The Portland daily press., 1897-01-11
PYTHIAN SUNDAY.
Celebrated for the First Time in
Portland Yesterday.


Excellent Tournout of the Sir knights of
This City Yesterday and vicinity-City
Hall Filled by a Large Congregation
The Introduction by Judge Peabody
and Address by Rev. G. e. Bean.
The Pythians of Portland land vicinity
could not have wished for a better day
than yesterday for the first observance
of Pythian Sunday. The sidewalks were
bare, affording excellent walking, the
sun shone with considerable briliancy,
and the temperature was more like late
autumn than midwinter.
At 2.3o p. m. precisely the lodges of
the order started in column.of twos,
from Pythian hall under the marshal
ship of Sir Knight A. NJ. Sawyer. Each
lodge was under the charge of its Chan
cellor Commander. They presented a
fine appearance on the street and
marched with much precision. Every
Sir Knight wore for bontonniere a
of the order. Upon arrival at the hall
the procession passed up the new stairs
to the back of the hall, dividing atssthe
head of the staircase SO that one line
passed up one of the various aisles and
the other the other. At given word OF
command every man uncovered and
took his seat. Altogether there were
1856 Sir Knights and they represented
Bramhall, Presumpscot, Munjoy. Pine
Tree, Ivanhoe, Westbrook, Longfellow,
Rocky Hill, Bayard, Nonesuch. Trinity
and Cumberland lodges. The audience
of outsiders, occupie all the other seats
in the hall, excepting those reserved for
the Pythian Sisterhood.
At p. m. precisely the leading Off
stage. Among these present were the
presiding officer P. S. R., H. c. Pea
body; S. R., L. B. Roberts, Deering
G. K. R. s., W. S. Smith; P. S. r. S.,
j. F. Chute, Deering; Wyer Green, Port
land: B. T. Chase, Lewiston; P. G. s.,
F. n. Robinson, Brunswick; P. G. G.,
Isaac L. Elder, Deering; P. G. c., w. A.
Taylor, Portland; P. S. and c., Ell. Evans,
Portland; P. G. P, C. A. Moses, Cum
berland Mills; P. G. P, ]. E. Green,
Portland; P. c., W. E. Chapman, L. B.
bennett, G. Fl. Hudson, Portland.
After the singing of an anthem by the
choir composed by Miss Emily L. Cobb,
Mrs. W., M. Kimmell, John o. Burke
and C. E. Jackson, Rev. DR.. Dalton OF,
fered prayer. The choir sang BLESSED
be Thy Majesty aud DR.. Dalton then
read Scripture lesson. Rev. W. M.
Kimmell offered prayer and the choir
| sang Rock of Ages beautifully. Then
Judge Peabody delivered an introduc.
ton, in which he said:
JUDGE PEABODY'S INTRODUCTION
Friends and Brother Knights of Pythias
| Society is organized today as never be-
| fore. Associations 1D1uentially conurol
the policy of all important affairs. The
| Thought of the hour originates or SIS
modified in the conclave, the union and
| the lodge But yet at the close OF this
century good citizens do not, as in lts
earlier years, protest against secret SO.
oieties. 1t is remembered as an historical
| fact of national Importance that tbs
Masonic order, whose principles OF ira
| ternity, liberty and equality, and the
order Of Cincinnati, whose patriotic pur
pose OF preserving the memories OF the
| war Of independence, were voucnea py
| the character of men prominent In thell
councils. were long under the pan OF
public opinion. But the harvest OF gooo
gathered from such principles regalnee
| for these societies and secured for KIN
dred organizations almost universal ia
| vor.
1t is true that secret orders malign IL
origin and purposes phase OF tht
curse of imm igration--have found tenn
| porary Judgement in the precincts OF oul
great cities. For time they baflled ans
| defied the law; but our institutions,
! though menat ed, were not seriously lni
perilled by these old world brotherho0ds S,
| The advent Of these dangerous elements
aroused the patriotism of societies llk'
our own which hold their country as {
sacred trust; and the Malta, the Clan-na
Gael. the Ninilists and the Whits Lotus
bet objects Of continual terror, hay.
| seemingly succumbed under the malice
hand of Justice.
| SGJS u Wult6 5UUnC WAlSi Aie<A As osaS RAS
gress of our order.
II is the timely manifestation of an in
| fiuence widely extended, favorable *
| the permanency of cherished American
1 institutions.
This fraternity does not abide who'll!
| within castle halls. 1t speeds witt
sandaled feet to promote charity. moral
ty, and patriotism. Il would show tina
| it doss not oircumsoribs its work with
selfish limitations, but in the wIdel
sphere of influence it
"Scatters like the oircling sun
| it, charities on all.
The Knights of Pythias have DO riva
ries with other benevolent associations
| They claim the prestige of marvellous
growth from the germ of that idea
friendship by whose simple cread th
heart of mankind is always touched:
"Graater love hath no man than this
that a man lay down his life for hi
friends. -