The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1895-12-28
HOWARD DOUGLASS.
Past Supreme Chancellor,
Cincinnati. O.

ne was eleCJou Ou-
preme Vice Chancellora and at the convention
following, held in Toronto, Ontario, in 1885, he
was elected Sepreme Chancellor. His ad-
mnistration of the affairs of the office from
1886 to 1888 was characterized by great vigor
and success and marked possibly the most i'm
portant era in the history Of the Order.
Grand Lodges have power to increase
the minimum for funeral benefits over the
amount required by the Supreme Law, which
is $50.
But very few of the old Representatives
have been reelected. and as result a larger
number of new men will appear in the Su-
preme Lodge than ever before.
The members of the Uniform Rank in Port
land. Oregon. are making strenuous efforts to
bring fine Division of the Military Branch
of the Order to Mlnneapo in 1885,
All over Massachusetts preparations are
being made with view to coming into camp
at Minneapolis with the largest contingent
tnat has ever before come from the extreme
East.
BY the adoption OF the Supreme Statutes
last year, every Knight who was not sus-
pended. under charges or who has not re-
nounced the Order is entitled to the Semi
Annual Pass Word
Lodges should remember that while the
Grand Lodge may provide for dues being
payable in advance, yet the same cannot eff
feet the right of a member to benefits. because
OF his not paying his dues in advance.
The membership generally will be highly
pleased TO know that Supreme Chancellor
Richie is greatly improved in health and that
han ho 81,
the American Pythian Press Association, he
was apparently as well man as he ever was
Notwithstanding the contention that has
been going on as to whether or not the or
CARNATIONS of the Military Branch of the
Order should be called .sDlvisions" or Com
panies" there seems to have been very little
Justification Tor the few favoring the use of
the word ''company.' Supreme Chancellor
Richie has promptly and very emphatically
ruled that the name or the bodies of the Uni
form Rank is ''Division"
The American Pythian Press Association
has just been organized at the city of St
Louis, Missouri and starts out with the
brightest possible prospects, All the strong
papers of the Order have joined it's ranks
The Supreme Tribunal has just held it's
fifth sitting at the city of Chicago, there be-
ing present Chief Tribunal George E. Seay
OF Dallas. Texas and Associate Tribunes
Frank ii. Clark, of Cheyenne, Wyoming
John III. Alexander, OF San Diego, California
and Il. T. Chase Of Lewiston, Maine.
AT the recent convention of the Grand
Lodge of Illinois complaint was filed against
local saloon keeper. a member of PreuX
Chevalier Lodge. No. Is, of Quincy, the city
In which the Grand Lodge held its session. for
having displayed in his windows and on and
over his bar the emblems of the Order.
While but a few years ago hardly a single
member of Congress belonged to the Order Of
knights of Pythias. yet at the present time
nearly fifteen per cent of the House of Con-
gress are members of the Order and many of
them are men who are quite distinguished
and prominent in their respective states
The Appellate Court of Illinois has rendered
sweeping ruling in the famous Waldeck
Lodge case, arising out of the German ritual
controversy. and has reversed the lower court
where the judge ruled in favor of the Lodge
being privileged to use the German Ritual
The Appellate Court consists of Justices
Gary Waterman and Shepherd, three promi-
nent and able judges, who ruled unanimously
in favor of the Supreme Lodge, and decided
that Upon all questions of doctrine and
policy the society was the sole and exclusive
judge" This is the most important and eff
No department of Pythian Knighthood has