The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-11-15
Supreme Keeper Of Records
and Seal Brings Precious
Rathbone Bible. Il
TO INITIATE Big CLASS
Hundreds Of Pythlars from
0ther Places to Attend the
/ Ceremony.

High officers Of the knights Of
Pythias order arrived here Sunday
and Monday for the purpose Of tax
ling part in the initiation OF q large
class of candidates, numbering more
than 400, into the page rank, or in
itial degree, of Clarksburg lodge.
NO. SO, which will take place q $50
o'clock Monday evening in the audi
toriums Of the Masonic temple.
The high officials included Fred b.
Wheaton, Of Minneapolis, MINI, SUI
preme keeper OF records and seal,
to whom is entrusted the custody OF
the famous aRathbone Bible, owned
by the founder Of the order and upon
which the oaths were taken when the
order was founded in 1864. He
brought the precious relic with him.
Another high official now here is o.
W. West Of Auburn, Gilmer coun-
", the grand chancellor Of the West
Virginia grand lodge. Samuel B. i
Montgomery, OF Kingwood, grand
keeper OF records and seal of the,
state grand lodge, is also here for
the big meeting. /,
Glass Named Rathbone.
Because the candidates to be mi
tiated tonight will take their obi.
CATION upon the famous Rathbone
Bible, the class: win be known as
the Rathbpns Bible class and they
will have a distinction ever to be
cherished in their memory Similar
RibleS classes, are being snbli gateds fiji
t6elll1g les OF he sstates
Mr. atom the supreme Keeper OF
records and seal visiting each with
the precious Bible. "A class is to be
initiated Tuesday ight at Fairmont.
Others will be initiated at Wheeling,
Huntington and Charleston.
Hundreds of Fsthians will be here
for this event. big one In the his
tory Of the local lodge, some OF them
coming from as far as Redwood and
Keyser. Others will be here from
Weston, Buckhannon, Salem, Beling-
ton, Philippi, Shinnston and many
other central West Virginia cities
and towns. Es.
Story OF the Bible.
The Rathbone Bible was a gift to
Founder Rathbone, by his mother,
on his fifth birthday, October 20,
1915 Its first use in connection
with the founding Of the order was
on the night of Monday. February
10, 1854, In the house No. 500 r.
street, near the corner OF Ninth
street. in the city of Washington,
D, c., when, after the regular re-
hearsal Of the Arion Glee Club, Of
which he was a member, Founder
Rathbone drew forth a small Bible
and upon 1t obligated the Original
members" and to whom he read In its
entirety the ritual which he had writ
ten. This ritual was in manuscript.
The next use Of the historic Bible
was in obligating the original mem-j
bers Of Washington Lodge, No. I. on
Friday evening, February 10. 1864,
In Temperance hall, p street, N. w.
Washington. D. G.
Obligation Necessary.
Fundamentally, It is true OF the
knights OF Pythias as Of any other
organization Of its general character,
that obligations make members OF
an order" and without this particu-
lar ceremony one cannot become. a
member. Lodge membership Is gem
orally and rightfully considered as a
subsequent act. The! original mem-
hers OF the order Of knights OF
Pythias, including the founder, Jus
tice II. Rathbone. became members
of Washington lodge No. 4. In all
important acts, as well as In matters
of minor Importance, there is the
initial step, and the CLOCK Of the
Universe" struck the hour, Monday
aveninp Fahruarvs liz 1894 m1a,,
the initial step was taken to found
and establish the Order Of knights
of Pythias which step, four days
later. was completed In the institu-
ton OF the nrst. the parent lodge.
Bible, Presented.
In the centennial year OF 1876, the
Continued on page 81