New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-23
ale,u 0rlea,1s Republican.
osr,rI.I IoARNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
nrrIcIAI JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
FRIENDSHIP, CHARITY AND BENEvO-
LENCE.
The Order of the knights of Pythias.

For over two thousand years has the
Glory of Damon and Pythias been written
and told, until the universal world can cite
no nobler instance of selt-sacrlfce, or Il
more sacred evidence that the love OF man
for his fellow is ingrafted in his heing:
Iconoclasts NAV declare that Pythias
friendship and love for his friend Damon Is
mythical, legendary, and has no more
foundation than scores Of tales that had
become historical centuries ago; they may
take away the actually OF the occurrence;
they NAV dissolve into the atmosphere OF
fiction the principal character OF the drama
that has come down through the long, DIM
arches that hover over twenty centuries OF
human life. but the spirit that pervades the
act fingers in the human heart as subtle
essence of nobility and love, and drives the
most slkeptical into forced admiration and
belief: and as long as man loves his fellow,
and human nature remains unchanged, so
long will the tale OF Pythias' devotion TO his
friend be believed and hOnored.
Damon and Pythias, so the old story runs,
were Pythagorean philosophers living 100
years before the advent OF our Savior, and
at the invitation OF the Emperor Dyonislus
the Elder went from Syracuse, second only
to Athens is the seat Of the intellect OF the
age, into Sicily. Displeasing the tyr3nt,
who PLAYED with human life as with Il
worthless toy, Damon was condemned 10
be beheaded. Knowing that an appeal lor
mercy would be as 1ruitless as the passing
breeze the condemned prisoner turned H!s
thoughts toward Syracuse, where u VIC
and children awaited his return. ne en-
treated that once more on earth he lnlght
see his beloved ones. He was accorded
permission to visit them only on the condl-
ton of leaving his friend Pythlas as a nos
tage, who would suffer death il he did not
return ut the appointed day. All are fam
liar with the unbounded love and cont-
dence which existed between the phlioso-
pher friends, and the willingness OF fythH'S
to give his lite for his friend, if he did not
return.
The story carries Damon to his home: he
embraces his Jewels, knowing that his stay
is short and that lie sees them Tor the last
time: his wife hears his tale OF condelnna-
zion. the devotion OF his friend, and, human
like in her selfish love, entrcats him not to-
return; her husband is more to her than ms
friend, and she fain would keep HIM with
her. Tearing himself away, he retraces his
steps to the city where sits the tyrant,
awaiting his victim, and where honor and
faith points to an endangered friend. lie
is DELAYED on the road, and the emperor
gloats over the novel spectacle OF one man,
in the excess of his love for and taltf Ill MS
friend, risking his life on that friend honor.
The hour set for the execution approaches,
and Damon has not come.
The emperor sneers at the faith that
could still buoy up with hope the heart OF
Pythias. and talints him with the perfdy OF
his friend 'If he lives he will conc-he
would die before he would fail his friend; L
trust him." and he waits with faith I'M
shaken The dread hour has arrived; the
order is given to proceed with the execution.
The az is raised ever the PROSTATE form,
and Pythias lies down to due Tor his TREND ;
wren, loi Damon comes, painting With eX-
hal1stion. covered with the dust OF travel
hut in time TO redeem his honor-save his
friends life-with him to be afterward par
homeland to send down through succeed
ing ages the story Of faith and devotion be-
tween men,
As centuries rolled up their scroll. and
faded away into a past almost as obscure
as futurity, the story came down, and III
the hearts of mankind took root, and be-
came a part Of universal human faith. Out
of dark, cruel past, when hate, ambition
and selfshness reigned as a merciless trinity
throughout the world the precious jewel OF
this one bright instance Of love and faith
this unsurpassed virtue-shone and gllS-
tened, and its bright rays went piercing The
fast-coming ages, until the civilized world
was illuminated, and the story carried with
It into human hearts % lesson which man
kind can never forget.
to the PRINCIPAL it enunciates, and the world
is all the better that it has been written,
and told, and believed in every age for two
thousand years.
Centuries ago, in Europe, an order,
founded on this story, came into existence,
fourished, and, as the vague history IN
definitely records it, lived until Its adher-
ents. one by one, persisted for the principles
by which they were bound together" and,
Of IptnIpY-
ance, tie order died out, and left behind it
only saidencd history of something about
which little was ever known.
THE ORGANIZATION OF TIE KNIGHTS or
PYTHIAs.
On the evening of February 10, 1864, a
number of gentlemen, who possessed broad
views of humanity and love for their fellow
men. met in Temperance Hall in Washing
Ton District of Columbia, and with that
Grand trio of virtues-friendship, benevo-
ience and charity-fOr their foundation. or
ganized the first lodge of an order founded
on the story we have reclted, ana called
From this little body of men has sprung an
order which has found foothold III almost
every State of the Union, and numbers
among it's members the true nobility ana
manhood of our glorious country.
While in some sections churches and
rioid creed-adherents have blindly arrayed
themselves against this order, still In its
ranks are found, with but few exceptions,
clergymen and laymen OF every denomina-
ton. Implanted in this Order OF knights is
the germ of unselfishness, whose branches
are reaching out into the world, every leaf
of which exhales friendship and kindness,
one man for another. This great growth OF
golden principle is as heaven IN the great
lump of human seltislness and greed. IN
its spirit Of Justice, kindness and right, 1t
opens the hand of the miser, and sottens
the heart of the Indifferent If caviling
Christians denounce it for its want Of adj
herence to the prescribed rules of Christian
ity, even while they may turn away coldiv
from suffering humanity, the Knight OF
Pyrhias can say, Though ! am out of the
pale of the perfect as some may construe
it, pray thee write me as one that loves
his fellow-mcn.'
Quietly warning against human selfish
ness, broadening and extending the great
field for the exercise OF that humanity
which springs only from the tender soil OF IL
warm and generous heart, the order makes
green the barren fields and bestrews the
highway Of life with flowers, whose per
fume and sweetness ascend upward and
hover over the great page OF good deeds
and noble actions. Though they may not
comply with all the requirements OF sects
in the manner of doing their work, their
deeds speak their love for their tollow-men,
and of them. like in Abou Ben Adhenl :
dream, may be written
HThe angel wrote and vanished. The next night
II came again with u great Weakening Hght.
And showed the names of those whom love OF "o'
had blessed, ,.,
And loi Ben Athens name led all the rest
Their object is noble and worthy; 1t Is
founded on naught but the purest ana
s;ncerest motives, it's aim is to alleviate the