The Washington herald., 1907-08-27

organizer, and did much to promote the
growth and perfect the details and i'm
prove general conditions in the order.
The troubles Of the knights Of Pythias
were not AL over. however Like the
two friends in old Syracuse. they found
they must bear many trials together 20
prove the 'mettle OF the pasture" When
affairs were supposed 10 be moving
smoothly It was found at a Richmond
convention that the supreme commanding
scribe was a defaulter. and financial col
lapse was narrowly averted. So Tor two
conventions representatives had 20 pay
their own expenses, and the organization
had hard shedding Finally, through the
energy and indcraitable courage OF the
workers, improved conditions came about,
and life stretched out IN a smoother, more
promising path before them.
An important feature in the Knights OF
Pythias. at present, is the endowment
rank, or insurance feature, which was
established at Cleveland, In 1877. At
Cleveland, also. arose the movement 10
make independent drill companies within
the order. and the Uniform Rank origi-
mated. This uniform rank Is now the
military feature of the Knights Of Py-
thias. and the soldierly bearing and
knightly air invariably attract great at
tention. The first time the Uniform Rank
appeared IN public parade was in St
Louis, in 1880. and since that time It has
been a leading feature In all biennial con-
ventions. II includes S0,e90 members.
drilled under United States army regula-
tions, and available for services in event
Of the country's need IN fact, the Py-
THAN army was most promptly offered 10
the United States when war was declared
with Spain. II is not under a major
general, although the Supreme Chancel-
lor is the cOmmander-in-ehief. Since the
Pythian army has become so prominent.
there is a lively bidding between cities 20
secure the biennial meetings OF the or
der. and thousands OF excursion tickets
are sold into the cities in which conven-
tiOns are held
The Knights OF Pythias fraternity is
distinctly American The order follows
the flag, which its members have sworn
10 protect and uphold, and there are now
lodges oversee In Hololulu and Manila
as full Of patriotism and brotherliness as
the ones that have the Capitol dome al
ways IN sight The government OF the
order IS modelled after that OF the United
States. whose Institutions Il so greatly
reyeres. There is an executive depart
ment with the Supreme Chancellor at its
head; the legislative department, repre-
sented BY the Supreme Lodge, and the
judicial department, whose powers are
vested in the Supreme Tribunal, which
has original and appellate Jurisdiction
The Supreme Domain is subdivded into
grand domains, whose boundafies are
the same as the various States and Ter
ritories Of the United States BY years
of experience the branches OF its gov
eminent have been perfected until its
machinery works like that OF a national
government and the amount Of the work
done In the management Of the orders
affairs may be guessed from the fact that
the record OF a convention makes 2
volume Of GOO or 200 pages In point Of
membership the Knights of Pythias is
exceeded only by the Odd Fellows. the
Freemasons. and the Modern Woodmen
OF the World. and on the rolls appear
the names of many thousand earnest.
helpful men. who are daily living out in
private life the doctrines OF brotherliness
and helpfulness that Pythias and his
friend practiced Ions ago IN Syracuse
when Dionysius was King.
TO-morrow-The Benevolent and
Protective Order of EIks.