Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-05-08
Knights Of Honor.


SUPREME LopoE KNIonrs OF HONOR,
;. Office Of Supreme Dictator,
BosroS, MASS, April 10th, 1879.
[Ofioial Circular No. 10.]
TO all and Subordinate Lodges Knights
Of Honor, Greeting:
It is with great satisfaction that the SUI
preme officers submitthe following statement
relative to tho Widows and Orphans Beoe.
fit fund. 1t is we'll known that q lar,e
number of deaths occurred in our ranks
from yellow fever during tho past year.
Aside from this cause We suffered on unu-
sually heavy death rate during the summer
months up to, July; 1878, our deaths
had not numbered over twenty-one in any
month.
10 July the number of deaths was !, 80
In August, from yellow fever, 50
(" 's other causes 2l
In September, from yellow fever 10
other causes 80
In October, from yellow fever AZ
g. (" other causes 38
In November, from yellow fever 8
F" other causes m "a
Total from yellow fever 1913
+" 4" other causes l43
Making tho total deaths from all causes
in tho period of fvo months, 1886, and re-
quiring tho sum of 100000 to meet tho
calls upon tho Widows aud Orphans Fund,
an amount greater than had been dsbursed
from this fund from tho beginning of tho
order, five years previous.
To meet this extraordinary demand two
assessments were laid in November, two in
December, three in January, three in
February, and two in March. Much
trouble was experienced by the supreme
officers in placing the deaths in consecutive
order BY reason of the impossibility, in
lodges disorganized by the yellow fever of
making reports of deaths until long after
they had occurred. 1t was not want of
sufficient evidence Of the death, but officers
of the lodges were. dead or scattered, and
no ono was authorized to mako the official
report.
These assessments bave been oheerfullY
met, and orders on the benefit fund havo
now been issued upon all deaths up to
January 24th, 1879, and tho assessments
now in process Of collection will pay all
deaths to March first.
Since October 1ss, 1878, or6ers have
been issued on tho Widows and Orphans
Benefit Fund, for the following amounts:
In October, 1875 S $4,000
" November, 1878, 10000
December, 1878, 100000
January, 1879, 10000
February, 1879, 100000
March, 1879, ;l54,OO0
And in April to date, $4,000
Total se79,oo6
The first death in the order from yellow
fever occurred August 18th, and the order
for the benefit of the same was drawn Octo-
Der 10th. The last death from this cause
took place November Goth, and the order
| for the same was signed March 21st; orders
upon oil other deaths by yellow fever were
issued between these dates.
With n total loss more than double that
of any other beneficiary society, we have
paid in full every benefit caused by tho
epidemic, and proved to the world the
ability Of our organization to successfully
meet the severest trial This work has
been done with hardly more than the usual
number of suspensions and though our growth
was temporarily checked by the extraordinary
demand upon it's resources, rapid increase
is now taking place all over the country,
and VIC now number at least fifty thousand
| members
These events have proved tho wisdom of
our system of one general jurisdiction for
the Widows and Orphans Fund, and the
| efficiency of our laws for the government Of
tho order. No extra judicial measures
have been necessary to meet the cmcrgen.
cy, and all consultation required between
tho supreme officers has been carried on by
letter.
Aside from the payment of death benefits
about $4,000 was contributed. Voluntarily
for.the relief Of tho living, who were iil
want and suffering by reason Of the epidc-
mic.
In this record every Knight of Honor
may tqqke.a just pride. Il places US in tho
front rank as q great benevolent and busi-s
hcss ,institGtioh, and secures future Of
untold usefulness for our beloved order.
Fraternally, in y. NJ. A.
J.'A. CUMMINGS,
Supreme Dictator.
j. @. PLuMER, Supreme Reporter.
Contontmont is "a blessing, and it ill.,
within tho reach of all, but, IL will not b Q
found by him who goes out to seek it. Ill
is. something from within, and until the
heart 10 right all efforts aftet it must be id
vain.