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GRAND ENCAMPMENT U. S.

ORDER NO. 3.-Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, for the United States of America:

SIR J Q. A. FELLOWS, M. E. GRAND MASTER :-To all the Grand Commanders of our State Grand Commanderies, and the Commanders of Commanderies holding their Charters immediately from our Grand Encampment-Greeting:

WHEREAS, The first clause of paragraph one of Section 5 of Article I. of Constitution of the Grand Encampment, in defining the duties of the Grand Master, expressly provides that, "as a part thereof, he shall have a watchful supervision over all the Commanderies, State and Subordinate, in the United States, and see that all the constitutional enactments, rules, and edicts of the Grand Encampment are duly and properly observed, and that the dress, work, and discipline of Templar Masonry everywhere are uniform."

AND WHEREAS, At this time, under the foregoing provision of the Constitution, the Grand Master has occasion only to call the attention of all Commanderies, whether Grand or Subordinate, to the edicts of the Grand Encampment upon the subject of dress, enacted in 1862. and to urge a greater uniformity.

To this end, therefore, he has caused to be re-published the EDICT OF THE GRAND ENCAMPMENT OF 1862 (pp. 45 to 50 of the proceedings of that Session), as hereto appended, and to order a strict compliance therewith. That edict is absolute in its character, and supersedes and repeals all former enactments, rules, and edicts upon the subject. The costume it prescribes is, as reported by the committee, neat, durable, economical, and distinctive in character, and no excuse can be considered satisfactory why the same should not have long since become universal.

In addition to the failure to adopt, a worse evil has, however, begun to prevail-that of innovation and change-and to this tendency this order is more particularly directed. Simply to illustrate the character of the departures from a strict uniformity, the coat may be instanced. The only description in the edict is, "black frock coat." This can mean nothing else than the frock coat of society, cut in the usual style, of the ordinary length, with such buttons as are usually worn, and those placed in the ordinary manner; in other words, a "black frock coat" is one that can be worn on any occasion, and

wherever a black frock coat may be worn, and which may not cause any distinctive observation or remark whatever.

These remarks may be applied to every other article of dress, costume, or uniform, or whatsoever may be included in the edict hereto appended.

There are to be added to the articles specified, under the heads "Full Dress" and "Fatigue Dress," those trimmings, &c., which are described in the edict, and as there described, and absolutely no other. A strict observance of these directions is necessary to uniformity, and to prevent that tendency to extravagance in dress which is hardly consistent with the vows of a Templar.

We trust, therefore, that each Commander to whom this shall come will comply with the terms of this order, and enforce a strict uniformity, and see that his command is fully and properly uniformed. Done at New Orleans, Louisiana, this 30th day of December, A. D. One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-one.

SEAL.

BY THE GRAND MASTER.

Attest my hand and the seal of our Grand Encampment, at Iowa City, Iowa, this 10th day of November, A. O. 753.

T. S. PARVIN, Grand Recorder.

THE UNIFORM OF A KNIGHT TEMPLAR.

Full Dress.-Black frock coat, black pantaloons, scarf, sword, belt, shoulder straps, gauntlets, and chapeau, with appropriate trimmings.

Fatigue Dress.-Same as full dress, except for chapeau a black cloth cap, navy form, with appropriate cross in front, and for gauntlets. white gloves.

Scarf.-Five inches wide in the whole, of white, bordered with black one inch on either side, a strip of navy lace one-fourth of an inch wide at the inner edge of the black. On the front centre of the scarf, a metal star of nine points, in allusion to the nine founders of the Temple Order, inclosing the Passion Cross, surrounded by the Latin. motto, "In hoc Signo Vinces;" the star to be three and three-quarter inches in diameter. The scarf to be worn from the right shoulder to the left hip, with the ends extending six inches below the point of intersection.

Chapeau. The military chapeau, trimmed with black binding, one white and two black plumes, and appropriate cross on the left side. Gauntlets. Of buff leather, the flap to extend four inches up

wards from the wrist, and to have the appropriate cross embroidered in gold, on the proper colored velvet, two inches in length.

Sword.-Thirty-four to forty inches, inclusive of scabbard, helmet head, cross handle, and metal scabbard.

Belt.-Red enameled or patent leather, two inches wide, fastened round the body with buckle or clasp.

Shoulder Straps.-For Grand Master and Past Grand Masters of the Grand Encampment.-Royal purple silk velvet, two inches wide by four inches long (outside measurement), bordered with two rows of embroidery, of gold, three-eights of an inch wide; the Cross of Salem embroidered, of gold, in the centre, lengthwise.

For all other Grand Officers of the Grand Encampment.-The same as the Grand Master, except for the Cross of Salem the Patriarchal Cross, of gold, with the initials of the office respectively, embroidered, of silver (old English characters), at the foot of the cross. narrowwise of the strap.

For the Officers and Past Grand Officers of a Grand Commandery. -Bright red silk velvet, two inches wide by four inches long, bordered with one row of embroidery, of gold, quarter of an inch wide; the Templar's Cross, of gold, with the initials of the office, respectively, to be embroidered (old English Characters), in silver, on the lower end of the strap.

For the Commander and Past Commanders of a Subordinate Commandery.-Emerald green silk velvet, one and a half inches wide by four inches long, bordered with one row of embroidery, of gold, quarter of an inch wide; the Passion Cross, with a halo, embroidered, of silver, in the center.

For the Generalissimo.-Same as the Commander, except for the Passion Cross the Square, surmounted with the Paschal Lamb.

For the Captain General.-Same as the Commander, except for the Passion Cross the Level, surmounted with the Cock.

Cap.-Navy form; black cloth, four to five inches high, narrow leather strap fastened at the sides with small metal Templar's Cross, and with appropriate cross in front.

Distinctions.-The Sir Knights will wear white metal, wherever metal appears. Commanders and Past Commanders, Grand and Past Grand Officers, gold.

Crosses. Sir Knights, Commanders, and Past Commanders of Subordinate Commanderies will wear the Passion Cross; Grand and Past Grand Officers of State Commanderies, the Templar Cross; G and and Past Grand Officers of the Grand Encampment, the Patriarchal Cross; the Grand Master and Past Grand Masters of the

Grand Encampement, the Cross of Salem, which is the Patrarchal Cross, with an additional bar in the center.

The various crosses, as designated, to be worn on the side of the chapeau, and on the scabbard of the sword. Those on the chapeau to be three inches in height; on the sword, one inch.

Hangings for Jewels.-The hangings of Grand and Subordinate Commanderies may remain as at present.

Grand Standard.-Is of white woolen or silk stuff, six feet in height and five feet in width, made triparite at the bottom, fastened at the top to the cross bar by nine rings; in the center of the field, a blood-red Passion Cross, over which is the motto, "In hoc Signo Vinces;" and under, "Non Nobis Domine! non Nobis, sed Nomini tuo da Gloriam !" The cross to be four feet high, and the upright and bar to be seven inches wide. On the top of the staff, a gilded globe or ball, four inches in diameter, surmounted by the Patriarchal Cross, twelve inches in height. The cross to be crimson, edged with gold.

Beauseant. Of woolen or silk stuff, same form and dimensions as the Grand Standard, and suspended in the same manner. The upper half of this standard is black, the lower half white.

Prelate's Robes.-A full white linen or muslin robe, open behind, reaching down within six inches of the feet, fastened around the neck. below the cravat, which should be white, and having flowing sleeves reaching to the middle of the hand. A white woolen cloak, lined with white, fastened around the neck, and extending down to the bottom of the robe; on the left front, a red velvet Templar Cross, six inches in width. A blue silk stole, reaching down in front to within six inches of the bottom of the robe, and having on it three Templar Crosses of red silk. Mitre of white merino, bordered with gold, lined with green, having the Red Templar Cross extending to the edges, and surmounted by a Passion Cross three inches high. The special badge of his office is a Crozier.

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In the October number of the "MICHIGAN FREEMASON," pp. 189 and 190, appears an article with the above caption, taken from the Fort Wayne Republican, noticing the arrival there of "a strange work

man in their midst," named Felix Alexander Blohome, and in the next issue of the same paper noticing the decease of the aged Brother.

As it will be interesting to the Craft to know something more of the venerable Craftsman than appears in the MICHIGAN FREEMASON, we will state that from 1854 to the time of his departure for the West, in August last, we were in almost constant communication with him, and no one except Dr. Winslow Lewis, of Boston, and ourself, enjoyed his confidence in so far as he was willing to communicate his previous history. The notice referred to agrees mainly with his statements to us, as appears in an article we wrote and published in the "Mirror and Keystone," January 17th, 1855, under the caption, "MORGAN," vol. IV., p. 22, when he informed us that he "was made a Mason on the same evening and at the same time with Alexander of Russia and Prince Joseph Ponietowsky, (who was killed in the battle of Leipsic,) in the city of Paris, during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, in Amitic Lodge, on the 7th of September, 1805." The article "MORGAN" contains the following important information: "Bro. Bloôm," (the accented o he pronounced as ho, and spelled it such,) "resided some time in the city of Smyrna, that in 1831 he became acquainted with an American gentleman who professed the Mahommedan faith, who went by the name of Mustapha, and was engaged at that time in teaching the English and French languages; the latter of which he understood but imperfectly." Bro. Bloom and his acquaintance "dined at the same house," which was "a public place of entertainment, kept by one Salvo." This American gentleman informed Bro. Bloom that his name was William Morgan, and related to him the whole story in connection with his abduction, of which Bro. Bloom states he had no knowledge, but which, after his arrival in this country, he found to be true, and seeing a likeness of Morgan in one of his expositions, he was satisfied that his Smyrna acquaintance was no other than William Morgan, who was supposed to have been assassinated. Morgan further communicated to Bro. Bloôm that he was taken to Boston, and whilst in liquor he was placed on board the ship Mervine, which sailed from Boston to Smyrna, and belonged to the firm of Langdon & Co., and that the Captain's name was Welch. Bro. Bloom had traveled much, and was a soldier against Napoleon in the Russian campaign, as the Republican states. He was a long time among the Arabs, and his statements published in the fourth volume of the "Mirror and Keystone," in regard to Freemasonry, the estimation in which it is held, and customs, &c., show him to have been a close observer. He was an Oriental scholar, was acquainted with most of the Eastern and European languages. He possessed a mathematical, inventive

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