, 1876-03-12

ths mortuary lRv ors vvtdly to notice, and enables
insurance with no poszibe laws defects in the pol
at cost according to the record Of deaths the
for policy Of Geo. Let the recollection Of the un-
told good that this q 600 aJ possibly do to the widow
o1 stimulate x s1eh ana every ons to respond
remembering that Of the greatest Of virtues ia
charity.
o tempora! O mores and has the Order OF the
Knights Of Pythias reached that point when it
needs such an exponent and 80 valiant q cham
pion For myself. would say that it was with
feelings more Of sorrow than Of anger that I
read this eulogy(?), when. On the authority OF q
g member" road That the Order Of the Knights
Of pythias had to hold out insurance induce
ments to swell it's ranks, and. while endeavorlng
to give force to the statement by announc-
caey @ to statut. which can
never become operative by throwing around it
the mantle Of charity: While: however, the
"membor and may differ on this mattor, and
he taking tho excessively practical view, may
condemn mo as sentimentalist, still there ID
one point On which I purpose to make him agree
with me, namely, that ho has 4 do not say in
tentlonally) misrepresented the facts, and, by
picture which might catch the unwary, has done
great injustice both to the public and the Order:
It "member's" reply means anything, It
means that the widow Of any member N gooo
standing of the Order Of the Knights OF t'ythlas
would, in case Of her hnsband's death. DO Gu
titled to the sum Of $1,000, which would come
out OF the mortuary fund.- This is the sub
stance Of his statement, though he taxes tue
opportunity to make special appeal for com
piiauce with the '' mortunry assessment. Inc
statement Of ''nember in thls connectson
| ing so sweeping denial would take LIS state
uoent IN detail and sustain my demurrer
Eirst-A " member states that there il no"
| law which enables widow to obtain an amount
f.At1H ana rff
| ply to this, I would say that such law Is not,
| even if itwere constitutional, operative as. in
Wow Of the radical effect upon tbs state Con
etituton it, would require to be submitted to tne
Supreme Lodge. and by it conhfmea' e1 oelore u II
| enforce compliance Herewith. and, as this act
wss on1y missed at the last session Of tho Grand
Lodge Of Illinois, aud no Supreme Session in
torvening you will easily perceive that 1t can
hardly le claimed to be iaw. In this connection
a = u,euher and all interested will please con-
suit Sec. 8, Art.,7 Constitution Of tho supreme
Secon7-That, since the enactment above TO
! fered to, passed at the last session OF tue
right of the State body to mike assessment on
! members, such law must, in view Of preyloos
enactrents Of the Supreme Lodge, be declared
Unconstitutional and "member,' or othofs
interested will, By examination OF the supreme
| Lodge Roports, find that that august body. aftei
! dns cnnsideratiou Of tho r1gh. OF Grand Bodies
to ,ayy assessments, decided in these emphatic
words
In relation to the power Of Grand Lodges to les:
assessments, and refusing to admit sueh o. tat
nav the same, the Committee enpnat:c2ly 3spoft sA'
| nD Grand Lodge possessed Such power.
TAird-A member mentions 81, 600 as the
| Sum to be received by the widow under tue 1e
| cent provision. He had better read the lae
journal Of Illinois, and he will hnd tnat the ooa
mover proposed to provide for anything NOR
than $500.
J Other organizations provide such 1uno ou1
side the portals Of the LodGe-room, and long q
Derience has evidenced their wisdom and tee
relieved by the CONSCIOUSNESS saat forca .,
cur membership law which RoM
reduce Pythlan Kniehtl1ood to cheap 1nsulanc
compsny, /. WAS not for that joined the U
der, nor did it enter into any sentence OF my on
. | lipation-the ritual condemned 1t, aod the IL
: functions received forbade II:
> "a far. am pleased to note that the lodge
here are hiding events; and are refusing 70 COZ
Div. 1mperial Lodge. which hss within =. II
bounds, both az members and tIoquent t'ei tha g.
preme Lodge, old and hopored members OF tn.
hodv. has chosen its ground on this matter az "a
= 4efises to comply. Excelsior No. :. II
i home Of the Grand vlce-Chancono, Q,
also says nav to the demand, and many more a
. taEinr similar view. This is not to be wonders
At AZ an the occasion OF tho last vlslt OF II
d Grand K. Of r. S. of this State to thls clty I
= stated plainly in answer to the query. ho
about lodges that refuse to pay the assessen' at
; course, reap the benefit in Gaze cue OF the
. members diod-thus evidencinc that It WAS
= | matter Of choice
have been somewhat lengthy in M ~ remsss ansss
the subect is one ,a n the b1esh
,, throughout the State desired to place the 81
j ject Of tho "mortuary fund plainly ne1o
'c them, so that they might decide for themselv