The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-24
SUPREME LODGE OF PYTHIANs.

Reports of Officers Showing Enormous
Increase i'm Membership.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
KANSAS CITY. Aug. 23.-The Supreme
Lodge of the Pythian order for the world is
big doors of the Scottish Rite Hall were
opened, the supreme chancellor and the
representatives who compose the Supre
Lodge passed through. the doors closed with
bang, the supreme outer guard assumed
his station, and thus the complicated ma
ChInery which moves the Pythian order
was put in motion. The seventeenth $685.
ion of the Supreme Lodge was then in
session. and to the rank and file there was
nothing more. The great doors shut out
siaers out of the hall. In the preliminaries
preceding the opening of the first session.
q reception to the Supreme Lodge was given
the officers at the Grand Opera Hall and
welcome addresses were made by the
Mayor and others, and responses made by
the supreme officers. This, the first formal
public greeting to the assem- bled represent
atives of the order, was 90 unostentatious
as it could we'll be- The panoplied knighte
added dignity and lent picturesQueness to
the scene.
Before the Supreme Lodge No in session
shall have concluded Its deliberations laws
for the order for the next two years will
have been made. Once made, there is no
appeal. 1t is the supreme body. and, as
such, it's deliberations at this time will
possess the keenest interest for every men,
Der of the order. To-day's session COM
prised only that portion of the scheduled
business which mandatory laws require to
be done OF the first days session. The re-
port of the committee on credentials. the
of oil n hap forr ~ h<a
Supreme Lodge rank were the only mat
ters considered. After the initiation of
new members Supreme Chancellor Shaw
presented his report. he congratulated
ress and it's continued prosperity and upon
the harmony which universally pre-
walls. The order enters the twen-
ty-eighth year of its existence.
of more than 100000 men marching for
ward under the tri-colOrs of PythianisnI.
One year ago 263, 900 names were enrolled
on the roster OF membership throughout
the supreme Jurisdiction. Within the past
twelve months this number has been in
creased to sos, 900. making an increase dur
ing the year of A, 1000, or about on e-sixth.
No fraternal organization In the twenty
seventh year of it's existence has ever been
able To attain such u percentage of in
crease. The DEVELOPMENT of the Uniform
Rank 10 q marvel. The records show an in
crease of 153 new divisions during the past
year. The Endowment Rank is In q healthy
condition. When the Pythian congress
was last In session. July, 1880, the numeri-
cal strength of the order, as shown by the
off cial reports for the year ending Dec. 81.
1889. was as followC Number of grand
lodges, II; number af subordinate lodges,
S,724; membership of the order, 263, SAT.
Official reports July /. 1892, show: Number
Of subordinate lodges, 1896: mem oership of
the ORDER 1872, TIC, or an increase in the two
years ending July /. 1892, of 110,117. being
at the rate of 50 per cont.
Major General Carnahan presented re-
port on the management aud condition of
the Uniform Rank. The report shows the
rank to have made splendid progress dur
Ing the past two years and to be now in
most t0urIshing condition. The rank has
grown beyond the fondest expectations Of
even General Carnahan, its founder. 1t
can no longer be considered an experiment..
Gays the report, but must be regarded as
On accomplished fact and as most i'm
portAnt branch of the Pythian order.
Illustrative of the growt tn of the rank the
report says: Feb. ~, 1890, the rank con-
sisted of sos divisions, q year later of S5S
divisions and on Feb. 10. 1892 of 9S5 divis-
ions with ninety divisions for the institu-
ton of which applications have been ap-
proved since the date last named above,
making total TO date of LOGS divisions,
with aggregate mem bership of moro
than forty Thousand and with brigade and
regimental ORGANIZATIONS in nearly every
important grand Jurisdiction"
The report of the board of trustees of the
Endowment Rank. as printed yesterday,
was presented by William ID. Kennedy. SUI
preme secretary of the rank. Until the
departure of the Uniform Rank little real
business will be done. Even members of
the Supreme Lodge. dlgnihed. staid though
they be. lind &c difficult to get down TO
work while the uniforms are being worn
strife out at Camp Shaw. But when the