Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
America
merits would come into existence ; pedlars of the Order from foreign countries or from our own land , would be warmed into life , creating Templars and forming them into Encampments whensoever they chose , for money ; and these so formed would claim their independence equally with the others—until the better men and Templars . would withdraw from the asylums , and in the end the high character and usefulness of our noble Order would be prostrated and destroyed . But I will not waste time in considering this evil further . Our order is too well established ,
too strongly anchored in the affection of faithful and intelligent Templars , to tolerate for a moment a breach of their vows , their honours sullied , and a disruption of their union . Disappointed and reckless members , whose motto at heart is to " rule , or ruin , " may occasionally be found in our ranks , who , like Erostratus , may seek to destroy our glorious Temple ; but our w hole army of gallant and honour unsullied Knights would fly to the rescue , and hurl the traitors from battlement or tower , portcullis or drawbridge , into the deep abyss of merited contempt and obloquy .
I would next call your attention to another erroneous impression that has been disseminated , to wit : —that the time is near at hand when the Grand Encampment must be dissolved for want of means to sustain it ; and this very shortly after the published statement of its affairs , financially and otherwise , in September , 1856 . An inspection of its records shows that none of the State Grand subordinates furnish any pecuniary aid for its support , ' that all its revenues are derived from fees for granting dispensations and charters to new Commanderies and annual dues collected from the same , while they are not organized into a
State Grand subordinate . From this and only source , the treasury of the Grand Encampment has been steadily increasing for the last nine years , so that at the last triennial meeting , the funds on hand were greater than at any other period in its history ; and the revenue from its dispensated and chartered subordinates , by reason of their increased number , is much larger than at any other time . And looking to the large extent of territory yet to be occupied , until in the future we attain unto at least sixty State Grand Commanderies , no fears need be entertained that its treasury will not be amply supplied . Nay , with
the continual increase in its revenues , reasonably to be expected , and with a continuation of the same rigid economy , and honest and worthy husbanding of its funds , and keeping its surplus safely at interest , that has marked the past nine years , it is fair to infer , that by the time that all the remaining territory of the United States is formed into states , and each state embraces a State Grand Commandery , the interest upon the funds in the treasury will fully pay the expenses of our triennial meetings , without , as heretofore , requiring
our State Grand subordinates to contribute any sum whatever for its support . But in that very far distant future ; if from any cause a call should be made upon those subordinates for support , five cents from each member once in three years would be abundantly sufficient to pay the whole expenses of the Grand body ! No , my fellow Knights , the Grand Encampment of the United States will not be dissolved or destroyed . It is too firmly established in the heart affections of its worthy members . Large accessions are continually being made of talents , moral worth , and numbers ; and so benign has been its influence for good ,
that all true and intelligent Templars look upon it with honest pride and satisfaction , as the great conservator of Masonry throughout the United States of America ; while in the eastern hemisphere our glorious Order is highly respected and admired , as among the most powerful in numbers and most impressive in usefulness , of any throughout the world . The union of all its parts , under a common and chief government , the harmonious action of all the subordinates toward
one another and to the parent head , conforming in this respect to the Templars of old , has been the main , if not the sole , cause of its unexampled prosperity , and of the high position to which Christian chivalry has attained in these United States . That high position will be maintained , and that prosperity will he continued to the latest posterity of the human race , by the same causes that have heretofore operated—a faithful adherence to the great fundamental and everlasting principles of our Order . And now , my brethren , let us look to our professions , and give more heed and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
America
merits would come into existence ; pedlars of the Order from foreign countries or from our own land , would be warmed into life , creating Templars and forming them into Encampments whensoever they chose , for money ; and these so formed would claim their independence equally with the others—until the better men and Templars . would withdraw from the asylums , and in the end the high character and usefulness of our noble Order would be prostrated and destroyed . But I will not waste time in considering this evil further . Our order is too well established ,
too strongly anchored in the affection of faithful and intelligent Templars , to tolerate for a moment a breach of their vows , their honours sullied , and a disruption of their union . Disappointed and reckless members , whose motto at heart is to " rule , or ruin , " may occasionally be found in our ranks , who , like Erostratus , may seek to destroy our glorious Temple ; but our w hole army of gallant and honour unsullied Knights would fly to the rescue , and hurl the traitors from battlement or tower , portcullis or drawbridge , into the deep abyss of merited contempt and obloquy .
I would next call your attention to another erroneous impression that has been disseminated , to wit : —that the time is near at hand when the Grand Encampment must be dissolved for want of means to sustain it ; and this very shortly after the published statement of its affairs , financially and otherwise , in September , 1856 . An inspection of its records shows that none of the State Grand subordinates furnish any pecuniary aid for its support , ' that all its revenues are derived from fees for granting dispensations and charters to new Commanderies and annual dues collected from the same , while they are not organized into a
State Grand subordinate . From this and only source , the treasury of the Grand Encampment has been steadily increasing for the last nine years , so that at the last triennial meeting , the funds on hand were greater than at any other period in its history ; and the revenue from its dispensated and chartered subordinates , by reason of their increased number , is much larger than at any other time . And looking to the large extent of territory yet to be occupied , until in the future we attain unto at least sixty State Grand Commanderies , no fears need be entertained that its treasury will not be amply supplied . Nay , with
the continual increase in its revenues , reasonably to be expected , and with a continuation of the same rigid economy , and honest and worthy husbanding of its funds , and keeping its surplus safely at interest , that has marked the past nine years , it is fair to infer , that by the time that all the remaining territory of the United States is formed into states , and each state embraces a State Grand Commandery , the interest upon the funds in the treasury will fully pay the expenses of our triennial meetings , without , as heretofore , requiring
our State Grand subordinates to contribute any sum whatever for its support . But in that very far distant future ; if from any cause a call should be made upon those subordinates for support , five cents from each member once in three years would be abundantly sufficient to pay the whole expenses of the Grand body ! No , my fellow Knights , the Grand Encampment of the United States will not be dissolved or destroyed . It is too firmly established in the heart affections of its worthy members . Large accessions are continually being made of talents , moral worth , and numbers ; and so benign has been its influence for good ,
that all true and intelligent Templars look upon it with honest pride and satisfaction , as the great conservator of Masonry throughout the United States of America ; while in the eastern hemisphere our glorious Order is highly respected and admired , as among the most powerful in numbers and most impressive in usefulness , of any throughout the world . The union of all its parts , under a common and chief government , the harmonious action of all the subordinates toward
one another and to the parent head , conforming in this respect to the Templars of old , has been the main , if not the sole , cause of its unexampled prosperity , and of the high position to which Christian chivalry has attained in these United States . That high position will be maintained , and that prosperity will he continued to the latest posterity of the human race , by the same causes that have heretofore operated—a faithful adherence to the great fundamental and everlasting principles of our Order . And now , my brethren , let us look to our professions , and give more heed and