Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1901 — KNIGHTS IN CONCLAVE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KNIGHTS IN CONCLAVE

TEMPLARS HOLD ANNUAL ENCAMPMENT IN LOUISVILLE. Thirty Thousand Plumed Warriors March Through the Streets, While Tea Times That Namber Watch from the Sidewalks—The Order Growing. A parade of 30,000 plumed knights marching to the music of three score brass bands marked the formal opening of the twenty-eighth triennial conclave of the grand encampment of the Knights Templar in Louisville, Ky., on Tuesday. Railway officials state that nearly 100,000 visitors were in the city. The Grand Parade. The parade started at Seventh and Main streets and moved up Main to Brook street, where officers of the grand encampment in carriages joined the marchers. Then the paraders moved up Market street, Sixth street, Jefferson street, Fourth street, passing the court of honor, Chestnut street, Floyd street, Broadway, Fourth street, passing under the grand arch, Kentucky street, Third street, Hill street. Fifth street, St. James court and to Central Park, where the parade disbanded. The sidewalke were a solid mass of spectators, while every window along the course and every other vantage point was occupied to the limit. The official reviewing stand was at Thirty-ninth and Hili streets, but there were a number of oth-

ers at various points. An extra force of police kept the crowd in order and maintained a perfectly clear path for the marchers. The parade was a magnificent spectacle of life and color. Mile after mile of tossing plumes and fluttering pennons and band after band discoursing stirring marches held the crowd of spectators jammed against the wires till the last knight left the ranks. The coinmanderies of Illinois, Pennsylvania and Indiana, numbering about 1,200 each, made up an entire division. The formal welcome to the knights was extended by Judge Barker of Louisville, acting for Gov. Beckham, and ex-Congressmau W. C. P. Breckinridge. A spectacular competitive drill by the Crack cominanderies of the country attracted a crush of Knights Templar conclave visitors to Churchill downs on Wednesday. Following were the contestants in the drill: Columbia Commandery, No. 2, Washington. D. C. Colorado Commandery, No. 1, Denver, Colo. Ilansclman Commandery, No. 35, Cincinnati, Ohio. Allegheny Commandery, No. 35, Pittsburg, Pa. St. Bernard Commandery, No. 1, Chicago. Calvary Commandery, No. 3, Parkersburg. W. Vn. Golden Gate Commandery, No. 16, San Francisco, Cal. California Commandery, No. 2 (mounted). San Francisco, Cai. The competition was the first held since the conclave of 1883. Each commandery upon arriving in the city was met at the train by an escort committee of a Louisville commandery. After exchange of greetings the visitors and hosts fell in behind the band, and with swords drawn and colors flying Starched through the streets decorated in their honor. As the delegation swung into Main street “Dixie" invariably was struck up. "The Star-Spangled Banner" and “My Country, ’Tis of Thee" were greeted with enthusiastic applause from the crowds lining the streets, but “Dixie" Was easily the favorite.

While the knights were drilling, if the busness end of the conclave—-the meeting of the grand encampment—got under way at the Girls’ high school. When Grand Master Lloyd called the meeting to order there were about 120 knightg present to transact business. The grand master's, the grand treasurer’s, the grand recorder’s and a number of other report® were received and referred to their proper committees. Knights’ Order Grows. The report of Grand Master Reuben H. Lloyd contained the following: “The order is in a most satisfactory an 1 healthy condition and steadily growing. The present term, which "began July 1, 1899, commenced with 114,540 members and closed with 125,108. The order is in a much more healthy condition than it was before the promulgation of the decision that voluntarily remaining a nonaffiliate in lodge or chapter for six months would affect membership in a comndandery, for now every member of the order is sustaining it, root and branch. “Since our last session a formal treaty of peace has been entered into between the United States and Spain. By ninety days of actual warfare over 10,000,000 people, occupying more than 200,000 square miles of the earth's surface, were freed from oppression. Where it was dangerous to be a Mason, our order may now securelj’ spread its humanizing and elevating influences. The school house and the lodge can labor together to brush aside ignorance and superstition and teach the down-trodden people the blessings of civil and religious liberty. We should indeed feel proud—as we do —that a Templar was the guiding spirit In

bringing about this happy change to so many human beiugs. Sphere of Usefulness Enlarges. “The sphere of our usefulness is gradually enlargiug. Our labors are but commencing. We must press onward until liberty and enlightenment shall illumine the world; until every land and every people shall have heard and rejoiced at the fulfillment of the proclamation, made by the angels at the coming of Him whose followers we are. ‘On earth peace, good-will toward men.’ ” Report of Grand Treasurer H. Wales Lines showed receipts of 511,069 and net resources of $47,256. Gain in Membership. The report of Grand Recorder William 11. Mayo contained these figures: Net gain in membership in 1890, 2,444; in 1900, 2,308; in 1001, 4,304, the year endng July 1. There nre at present 1.050 commanderies, with a membership of 125,108. The States having over 2,000 are as follows: Californa, 3,556; Connecticut, 2,(196; Illinois, 9,587; Indiana, 3,767; lowa, 4,378; Kansas, 3.361; Kentucky, 2,395; Maine, 3,500; Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 13,112; Michigan, 5,880; Minnesota. 2,739; Missouri, 4,606; New Hampshire, 2,234; New York, 12,163; Ohio, 8,945; Pennsylvania, 13,288; Texas, 2,270; Wisconsin, 3,149."

THREE OFFICERS OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR CONCLAVE