The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-08-10
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
ENJOY SESSIONS
BREAK ALL ATTENDANCE RE.
CORDS IN HISTORY OF STATE
COMMANDERY
THREE DAY CONCLAVE CLOSES TO-DAY
Meeting Favored With Large Number
Of Distinguished Sir Knights From
Nearby States

AS'Sis Oilo 80
the state Of South Dakota is represent
ed at the Thirty-ninth annual Conclave
OF the Grand Comn.andery of knights
Templar which is in session in Brook
irgs this week ACCORDING, to James
r. Mather of WATERFOWL. Grand Com
mander, and Geo. A.. Eettigrew of
Sioux Falls, Grand Recorder, this is
the first time in the history OF the state
commandery that representation has
been complete. The attendance is
much more than expected, the total
number of Sir Knights and their ladies
in attendance at the session Is over
four hundred. The successful atten-
dance is accounted for by the attract
many to come if for no other purpose
than to look over Our city and State
college. The visitors have all been
enthusiastic over the entertainment
received and have enjoyed every min
ute of their stay.
This Conclave has been more than
usually favored with distinguished
visitors from other states, the list Of
~notables here in Brookings this week
including Ernest Eddy of Fargo, N. d.,
Grand Commander Of North Dakota:
Walter l.. Stockwell of Fargo, -. d.,
Grand Recorder Of North Dakota;
Ralph Miller Of Fargo, Deputy Grand
Recorder; Chas. S. Schurman Of st.
Paul, Past Grand Commander OF Min
nesota; George Dix of st. Paul, Past
Grand Commander of Minnesota; John
Fishel of ST. Paul, Grand Recorder Of
Minnesota; A.. r. Molyneaux Of Cher
okee, Past Grand Commander Of Iowa;
L. II. Moore of Des Moines, Past Grand
Commander Of Iowa; and Ace Webster,
Past Grand Commander Of Iowa.
Grand Officers for the coming year
were elected as follows: James K.
Mather of WATERFOWL, Past Grand
Commander; Arthur B. Hill Of Cham
berlain, Grand Commander; Thomas
II. Stoner of Lead, Deputy Grand Com
mander, Cyrus B.. Warner Of Redfield,
Grand Generalissimo; N. H. Wendell
of Aberdeen, Grand Captain General;
William Roe of Madison, Grand Senior
Warden.
Rev. e. Ashby Of Aberdeen, Grand
Prelate; Martin p. Gilman Of Yankton,
Grand Treasurer; Geo. A. Pettigrew
of Sioux Falls, Grand Recorder; Eli
M. Moorehouse of Yankton, Grand
Standard Bearer; john A. Cleaver OF
Sioux Falls, Grand Sword Bearer;
Walter f. Miller of Watertown, Grand
Warder; Chas. S. Miller Of Dallas,
Grand Captain of the Guard; Chas. L..
Brockway of Sioux Falls, Com. on Cor
respondence.
The Conclave opened Tuesday morn
ing and closes this evening with a sup
per served by the Brookings Com
mandery on the college campus. The
sessions being held at the college
armory and at the college auditorium.
Sir Knight Philo Hall delivered the adj
dress of welcome to the visitors, Tues
day morning, excerpts from his speech
follow:
1t is with great pleasure that on be-
half Of Brookings C~ommandery No. IA
l welcome you to %Brookings, individual
ly and collectively. We want you not
only to know that you are welcome,
but to feel that you are welcome. The
people of Bookings feel honored by
having these distinguished guests with
us. The fact that this annual Conclave
is held at Bookings is largely due to
the desires and untiring efforts or a
worthy Sir Knight. Robert F. Kerr,
who has gone to the presence of the
King of Kings and become a member
of his Eternal household. We all miss
his cheerful face on this occasion, but
feel that although he is not with us in
person he is with us in spirit.
The Masonic Fraternity is one Of the
most ancient and powerful factors for
good government in this cOuntry-in
fact in the world; not directly taking
part in political affairs but like other
indirect agencies, the home, the
church, the common schools, the
higher institutions Of learning, quiet
ly but effectively moulding public OPP
inion.
Knights Templar might appropriate
ly be termed graduates in Masonry or
the cream and flower Of Masonry.
While with the age and occasion
which gave them birth their adven-
%turous and war like spirit has passed
away, yet the principles on which the
order was founded still live with un-
abated vigor to guide and direct the
conduct Of our largely augmented
membership. 1t was once,-so his
tory tells us-one of the wealthiest
and most powerful organization in
Europe. We still retain symbols of
its romantic origin, eight centuries
ago. While its possessions and
wealth were confscated through the