Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-28
THE KNIGHTS MEET

Supreme Lodge of the Pythian Order
in session NJ Detroit-Chancellor
Samples Bienninl Address.
Detroit, Aug. 2S.-Masonic temple to-
day appeared transformed d into a temple
of Pythianism. Several largely attend
ed gatherings of Pythians and branch
orders were in progress simultaneously
within the big structure. Chief of these
We're the opening meetings of the su-
preme lodge X. of p. and supreme lodge
Pythian Sisterhood Supreme Chancel-
Tor Thomas G. Sample, Allegheny, Pa.,
head of the Pythian order, presided over
the supreme lodge meeting. Inihis bien-
NAL address, he said:
The condition of the order tlfuout
the supreme domain with but few eX-
cepticns Is fourishing. The growth of
the knights of Pythias in the past thir-
ty-five years has been marvellous, and
to the student of sscret societies, has
been wonder This growth in its early
history, however, was not generally of
character that would give to ii orsany
other society stability. This a a plain
fact, which is evident TO usSall now. OF
late years the men who have been adj
mitted to our ranks haNe come to us be-
cause of our principles, and, as a result,
the personnel of oursorder is better to-
day than ever before. The decree seerls
to have gone forth from the subordinate
lodges, as a rule, that quality and not
lquantity is desired.
In some of the grand domains there is
still that spirit manifested of d desire tc
ie,vade laws made for4the government OF
the order, not5in regard tosany particu-
liar subject, but all the laws we have
i tenacted. One of the causes for this
/ seeming spirit of discomfort is the fact
4 that in many of the subordinate and
1 grand lodges We have men filling salar-
J. led positions. both in this,ordsr and oth-
ters. and in many Cases, the older organ
i iizations pay the highest salary. Az a
consequencewe find the latter organiza-
lstions receive their best efforts. and, al
II the same time, they are so i,nbued with
i the laws of these rival institutions they
tcan not resist the temptation TO engrafi
! their peculiar IDEAS into the manage
4 tment of the affairs of the knights OF
4 lPSthias. Thi. incubus, unles'a removed
Twill sooner or later drag this order We
4 all love SO much down to mere exis.-
tence, instead OF being a competitor fol
first honor as the strongest and mos
influential OF all aAcret orders.
4 2.On Dec. 81, 1898. the reports, a q 3nads
to the supreme lodge from the differsn
sigrand domaine. showed a membership
4 of s4IO. 1875 The returns received to Dec
4 81. 1892 show total membership o
1852, a net increase for the year lS9
4 of p ,5S9, From the figures of the losse,
land gains during the term ending jun
q 80, 1900, it appears that we have today
/ a membership Of 5OS,500, with tifteel
grand domains yet to hear from, a ne
gain for the two Years of 31,S09. This /
a splendid showing. and With this in
Il CREASE in membership comes also tn
lgratifying thought that in nearly all tn
. grand domains those who are castin.
their lot with US today are dong $
from the fact that we are progressive
patriotic and have all the attributes es
Il sential to make an up-to-date order. d
. not therefore from this convention lie
. the word go out that we are retrograd
ling, but let us rather push forward 10
. higher plane OF usefulness and infu
ence.'
r.. L. C. Wright, of Atlanta, Ca, su
!, preme keeper Of records and SEAL rea
i, his report.
In the sixth biennial assembly. Pyth
ian Sisterhood. the supreme lodge gave
is welded by Mrs. FL. p. Libby, Port
!, land. Me-, supreme chancellor Mrs
{ Libby reports the question OF admis
assion of colored women to membershi
las having been disposed of by debarl