The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-09
PYTHIANS DIDN'T APPEAR
Jersey City Lodge Disappointed
the Rev. Mr.. Houston Last
Night.

The Rev. Thomas Houston, the blind
minister of the John Knox Presbyterian
Church. and a congregation that crowded
the seats on one side of each of the two
aisles. were disappointed last evening at
the non-appearance Of Jersey City Lodge
K. of P, to whom the pnstor had an
nounced he would preach a sermon
esq ecially interesting to the Pyihian
Order. The minister was somewhat
en EMBARRASSED. He said the lodge had
promised to attend in q body, aud ne
could not understand why it bad not put
in an appearance. A nudlber of
minister evidently hoping that, like
Pythias in the Legend upon which
the order is founded they would arrive In
time at least to relieve him of his awkz
ward predicament. But the Pythians of
Jersey City Lodge did not attend. Pyth-
ians of other lodges who were scattered
through the congregation were invited to
lake seats In the vacant centre block, aud
nearlyla score responded. So Mr.. Houston
went on with his PythiRn sermon.
His text was taken from John 15:-
Greater low hath no man than this,
that Q man lay down his life for his
friend"
The story or legend upon which the
Pythian Order is founded was briefly re-
cited, after which the speaker showed a
number OF points OF similarity between
that order and the Christian order, and
also several points of dissimilarity.
The speaker entered fully into the early
history Of the order. on down to four
hundred years before Christ. when the
order aourished. It embraced men OF
afluence. of literature and religious
practices. Previous TO the time OF Christ.
however, he said, it had declined some
what, but was renewed after the first
century of the Christian era.
In the United States to-day, said the
speaker, there are 35S,0 0 members of the
order. and we have over 1000 of them in
order has received commentator. even
from It's opponents. and, Notwithstanding
the claims made upon 1t, 1t Can BOAST of
an OVERLOOKING treasury.
Then the speaker entered into com.
parsons between the Order of Pythians
and the Order OF CHRISTIANS, and the
stories upon which both were founded.
Allusion was made TO the fact that the
Pythian Order gave benefits TO the sick
and others In the secrets of the order
who fulfill certain conditions. Such
ben eits, however. were limited and tenn
porary. The order did all it promised.
n sometimes more. I was unfair 70
order OF the Knights OF the Cross, were
spiritual aud eternal. Not dollars and
cents; but the riches of faith aud heirship
to the kingdom in heaven where treasures
were laid up. where moths could not en-
ter and corrupt, nor thieves break In and
steal.
Next Sunday evening Mr.. Houston
will preach TO ths Knights Of Malta.
WERE o SATURDAY NIGHT.
Many of the members OF the lodge the
| night before had attended the institution
OF the new lodge In Union Hill, at which
tpirty-three charter members had the
three degrees conferred upon them. Jer-
sey Guys Lodges degree team doing the
work. 1t Is supposed the members We're
too tired 10 attend divine service last
night. Although a resolution lad been
| passed to the effect that the lodge should
respond to Pastors Houston's Invitation,
IL was hot intended that the me M hers
should meet before service and march
Into the church in a bsdy.