Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-05
AMONG THE - sr'
FRATERNITIES

The business affairs Of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge, I. o. o. F.. during the an
nual convention are conducted by means
of various committees, much the same as in
Congress These are the committees pro-
vided by sovereign law: Appeals, nine
members; constitution, twelve members;
correspondence, twelve; drawing of seats,
seven; finance, twelve; grand lodges not
represented, twelve; grand officers reports,
seven; international relations, twelve; ju-
dietary, nine: mileage, nine; miscellaneous
business, twelve; patriarchal branch,
twelve; petitions, twelve; printing and sup
plies, five; Rebekah degree, twelve; specu-
lation, twelve; state Of order, twelve, and
unfinished business, twelve
What Is called conclave of colored
knights of Pythias has been in session this
week at st. Louis. The Geographic dis
patches say that 500 delegates from all
parts of the world, were present AS the
dispatches put it, delegates and represen-
tatives to the Grand Lodge the Supreme
Court of Calanthe and the International
Encampment OF the Uniform Rank" have
been In attendance.
The colored Odd Fellows have an extern
sive organization In the United States, dis
tinguished from the white body by being
called Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
There are large numbers of colored Ma
sonic bodies. claiming descent from the
Prince Hall colored lodge of Boston, es-
tablished before the revolution. These
lodges are not in affiliation with white
lodges, but this is not due to any distinc-
tons of color, for there is no color line in
Masonry The colored Masonic lodges are
regarded as clandestine, not having been
established by proper Masonic authority.
and therefore not legally organized in a
Masonic sense.
1t Is quite different with the knights of
Pythias There never was a regularly or
gained colored Pythian lodge and No
colored man was ever initiated In a recoc-
nized Pythian lodge descended from the
Rathbone organization. This fraternity
from it's organization provided that on1v
white males" and they believers in the
Supreme Being" should be eligible to
membership 80.
1t therefore follows that, while there are
colored Free Masons of undisputed mem
bership, there are no colored Pythians SO
Iar as known there was never but one So
called colored Pythian lodge in Washington.
rms was In GEORGETOWN, and became de-
funct several years ago.
Inc National Fraternity congress In ses
sion at Milwaukee thissweek has been con-
sldering the preparation. of uniform bill
relating to fraternal beneficiary associa
tons, as prepared by the committee on fra
ternal insurance of the tfOnal convention
OF insurance commissioners This measure
Is intended 10 proV1de,,a uniform law for
all the various states whose laws define a
fraternal beneficiary association: that such
associations snail Ae exempt from all pro-
visions of the Insurance. la Ms of the states
and that no law passed after the measure
becomes law In any particular state
shall apply to them unless they be express
ly designated In such law, and it also BRO
vldes Tor the manner In which associations
shall buy, hold and dispose, of property in
the state, etc. The measure also provides
for the revocation of the license of anv
such fraternal society exceeding its powers
or whose business Is hazardous to the pub
lie. -
1t also provides that mo association now
authorized by the insurance commissioner
OF any state IN which this bill may become
a law, to transact business which pays or
provides for the payment of any benefit for
temporary or permanent physical disability.
either as the result Of disease or accident
shall be permitted to continue such busi,
ness in such state after the first dav Of
January, 1908, unless such association shan
from and after said date. collect from its
members holding contracts providing for
such benefits disability premiums or as
sessments on account OF such disabilitv
benefits which are not lower than those re
quired by the Manchester unity tables of
1870"
Harry L. Myers the present worshipf1Il
master OF George c. Whiting Lodge, No.
"a, r. A. A. NJ. was born in GEORGETOWN
d. G., OF German parentage September ~
1869. and received his education in the pub.
lie schools of the city He has been a
member OF George c. Whiting Lodge for