Northeast School

THE second pilgrimage of the Knights Templars of Massachusetts and Rhode Island to Richmond, calls for the addition of another volume to the history of the friendly relations between the Sir Knights of New England and Virginia. The interchange of visits between the De Molay and St. John's and the Richmond Commanderies has been a notable illustration of the strength of the tie which binds together the Order throughout the Christian world, for the hearty good-will which has been shown in all the intercourse between the "two colonies of Virginia" has not been interrupted even by the sad events of the war. A brief resume of the visits exchanged by the Commanderies of the two sections of the country will best introduce the events of the second pilgrimage of the De Molay and St. John's Commands. An invitation was extended in the year 1858 by the De Molay Commandery, of Boston, to the Richmond Commandery, No. 2, of Richmond, Virginia, to visit Boston and participate in the celebration of St. John's Day of 2 (7) that year, and in response to the invitation, the Richmond Sir Knights arrived in Boston, Thursday, June 23, 1858, to take part in the events of the following day. In addition to the parade on Friday, the visiting Commandery were hospitably entertained in Boston until Saturday evening, and the St. John's Commandery, of Providence, extended courtesies to the Richmond Sir Knights upon their arrival and departure from that city en route. Upon reaching home, the Richmond Commandery passed a series of resolutions acknowledging the courtesies extended during the visit to Boston, and concluding with the statement :

Passage source: History of the Second Pilgrimage to Richmond, by the Knights Templars of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, May, 1881, published 1882.

In February, 1859, correspondence between the two Commands resulted in an arrangement for a return visit of the De Molays in the following May, the events of which have already been duly recorded in a permanent form. Early in the year 1875, when the plans for the celebration of the Centennial of the Battle of Bunker Hill were under discussion, it was decided by the De Molay Commandery to invite the Richmond Commandery to take part in the Masonic parade on that occasion, and renew the acquaintances so long interrupted by the strife of the civil war. Under date of March 31, 1875, ^ cordial letter of invitation was sent by the De Molay Commandery to Richmond, askinsf the Fraters of Vircrinia to come to Massachusetts and allow an opportunity for a return of the generous hospitality extended to the Sir Knights of De Molay and St. John's Commands in 1859. The invitation was accepted by the Richmond Commandery, under date of April 8, 1875, and on Wednesday afternoon, June 16, 1875, the Knights Templars of Boston and vicinity turned out with full ranks and received their Virginia brethren and escorted them to Faneuil Hall, where the city officials welcomed the Southern guests. On the following day the Richmond Knights took part in the great parade and an excursion down the harbor, on Friday they enjoyed a carriage drive through the suburbs, and a banquet on Saturday concluded the festivities of the visit. On Sunday the Sir Knights attended the services at Music Hall, which w^ere led by Rev. W. H. H. Murray, and at 7.30 on Monday morning took the train for Providence. All the courtesies possible to the limited stay of the Virginians in Providence were extended by the Sir Knights of that city. The visit was a fitting part of the long history of friendly intercourse between the Commanderies of the "two colonies of Virginia," and the Richmond guests did not depart for their homes without a promise from their Northern brethren that they should again welcome the De Molays and St. John's to the hospitalities of Richmond. It was in February, 1881, that this promise was recalled

Passage source: History of the Second Pilgrimage to Richmond, by the Knights Templars of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, May, 1881, published 1882.

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