argument in its support is the experience of the Knights of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sir Morton Boyte Howell, Grand Recorder and Committee on Foreign Correspondence, submitted a full and kindly review of the transactions of thirty-one sister Grand Jurisdictions, which includes notices of every Grand Commandery in the United States, a completeness in this regard not often obtained. Under his review of Iowa, after quoting from Sir Langridge relative to the Grand Encampment, he says: After using such language as this, he says of us: "He does not seem to be any more a worshipper of the central luminary than some others we know of. We had thought Tennessee was loyal." This, being interpreted, means, probably, that we are in fact no more loyal than he is. Well, we were loyal last year, as his quotations from our report prove, but the miserable failure of the Grand Encampment to do anything, and the final departure of all hope that it ever will, have perceptibly shaken us. We have obeyed, and shall continue to obey, which is the substance and essence of loyalty, and we shall also proceed to construct our own ritual. We have made one of the Order of Malta, which is sui generis, as our Fratres of Ohio and Kentucky will testify, who saw it exemplified at Chattanooga, on January 22, 1881. The committee appointed by the Grand Commander to prepare the Templar and Malta rituals, will make a full report in June, at Knoxville, and such action as our Grand Commandery may take upon the subject, will from that day be the law in this jurisdiction, unless though the contingency is too remote for serious consideration--the Grand Encampment should hereafter "promulgate." To sum up, our loyalty is narrowed to the belief that th Grand Encampment is the very thing for dress parade, and not worth a cent for active service. Under Michigan, which is kindly and courteously reviewed, Sir Howell quotes the following decision made by Past Grand Commander Frank Henderson : A Sir Knight left the jurisdiction and "skipped to Canada," under the charge of being a defaulter to a large amount-applies for a dimit is "clear upon the books," and "no charges preferred." The question asked was, "Can we withhold the dimit?" I answered, Yes, notwithstanding the edict of 1878, page 94 of the Code. The motion to grant a dimit is the same as any other, and must be disposed of by a majority vote. The simple fact that dues are paid should not 1 of itself entitled the person applying to a dimit Great care should be taken by a Commandery in granting dimits. They should see to it that the character of the Knight comes somewhere near the standard of the high commendation therein contained. And upon that subject says: It does seem strange that, though the Code of Statutes of the Grand Encampment has been so long printed, the Grand Commander appears not to have seen Section XIII. No vote is required to obtain a dimit, and if the member applying has paid his dues, he may demand it, unless a charge be preferred. But the Committee on Jurisprudence, composed of three P. G. C.'s, reported that the dicision was good Masonic law!" 66 Perhaps that was not the "loyal day" for our Past Grand Commander. When they said good law, perhaps they meant good Michigan law, you see. Under Texas, he quotes the following from the Grand Commander of that State : In glancing over the Proceedings of 1876, we find that the then Grand Commander- Aiken - notices the death of Sir Andrew Johnson, and assigned the above Commandery "the honor and sad duty of giving knightly burial to the remains." The following reason was assigned: Though unaffiliated with any Commandery in this State, his eminent position and high character gave influence to our institution here, and reflected the highest honor upon the Order throughout the land. Such consumate, gushing and uncalled for "bosh," we had never before seen in a Templar work. It was violative of Templar usage and custom, and of the law of the Grand Encampment. As such could not be covered by dispensation, the duty was assigned." And then comes back with the following: We do not know where or when the deceased ex-President received the Templar Order. It has been stated that he was dubbed in Nashville Commandery, on July 26, 1859. This is a mistake. Andrew Johnston, a worthy farmer of Williamson County, was made a Knight Templar on that day, and the mistake was caused by leaving out the t in his name, in the historical sketch appended to the first Proceedings of the Grand Commandery of Tennessee. It is supposed that Andrew Johnson became a Knight in Washington, during his residence there as Vice President. But we do not concur with Sir Knight Good in the opinion that it was a "viola tion of Templar usage and custom, and of the law of the Grand Encampment," to bury this unaffiliate. The law is that an unaffiliated Knight is not entitled, that is, that he has not an absolute right, to Templar burial. If it were "a law speaking in the negative," as Sir Knight Harper says, it would have been shorter and easier to say "cannot" instead of "is not entitled." The words seem to have been framed with special reference to the exercise of discretion. Suppose that Sir Knight Harper should decide to remove to Nashville to reside, and on leaving Pittsburgh should take a dimit; that on reaching Nashville he should die suddenly without having applied for membership; would Sir Knight' Good decide that Nashville Commandery should not bury him with knightly honors? And yet he would be an unaffiliate, and "not entitled to the honors of knightly burial." To be unaffiliate is to be not an active member of any Commandery. The state of unaffiliation is as perfect, under the law, the next day as it is twenty years after a dimit is granted. It seems to us that the law means to leave it discretionary with Commanderies in each case to determine whether the deceased shall have the honor of knightly burial, and that it assumes the possession of sufficient moral courage to refuse it in proper cases. We are inclined to think that if Past Grand Commander Aiken was a little "gushing" and "boshy," Grand Commander Scherffius was a little too sour. Andrew Johnson, whether a Knight Templar or not, deserved well of his country and of the Fraternity generally, and Tennessee in honoring him honors herself. Sir Benjamin Franklin Haller of Memphis, was elected R. E. Grand Commander. Sir Morton Boyte Howell of Nashville, was re-elected E. Grand Recorder. TEXAS. The last Annual Conclave was held at the Asylum of Indivisible Friends Commandery No. 13, in the city of Sherman, commencing on Wednesday, February 9, A.D. 1881, A.O. 763. Sir H. B. Stoddard, R. E. Grand Commander. The address of the Grand Commander is a plain, straightforward paper, showing much work done throughout the jurisdiction, and that the Order in Texas is in a healthy and prosperous condition. He says that in the discharge of his duty he has traveled over sixteen hundred miles in the past year. Speaking of the Grand Encampment, he says: The procession was "confusion confounded," and was apparently gotten up as a "big show." Deliver us from a repetition. And for the failure, no more blame should in my humble opinion be attached to Chairman Gassette, than to a hundred others. Proceedings of a local character. That Good Sir Knight, John J. Good, gives us another Good report on Foreign Correspondence, in a most fraternal as well as able manner. Twenty-eight sister Grand Jurisdictions, including Michigan, are reviewed. Referring to what your Committee said relative to letting severely alone the "Masons' Home" in Grand Jurisdictions, as recommended by California and other States, he says: "But, "the wisest as well as the best of men sometimes err," and in our humble judgment Sir Innes has done so in the following: A "Masons' Home" is a splendid thing, but in the present financial condition of most Grand Bodies it is hardly the thing to commence work on. It requires much time, labor and expense to make it a success, and our advice to the Sir Knights of California would be to let it alone. It is true that Masonry regards no man for his worldly wealth or honors, and yet all wealthy men, with a reasonable amount of milk of the human kindness and a broad and liberal charity, should be its patrons, because of the vast amount of suffering and misery to be relieved, and the excellent means it affords. have also an army of A single revolution of Our duty to such, their While we have many of this character among us, we earnest, zealous laborers from the humbler walks of life. Fortune's wheel may, and does, make paupers of either. widows and orphans, is defined and demanded by Masonic law, and we must obey it or LIE. Don't talk about "financial condition, time, labor or expense." The finances are in a splendid condition, and the time and labor are nearly always at hand for frivolous display and splendid banquets; why not for this? If we can't erect a palace, with furniture, larder and cellar supplied befitting a king, we may at least afford comfortable shanties, with cots, bread and cold water, and extend to the unfortunate kind and loving words of sympathy and good cheer. There is an old adage "wherever there is a will there is always a way." It is equally true, if there is no will a thousand ways would be so much rubbish. Take that back, Sir Knight, and cheer on this noble work wherever found. We or our families may some day need it. Others with prospects once as fair as ours, now need it. Can't help it. We won't take back a word, not even to suit so Good a man and Mason, and one whose good opinion we so much crave. Perhaps, if "humble abodes" would suit, we might meet one Good Brother half way. But that would not do. The States would vie with each other to excel. We give Sir Good's concluding remarks, regretting that for the present we part company with him. Ever courteous and knightly, we reluctantly say Good-bye, good Sir Knight Good: Here ends our annual garnering from the fields of Templar harvest. The yield has been varied and abundant, and such as cause the heart of the husbandman to rejoice. If the cullings have not been as numerous and select, or their presentation as attractive as desired, the fault is ours, and the excuse that official, professional and private demands on our time have prevented the labor and care necessary. We regret that every Templar cannot peruse the Proceedings of our Grand Bodies for himself. It is a pleasure, and one that would inspire hopes, infuse energies and cause all true Templars to take a deep interest in the welfare of the Order. We are pleased to note that evidences of neatness and taste in preparing the Proceedings of Grand Bodies are multiplying, and that Texas in this respect is abreast of the spirit displayed in her sister jurisdictions. Excellent steel-plate engravings of distinguished members of the Order is one of the many commendable features of these folios, and we hope to see it in more general use. It is far more beautiful and significant than the empty and senseless voting of Grand Commandery Jewels to accidental officers, who have simply held a term. The interest in Templar history, law, Ritual and Tactics is on the increase. The Reports on Correspondence are assuming a wider and more liberal scope, becoming more attractive, and are in fact valuable contributions to the literature of the Order, while a spirit of good feeling and laudable emulation seems to inspire the |