Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-28
Report OF Supreme Chaneeilor w. W.
blackwell.

Report OF supreme ChHneellOr W. NJ.
blackwell.
The report of the supreme Chancellor. W
W. blackwell. submitted to the supreme
Lodge. Knights of Pythias of the werii,
today. Is a document that viii attract vida
attention. both Inside and outside the orler.
especially for the vigorous manner In which
he deals with que stions rising from wnat he
terms an organized rebehie Of cer;ai., per-
sens who have persisted In publishing and
rising a German translation Of tie ritual Of
the order 1esotte the refusal OF the Supreme
Lodge so perrstt sueh tran stations. The
supreme chaaceiler makes a strong pie1 fer
Amertcanizius the order. He gives the t.sl-
lowing rs tie statistics of meYnbe- sht1 Of
the order according 10 unofficial reoSrts to
july j, 1871: CRAM lodges. 81; subordinate
hdSeS, 6.3Ss: total number of members,
4sn.s@l. net Increase OF I2.tr2J members
during the past two years. The financial
condition Of The Order is he states most
satisfactory, notwithstanding tae failure OF
the former supreme master OF exeheIuer.
Notwithstanding the enthusiasm and p:le-
nomenal record Of our past" says the
port. AMI The impe rtance Of our previous
sessions. i am profoundly impressed with
the belief that the session now at hand Is
IN prospect the most important ever hell In
our history and promises more for the fu-
ture than all our previous sessions conf
btneI In short. an idea and a plan VIII be
pre<e ed which. Il fu -ly de cieReI AMI ha:-
mon;ousiy adopted. VIII In the near future
raise our order to the imperial leadership
omors frate-nftfes by 5tampm; indeiioiy
upon its governmental policy that sI'blime
principle, heretofore unconceived and m
taught oy other societies. OF loyalty - Sui-
eminent, coupled with the pledge to uDnolI
practice and require the Use OF the language
OF the country In which our lodges are and
10 sustain this national and patriotic lea
BY declaring .liat hereafter we viii use
every means in cur power to assist any gov
eminent under which We 1--WE to upheld and
enforce. and to nationaIize and emphasize
Its chosen and accepted tongue. You will
also De called TO the consi Iteration of Il new
constitution for our future government
which e.elv>s a system very tar IN advance.
"f anything heretofore contemplated by z
fratcrnal society. The thought. time labor
minded. Intellectual and widely experienced
n-esnb FRS have Eeen given I'm an unstintei
measure to the perfection of this new svs-
tenn OF government. and / have every con-
nhed the fuii measure Of your expecta lions.
Future of the Order.
1T viii be conceded. trust. by those who
are familiar xith our history, that 1t is no
Idle boast, even In the face Of the fact that
there are a few disconnected individuals and
lodges here and there croaking their dis
cord. to say that the order universal is in a
most prosperous condition, and that the
times are propitious for a much greater in
before in our history We stand at the
threshold of a great future; the seefs of a
general system have been sown: the general
membership have a mere perfect under
progress than ever before; harmony in the
work through fraternaI interchange of
opinions, and a better understanding as to
the secret work. has been reached progress
sive plans and advanced ideas have been
set forth. and you have assembled as the
CHOSEN representatives in sovereign session
Tor the purpose of thoughtfully weighing
and adopting methods by which many of
these plans and ideas may become en-
graffec upon the body polite and crystal
fzed as a part and parcel Of its policy /
have perfect faith in your final Judgment
md here venture the fond prediction that
Jle outcoms of this session viii insure a
following OF million Of Americas best and
most active citizens ere this great brother
hood is ten years older God speed the hour
ind grant the prediction, shall be my
AuInble prayer.
The Pythinn sisters.
mo small amount Of friction" the report
iays. has been engendered during the past
two years, growing out CT the action of the
Kansas City session. dissolving all connec-
ton heretofore nor lnaiiy recognized as
existing between the Pythian Sisters and
the Supreme Lodge, and thereby bringing
this institution under the ban of proscrip-
ton through the adoption of a new ritual.
A part of my duty has been to rule that no
Knight of Pythias could legally join the
order OF Pythian Sisters. or any other in
stitution using any part of our name and
not under control Of the Supreme Lodge.
This decision has engendered much feeling,
and some of our so-called Pythian papers,
and even members of high standing. have
publicly insisted that the decision be ignor-
ed i have even learned that no less
body than the Grand Lodge Of Indiana, at
its session held at Indianapolis in June,
1874. refused to recognize and ratify a de-
eision of its retiring grand chancellor which
was based upon this decision. The Pythian
Sisters themselves have taken this matter
up. and my correspondence has been multi
piled many times endeavorinS to pacify
their rufiied feelings, with but very slight
il any, success. / therefore desire to pre-
sent the subject as an abstract proposition
for your consideration, and ask that YOU
give 1t attention In its broadcast possible
scope, that your final conclusions may be
accepted by our entire membership the
edict for their future guidance. While /
feel assured you can do no less than sus-
tain the decision as a matter of law, that Is
not the question here. The question here Is
practically this: What shall be the position
taken by our order for the future IN regard
to members of the order becoming members
of or holding membership in the Pythian
Sisters. or any other society our lady friends
may organize, using derivative of our
name or claiming to be an assistant or
auxiliary body to the order of KNIGHTS of
prospectiveiy coming before this body
among which / have heard of one that
will ask recognition for the Pythian SIS
tiers. another to recognize tine sisterhood
and still another to ignore all eX-
istirg claimants and create branch
entirely free from present complications in
which the wives. daughters. sisters. etc.
of knights OF Pythias can enter and be
fully recognized. my opinion Is that we can
best guard our interests by permitting the
edict of Kansas City to stand but, in view
of the fact that the Supreme Lodge, at It's
Cincinnati session in 1888, granted the
present organization of Pythian Sisters the
right to the name of our order, and
nominally to take in our members If they
wished, / am of tine opinion we are in
honor bound to lift the ban so far as our
present obligations prescribe the Pythian
Sisters, and permit our membership TO join
n they desire to do. This can be done by
special edict. making an exception SO far as
the operation OF the law may affect them
and let II stand to all other crganiza-
lions. i had quite n conversation with the
Pythian chief Mrs Robinson. last year In
Colorado and she assured me her institu-
ton would be entirely satisfied IL the Su-
IRENE Lodge would relieve them of the
ban and permit our membership to toin II
they desired. Since that time assurance has