St John xx. 24-28. "But Thomas one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples, therefore, said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands: and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered, and said unto him, My Lord, and my God."

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CHAPTER XX.

CONSTITUTION

of the Grand Encampment of Knight Templars, and the appendant orders. Ordained and ratified in Grand Convention, held in Philadelphia, February, 1814.

GRAND CONVENTION OF KNIGHT TEMPLARS.

AT a Grand Convention of Knight Templars, convened, by appointment, in the Masonic Hall in the city of Phila delphia, on Tuesday, the 15th February, Anno Domini 1814, for the purpose of forming a Grand Encampment of Knight Templars, in Pennsylvania, with jurisdiction belonging thereto, and also over all such Encampments in other States, as may agree to come under the jurisdiction of the

same

Sir Knight JOHN SELLERS, of the borough of Wilming ton, in the State of Delaware, was called to the Chair;And

Sir Knight HENRY S. KEATINGE, of the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, was appointed Secretary.

Whereupon, on motion made and seconded, Resolved, That the Delegates and Proxies from the several Encampments to be represented in this Grand Convention from the respective States, be called over: when the following named Sir Knights produced their credentials, under the seals of their respective Encampments, as Delegates and Proxies, and were accordingly admitted to take their seats in this Grand Convention, to wit:

Delegates from Encampment No. 1, Philadelphia.
Sir William M.Corkle,

Sir Alphonso C. Ireland,

Sir Nathaniel Dilhorn.

Proxies from Encampment at Pittsburg.
Sir Thomas Black,

Sir James Humes.

Delegate from Rising Sun Encampment, City of New-York.
Sir James McDonald.

Proxies from Rising Sun Encampment, City of New-York.
Sir Thomas Armstrong,
Sir Anthony Fannen.

Delegates from Encampment No. 1, Wilmington, Delaware.

Sir John Sellers,

Sir Archibald Hamilton,

Sir John Patterson.

Delegate from Encampment No. 1, Baltimore.
Sir Henry S. Keatinge.

The Grand Convention, being thus duly organized, proceeded to the formation of a Constitution for the Grand Encampment about to be formed; and after several meetings and adjournments from time to time, on Wednesday evening, February 16, 1814, the annexed Constitution was agreed on, adopted, ratified, and signed by the Delegates and Proxies aforesaid,

On motion made and seconded, the Grand Convention then proceeded to the election of Officers for the Pennsylvania Grand Encampment of Knight Templars, agreeably to the said Constitution: and, on counting the ballots, it appeared that the following Sir Knights were unanimously elected to continue in office until the stated meeting in June, 1815.

The Most Eminent Sir WILLIAM M CORKLE, of Philadelphia, General Grand Master.

Most Eminent Sir ARCHIBALD HAMILTON, of Wilmington, Delaware, Grand Generalissimo.

Most Eminent Sir PETER DOBB, of New-York, Grand Captain General.

Right Eminent Sir HENRY S. KEATINGE, of Baltimore, Grand Standard Bearer.

Right Eminent Sir JOHN SELLERS, of Wilmington, Delaware, Grand Chancellor.

Right Eminent GEORGE A. BAKER, of Philadelphia, Grand Recorder.

Right Eminent Sir NATHANIEL DILHORN, of Philadelphia, Grand Treasurer.

Right Eminent Sir JAMES HUMES, of Philadelphia, Grand Sword Bearer.

The Grand Convention then proceeded to the installation of the Grand Officers; and a Grand Encampinent having been opened in solemn form, the Most Eminent General Grand Master elect nominated Sir Knight JAMES M.DONALD to install the members, which was done according to ancient usage. After which, the Most Eminent General Grand Master took the Chair, and the Grand Officers their respective stations.

Done and ratified in Grand Convention, at Philadelphia, the 16th day of February, Anno Domini 1814. JOHN SELLARS, Chairman.

Attest-HENRY S. KEATINGE, Secretary.

IN GRAND CONVENTION.

We, the Delegates and Proxies from the respective Encampments of Knight Templars in the States of Pennsylvania, New-York, Delaware and Maryland, assembled in Grand Convention in the Masonic Hall, in the city of Philadelphia, on the 15th and 16th days of February, in the year of our Lord 1814, in order to form a more perfect union, and to promote peace, harmony, and brotherly love among the Knights of our most ancient and illustrious order, do by virtue of the powers vested in us, ordain and establish the following Constitution for the Pennsylvania Grand Encampment of Knight Templars, with jurisdiction thereunto belonging, subject to no amendment, unless as herein after mentioned.

Constitution of the Grand Encampment of Knight Templars, and the appendant orders.

ARTICLE I.

Of the Grand Encampment.

SECTION 1. The Grand Encampment shall consist of a General Grand Master, a Grand Generalissimo, a Grand Captain General, a Grand Standard Bearer, a Grand Herald, a Grand Chancellor, a Grand Recorder, a Grand Treasurer, a Grand Sword Bearer; also, all Past General Grand Masters, Past Grand Generalissimos, Past Grand Captain Generals; the Grand Master, Generalissimo, and Captain General, for the time being, of all subordinate chartered Encampments of Knight Templars; all Past Grand Masters of subordinate Encampments, whilst they continue members of any Encampment under this jurisdiction: and the said enumerated officers, or their respective proxies, shall be the only members and voters in the said Grand Encampment.

SECT. 2. The Grand Encampment shall meet yearly on the second Friday of June, at 10 o'clock, A. M. in the city of Philadelphia, for the transaction of business; at which time the officers shall be elected: and the General Grand Master may, at any time, call a special assembly of the Grand Encampment, when, in his judgment, it may be expedient.

SECT. 3. The jurisdiction of this Grand Encampment shall extend to any State or Territory, wherein there is not a Grand Encampment legally and regularly established; and it shall take cognizance of and preside over all such Encampments of Knight Templars, and the Appendant Orders, as have been heretofore instituted, and that shall acknowledge its jurisdiction; and it shall also have authority to grant Charters of Constitutions for the establishment of new Encampments in any State or Territory as aforesaid.

SECT. 4. No Encampment shall be deemed legal, that may be hereafter formed and opened within the jurisdiction of this Grand Encampment, without a Charter from this Grand Encampment, or a Constitutional Dispensation from the General Grand Master; and communication, either public or private, is hereby interdicted and forbidden between any Encampment under this jurisdiction, or any member or either of them, with any Encampment, not acknowledging the jurisdiction of this or some other legal Grand Encampment, or any member of the same.

SECT. 5. No Charter or Dispensation for the institution of a New Encampment of Knight Templars, with the Appendant Orders, shall be granted for a less sum than Thirty dollars for the use of the Grand Funds, and Five Dollars to the Grand Recorder.

SECT. 6. Any Encampment heretofore formed may, upon application to this Grand Encampment, receive a Charter of recognition, upon paying into the hands of the Grand Treasurer the sum of fifteen dollars, for the use of the Grand Funds, and five dollars to the Grand Recorder; provided the application for the Charter be made at any time before the second Friday of June 1815.

SECT. 7. The General Grand Master, with the advice and consent of the Grand Generalissimo, or the Grand Captain General, shall have power and authority, whenever he may deem it necessary and expedient, to grant letters of dispensation for the institution of new Encampments, upon the payment of the fees required by the fifth section of the first article of this Constitution, which dispensation shall continue in force until revoked by the said General Grand Master, or by the Grand Encampment; and this Grand Encampment is unalienably endowed with full and complete power to revoke, annul and make void any Charter granted by them to any Subordinate Encampment, whenever such encampment shall act illegally, or in defiance of the orders, rules and regulations of the Grand Encampment.