The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-27

VIEWED THE HISTORY UF
PYTHiANISM AND IN BEAUT1- /,
Full PHRASES EXPRESSED IN |
SPRING FRATERNAL SENTI- !
MENTs-F EXERCISES.
epoch in Pythian progress to which we
shall ever turn with feelings of graft |
tude and pride.
There is an ideal significance, as well
as practical utility, in the accomplish
ment of the great work which we tN I
day meet to dedicate AMI celebrate. TRe
brick and stone and wool out of whi$R
this temple is constructed, when vieWSH
through the medium of our obligations,
our traditions and the teachings of our
order, are no longer mere dull, dead
matter. They have become idealized by
the labor of love expended upon them;
by the precious memories of the past
by the spirit and purposes of our organ
ization which have vitalized and become
a part of them. And so when we think
Of our castle hall in the future we shall
look upon it as our Pythian home.
wherein is the altar Of our faith: as the
sanctuary of those humane desires and
noble aspirations to which we are SOL
EMMY pledged, and around whose sacred
fireside we may gather in true Pythian
friendship.
The impressive ceremonies to which
we have just listened, formally dedi-
eating this castle hall to the service
of those fundamental principles which
are the basis of our order, give rise to
the thought that, in building this struc-
ture we were not building for the pres
ent or for ourselves alone, but for the
future as we'll.
1t has been written by a learned man
and philosopher that "men cannot ben
eft those that are with them as they
can benefit those who come after them;
and of all pulpits from which the human
voice is e:er sent forth there is none
from whlcn 1t reaches so far as from
the grave" -*
TO contemplate this temple of Pythian
faith as a convenience for our own use
and present pleasure only would be to
take away it's chief glory, for our hope
is that it will remain long after those
OF us who have reared ii are gone. to
continu" the grand work in behalf OF
humanity which inspired it's construc-
ton. And as the years go by and Its
walls become tinged with the golden
stain of tine," it's traditions and memo-
| ries, it's sympathies and associations Will
| grow deeper and more sacred, its int1u-
| ence for good greater, it's usefulness
| broader, so that those who come after
| us will bless US for the work our hands
! did, and will say, they builded better
| than they knew"
| In paying this tribute to Pythianism l
| am not mindful of the fact that there
are other secret fraternal organizations
| which are entitled to the full confidence
| and respect Of mankind. Some of them
are of such ancient origin that they be-
| come lost in antiquity and can scarcely
| catch the almost inaudible murmur OF
| tradition which tells of their beginnings.
! But none the less the good they have
| done in the world is well nigh lncal-
| cuable.
OF Pythianism it may be said that it
| is of modern inception. having had It's
origin in our own day and upon our own
| soil. It is a purely American order and
has partaken of the spirit of liberty. pa
| triotism and progress which character
| ICES American institutions. And this
| fact. together with the fidelity with
which it has lived up to it's professions,
| no doubt accounts for the secret OF its
| great success.
The order of knights of Pythias is but
! 81 years old, and yet, brief as Is its ca
reer, it has already earned an enViable
and enduring fame through the blessings
| it has strewn along the pathway OF
stricken humanity and by long list
| If noble deds and heroic sacrifices made
in the name and in the behalf OF friend
ship.
Today half a million knightly men are
marching shoulder to shoulder under the
inspiration of it's benevolent and whole
| some teachings Their creed is love OF
country, loyalty to its flag. devotion to
| its institutions and obedience to its
laws, and upon the broad folds of the
beautiful baner which floats above them
ia inscribed in living, breathing char-
, acters the words of the motto. Friend
ship, Charity and Benevolence."
1t will not perhaps be inappropriate
il. upon this felicitOus occasion l take
! a few moments to speak OF our splendid
fraternit and it's mission in the world.
have already stated that Justus II.
| Rathbone, a name which Pythians love
and revere was it's founder. OF the
man himself it may be truthfully said
that he combined any typified in his
own life and character. to very high
| degree, the same benevolent sentiments
| and love for mankind which he made
| the ground work upon which to build
| the structure of Pythianism. The son
| of a lawyer and a graduate Of his state
| university, he was we'll equipped and
, qualified by learning and natural ability
to devise and prepare the beautiful and
impressive ritualistic cer@S 2onies which
from such a pleasing and attractive
part Of our lodge labors. OF kindly
| and philanthropic nature his sympa-
thetic heart was greved beyond meas
ure by the awful scenes OF strife and
| bloodshed then being enacted in the
life and death struggle between the
two sections of our common country
| 1t was time when the sacred ties of
| family We're sunk In hatred; when the
| fireside was desecrated by partisan
passion. and when kinship and friend
ship and all the tenderest and hottest
| relations Of life. were ruthlessly sun
dered and broken in the onrush of that