Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1901-12-01
NEGRO SECRET SOCIETIES
SOUTHERN COLORED MANS
 LOVE OF POMP.
Wonderful Named Organizations to Provide Sick Benefits and
 Funeral Expenses.

and circumstance is nowhere exempli- fled more forcibly than in the manner in which he multiplics his charitable organizations. Inordinately fond of company, he has few societies founded with the sole view of promoting sociaD enjoyment. For the most part. what ever foundations =hc makes have a Semircligous trend tue dues entitling members to sick benefits and funeral expenses. There is usually an elabo. rate rcSalia and an intricate ritual. Not q few negroes of q southern city, such as Charleston. belong to no less, than q score of these orders. the names of which are oftentimes curiously and wonderfully made What, fog instance. would the ordinary patron of secret or Ganizations tbi:N of possessing mem hcrShp in thc sons and Daughters Of the Seven Golden GandicatickS In Charity CT in tle s;c:.t :sttd Daughters Of I Will .tt4":
 The sons and tia,stiers ltl is work cd to tno limit of ca,luraisce. There is scarcely q weji known naiae in Biblical history ttat i; Hat tacird on 10 il. I here are u C'..ssi iestoa alone no less than srycntT-lIyc Of t5e&c societies with charter. fsesa tne statc of south CareIiaa, aad hoH=f=aa3 there are that have TO [ .sa3 status no H.in may say with eon.des4s.
 Dues are NeeNlF, and, strange as it r5ay seail WaeU the f9eat poverty ol t!4eace1o of tsa south k considered. the al7.aars Ii is a brief one indeed. Of course the charges afe sl0all.. usual ly about 2., cents I month. sut when it is remembered that many iniixiduals belong to six or eight or c4en more orders if i. little snort ef marvellous how tho fg3a'5 I5eeessarT to meet the demands ef tHe collectors are found. and yet il is SO deep 8 | -fGraee to be expelled that instances of ttc Kind are vcly rare To hold membership ill n number of societies is re"ardcd as . badge of honor.
 Meetings aro las:i meattlg fa private rec aces. ia j33ttse hal!s CT. more fres -c,te.sHv still ia = Grelsaa These gath CT. = begin ;t t,.c fas'..s .slblc hour O. h r. fa. ;,@ toutf.l.s net infre- f."antIy tl=rouel aiit tGe risat Re- fr,~l l3rute 8gr l5 hn lad for a small cons zieia.ion. %:.. .!=:=@ taeSe are fer tho !. s fa:t ef q liGi.d ratago tiIa sons 2ad tlaU@!:,c..' .,ep ,lfo4a to be con- spicHous hy tte.r M'sonee from tilair several places Of o,aei74ment next. morning. Often tho police lare to in. 1r'ferp to =Feetagn that t#~Moay in Nl.e1. h9othofs; ,t;9fi sisters should eyer dwell te.ftlae.
 tasan& taa &4cietic4 fa Charleston g.eti9. Sons a..i f.....'t.f. c. the I'il- sl.la&. {he SaHs a13d i)aaaI3l4r8 or the TNetFe !tizeill'cs. fIe $oas and Dau2h- 0T tle s;a e#s 0t f3a s9sS the Nt. &&. i1 ses.t of H. Evening Star. t"o 74Et fa ba5eifef5 0 the t'eefa..s Ste.=1 satts aezs3 fafefter.s C. tlte Get.=t Ii feaycaeta 5i4e Soh; and f4aag!seef=s of t..a G6-=! ..'a5..afitan, tFp sta...: ;s!.sI Iias3.z@ter5 =" the East. taa Saas aszi Haaahtais of t.azarls, , thp SrH; #,fi ,.t"ri 0. Christian Love. a'.i ti.cra .2!i5 ba added to tha4a fut3@ ls.ees4f2 ef others. The . dcgotoa ef t,,. @ccs r. t5ose or p4,,s..zis;;,,,,.3., and f.e.. !oHaltt: to thcif fellow :. aalt."; :: = a5solut"
 The fr1er1' Of T colored man or woman who ho!,s iAof&5eralip in half dozen of tl3rso orders is a epccta- clc worth ;ng Occasionally bitter feCds arise hctween rival so- l, ciotios for tho possession of T corpse, for the IT. gro love Of funeral is not second even to lis love ef melons. Tho ceremonies usually begin the night be- : fcrc the act,.al intoimeat is to take place There arc sermonS prayers and personal experiences intecspieed with wild bursts Of incoheHant melody. which aroases religious fervoa 10 fever height. Men and Womcn faint i'll the course of the exercises n9nE others faa into lrahe1@ 5t4esl talk of visions of 1he.s. eead fsierz.se eathfaned ia glory.
 Tl.e cc&esaan,4s e4,.i4te ia | form I! procession Ii is forming for an hour hcfctc tHc=f sidafiet,= o4 the late n4aeaiel s94 or Caueater Negroes iaqfa tl. It sg#e [ patfs aG the city s.ft#els fa ttlp .raHfs. He occasion IS a [. ;l4e raa #r.4 aatl sE49ut and t4sfts.1. 'Il...zee ef te ganza- ; eiofsi L. .zl da&A belong 5 t,i .=e.i H't#H=f #e#i ID elabe i ese. ssz 'teas.aaas ,ae as F .ae@i a,,l ef taeir re- i s'.ee..s-. ,=sstf.=. ;sf#st V .1en the con a@e
 etlv 4i.gg it. E 1t t.a.a H ef ta e.ts's .5a5e1 - i=::.zi ,ssA :! of mcu, 2ea,aaa e4d e.ei..l-z@. NHo li4a.. the t4oraasl5taeea. ali tH.tli-.' t2z : fAe t ae t35 to ba suspended. : TGa=Hapa et s.az=a funeral ts 55=a .1s
 sp.iatlau et in@ag q negro ,la-a He.
 H. slaves= arG aap@ses l.=z oe actual ueeessit.es Tor ye#f5 {2 meet ' tic demands of the collectors 9f the societies in order that he may so b
 bis last resting place in the midst oi
 such strangely weird pageantry.-s