Evening star., 1927-10-23
Mother Domain of Order Engaged Campaign Reduce Debt Temple
This Cty-Noabe Figures History of Organization Familiar Washington

of Columbia-Franklin, No. 2; Mount
Vernon, No. 5: Webster, No. Z: Syra.
cusians. No. 10; Calanths. No. IL:
Hermione, No. u; Excelsior, No. Il:
Union, No. %: Capital, No. "a: Myrtle,
No. %; Columbia, No. 26: Amaranthe,
No. 2S; Rathbone-Superior. No. 80;
Century-D Decatur, No. 80, and Home,
No. 81. These are subordinate lodges,
having over them the Grand Lodge.
composed of "all the past chancellors
and duly elected representatives of all
subordinate lodges in the District of
Columbia and of all States which have
not a Grand Lodge" The Grand
Lodge of the District of Columbia was
organized on April 8, 1864, with Joseph
T. X. Plant as grand chancellor. but
went out of existence in June. 1865.
On May l. 1866. it was reorganized and
Justus Henry Rathbone was elected
grand chancellor, serving for term
of one year.
On May 10, 1868. preliminary
meeting looking toward the formation
of the Supreme Lodge of the knights
Of Pythias was held in Philadelphia,
with William P. Westwood, grand
chancellor of the Provisional Supreme
Lodge of the District of Columbia, in
the chair. and with delegates present
from the Grand Lodges of the District
Of Columbia. Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey. Maryland and Delaware, among
whom was the founder of the order.
Justus FL. RatlS)one. The preliminary
plans were approved later by the
Grand Lodges then in existence and
August IL, 1868. the past grand
chancellors and supreme represent.
atives met In the city of Washington.
District of Columbia. and formed the
Supreme Lodge as ''the supreme au-
thority Of the knights of Pythias of
the World"
Honor was paid to Justus Rathbone
by his election as founder and past
supreme chancellor. the record stat
ing. "a rank that dies with that off,
GER" Samuel Read OF New Jersey
was elected first supreme chancellor
His name Is Of Importance, as he was
extremely active in building up the
order throughout the country and he
was also opposed to Justus Rathbone
in the controversy known as the S. p
F., *. tSupreme Pythian Knighthood)
controversy. or the 0. B. N, which
/ ragged around the effort to establish
higher degrees than those of the Su-
| preme Lodge, to be conferred only on
Pythians. but to be considered as out
side the order, Peace was finally
| established in 1871 between the war.
ring factions and the Supreme Lodge
was victorious in IT'S efforts to abolish
the S. p. X.
, v \ y
IONE. of the notable historical Incl.
dents in the life of the knights
OF Pythias is the adoption of resolu.
tions on the death of Abraham Lincoln
i at meeting of Franklin Lodge, No.
| 2. on April "a. 1865. They were as
| follows:
! Whereas Abraham Lincoln. late
President of the United States, has
met a sudden and violent death at
the hands Of an assassin: and
! Whereas by this sudden visitation
! OF Providence, the Nation has lost
, one of its ablest statesmen, and most
!, prominent actor in the establishment
| of civil liberty; and
! Whereas we are called upon. In
! common with all lovers of liberty. to
express our profound sorrow on the
occasion OF this great national bsreave.
ment;