The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-10

hall was beautifully decorated for the oc- casion, and presented a scene of beauty. Many toasts were offered and responded to in the usual happy vein. Some of the most prominent men of the state are among the grand lodge officers present, and the local lodge is leaving nothing undone to make their visit one of pleas ure. Tomorrow afternoon steamboat excursion down the Coosa river will be rendered the visitors. Following is the address of welcome delivered by Sir Knight J. R. McMullen
 The Address.
 "Right Emminent Grand Commander, Officers and Members of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Ala bama:
 s'Upon me has fallen the honorable and pleasing duty of welcoming you to sun kissed, God blessed, happy Gadsden; the Queen City of the Coosa; a city glowing and throbbing with the buoyancy of youth but one which gives greater promise than any of her sister cities in all our broad commonwealth. She is young, it is true, but she is daily overcoming that. Here the best clements of commer- cial and industrial development are blended with the old-tine chivslry that has made our state so famous in days gone by This blending has produced a set of men who know not the meaning of the word fail, a set of beauteous women who are continuous inspira- tion to the sterner for greater achievement, for loftier aim and more noble purpose We welcome you to Gads- den, as she rests in calm, sweet dig nifty, supported on one side by Lookout mountain, on the other by Sand moun- tain, while at her feet rolls the Coosa' made up of thousand springs fountain ing in a thousand glades and cool-shelt- cred spots of Dixie Land. No epidemic has ever caused the face of this fair city to blanche and pale with fear; no cyclone has ever scared her fair bosom; no great disaster has ever overtaken her. With youthful warmth and frankness we bid you welcome. Not only do we cover you with the arch of steel backed by strong and true arms, but we encircle you with loving hearts and into this glad welcome we place not only our strength, our hearts, but our all.
 Warmth of Welcome.
 
 "The warmth of this. our welcome, ex- ceeds that even of the warmth of the sun The depth of our welcome sur passes that of the hidden recesses of the caverns of the earth and sea. The breadth of our welcome Is bounded only by Gods boundless spheres, and the height of our welcome will become ap- parent to each one of you as some day, when you have fought the good fight, have laid aside the cross for the crown, you shall stand in the presence of our King and Commander-in-Chi and know as you are known.
 I've welcome you in the name or Eto- wah Commandery No. t5. We welcome you as soldiers of the cross who have sworn to accompany the Son of God when He goes forth to war; warfare not only for time, but warfare in which the prize is the crown of eternal kngship and the laurel of eternal victory. we are glad to know you because amongst Sir Knights there Is no such word as farewell and to know each other once is to know each other forever. We wei come you in behalf of Gadsden, the Queen City of the Coosa and, as this noble river which flows here at our feet IS made up of countless little streams, so will the countless little acts of Kindness and the many cOurtesies which VIII greet you on every hand while in our midst, make great stream of hospitable wei come making glad your hearts; proto- type of that river, the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God; and we hope and trust foretaste of the time when by the side of that river, as we are now by the side of this we shall be assembled in the eternal and supreme Commandery of Heaven and of earth where conclaves have no end and where commentaries ne'er break up.
 .'Welcome.''