The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-11
Pytl,ians

Now that the storm Of the great
world war. that threatened an invasion
81 our sacred SOIL by a despotic foe has
passed. and the sunshine of peace is
reeptng through the riffs OF the heavy
clouds that have cast their gloom
over the, blood drenched soil Of France
for a period of four long years, We
have cause for great rejoicing. for we
now have a reasonable assurance that
these clouds viii never again pour
forth their deluee ~ human blood
amidst the tragic scenes Of sacrificed
manhood and Of dcsolated homes.
Whilst the aEonizcd cries of the be
reaved and desoiate will he heard
through the long and tcndious period
Of reconciliation. there viii he a con-
seriousness Of duty well performed on
the part Of The loved and lost that VIII
be healtng balm IN the bedding
heart
+ With the ranks If our order heavily
drawn upon by the fortunes Of this
great war. there lies ahead Of us n
great reconstruction work for every
branch OF the Fythian organization.
Every member should feel ii incumbent
upen him To bring into our order, at
least one member of desirable char
acteristics and to stimulate to greater
activity the falterinC ones now within
the fold There will he dcsolatc homes
and broken hearts to he looked after.
homes that gave their main dependence
to help win the war and now feel the
pinch Of penury and want, broken
hearts that VIII need the oil OF conso-
lation poured upon them by truly SYM
pathetic hands
Manv OF our brothers will return
from the scenes ut carnage, bearing tho
scars ~ hard-fought battles, and will
feel now. more than ever before the
soothing influence Of brotherlv love
and true fellowship Let every Pvthian
he on the alert for the cry of the dis
tressed and be ready at all times and
in all circumstances TO lend helping
hand in the time Of need. This appeal
is given. not through any fear that a
true Pythian viii forget his duty in or
binary circumstances but there are
times when our own and perplexcd per-
sonal affairs SO engross us that We fail
TO hear: THE cry from Macedonia,
cor,e and help us"
Let the current year be one Of
pvthian activity. SO that when the
church bells shall toll the requiem Of
the old. and jovfully chime the halle
lujah on the advent OF the new year.
eshalt hear from our supreme chan
cslior the comforting and inspiring ap-
nlaudit. We'll done. thou good and
faithful servant"
Perhaps in no other publication has
there Appealed clearer and more dig
rihed paragraph analysis Of the order
than was written by Mr.. Smith for
the editorial pEe Of the Macon Daily
Telegraph Mr. Smith is one of the
most versatiie writer's of the South
land and his column, "Just 'TwiXt Us"
Of February -, Is produced,
This is the birthday of the order IT
knights nj Pythias. and will he OBJ
served all through the United States
and Canada with victory meetings, u
seems fitting that it should have been
born on midway ground between the
North and South at time, February
~, 1S64, when these sections OF our
country should have been engaged in
u death struggle for supremacy.
From the nine men who met in |
Washington ffty-fve years ago and
founded the order, the fraternity has
grown into family Of more than
three-Quarters Of. million loyal and