Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1889 — SIR KNIGHTS IN LINE. [ARTICLE]

SIR KNIGHTS IN LINE.

GRAND PROCESSION OF THE TEM* FLAKS AT WASHINGTON. Arrival of the Masonic Bodie* at the Capital City—Fifteen Thousand Men March in the Grand Parade—Scene* of the Triennial Conclave. A Washington dispatch says: A brisk northwest wind, which fluttered the flags and streamers decorating the buildings along the line of march, proved rather a cold welcome to the visiting commanderies when they arrived in this city; but the warm reception which they received from the crowds on the streets acted as an offset to the inclemency of the weather. The organizations already comfortably ensconced in their hotels and other hostelries, together with the ladies accompanying them, were engaged in viewing the public buildings and other points of interest. The district commanderies, resplendent in ostrich plumes and bright uniforms, were busily eugaged in escorting the arriving guests to their headquarters. The roll of drums and the blare of trumpets everywhere filled the air as commandery after commar.dery filed up the wide avenue. The city is a city of waving plumes, flaunting flags, and glittering costumes. Pennsylvania avenue was crowded during the whole day with the soldiers of the cross,, with swords at their sides and their coat fronts resplendent with many badges and emblems. The crowd grew larger as the day grew older, and at night the main avenues and hotel lobbies were thronged with visiting Templars and their friends. Receptions and serenades were the order of the evening, and good musio and good fellowship abounded. The drill corps of the Masonic Widows and Crphans’ home of Louisville, Ky., accompanied by a large number of ladies, and escorted by the De Molay commandery of Louisville and members of the grand commandery of Kentucky, Monday afternoon paid their respects to Gen. Albert Pike, sovereign grand commander of the Southern jurisdiction, Scottish rite. The General received them kindly, made a brief address, and presented each of them with a book. The northwestern States have sent a finely representative body of men here. Dakota makes a good impression with five commanderies. Washington sends only eleven members of the grand commandery, the recent severe fires in the State compelling the sir knights to remain at home. Montana sends two commanderies. Damascus of St Paul and Zion of Minneapolis are representative Minnesota organizations. Wyoming has only one commandery. Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia are the only southern States which sends a good representation to the conclave. The banner States in the number of knights and commanderies here are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York. and Massachusetts. Kentucky only sends three commanderies, but two of them, Louisville No. 1 and De Molay No. 12 of Louisville, are crack organizations. The triennial conclave proper began Tuesday. The army commandaries and grand commanderies have been marshaling for the last two days, and nights and day there has been beating of drums and marching and countermarching of commanderies in showy uniforms, while the local knights have been busy showing attention to their visiting brethren. By 9 o’clock Tuesday morning the commanderies were astir, each preparing for a place in the division of the grand parade of which it was to form a part. A short time after this hour the first division of the parade met, and, forming on F street, marched to the Ebbitt house, where it was to form the escort for the grand encampment. Shortly after 10 o’clock the grand enaampment, escorted by this division, moved to the capitol. The other eleven divisions of the parade were formed near the capitol at 11 o’clock, ready to fall into line and march past the White House, to be reviewed bO the President, and past the reviewing stand of the eminent grand master. A grand stand had been erected in front of the White House for the use of the President and invited guests, and the eminent grand master reviewed the procession from the stand at the corner of Thirteenth and K streets. The line of march was from the capitol up Pennsylvania avenue, and past the White House to K street, and down K street to Thirteenth. When the procession moved there were 15,000 knights in line. There were no carriages, except those conveying the officers of the Grand Encampment, and no mounted companies, only commanding officers of divisions being mounted. The members wore their full uniform of Knight Templar with swords, and hate decorated with flowing plumes and all the details of the handsome regalia of the Sir Knights. Each division was preceded by a band in brilliant uniforms which, with the officers mounted on richly caparisoned horses, gave to the spectacle a most striking and impressive appearance. Stands had been erected at various points along the avenue from which the citizens and visitors viewed the pageant, and the roofs, windows, doors and sidewalks were crowded for mile* along the line. The procession consisted of twelve divisions, headed by Eminent Sir M. M. Parker, chief marshal, with chief of staff and aides. After the parade passed the reviewing stand it proceeded to the Masonic temple as the escort to the grand encampment, which began its secret session immediately on the arrival at the temple. When the grand encampment convened in the temple Commissioner Douglass delivered the address of welcome oni behalf of the citizens of the District of Columbia, and Grand Marshal Parker welcomed them on behalf of the Knights Templar of the district. Grand Master Roome responded, after which all the knights not members of the grand encampment retired and the address and report of the grand master were read. The report is voluminous. In the afternoon there was an excursion on the Potomac river. In the evening receptions were given to the visiting* knights by the local grand and subordinate visiting commanderies at the respective headquarters. One strong, well-directed blow sends the nail truer to its home than a dozen coaxing taps. One fit and earnest word, carries more weight than does a yard of high-flown eloquence.