Grand Commandery Of Pennsylvania.

GRAND COMMANDERY OF PENNSYLVANIA .

THE Annual Conclave of this Grand Commandery was held in Lancaster City , on the 29 th , 30 th ancl 31 st May , the hospitalities of the said city being liberally dispensed by the Sir Knights of the Lancaster Commandery , No . 13 ; while the place itself was in full gala costume ,

with plenty of flags , bunting , ancl Templar emblems . Refreshments were provided for all at the Roberts Hall , the head quarters of the Lancaster Commandery . Grand Commandery assembled at the Fnlton Hall , on Tuesday evening , the 29 th May . R . E . Sir Kt . Andrew J . Kauffman G . C .

and the Grand officers being present . Prat . Kauffman pointed out that when , eleven years since , the Annual Conclave was held in Lancaster , there were only twenty Commanderies , whereas now a warrant for a new Commandery , which would rank as No . 57 on the list , had been applied

for . Such , indeed , has been the steady increase in the Order that there are now over 6 , 000 Knights in Pennsylvania . On Wednesday morning the election of Grand Officers took place , and resulted as follow : —Sir Knights W . H . Egle R . E . G . Commander , Samuel B . Dick V . E .

Dep . G . Commander , Jno . P . S . Gobin G . Generalissimo , D . W . C . Carrol G . Capt . General , Rev . Dan . Washburn D . D . Grand Prelate , George W . Kendrick G . Sen . Warden , B . Prank Breneman G . Jun . Warden , M . Richards Muckle Grand Treasurer , Charles E . Myer Grand Recorder . It was resolved to issue Tactics and Drill to be

used by the subordinate Commanderies , and Altona having been selected as the place of meeting in May 1873 , and Sir Knight A . J . Kauffmann having been recognised as representative of the Grand Commandery of Texas , near the Grand Commandery of Pennsylvania , Grand

Commandery was closed at seven a . m . In the afternoon several Commanderies from Philadelphia , and other sections of the State arrived , and were formally received and conducted to their respective head quarters by the Lancaster Commandery . Hutchinson , No . 32 , of Norristown , were the

first to arrive , after which , about five p . m ., a special train came , bearing Philadelphia Commandery No . 2 , St . John ' s No . 4 , Kadosh No . 29 , Mary No . 39 , St . Alban No . 47 , and Corinthian Chasseur No . 53 , each of these being about one hundred and fifty strong . In the evening

there was a levee at Pulton , and what with the gay uniforms of the knights , and the splendid toilettes of the ladies , a very brilliant scene was presented . At Robert Hall , which was gaily decorated , lunch for 200 guests at a time was ready during the whole of the Conclave . On the morning

of the 31 st , several other Commanderies arrived from Reading , Harrisburg , Altoona , York , and other parts . At 10 . 30 a . m . the parade was formed , under the principal direction of Sir Knights P . S . Gobin and E . Welchans , there being present no less than sixteen Commanderies

besides the Grand Commandery , nearly each of which was preceded by a band of music , while Corinthian Chasseur Commandery , No . 53 , was mounted . After marching along the prescribed route , amid the applause of a dense mass of spectators , the Sir Knights were

reviewed by the Grand Officers , and then dismissed . At 3 p . m ., Pulton Hall was again crowded with kni ghts , ladies , and gentlemen , to witness the installation of the

newlyelect Grand Officers . Sir Knight W . H . Egle was installed Grand Commander for the ensuing year , by the retiring Grand Commander Andrew J . Kaufitnan , after which he delivered an address , and then proceeded to induct and

Grand Commandery Of Pennsylvania.

invest the other Grand Officers , the ceremonies being rendered additionally interesting by the fine vocal and instrumental music , to which the Lancaster Choral Society chiefly contributed . Later in the afternoon , after disposing of the remaining business of the meeting , the Conclave

was closed , the Lancaster Sir Knights being unremitting , even up to the moment of departure , in their efforts to entertain the visiting Commanderies . Past Grand Commander Kauffman was presented , by the Cyrene Commandery , No . 34 , Columbia , of which he is a member , with a

magnificent Templar and fatigue uniform , in token of their fraternal regard for him . Among the distinguished Knights present were His Excellency Sir Knight John P . Harfcranft , Governor of the State of Pennsylvania , and Sir Knights

Chas . G . Blumenthal , P . G . Comm . now residing at New York , W . Wallace Goodwin P . G . Coram . New Jersey , and Jeremiah L . Hutchinson , Chas . M .. Howell , Grant Weidman , J . Vallercham , C . P . Knapp , and Chas . H . Kingston , all P . G . Commanders of Pennsylvania .

We are indebted for the above particulars to the Keystone , and we offer our fraternal greetings to all concerned in what must have been a most magnificent display . We in England are not given to this kind of public exhibition , but

in America such gatherings are very popular , and as it pleases our transatlantic brethren , it would be churlish in us to withhold our congratulations , because the customs of the fraternity differ in the two countries .

Masonic Portraits. (No. 41.)

MASONIC PORTRAITS . ( No . 41 . )

OUR NOBLE CRITIC . " Of fertile genius , him they nurtured well , In every science , and in every art , By which mankind the thoughtless brutes excel ,

That can or use , or joy , or gr ice impart , Disclosing all the powers of head and heart : Ne'er were the goodly exercises spared , That brace tho nerves , or make the limbs alert . "

" Sometimes , with early morn , he mounted , gay , The hunter-steed , exulting o ' er the dale , " * # # # # " At other times he pried through Nature ' s store , " # # * * *

" But more he searched the mind , and roused from sleep Those moral seeds whence we heroic actions reap . " IT is not given to every one who , born of patrician rank , is placed in a position of great responsibility , to be able

to discharge the functions of his office with marked ability . Many there are who are indebted for whatever consideration may be shown them to the accident of their birth , to the respect due to the station they hold , or it may be ,

to these two circumstances combined ; bnt not to any personal merit , not to any business habits , not to any interest they take in the welfare of their fellow subjects of inferior rank . They have been born great , and they have had

further greatness thrust upon them , but that is the sum and substance of what can be said in their favour . \ Fortunately , our men of patrician rank , taking them for all in all , are an admirable exception to the rule . They are taught

from their earliest childhood that high rank has its duties and responsibilities , and it rarely happens they discredit their order , and still more rarely that they disgrace it . The

majority of them labour hard in their particular sphere ; they take a prominent part in the control of the State , either as legislators in the hereditary house of Parliament ,