The San Francisco call., 1896-09-30

vention was called to order, and after an
explanation of the ritual adopted last
January nine candidates were initiated
for Mission and Golden West tents by the
visiting degree team from Los Angeles,
the work being performed in q most i'm
pressive manner.
The new ritual is based upon the his
tory of the order, and it is said to be the
finest and most solemn that has ever been
prepared for any beneficiary organization.
The team, at the conclusion of the exemp
LITIGATION of the work, was congratulated
upon the faultless manner in which it was
done.
Tonight the team will initiate eleven
candidates for San Francisco and Modin
tents.
Monday evening the local tents rendered
Angeles degree team, which, during the
convention, will exemplify the secret
work of the order. The team is com posed
OF G. a. Luckenbach, commander; John
Spiers, past commander; G. ]. Walter,
ieutenant-commande Fred Anthony,
priest; T. ]. Harris aud G. H. Berham'
assistant priests; DR.. r. E. O'ConneIl, DR..
Patterson Jr., D. w. Bates and w. w.
thompson, soldiers, and S. w. Hail and
}. .. Waddington, peasants.
The team appeared in the hall attired
In the costumes that were worn in the
days of the ancient Maccabees. Thev
were secured at a cost of $500. The team 8
appearance was greeted by much applause
from the large number of ladies and gem
tlemen who filled the hall. An exhibition
drill was given, which was attrac ctive and
impressive. AT the close the team was
treated to another round of applause.
After the drill the following programme
was carried out:
Overture, orchestra; welcome address
Charles J. King; response, c. A. Luekenba ach |:
song, Victoria Orr; recitation, Miss n. " Cor
ris; Lady Maccabees, Mrs. H. Cook mandolin
trio, Mrs. A. Belasco. G. Belesco and F. Rodri-
eueZ; reading, F. L. Shaw; fancy dance, Miss
n. Lockwood; barytone solo, William Nelson
Then followed dancing, which was kept
up until midnight.
The membership of the order on the
31st of last August was 24l, 900, with tents
to the mum ber of nearly 4450 in thirty
seven States and provinces in North
America.
There are seventy tents in California,
four OF which, with membership of nearly
800, all organized since last April, are
located In San Francisco. In the coun-
ties in the immediate vicinity of this City
there are twenty-five tents. In the
southern part of the State there is a num-
Der of tents, with membership of 1000.
The tent located farthest north in this
State is the one at Sissons, Siskiyou
County.
The headquarters of the order is at Port
Huron, Mich. The Maccabees organized
in 1878, and since 1881 have paid death and
disability benefits to the amount of
Sc, sos, 720. 2. D. Markey is the supreme
com mander and N. S. Bozton the supreme
record d-keeper.
The order of the Knights of the Mac
cabees is founded on the history and tradi-
tons OF the. MaccaDean dynasty, and it
has for its legend the exploits of Judas
Maccabeus, who ranks in ancient history
as one OF the ablest military leaders. In
1873 a few gentlemen in London, Ont,
familiar with the history of the ancient
Maccabees, conceived the IDEA of orpanix-
ing fraternal and beneficiary society
founded upon traditions of that band of
warriors, and it started out with the pur-
pose-of caring for the widows and orphans
OF mem Ders. The order spread from
Canada to the United States, and grew