The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-07-11


has come generally To be under
stood upon the outside that it is
society OF ge tIemen aud it's por-
tails have been so well guarded that
it maintains that general standard.
Go into any community where 1t
has footing and you find that the
very flower OF its young men con
stitute its membership. Without
meaning TO reflect upon other or
ders | dare assert that the order of
knight Of Pythias stand upon as
high social, moral and intellectual
grand as any other secret order.
A great destiny awaits 1t. II
made the broad, fond boast at its
inception that it was to embrace
the world in its jurisdiction, and
it is heartily verifying the boast.
A grave and fearful responsible
ty rests upon us who have its des-
Tiny in our keeping to maintain its
purity. We can DO so best by fol-
loving its teachings. 1t is de-
signed TO bless the world and We
dare not impede IS work. Upon
bin who By his own unworthy con-
duct brings reproach upon it and
thus binders It's benefcient designs
will be charged a grave acd fearful
sin.
What means this assembly of our
friends? Theyscame to pay with us
tribute of esteem to the names Of
those whom they also loved and re-
spec ed Tor their manly worth; but
not alone for this. They have
learned t. respect the order and to
admire its doctrines and purposes
80 far as they ale revealed outward
ly.
1t increases with tenfOld inten-
sity The obligation that rests upon
each individual Knight to so order
his conduct that it will be q con-
tinuous, living pledge that the pu.
rity Of Pythianism shall never be
sullIed.
1t would not be true were | TO
say Wa have no Unworthy Knights,
but it is true that they cannot be
unworthy and remain Knights.
These reflections upon the pur-
poses and personnel of the order may
seem perhaps inoportunely said
but | deem it proper tribute to our
lamented brothers to state 1t il
such light as l know they held it,
They had Their faults and who
has not?
They came not up to the meas
ure of perfect Pythian KNIGHTS =
and who does? Their lives were
not perfect-and whose is?.
Let him Who is faltless in his
own conceit cast the first stone, ant
in that very act he betrays himsei
UNNECESSARILY more -rthy of hi
own criticism.
God mOulds and fits the brick il
the edifice of humanity He is
building for His glory, each for il
exac. place, AMI we may not b
able to discern the purpose of eIG'
others life until The structure i
complete and scaldless eyes.
He Institutes such means t,
mould men for their place as suit
his purpose and answers the cad Of
mans creation, and this uur order
, and these, were of this creation.
Such sre the principles protesseC
by those whose memories we homo
o-day, and such are some Of tn
fruits thereof. These have mad
the las. leap, have passed the 70 lrtl
ordeal. The Infidel would persuad
ed us it was leap in the dark
but it is not 50. T. was leal
r into the light. By the principle
they protested, by the lives the,
lead, and more particularly by til,
, mercy of God we who survive, en-,
, terrain the sweetest hope that in
briet span, when life's ftful feve
, is over with US, we shall meet ou
friends in the lodge triumphant
whose Chancellor Commander i
the Lord, and to that end let eacI
of us
$50 live that when the summons comes t
join
The innumerable caravan that moses
To the pale realms of shade, whore eac
shall take
His chamber in tho silent halls Of dealt
We go not like the galley slave at nigh
seouIgsd to his dungeon, but soothed an
sustained
By an untaltering trust, approached I'll
grave
f Like one who wraps the drapery of h
couch
About him and lies down TO pleas an
dreams"