Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-29
THE UNlF ORM RANK
A History Of the Military Branch Of the
PythisnG ---
Its Early Struggles and Rapid Growth
The First Efforts to Secure
q UnffOrm.

OF q knight OF Pythias, you must never al
lude to the order as a semi-military body.
A long time ago such an appellatfon might
have been deserved. but today the order. for
the Uniform Rank Of II. at least, is a real
military body patterned after the army OF
the United States, systematically officered,
thoroughly drilled, and ready at an in.
stant's notice TO be valiant in the defense of
the national government The early results
of the efforts at the establishment of the
Uniform Rank was somewhat amusing. be-
cause the question of a uniform was left
largely for nnaI adoption to the different
Grand Lodges Of the various Jurisdictions.
and in his history OF Pythian knightnood,
Gen. Camahan describes the conditions as
they once existed.
1T is seen that there was a general de-
sire for bringing about a uniform feature in
the ranks Of the Order" he writes. There
was, however, no definite system adopted
whereby this could be done The Supreme
Lodge, it is true. demanded that this mat
ter of uniforming should be attended to.
but there was 10 attempt made in any d.
rection to enforce obedience to this man.
date 1t is not to be wondered at that the
membership did not voluntarily procure the
uniform prescribed by the Supreme Lodge.
The facts in the case WERE no one could
define specifically what constituted the uni
form. True, the Supreme Lodge said. bal
dric sword. belt and cuffs but what was
to be the materiaif Was the baidric to be
OF plush, silk, or leather? No one knew. and
so the haldric was made from all these ma
terials. The colors of the baldric were to
be blue Lorde-ed with yellow, but what was
to be the particular shade Of these colors?
In a single lodge would be seen almost as
Sba Of
there were men In the column-from the
dark indigo blue to the lightest possible
shade OF that color; and 80 OF the yellow,
varying from the deepest and most pro-
the lightest cream color"
Lack of Uniformity.
Further on. Gen. Carnahan says: This
diversity Of uniform was especially notice
able at the session Of the Supreme Lodge
held in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. in 1877.
There was large attendance of knights
from the different portions Of the supreme
jurisdiction. Quite number Of uniformed
bodies, drill corps they were termed, were
there as neatly attired as il was possible to
be- In black suits with baldric, sword and
belt. Guns and helmets. or caps, as near to
reel lation As possible, according to the
conception of each organixatio but there
Mas the inevitable diversity of color and the
different styles, shapes and material OF he'd
nets. Yet II either body had been alone IT
would have made q creditAble appearance,
but, brought together in one column. as
represen tatives of one organization, the dis
similarity became painfully apparent. Many
OF these drill corps had made a special ef-
fort to appear well. But there were other
classes that took part in the public parade
and they very strongly resemhied Falstafrs
soldiers. There were swords and belts
buckled over long coats and short coats.
over white coats and black coats, yes, and
over linen busters. Some had helmets, some
lad caps, some wore silk tiles and others
straw hats, but they all had swords and
belts. This display Of miscalled uniforms
on public occasions OF the order provoked
much ridicule from other societies and
many of the knighthood had been brought
thereby to the firm belief that the time had
come for the order to take advanced
grounds on the matter of uniforms and the
uniforming of the knighthood."
1t was from these drill corps with their
queer assortments of laugh-provoking ac-
Uniform Rank of the knights of Pythias
was to spring. 1t was seen that they were
beneficial to the order, inasmuch as they
tended to create an Interest in fits prosper
ity, and at the ninth annual session of the
Supreme Lodge. held in 1877, the first sys-
tematic movement for the establishment
of the Uniform Rank as a separate and dis
tinctive branch of the K. Of p was present.
ed in a series of resolutions from the Grand
Lodge Of Ohio. After considerable inter-
change of views a committee of five was an
pointed by the supreme chancellor to pre-
pare ritual, constitution, etc, Of a proper
organiza ton of a higher body under CON-
troll of the Supreme Lodge into which the
Uniform Rank proposed by the Ohio lodge
should be Incorporated.
Approved by the Supreme Lodge.
Founder Justus H. Rathbone was chair
man Of this committee. as he was OF the
committee which drew up the formation of
the endowment rank. At the Indianapolis
session of the Supreme Lodge in August
-
a report favorable to the matter. when, to
the amazement and disappointment of ali
who were in favor OF the movement II
was laid on the table for consideration at
.thunderclap. and many supposed II meant
the death of the proposition, but Founder
RAthbone went to work among the repre-
sentatives. to such good purposes that the
report was taken up next day. and the
committee on Uniform Rank directed 10
meet on September IL, following, In Balti-
more, to complete its work. The members
of the committee entered upon their work
with enthusiastic energy, and SO rapidly
did they proceed that they submitted a re-
port with a ritual. constitution and gem
eral laws for the Uniform Rank in time to
have the fact promulgated by the supreme
chancellor on November I. 1878.
How Ii Grew.
Immediately the work Of instituting d.
visions was taken up; the first to organize
being Columbus Division, No. 1. of Ohio.
which was instituted at Columbus Novem-
Der Q, 1878. Others were rapidly estab-
lished in Ohio. Maryland. Indiana, Viz
ginia, Pennsylvania Michigan, New York.
Missouri, Minnesota and Wyoming, and in
each Of these grand Jurisdictions there
were one or more divisions Instituted before
the Pythian anniversary of February 10
1873. Steadily and surely the new branch
OF the order Increased in membership and
power for good, and II would take columns
to recite the numerous Improvements and
reforms adopted for its betterment Regf-
ments, or grand divisions. were organized
in various states, ard the general laws
were from time to time amended to meet
the demands Of the order. Great attention
was paid to perfecting the members IN the
details OF military art Tactics were pre-
pared with view to greater and more per
feet organization, and provided not only
for the drills of divisions and regiments
but also of brigades, which latter bodies
were Differed In the same manner as such
organizations In the regular army each
being placed under the command of a major
general the whole Intention being 10 mold
the Uniform Rank into one great fraternaI
army, wherein each man would be trained
and disciplined to be not only a true
knight Of Pythias, but a brave and self
reliant American citizen soldier How wen
this object has been attained every reader
can realize. as the ranks of the knights go
sweeping by in magnificent array I'm the
parade.