The Washington herald., 1908-01-12
KNIGHTSTRMPLAR CELEBRATE
Columbia Commandery to Observe
FOrty-ffth Anniversary Friday.
Affair to Be Under Direction of Emi-
win-Names on Roster.

| Columbia Commandery. No. ?. knights
Templar. will celebrate its forty-ffth an
niversary with special ceremonies next
I Friday evening.
A musical and literary entertainment
/ has been arranged and will take place
in the music hall OF the temple The af-
! fair viii be under the direction OF Emil
nent Commander Charles z Baldwin
and the following committee Of sir
/ knights: Charles P. SWEET, Francis A.
/ Sebring, R. E; George Gibson, E; Wall
ter H. KIopfer. E; Alexander Grant E;
John A. Meyer. Charles A. Stewart, Fa-
! Der Stevenson, Harry c. c. Stiles. Charles
p. Matthews, and Frank Z. Gibson.
/ Past Commander Myron NJ. Parker will
deliver the principal address, in addition
/ to which there will be musical and other
/ interesting features. among them chalk
talk by Mr.. c. K. Bergman, cartoonist.
Following this portion OF the programme
/ refreshments will be provided and the
! floor cleared for dancing.
Columbia Commaudery was organized
January IS. 1868. a dispensation having
been granted by Most Eminent Grand
Master Benjamin B. French to twenty
one sir knights TO form Columbia Com
mandery. No. ?. his action being ratified
by the Grand Encampment on September
II, 1861. when a charter was granted
Says Eminent Sir A. w. Johnston in
writing OF Columbia Commandery:
Born in an atmosphere of strife. Co
lumbia COmmandery has ever been i'm
bued with an ardent military spirit. IN
the spirit of Napoleon's celebrated saying,
There shall be no Alps, the commandery
has planned and carried out many large
enterprises in the face Of seemingly IN
surmountabe difficulties. Foremost in
every Undertaking that enlists the ener-
gies of Christian knighthood It's pluck
ambition, and progressiveness has won for
1t "A commanding position among the
TemplaT bodies of the world. Its record
Of tTiennial pilgrimages is unbroken from
St Louis, in 1865, 10 Saratoga, in 1907.
AT the Saratoga eonclave its drill team
won second place in competition with the
communicates from all over the United
States, and the trophy captured on this
occasion is a magnificent grandfathers S
clock, the case being of solid mahogany
and equipped with cathedral chimes,
which now regularly toll out the hours in
the commandery asylum. AT Pittsburg it
had the honor Of being the special escort
of Grand Master Warren La Rue Thomas,
and at the Louisville conclave it per-
formed the same duty for its distinguish
ed frater, Grand Commander George Glib
son.
Two of its past commanders have been
chosen as officers Of the Grand Encamp-
ment-Sir Myron NJ. Parker as grand
sword bearer, in 1889, and Sir Frank H.
Thomas as grand captain Of the guard
IN 1895. Many distinguished names are
borne on the roster of Columbia Com
mandery. among whom may be mentioned
President James A Garfield, who was
kniglfted by the eommandery in 1866 and
whose remains were escorted by his fra
ters from Washington 10 Cleveland; Ben:
Perley POOre, the eminent journalist. who
was the first commander under dispensa-
ton; Gen. II. c. COrbin, adjutant general.
L. S. A, and Rear Admiral Winfield
Scott Schley the hero of Santiago Bay"
The membership of the commanderv
is about 800 and the officers are as fol-
lows: z. Sir Charles F. Baldwin, com
mander; Sir Charles p SWEET. generals
simo; Sir Francis A. Sebring, captain
general; Sir Charles A Stewart. senior
warden; Sir William McAleer, junior war
den; Sir James H. Mcintosh. prelate; sir
William Z. Andrews, associate prelate:
r, F. Sir George Gibson, treasurer; Sir
Faber Stevenson, recorder; Sir J. Frank
Trazzarre. standard bearer; Sir Frank r.
Underwood. sword bearer; Sir Henry c.
c. Stiles warder; Sir A. Howard Duckett
third guard; Sir William W. Jerome. sec
ond guard; Sir E. Richard Gasch, first
guard