The Washington times., 1894-09-07
Pythian Ritual to Be Used in No Other
Language in This Country.
SUPREME LODGES DECISION
Overwhelming Vote for the Majority Report
Recommendation Of the Council of Ad-
ministration That the Pythian Sisters Be
Not Recognized Ritual Would Have to
Be Amended.

L
A vote was first taken ON the minority re-
port recommending that the German lodges
be allowed five years of grace in which TO
adopt the English ritual, but this was re-
| jected-74 TO Al. On the motion to adopt the
majority report the vote stood IS to SO, all
but fourteen members of the lodge answering
| to their names.
The Germans voted solidly against the ma
| jority report and had the assistance of many
supreme representatives from the Northwest
ern States. When the result was announced
the Germans appeared considerably surprised,
but made nc further demonstration. They
refused to say whether withdrawal was an
! tcipated, but the general belief among the
| English representatives is that sucn a course
| is not apprehended. These gentlemen say
/ that comparatively few lodges are now using
| the German ritual and that the members un-
1 derstand English as well as their mother
tongue.
| The question was debated for three hours,
Representative Carter, OF California, making
| the principal address in favor of the abortion
| OF the majority report, and Representative
Fethers, of Wisconsin, speaking for the mi
| nority. 1t was argued against the minority
| proposition that If five years were granted
the German lodges they would apply for an
| other extension OF time at the end of that
period, and the whole question would have
| TO be fought over again. John H. Russo of
Indiana, submitted brief minority report.
Inc report which was adopted was signed by
| Messrs. Stanton l.. Carter Thomas D. Meares
| l.. r. Hunt and Aaron Myers, and in part
makes the following recommendations
RErUAL IN THE vERYAoULAR.
That henceiorth and foreyermore the
ritual used in this and all other English
! speaking nations shall be printed in the Eng
lish language only, and that when the stand
ard of our order shall be planted in country
| speaking other than the English language the
! ritual therein used shall be printed and all
| ceremonies over which this body has control
shall be conducted only in the language OF
the government OF such country. to the end
| that II Is 90 be known OF all men and to all
nauons that around our affairs Pythan
hnlglts are taught as one OF the cardinal
/, principles of our order undying loyalty and
| devotion to the government 10 which they
! owe their allegiance whether il bo the land
| OF their birth or the country OF their adoption.
Your committee is of opinion that our
! German brothers are. as a rule, as true and
! loyal citizens and as loyal and faithful Pyth-
ian knights as any other members of our or
| der, and that they were in the main at first
! disposed to accept the action of the supreme
| lodge and abide by its law until ii could he
| reversed by legal and constitutional methods.
! End that but for the encouragement given
I them by members of the order in authority
and the agitation Of the question begun and
carried on not only among the members, but
/ In the public prints thus for selfish pur-
| poses iniaming and keeping alive the feel
| ing OF dissatisfaction with which the legisia-
| tion of 1892 was received by our German
! brothers. there would have been but little if
any. difficulty in carrying out the purposes
| OF that legislation.
| NO AFFRONT INTENEED.
"Owing 10 this encouragement (Which your
committee regrets to state came net only
! from officers of subordinate and grand lodges,
| but from members Of the supreme lodge)
there gradually arose belief that the action
] OF the supreme lodge was intended an
! atfront TO the German lodges on account of
| their nationality, and was actuated by de-
! sire to drive them from our castle halls, an
! impression which your committee believes
/ had not the slightest shadow of truth for
! foundation, and could readily have been dis
| pelled had those members OF the order who
! dissented from its action have been Jealous
! in disabusing the minds OF our German
! brethren of AS they we're in disseminating the
contrary idea, and had the officers of the var
! ious grand and subordinate lodges firmly ex-
| ercised the authority conferred upon them.
and complied with the obligations they had
! taken at our affairs upon the first signs Of in
| subordination, your committee believes that
no part OF the present difficulty would have
arisen and that the supreme chancellor would
/ not have been called upon TO exercise his au-
! thority, nor the supreme lodge been put to
| the necessity of considering and determining
! whether il should support him in the manner
| in which he has. with conspicuous ability and
unfiagging Pythian zeal. sought to perform
/ his obligations to enforce and maintain the
! laws of the supreme lodge and TO stamp out
all spirit of insubordination and rebellion re-
RHrdless of when or where the same ap-
! peared, and thoughtless of what might be
/ the personal consequences to himself. having
regard only for the integrity and prosperity
! of our order and the enforcement and ad-
vancement of the great principles which un-
/ derlie it and upon which it depends for its
| perpetual and future prosperity.
From the statements adduced before it
| your committee is also OF opinion that certain
members of the order, including a member of
! the supreme lodge, did authorize and have
! printed copies of the German translation of
! the present ritual, and that such printing was
| done in an Office where the printers were not
members OF the order. and that some. at least
/ of the German lodges in the jurisdiction of
! Illinois contributed money 10 aid in paying
| for such printing and your committee is of
! opinion that those printed copies of the ritual
are still in existence and in the possession of
/ q member of the supreme lodge"
| During the morning hour yesterday the rit-
ual OF the Uniform Rank was referred to the
supreme council for report
/ The report OF the council of administration
recommending that the Pythian Sisters be not
recognized, was made the special order for 10
O'Clock this morning. In their report the
council say affiliation of the two organizations
would necessitate an amendment of the ritual
| for subordinate lodges, which cannot be made
| under the constitution at this convention.
The evening session convened at o'clock,
and the discussion of the code of laws for
the Uniform Rank was continued. Shortly
| after 10 o'clock recess was taken until $50
| O'Clock this morning. The special order for
to-day is the consideration of the report of
administration recommending the non-recog-
milton OF the Pythian Sisters.
Supreme Chancellor Blackwell received a
! telegram from friends of B. F. Franks, of
! Belle Plain, Iowa, requesting that search be
| made for Franks. The latter is a member of
the Uniform Rank. and came to Washington
to attend the encampment, but has not yet
returned. His friends wire that one of his
children is at the point of death. and that he
should come home Immediately. Upon in
| quiry of the members of the supreme lodge
last night, a TIMES reporter was informed
| that nothing is known of Franks. and it is
| impossible to comply with the request of his
| friends.
Rifled Registered Letters.