and that

the aversion to change, the clinging to old habits, which is natural to man, in every such instance an ounce of "we will do it!" is worth two or three pounds of "we can't do it." As for the inconveniences foreseen by Sir Knight Smith, we earnestly hope and trust that ere this the tidal wave of material prosperity has washed them high and dry out of the course of our Alabama Fraters. May your onward voyage be ever marked by sunny skies and favoring gales.

Here is what he says in review of Indiana, when "talking back" to Past Grand Commander Cruft, for what he calls his attack on Past Grand Commander Hanna's Grand Temperance Camp Meeting Order:"

So far as the offense (?) in itself is concerned, it is no worse than a score of others which occur in different Grand Jurisdictions during the year, where dispensations are issued for the purpose of allowing Commanderies to appear in various non-masonic festal occasions, often purely with the idea of allowing "the boys" to show their clothes and "have a good time," and we think there is some excuse for the issuance of such permission in this day of excessive intemperance. We are just as much opposed to traveling outside the purview of knightly service as is Sir Knight Cruft, but we think there are times when that domain can be slightly enlarged to good advantage. It amounts simply to the putting of some of our excellent teachings and theory to the test of practice. "He who is not with me is against me," is the teaching of the Master, and it is well once in a while for us to "stand up" for GOD and a pure morality, assist, if need be, as a body in storming the citadels of vice and plant the Beausent right in the breach, in good old Templar fashion. Better so than to be eternally mere fair-weather soldiers, ready to tie a bandanna over our plumes at the first sign of the storm; better to wave the proud Templar banner over the laying of the corner-stone of a moral fortification than easily ambling out with it to grace the foundation of country court houses and female seminaries. We judge others according to results, can we blame others if they occasionally ask for a few sample fruits of our campaigns? If the Templar banner still waves in the foremost rank of a Christian civilization it is not by virtue of saying to others " go on, and in hoc signo do your own conquering." No, it is because Templars have led the van, and when necessary, hewed their way to the proud position they now occupy, the Order a bulwark of the true Church, a temple of pure morality, its members Christian gentlemen and sworn defenders of the faith "to the bitter end."

And viewing the matter in this light, in which we are glad to receive the support of very many of our Templar reviewers abroad, we conceive that it was right and proper enough for Templars to define their position upon a great moral question. The line has to be drawn some time.

We once heard of a worthy expounder of the gospel whose religious faith would not permit him to believe in or teach the doctrine of everlasting punishment, who in an unguarded moment said that "there ought to be a hell, for John Doe (a member of his flock) could never be punished enough on earth."

So of Sir Knight Hanna's order, while we do not believe in such digressions, yet it seems that there are times when we are imperatively called upon to step to the front, even though it take us out of the ruts of centuries, and declare our intentions that we may not be classed with wrong-doers.

Commenting upon what Sir Knight Henderson said of Sir Zack Chandler, he very justly says:

These truthful words find a ready echo, and a willing response in myriads of hearts, scattered from farthest Maine to the Golden Gate, from Manitoba to the Gulf. That noble Knight was a tower of strength, and a lion-hearted defender, not only of the constitution of his country, but of the rights of the poor and weak; a worthy successor to the historic "nine" who stand at the head of Templar annuls.

What Sir Brown says of the Grand Encampment is too good to omit. We therefore give it in full. It is just what many and many a thinking Sir Knight wanted to say at the time of it:

At the opening of the third day's session the M. E. Grand Master announced as the first business in order, the election of Grand Officers. All were up and ready for business. Then it was discovered who made the slate, and how it was made, and who had a hand in chalking it. Such proceedings were never saw before outside of ward politics, and we question whether the New York bummers in their palmy days could have done up a better job than was done in the election of officers for the Grand Encampment. We unhesitatingly pronounce these proceedings the most barefaced and shameful that we ever witnessed in any Masonic Body, and this after an experience of over twenty years in official life, sixteen of this time attending Grand Bodies, and after attending six Triennial Conclaves of the Grand Encampment. We cannot understand why such proceedings were tolerated unless it be that they were scheduled as a regular feature in the attractions (?) of this "grandest show on earth." Tickets were prepared and handed around freely among the members by those who were running the machine. A general buttonholing took place - you vote for this one and we will vote for your man - regular bargains and sales were made. A thorough "machine" slate was made up; the workmen all hewed to the line, and the machine candidates were successful with one or two exceptions. During the squabble an old "fire and time-tried " Sir Knight approached us and said, “What on earth are they doing here, and what are

we coming to? I never saw such proceedings in all my life." A young Knight whose first experience at Grand Encampment, it was asked us if such was a part of the regular proceedings of this august Body. [It might be well to say that this young man lives west of the Alleghanies.] We had to say that it was not, and that we had never seen it done except by those now so busily at work on the floor before us. We shall hope never to witness the like again in any body of supposed dignified gentlemen and true and courteous Sir Knights. One of the successful candidates remarked to a friend in our hearing, "I guess the 'rotationist' had the inside track for the next time or more." In all probability the slate-makers have it now if they can only keep the machine in running order, and have the same engineers at San Francisco whom they had at Chicago.

"Envy loves a shining mark.” What defense have we left us against the onslaughts of the envious? "He who is at the top of the ladder has the farthest to fall," and "Oh, what a fall was there, my countrymen!" The great National Governing Body of Templary, the greatest on earth, neglecting its business to practice all the methods of political electioneering! A great harm has been done; let the blame and the responsibility rest with those who thus sold their birthright for a mess of pottage. The world will turn on its axis just the same whether the Grand Encampment survives or not, but that body has, through the ill conduct of those who thus pulled the wires, lost most of the prestage which yet remained to it. If the hurt stopped there we might not complain, but an ill example has been set in the presence of thousands of members of subordinate bodies, and we may expect the seed thus sown to sprout and grow, aye, and produce a plentiful crop. Of what avails are the remonstrances of Grand Officers against electioneering, cabal, intrigue, the introduction of the methods of political Philistia into the subordinate Commanderies, when the latter can fortify themselves by the precedent set by the Sir Knights of Chicago, August, 1880 ? and this while business of vital importance, some of it laid over six and nine years, was languishing in the hands of committees. The "Philistines," comparing our rich seed time to precept with the pitiful scant harvest of practice, can draw comparisons which are indeed as Mrs. Malaprop says, " 'odorous."

And here is the conclusion in full:

We pen the colophon, marking the end of our labors with a feeling of profound gratitude to the Giver of all Good, He who is also the Teller of all Truth, the Former of all Beauty; gratitude that we have been permitted thus to hold pleasant intercourse in spite of intervening time and space, with so many wise and witty, earnest and hardy writers in the same good cause; gratitude that through such intercourse we are permitted to become a means of instruction to our fellow soldiers of the good Master, as well as to receive instruction ourselves; and grati

tude, lastly, that a labor so great, performed in the hotest season of the year, when old Sol is doing his best to melt us all back into primitive protoplasm, has at last come to an end; whether it be a successful ending or not, we leave those to judge to whom it goes forth.

We have agreed in opinion with some, not on personal grounds, but because their opinion and ours did more or less exactly tally; we have differed with others, never through self-sufficiency, but with courteous intention, and believing ever that there was room for an honest difference of opinion. Let no old friend think hardly of us for such disagreement, as the English writer says " Perhaps the most delightful friendships are those in which there is much agreement, much disputation, and yet more personal liking." Such delightsome friendships we count among our Masonic ranks by scores, and the annual interchange of thought, so far as we are concerned, serves only to bind more firmly the rosy ties.

We all work together in one common and glorious cause, and the only division possible is on the means to be employed, and not as to the end to be reached; for this let us thank our Divine Grand Master and labor on faithfully to the end promised to each true Knight; the end, the desire for whose attainment

"Is the secret sympathy,

The silver link, the silken tie

Which heart to heart and mind to mind,

In body and in soul can bind."

Good-bye, Sir Brown, until time rolls around. We are glad to see you again in the ranks as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence:

Sir A. M. Callaham of Topeka, was elected R. E. Grand Commander.

Sir John H. Brown of Wyandotte, was re-elected E. Grand Recorder.

KENTUCKY.

The Thirty-fourth Annual Conclave was held at the Opera House in the city of Lexington, commencing on Wednesday, May 4, A.D. 1881, A.O. 763.

Sir D. Vertner Johnson, R. E. Grand Commander.

Sir Lorenzo D. Croninger, E. Grand Recorder.

Nineteen subordinate Commanderies were represented. Eight Past Grand Commanders were present.

The Grand Commandery was honored with the company of the R. E. Grand Commander of Ohio and of Tennessee; also several members of the Grand Encampment.

Sir Knight W. P. C. Breckinridge, on behalf of Webb Commandery No. 2, delivered an eloquent address of welcome to the Grand Body.

The Grand Commander, in welcoming the members of the Grand Body says:

While there are some vacant places within our ranks, and the sound of familiar voices are forever still, the principles of our Order teach us that our absent comrades are not lost to us forever, but in that Encampment of the Great Grand Commandery they stand as tried and trusted warriors; they have borne the cross, and their earthly warfare over, they wear the crown; the sword and helmet have been laid aside, for they need them no longer. The trials and dangers of their career are over, and victorious even over death they reap the grand reward reserved for all the faithful followers of the cross.

To those who are again marshaled beneath the banners of our Order I extend fraternal greeting. That we should from time to time unite in high and serious conclave to review and freshen the loyalty and allegiance we bear to the eternal and unchanging principles which that Order represents is one of the most potent of the means by which our fraternity grows in strength and usefulness.

He then devotes the rest of his address to local matters and his doings during the year.

The Committee on Finance, in view of the increased labor of the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence and of the Grand Recorder, asked for an increased appropriation to correspond with their duties.

That is as it should be. No Sir Knight who takes the "laboring oar" in the Grand Bodies ought to be asked to give his time for less compensation than it is worth.

We notice by the Proceedings that Sir Fisk, for the Committee on time and next place of meeting, reported first Wednesday in May as time of, and Louisville as place of