The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-01-25
Negro Societies.

Charleston Letter in New York Tribune
The southern negro love Of pomp and
circumstance is nowhere exemplifed more
forcibly than in the manner in which he
multiplies his charitable organizations.
Inordinately fond Of company, he has few
societies founded with the sole view of
promoting social enjoyment. For the most
part, whatever foundations he makes have
a semireligious tread the dues emitting.
members to sick benefits and funeral ex-
penses. There is usually an elaborate
reealia and an intricate ritual. Not few
negroes of southern city, such as Charles
ton, belong to no less than scorce of these
orders. the names of which are oftentimes
curiously and wonderfully made. What,
for instance, would the ordinary patron of
secret organizations think Of possessing
membership in the Sons and Daughters OF
the Seven Golden Candlesticks in Charity
or in the Sons and Daughters Of Will
Arise
The sons and daughters idea is worked
to the limit of endurance. There IS
scarcely well known name in Biblical
history that is not tackled on to it. There
are in Charleston alone no less than seven
ty-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 as
it may seem when the great poverty OF
the negro of the south is considered, the
arrears list is a brief one indeed. Of
course the charges are small, usually about
rs cents month, but when it is remem-
bered that many individuals belong to six
or eight or even more orders it is little
short of marvellous how the funds necessa-
ry to meet the demands Of the collectors
are found, and yet it is SO deep disgrace
to be expelled that instances of the kind
are very rare. To hold membership In
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 gather
ings begin at the fashionable hour OF lO
D. m. and continue not infrequently
throughout the night Refreshments are
to be had for small consideration, and as
these are for the most part OF a liquid ma
ture the sons and daughters are prone to
be conspicuous by their absence from their
several places of employment next morn
ing. Often the police have to interfere 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 Pilgrims,
the Sons and Daughters of the Twelve
Disciples, the Sons and Daughters of the
Bearer of the Cross, the Sons and Daugh-
tiers 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 Sa-
marian, 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 organizations and their
LOYALTY to their fellow members are abso-
lutte.
The funeral of colored man or woman
who holds membership in half dozen of
these orders is spectacle worth witness
ing. Occasionally bitter feuds arise be-
tween rival societies for the possession of
a corpse, for the negro's love of a funeral
is not second even to his love OF melons.
The ceremonies usually begin the night
before the actual interment is to take place
There are sermons, prayers and personal
experience intercepted 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 a formal
procession. 1t is forming for an hour be-
fore the residence of the late lamented son
or daughter Negroes from the uttermost
parts of the city gather in the streets
The occasion is festive one. They run
and shout and caper. The members OF
the organizations to which the dead person
belonged stand in solemn order, clad in
elaboate uniforms and bearing the banners
and other insignia of their respective or
ders, and when the cortege finally moves,
vending its way at times through miles of
the city s streets, it 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 inspiration Of
many a negro's whole life. He slaves and
deprives himself of actual necessities for
years to meet the demands Of the collec-
tors of the societies in order that he may
go to his last resting place in the midst of
such strangely weird pageantry.