The Society news. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-18??, 1883-10-13
SIGN AND GRIP.
SOME THINGS CONCERNING OUR
SECRET SOCIETIES,

There are 10000 Masons in Italy.
There are 172 Lodges working in Spain.
In Cuba there are Al Lodges and 2,793
members.
Dakota has l,l57 affiliated Masons and
81 Lodges.
There are 44,tOO enrolled Masans in
Germany.
Connecticut has 112 Lodges and 14,739
members.
Delaware has 81 Lodges with total men,
bership of 1,341.
aggregate membership of $4,000.
The Grand Lodge of Iowa has a law ap
proprating five per cent. OF its gross income
to a charity fund.
The Knights of the Golden Eagle are re-
ceiving a large number Of new members.
The order is deserving of its increasing
popularity.
The Select Knights, A. o. U. W., of this
\ city, has been instituted since last Decem.
ber. Although its beneficiary amounts TO
| $4,000, it has had no assessments since its
| organization.
| Shanghai is the principal seat of Free
| masonry in China. Here there are seven
| Lodges, three of which work under the
| English constitution, two under the Scottish,
one under the American, and one under the
German. one
Lodges will not grow where members are
Indifferent. No hedging in will drive the
men of city or town into any Lodge Nor
will prevention of organizing new Lodges
do it. In all cases and everywhere, growth
means work. If you want increase work
for it. new Lodge may start in the same
hall which has been long occupied by a
stagnant body, and that new Lodge, with
active, earnest members, will grow and
thrive when the old is dying.
In the editorial matter of recent number
Of The Iron Hall, an official organ published
by the supreme body of a somewhat prev
slent endowment order, is a sentence which
we regard as infamous. 1t says: "Imaginary
minds tolerate the idea that Jesus Christ
was more than an ordinary man, which, no
doubt, is true. But we believe there are
many on earth to-day that are his equal"
We regard this as abominable grammar and
worse sentiment Does that order intend to
officially propagate what nearly all the
worthy people of this country regard as
blasphemy? We know that this sentence is
abhorrent to most, perhaps all, of the mem
= bers OF branches in this region, and we can
> not suppose that the supreme body will per
init such offensive utterances in its organ
l | If it Will and does, let us know the fact aDC
7 its days are numbered. The members will
+ ! not hear It.. ~ 10
though not numerically as strong as SOM
: other organizations is founded on an excel
lent basis, and were its principles more full,
: understood there is no doubt but Their
Il would be great increase In its membership
Z The members have in the past seemed t,
. desire to hide their light under bushel, or
it may be, became apathetic, and made YER
u little effort to build the order up, or brinj
u in new members. But now as new order
| fhnnn how
to be awakening from the lethargy that ha
u already bound them too long, and the con
y sequence is a renewed interest in the pros
,, perty of the order. There are two lodge
u In this city; Washington Lodge which meet
on Monday night, and Liberty Lodge oi
Wednesday night Their meetings are hel
10 in the Lieberman Building, Fifth and MAJ
y y ket streets and any respectable white male
81 between the ages of Is and so years, cat bl
y ! come member on the payment of sma
q initiation fee.
IN The Knights of the Golden Eagle are con
as paratiyely new order in this city, and hay
as rapidly attained great popularity. IL
ID order was organized in Baltimore about te
10 years ago, and during the prevalence OF Il
Il smallpox in that city last winter, done &
,d iective work in ministering to the wants
ii its members. Cyrus Castle No. l was il
o. stitutcd in this city little over one yet
n. ago, and last June was followed by Apol
or Castle No. 2, and in a short time atterwart
ed by St. George No. 3. No. 4, which will
IF known as St. John Castle, is now beir
ns formed, and some twenty names ha'
n already been obtained for No. ). The obje
mo- of the order is the same as all others of
~ like nature, the assistance of its membe
ly in sickness or distress, and its ritual bea
~ tifully illustrates the progress of the pilgri
on and faithful knight, until at last he la
bis down the cross and is rewarded with t
nd crown. The meetings are held in the Smi
he Building; Apollo Castle on Monday evenin
,g. Cyrus on Tuesday and St. George on F
,ry day.
of tits duty that every working man ow
Nv, to himself, and If he has wife and childre
om to lis family, to belong to one or two go
he beneficial societies, end after he has on
nd become a member he owes a duty to
rue lodge, himself and his fellow-members, a
an that is never to be absent from meeti
re. that he can by any possibility attend. I
of man who belongs to an order and seldo
as or never attend the meetings, is not go
six member, aud sooner or later will lose all
er. teresl liz its proceedings, become in AREA
OF and finally Gnd himself dropped, it may
IL d lust at time when he needs It's asslstan
the Some one must attend the meetings, lor
md different offices must be filled, commit
re- work must be attended TO, ana II none
seIf willing TO do this the lodge will soon
,od cline. and its final dissolution is only
re- ouestio.4 ef time, Another thing in t
the connection is Ghe iact; which possibly
his careless brother seldom thinks OF, that ht
in asking his fellow members to do the We
which he is shirking, and maintain an
ganization for his benefit Many, no dou
act in this manner unthinkingly, but
of should bear In mind that the bare paym
the of dues is not by any means the sole gu
be ncation of good member
mer The banding together Of number OF
pro, sons, and the mutual agreement to Great
zeu fund by small weekly or monthly contri
tions for the purpose of assisting each OF
10 eickuess or distress, Is praiseworthy
c to ject, AID Worthy OF the highest commen