The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-02-19
INTERESTING READING TO MEM.
BERS AND OTHERS.
BY O. E. WEBER.

dation principle.
AS the ideal Knight of olden time was
the personiication of all the higher and
nobler attributes of mans nature, the
candidate for Knighthood had to prove
himself worthy of acceptance by those who
valued friendship. bravery, honor, justice
and loyalty.
The Order knights of Pythias-fonnded
in Friendship. Charity and Benevolence,
which it proclains as its cardinal princi-
ples.- strives to gather in one mighty fra
ternity worthy men who appreciate the
true meaning of friendship; who are eau.
tious in word and act; who love truth; who
are brave III defending right; whose honor
| is untarnlshed; whose sense Of justice will
prevent, to the best Of their ability. q per-
| sonal act or word Injurious to the worthy;
whose loyalty to principle, to family. to
friends, 70 their country. and to constituted
authority under which they enjoy citizen
ship, is undoubted; and who. at all times,
are prepared to do unto others as they
| would that others should do unto them.
QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED.
In order that the reader may fully un-
derstand the intentions Of our Order, we
| will give partial review of its origin.
with few questions and answers, ETC.:
What is Pythian.sm?
| Answer.-It is the banding togetberof ali
those who wish to follow the noble exam
Pile of friendship shown by Damon and
Pythias.
2.-What are the intentions of the Order?
Answer.-.To visit the sick, relieve the
distressed; to watch over the dying; to
bury the dead; to comfort the widow in
her Affections; to exercise q guardianship
over the orphars. and. in fact fully to fol-
low out the golden rule: whatsoever we
would that men should DO INTO Us and
ours. do we even so INTO them"
SIS it secret organization
Apswer-It is. for the purpose Of
protecting those who join our ranks. and
in order that we know one another-the
secrecy of the family circle-talismanic
Brotherhood of Knights of Friendship.
As it labor union?
Auswer.-Not by any means. We take
no part in disputes between employer and
employe. In our lodges the laborer, the
millionaire, the artisan, the mechanic, the
professor and the man of leisure meet upon
the broad aud level plane of equality,
where each deposits, as in saving fund,
his monthly contribution, and like the
wise husbandman, by watchfnlness and
economy secures suficieucy to meet the
wants and r,gors of the winter OF sickness
or disability; and 1t should ever be our
purpose to secure employment for such Of
our members as may be without it,
SIS it religious or political faction?
Answcr.-I If YOU believe in the Father
hood of God and the brotherhood Of man,
we care not to what sect you belong. We
neddle not in any disputes. either rellg-
ions or political, our motto being Friend
ship, Charity and Benevolence." Peace on
earth. good will to men"
ORIGIN.
6.-What is the origin Of the Order?
.Answer.-Our Order was founded Febru-
arr 10th, 1864. at Washington. D. C.. by
Justus H. Rathbone. At the time "when
war was in the heart of man, and sorrow
in his home,"-when from ocean to ocean
and from lake to gulf, our glorious land
was engaged in scenes of carnage and
eath-Rathbone saw in Grecian history
the germ of an Order that should prove
power in dispe.lng the warmth Of sectional
strife and restoring the hearts Of men 10
basis of universal brotherhood.
The reign Of Dionysius, the Elder,
marked an era of Selishness in the worlds
history. Following the example of ty-
rant his adherants in the Isle Of Sicily
We'd in obliterating from the tablets Of
their memory every Testage OF that noolest
principle of manhood which recognizes
mans fealty to his fellow. Damon, SEN
ator at Syracuse. by his opposition to
Dionysius, in his attempted usurpatlon OF
power. was placed under sentence Of inn
mediate death. Pythias the time tried
friend of Damon. besought the tyrant to
grant him respite; that be might bid
last farewell to those be loved. The deuial
of this request was followed by the most
striking e1empliicatlon Of pure friendship
that has ever illuminated the pages of his
tory. Pythias offered himself as {. hostage
for Damon while he should visit his wife
and child once more before his execution.
The chains were taken from the limbs of
Damon and placed upon those of Pythias.
Damon was soon at his home; he bids his
weeping wife and little one an afectionate
farewell; and calls for his horse, in order
to return in time to redeem his pledge to
Pythius. He finds that his horse has been
killed by his servant III order to prevent
his return, but he secured another horse
and flies to syracuse. In the meantime
Pyttias had been tempted to escape the
doom which seems to threaten him; but no!
he insists upon the form of the hostage be,
ing carried out to the letter. He e1clalms,
1T is swee. to die for those we lover The
time is fast passing and still Damon does
10
crowds gather ia the square. the funeral
procession is formed, and Pythias is led
forth to seal his friendship with his blood
Does he shrink? No. Does he falter?
No. With soldierly courage and iron
nerve he wends his way cheerfully to die
for his friend. In that awful moment the
clstter of hoofs is heard in the distance.
and soon Damon falls exhausted at the feet
of his friend. This display of manhood |
and true courage lea captive the tyrnnt's
heart, who, remtting the death sentence
of Damon, sought admission to their |
friendship.
The bright spot on the pages of the past
was the cornerstone upon which Brother
Rathbone .builded wiser than he knew
For years the fires burnt low upon the
alters of the young and struggling brother
hood; but its present high noon when |
from every hilltop the shields of brave and
gallant Knights make bright the day of
promise, the Founder of the Order may |
rest assured that it,; ascendant star shall /
never wape.
RANKS.
7.-G.ve me some idea as to the inten-
ton OF the ranks.
Answer-Ihe secret work Of the lodge |
consists of three Ranks. which are symbol
ical of three principles of the Order.
namely: Friendship, Charity and Beney-
olence. The three Ranks, Page. Esquire.
and Knight, arc separate. but it is neces-
aa... 70 ha initiataa into oil of khan, La |