The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-31
THE KNIGHTS OF HONOR.
ADVANTAGES AND DEMANDS OF THE
ORDER UPON MEN.
Help Each Other, Help the Sick and the
Afflicted, Minister to tho Wants
of the Widow and Orphan.

iHc lOlloWlnR hudfcsS was recently ucllV-
cred by the Rev. N. NJ. Long, at an enter.
tainmont given by Memphis Lodge No. 100,
X. Of H.:
l have been requested 10 address you on
this occasion In regard 10 the claims and adj
vantages Of this great organization, Of which
Il Is my privilege 10 be a member, the
Knights OF Honor. | regret that hitherto
other claims and duties have precluded me
from that Intimate acquaintance with its
interior workings which one should have
who essays TO speak upon the subject, and
for that reason ! have felt n strong suspicion
that n worse selection than myself could not
have been made, but / have always held the
view that n man should never shirk any
work that lac Is called upon 10 do, however
great may be his personal feeling OF unfit
ness but 10 do that work the best he eau
and leave the responsibility to rest in thos,
who made the choice. That at least should
be the principle Of every knight Of Honor OF
OF Arms.
Tho world has always had her knights, In
principle II not in name. She has had them
by conspicuous name and deeds for centur
les. But, whatever was the local name they
bore, the great ideal was the ame IL wa,
that of courage, OF unialtering loyalty to oh,
legation aud heroic faithfulness In the pro.
lection OF the weak and vindication OF thC
right. In the ancient times Of physical dan.
gers and oppressiona almost c~easeless wal
aud revolutions, knights were men of arms.
They carried sword and lance aud shield.
They took a solemn oath 30 protect with
dnuntlcss courage every righteous cause aud
~ guard the feeble aud oppressed. Espec.
tally was woman the express object OF his
care and courtesy. Every knight was sup
posed 10 carry his ideal OF female loyelincss
cnshrined within the form Of some living
woman, whose presence or whose image,
ever present In his thoughts was the incen.
tive 10 the grandest deeds and the inspira.
ton Of his noblcst purposes, and whose hap.
piness and honor he stood ready 90 defend
IN defiance 10 any foe and at the risk Of any
danger.
Chivalry can never perish from the human
breast The forms may change with passing
centuries, changing civilization, and new
conditions and Developments. but the prin.
ciple survives all length OF time, all changes
u all revolutions OF conditions. IL II the
responsive instinct Of all healthy mankind.
knighthood has lifted is heroic form In
every age and every nation since the dawn
Of life upon the globe; u will stand alofl In
living power and splcndor until the sun
which lights the course Of manhood sets for
ever. Whenever men climb up above the
linc of chaos and barbaric rudencss. knight
hood becomes incarnatc In the forms OF Inv
ing men. who become the champions Of
duty. In this nineteenth century we still
have our knights and knighthoods, peaceful
organizations mostly. but still composed Of
men pledged 10 right some wrong or achieve
some noble purpose.
Not the least conspicuous among these
knightly orders stand The knights OF Honor.
There u no word that covers more In iis
requirements or possibilities than this word.
too often lightly used, "honorv IL mean,
almost everything n human being ought Ia
bc, or ought 10 do. A man 81 perfect honor
u a perfect man. lie who responds 60 every
claim hat " right aud Just u n man 81
honor. Honor covers almost every oblim
ton ~ our existence, aud includes. by i'm.
plicntion, the entire sisterhOod Of virtues.
A knight OF Honor Is a pledged cham.
plon 81 all these virtues, aud thi,
brotherhood are bound together hy
sacred VOWS 10 mutual %sympathics, interests
and imtcrnai love, respect aud conduct Al
order Of this Kind II In IL nature aud de.
signs, bcnciccnt and good. A brotherhood
with that ideal NJ IT, standard, carried into
mutual aud consistent practice, Il In every
scnsc a blessing. No one can be a gcnuin,
knight Of Honor without being made a bet
VI man. MNNNNfA NfNAN NN MAN WANf lfNI
before. lie takes his stand upon n noble
and ideal plane Of moral action and Of social
sentiments. His field Of life. Ut purpose,
and Of action Il hruadcncd. lie puts ON the
J nrmor uf enlarged and stronger Obligation,
and more special pledges. lie II brought
Into immediate aud personal sympathy with
men, Who, like himself. az pledged Ia truth
b. goodness aud bcnciccnce. aud ac in
spinCd by tho same ideals. Men thu
] LH.HHHNN Int. E.sN.sN To- N..L.uL. G.N. T..
as slcrrd friends, heart bcatingc close 10 heart,
with a good and common purpose ihcii
BREASTS inspired by the same ideal, strik,
Ore irlm each other not the hrc II rivalry
or jealousy or strife, hut Of splendid virtue,
and lofty sentiments that iluminc Tie with
Cca-clcFs sparks ol kindly words and deeds
Considered ~ Itself then. ~ q brotherhood
% is not 70 be- dcspiscd or lightly thought ~
4 man may be a man VI honor without be.
Ing a Knight of Honor but no man can be d
real Knight VI Honor and not be an honor.
able man.
Hut aside from In intrinsic r,oni value q,
an order. u has H. objects uf q material na.
turc, that are bcnciicont and worthy the con.
sidcratun ~ any prudent man. one II ouf
hulicst pledges i 10 stand by each other In
trouble, sickness aud misfortune. These
thinru come Ia all. There arc times when
the strongest feel the need IT comfort, and
uf sympany and counsel, u not u aid. Sick.
ncss will pull down the mightiost frame. and
leave Il sappcd II al it native yignf, stranded
on thu bed ~ pain. We arr pledged to ca.
tend a. every brother thus afflicted the hand
ui help a. well ns sympathy. It, shall nni
want; his family shall not be allowed a.
suiicr. A. hruthcn We will stand about hi.
bed, and kindly give him comfort Then.
are alsn times II laurcr insldious fnss. de.
critful friends We are under 1rrci VOWS
tu give that brother warning 20 show a.
him his danger We shall not need advice
and look Ion u in vain. The worthy Knight
will keep his pledge 10 give ~ you
What light ho can in solving any
diuiculty, or guiding you through any lnhy.
uuth ~ deep perplcKity. Then its. insurance
policy looks ON beyond your CNit frDm the
walks ~ life, and reaches out the arms Ut
comfort aud bcniiccncc To the widow and
orphan. one can ,canccly make a better or
murr surc Investment. 10 meet the wants of
tiuso De- will leave behind him. and that are
dearest 10 him. Even u YOU live Tor duy
years after you have entered. YOU will moi
have paid a. much as your wife aud chill
durh viii receive when yuu can mo- longer
labor ior them. Hy the gradual payment III
n little over q per month. au amount which
many 81 us actually waste each month. no
doubt We are laying hp treasures not I'M
Heaven. but for people io enjoy after We
have gunr ~ Heaven. n YOU live Tor thirty
years after entering YOU will have Maid in
ahudt 800 II NJ that time you dIe Wbieh.
most 81 ne doubtless will yout family vtfi