Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-03-05
G SOCIETIES.
THE SOUTHERN coLoRED MANS LOVE
OF PoMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE.
Wonderfully Named Organizations
to Provide For Members Sick Bene-
fits and Funeral Expenses How
They Flourish In Charleston.

fits and Funeral Expenses How
They Flourish In Charleston.
The southern negro's love Of pomp
and circumstance is nowhere exempll-
fed more forcibly than in the
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, what
ever foundations he makes have a
semireligious trend, the dues emitting
members to sick benefits and funeral
expenses. There is usually an elabo-
rate regalia and an intricate ritual.
Not a few negroes Of q southern city,
such as Charleston, belong to no less
than a score OF these orders, the names
of which are oftentimes c~uriously and
wonderfully made. What, for instance,
would the ordinary patron Of secret or
CARNATIONS think Of possessing men,
bership In the Sons and Daughters
Of the Seven Golden Candlesticks In
Charity OF in the Sons and Daughters
Of | VIII Arise?
The sons and daughters Idea Is work
ed to the limit of endurance. There Is
scarcely n well known name in Biblical
history that Is not tackled on to Il.
There are In Charleston alone no less
than sevcnty-five of these societies
with charters from the state Of South
Carolina. and how many there are that
have no legal status no a may say
with confidence.
Dues are paid weekly, and, strange
rs 1t may seem when the great poverty
of the negro of the south Is considered,
the arrears list is n brief one indeed.
OF course the charges are small, usual
ly about % cents n month, but Vhon It
is remembered that many individuals
belong TO six or eight or even more
orders 1t Is little short of marvellous
bow the funds necessary to meet the
Demands of the collectors are found,
and yet 1t is so deep a disgrace to be
expelled that instances of the kind are
very rare. To hold membership In a
number Of societies is regarded as a
badge Of honor.
Meetings are held monthly in private
residences. In public halls OF, more fire.
guently still, In churches. These gath
erings begin at the fashionable hour
of 10 p. m. and continue not infre-
quently throughout the night. Re-
freshments are to be had for q small
most part of a liquid nature the sons
and 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-
tiers 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
CARNATIONS and their loyalty to thelI
fellow members are absolute.
The funeral of n colored a oil
woman who holds membership In q
half dozen Of these orders Is n specta'
che worth witnessing. Occasionally
bitter feuds arise between rival SO
cieties for the possession Of n corpse
for the negro's love OF n funeral Is moi
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 ant
personal experiences intercepted will
wild bursts Of incoherent melody
which arouses religious fervor to feveI
height. Men and women faint In tn,
course OF the exercises. many Others
fall into frances and talk of visions o.
their dead friends enthroned In glory.
The ceremonies eliminate In a form
al. procession. 1t is forming for al
hour before the residence OF the lat,
Iamented son or daughter. Negroe
from the uttermost parts Of the cit.
gather In the streets. The occasion is
festive one. They run and shout an,
caper. The members of the ~organiza
tons to which the dead person belong
ed stand In solemn order. clad In elah
crate uniforms and bearing the ban
ners and other insignia Of their re
spectiye orders, and when the corteg
finally moves, vending its way a
times through miles OF the city
streets. 1t is followed by a mad rus
of men, women and children, VIII
block the thoroughfares, and traffic 70
the time being has to be suspended
The hope OF such a funeral Is the In
SEPARATION Of many a negro's whole life
He slaves and depriyes himself Q
actual necessities for years to NEE
the demands of the collectors Of tn
societies in order that he may go I
bis last resting place In the midst G
such strangely weird pageantry.-
Charleston Letter In New York Trit
une.