Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1919 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. KNIGHTS AID WAR ORPHANS Two Indiana Men Leave Indianapolis to Join Misaion In Europe—Will Visit Holy Land and Adopt 200 French Children. Indianapolis, May 16. —Leonidas P. N/ewby of Knightstown, grand captain general of the grand encampment, Knights Templar of the United States, auu Winfield T. Durbin of Anderson, former governor of Indiana and a past grand commander of the Templars of Indiana, left Indianapolis Wednesday night on their way to Europe, where they will head a mission of the order to extend aid to widows and orphans of France. Announcement was made during the annual conclave of Indiana Templars of the selection of Mr. Newby, who was empowered to choose a riiember of the order to accompany him. He selected Mr. Durbin. Other features of the conclave were a parade in the afternoon and an address by Kight Eminent Sir Georgge 8. Parker, grand commander of Indiana, at the opening business session. Upon the arrival of Mr. Newby and Mr. Durbin In England, they will be met by other commissioners and will proceed to France, where they will select, adopt and educate 200 French war orphans in addition to the 100 already adopted by the Knights Templar of this country. These orphans will be divided Into units and a shepherd named for each unit. Preference will be given to children of Masons. Before leaving Europe the commissioners will visit England, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. They will proceed to the Holy Land, where, in the name of American Templars, they will see to the training of 1,000 orphaned boys. These commissioners, headed by Mr. Newby, will carry out the plan of worldTemplarlsm. While in the rfoly Land and Jerusalem, they will rebuild a hospital and resthouse erected by the Knights of Malta, a branch of the Knights Templar, in the city of Jerusalem in the eleventh century. The Knights Templar of this country have collected a fund of nearly $500,000 to carry on this work of adoption and • education of war orphans.