The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-02-05
NEGRO SOCIETIES.
THE SOUTHERN coLoReD M IS LOVE
OF PoMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE.
Wonderfully Named Organizations
to Provide For Members Sick Bcne-
Hts and Funeral Expenses - How
They Flourish In Charleston.


The southern negro's love of pomp
and circumstance Is nowhere exempll-
fled more forcibly than in the manner
in which he multlplies his charitable
organizations. Inordinately fond OF
company, he has few societies founded
with the sole view of promoting social
enjoyment. For the most part, what
ever foundations he makes have
semireligious trend, the dues emitting
members to sick benefits and funeral
expenses. There is usually an elabo-
rate regalia and nm intricate ritual.
Not few negroes of southern city,
such as Charleston, belong to no less
than score OF these orders, the names
of which are oftentimes curiously and
wonderfully mnde. What, for instance,
would the ordinary patron of secret or
gnnlzations think of possessing men,
bership In the Sons and Daughters
of the Seven Golden Candlesticks In
Charity or In the Sons and Daughters
Of VIII Arise?
The sons and daughters idea is work
ed TO the limit of endurance. There Is
scarcely well known name in Biblical
history that Is not tackled on to II.
There are In Charleston alone no less
than seventy-fve of these societies
with charters from the state of South
Carolina, and how many there are that
have no legal status no man may say
with confidence.
Dues are paid weekly, and, strange
rs II may seem when the great poverty
of the negro of the south Is considered,
the arrears list Is brief one indeed.
or course the charges are small. usual
ly about % cents a month, but when It
is remembered that many individuals
belong TO six or eight or even more
orders II Is little short of marvellous
how the funds necessary to meet the
demands of the collectors are found
and yet 1t Is so deep disgrace to be
expelled that instances of the kind are
very rare. To hold membership in n
number Of societies Is regarded as
badge of honor.
Meetings are held monthly In private
residences, in public halls or, more fire.
quently still, In churches. These gath
erings begin Mt the fashionable hour
of 10 p. m. and continue not infre-
quently throughout the night. Re-
freshments are to be had for small
consideration, and as these are for the
most part of liquid nature the sons
md daughters are prone to be con-
spicuous by their absence from their
several places of employment next
morning. Often the police have to in
terfere to restore that harmony in
which brothers and sisters should ever
dwell together.
Among the societies in Charleston
are the Sons and Daughters of the Pill
grims, the Sons and Daughters of the
Twelve Disciples, the Sons and Daugh-
ters of the Bearer of the Cross, the
Sons and Daughters of the Evening
Star, the Sons and Daughters of the
Seventh Star, the Sons and Daughters
Of the Celestial Travellers, the Sons
and Daughters of the Good Samaritan,
the Sons and Daughters of the East,
the Sons and Daughters of Lazarus,
the Sons and Daughters of Christian
Love, and there might be added to
these fully twoscore of others. The
devotion of the negroes to these or
ganizations and their loyalty to their
fellow members are absolute.
The funeral of colored man or
woman who holds membership In
half dozen Of these orders Is a specta-
Gle worth witnessing. Occasionally
bitter feuds arise between rival so
cieties for the possession of corpse,
for the negro's love Of funeral is not
second even to his love of melons. The
ceremonies usually begin the night be-
fore the actual interment is to take
place. There are sermons. prayers and
personal experiences interspiced with
wild bursts of incoherent melody.
which arouses religious fervor to fever
height Men and women faint In the
course Of the exercises, many others
fall into frances and talk of visions of
their dead friends enthroned in glory.
The ceremonies eliminate in form.
al procession. 1t is forming for an
hour before the residence of the late
lamented son or daughter. Negroes
from the uttermost parts Of the city
gather In the streets. The occasion Is n
festive one. They run and shout and
caper. The members Of the organlza-
tions to which the dead person belong.
ed stand in solemn order, clad In elab-
crate uniforms and bearing the ban
ners and other insignia Of their re-
spectlve orders. and when the cortege
finally moves, vending Its way Mt
times through miles of the city's
streets. 1t Is followed by mad rush
Of men, women and children, who
block the thoroughfares, and traffic for
the time being has to be suspended.
The hope of such funeral is the in.
Spiration Of many negro's whole life.
He slaves and deprives himself Of
actdal necessities for years to meet
the demands Of the collectors Of the
societies In order that he may go to
bis last resting place In the midst of
| sucn stranQely weird napeantry