The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-24

Day by the hnlSntS Oh GytllaS III THIS
city. The ceremonies were partici-
pated in by the members of the Grand
lodge, who concluded their annual
session at Provo on Friday, the First
Regiment band, Uniform Rank of
Colorado, the Rathbone Sisters, and a
great many of the members of the
order.
The participants assembled at the
Castle hall, on Richards street, at $3.50
a. m, where the proceedings of the
day We're opened by the presentation
to the various lodges of a profusion of
choice flowers by the Rathbone Sisters
for use in decorating the graves of
departed Pythians. The floral offer
ings comprised seven large triangles
and many other symbolical devices,
and much credit is due Mrs. j. H.
Jones for the beauty and variety of
the floral offerings.
A committee on decorations COM
posed of L. II. FarnSworth, Z. NJ. Pat
ton, George E. Ford, Mrs. J. H. Jones,
Mrs. Davidson and Mrs. Higson, was
appointed to attend to that part of the
business.
The ranks were formed in front of
the hall in the shape of a double tri-
angle, Of which the Aspen band
formed the base, and while occupying
this position handsome flag, which
was floating at half mast, was pre-
scented to the lodges by Mrs. Sarah
Baker, NJ. E. c., on behalf of the
Rathbone Sisters.
Flag Presentation.
Mrs. Baker made the presentation in
the following few well chosen and ap-
propriate words:
~. q
PythiaS: In behalf of the Rathbone
Sisters 1 have the honor of presenting
to your society this flag, which is the
emblem of liberty; under which all
mankind may unite-endeayoring to
accomplish the end of human desire,
which is happiness, peace and pros
perity.
I'VE ask you to accept this banner
as a. mark of our love and admiration
for the grand order you represent, for
its untiring efforts in the elevation of
human character.
May the end you pursue be reached
and accomplished under its starry
folds.''
Grand Chancellor John p. Meakin
replied in his usual happy and most
suitable way, as follows, after which
the band played 1.-The Star Spangled
Banner"
Mrs. Baker, M. E. c.: In receiving
this ensign for the many | represent,
and in speaking for them 1 am con-
scious of my inability to express in
words their high appreciation of your
fidelity, kindness and thoughtfulness
to our order.
I'm thanking you for this majestic
gift 1 am reminded of its protecting
powers, representing as 1t does glo-
riOus nation, bounded by the blue seas.
walled by the wide air, and lit with the
eternal stars-a land of the free,
home of the brave.
Under that banner our order was
born, Graded, nurtured and developed
into splendid manhood, and our hearts
beat with love and gratitude for its
overshadowing care.
I'VE thank you for what is in our es-
timation a priceless gift. We will pin
to its shining stars, the tricolored cur
tainS, the blue, the gold and the red.
The whole commingling forming a
mantle within whose folds is wrapt the
forms of equity, friendship, charity
and benevolence. Let us resolve to
carry on with high-hearted courage
the work we have set out to perform.
Though sometimes our labors seem
fruitless, yet we are certain that they
will be rewarded in the sunlit valleys
of the future. Again l thank you
The company then formed in line,
and, with Grand Chancellor Meakin
and his family leading in a carriage,
marched to slow and solemn music and
the beat of muffled drums, down Main
street to Second South; thence east to
Second East street, where a long line
of draped street cars were waiting
to convey the assembly TO Mount OIL
vet cemetery.
Memorial Grafton.
Arrived at the cemetery the band
played Nearer, My God, to Thee"
and Grand Chancellor Meakin delivered
the memorial grafton. which was
mastery effort He shortly traced the
history of Pythianism, dividing the
subject into three epochs, the first of
which began $50 years before the birth
of Christ, when Pythagorus founded
the Pythagorean societies, which
taught the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man.
The second epoch was inaugurated
by the historic act of Damon and
Pythias, the prototypes of the order,
which took place at Syracuse. on the
island of Sicily, where the soldier and
the senator gave such a token of true
friendship as the world will never for
get.
Pythianism then slumbered, as it
were, for centuries, until in our own
America the civil war broke out, and
when the echoes of the conflict were