The Sunday herald., 1881-03-06
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Address of Hon. Albert y. Wills. OF
KCutusky

and in these United States. Seventeen years have
passed. and now, In the tullnoss OF those ftatetnal
feelings which Is the object and pride Of our order
10 foster 1t Is my happy privilege unite Win Non IN
gyn de ,1'n ~ o Sf Pythos Vas e,tabIlshed in
America II lisa time which should lie dear TO every |
member and every friend Of the order IN the land
time when memory bridges the eternal between now
aud then, uniting hy its magic power the past and tue
present together recalling the tolls and trias under
gone In Its establishment aud strengthening and IN
croasng hopes Of its future progress aud useu-
ness 1t is for this you have met ogehcr To bring
back tho memory Of your earliest efforts; TO cohseco
anew the offerings which you then placed upon her
altar repeat your solemn vowsoi hdety 70 mlngle
ties Of friendship which bind you together and nnay
to commune with each other In fuithetance OF the
high and noble principles which unhGre a organ.n wa,
bedded In the human heart as the principle ot bro'her
rrg ruiNttrLEs OF nHoruERnoop.
Man is by nature social being, We all have social
instincts. We love to meet cnch Other, to tell our
trials and dlsappointmcnts, aud to make Known our M
brethren Of one family; the same planet supports
aud the atmosphere surrounds US, tue same sun
cheers and eullghtens is have all the same physl-
cal organizations the same mental powers and the
same Immortal destination 10 cNemplify and carry
out these truths, to counteract and destroy the too
great love OF self 30 kindc again the sacred fires of
Friendship and brothcrly love, aud to promote the
noble aims OF All benevolent organizations But how
can we fail to keep these high aims In view when we
consider the lesson which Nature everywhere tcachesY
rStvrnsAL BENEvoLEScE
the grca, lesson of naturc2 The rain falls upon the
lust unjust alike; the wooded songsters pour forth
their sweet melody to every listening ear; the stars
gem the armament above us and cheer the pathway
Of the midnight wanderer whatever may be his
condition In c fair flowers scattered on every NH.
side and In every valley, exhnhg their sweetness and
blooming In beauty for all. unaskcd and unewarded
they exist only for our happiness. DO not a'i these
things teach less NJ bO they not teach us that
live for ourselves alone but that our friends
and neghboIs have claims upon us-claims which we
cannot deny DO they not teach us that we should
help all around and strive to add to their happiness
and promote their prosperity by a the means In our
power Brotherhood and bcneyolence are, then, the
great lessons of life and humanity. Upon these prn
| ciples numerous organizations have from time 10
time come into heing many of which are st In cAis
| ence. We have odd Fellowship, the order OF tile Red
Men, Masonry, and many others. me 3nlect wneh i
these bodies have IN view worthy Of all praise, and
have word of condemnation for any one OF them
hut by yuur courteous Invitation am here Tonight as
AN humble rcpiesentati,eof another order more re-
cent BIRTH but which promises outstrip all Of them In
the rapiy of It's growth and extent OF Its useful
ness; AN order which sprung the purest motives Of
'hc human heart, and whose aims grand, as good
and noble any recorded the pages OF history.
alludc, of course to the order Of the knights of
| rythlns.
| 1un cpiGiS ur mn ORDER.
The origin of beautiful order is of very recent
date. We giopc not among the fading traditions and
musty legends of the fadistant past to find its be-
ginning. III this city, In the month of February,
l'Gi the hrst knights Of Iyillas Lodge was . ns, &
do all remember that year. 1t was time oi dread
of doubt, Of darkness and of dcsoation. foi foni
long and weary years terrible civil strife had been
waged in our beloved country The fields of our once
peaceful land had been kneadcd into bloody cods by
the madlenng wheels of war: its regions Of beauty
and fertility had become wide of desolton
and horror; the ties OF friendship had been broken,
the feeling of brotherhood had been destroyed; in
every city and hamlet the voice Of mourning was
heard. Hatred and revenge and suspicion stalked
abroad
the hour, when the of battle and of bloohsled
was borne upon every breeze, the order of rythan
knighood was born, having fOr its aims relief hni
brotherly love, and for its motto the mystic r. e. H.
How suggestive the period of It's birth; how noble It's
aims: how appropriate both then and now Its triple
motto AS in the physical world the thunder clouds
will sometimes scatter away and reveal to MS the beau
so here in that Nrs knights of rytlas Lodge whose
anniversary we now celebrate, the black clouds OF
war and of hate were rolled away, and the star of
friendship shed its radiance upon band OF brothers.
From the fierce turmuis and hot stfes of the passing
day, with all sectarnn and partisan feelings laii
aside, men of all creeds and politics came together In
that Lodge room and found common refuge from
the ds,ensons which surrounded them. SO strange
! spectacle at such "A time soon had Its effect.
S PROGRESS or TIE ORDER.
From every direction petitions for dispcnsa-
; tions and for membership, and thus began growth
!, which is unparalleled in the history of any similar
order state after state has fallen into line and en-
listed beneath the standard of brotherhood, relief and
friendship, until now grand Gordon of hearts has
been formed, extending from the rock bound coast OF
Maine to the orange groves Of Louisiana, and from
the storm. swept shore Of the Atlantic to tho broad
, bosom of the gentle Pacific! And may we not hope
, that Its influence will widen and extend until war;
and strifes shall be moreunil the principles OF
universal brotherhood shall govern all the nations OF
supreme In the hearts and Of all mankind The
, question naturally arises, What is the cause of tht
, rapid increase Of the order?
OBJECTS or TIE ORDER.
Tie Is to lie found In the principles 1t imcul.
Gates and the objects which 1t has in view. These oh
teCts have been, as far as was proper given to tht
public and are very familiar to every member OF The
order. It teaches the puiest morality, and this II
does by ritual and emhlems so beautiful AMI impress
sive that they cannot lie easily forgotten. II break'
down the artificial barriers of society II obliterate'
- party lines, destroys secaran cxclusivencss, and
= Under Its benign influence jew and Gentle knee
side by side and offer up their prayers to the ON,
Father Of all 1t unites men Of every cline and
, country into body 1t lifts far up into the pur,
= atmosphere where friendships flourish where unIe-
served confidence holds sway 1t aids the distressed
+ soohes the unhappy; itsympathzes with tho unfor
tunac; 1t conpassionates and relieves their trouble,
minds; 1t pors into the wound Of suffering humanity
Good samaitan-like, the sacred balm OF consolation
r II smooths the pillow OF death; 1t wipes away th
&C widow tears and stills The orphans cries In
, all Its members the spell Of Kindness Of social anec
IS tion and OF useful philanthropy, and teaching the,
If confidence, and unity. In symbolic representation
II Of these holy purposes we have the three notices
Ii +. G. u.
e Of our first degree. Its significance is taught a
y the very threshold of the Order. To us as knights
i is fun of meaning. 1t teaches fidelity, frankncss
1 forbearance, and, above all friendship The beau
= and the value of friendship are most imrressiyel
;. taught by the ceremonies Of this degree The frs
Is oath of tho order Is taken amid surroundings whic
hx its memory In the heart as though craven with
= nen Of iron upon the rock forever. The truth thu
shadowed forth In ceremonies Is confirmed by tn
60 experience of every day life. We all need friends
II we need some one on whom we can rely-some one
re- share aud divide disapponments
In without friends or associates man leadsa life OF tn
10 utmost wrechedncss. His hours fly more swiftly an
q, pleasantly when In cOmpanonship with others; h
no enjoyments are increased when shared with hi
st friends, and his lose half their btternes
Ell when they call forth the sympathy Of those who N
H. travelling liie's journey with him our +. then de
e mands that we should say aud do all in orr power
,n shield each other from danger and annoyance. W
he are required by our VOWS to protect the body of
he brother knight from injury and his character fro
reproach, In sacred tnlhlment OF our obligaion.i
id this degree should be ready to aid broth,
n in distress. Let ms then make this T. part Of o,
IN daily life. Let MS be first 10 extend the hand of rr
ne aud honorable friendship, hrL at the bedside of Il
sick and dying and the last 10 leave the grave of Ill
parted brother. LET +. he ever prominently oefo
IS and the sacred vow of tie nrst degree Will he IN
filled.
THE MoTToC G,
The letter of our next degree Is G. admonishing
to keep sacred the VOWS We have taken. 1t deinan'
lr that tile mysteries OF our order should bc held nv
IA, late. To secure this result friends and brohe
he should he selected with great caution. 1t laen
at bic fact that there are many who seek our irledspf
" whose hearts are nied toward us With malice Al
A. deadly hatred. We have daily Illustrations of the
lie false pieenders, these serpents In the grass the
Ia prosperous, hut who leave when the first whisper
lie misfortune is heard Let MS, therefore, exercise d
caution In the choice Of our brothers and companion
nd Especially Is this caution to be observed at this tim
n our order Is exceedingly popular: thousands
NO strangers knocking at the door of Lodges
W N We are not careful In the selection Of member
~ our whole organization will he borne away from
ON firm moorings Of friendship and SET adTif upon Il
re- shoreess ocean of popular passion and impulse,
he me NorTo n.
e" The third and last motto Of true knight Is y
symbolizng hodness, fOrtitude endurance, an
bravery, BY bravery here ig meant not merely Il
courage to march with undaunted heart up TO Il
Is CanuOn's mouth, but II includes that higher ~
uobler courage which Is manifest In the successful /
siStance of temptation, In the unselfish readiness
suffer for the unfortunate. and In the patient endu
'' auce OF the ills of life This the courage Whit
as the member of the Ancient order of Knighthood
Ial required by his vow to advocate and To eNempf
he lie was the sworn champion ui right the aNcngcr
he private and public wrong, the guardian OF the wGa
he and the defender of the delenseless, II was Ii
as province To protect the widow aud the orphan; II "
RI his to defend the OF injured innocence; II "
ith his to expose wrong and Ia defeat vice. TO him
et insulted friendship betrayed, public order foulS vi
he lated and character DETAINED made their constant
IL peal; his, too was the duty TO hurl defiance at 4
oppressOr; his triumphantly TO resist the march
f,,Ia a iron