Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23
AMONG THE
FRATERNITIES

The Grand Lodge. F. A. A NJ at it's ad-
Journed semi-annual convention this week
made some important changes in the
grand constitution of the Grand Lodge of
this jurisdiction. The dates for the sew
eral conventions of the Grand Lodge dur
ing the year have been changed Under the
new constitution, which it is provided shall
take effect August next, the Grand Lodge
will meet in regular convention five times
each year. The convention for the exem-
plif1cation of the, degrees will occur on
the second Wednesday of March of every
year. On the second Wednesday In every
May session will be held for the trans
action of current business, and another on
the fourth Saturday in September for sim
liar work. The annual business meeting
of the Grand Lodge will hereafter be held
on the third Wednesday in each December.
and on Saint Johns day ian important
Masonic anniversary in each year the
Grand Lodge will hereafter elect and in
stall new grand officers
The present membership of the Grand
Encampment of Knights Templar of the
United States is 1886; the number of
Knights Templar in the world is 139, 1874.
There has been gain during the year of
$3.50. The proportion of knights Templar
to Master MaSons in the United States is
one to 6.64; the proportion of knights Tenn
plar to Royal Arch Masons in the United
States is in the ratio of one to 1.S2. 1t is
an interesting fact the communicates of
the District of Columbia lead all those of
the United States in average of member
ship. The average here is 800. Next in or
der in this respect come the following
grand Communicates: Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, 800; Connecticut 80; New
York, 212; New Hampshire, POS; Maine.
1S9; Pennsylvania. 175; Ohio, 161: Vermont,
100; Michigan, 1873.
The knights Templar burial service now
in use was submitted in 1858 by Sir knight
killian H. Van Rensselaer, of GAINESVILLE.
Ohio. AS heretofore stated the Ohio Sir
Knights are now proposing a revision. 1t
will be brought before the Grand Encamp-
| ment at San Francisco next year. The
changes are excellent. 1t is regarded as
certain that the present service will be
changed in some important particulars.
The proposed new ritual eliminates few
incongruous or harsh expressions in the
service and strikes out all reference to the
history of the order. In the present ritual
the expression solemn and interesting cere-
monies Is used Interesting is regarded
by many Templars hardly fitting when
applied to burial service.
Sir Henry r. Ingersoll of Tennessee, an
eminent Knight Templar. pays the follow
ing chivalric tribute to the knights of
Columbus:
mo higher tribute was ever paid to our
order, to It's fraternity, its secrecy and
its lofty Christian purpose and usefulness
than the establishment and growth of the
Catholic knights of Columbus within the
communion of the Roman Church and with
the expressed approval Of it's hierarchy
It's secrets, of course, we may never know,
but it is a secret fraternal order, and like
us 1T supports the Christian religion and
cultivates fraternity among its members.
1t boasts already membership greater
than ours, and they are proud of their new
privilege. In some important features 1t
cannot hope to vie with Templary. 1t is a
single order with no such formation as
ours. Its candidates are not a select body
of men who have been often tried and
never denied. They are all of identical
religious opinions, members of the same
church. But they will be better men. better
churchmen, better citizens, doubtless, for
their fraternal association, and We wish
them pleasur and profit in the new order
and the service 1t will require for humani-
ty"
The same gentleman speaking of the an
nual Ascension day service by District
Templars says:
"Our Columbian fraters are setting a
worthy example to Templars throughout
the land by their regular and appropriate
observance of Ascension day, which we
trust will meet with general approval and
imitation
Ascalon Temple. No. 81, Dramatic Order
of the knights of Khorassan, has elected
the following officers: Venerable shiek.
Coffin; grand emir Thomas A. Bynum:
mahedi, Johnson T. Heare; secretary.