The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-08-12

GATHERING
In Denver To Attend Triennial
COnCIaVe
Are knights TGmplarS From
All Over The Country

Denver, Colo, Aug. S-From East
and West and from North and South
armies of Knights Templars are con-
verging on Denver today. The ad-
vance guard is already within the
gates and the entire city will capitu-
late to the invaders before Sunday,
when the thirty-second triennial con-
clave of the order will be formally
opened.
1t is more than twenty years since
Denver was similarly honored, the
last meeting of the grand command
cry here having taken place in 1892.
In the interval Chicago, Cleveland,
Boston, Saratoga, Louisville and Pitts
burg, among other cities, have enter
tanned the triennial conclave. In the
matter of attendance Washington, d.
c., holds the record, over twenty-five
thousand Templars, by actual count,
having passed in review before Presi-
dent Harrison, but Denver hopes to
eclipse this record, and to show at
least forty thousand plumed knights
in line next week.
For nearly two years the local COM
mittees of reception and entertain
ment have been preparing for the ad-
vent of the mighty hosts that will So
journ in this city during the next
seven days, and even this early the
hundreds of strangers are willing to
admit that the work of the committees
has been well done.
In the matter of decoration, it
might be said that Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed as is Denver to-
day On every hand are to be seen
the emblems of the order intertwined
with the national colors. The eIec-
trical decorations are particularly
rich and elaborate. When Grand
Master Melish is escorted from the
railroad station tomorrow by the
Denver Communicates, numbering
$500 swords, he will pass along an
avenue lined with more than 100 light
poles, each bearing the national col
ors, represented in two flags. Be
tween these will be the templar insig-
mia of cross and crown and maltese
cross in black, besides which there
will be festoons of colored lights.
The scheme of decoration includes
an exact reproduction of the Nickel
gate bar of the Benedictine Abbey of
York, England, erected in the year A.
ID. 40 or so, and which was popu-
lar meeting place for the knights cen
representation of the watch tower of
the Chateau de Langliers, France, and
near it facsimile of the Church of
the Holy SepuIchre in Jerusalem.
The conclave programme will be
ushered in Sunday morning, when
Bishop Walden, grand prelate of the
grand encampment, will conduct re-
ligious services for the knights in the
Auditorium. In the evening sacred'
concert will be given at the grand
stand, on which $4,000 people will be
accommodated.
The proceedings of the grand en-
campment will begin Tuesday at
noon, after the big parade. Deputy
Grand Master Arthur Macarthur of
Troy, N Y, will be elevated to the
position of grand master, in success
sion to William B. Melish of Cincin-
natl.
The latter part of the week will be
devoted largely to the exhibition
drills. The great amphitheatre
erected specially for the purpose has
a seating capacity of more than 40
900. Nevertheless the ordinary civil
ian who is not Knight Templar will
have a difficult time to gain admission.
The exhibition drill is a feature dear
to the hearts of the ladies who ac-
company the valiant sir knights of the
conclave, and the committee feel that
it must first care for the comfort of
the vast number Of visiting knights
and their ladies' who will want to wit
ness the evolutions of the crack COM
manderies of the country.
The exchange of hospitalities
among the visiting Communicates will
be one of the pleasing features of the
social side of the conclave. The
banquet rooms and ball rooms of all
the large hotels have been engaged
for every night of the week. Recep-
tions, dinners and balls will be given
by the Communicates from various
States in honor of the brother knights
and their ladies from other States.
In addition, there will be several