris
tian believers now worshipping in this
historic structure.
"As Masons and Knights Templars we
may well pause here for a moment to
pay our tribute OF respect 10 Roger Will
iams, first pastor OF this church and
founder OF our state. who though not a
and teaching those principles which are
fundamental In the Mansonic Institution
and In the Templar creed"
Or. Rugg next discussed Templary
and stated that there Is evidence 10
snow that In the latter part of the 18th
| century these race gatherings OF Ma
sonic knights in places where Free Ma
sonry was then we'll established-Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Charleston, S. c.,
nFHsa .asr4..
Albany, n. ", the city OF New York,
Boston and Providence.
Dr Rugg in answering the much dis
cussed question as TO the claim for
seniority made by all these different
communicates, affirmed that Saint
Johns is the oldest continually existing
| organization of Templsrs I'm this country.
| III should be remembered" said DR.
| Rugg, that our contention Is, not that
Saint Johns of Providence was the ear
| Hest formed association OF Templars
| In the United States, nor yet that Il was
1 the first Templar body to receive a
| charter or warrant from some outside
source believed TIT the time to be In
vested with power TO authorizes the es-
| adjustment OF societies OF Masonic
| Knights.
Our affirmation only reaches to this
extend; that Saint Johns oommandery;
| called "encampment' from the beginning
| OF It's life until 1869. was formed IN an
| orderly manner, under the generally
recognized rule OF inherent right, August
| I'D. 1902. that II was body OF Knights
Iempiars from the first, comforting as
| II did the Templar order on two candi-
| dates, September %. 1902. one hundred
| years ago today and desire to empha-
l size the fact that from that time until
now. there are no lapses or intervals in
| It's history. that the record of its life
| from year TO year and for all the hun
dred years. duly attested. has been pro-
served and is now open 20 ssrutiny-a
| record or unQuestioned authenticity fur
| nishing an ample justification for the
motto adopted by our oommandery,
many years ago: Sine interInlssiono
| ab initlo."
At this point in his address the
| speaker divided the history into four
| periods, as follows:
J. The period OF formation and devel-
| opment.
. Tho period OF opposition and perse.
| cution.
3 The period OF renaissance
The period OF greatest growth and
| prosperity.
| The formative period" he said. dates
| from the meeting OF August %, 1902, OF
| which this Ia the record:
The knights OF the most noble and
L
and % Malta. knights Templar. and of
tho order OF ST. John OF Jerus usalem, resid-
ing IN the town of Providence having at
a previous assembly determined. that a.
is proper and eNpedient for the preserva-
tion and promotion OF the honor and dig
nifty OF the Orders OF Knighthood, that.
an Enoampment should be formed and es-
tabhshed In said town. assembled nt Ma
sons hall for that purpose. at Z o'clock,
| y. m.
! Present Sir Thomas g. Webb. SIR Jere-
| miah II. Jenkins. Sir samuel Snow, SIR
| Daniel Stillwell. Sir John 4. Warner, SIR
Nicholas Hoppin An election OF officers
resulted In the election OF Sir Thomas 4.
| Webb. grand master; Sir jeremiah r.
jenkins, generalissimo; Sir Samuel Snow.
| captain general; Sir Daniel Stlllweil.
standard bearer; Sir John 'S Warner,
sword bearer; Sir Nicholas Hoppin guard
| These six Templars. who united I'm the
formation OF ST. Johns Encampment