Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-08-17
A NEW SECRET ORDER
Established in This City, at A. 0. U.
W. Hall, Last Evening.
The Lodge Is Senate No. 11O4 of the
Knights Of the Ancient Essenic
Order-The officers Elected and
the Charter Members.

bers. Mr.. H. T. Rockey, of Staunton,
Va. Supreme Deputy Organizer, has
been in the city for the past three weeks
calling the attentions Orcitizenstothe
merits and advantages of this aucient
order, and having secured sixty Of the
best men of this city as charter mem
bers, instituted lodge, and the follow
ing officers were elected:
Excellent senator, G.. w. Atkinson;
senior seneschal, Robert White; junior
seneschal, H. e. Browne; treasurer,
Jere A. Miller; secretary, C. P. Flick;
surgeon, Or. W. e. Stathers; assistant
surgeon, Dr. f. L. Warren; sarcedos, J.
z. Hughes: senior vigilante, John e.
Shellhase; junior vig.lante, w. c. Mey-
er; warder, DR.. ]. W. Storer; trustees,
w. A. Wilson, l.. Z. Sands and f. q.
Mccoy.
The following counse,lors were ap-
pointed by the presiding officer elect:
j. b. Mccoy, Daniel Dinger, d. G. Nor
gan, A. L. White, r. J. Bullard, II. p.
Wilkinson, T. B. McLain, X. c. Hamil-
ton j. w. Ewing, c. e. Morris, G. NJ.
Varney, Dr. r. W. Tener.
1t was unanimously decided by the
charter members present to leave the
| charter open one week. until nevt Fri
day night, so as to give an extended op-
portunity to those VINO may dese-e %
enter the organization as charter men,
bers.
As the institution although an an
c!ent one, is comparatively unknown 10
the people Of Wheeling. the Register
gives below the address of Hon. G.. w.
Atkinson, delivered before the mem
bers Of the new senate:
The Essenes were a small religious
or political sect or fraternity of the
Jews, whose origin and history are in
volyed in obscurity. Some of the early
writer's insist that they were political
brotherhood rather than a religious
sect, but Josephus, who is general cor
rect IN his statements, prCnounces them
a religious sect, and that they bore a
momentous part in the history of Juda-
ism. Besides, they were so closely con-
nected with Christianity that both John
the Baptist and Christ himself are said
to have originally issued out of their
ranks. That theirs was a secret Organi-
zation, there can be no question The
rite of marriage was not allowed by
their rules, and their organization was
kept up by the adoption Of children. and
the Inhalation of men from other sects,
and perhaps other natlonalites. Jose
phus says they never numbered above
1000, that they lived in seclusion on the
shores Of the Dead Sea, and were de-
voutly religious. They lived together
as community similar to sects in this
country at Zoar. Ohio, and Beaver Falls.
Pa. When one joined them, he was re-
quired to turn all of his property into
the common treasury, take the oath Of
celibacy, and labor for the common
veal and draw his support out of the
common treasury.
Il judge from the casual investigation
Of the Essenes that have thus far
made, that they were not strictly an or
ganization of Hebrews. Doubtless the
majority Of them were Jews. but they
initiated Gentiles as well. There can be
no doubt also that many of the Greeks
belonged TO them. 1t would seem from
this that they looked at the moral quail
ificatiOns OF men for membership. rather
than their race characteristics. Surely
they are to be commended for such a
course Of conduct, if, indeed, it be true
that they pursued this policy, and | AM
inclined to think they did
Beyond doubt they were a moral and
religious organization, and became the
forerunners of Christianity and doubt
less they were the forerunners of many
NH
from this source their ceremonies and
gradations of Invitations. No less a per-
sOnage than our own Brother o. S.
Long, Of this State, gives it as his opin-
ion that Ancient Craft Free Masonry is
an offshoot Of the Essenes. Here Mr..
Atkinson read from an elaborate adj
dress on Free Masonry by Mr.. Long to
prove his assertion.
"They had high standard of mem
bership then as now, and enforced their
laws vigorously. They were the first
society in the world to condemn human
slavery. both in theory and practice,
and for this they are entitled to the
respect and gratitude Of all good peo-
pies everywhere and in all ages. They
were so exemplary and upright in theii
modes Of life and conduct that the gov
ernment under which they lived allow
ed them to select their own office
bearers and priests. and were accord
ingly a law unto themselves. 1t is not
definitely known whether they lived
exclusively in towns and cities of their
own. Josephus states that while a ma
jcrity Of them dwelt together along the
Dead Sea, yet they were found every
where, and especially in agricultural
localities. Perhaps they were known
then as now by the red buttons which
they wore in the lappels of their coats
and were clean looking. upright. moral
law abiding gentlemen.
1t is fact however, that they de-
spised caste and riches not less than
pleasure. Neither poverty nor wealth
was observable among them. At initi-
alton every one gave his property into
the common stock, and every member In
receipt Of wages handed them over to
the funds Of the society. Some of our
modern members here in Wheeling will
be greatly surprised if this rule should
be enforced in this Senate.
"All the ancient writer's agree that
they were an industrious. enterDrising
DJA9 VI iHch. 1 uty uleSStu IN coarse.
plain clothes and worked hard. They
were not boisterous and were temper
ate in eating and drinking They were
pledged to administer help and mercy.
The deserving poor and the destitute
received instant relief at their hands.
They were also ministers Of peace. The
essential requirements for membership