Also of the Grand Encampment held in Chicago, he says: Taking it altogether, it was a grand and magnificent demonstration of the order of the Temple; and will live in its history, and in the history of the country, as one of the finest if not the most brilliant display of modern times. The Fraternity was there, and the multitudes came before and after them, so that for the time being Chicago was but a breathing, moving mass of humanity. Many were accompanied by their families, who took advantage of the occasion to visit the "City of the Lake," witness the Grand Templar parade, and participate in the festivities. So large an assemblage of uniformed Knights had never before been seen in this, and probably not in any country. Business entirely local. The feature of the proceedings is the report on Foreign Correspondence, presented by Sir Stephen Berry. Thirtyfour sister Grand Jurisdictions, including the Grand Encampment, are ably and courteously reviewed. As is usual with our "Maine friends," we are furnished with full and interesting tables of statistics. These, presented by Sir Berry, show much pains-taking labor, and entitle him and Sir Chapman of Massachusetts to front seats in the table business." Sir Edward P. Burnham of Saco, was elected R. E. Grand Commander. Sir Ira Berry of Portland, was re-elected E. Grand Recorder. MARYLAND. The Eleventh Annual Conclave was held in the city of Baltimore, commencing on Wednesday, May 11, A.D. 1881, A.O. 763. Sir George Ross Coffroth, R. E. Grand Commander. Seven subordinate Commanderies were represented, and seven Past Grand Commanders were present. The Grand Commander in his address, says: Your Grand Commander being intrusted with the executive functions of the Grand Commandery the past year, it is eniinently proper that a record of my official acts should be placed before you for approval or rejection, as in the exercise of a sound discretion you may deem it to be expedient for the best interests of our Order. Such information will enable you to judge whether the trusts committed to my care have been faithfully and impartially performed. With grateful hearts we should bow with reverence and thankfulness before our Supreme Commander, and humbly acknowledge the manifold blessings we have received at His hands, and the privilege vouchsafed us of again being permitted to assemble in Annual Conclave, and exchange knightly greetings. The following rulings and decisions made by the Grand Commander, were approved after reference to the Committee on Jurisprudence: November 1, 1880, I received a communication from the Eminent Commander of Beauseant Commandery No. 8, informing me that after a literal construction of the resolution of the Grand Commandery of Maryland, relative to the three months probation of Royal Arch Masons, before they could become eligible to receive the Orders of Knighthood, he had decided to receive a Companion's petition who had been recently exalted in a Royal Arch Chapter, and had appointed a committee to report thereon at the expiration of the time determined by the resolution of the Grand Commandery; together with the question as to whether a decision antagonistic to such a course on the part of the Eminent Commander is retroactive, and if the acceptance of the Companion's petition is affected by it, and whether the petition should be withdrawn? To this communication I replied as follows: It must be apparent to all that your construction of the resolution in question would render it null and void, and totally defeat the object for the accomplishment of which it was offered, and concurred in by the Grand Commandery, namely, undue solicitation; hence it becomes my duty in this matter, as well as in all others, to see that the edicts of the Grand Body over which I have the honor to preside, are respected in their intent as well as in word. Now therefore be it known, As the object of this resolution was to prevent the undue solicitation of Royal Arch Masons to become Knights Templar, it is hereby declared to be illegal and contrary to the intent of said resolution to receive the application of a Companion Royal Arch Mason for the Orders of Knighthood within a less time than three months from the date of his exaltation. 1st. "When a Sir Knight has been summoned to appear and show cause why he should not be suspended for non-payment of dues, and he fails to appear either in person or by letter, thereby violating his obligation and treating the summons with contempt, has not the Eminent Commander the power, or is it not his duty, to expel such Sir Knight for unmasonic conduct?" Answer. No Sir Knight can be expelled from his Commandery except by trial in open Commandery on charges regularly preferred, and due notice furnished the accused according to a form prescribed by the Grand Encampment of the United States, under the title of Forms of Templar Trials, to be found in the Proceedings of the Grand Encampment for 1877, page 124: "No Eminent Commander has the authority, nor is it his duty to declare a Sir Knight expelled until after the result of a trial in open Commandery, and the question so decided by a majority vote of the members present." 2d Question. "When a Sir Knight is suspended by ballot for non-payment of dues, and makes application for re-instatement to membership, accompanying the application with the amount of his indebtedness, does one black-ball reject his application ?" Answer. Section seventeen of Digest of Templar Laws declares that a Sir Knight who may have been suspended by his Commandery, may be restored to good standing as a Knight Templar, but not to membership, by a majority vote of the members present; but in either case of suspension or expulsion from the Commandery, was the result of such action by Lodge or Chapter, a certificate of his restoration in the Body which disciplined him, will restore the Sir Knight to good standing and membership; in case of suspension, the restoration of the Sir Knight to his Lodge or Chapter, restores him to knightly standing. 3d Question. Can a Commandery in debt pass a resolution by a majority of the members present, assessing each member of the Commandery for this pro rata of the indebtedness, the said assessment to be paid within thirty days from the passage of the resolution, the said resolution having been laid over for thirty days after the motion was offered before the Commandery took action on it, and has the Commandery a right to suspend by ballot for the non-payment of the assessment? Answer. Section four of the Code of Statutes of Grand Encampment of United States, declares that a Commandery has the right to levy and collect such pro rata assessment as may be needed to pay the expenses of the Body, and that in the absence of a special law, a majority vote of the members present may determine the propriety of an assessment and the amount thereof; Provided, however, A member may appeal to his Grand Commandery if he feels aggrieved by such assessment, and claims that it is in violation of Templar laws. The Grand Commander quotes as follows from a letter received from Sir A. V. H. Carpenter of Wisconsin, and one of about the same tenor from the R. E. Grand Commander of Illinois: Our Grand Commander entertains the opinion that no Sir Knight should hold a commission as Representative from more than one Grand Commandery at the same time. I entirely concur in this opinion, and therefore reluctantly resign my position as Representative of your Grand Commandery near the Grand Cmmandery of Wisconsin. And comments upon them as follows: Such a course of procedure as that adopted by the Grand Commanderies of Wisconsin and Illinois, concerning Grand Representatives, meeting with my approbation, I accordingly recommend that similar action be taken by our own Grand Commandery. Exactly our ideas, and what we have advocated for years. If the Grand Representative system is adopted by Grand Bodies, do try and make it useful as well as ornamental, and pass the honors, if any there be, around to others. Adopt the old fundamental rule, "the greatest good to the greatest number." We therefore do not agree with the Committee on the doings of Grand Officers, who reported as follows: They do not approve the recommendation of the R. E. G. Commander in regard to changing the Grand Representatives every third year, nor that a member of this, Grand Commandery should represent but one jurisdiction at the same time. This system may be desirable in a large jurisdiction, where there are a great number of Grand, Past Grand Officers and Past Conimanders, but in our jurisdiction there are not as many Past Commanders (under which grade none should be appointed), as there are Templar jurisdictions. They therefore do not this time approve the recommendation. And whose report we were glad to see was laid on the table. In speaking of the pleasant times in Chicago, the Grand Commander says: One of the most pleasant episodes of the Chicago pilgrimage was the complimentary breakfast to the Grand Encampment of the United States, given by Beauseant Commandery No. 8 of Baltimore, at the Palmer House, on the day preceding the Conclave. It far excelled anything of the kind which had ever been gotten up, and was not only greatly appreciated by the large number of distinguished guests present, but reflected high honor upon the Commandery through whose enterprise it was given. Thirty-two sister Grand Jurisdictions, including the Grand Encampment of the United States, are ably reviewed by that accomplished Templar Sir William Tell Adreon. Quoting what Alabama says on the subject of Grand Representatives, their appointment and assignment to duty as reporters on Foreign Correspondence, he says: It will be seen by the above, that very singularly, they have no provision for a Committee on Correspondence. I have often thought when I have met a man who has never read Dickens, Bulwer or Irving, what a treat is in store for that man; what a mine of untold wealth is before him; what a delightful feast can be spread for that intellectual pauper. And something of the same sort floated through my mind as I read the announcement of the Grand Commander of Arkansas that there was actually no provision for a Committee on Correspondence, and to show that even he did not appreciate the luxury, he talks in the coolest manner about utilizing a Grand Representative or some such common person of that sort, and detailing him for that duty. Holy Moses, have we been burning the midnight oil for this sort of thing, are the Mutuals unknown, is this the sort of diagnosis that is to be put upon the Guild- detail a Representative, utilize this element in our midst, but we must stop, our feelings are getting too much for us; detail utilize, horrible! We give in full Sir Adreon's reply to Sir Langridge on suspension, expulsion, and the other matters. Look out, Sir Adreon; when Sir Langridge warms up, he "makes the fur fly." He appears to think that we misapprehend what he calls the common law in Masonry, that suspension or expulsion in Lodge or Chapter carries the same penalty in the Commandery, and says that if a man is not fit to be a member of a Lodge or Chapter, and is suspended, he certainly is not good enough for the Commandery; with all respect for the opinions of our Brother, we must still insist upon our view as the correct one. In the first place, what our Brother dignifies as the common law, is simply an absurd custom that has not even the merit of fairness; it is one of those Masonic weeds that has grown rank in the Garden of the Temple, through shear neglect or carelessness; suspension for non-payment of dues is not considered by us of Maryland as a term of the same significance as expulsion Expulsion involves charges, trial and sentence. Suspension, none of these. Expulsion involves a crime committed, for penalty exacted; suspension for non-pay |