entire corps. The condition of the Order as a whole is satisfactory, and its course steadily onward in its high and holy mission.

Here ends, also, our services on the Correspondence Committee of Texas, and our immediate connection with the liberal, genial and whole-souled members of the corps. We regret the step, but justice to ourselves and the good of the Order, in our humble judgment, demands it. We have able Templars in Texas, who are better qualified than ourself, and have more leisure for the work.

For the many kindnesses and courtesies extended by the corps, we tender our sincere and heartfelt thanks, and assure them these shall be carefully preserved, as a "sweet fragrance" in the store-house of our memories. We further assure them that we have never written a word in the spirit of unkindness, and if we have in the slightest wounded the feelings of any we regret it, and here ask pardon. To each and all, we tender the best wishes of a heart filled with love for our Order. Sir Knights, adieu.

Sir J. W. Hannig of Austin, was elected R. E. Grand Commander.

Sir Robert Brewster of Houston, was re-elected Grand Recorder.

VERMONT.

The Thirty-ninth Annual Conclave was held in the city of Burlington, commencing on Tuesday, June 14, A.D. 1881, A.O. 763.

Sir Edward S. Dana, R. E. Grand Commander.
Sir George W. Wing, E. Grand Recorder.

Seven subordinate Commanderies were represented.

"The Right Eminent Grand Commander announced that Very Eminent Sir Charles Roome, Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment of the United States, was present in the city, and appointed Very Eminent Sir George O. Tyler and Eminent Sir Fayette F. Fletcher as a committee to wait upon him, and invite his presence in the Grand Commandery. The Grand Captain General having formed the

lines, the distinguished guest was received with the honors due his official station."

The Right Eminent Commander welcomed him in a few appropriate remarks, which were courteously responded to by Sir Knight Roome, who closed his reply as follows:

As a Mason I know no difference among nations, sects or creeds, so long as they meet around one common altar to worship one God, but as a Christian and a Knight I am ready to do my duty at all times, and in all places, and under all circumstances, to maintain and defend our holy religion and our faith, to defend which I am ready to die at the stake. I proclaim here and elsewhere my belief in the God who made me, the Savior who redeemed me, and the Holy Spirit who sanctified me, and whom I trust will guide you and me, R. E. Grand Commander, and every Frater of this Grand Body, in all our Rites that tend to the advancement of our noble aud magnanimous Order, to the glory of God and benefit of mankind.

After the welcome, the Grand Commander proceeded to deliver his address, and in opening said:

We have come hither to seek out and seize upon whatever may enhance the prosperity and promote the usefulness of our beloved Order, to emphasize and give momentum and stronger force and power to those imperishable truths which underlie its structure. We come to burnish anew our swords, that they rust not in their scabbards, but be ever ready to leap forth in the defence of Innocence and Purity, or to do valiant battle for that abiding Faith which nerved the heroic Templars of the earlier days as they struggled, as with the baptism of fire, to hew their way through the opposing force of infidelity to find the Holy Sepulchre, from which our Lord had risen to point to us the way to an immortal life which crowns at last the faithful and valiant Templar.

It is a subject of congratulation, as well as of thanksgiving to an over-ruling Providence, that all who were present here at our last Annual Conclave have been preserved to us in comfortable health, ready anew to assume the stern duties of the pilgrim warrior, or to guard our banner, with its precious symbols, from every threatening danger.

Feeling allusion is made to the death of several aged and respected Sir Knights of the jurisdiction who have passed the valley of the shadow to the other shore.

Without apology we give in full Sir Knight Dana's closing

words in retiring from the exalted position which he has so ably and acceptably filled for years past:

Finally, Sir Knights: I invoke your wisdom, and that of an over-ruling Hand, to aid and direct us in the transaction of the important duties of this Conclave. Let us be animated by no spirit of rivalry except that which shall best promote and heighten the prosperity of the Order which we profess to cherish and support. Let us go hence, encouraged by this presence with a more sublime courage, to do valiant battle for the Truth as revealed to us in the pages of Inspiration, and written unmistakably by the finger of God, in the grand works of the Creation itself.

Let us guard with jealous hands and active swords the previous symbols borne proudly aloft upon our banners, as we strive to honor our profession by succoring the needy, while we bind up the wounds of the afflicted, and reclaim an erring brother by kind words and tender admonition, that may turn him aside from the pitfalls that lure him to his ruin. Thus shall our Order be honored in befittingly deserving the plaudits and benefactions of mankind.

Four years ago you paid me the high compliment of electing me to this honorable an responsible position, which by your partiality I have retained until the present time. I come now, with a full heart, to take my leave of you officially, and to return to you my grateful acknowledgments for the courteous attention which you have ever accorded to me, and for the generous co-operation and support in the discharge of my official duties, extended to me by every officer and member of the Grand Commandery. The recollections of my association with you as your presiding officer will be long and gratefully cherished as among the pleasantest of my life. I trust you will extend to my successor the same fraternal kindness which I have uniformly received. I lay down the emblem of office with the kindest feelings toward every member of this Grand Body, and with the earnest and sincere hope that your lives may be prolonged, and be fruitful in those deeds which shall secure to you, at last, a just and unlimited reward.

The following sensible resolutions were offered by Sir Knight Rev. Frederick S. Fisher, and adopted by the Grand Commandery:

Resolved, That the Commission of a Representative of this Grand Commandery near any other Grand Commandery, shall expire with the date of the Grand Encampment of 1883, and that thereafter all similar Commissions shall terminate with the date of the succeeding Triennial Encampment.

Resolved, That no Grand Representative shall hold a Commission from more than one Grand Commandery at one time from 1883.

Resolved, That the Representatives of other Grand Commanderies shall be received as a delegation at our Grand Conclaves.

A painstaking report on Foreign Correspondence was presented by Sir Rev. Frederick S. Fisher, who, although a "new hand," shows a peculiar adaptation for the work.

We give his opening remarks in full:

As we make our appearance for the first and last time before our companion correspondents, all courteous, the resolve is to leave alone certain questions, some of which seem forced upon the members of the band of reporters, others to be passing away, and others on which we know the Elders of the Guild to be far better informed, and about which they will write without hesitation to the point. One of these latter questions is the subject of Decisions. Once we respected a decision made by a Grand Commander, and sustained by a Grand Commandery. Perhaps now we are wiser, at any rate think we have lost some of our Masonic simplicity. We confess we like the action of the Grand Commanders who answer questions by reference to the regulations of the Grand Encampment, or of their own jurisdiction, without multiplying decisions. Others would not agree with us. Another subject is that of "Dispensations," with which is involved that of "Parades." Both of these are needed at times. but they are jewels which depend much for their value on their rarity. The absurdity of the purpose for which a dispensation is asked, is often the best argument against the whole custom as for instance, this one recorded this year, for permission to give the orders to a man when he came to a fair, as that was the only time of year he came to town, though living but a few miles distant. As for the Parade part, unlike the left foot of the veteran reporter of New York, it is our right knee that presents. Therefore, perhaps, we ought not to speak, yet we have some boyish love left for the Fourth of July, and think a visit from the President of the United States too rare to be dangerous, if not "Masonic." Surely, Good Friday, Easter and Ascension Days are not Masonic. But attention! Maine has spoken on this subject, collecting opinions and saying, we think, in conclusion, correctly: "It seems as if good taste ought to be a sufficient guide, assisted by the advice and admonition of the supervising Grand Officers."

"

Another topic is that of Jurisdiction. We read of "air lines '-no limits, — surveys, Calculations by Scientists, to see who shall have the fees, but saw no solution of this vexed question, until the wisdom of Ohio opened the way. He suggests, and we agree, that competing Commanderies come together and decide, as do boys, by the cabalistic lines

Leaving these, then, we will do the best we can with other questions, asking rather than at the end, the indulgence of the wise and the accomplished.

now,

In reviewing Indiana, he refers to the duties assigned by that Grand Jurisdiction to the Grand Officer whom they designate as Inspector General, and says:

This resolution was our first information of such officers as an Inspector General and a Custodian of the Work. The Inspector General we have found to be, we think, the officer called in Masonry a Grand Lecturer. We like the change of title, and hope it will in itself help to prevent the mischief of changing and adding to the work, which has been so often and so long charged upon Lecturers. As the title strictly implies, an inspection of something already existing and known. But why multiply offices? We know of no Body which has more officers waiting for a vacancy than our Order. At least we take that to be the duty of the Generalissimo of the subordinate Commanderies, though some have endeavored to make work for this officer by calling him the Adjutant of the Commander. Still his duty is doubtful in a subordinate Commandery, and more so in the Grand, for the chief waiter there is the Deputy, than whom no officer seems more useless. Why the office was ever created we know not, unless to satisfy some one's vanity. Yet this office is a kind of retribution on a Generalissimo, for in a subordinate Commandery the Generalissimo crowds out the Prelate from his proper station, to be himself crowded out in turn in the Grand Commandery by the Deputy. But these offices are established, and it is safe to say will never be abolished. Why, then, not make the Deputy or the Generalissimo of a Grand Commandery the Inspector General, a first-class training for the office of a Grand Commander? We endorse the idea of the office, whomsoever the officer may be, and if this jurisdiction invented it, to it be the credit. We see that New York proposes to have the same officer in place of the Grand Lecturer. The duties of the office are-inspection of all subordinates once in two years; reports made of proficiency in tactics and drill; rendering of the ritual; state of the records, finances, etc., in fact, a review of each Commandery in all things that make an efficient, working body. But, Fratres of Indiana, who is the Custodian of the Work? Is it the Recorder?

The review of Michigan is friendly and courteous, and for pleasant things said of the reporter, we say thanks.

In speaking of the Devotional Services adopted by our sister Mississippi, he says:

A Service for Devotional offices was adopted. We might criticise some portion of its arrangements: one we will notice, and ask the reason. In the