The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-02

name, its noyelty,.and the character of its
tnittatory ceremonies, for the mere NEIL
tions OF, Damon q and PytMas touches O.
Responsive chord in. the human heart
.everywhere, which win vibrate while
truth and friendship survive, for. the
story Of their affection, emhodies uni
Versai truth. In; fact, the bare concep-
Eeion- Of such q sacrifice as that which Pyth-
las was willing to make for his friend ,ex-,
cites emotions which the heart cannot re-.
press II: IT would Even the savage appre-
ciates friendship; and man In every civil
lied community feels and knows ft Is some
thing more than name. Hence the heau-
tifui idea which the. r1ane Of the Order spg-
gests wins the approysI ofnan everywhere. J
F. Then the founders of the Order hit not
only upon expressions. but upon symbols
which teach great moral lessons. There Is,
indeed, chain Of novelty which meets the
candidate for admission at every step of his
initiation and elevation through the degrees
until he arrives at the summit Of Pythian
Drutds, and, tried members Of other like
benevolent Orders, crowd around its affairs
and become its most ardent advocates, = -
Its growth, borders upon the marvellous.
The first attempt at its establishment was
made In 1864, but it was not until the year
following that q permanent organization
was reached. p, In December, '65, there was
but one lodge, with 81 members at the;
close of '68, four lodges, with 3G members !;
at the close Of ''67, forty -one, lodges, with
6,N. members; at the close of '6g, one
hnndred hI and ninsty;fourt lodges, with s4,-
dred ana sixty.f9e lodges, With b4,2S9
members at the close of 20, seven hum
dred lodges, with $4,000 members !, and on
the 1st of March, 1871, there are not less
10000 members scattered throughout
thirty-one OF the States and territories of
this Union, while applications for charters
have been received from British America,
Italy, and Germany.
And yet the end Is not. and it seems
clearly, said the Doctor, that God is prepar.
ing for some great and grand development
in his providential government of the world,
at present yelled from our eyes. It's found
ers little knew what they were to do to-
wards repairing the damages to our social
rabric-towards repairing friendships shat
tered by five years of war and strife. They
worked in the dark, but "builded better
than they knew" They were unconscious
of the grandeur of the structure Whose
foundation they laid destined in few
short years to excite the admiration of the
world. Who, in view of the fact that God
has used human institutions and aspirations
in the past in working out His great ends,
can doubt that His hand is in this move
ment for a wise and benefcent purpose?
Benevolence, charity, and friendship, are
great moral virtues, and the Knight OF
Pythlas who is not true to these is false 10
| his principles. The speaker did not wish
to be understood as placing this Order on
an equal footing with the Church, but
when its principles and teachings are prop
erly carried out it becomes the hand-maiden
to the Church. It's principles are not to be
substituted for those Of OUR holy religion,
but they are stepping-stone to them.
| This Order, in common with others, has
| its.secrets, but there is nothing in its cere-
monies or initiatory rites which are incOn.
/ sistent with religion and sound morality.
/, But for woman the Order would consist
only Of crllsty bachelors and young unmar.
ried men; but the fact that 1t lends help.
1 ing hand in the hour of need and trial com.
lmends it to the husband and the father, and
should make every woman in the land its
friend and advocate. 30
When the beautiful hall, fitted up at great
cost aud with SO much.care and taste, shall
lhaye been dedicated to its appro pirate uses,
1.-The Doctor reminded his brethren that their
work will not be done, but will have just
commenced. Each knight should conse.
crate himself afresh to the duties of friend
lship, and; seek to make the Order grand
circle Of honor. He would not have q man
kept without its. pale because of his power.
ty, but none who are accorded seftish-and
mean from principle should be admitted to
it's privileges. q
| The Doctor closed his eloquent address
with the following beautiful apostrophe to
friendshin.
Friendship, beautiful friendship. Is there
IanSthing more attractive, more beautiful,
| more valuable, than sincere, disinterested,
| pure, abiding friendship. If l could ]
| would embody and impersonate this heav.
en.born beauty that wanders like a lost
angel among the haunts and habitations OF
| men, seeking to bind heart to heart IN liv-
ing sympathy and sweet companship, and
prompting to Offices of reciprocal tender
ness and mutual confidence. That beauty
stands before me in angel form-fnult-
an eve full of tenderness and yet
firm and steady in its expression.
The brow OF exquisite mould is calm
and thoughtful, the face beams with the
blending of Intelligence, fidelity, firm
ness, sympathy, and love. The mouth
evincing candor, frankneSs, and generosity.
Within them is heart ineXhaustibls in its
sources of benefcence, kindness, and un-
selfShness. The drapery that decks this
angel form is Deftting the character Just
described. The name Of the heaven-born
creature is Friendship. For land and
weary centuries the celestial visitant has
sought a permanent home on earth, now
and then finding temporary tabernacle in
human hearts, bat often doomed to wander
without a dWelling-place. Beautiful crea-
ture we have at last built for thee thou
sand homes; wander no more; 90 and
take abiding shelter beside our multiplied
Pythian affairs; sing thy sweet songs in
exile no more; dwell forever in our Lodges
us the presiding genius; and go with Us on
eur mission Of mercy to,tha world, healing
the divisions that have broken up the
peace and happiness Of families, Of commu-
EtilEthe King of Peace, descends foreign on
feaEth forever.
i AT THE HALL.
From the church the procession moved
to the hall, which, owing to the crowd Of
ladies that had already gathered there, q
very small number besides the Grand Lodge
and officers Of subordinate Lodges were
able to enter. AS the procession entered,
the Berger Family Silver Cornet Band com.
prising several ladies) played an inspiring
march, and the same accomplished artists
dlscoursed delightful music, alternating
with the choir, during the dedicatory cere.
monies. Their performance elected many
mplimentary remarks "a.t.l&
ra -E, THE DEDIoAToN. s. 'g-
Ali being in readiness, the opening ode
was sung by the choir, and Immediately
thereafter the Venerable Grand Patriarch
ID. W. Bohannon, p. q. g., of Richmond
Lodge, J advanced from the ante-room to the
altar, in the centre OF the Lodge, clothed in
a long black robe, and with a mask and
long white beard and gray hair. In his hand