Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-13

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Kludd, or vice president and chaplain.
and the stage IL set for the parody on
the sacrament Of baptism.
| Death Threat In Ritual
But first n death threat is uttered.
"Sirs," says the masked presiding Of
ficer TO the candidates, "have you as
sumed without mental reservation your
oath of allegiance to the Invisible Eio.
pire? Mortal man cannot assume a
more binding path; character and cour-
age alone will enable you to keep IT,
Always remember that to keep this
oath means to you honor, happiness ana
life: but to violate it means disgrace
dishonor and death. May honor, happi-
ness and life be yours.
Then the officer picks up the water
bottle from the altar and says to the
candidates: ,,
with this transparent, hfe-giVihs,
powerful, God given tiuid, more precious
! and far more significant than all the
sacred oils of the ancients, l set you
apart from the men of your daily asso-
citation to the great and honorable TASK
Won have voluntarily allotted yourselves
us citizens Of the Invisible Empire,
knights of the Ku Klux klan. :,
You will kneel upon your right Knee
Full Stage Directions
Just here, according to the inter
polated stage directions, the toiio"lns
stanza must be sung in low, soi., ".
distinct tone, preferably py lu ~
ITune-.'Just AS l Am Without one
Plea.")
To Thee, oh God call to Thee
True to my oath, oh help me pe! II,
I've pledged my love, my blood, my an
Oh, give me grace that not faii.
"Sirs," says the dedicating ofhcer,
meath the uplifted fiery cross when py
it's holy light looks down upon you 10
bless with its sacred traditions OF 'ne
past
"I dedicate you in body. in mind, IN
spirit and in life to the hol y service OF
our country, our khan, our homes, eacn
other and humanity
Then. following the stage directions,
he advances to the candidates and pours
few drops of water on each one 8 pacR'
saying:
"In body" pours a few drops on his
beod. saving, 'in mind" places a few
drops on his own hand and tosses it
inward. saying. "in spirit and finally
moves his hand ..'in horizontal circu,-
lar motion" round the candidates head
saving. "and in life," which action ter
inmates the baptismal parody. except
for prayer during which all 'torrors
and mere klansmcn kneel while the
blessing of God is once more unctuousiS
invoked on Ku Klux, Inc.
More "Spiritual Fodder"
Amended to the main part Of thu
ritual is an imperinl lecture which AT
fords an excellent final sample Of thu
sn;r;tuol fodder fed to the Ku Klu'
aock bv their pastor and shepherd. Ir
pnrt it runs as follows:
"The noble achievements OF the X,
Klux Klan shine with undiminishet
cffulgencc through the gathering mist o
accommodating years nm eloquent tribute
to the chivalry and patriotism OF the pas
and the holy heroism of our fathers II
nreserying to IFS the sacred heritage o
suncrior race. political supremacy
racial integrity. social neace and secur'
ity and IN humanity the boon ot cul
turcd civilization. It abidcs the mali
cious ISLANDERS of the age and IS an mex
haustible source of inspiration to thos
~ this generation who aspire to al
things good and noble for themselves
our country and our race
. Then follows burst of genuine ora
tory:
"When." announces Emperor" Sim
mons. "the shuddering peals of tn
thunder of the impending storm
, the American Reconstruction were hear'
above the fading echoes of the battle
, Of the great Civil War. the chosen vic
tins stood aghast and pnlc. wondering
! at the meaning and purpose OF the gath
cring gloom"
When Simmons Becomes Fiery
+ When they learned the meaning. h
q goes on, thpv gave n CRY which was -;
horrible medley full OF intense anguisl
+ melancholy groans OF manly mel
' struck dumb. mingling with the sicken
! ing. penetrating sohs of distressed
a a women and the plaintivq cry of hungry
. cladless children: on this melanchol
, orchestra grief touched the chords o
universal sadness and played the dure
ful drge Of death over the slaughtere,
corns (sicl Of civilization
And then what happened?
Then. says their modern Emperor
then came the Ku Klux Klnn. an,
with grim smile of sacred duty rest
ing upon their manly countenances'
lcnpcd into the saddle. riding "fron
over the mysterious horderland from tn
Fmnire Of the Soul" and "baptizc,
with n suffusion Of tears
They came. he repeats. and adds wit
notable originality. 'They came; the
saw; they conquered" Then "the voic
of music was again heard in the land
their purpose and mission was ended
they laid aside their snotless robes. an,
the greatest order Of chivalrv in nj
history disbanded - for the Ku Klu;
rode no more"
Tells Of "NObIe Ride"
But. he goes on. their noble ride
is immortalizcd and memorialized in hi
Ku Klux. Inc.
"The spirit Of the Ku Klux Klal
still lives and should nroye a priceless
heritage That this spiri
may live always to warm the heart
Of manly men. unity them by the spiri
Of holy clannishness. to assuage the bill
lowing tide of fraternal alienation tina
surges in the human breasts and in
spirr them to achieve the highest an,
noblcst in the defense of our country
our homes. each other and humanity, i
the paramount ideal Of the knights o
Ku Klux Khan"
The romantic appeal connected will
the claim that X X. X. Inc. o
Atlanta, Ga. IL the legitimate Offsprin
and prohated sole heir-a law of tn
original Klan is another of the favorit
talking points of Simmons and his sales
m 4