Reports of the Committees of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia for the 198 Annual Grand Convocation
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Reports of the Committees of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia for the 198th Annual Grand Convocation. Table of Contents Allocution of the Grand Commander 4 Report of the Past Grand Commanders Committee 100 Report of the Grand Treasurer 102 Trustee Report 104 Report of the Grand Recorder 106 Arrangements Committee Report 108 Report of the Awards Committee 109 Baldwin-Brown Annual Report 115 Bicentennial Committee Report 116 Charter Committee Report 121 Citizenship and Public affairs Committee Report 122 Constitution and Statutes Committee Report 123 Drill Team Committee Report 125 Easter Sunrise Committee Report 129 Educational Foundation Report 130 Finance Committee—Annual Audit and Review Report 131 Finance Committee Report 132 Holy Land Pilgrimage Committee Report 136 Jurisprudence Committee Report 137 Report of the Knight Templar Cross of Honor Committee 140 2 Table of Contents Knight Templar Eye Foundation Committee Report 141 Knight Templar Magazine and Masonic Herald Committee 142 Leadership and Education Committee Report 143 Long Range Planning Committee Report 144 Masonic Home Report 146 Membership Committee Report 147 Necrology, Religious and Public Observances 150 Uniform Committee Report 151 Committee on Work Report 152 Youth Committee Report 154 Digitization of Proceedings Report 155 3 GRAND COMMANDERY OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR OF VIRGINIA K T GRAND COMMANDERY OF VIRGINIA M E M B E R S H I P T E M P E R A N C E --- P R U D E N C E 198th Stated Conclave May 1-2, 2020 GRAND COMMANDER’S ALLOCUTION Benjamin Franklin Hill Knight Templar Cross of Honor Right Eminent Grand Commander CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA ALLOCUTION OF THE GRAND COMMANDER June 27, 2020 4 KNIGHTLY GREETINGS and WELCOME, Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, Right Eminent Grand Captain-General of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of U.S.A., Right Eminent Department Commander, Right Emi- nent Past Department Commanders, Most Excellent Grand High Priest of Virginia, Illustrious Deputy of Virginia of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction, Right Eminent Distinguished Brother Grand Governor York Rite Colleges of Virginia, Very Eminent Deputy Grand Commander, Dis- tinguished Guests, Right Eminent Past Grand Commanders, Eminent Commanders, Sir Knights – broth- ers and friends all. At the beginning of this the 198th Grand Stated Conclave of the Grand Commandery of Knights Tem- plar of Virginia, I should say something about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, emergency that gripped our lives over the last four months. In the start developments from the National, State and Fraternal stages were fluid and evolved rapidly. My first priory is the health of our members and their families and I appreciate your patience, cooperation, and understanding during these times. As Virgin- ia Masons we do follow Grand Lodge of Virginia polices and the Most Worshipful Grand Master's deci- sions and guidance. We are also Knights Templar and we also follow the Constitution and Statues of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar U.S.A. and the Most Eminent Grand Master’s decisions and guidance. As Virginia citizens we also follow State Laws and the Governor’s Executive Orders. In face of the crisis, we were urged to avoid all nonessential travel, gatherings, meetings and other appropri- ate measures to prevent community transmission of the COVID-19 virus: The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Virginia suspended meetings and activities at Ma- sonic Lodges. Grand Encampment of Knights Templar U.S.A. General Order No. 11 authorized me, as Grand Com- mander and prior approval of the Department Commander, to postpone the Grand Command- ery of Virginia Stated Grand Conclave for a period not to exceed six (6) months and allowed, with Grand Commander dispensation, Constituent Commanderies to convene Stated Conclaves by means of teleconference or webcast provided the necessary facilities are widely available to Commandery members. The Virginia Governor, by Executive Order No. 55 (2020), has reinforced the Commonwealth’s re- sponse to COVID-19. The DoubleTree Hotel Charlottesville was closed and its contract with the Grand Commandery of Virginia was cancelled. These were trying times and the Deputy Grand Commander, Grand Treasurer, and Grand Recorder were indispensable in keeping the Grand Commandery open and working on your behalf. In the spirit leadership, thirty-one percent (31%) of the Constituent Commanders (Portsmouth Commandery No. 5, Appomattox Commandery No. 6, Lynn Commander No. 9, Harrisonburg Commandery No. 10, Old Do- minion Commandery No. 11, Johnson Commander No. 14, Luray Commandery No. 19, Moomaw Com- mandery No. 27, and Penn-Neck Commandery No. 33) took advantage of the teleconference method of hold Stated Conclaves to further their goals and objectives – good work, square work, just such work 5 to receive for the building. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) What a pleasure it is to be in the presence of such Good Men. My Fraters, some words uttered by one of my early Mentors, Sir Knight George Benge Yeates, Right Eminent Grand Commander in 1984, “ to you from the newly created Sir Knight, to the grizzled knight who wears a uniform dulled by years of service in the name of Templary, to our Distinguished Guests, you are all greeted with the sincere affection found in Freemasonry and more firmly cemented in the bonds of Christian love found in the Templar Craft. To each of you are extended the right hand of friendship and it is our sincere desire that the fellowship you experience here will be long remembered.” If there is anything I, or the Arrangements Committee, can do to make your stay more comfortable; please do not hesitate to bring it to our attention. Sir Knight Jeff McClelland, Very Eminent Deputy Grand Commander, and his team have worked very hard to make this Grand Conclave as pleasant as possible. Our aim is to afford you the most enjoyment time in our power to provide. Now, permit me some Introductory Remarks before I report on my activities and the status of the Grand Commandery of Virginia. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS It is with a humble heart and grateful attitude I express my sincere appreciation for the Honor you bestowed upon me by electing me to serve as your Grand Commander of Virginia for the 2019-2020 Chivalric year. Thank you for your vote of confidence; I have always strived to the utmost of my ability to see that your confidence was not misplaced. There is a great feeling in knowing that the end of the long years of service in the Grand Line is about to be culminated with my last official acts as Grand Commander. I would be remised if I failed to thank the many Sir Knights who helped to make my Templar sojourn a success. I am indebted to the many mentors that influenced my Masonic journey through Virginia’s Symbolic Lodges and the bodies of the York Rite and Scottish Rite; the support I received of the Grand Line Officers, Past Grand Commanders, and District Deputy Grand Commanders has been outstanding as we worked in revitalizing and reinvigorating Templary in Virginia; a strong knowledgeable Grand Re- corder is invaluable and we have the right man in the right position—he is not only the foundation of our administrative processes but he is the Grand Commander’s sounding-board and confidant; to the Grand Instructor General and his team of District Instructors and Assistant Instructors, thank you for your oversight of Virginia’s Templar tactics and ritual; to the Grand Committeemen, thank you for your service to the day-to-day affairs of Grand Commandery and this Grand Commander; finally, to the Sir Knights and Officers of the Constituent Commanderies, thank you for “Standing Up—Standing Out— Being Visible and Being Worthy of the Name Knight Templar.” 6 Our Lodges teach us of the Lost Word, the Royal Arch Chapters teach us of the Discovery of the Word, the Councils of Royal and Select Masters teach us of the Preservation of the Word, and the Knights Templar Commanderies binds the Christian virtues of their promise of immortality in the ex- panding story, thus rounding out the Story of the Word. But, the Masonic Orders of Christian Knighthood are not intended to be finishing lessons, rather they are the logical outcomes of the Christian Mason´s belief in Christ as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. They are starting points, an entry to different portals in which the Christian Mason can reflect on Ma- sonic symbols, principles, and lessons so that he can better, effectively use the trowel in building a tem- ple of living stones. GRAND COMMANDER’S PIN The basic triangle was picked for its geometrical strength, ability to bear large loads without deforming, and its use as building blocks in many of world’s structures.K T GRAND COMMANDERY OF VIRGINIA M E M B E R S H I P T E M P E R A N C E --- P R U D E N C E The three Triangles represent the Trinity: Just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three distinct, but consub- stantial entities, the three houses in the Virginia York Rite (the Symbolic Lodges, Royal Arch Chapters and Knights Templar Commanderies) are separate, yet connected. In the Blue Lodges, Symbolic Freemasonry prepares the candidate in the use of symbolic stone for that Spiritual Temple. In Royal Arch Chapters, Capitular and Cryptic Freemasonry instructs the Master Mason in the allegorical use of additional operative tools of the craftsman. Finally, in Knights Templar Commanderies, Chivalric Freemasonry instructs Fraters in the allegorical use of the weapons and the discharge in the duties of knighthood whereby the Moral Temple, built and restored in Symbol- ic, Capitular and Cryptic Freemasonry, can be defended and beautified by the precepts of Christianity.