The record-union., 1897-02-20
THE BIRTH OF PYTHIANISM.
Celebrated by the Local Members Of the
Order.
Address by Past Supreme Represent
alive q. II. nOrriSon-ItS
Aims, Etc.

In Pythian Castle last night the
knights Of Pythias order celebrated the
thirty-fourth anniversary of the birth
of the order by an elaborate programme
Of music. songs, Rotations, character
dances and solos, and an address by
Colonel George H Morrison of San
Francisco, Past Supreme Representa-
tive of the order.
Mr. Morrison spoke of the birth OF
the order on the 10Th of February,
1864 in the city of Washington, d. G.,
lust as the country was emerging from
the dreadful shadow Of great civil war.
Its founder was Justin H. Rathbone,
a patriotic and cultivated American
then in the War Department at WASH
ington, who was inspired to write the
ritual of the order by study OF Ba-
MINIS Dramatic Drama OF Damon and
Pythias," and who reverses the char
acters in the Grecian scene, making
Pythias the hostage for Damon in
stead of Damon for Pythias. as in the
history of that event, but all the
strength Of the wonderful friendship
has been retained, and upon this friend
ship the orders foundation was laid
by Mr.. Rathbone and four others.
The order now numbers 100000 male
members in good standing, and oo,Uoo
Rathbone Sisters. 1t has paid FOR SICK
and funeral benefits and charity since
it's organizat ton J0,0OO.OO0. 1t has or
ganized a military branch that Is under
the command of a Major-General, and
has branches in every domain. The
drill is that of the United States army.
hac mi
ure, known as the Endowment Rank,
for Knights only, wherein a brother can
secure from $500 to So 1000 at actual
cost for the benefit of his family This
branch has $4,000 members and. is now
carrying $4,000, 900 insurance, and has
paid out during the twenty years of its
existence S11 900, 900.
1t has established Pythian Homes for
aged and INDECENT members of the or
der in nearly every State of the Union,
and is now preparing a home In Cali
fornia.
1t is an American order in the higher
sense as no man can be a true Pythlan
unless loyal to the laws of the coun-
try, but it in no way interferes with re-
ligion or politics. 1t teaches friendship,
charity and beneyolence. 1t visits the
sick, relieves the distressed, buries the
dead, and through its Endowment
Rank cares for the widow and edu-
Gates and clothes as we'll as feeds the
orphan.
Its declaration of principles are
founded on the purest and sincerest
motives It's aim is to alleviate the
suffering of a brother, succor the un-
fortunate, watch at the bedside of the
sick, soothe the dying, perform the
last sad rites at the grave of brother,
offer consolation to the afflicted and
care for and protect the defenseless, the
virtue of woman defend, and in a man
y way tell a brother of his faults and
aid him in correcting them, uphold and
defend the laws Of the land, and for
give the faults of those who would re-
form. The home is the central thought,
for had it not been for the appeal of
Pythias to the tyrant Dionysious, Let
Damon go and see his wife and child
before he dies" there would have been
no order of the knights of Pythias
founded on the high ideal of one man
giving his life in pledge for another.
The following programme was ex-
cellently rendered:
Piano solo, Professor Hartwig; vocal
solo, Miss Blanche Ficks; instru
mental music, two guitars and man
dolin, Messrs. Hartman, Evers and Val
enZula; piano solo, Mrs. Kerr; vocal
trio, Athletic Cub; recitation, Miss
Asher; vocal solo, Mr.. Hunt; quartet,
we Have Sighted the Golden Gate;
instrumental music, Mandolin Club; vo-
cal solo, Mrs. Longbottom; sparrng
exhibition, Messrs Payen and Nc
Graw; piano duet, Misses Sexton and
Kelley; Anything" Nat Liebling;
Shakespearean reading, j. Clavan
ence Abbott; highland fling Miss Les
| lie Contner; instrumental music, two
zithers and mandolin, Messrs. Bauer