Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-25
TO THE GRAND MASTER
Local Knights TempIar Meet
- and Drink a Toast.
OBSERVE ANNUAL CUSTOM
Ceremony Universal Among Mem
bers of Chivalric Masonry.
REPLY BY HEAD OF THE ORDER
Programs Followed by the Several
Commanderies-Nam Of Speak
OBSERVE ANNUAL CUSTOM
REPLY BY HEAD OF THE ORDER
Programs Followed by the Several
COMMUNICATIVE Of Speak
ers and Their Topics.

knights Templar of the District of Co
llumbia assembled at noon today for the
| annual Christmas observance or libation,
| which has for many years been dis
tinctive feature Of chivalric Masonry.
The custom of Knights Templar to meet
at the same hour and exchange greetings
with the grand master of Templars Is
universal, and prevails wherever there are
knights Templar to assemble. whether in
organized bodies or in small groups. as Is
sometimes the case on vessels of the navy
or in remote army posts. 1t is of record
that on one occasion the Christmas lfba-
ton or greeting was celebrated at Point
Barrow Alaska, the northernmost spot
where the Stars and Stripes float.
At noon today the eminent commanders
of each of the Washington communicates
and the presiding officers of all existing
communicates in the Templar world pro-
posed the same anniversary toast to the
grand master of Templars. 1t was as
follows: ITO our most eminent grand
master. Henry Warren Rugg. with the
love and respect and cordial support of
172. 600 loyal sir knights"
The several eminen: commanders then
read the following response on behalf of
the grand master of Templars:
ITO all Knights Templar-Greeting and
good wishes. May we together hear and
heed the Christmas message Of love and
service. May our beloved order of Chris
tfan chivalry express in the lives of all
true soldiers of the temple the principles
and teachings of Him whose advent
brought the new gospel Of life and happi-
ness to men. The sentiment of this joy
Gus season is the soul of Templary-love
and service the watchwords of our strong
brotherhood. Let us pledge ourselves
anew to our honored institution. which
witnesses to the wisdom, the faith and
the works of it's founders. and is today
blessed ministry of fellowship and cheer
a mighty force IN the work of the world,
and potent factor in it's advancing civii-
cation
Grand Commander Morgan Present.
Grand Commander Thomas p Morgan of
the Grand Commandery of knights Temp
lar attended the Christmas observance of
his own commandery at noon, and Right
Eminent Sir Harrison Dingman, past
grand commander and grand captain of
the guard of the Grand Encampment of
knights Templar, also a member of
Washington Commandery, was among the
prominent Templars present. The grand
commander also visited all the other COM
mandery libationS, EXCEPT that of Poto-
mac. No. 3.
The exercises of Washington Command
cry occurred in the banquet hall at Ma
sonic Temple, and We're attended by a
large number of fraters of the command
cry and guests from bodies of Templars
whose asylums are in other cities. The
grand commander responded tot the toast
THE Grand Commandery and Templar-
ism" Henry X. Simpson spoke for the
Grand Lodge, F. A: A. M; Grand High
Priest Claude F. King for the Grand
Chapter. r. A. M: E. G. Davis for the
past commanders of the commandery, and
Harrison Dingman for the grand master
of Templars.
Columbia Commandery, No. ,. knights
Templar held it's annual observance at
Queen restaurant, corner 18th and G
streets; Potomac Commandery, No 2.
at Masonic Hall, Georgetown DE Mo-
lay Mounted Commandery, No a. at it's
asylum in Masonic Temple, and Orient
Commandery at it's asylum i'm Naval
Lodge Hall, Capitol Hill.
The exercises at each of the libations
were similar, the offering of the formal
toasts to and the reading Of the re-
sponses of the grand mas ter OF Tenn
plars being followed by light luncheon
and exchange of seasonable felicita-
lions and greetings between the sister
communicates of the Jurisdiction and a
few short talks and appropriate NIL
steal selections. The grand commander
was represented at the four command
cries besides Washington. by the fol-
sponded to the toast The Grand Com
mandery of Knights Templar:" Walter
II. HOPPER at Columbia Commandery.
No. .; Lem Towers. jr.. at Potomac
Commandery, No. 3: w. II. H. Cissel, at
De Molay Commandery. No I. and
George c. Ober, at Orient Commandery,
No. >.
Features of the Programs.
At Columbia Commandery libation toasts
were offered to the grand commander of
Templars, the grand master of Masons
and the high priest. A notable addre SIS
was made by Auditor W. E. Andrews of
| the Treasury Department.
The observance of Potomac Comma nd
cry. No. 8. of Georgetown. was unique in
one respect. The commandery invited the
companions of Potomac Chapter. r. A. NJ,
and the members of the two West Wash
! ington lodges to participate in the exer-
cises. The members of the chapter and of
George c. Whiting and William r. Sim
| gleton lodges were present in force and
made the Christmas observance one of
the most largely attended and interesting
of the local libations. After the toast
and response of the grand master of
Templars the following program was rem
dered: THE Grand Chapter" William F.
Hunt: Ancient Craft Masonry" Benia-
min. w. Murch: Chapter Masonry" Will
| liam X. Reeve. grand generalissimo of
the Grand Commandery; '"Templar Ma