Knights Templar Standing Shoulder to Shoulder by Sir Knight James A. Marples
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ike many people, I think back to Dispatch newspaper office. a time when our Knight Templar The Columbus Dispatch printed its bodies across the nation had first issue on July 1, 1871. Back then, more members. This isn’t just a hanker- newspapers were used for a variety of ing for the past. It isn’t simple nostal- purposes ranging from a primary source gia. It is a serious contemplation of the of news to kindling for starting fires in awesome ability of men from all areas, fireplaces. Sometimes big-city newspaurban and rural, to come together and pers had morning and evening editions. stand shoulder to shoulder with their Newsboys would walk the streets fellow Templars in identical uniforms, like carnival barkers hollering “Extra! with nearly identical philosophies, hav- Extra! The Knights Templar are in town” ing made identical pledges to preserve or whatever occasion would elicit a proand defend the Christian religion. spective purchaser. I am awed by a photo of a giganThere are people today who get the tic number of Knights Templar photo- majority of their news on their smartgraphed in 1905 outside The Columbus phones. I am only in my middle 50s, and
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