The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARCommandery.Knights Templar.In the United' States an assembly of KnightsTemplar is called a Commandery, and must consistof at least nine members. The governmentof Masonic Knights Templar in this country isvested, first, in Commanderies, which confer thedegrees of Knight of the Red Cross, KnightsTemplar, and Knight of Malta.Commanderies are under the control of GrandCommanderies in States in which those bodies exist.Where they do not, the warrants are deriveddirectly from the Grand Encampment. The supremeauthority of the Order is exercised by theGrand Encampment of the United States, whichmeets triennially. The presiding officer is a GrandMaster.The Ancient Order of Knights Templar wasdivided into Provinces, each of which was governedby a Grand Preceptor or Grand Prior.These Provinces were fifteen in number and extendedfrom Jerusalem to England. There was nopart of Europe, except the impoverished Kingiii