The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-02-21
HALF=cENTURY OLD.
prevail Of the main principle OF Chair
~ Ertepdship and BeneVolence.
Continued from page L.

! W, frlenusH1p anu DSbS'O'SbNN'
In the settlement Of our own, local
reconstruction problem. the need OF
Ptthian institution WAS felt. Gu
\ community sill 10 the tbroes Of poll
ti~ai revolution, with The reek OF car
nage and the smell of gore AZ acce-so
RES felt fhe timely hand ot the frater
plty and was spared many OF the Tea
tures OF aa impending conflict undeI
wi ose apparent infiu-nc- The savage
~ and bestiality of men beioul human
life like the cormorants and vuitufei
tof the air fill their nests with pesti
lence.
On October 18th 1883. ominous sign
of rumbling discomfort could be seei
on the far off political horizon. Th'
wave of white supremacy, almost witt
the force of an enchantress, compelled
every man to perform his part In the
tragedy and TO exact that during ths
combat, perhaps full OF vengeance
and malice, no quarters be given u
foe or brother, no opposition brookeo
TO the ablishment of caucasian
governmental civilization and inteili
gence.
nalism and thorough test OF the
fibre and resources and faithfulness Of
the order. The bloodshed. the hor'
rors of this little history, must still be
wildly engraved in the minds ano
hearts Of most of you, and with many
of the chief figures of that drama have
gone to their last rest, their patriot
ISM aud devotion to town and state
are still monuments erected In the
memory Of grateful people and re-
miniscences of friendly historian.
Families were divided, and every cit''
zen at another's throat.
Everything looked like a shamble,
/ aud ideals Of manhood and ethics OF
morality sank to the level of those Of
an unregulated slaughter house.
These thirty five men below,
faced by unpromising conditions,
undertook the task to relight the sa.
cred vestal fire of friendship and dis
{ ibute, in a brotherly way, the gift OF
f aternity, the love OF heart, and the
respect OF tree speech and thought.
With preparations for the defense OF
individual rights by every man IN
this town, with courts dispensing JUS
tice in conformity with political expe-
diency, with disrespect for law and
contempt for authority. with disor-
ganization Of society with disintegra-
tion of civic bodies, with a
riot of chaos and omiEous sus.
pense, the restraining hand oil Pity
ianism. the guiding spirit of brother
hood is discerned in the absence
of murder and assassination and the
! peaceful solution of social problems.
| Without noise and heralded declara-
ton of high sounding principles, with
suppressed sound and voice, it linked
the hand Of brother 10 brother in per-
mapent friendship and respect. New
| Iberia, after all its turbulent political
history and its local troubles. has ac-
quired fame for dignity, respectable
lity and intelligence, second to none
of any community in the State. Ii we
are commended for our Unborn hospi.
tally, geniality and good fellow
ship, the acquisition and the exercise
of those attributes can be conscienti'
ousIy traced TO the silent influence oil
The Pythian order. But. friends. 1t il
in times OF complete Peace, that Pyth
ianism gained its laurels, recorded its
triumphs and wears its crown OF royal
dominion. 1t is still and will forever
remain the ministry that upholds jus
tice, truth, and equity. IL is an ennis
sary OF Peace, missionary of Faith In
men. In this age of industry and
commerce, with its complexe relation
Of man TO surrounding conditions, nc
institution. civil or social. can exer-
else its power for betterment of the
man of the mass better than the
knight of Pythias-
| The ideal Pythian is natural, un-
affected sociologist. He is familiar
with the environment of his brother.
with his failures and successes, with
his responsibilities and his duties
Life is merely battle field on the can
vas of civilization. Within the frame
your conception OF continuous pro.
cession OF victor and captives. of mas
ters and slaves. Of joys and sorrows, Of
cheers and tears.
In the melee of the great retreat OF
reformation of new lines, the observer
perceives the ruthless disregard of the
| rights of man, the illuminating Hec.
tor Of Power and cunning over consci-
ence and honesty, the selfishness and
greed strangling charity and philan.
thropy. The foundation of character
and mani God is honeycombed with
the virus threatening the humiliation
of the whole stature of human nature
Pyth;anism is the preservative, the
shield. the anchor, the hope of these
attributes. By It's ethics and counsels
it offers itself as a barrier against the
| immolation of soul and ideal.
! 1t encourages justice. generates
charity and arrest by benevOlence the
rude exploitation OF selfishness. In
its logic is terminating the spirit OF
human brotherhood, the high ideals
of thought and belief that perceive in
the lustre Of the star. the brilliancy OF
the sun, the immeasity of space and
eternity of time the handiwork OF
God
| Its charity reaches the home, the
man. the life of the family.
Iis contributions of advice, courage
aud sane rational department to the
communal society is felt in every
movement of civic virtue and devel-
opment.
| 1t is an instrument for quicker
and more efficient social uplift than
most iraternal organizations. Its
hand OF friendship reaches every fire.
side.
What wonderful army of workers
bearing the Pythian banner. number.
ing Ito coo of the best citizenship oil
the United states. A grand chorus
chanting the hymn Of Love and CHAR.
ty aud spreading the cement Of Peace
in an age of consuming competition
and fierce rivalry.