Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1886 — ODD-FELLOWS AND KNIGHTS. [ARTICLE]

ODD-FELLOWS AND KNIGHTS.

Sovereign Grand Lodge of OddFellows at Boston-Figures from the Reports. Great Aggregation of Knights Templar at St. Louis—The Parade and the Drill. Knights Templar. There was an enormous attendance upon the triennial conclave of the Knights Templar in St. Louis. The grand parade was to have taken place Tuesday, September 21, but rain caused a postponement to Thursday. The city was gorgeously decorated for the occasion. “Some of the decorations along the line laid out for the parade were magnificent,” says a correspondent. “Public buildings and business blocks were bright with parti-colored bunting. Flags and pennants billowed and flutt.red from their fronts, and high up at the tapering peaks of their lofty fiagslaffs. Masonic emblems and mottoes, fanciful figures, wrought out of bunting by the decorator’s skill, and wreaths of beautiful evergreen adorned the streets. The great Court House was surrounded with garlands of evergreen suspended from high poles, bearing the coats of anus of various States, from each of which graceful tricolored pennants streamed to the ground. Immense pyramidal pillars of evergreen, crowned with Masonic emblems, stood on either side of the entrances to the great building, and directly over the entrances were fixed semi-circular sunbursts of bunting and evergreens.” One of the events of the conclave was the drill and concert at the fair grounds, which was witnessed by 75,000 people. The commanderies participating were: Detroit (Mich) No. 1; DeMolay No. 13, of Louisville; Riper No. 1, of Indianapolis; St. Bernard No. 35, of Chicago; Louisville (Ky.) No. 1; Zion No. 2, of Minneapolis and Jackson No. 7, of Jackson, Mich. The city was brilliantly illuminated Wednesday night. “The Flambeau Battalion gave a parade and exhibition on the most prominent thoroughfares of the West End. Ivan hoe Commandery of St. Louis held a formal reception, which was largely attended, and proved a brilliant, affair, while all the local and visiting commanderies kept open house. A notable reception was given by Oakland Commandery of California, at which thousands of callers were entertained in the most magnificent style. Among tho tooted.commandpries which called in bodies were: St. Begird of Chicago, 200 Knights and ladies; Apollo of Chicago, 100 Knights; DeMolny, Louisville, 150 Knights and ladies; mul the Mary Commandery of Philadelphia.” The Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine, one of the highest orders of Masonry, of whose members 2,0110 were in attendance upon the conclave, initiated 200 candidates at midnight of Wednesday, the close of the Arabic year. The ceremonies were conducted by the Medina Temple of Chicago, assisted by the Imperial Potentate, Samuel Briggs, of Cleveland, Ohio. Tho elaborate costumes, rich jewels, mystic emblems and rites rendered the services most impressive. Previous to the ceremonies the sbriners paraded the principal down-town streets, each temple accompanied by a band. The costumes and uniforms were of many varieties, the only article worn in common being the red fez. The two temples which attracted the most attention and received the most generous applause were those at Baltimore and Ch cago—the former appearing in full evening dress, the latter in legulnr Turkish costume, fez, crimson bag trousers, jackets, etc. Odd-Fellows. The annual meeting of the Sovereign Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F., attracted an immense number of people to Boston. The Grand Sire, Henry D. Carey, in his report, traced the growth of tbe order since its last meeting in Boston, twenty-two years ago, in 1854, with less than 10,000* New England members. The same territory now numbers 65,000 brethren. The order in general has shared this prosperity. In 1864, in the whole world, tho number of members was 137,263; to-day there are 517,310 members, with an increase in tho total revenue of over $4,000,000. The order is prosperous in foreign countries. Mr. Carey advocated the retention of the permanent location of the Grand Lodge in Baltimore. The figures of various Odd-Fel-lows’ beneficial associations show receipts for the past year of $1,050,905; paid t« the families of deceased members, $873,363; deaths, 1,752; members in good standing, 46,144; money on hand, $578,820. The figures cover forty-one bodies —all that reports have been received from. The Grand Secretary’s report contained statements showing the condition of the order in the United States, Canada, and foreign jurisdictions. The prospects of both lodges and encampments for the present year are very flattering. The report of the Grand Treasurer showed a balance on hand, on August 20, 1885, of $15,672; receipts for the year, $49,043; expenditures, $42,420; available assets of the Sovereign Grand Lodge, $78,096. The grand banquet given in Odd Fellows’ Hall by the Sovereign Grand Lodge was a very en oyable affair. Plates were laid for nearly five hundred persons. The gathering comprised the supreme officers and other high dignitaries of the Order, together with many ladies. Th* parade was one of the finest ever witnessed in Boston. I ifteen thousand OddFeilows and so ty bands were in line. A platoon of police led the way, followed by the Boston Cadet Band and Grand Canton Luzerne, of Lynn, one hundred men acting as an escort to Lieutenant General Underwood and his staff of patriarchs militant. Three divisions of patriarchs militant follow ed. This portion of the procession was its most marked and interesting feature, the brilliant uniforms, fine matching. skillful evolutions, and splendid appearance of th • patriarchs calling forth universal commendation. The main body of Odd-F’tllows came next in order. This part of the procession was made up of seven divisions. The p ocession passed in review before the Grand Sire of the Grand Lodge at Odd-Fellows’ Ball, before Mayor O’Brien at the City Hall, Gov. Robinson at tbe S ate House, and Lieut. Gov. Ames on Arlington street.