The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-03
ADDRESS
Delivered by Prof. S. Simpson, of western
Maryland College, Before the Members and
Invited Guests of the Royal Arcanum at
Their Recent Banquet, February GOTH 1894.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO me has been con-
ceded the privilege of saying something to you as to
the origin the history and the object of the Royal
Arcanum. We for once depart from our usual Gus
tom of drawing the veil of secrecy altar
which is kindled a flame of pure devotion as we
keep vigil over the mystic tie of our holy compact
In fine, we have deemed it not improper to take you
of our friends into our confidence as 1t WERE and in
this presence of friends and associates we have been
minded unfold the working of the order, to illus
trate its principles to explain its methods, to EN-
phasize its doctrines. stimulate the initiated to
renewed endeavors in its interest and TO elicit from
those invited favorable estimate of its utility.
ON account of her time-defying monuments, her
ealacombs and her eternal pyramids, writers of all
ages sacred and profane, have been want to desig-
nate Egypt as the fountain whence has flowed in
uninterrupted abundance, all that is excellent in
science and art, all that is august attractive in
form of worship and all that is enduring and ele-
waiting in compact or fraternity Some institutions
are thought to be great simply from their great an
tquity but if there had existed in the land of the
patriarchs ON the confines of Eden ITSELF council
OF the Royal Arcanum numbering among the initi-
ated Adam, his sons and grandsons their reputa-
ton for business habits and morality would not be
likely to enhance the webeing Of the order in our
day. We take no antiquity, no country, and no
lOtdllL as OF TesptCt
Arcanum on account of what it is, and what it does
Our attachment to the order represented here this
evening springs from the wisdom and taste exhibited
in its formation from the purity ofits maxims, from
the unselsh sacrificing heroism of its members. and
from the silent streams of mercy that constantly go
out from it 10 supply wants and alleviate disresses
when hearts are breaking, and to bring uniailing
love and assistance to the helpless and the unpro-
teeted as they walk alone in land of shadows and
gloom.
In years. the Royal Arcannm has not yet reached
her majority As an order widely claiming recogni-
ton we are not yet age Just II years ago. in the
city of Boston, nine men, away above the average
Of character gifted in wisdom, and FAR
sighted in discerning the needs of future generations
with mutual goodwill and piighted faith bound
themselves together under mystic tic. and called
the band Royal Arcanum Thus in 1877, in the
Athens of America. was organized this brotherhood
on the principles of auIity, mutual forbearance and
philanthropy; and from that day it has grown at
the stonishingly rapid rate of about nine thousand
year, until the present when number $4,000 in
a cempanonship ofunshaken loyalty and sacrificing
devotion.
From the wisdom that has directed it and from
the prosperity that crowned the years of its
isteneewe would not be lacking in reverence TO
style the Arcauum child of Providence sent on an
exalted mission OF benefcence mercy and goodwill
among men.
This fraternity is attempt made to solvea great
problem meeting the problem on the human side
and looking at it from the human point of view
The problem is, what should be attitude person
ally and socially toward the suffering and SORROW
entailed upon our race? Misery and want have
been transmitted unimpaired from generation tC
generation. Clouds gather everywhere, and they
hang with peculiar darkness and disaster over many
homes
The Royal Arcanum is the answerto this question
The skeletal framework, the cardinal principle oil
the fraternity is charity-charity the central foun
daton stone, in value outranking the precious ru
bies Of the Orient Charity from which go out in
all directions practical help practical counsel prac
tical comfort and practical Kindness Charity in
its ilimitable and in its boundless sense. Not tina
charity which, though it hath the gift of prophecy
and understands all mysteries and all knowledge
and though it hath faith so it could remove noun
tains yet is nothing but the charity that suleretl
long and is kind, the charity that envieth not tina
doth not behave itself unseemly is not easily pro
yoked hinkeh evil, reioiceth in the truth, bear
eth all things, belieyeth all things, endureth al
| things These are the eternal principles upol
| which our order is erected, and acting out thes
principles she keeps watchful eye over her suffer
ing childrC and goes without ostentation 10 thei
| relief Thislabor ofloSe and work of relief is not
mere accident or an occasional kindness, but an or
| ganie agency which agrees and determines to lool
after the objects of its watchful care, whoever
| wherever they may be. Hence under the operation
of this branch of the order if need be- through In
dark nights of suffering and sorrow, its ministers
mercy sit patiently by the bed side, and if the cas-
require it, the necessaries of life laid down il
the stricken home until the sunlight of brighte
morning breaks over the family. Yea the Roya
Arcanum does more than this. 1t is sometimes sal,
that wives have frequently to make allowance 70
their husbands our order believes that husband
should make very substantial allowance for thei
! wives This fraternity maintains that no man witt
responsibilities and dependencies npon him shoul,
go about his regular duty lead life pleasure go
parties join social clubs or do anything else unit
| he has first provided competency for those dc
| pendent upon him-until he has first provided tina
his dear and his loved ones would not be turne
out upon the cold charities and the unfriend
pratices ofa selfish world in he himselfof SHOULD
drop out of the ranks to enter the sunlighted way
| Hence this order sets aside a sum not exceeding
three thousand dollars so that the wolf may be KEEP
| from the door and the dear ones rescued from tn
grasp of want and despair. 1t does more than tina
It provides that the set aside shall go straigh
TO the objects designed to be helped by it; no will
or writing, previous pledge of the deceased cal
| divert it from the direct channel. No cunning de
ceiver, no merciless creditor, grasping Shyloel
can touch one penny thus provided for the orde
eectually looks after it until it reaches the object
| of her watchful care The Royal Arcanum doe
more than this. In case brother gets sick and 70
months is unable to meet the payment of dues a
they come around, the order keeps a eoniingen
fund with which to settle all this until health
restored and the brother is on his feet again Nor,
than this Should member of the fraternity be
come permanently disabled through loss of liml
mental abnormity or in any way incompeten
through no fault OF his own, then the order shout
ders the burden of such brother and carries it from
year TO year ard when at last he falls by the way
ide this order transmits unimpaired the stated sum,
to the objects of his care and affection.
| have thus briefly given you some of the kin
Offices of our fraternity. 1t labors TO smooth tn
rough passages in the journey OF brother to pluck
up the thorns that grow in his pathway and to plan
the and the violet instead thereof 1t strives L
break and dssipate the clouds that gather hi
head shrouding his prospects with shadows. /
helps to beautify and adorn his home with all tn
domestic virtues to kindle on his hearth stones tn
fires ofcheerfulness and hope 1t teaches him tn,
lesson of sobriety, industry integrity and courage
When prosperity is turned upon him, it teaches hin
to restrain his pride and selfindulgence and if ad
and hope. And in the last hour, il wipes the swea
from his cold brow, closes his dsrkened eyes witt
fraternal fingers, and taking him in the arms of af
lection, it gently lays him down in his bed Of earth
| then hurries back TO look afler the widow and tn
orphan. All this with substantial aid to meet tn
/ future, otherwise often cherries and dark
Fraternal orders are the distinguishing mark
the present age true fraternity is the obectizet
expression OF the brotherhood idea running through
the Bible. The only stimulating force in the realm
of spirit is spirit the one creative organic agene!
in the formation of character is character; an i'm
portant condition in developing mind is the pres
ence offs developed mind and likewise the strong
est enforcement of the New. Testament idea o
brotherhood is the presence of an organized broth
erhood living and active and always exemplifyins
before the world the principles of faith hope ant
charity. George Eliot has beautifully expressed h
thought ideas she says. ARE often poor ghosts
They pass athwart in their vapor and do not maxi
themselves felt. But sometimes they are made flesh
they breathe upon us with their warm bre ath; the
look upon with theirsad sincere eyes they touc