The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-13
K. OF ?. Anniversary
Celebrated at the Castle Hall Last
Evening.
THIRTY-FIyE YEARS OLD
NUMBERS MORE THAN HALF A
MILLION MEMBERS.
Principal Address Delivered By Rev.
r. A. Maynard-Grand Chancellor
Pike and Chancellor Commander
Gardiner Also Speak,. of P.
Band Renders Selections.

Iue local lodges OF the knights OF
Pythias yesterday evening celebrated
the thirty-fifth anniversary of the
founding of the order. The real ami
versary day is Feb 10, but the observa-
ton OF it was postponed for good anG
sufficient reasons. The celebration was
held in the Castle hall on Main street,
and was largely attended by members
and their families.
! Chancellor Commander Fred w. Car
! diner presided, and made a few intro
ductory remarks. Grand Chancellor
Pike made brief address, and the
principal speaker of the evening was
| Rev. r. A. Maynard. A recitation was
given by H. w. Eardley, and at inter-
walls the celebrated K of p. band rem
dered selections.
f. w. Gardiner, by. way of introduce
ton, told of the birth of Pythianism on
| Feb. 10, 1864, at the close of the civil
! war, when Justus H. Rathbone, the
founder of the order, was impressed
with the great desirability of a means
! being found to reknit together the sew
cred bonds of friendship and fraternity
| between the warning sections of the
! land. Fraternal orders were not an eX-
| pertinent even then, and Rdthbone con-
| ceiVed the idea of creating a fraternal
! order with cardinal principles embodied
in the terms, Friendship, Charity and
Benevolence," taking the beautiful
| story of Damon and Pythias as the
foundation of the structure. The or
der from small beginnings now num-
bers within it's ranks more than 100000
men, devoted to it's tenets and teaching
its ennobling principles.
GRAND CHANCELLOR PIKE.
The invocation was offered by Rev.
Maynard, and after a selection by the
X. of p. band, Grand Chancellor Pike
spoke briefly, following out the ideas
suggested by Mr. Gardiner He re-
counted the history of the order and
it's vicissitudes, and said that its mis-
sion is to alleviate sorrow and suffering.
Some had said that Pythianism was not
needed in this state, but he thought it
was even more required in Utah than
in most other of the states. 1t was a
mistake to suppose that Pythianism
was antagonistic to the churches. Pyth-
ianism interfered with no mans relig-
ion, but made men better citizens, bet
ter husbands and better fathers.
recitation, Johnny Bartholomew"
by H. w. Eardley was thoroughly ap
Dreciated.
REV. R. a. MAYNARD.
Rev. Maynard took for his text the
words of / Samuel, eighteenth chapter
and first verse: And it came to pass
when he had made an end of speaking
unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan
was knit with the soul of David and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul"
The reverend gentleman gave a short
synopsis of the exploit of David with
Goliath, the Philistine giant, and of
David's relations with Saul, the king
of Israel, and with Jonathan, Sauls
son. The friendship existing between
Jonathan and David was of the highest
type, and so was that of Damon and
Pythias. Speaking of knighthood, Mr..
Maynard said:
The origin of knighthood is lost in the
darkness of medieval history. Both it
and chivalry are known to have been out
groWthS from feudalism and eccleSiasti-
cism. although there arose and existed
form of knighthood independent of feu-
dalism. This was a military order of
chivalry and originally was characterized
by an indifference to the distinctions of
race and nationality. 1t accommodated
itself to that universal spirit then char
acteristic alike of chtvalry and the church
and sought to knit together the whole
warrior caste of Christendom into one
great brotherhood, Irrespective of feudal
allegiance or territorial boundaries. From
a very early stage in the DEVELOPMENT of
chivalry we meet with the singular instf-
tuition of q brotherhood in arms. Two or
more knights entered into a voluntary
agreement of friendship which was re
garded as far more binding than ties of
birth. Brothers in arms were partners in
all things save the affections of their
lady loves; shared every danger and every
success, and each vindlcated the honor of
another as promptly and zeaiously as his
own. These engagements usually lasted
through life, though sometimes they were
for a specified time. They were always
ratified by oath. and sometimes reduced
to writing. Romance and tradition tell
US of strange rites connected with the in
ception OF these engagements. In war
such knights would appear similarly clad,
bearing the same badges. in order that
their enemies might not know which was
in the battle, and friends might not be
able to distinguish and give to one greater
applause for his bravery than to the
other. Every knight was gentleman, if
not before the degree, then its comforting
made him one. During the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries every feudal castle
and court was in fact a school of chiV-
airy in which the candidate for knight
hood underwent long and arduouS prep
aration. Entering when between and
years of age, he was compelled to I'M
dergo a most thorough military training
as well as engage in the performance of
PEELED to accustom himself to extreme
heat and cold, and voluntarily suffered
the pains of hunger and thirst. sleepless-
ness and fatigue When between IL and
10 years of age he was madera squire and
after having proven himself a brave and
worthy squire for seven or eight years,
the time comes when he should be made
a knight.
zone account of the manner in which
this was done is as follows: These cere-
monies We're said to have been identical
both in England and on the continent3
The candidate was placed under the
care or two esquireS of honor, grave and
well seen in courtship and nurture and
also in feats of chivalry, who were to be
governors in all things relating to him.
He was first shaved and his hair was
cut; then he was compelled to battle and
his left shoulder was singed with the
cross. He was clothed in a robe of russell.
with long sleeves, having a hood like unto
that of an hermit. Then two ancient and
grave knights led him to the chapel, the
esquires going before them, sporting and
dancing, with the MINISTRIES making mel
ody. When they had been served with
wines and spices. the religious rites. in
Guiding confession and mass, were admin
istered. He was then taken to his cham
Der and remained in bed until he was
aroused, when he was dressed in distinct
i've garments and, mounted on horse
rode to the hall, where he was to receive
knighthood. his future squire riding be-
fore him bareheaded. bearing his sword
and spurs. AT the hall he was presented
who conferred the degree delivered the
right spur to the most noble and gentle
knight present and directed him to fasten
it on the candidates right heel. which he,
kneeling on one knee and placing the can
didate's right foot on his knee, accord
tngly did, signing the candidates knee
with the cross. The left spur he was
given in like manner by another knight
Then the prince girdeu the candidate with
the sword and, embracing him, lifted his
right hand and smote him on the neck.
saying: BE thou a good knight, and
kissed him. When this was done all went
to the chapel, where the new knight, lay
ing his right hand on the altar. promised
to support and defend the church. and at
the same time offered his sword upon the
altar On leaving the chapel, the master
cook awaited him at the door and claimed
the spurs as his fee and said: If you do
anything contrary to the order of chiv-
airy (Which God forbid [ shall hack the
spurs from your heels :"
And thus Were men made knights 500
years ago. Gibbon the historian has paid
the following tribute to ancient knight
hood
Whatever may have been its inherent
VICES and defects IL Is at any rate .indis-