Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-20

How doubly grateful should we feel to resllze
that assembled here are the sons and the sons
sons Of most every race, every creed, and every
nation under the canopy of heaven, united In
one brotherhood, ready and eager to practice
towards each other the Highest virtues and the
kindliest offices.
whose social conditions, whose intellectual at
tainments, whose religious and political beliefs
may be widely. different, yet men who are ever
ready TO relieve each other IN distress, TO feed
each other in hunger, to clothe each other when
naked, to care for each others widows and to
protect each others orphans; a brotherhood en
bracing within II, men, who, in spite ofancestral
Inequalities, stand united here to-day under the
banner of friendship, charity and benevoleuce.
The vast emigration from widely different
countries, which in recent decades has landed
on our shores, has given rise, in the minds of
some, to grave fears concerning the future of
this republic.
The fear that race prejudice could not be over
come, and fear thai national haired born in
foreign lands and kept alive by clannish
spirit must end in internal strife and in the Ill
innate destruction of this nation, has led many
to deplore the fact that this Government has
kept extended its invitation for the brain and
Drawn OF the civilized world to come and be Of
us.
The despots and tyrants of Europe have
looked on in utter amazement at our phenom-
email growth and prosperity. They have per-
mitted to pour in upon us elements that in the
old world would be sure to war upon each other
to their ultimate injury and destruction if
allowed there to come together in large num-
DerS ana under no greater restrcuoIiS IMAM are
exercised here.
The Kings and Emperors of Europe, cordially
detesting the liberal principles of our Govern
ment,. secretly dreading and fearing It's con
the combustible material thrown together here
from many hostile nations would some day
ignite and end in grand national conhagra-
ton and leave us in utter political ruin.
In spite, however, of the hopes of enemies and
the fears of friends so complete fusion of
races, so speedy a unifcation OF creeds and
afa wants
porous and peaceful nation, stands without
parallel in the worlds history.
Chief among the causes that have led to this
glorious result stands our public school system;
a system that has had most potent influence
in assimilating and unifying those born under
widely different social and political conditions.
Great as has been the influence of our public
school system in SO completely unifying ma
ton of foreigners, great as has been its intlu-
ence in making widely diyerging elements toll
Grant of each others creeds and opinions il
has, however, not been alone in bringing about
this glorious result Our mighty secret and be-
neyolent orders have had no little share in this
great work. 1t has been well said that ''ign0r
ance is the father OF prejudice and that ''the
true remedy for race hatred is contact and fell
lowship." Thousands and hundreds of thou
sands OF our native and foreign born citizens
have, through the influence of our secret orders,
been brought into the closest contact and have
learned 10 know, to respect, and to honor each
other, and thus, through fellowship, have pre-
JUDGES been made TO give way to fraternal
feeling; narrown ess of spirit to mutual toler-
ance, and dislike, to mutual love ana esteem
If our secret Orders hsd done no more than
to aid i'll the great work of unifying the people
OF this nation, this alone would entitle them to
our hearty support and encouragement But
they have aided in this mighty task, and in
more besides. They have relieved untold suf-
fering, comtorted untold misery, and protected
untold numbers OF widows and orphans
They have done all this and still more. They
have helped to make men better and rObler
They have taught men to think first of others
and last of self They have taught men TO drop
the veil Of charity over the faults of their fell
low creatures and to give others credit for good
intentions. They have taught men to cultivate
the noblest virtues, and they have instilled into
their minds the broadest principles of love, of
friendship, of charity, and of benevolence. 4
They have taught men to forget color creed
and nationality, and to treat their fellow beings
as the sons OF one father, the children of one
God.
Not least among these mighty organizations
for good stands the order of the knights OF
Pythias From the puny infant born quarter
OF century ago, 1t low stands erect, a great
and powerful giant; giant whose influence for
good is felt in the rem0test corners of this vast
Republic; giant whose mission is not to de-
stroy, but to build up; whose mission is not to
crush the weak and to alright thesinnocent, but
to strengthen the one and to protect the other
We may therefore well be pardoned the pride
We feel in the local growth of our organization
We may therefore well be pardoned the pleas
ure we take in rearing beautiful temple for its
home.
Though, living as We do in a land blessed
"
idence can give; though living in the land of
sunshine and flowers, in the land where the
least efforts OF man are most beautifully re-
warded, it is gratifying indeed to feel that the
enjoyment of these blessings has not made us
unmindful of duties toward our feilowmen. 1t
is gratifying indeed that generous surroundings
have but made stronger our benevolent i'm
pulses. That generous blessings, such as people
in few other ianos are permitted to enjoy, have
not made us iDsensible TO the calls of led and
suffering TO the prom, tings OF friendship, OF
n n bnn ic
deed that, living in the promised land and in
an age filed with selfish temptations that we
remain ever ready to give of our time of our
means and of our energies for the benefit of our
fellowmen; that we remain ever ready to sue
cor the distressed, TO aid the needy and to pro-
tect the, weak and the innocent. 1t is CRAFTY
ing to know that the increased prosperity of
this, and kindred benevolent orders, means
greater power for good and a wider influence in
the interest of good fellowship and OF charity
AS n member of society, rejoice in the pro-
gress and prosperity of an Order devoted to
most noble and unselfish cause, and to the best
inteTests of humanity. As a citizen of Sacra-
important addition to the architectural beauty
OF our lovely city. as an humble member in
the ranks of the Knights of Pythiss / am CRATE
ful that am permitted to take part in this most
important event in the local history of our So
ciety; and as a sincere friend of the Order re-
Joice that its growth and strength iustifes the
outlay involved in the erection OF so costly and
pretentious a castle as is here to be reared Let
the good work go on. Let us support and en-
courage our own and kindred noble societies in
their grand work OF uplifting men, and of tear
ing down prejudices. Let US aid them in their
efforts TO broaden sympathies, and to elevate
thought, 10 increase joys and TO lessen sorrows.
Let us aid them in their efforts to add to the
sum of human happiness by spreading the seeds
of virtue, morality, of love and charity. Lat
us aid them in their noble task, and let us earn
estly hope that their work will continue to
broaden and to widen, until its influence is felt
in the remotest corners OF the globe, and until
all men shah look upon each other as brothers,
and call God by one name.
REMARKS OF GROVE L. JOHNSON.
The President introduced Grove L. John
son as the next speaker, who delivered an
eloquent and forcible extenporaneous ora
ton. He said it was the aim of every man
in this as in every other country to have
home, g place that he can call his own. II
is one sacred spot which to him. is larger
than all the world beside. home,
habitation for himself, his wife and his
children. When man builds for himself
home BE at once becomes factor in So
ciety. The Constitution of every State in
the Union protects the individual In his
home by the beneficent homestead law.
ANY society, secret or open, political or
beneYolent, 10 aid the passions or preiu-
dices or to advance and guard the best inter
estsof the community, is but the aggrega-
ton of the single individual, and are sub.
ject to and governed by the same laws.
When society builds itself home, its fu-
ture life is sure to be prosperous and sue
cessful. We here to day are laying the
corner stone of our homestead. Not to one
man, nor one individual, but to sill the or
der, their wives, their children and their
orphans, under which, through which and
from which they can be protected from the
Universities of life. This will be our caslle
home, and as its walls shall ascend sky
wards may every brick that is placed and
every trowell OF mortar that is laid attest TO
the fact and say ii is our home. Let il be
the corner stone of our order, our home
and our hearts.
The ceremonies concluded with the bands
playing : medley Of National airs.
The \. j. stevens statue
There will be meeting of the Advisory
Committee of the A. j. Stevens Statue AS