this six. Truly his name should long be honored and revered in Michigan. April 8th, 1857, the convention re-assembled at Detroit, at which time there were present sixteen representatives from Detroit Commandery, two from Pontiac Commandery, two from Eureka Commandery, and two from DeMolay Commandery. Peninsular Commandery of Kalamazoo, for some reason, decided not to join in the formation of a Grand Commandery, but to remain under the jurisdiction of the Grand Encampment, and formally notified the convention to that effect. en: A regular election of officers resulted in the following being chos Sir JOHN GILBERT, JR., Detroit, Sir J. M. OLIVER, Monroe, Sir LUMAN R. ATWATER, Grand Rapids, Sir CHARLES D. HOWARD, Detroit, R. E. Grand Commander. V. E. Deputy Grand Commander. E. Grand Captain General. E. Grand Senior Warden. E. Grand Recorder. E. Grand Standard Bearer. E. Grand Sword Bearer. E. Grand Warder. E. Grand Capt. of the Guard. January 11th, 1858, a special conclave of the Grand Commandery was held, at which the M. E. Grand Master was present. He was received with the honors due to his distinguished position, after which he installed the Grand Officers and instructed them in their work. In reporting his acts to the Grand Encampment, he said: In my visitation to the Grand Commandery of Michigan, I was delighted with the correctness of their discipline, the high-toned honor which actuated the chief officers of this young but very intelligent Subordinate. Their devotion to the principles and government of Knight Templary, and the unbounded hospitality and kindness I received from their hands during my sojourn among them, made a pleasing, deep and lasting impression upon my heart and memory. Whilst there I installed the officers and instructed them in the work. During his year as Grand Commander, R. E. Sir John Gilbert granted dispensations for the formation of new Commanderies at St. Clair and Romeo. A petition was made to him for a Commandery in Jackson, but the Commanderies at Detroit and Pontiac protesting against a Commandery being established there at that time, and one of those protesting being his own Commandery, the Grand Commander did not grant the request of the petitioners. He also refused a petition for another Commandery in Detroit. It is a singular co-incidence that the two Sir Knights whose names head these two petitions, were soon afterwards expelled from Masonry. The events recorded in another Chapter concerning the unfortunate troubles in Capitular Masonry by reason of the starting of Peninsular Chapter in Detroit, made themselves felt in Templar Masonry during this year. These unfortunate differences were brought into Detroit Commandery. Its membership being largely made up from Monroe Chapter, its sympathies naturally went to that body, and evidently forgetting that christian charity that should have animated them, a majority of the members determined to punish those who had taken part in the organization of Peninsular Chapter. In pursuance of these intentions a communication was sent by members of that Commandery to the M. E. Grand Master of the Grand Encampment, which drew forth the following letter from that official: OFFICE OF THE GRAND MASTER OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR Columbus, Ohio, October 19, 1857. SIR N. P. JACOBS, E. CR., Detroit, Mich: DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 28th ult., was duly received, and owing to the remarks at the close of your letter that other papers (report of proceedings under my warrant) would reach me in a few days, I laid aside your letter to wait their arrival, and thus to reply to all in one letter. They have not as yet come to hand, and I proceed now to reply to your inquiries. Under the decision of the Grand Encampment, at Boston, 1850, it would follow, as a necessary consequence, that any member of your Commandery who was expelled from a Chapter or Blue Lodge, was unworthy a seat as such; and if connecting or associating with a Chapter, especially as a member thereof, which Chapter was pronounced by the highest authority in Royal Arch Masonry to be clandestine or irregular, and as such Chapter, after such interdict and a knowledge thereof, still being held and continued in defiance of such authority, then it becomes the duty of your Commandery to see that none of your (or its) members are so living and acting with such clandestine or interdicted Chapter; and if, after notice and fair hearing, the offending members are found guilty and will not withdraw therefrom, then their names should be stricken from the rolls of your Commandery, and so remain unrecognized with knightly favor until they conform to the requirements of the Commandery, and make the amende honorable, as becomes all true and courteous Knights. I will reply to the proceedings under my warrant when the papers are officially before me. Yours fraternally, I send by this mail the printed copy you sent me. W. B. HUBBARD, G. M. The above communication was referred to a committee consisting of Sir Kts. N. B. Carpenter, Chas. Jackson and S. B. Morse. At a special communication held Nov. 20th, 1857, the following report was received and adopted: To the Eminent Grand Commander and Sir Knights of Detroit Commandery: The undersigned, a committee to whom was referred a communication from the M. E. Gr. Master Wm. B. Hubbard, having had the same under consideration, beg leave to report: That whereas at the last session of the Grand Chapter of the State of Michigan, in this city assembled, a charter was issued to certain Royal Arch Masons, banded together and designated as "Peninsular Chapter, No. 16," of R. A. Masons, and said body has proceeded to work as a Chapter of R. A. Masons, to confer degrees, etc.; and whereas said Peninsular Chapter has been declared by the G. G. H. P. of the G. G. Chapter of the U. S. of America, to be an "irregular assemblage of R. A. Masons, and that the charter or warrant under which they pretend to act, is null and void, and all their acts of no account in Freemasonry;" and whereas, in spite of said interdict, to said pretended Chapter legally communicated, and in opposition to the lawful authority of said General Grand H. P., the members composing said "irregular assemblage" have persisted in their unlawful work, thus bringing into contempt the commands of the G. G. H. P., and scandal upon the name of Royal Arch Masonry, and violating their solemn obligations: Therefore, be it hereby, Resolved, by this Commandery, That, fully recognizing the authority in Royal Arch Masonry of the Grand Chapter of the United States, and in obedience to the mandate of the very Eminent Grand Master W. B. Hubbard, we do not recognize as Royal Arch Masons in good standing, "The members of that Irregular Assembly" denominated "Peninsular Chapter." That we will not allow any Sir Knight member of this Commandery to consort with, as a member or otherwise, of said "Peninsular Chapter," and that any Sir Knight, member of this Encampment, associated or connected as a member, or otherwise, with said Irregular Chapter, be requested and enjoined forthwith to withdraw from such connection, and cease to be a member of the same. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to each Sir Knight now a member or associating with said so-called Peninsular Chapter. At a special communication held December 18th, 1857, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted: WHEREAS, on the 20th day of day of November, 1857, at a communication of this Commandery, a resolution was adopted requiring Sir Kts. Horace S. Roberts, Allyn Weston, and Geo. B. Ensworth, members of this Commandery, and also members of the so-called Peninsular Chapter No. 16, of R. A. Masons, located in the city of Detroit, and within the jurisdiction of this Commandery, to withdraw themselves as members from said so-called Peninsular Chapter, the same having been declared to be irregular and clandestine by the highest authority in R. A. Ma sonry; AND WHEREAS, Sir Kts. Roberts, Weston and Ensworth, after due notice thereof, have disobeyed the mandates and requirements of our said resolution, and have neglected and refused to comply with the requirements thereof, and still do neglect and refuse to comply with the same: Therefore Resolved, That a summons be issued by this Commandery to Sir Kts. Horace S. Roberts, Allyn Weston and George B. Ensworth, requiring them and each of them to be and appear before this Commandery, on Saturday, January 2nd, eighteen hundred and fifty-eight, at 7 o'clock, P. M., and at that communication to show cause, if any, why their names should not be stricken from the rolls of this Commandery, and they be expelled from all the rights and benefits of Knighthood, for contempt of the requirements of this Commandery, as well as for continuing in membership with the so-called Peninsular irregular and clandestine Chapter of R. A. Masons. In accordance with notice received, Sir Kts. Roberts and Ensworth appeared before the Commandery on the 7th of January and asked for further time to reply to the notice in writing, which was granted. On the 24th of January, (after the meeting of the Grand Chapter) Sir Knights Roberts, Weston and Ensworth, appeared before the Commandery, in accordance with notice received so to do, and in reply thereto submitted the following in writing: To the Eminent Grand Commander, and Sir Knights of Detroit Commandery, No. 1, of Kt. Templars: The undersigned submit the following, in reply to the notice received, through the Recorder, from this Commandery: If the communication from M. E. Wm. B. Hubbard, Grand Master of the G. G. Encampment of the U. S., referred to in the resolution adopted on the 20th of November last, in this Commandery, be an edict declaring Peninsular Chapter, No. 16 irregular and clandestine, and commanding the Sir Knights who are members of it to withdraw, or stating that such Sir Knights should not be retained as members in good standing of this Commandery, then the undersigned respectfully submit that the Grand Master has assumed a power that is not conferred on him by the body which placed him in the exalted position which he now holds, and is not sanctioned by Masonic usage. It is the belief of the undersigned, that the communication from Grand Master Hubbard does not mention, or directly refer to, Peninsular Chapter, and that it is not an edict requiring this Commandery to expel or exclude Sir Knights who are members of said Chapter. The undersigned contend that neither Grand Master Hubbard nor Detroit Commandery, has any right or authority to pronounce Peninsular Chapter irregular; that if they had a right to investigate the matter, they could not go behind the charter of said Chapter, which was granted by the Grand Chapter of the R. A. Masons of the State of Michigan, bears its seal, and is properly attested by its Grand officers. They further contend that Peninsular Chapter is not irregular, its charter having been granted by the Grand Chapter aforesaid -a regular R. A. body; it having been duly constituted, and its officers installed, by the Grand High Priest of said Grand Chapter; its officers having been recognized as members of the Grand Chapter at its recent convocation, and it having been declared by that body to be regular and genuine. The undersigned further contend, that if there were any authority or right for proceeding against them, for continuing their connection with Peninsular Chapter, no sentence of punishment could be legally pronounced against them, without charges in writing, preferred against them by some Sir Knight, and signed by the party accusing. The error in this respect, although a technical one, they wish to have rectified, as they desire to have the matter of complaint, if there be any, decided on its merits, which may not be done, if they shall be obliged to carry it (in its present form) before a higher tribunal. Ist. The undersigned recapitulate their reply to the notice which they have received: That Wm. B. Hubbard, Grand Master of the G. G. Encampment of the U. S has no power or authority to pronounce Peninsular Chapter No. 16, on the registry of the Grand Chapter of the R. A. Masons of the State of Michigan, an irregular assembly of Royal Arch Masons, or to require Detroit Commandery to expel or exclude from the rights and benefits of Knighthood the Sir Knights who are members of said Chapter and of this Commandery; and if he has thus transcended. his authority, this Commandery should not act in accordance with his edicts. 2nd. That the communication from Grand Master Hubbard does not require any action such as has been had in this Commandery respecting Peninsular Chapter. 3rd. That Detroit Commandery has no authority to pronounce Peninsular Chapter irregular, or to require its members to withdraw from said Chapter. 4th. That Peninsular Chapter is a regular assembly of R. A. Masons. 5th. That Peninsular Chapter has not been pronounced "an irregular or |