The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-12
Pythiar,s

The forty-ninth annual convention
Of the grand lodge convened in the
assembly room of Murphys hotel.
Tuesday evening, October 7. at $40
o'clock.
The preliminary meeting was called
to order by George A Bowden, chair
man of the entertainment committee.
After an invocation by Grand Pre-
late George G. Wrenn. Mayor George
Ainslie was introduced and delivered
an address of welcome, which was
responded to- by B. Mercer Hartman,
of Richmond, grand outer guard who
said that it was fitting that the
meeting should be in Virginias cap
itai city as 1t. represented the ideals
of the highest civilization. He said
that he had recently been In seven
teen states and everywhere men were
saying that IL civilization !s to be
saved, in these troublous times. peo-
pie must have something of that
same spirit which came out Of the
old Jamestown settlement and which
found it's fruition in Richmond and
that we are living In times when men
cannot fall to appreciate the vital
issues confronting the nation and
that If the-wofld- is-te be maae-fit
as n human habitation there must
us, some of those principles which
lie at the base of Pythianism, and
which are expressed In the words
friendship. benevoience and charity
Judge David c. Richardson, past
supreme representative, was then in
troduced. who declared that he had
come with carefully prepared
speech to introduce Senator James f.
Watson. of Indiana. formerly gen
eral counsel for the insurance depart
ment OF the order. but who was un~
able to attend owing to his official
business at Washington. and there
fore could not deliver that speech He
however paid tribute to Pvthianism
and declared that he was proud of
its heritage and the progress IL had
made. He said that the times were
indeed perilous and. such as to cause
a peSsirTiSt to. believe that our civ iif-
zation was near its end.
Men everywhere were arrayed
against men and the future looked
dark. However, the speaker said, he
was not pesstmist and believed that
there was among the people a stratum
of fraternity and good will which
would be the safeguard of the nation
and the world.
During the morning session Colonel
George A, Bangs. Of Grand Forks, n
n, who has just recently returned
from overseas where he had been
In the service Of his country and yet
wearing his uniform, n. member Of
the board of control of the insurance
department. of the order, was intro
duced and made a most pleasing ad-
dress
There was an afternoon and even
ing session Of the lodge and final ad-
journment was not had until Thurs
day morning, At the morning ses-
sion Wednesday morning commit
tee from the Pythian sisters was In
PRODUCED, who express thanks for the
cooperation OF the brothers In their
work and wish them much success.
Election Of officers was the special
order for Wednesday afternoon. and
the following were elected and in
stalled at the evening session:
r. f. Boyer. of Alexander. grand
chancellor.
s. b Hammer, OF Lynchburg, grand
vice chancellor.
W e. Ritter. of Buchanan county.
grand prelate.
r, II. Bell, Jr.. of Stanton. grand
keeper of records and seals.
J. r. Bailey. of Richmond. grand
master of exchequer.
b. Mercer Hartman, of Richmond,
grand master at arms.
Thomas f.. Payne, of Roanoke.
grand inner guard
Walter Sibert, of Norfolk. krand
outer guard.
George G. Cabell. Of Norfolk, SUI
preme representative
William L.adew. Of New York. SUI
preme vice chancellor of the supreme
lodge of the order, arrived In the
city late in the evening. and later
was a visitor to the grand lodge. and
ing the different branches Of the or
der, and said that under the call Of
supreme chancellor. great activity
was being manifested everywhere in
the order, throughout the supreme do
main, and the efforts Of the year
would show very great increase In
the membership. The session was
most pleasant one. and most impor-
tant legislation enacted. which Will
tend to the general Advancement OF
the order.
Grand Chancellor A. L. Lucas, be-
ing much engaged with his official
duties in connection with the state
government. was unable to give his
full time to the convention, so turned
his gavei over to Past Grand Chancel-
Tor Charles ID. Fox. Of Roanoke, who
presided with much affabiiity and i'm
partially.
One Of the prominent figures At
the Grand Lodge convention was
Yyr- r~Ls - =