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 M,
 
 CAPT. HUGH GOOLD WEBB 
 p. C , P. G. R.
 
 A HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 AND ITS 
 
 BRANCHES AND AUXILIARY 
 
 TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF 
 SECRET SOCIETIES, THE RISE AND FALL OF 
 CHIVALRY AND HISTORICAL CHAP- 
 TERS ON THE PYTHIAN RITUAL 
 
 BY 
 
 CAPT. HUGH GOOLD WEBB 
 
 P. C, P. G. R. 
 
 MEMBER OF CO. .to. ltd REGIMENT, CALIFORNIA BRIGADE 
 U. R. K. P. 
 
 "He that hath light in his own clear breast, may 
 Sit in the center of the night and enjoy bright day. " 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 THE UNIFORM RANK CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, 
 
 ANAHEIM. CALIFORNIA 
 
 1910. P. P. XLVII
 
 t r t 
 
 > « ■ • 1 » 
 
 Copyright 1910 
 
 BY 
 
 HUGH G. WEBB
 
 f^ 
 
 
 DEDICATED TO 
 
 COL. J. O. ROYER 
 
 ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER GENERAL 
 CALIFORNIA BRIGADE 
 
 WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR THE ORDER 
 IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
 
 S3678
 
 PREFACE 
 
 Many go to the lodge room, see the work, and 
 think it grand and impressive. Bnt how many look 
 behind the scenes? How many know, or even dream, 
 that the inner recesses of the ritual tell ns of scenes 
 and events which take us back into the far distance 
 of earl^^ and even prehistoric times ; how many have 
 searched for these things? There are but very few 
 among the members of our Order who have the 
 knowledge of what the ritual contains, most of us 
 have neither the time nor inclination to look up the 
 matter ; and it is for the instruction of such, that this 
 little volume has been prepared; it is of importance 
 that we should know of these things, as they will 
 give us a greater comprehensive idea of the ritual, 
 and will thus impress it more firmly upon our minds. 
 
 The author has been careful to consult none but 
 recognized authorities on the several subjects 
 treated, and the facts found therein may confidently 
 be relied upon. 
 
 Chapters 5 and 6 on the Mysteries ot Isis and 
 Cabiri have been taken from a little book, published 
 in 1872, long since out of print, and written by Past 
 Supreme Chancellor James 0. Weeks. Valuable help 
 was obtained from the "Pythian History" of Past 
 Supreme Representative William D. Kenned}'. The 
 thanks of the author are also due to the representa-
 
 X PREFACE 
 
 lives of the late General Carnalian, for the use of 
 his "Pythian Knighthood," and to Major General 
 Arthur J. Stobbard, Uniform Rank ; Brother Charles 
 F. S. Neal, Endowment Rank ; Brother H. W. Beld- 
 ing, Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan, 
 and to Sister M. Josie Nelson, Supreme Mistress of 
 Records and Correspondence of the Pytsian Sisters, 
 for the very kind and valuable help each has given 
 in their several departments. 
 
 H. G. WEBB. 
 Anaheim, Cal.
 
 DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Adopted by the Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at the 
 adjourned session held at Cleveland, Ohio, August i6, i8jj. 
 
 Recognizing the universality of human brother- 
 hood, its organization is designed to embrace the 
 world within its jurisdiction — intended solely and 
 only to disseminate the principles of Friendship, 
 Charity and Benevolence, nothing of a sectarian or 
 political character is permitted wuthin its portals. 
 Toleration in religion, obedience to law, and loyalty 
 to government, are its cardinal principles. Misfor- 
 tune, misery, and death being written in fearful 
 characters on the broad face of creation, our noble 
 Order was instituted to uplift the fallen ; to cham- 
 pion humanity ; to be its guide and hope ; its refuge, 
 shelter, and defense ; to soften down asperities of 
 life ; to subdue party spirit ; and by the sweet and 
 powerful attraction of the glorious trinity of Friend- 
 ship, Charity and Benevolence, to bind in one har- 
 monious brotherhood men of all classes, and all opin- 
 ions. The brightest jewels which it garners are the 
 tears of widows and orphans, and its imperative 
 commands are to visit the homes where lacerated 
 hearts are bleeding ; to assuage the suffering of the
 
 xii DECLARATION OP PRINCIPLES 
 
 brother; bury the dead; care for the widow, and 
 educate the orphan ; to exercise charity toward the 
 offenders ; to construe words and deeds in their least 
 unfavorable light — granting honesty of purpose and 
 good intentions to others ; and to protect the prin- 
 ciples of Knighthood unto death. Its laws are rea- 
 son and equity ; its cardinal doctrines inspire purity 
 of thought and light; its intention is "Peace on 
 Earth and Good-Will Toward Men."
 
 OPENING ODE 
 
 God bless our Knightly band ; 
 Firm may it ever stand, 
 
 Through storm and night : 
 When the wild tempests rave, 
 Ruler of wind and wave, 
 Do Thou our Order save, 
 
 By Thy great might. 
 
 For this our prayers ascend; 
 God bless, protect, defend, 
 
 God guard our rights ; 
 Thou who art ever nigh. 
 Viewing with watchful eye, 
 To Thee aloud we cry, 
 
 God save the Knights.
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 It is the hope of the Author, that all, after 
 reading this little Manual, will be so interested in 
 its subject matter, that they will investigate further 
 and more fully into the Aims, Objects and History 
 of the Order of which it treats. Should strangers 
 happen to read the volume, for it is written for 
 them, as much as for members, the Author feels 
 they will be so far interested as to be induced to 
 become members themselves. 
 
 Before proceeding with the work itself, there 
 are two or three principles of which it will be 
 beneficial to say a few words. 
 
 Defense of Secret Societies. There are many who 
 object to secret societies, principally on account of 
 their meetings being held by members only, and 
 therefore are secret meetings. They argue, that if 
 these societies are what is claimed for them, why 
 restrict their meetings to membership? Speaking 
 for the Order of the Knights of Pythias, and all 
 kindred orders, we say, they are not in a strict 
 sense secret societies, but rather private societies. It 
 is true, their meetings are held only by members, 
 and their business, conducted without the intrusion 
 of the outside world, just as a business firm will 
 conduct its business in its own private room. No 
 one would think of calling the latter a secret so- 
 ciety ; the outside world knows nothing of what oc- 
 curs in that room, but the results of that meeting
 
 INTRODUCTION XV 
 
 are known afterwards in the advertisements put 
 forward, or, in the prices of goods, etc. It is the 
 same with secret societies. We have no more 
 secret than a firm of merchants; our laws and con- 
 stitutions are published to the world; the objects 
 of the Order are spread far and wide ; its member- 
 ship is knoA\Ti and proclaimed by the buttons and 
 badges worn by its members and other insignia of 
 the Order ; and its places of meetings are well known 
 land marks in all our cities and towns or where- 
 ever a lodge is located. The only secrets the Order 
 possesses are — A private sign by which one member 
 may recognize another and the needful ceremony of 
 initiation ; and to these all ' ' Good men and true, ' ' 
 whose written application is accepted by ballot, 
 are welcome to participate. 
 
 The second objection to Pythianism is in its 
 name. Damon and Pythias were Greeks, living 
 some four hundred years before Christianity was 
 institvited, and are consequently called heathen and 
 idolators. It is thought that a societj^ calling itself 
 after such men, and using them as its prototypes, 
 its teaching must necessarily partake of paganism. 
 In answer to this second objection we must re- 
 mind our readers, that through all the ages of un- 
 enlightenment. there were always some men far in 
 advance of the times in which they lived; men who 
 were clean, pure, and conscientious; earnestly 
 searching for light through the surrounding gloom ; 
 and who taught principles as pure and true as those 
 of the Christianitv of todav. Of siich men were our
 
 xvi INTRODUCTION 
 
 two prototypes, Damon and Pythias, and their 
 teacher and master, Pythagoras, the philosopher. 
 On the lives of these men hang the lessons taught 
 in the ritual of our Order. 
 
 Again: General Carnahan rightly says, "secret 
 societies were the first great schools of the Arts and 
 Sciences; and afterwards, the early Christian mis- 
 sionaries found their way into these countries 
 (Europe) through the lodges of these fraternities, 
 and under their care and protection the Gospel was 
 preached and preserved." 
 
 Duties of Members. It is the first duty of every 
 member to attend his lodge, and help in the busi- 
 ness of the Order. So many forget this ; the cause, 
 perhaps, or rather the chief cause, is the lack of in- 
 terest. This lack of interest is, in a large measure, 
 due to the lack of knowledge, first, of the Order — 
 what it is, whence it came, and what it is doing; 
 and second, of the ritual, how it was made, why it 
 was written, and the story of the allusions contained 
 in it. MT'ere this knowledge more fully known and 
 understood, there could not fail to be created a 
 more lively interest in the Order and its works, 
 tending to make its members better Knights, and 
 more faithful in the performance of their duties. 
 
 Purposes of the Manual. _It is for this purpose 
 that the Manual has been prepared ; and the Author 
 sincerely hopes that some, at least, will profit by it ; 
 and if even one member has, by its help, become
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 xvil 
 
 more actively alive to his duties, the Author's labor 
 has not been in vain. 
 
 The Manual can be used to great advantage by 
 those who are in need of subjects and materials 
 for an evening's speech or address. Every part of 
 Pythian History and of the Ritual has been touched 
 upon; and a variety of information is contained 
 in its pages, which would furnish material for 
 many and manv an evening's talk.
 
 CLOSING UOK- 
 
 May our slumbers be alJ blest, 
 When we close our eyes in rest. 
 May the Guardian Angel keep 
 Vigils 'er us while we sleep. 
 
 Sleep 'till ros3^ morning comes, 
 With its light to bless our homes. 
 May the Angels ever keep 
 Vigils o'er us while we sleep. 
 
 Good niffht.
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Knights Record Fly leaf 
 
 Col. J. O. Royer Dedication 
 
 The Author Frontispiece 
 
 Justus H. Rathbone, Founder of the Order of 
 Knights of Pythias 9 
 
 David L. Burnett, One of the "Five Original Mem- 
 bers" of the Order, Feb. 15th, 1864 27 
 
 Arrangement of the Lodge Room for the Four De- 
 grees of the Great Medicine Society of the 
 Ojibway Indians 38-39 
 
 Rathbone Monument 60 
 
 Ancient Greek Theatre, Syracuse 98 
 
 Geo. M. Hanson, Supreme Chancellor 123 
 
 Arthur ,J. Stobbart, Major-General Uniform Rank.. 162 
 
 Mrs. J. T. Cotton, Supreme Chief Pythian Sisters.. 184 
 
 Union B. Hunt, President Insurance Branch 210 
 
 William Beatty, Imperial Prince, D. O. K. K 234 
 
 The Rathbone Bible 254 
 
 Map of Sicily and Southern Italy 266 
 
 Cathedral Church of Syracuse (Temple of Minerva 
 Athaena) 282 
 
 Statue of an Unknown Greek Senator 308 
 
 Pyramids of Egypt 330
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 BOOK I. 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE ORDER. 
 
 Pages 
 SECTION 1. An American Institution. 2. Principles 
 of the Order. 3. Duties of Members. 4. How Per- 
 formed. 5. Government. 6. Good Standing. 
 7. Pythian Knighthood 3-8 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 LIFE OF JUSTUS H. RATHBONE. 
 
 Founder of the Order. 
 
 SECTION 8. Birth. 9. Education. 10. Early Occupa- 
 tions. 11. His Marriage. 12. A Hospital Nurse. 
 13. Washington Lodge No. 1; Rathbone's Resig- 
 nation. 14. Franklin No. 2; Elected Grand Chan- 
 cellor. 15. Various Occupations. 16. Title of 
 Founder Officially Recognized. 17. Appointed 
 Supreme Lecturer. IS. The Founder's Jewel. 
 19. Death of Mrs. Rathbone. 20. Founder's Death. 
 21. Memorial Services at Lima. 22. Funeral 
 Services at Utica. 23. The Man and His Works. 
 
 24. The Rathbone Monument 9-24^ 
 
 Poem. Dedication 25-26 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECRET SOCIETIES. 
 
 SECTION 25. The Council of King Eardwine. 2fi. As- 
 sociations in the Dawn of History. 27. Primeval 
 Man. 28. Objects of the Ancient Mysteries.
 
 xxii CONTENTS 
 
 Pages 
 29. Knowledge of a Living God. 30. The Earlier 
 Mysteries. 31. Their Teachings. 32. Require- 
 ments of Candidates. 33. Roman Societies. 
 34. The English Gilds. 35. Earlier Gilds. 
 36. Later Gilds. 37. Their Age. 38. Gild of Ab- 
 botsbury. 39. Of Exeter. 40. Of Cambridge. 
 41. Their Meetings. 42. Secret Societies Uni- 
 versal. 43. Indian Societies. 44. The Midiwiwin. 
 45. Two Classes of Secret Societies. 46. The 
 
 Criminal Class. 47. The Benevolent Class 27-41 
 
 Poem, A Dream of the Pre-Historic 42-44 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS. 
 
 SECTION 48. Origin of the Mysteries. 49. The Leg- 
 end; The Abduction. 50. The Return of Proser- 
 pine. 51. Symbolic Meaning of the Mysteries. 
 52. Their Sacredness. 53. Temple of Eleusis. 
 54. Nine Days of Preparation. 55. On the Road 
 to Eleusis. 56. Examination of Candidates. 
 57. The Offices. 58. Initiatory Ceremonies. 
 59. Passing Through a Wild Country. 60. The 
 Purification by Fire. 61. Virgil's Description. 
 62. Autopsia. 63. Description of Autopsia. 
 64. The Benediction. 65. The Mysteries De- 
 stroyed 45-58 
 
 Poem, Homer's Hymn to the Earth, Mother 
 
 of All 59 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF ISIS. 
 
 SECTION 66. Antiquity of the Rites. 67. Origin of 
 Egyptian Civilizatson. 68. Its Influence Upon the 
 Jews. 69. Its Influence Upon Pythagoras. 70. Isis 
 and Osiris. 71. Death of Osiris. 72. Two De- 
 grees. 73. The Great Mystery. 74. The Less 
 Mystery. 75. The Rites. 76. Their Meaning. 
 77. Legend of the Great Mystery. 78. Proces- 
 sions. 79. The Place of Initiation 61-70 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF THE CABIRI. 
 SECTION 80. Samothrace. 81. Antiquity. 82. Knowl- 
 edge of Rites Fragmentary. 83. The Cabiri.
 
 CONTENTS xxiii 
 
 Pages 
 84. The Rites Relate to the Flood. 85. The 
 Proofs. 86. Traditions. 87. Origin of the Mys- 
 teries. 88. Initiation Ceremonies. 89. Pilgrim- 
 age of Gloom. 90. The Flood of Light. 91. The 
 New Name. 92. The New Life. 93. Baptism of 
 Blood. 94. Place of Initiation. 95. The Bssenes. . .71-82 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 SECTION 96. Origin. 97. The German Rite. 98. Ori- 
 gin of the Word Knight. 99. Development of 
 Knighthood. 100. Its Decline. 101. Chivalry 
 Still Exists. 102. Who Were Eligible. 103. When. 
 104. Where. 105. By Whom. 106. How. 107. Rank 
 of Page. 108. Servitude. 109. Education. 110. Rel- 
 ics of the Rank. 111. Rank of Esquire. 112. Du- 
 ties in War. 113. Duties in Peace. 114. Rank 
 of Knight. 115. Ceremonies 83 9<> 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 OLLA PODRIDA. 
 
 SECTION 116. The Triangle. 117. The Pentagon. 
 118-121. The Senate. 122. The Quarries. 
 123. The Ear of Dionysius. 124-128. Croton and 
 Sybaris. 129-133. Regalia and Jewels. 134. Tem- 
 ple of Demeter, Eleusis. 135. Temple of Min- 
 erva, Syracuse. 136. The Flag of the Order 99-117 
 
 Poem, Arethusa 118-120 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE ORDER. ITS BRANCHES AND 
 
 AUXILIARY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. 
 
 SECTION 137. Founding an Order. 138. The Begin- 
 ning. 139. Order Not Ancient. 140. Authority 
 for the Early History. 141. Development of the 
 Ritual. 142. Arion Glee Club. 143. The Initial 
 Step. 144. The Meeting of Feb. 15th. 145. The
 
 xxiv CONTENTS 
 
 Pages 
 "Original Five." 146. Authority for the Title. 
 
 147. Organization of Washington Lodge No. 1. 
 
 148. Franklin No. 2. 149. Work Ordered in 
 Knight Rank. 150. First Official Grand Lodge. 
 151. Order in Pennsylvania. 152. Supreme 
 Lodge Organized. 153. O. B. N. Controversy. 
 154. Institution of the S. P. K. 155. Opposition. 
 156. The O. B. N. Again. 157. Peace restored. 
 158. Progress. 159. Pennsylvania in Trouble. 
 160. Endowment Rank Instituted. 161. Rathbone 
 Re-admitted. 162. Yellow Fever Plague. 
 163. The Heroes of the Pestilence. 164. The 
 Uniform Rank. 165. Statistical Progress. 
 166. Prosperity. 167. Toronto Convention. 
 168. Pennsylvania Again. 169. Annuity for 
 Rathbone's Daughters. 170. German Ritual 
 Question. 171. Scofield Catastrophe. 172. Other 
 Disasters. 173. Spread of the Order. 174. Cause 
 of the Rapid Growth. 175. Lodges in Other 
 Countries. 176. Final Statistics 125-154 
 
 Essay, Friendship, Charity and Benevol- 
 ence 155-160 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK. 
 SECTION 177. The Rank a Source of Prosperity 
 to the Order. 178. Its Founder. 179. A. Reserve 
 Force of the Nation. 180. The Evolution of the 
 Rank. 181. Drill Corps. 182. Rank Accepted 
 by the Supreme Lodge. 183. Promulgation. 
 184. Early Divisions. 185. Grand Divisions. 
 186. Revision. 187. Parade at Toronto. 188. First 
 Encampment. 189. Supreme Council. 190. The 
 Rituals. 191. Statistics. 192. Effects of the 
 Rank Upon the Order. 193. The Rank Attrac- 
 tive. 194. Progress in 1908. 195. Some Re- 
 visions. 196. The Rifle 163-175 
 
 Essay, Practical Benefits of the Military de- 
 partment 176-182 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS. 
 
 SECTION 197. First Efforts to Establish. 198. The 
 Order Recognized. 199. Warsaw No. 1 and 
 First Grand Temple. 200. Supreme Temple In-
 
 CONTENTS XXV 
 
 Pages 
 stituted. 201. Transference of Ritual. 202. Re- 
 visions. 203. Building of the Order. 204. Death 
 of Founder. 205. In Memoriam. 206. Dedica- 
 tion of Monument. 207. Change of Title. 208. Prog- 
 ress. 209. Loyalty of Sisters. 210. Insurance 
 Branch. 211. Its Progress Slow. 212. Discon- 
 tinued. 213. Order Incorporated. 214. National 
 Council of Women. 215. Appeals for Aid. 216. 
 The Official Organ. 217. Recognition Agitation. 
 .218. Continued Efforts. 219. An Auxiliary of 
 the Order Knights of Pythias. 220. Statistics. 
 221. Consolidation. 222. Change of Name. 
 223. Assemblies Made Into Temples. 224. Spread 
 of the Order. 225. 20th Anniversary. Declara- 
 tion of Principles 185-208 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. 
 (Endowment Rank.) 
 
 SECTION 226. First Introduction. 227. Rank Pro- 
 mulgated. 228. The Ritual. 229. Progress to 
 1879. 230. Board of Control. 231. A good Show- 
 ing. 232. Changes. 233. Trouble. 234. Deficit. 
 235. Statistics. 236. IT. S. Report. 237. Pros- 
 perity. 238. Supreme Chancellor Bang's Re- 
 port. 239. Redemption. 240. Rathbone's Part 
 in the Rank. 241. Four Different Policies Writ- 
 ten 211-225 
 
 The Insurance Department 226-232 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE DRAMATIC ORDER KNIGHTS OF 
 
 KHOROSSAN. 
 
 SECTION 242. The Order. 243. Its Objects. 
 
 244. General Description of the Country. 
 
 245. Khorossan. 246. Products. 247. The Peo- 
 ple. 248. History of the Country. 249. Ritual 
 and Temples. 250. History of the Order. 
 251. From 1900 to 1902. 252. Later History. 
 
 253. A Cordial Invitation 235-249 
 
 Poem, Life 250-251
 
 xxvi CONTENTS 
 
 BOOK III. 
 HISTORICAL CHAPTERS ON THE RITUAL. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE RITUAL. 
 
 SECTION 254. Authorship. 255. Date of Writing. 
 256. History. 257. Revision. 258. Foreign 
 Translations. 259. Degrees Changed to Ranks. 
 260. Amplified Third. 261. Title of Officers 
 Changed. 262. Final Revision. 263. Conclud- 
 ing Remarks. 264. The Kelly Episode 255-264 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY. 
 
 Pages 
 
 SECTION 265. General Description. 266. Aetna. 
 267. Shape, Size and Population. 268. Its Im- 
 portance. 269. Geographical History. 270. Battle 
 Ground of Nations. 271. Sikans. 272. Sikels. 
 273. Elymeans. 274. Ancient Remains. 275. 
 Phoenician Colonies. 276. Greek Settlements. 
 277. Syracuse. 278. Leontinoi and Katane. 
 279. Zankle. 280. Northern and Southern 
 Coast. 281. Kamarina and Gela. 282. Selinous. 
 
 283. Akragas. 284. Last Greek Expedition 267-279 
 
 Poem, Sicily 280 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 THE SETTLEMENT OF SYRACUSE. 
 
 SECTION 285. Approach to City. 286. Modern Cit- 
 ies. 287. Ancient Temples. 288. Fountain of 
 Arethusa. 289. Ear of Dionysius. 290. Theatre. 
 291. Foundation of City. 292. Its Rise and Fall. 
 293. Outposts. 294. Rule of Gelon. 295. Period 
 of Disturbance. 296. Athenian Siege. 297. Siege 
 Raised. 298. Hermokrates. 299. Siege of Akra- 
 gas. 300. Rise of Dionysius. 301. His Reign. 
 302. The Deliverers. 303. Later Rulers 284-297
 
 CONTENTS xxvii 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 REIGN OF DIONYSIUS THE ELDER. 
 
 Pages 
 
 SECTION 304. Early Life. 305. The Tyranny. 
 306. Fortifying the Island. 307. Revolt of the 
 Sikels. 308. Conquests. 309. First Punic War. 
 310. Carthaginian Successes. 311. Later Wars. 
 312. Death. 313. Character 298-307 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS IN FICTION AND HISTORY. 
 
 SECTION 314. Authority— Aristoxenes. 315. Phil- 
 istus. 316. Fiction — Larousse. 317. Soane. 
 318. Chaplinzeau. 319. Marquis de Belloy. 
 320. John Banim. 321. Historical Accounts. 
 322. Version of Cicero. 323 Diodorus. 324. Va- 
 lerius. 325. Porphyry. 326. lamblicus. 327. 
 
 Various Authors. 328. Summary 309-326 
 
 Poem, Pythias 327-329 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 EGYPT, THE HOME OF THE ARTS. 
 
 SECTION 329. Antiquity of the Egyptian Race. 
 330. Burial Places. 331. Primitive Races. 
 332. Menes. 333. Art in Menes' Time. 334. Rise 
 and Fall of Egypt. 335. Architecture. 336. Pyr- 
 amids. 337. Other Buildings. 338. Sculpture. 
 339. Manufactures. 340. Embalming. 341. Ir- 
 rigation. 342. Hieroglyphics. 343. Literature. .331-348 
 Poem, Hymn to the Nile 349-350' 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 ARABIA, THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES. 
 
 SECTION 344. Arabian Influence Upon the World. 
 345. The Country. 346. The Pure Arabs. 
 347. The Bedouins. 348. Quiet Growth. 349. Mi- 
 grations. 350. The Mohammedan Migrations. 
 351. Seats of Learning. 352. Spread of Educa- 
 tion. 353. Literature. 354. Philosophy. 355. 
 History. 356. Mathematics. 357. Geography. 
 358. Chemistry and Medicine. 359. General 
 Progress. 360. Discoveries and Manufactures.. .351-364
 
 xxviii CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 PHOENICIA, THE PIONEER. 
 
 Pages 
 
 SECTION 361. Philosophy of the Phoenicians. 
 362. The Country. 363. Its Plains. 364. Leba- 
 non. 365. Inhabitants. 366. Cities. 367. Tyre. 
 368. Sidon. 369. Other Cities. 370. Colonies. 
 371. Hanno's Expedition. 372. Architecture. 
 373. Manufactures. 374. Arts. 375. Literature. .365-382 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CHALDEA, THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 SECTION 376. The Land. 377. Natural Divisions. 
 378. Northern. 379. Southern. 380. Fertility. 
 381. Present Desolation. 382. Libraries. 383. 
 Chronology. 384. Early Civilization. 385. South- 
 ern Cities. 386. Northern Cities. 387. Primi- 
 tive Inhabitants. 388. Historical Sketches. 
 389. The "Lore." 390. Manufactures. 391. 
 Literature. 392. Sciences. 393. Architecture. 
 
 394. Conclusion 383-398 
 
 Poem, A Penitential Psalm 398 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 PERSIA— THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI. 
 
 SECTION 395. Legendary History. 396. Migration 
 of the Aryan Tribes. 397. Historic Traces. 398. 
 Rise of Media. 399. Cyrus the Great. 400. Build- 
 ing the Empire. 401. Cambyses. 402. Darius 
 the Great. 403. Gradual Decline. 404. The 
 Magi. 405. Their Power. 406. Their History. 
 407. Mode of Life. 408. Zoroaster. 409. The 
 
 Zend Avesta. 410. Zoroastrianism 399-413 
 
 Poem, A Magian Hymn 413 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS. 
 
 SECTION 411. Authorities. 412. Early Life. 413. Ed- 
 ucation. 414. Visits Tyre. 415. Goes to Egypt. 
 416. Introduced to Amasis. 417. Enters the
 
 CONTENTS xxix 
 
 Pages 
 Sacred Orders. 418. At Babylon. 419. His 
 Escape. 420. Settlement at Croton. 421. First 
 Lectures. 422. Brotherhood Founded. 423. Death. 
 424. His Family. 425 The Man. 426. Personal 
 Appearance. 427. His Attainments. 428. Relig- 
 ion and Morals. 429. Writings 414-434 
 
 Poem. Pythagoras 433 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD AND ITS 
 SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY. 
 
 .SECTION 430. Its Affects Upon Its Members. 431. 
 Source of Organization. 432. Its Members. 
 433. The Brotherhood. 434. Daily Life at Cro- 
 tona. 435. Friendship. 436. Its Teachings. 437. 
 The Essenes. 438. Numbers. 439. Numbers are 
 Realities. 440. Harmony and Music. 441. Ge- 
 ometry and Matter. 442. Astronomy. 443. Relig- 
 ion. 444. Perfection. 445. Life. 446. Transmi- 
 gration. 447. Conclusion 435-453
 
 BOOK I 
 
 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE AIMS AND OBJECTS OF THE ORDER 
 
 '■'The elevation, the happiness, the betterment of matt- 
 tiind. ' ' 
 
 '' I ^HE aims and objects of the Order of Knights of 
 -■ Pythias are beautifully stated in the "Declara- 
 tion of Principles" adopted by the Supreme Lodge 
 at its meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, in the year of 
 1877, recognizing the universality of the brother- 
 hood of man, and which will be found on page iv 
 of the introductory pages of this work. 
 
 The Order of Knights of Pythias is an Amer- 
 ican institution, founded by an American, made 
 up of American citizens, and has an American 
 government ; and it was founded for the purpose 
 of spreading out among all mankind the principles 
 of Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence. This 
 is done by means of lectures, charges and practical 
 lessons given to all who enter the portals of its 
 Castle, in the ceremonies of its initiations as well 
 as by the example of its members, and by the 
 work and business executed in the lodge room. 
 
 2. Within its portcullis, all members, high and 
 low, rich and poor, Republicans and Democrats, 
 Methodists and Catholics, all meet on an equality ;
 
 4 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 for nothing of a religious or political character 
 is allowed to be brought into its halls. All religions 
 are tolerated. Obedience to the laws and loyalty 
 to the government of the land in which the Order 
 may be instituted, are its chief teachings and prin- 
 ciples. 
 
 3. Friendship, in all the fullness of its meaning, 
 as exemplified in the story of Damon and Pythias, 
 and upon which our noble Order has been founded, 
 is the cornerstone upon which all the teachings of 
 the Order are built. And thus it becomes the 
 bounden duty of every Knight to visit and cheer 
 those in distress and to do all in their power to 
 help and sustain them ; to look after and care for 
 as far as is possible, those who are sick or disabled; 
 to take charge of, and bury the dead when re- 
 quested so to do, and when, otherwise, they would 
 be left to the cold charity of the world; to care 
 for the widows of the departed brothers, and see 
 that they do not suffer; to educate their orphans; 
 to exercise that charity towards those who 
 have done wrong, that they may see their error 
 and amend it; and to make men better and better, 
 and the world more and more beautiful, by the 
 exercise of Fraternal Love. "If fraternal love 
 held all men bound, how beautiful this world would 
 be." 
 
 . 4. Is this too great an undertaking for human 
 nature to strive for? Is it too lofty an ideal to 
 aim at? Although there are in the Order many 
 who do not take the proper view of their duties,
 
 AIMS AND OBJECTS 5 
 
 there are also many, yes, very many, who do; and 
 looking- at the Order as a whole, it Avill be found 
 that these aims and objects are being carried out 
 to the letter. Can w^e not see and hear in many 
 a widow's home, the "sweet music of fraternal 
 love," rising in joyful thanksgivings for the thought 
 that the Supreme Chancellor of the Universe had 
 instilled into the mind of the Founder of our 
 
 Order such aims and objects? The world itself, 
 with its coldness, greed and carelessness for the 
 comforts of others, may not see these things, and 
 care nothing for our rites and ceremonies; but 
 we know of them and rejoice ; and in spite of 
 those few among us who w'ould. for seltish pur- 
 poses, act towards the unfortuate as do the outside 
 world, the good work still goes on, and will go on 
 "as long as friendship fills the heart of man." 
 5. Our aim is high and noble; and as no man can 
 
 stand in his own strength, however great and 
 lofty his principles, the members of the Knights of 
 Pythias have banded themselves together, that 
 each may receive strength and encouragement 
 from the others, in striving more and more for "the 
 betterment of mankind" and himself. That these 
 objects may be carried out in a systematic way, 
 a proper form of government has been organized 
 and instituted. 
 
 The foundation upon which this government 
 rests is the Subordinate Lodge. For the standing 
 of every Knight, no matter how high he may be 
 in the Order, even as Supreme Chancellor, rests
 
 6 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 with his being in "Good Standing" in his own 
 Subordinate Lodge; if he loses that, he loses all 
 his higher honors. The highest rank in a Subor- 
 dinate Lodge is Past Chancellor, to obtain which 
 a Knight must have served in the chair of the 
 Chancellor Commander one term. The rank, how- 
 ever, can only be bestowed by the Grand Lodge. 
 
 The Grand Lodge is made up of delegates who 
 must be Past Chancellors from the Subordinate 
 Lodges, and is governed in a similar way; the 
 highest rank of which is the Past Grand Chancellor. 
 These delegates meet once a year, choose their 
 officers and make the laws governing the Grand 
 Domain to which they belong. (These Domains 
 coincide with the several States). The rank of 
 Past Grand Chancellor is bestowed by order of the 
 Supreme Lodge 
 
 As the Grand Lodges are made up from delegates 
 from the Subordinate Lodges, so the Supreme Lodge 
 is made up of the delegates from the Grand Lodges, 
 the members of which must be Past Grand Chancel- 
 lors. Its officers are chosen as in the lower Lodges, 
 and its meetings are held once in two years. 
 
 Until a Grand Lodge is organized in any new 
 Domain, the Subordinate Lodges are under the 
 direct charge of the Supreme Lodge. 
 
 6. A Knight, to be in good standing in the Order, 
 must have all his dues, assessments, and all other 
 claims regularly paid up. It remains, however, 
 with the By-Laws of his Subordinate Lodge as to 
 how long he may remain behind in these payments
 
 AIMS AND OBJECTS 7 
 
 to deprive him of an}' benefits his Lodge pro- 
 vides. This is generally from three to six months. 
 If he allows himself to go behind to the amount 
 of twelve months' dues, then he is liable to be sus- 
 pended from the Order; this can only be done by 
 the vote of his Lodge, and until he is thus officially 
 suspended he is entitled to all privileges of the 
 Order except benefits. In visiting other Lodges 
 than his own, he must produce his official receipt 
 to show his standing, and if upon examination he 
 can give the permanent pass word, and prove 
 knowledge of the ritual, he will then be admitted 
 as a brother of the Order. 
 
 7. The following "Declaration of Principles" 
 were offered to the Supreme Lodge, and although 
 not officially adopted, have been generally used as 
 Principles of the Order : 
 
 "Pythian Knighthood had its conception in the 
 exemplification of the life test of true friendship 
 existing between Damon and Pythias. Friendship, 
 or mutual confidence, being the stronghold of 
 union between man and man, and only existing 
 where honor has an abiding place, is adopted as 
 a foundation principle. As the ideal Knight of 
 olden times was the personification of all the highest 
 and noblest attributes of man 's nature, the candidate 
 for Knighthood had to prove himself worthy of 
 acceptance by those who valued friendship, brav- 
 ery, honor, justice and loyalty. The Order of 
 Knights of Pythias, founded in Friendship, Charity 
 and Benevolence, which it proclaims as its cardinal
 
 8 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 principles — strives to gather into one mighty fra- 
 ternity worthy men who appreciate the true mean- 
 ing of friendship ; who are cautious in word and act ; 
 who love truth; who are brave in defending right; 
 whose honor is untarnished; whose sense of justice 
 will prevent to the best of their ability, a personal 
 word or act injurious to the worthy; whose loyalty 
 to principle, to family, to friends, to their country, 
 and to the constituted authority under which they 
 enjoy citizenship is undoubted, and who at all 
 times are prepared to do unto others as they would 
 that others should do unto them."
 
 JUSTUS H. RATHBONE 
 Founder of the Order of Knights of Pythias
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 LIFE OF JUSTUS HENRY RATHBONE 
 Past Supreme Chancellor and Founder of the Order. 
 
 "J-fis bequest to the world was a civic organizntion ivhose 
 eternal principles are peace and good will" — Past Grand 
 Chancellor Goodrich, New York. 
 
 JUSTUS H. RATHBONE was born on the 29th of 
 October, 1839, at Deerfield, a town situated in 
 Oneida County, State of New York. His father, 
 Justus Hull Rathbone, was a noted lawyer practicing 
 at Utica, New York, and his mother, Sarah Eliza- 
 beth Dwight, was a member of the celebrated 
 Dwight family of New England, and a lineal de- 
 scendant of Jonathan Edwards, a noted Presbyte- 
 rian clergyman. Rathbone was baptized Henry 
 Edward Dwight Rathbone, but when he was ten 
 years old (1849), his parents dropped from his 
 name Edwin Dwight, and substituted Justus, so 
 that, in the future he was known by the name that 
 has come down to us, Justus Henry Rathbone ; a 
 name of which Past Supreme Chancellor Valkenberg 
 says, that "To those who have the pleasure of know- 
 ing him, is synonymous with every thing that is 
 true and devoted in human nature." 
 
 9. He was educated during his boyhood days at
 
 10 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 the IMoant Vernon BoarJino; School. From thence 
 he went to the Courtland Academy, where he con- 
 tinued his studies for some time ; after which he 
 studied at the Carlisle Seminary, finishing his edu- 
 cation at the State University at Madison. 
 
 10. After leaving college he remained at home 
 with his parents and sister until 1857. He then left 
 them, and they knew nothing of him for some years, 
 when he was heard of traveling as part proprietor 
 of a minstrel troupe through the West, and of having 
 become stranded in the northern part of Michigan, 
 through financial difficulties. His companj^ was 
 broken up, and he obtained charge of a small school 
 as teacher, at a place called Eagle Harbor, situated 
 in the copper regions, in the county of Houghton. 
 Here he remained until May, 1861. Besides his 
 position as teacher, he was assistant clerk of the 
 Central Mining Company, whose mines were in 
 the district adjacent to the school, and, D. B. Ken- 
 nedy, in his "Pythian History," says that "he was 
 also ' Deal(M' in Stationery, Novels, Standard Works, 
 Periodicals and Playing Cards, etc.,' and conducted 
 the 'Agency of the Yankee Needle Threader.' " 
 
 When the war broke out. Brother Rathbone, 
 with others, formed a company with the intention 
 of joining the First Michigan Regiment, but on 
 account of some informality the company was not 
 accepted and the members separated and enlisted 
 in other parts of the State. 
 
 11. In 1861 Brother Rathbone returned to the 
 East, on account of the death of his father, and re-
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER H 
 
 sided with his sister, Mrs. J. O. Pease, at Germantown, 
 Pennsylvania, and the next year married Emma L. 
 Sanger of Utica, N. Y. Her father was Gerry 
 Sangers, and an old resident of that place. Of this 
 marriage there were five children, two boys and 
 three girls. Three of them died in early childhood, 
 while two of the davighters, Misses Sara D. and L. 
 S. S. Rathbone, are still living (1909). When their 
 father died, in 1889, they were both still young and 
 unprovided for, and the Supreme Lodge, at its 
 next meeting (1890), to show its appreciation for 
 the Founder of the Order and his magnificent ser- 
 vice in its behalf, granted an annuity of $720.00 a 
 year for their welfare and education. This annuity 
 ceased in 1900, as one of them relinquishing her 
 right to the appropriation, and since, there is and 
 has been, for several sessions, appropriated to L. S. S. 
 Rathbone $600 per year, or $1200 each Biennial 
 Session. 
 
 Returning with his wife to Germantown, he there 
 made his home. The rest of this year and the whole 
 of 1862 seems to have been with him a time of rest 
 and pursuit of his favorite themes. 
 
 12. He began work again on January 15th, 1863. 
 This time in the United States Hospital Service at 
 Germantown, either as chief clerk, as claimed by 
 Past Supreme Chancellor Valkenburg, w^ho was a 
 contemporary and intimate friend of Brother 
 Rathbone ; or, as Citizen Nurse, as claimed by Bro. 
 Kennedy, in his "Pythian History." The latter 
 statement is probably the correct one, as the facts
 
 12 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 stated by Bro. Kennedy in his account of the 
 Founder's life, he tells us, "were first made from 
 the private papers of Brother Rathbone, and then, 
 through the assistance of Past Supreme Repre- 
 sentative John ^I. Kline of Washington, the dates 
 were verified by the Department records." He held 
 this position until July 15th, when he resigned. 
 A week later he was ordered by the Adjutant Gen- 
 eral to report in Philadelphia for enlistment. This 
 he did on the 21st, and was then appointed Hospital 
 Steward at Washington, D. C. He served in that 
 capacity until March 25th, 1865. 
 
 13. It was probably soon after his appointment as 
 Hospital Steward that Brother Rathbone conceived 
 the idea of making use of his ritual of the Knights 
 of Pythias,* and February 9th, 1864, Washington 
 Lodge No. 1 was organized. Brother Rathbone being 
 one of its first members and of which he became the 
 presiding officer, then called the Worthy Chancel- 
 lor. Soon after, finding some scheme on foot to 
 make the Venerable Patriarch (Prelate) a past 
 officer, thus depriving him of his undoubted right of 
 being the first Past Chancellor, he sent the Lodge a 
 letter resigning from the Order altogether. This 
 was taken up in an open session by the Lodge on 
 April 21st, 1861, and read and accepted. Thus after 
 only two months that the Order had been established 
 Brother Rathbone felt compelled to sever his con- 
 nection from it. He remained out of the Order a 
 little over two years. 
 
 *See Chap. 1, Book II.
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 13 
 
 14. After his resignation in March, 1865, from the 
 Hospital Service, he was immediately appointed 
 a clerk in the office of the Commissary General of 
 Subsistence ; but resigned in April, 1866, serving 
 one year. On April 30th he made a formal appli- 
 cation for admission into Franklin Lodge No. 2, 
 depositing his card; Washington Lodge No. 1 having 
 by this time consolidated with Franklin. The 
 application was accepted, and Brother Rathbone 
 received with the greatest of cordiality. The next 
 day, May 1st, 1866, occurred the re-organization of 
 the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, at 
 which Brother Rathbone was present, and was 
 elected Grand Chancellor. 
 
 15. In December of this year he was appointed to 
 a clerkship in the Second Auditor's office, where he 
 remained until May, 1869. He then resigned to 
 accept a position in Stetsons Publishing Company's 
 office, and remained there until in 1871 ; the com- 
 pany having bought out the Independent News Com- 
 pany of New York City, he wes sent as its treasurer, 
 and afterwards he became its superintendent, 
 filling that position until the company broke up in 
 1873. He then returned to Washington, D. C 
 In the meantime. Brother Rathbone transferred his 
 membership, by card, from Franklin to Liberty 
 Lodge No. 6. This was in July, 1867. He with- 
 drew in September, 1869. on accepting the position 
 at Boston ; and during his stay in that city he 
 joined INIaverick Lodge No. 39 of East Boston, 
 Massachusetts.
 
 14 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 At the organization of the Supreme Lodge, 
 Brother Rathbone being present as a Past Grand 
 Chancellor, he was elected "Founder and Past Su- 
 preme Chancellor. ' ' But almost immediately after 
 his return home, he removed to New York, as noted 
 above, and applied to Maverick Lodge for a With- 
 drawal Card. This was granted, but for some 
 reason the card was not issued until December, 1875. 
 Thus for two years Brother Rathbone was again 
 disconnected from the Order. In the meantime, 
 Brother Rathbone entered the service of the 
 War Department, as Corresponding Clerk, and 
 by June 1, 1875, was promoted to the third 
 class in the same office. The next month he 
 was ordered to France by the Department on a spe- 
 cial mission, which he performed to the entire satis- 
 faction of the War Department, and returned home 
 about the end of the year. 
 
 16. Having been out of the Order for over two 
 years, on account of the misunderstanding between 
 him and Maverick Lodge, Brother Rathbone deposited 
 his card, which was at last granted, in Calanthe 
 Lodge No. 11, on January 17th, 1876; which Lodge 
 issued to him a certificate of good standing, both in 
 the Subordinate and Grand Lodges. This was pre- 
 sented to the Supreme Lodge on August 23, 1876, 
 held in Philadelphia, and Brother Rathbone was 
 admitted thereto. At this meeting action was taken 
 to put beyond question the right of Brother Rath- 
 bone to the title of "Founder." It would appear 
 that Brother J. T. R. Plant still claimed a share in
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 15 
 
 that honor. The committee which was appointed 
 for this purpose, made the following report, which 
 was adopted : 
 
 "Your committee, to whom was referred the 
 brief History as to the Founder of the Order of 
 Knights of Pythias, beg leave to report that they 
 had before them Brother J. H. Rathbone and also 
 J. T. K. Plant, who has been represented as one 
 of the Founders of the Order; and upon the state- 
 ment of Past Supreme Chancellor J. T. K. Plant, 
 your committee are fully satisfied that Past Supreme 
 Chancellor Justus H. Rathbone is entitled to the 
 honor of being Founder of the Order of Knights of 
 Pythias ; and offer the following resolution : 
 
 "Resolved, That the documents presented to the 
 Supreme Lodge, purporting to be a brief origin of 
 the Order, and Justus H. Rathbone as Sole Founder, 
 be fully recognized as such by the Supreme Lodge 
 of the World." 
 
 The most important of the documents alluded to 
 in the above resolution is as follows : 
 
 "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ? . •, 
 WASHINGTON COUNTY S ' 
 
 "The undersigned, who were present at the 
 first reading of the First. Second and Third De- 
 grees of the Order of Knights of Pythias, which took 
 place at the house No. 369 F Street, near the corner 
 of Ninth Street, in the City of Washington, D. C, 
 on Monday evening, the 15th of February, 1864, do 
 make this their voluntary statement, to-wit : That
 
 16 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Justus Henry Rathbone of the City of Washington, 
 District of Columbia, is the sole and only originator 
 and Founder of the Order of Knights of Pythias; 
 that the work was complete when read to us as 
 above ; that at the committee meetings, of which we 
 were made members, nothing was done except to 
 re-read the work as originally prepared by said 
 J. H. Rathbone. and endorse it. No changes were 
 made. Mr. Joel B. Woodruff suggested an addition 
 to the Third, or Knight's Degree, which was ac- 
 cepted. The impression which prevails, that Joseph 
 T. K. Plant is the Founder, or assistant Founder 
 of the Order, is false in every particular; the only 
 connection he had therewith was voluntarily offer- 
 ing the use of his parlor for the use of the committee 
 to hold their meetings therein. We further certify 
 that the ritual was prepared complete before J. T. 
 K. Plant or Joel Woodruff had any connection with 
 the Order or were even spoken to in reference to 
 joining Washington Lodge No. 1, K. P. 
 
 D. L. BURNETT. 
 W. H. BURNETT. 
 
 E. S. KIMBALL, M. D. 
 
 ROBERT A. CHAMPION. 
 
 "Sworn and subscribed to before me on this 
 6th day of March, A. D. 1869. 
 
 T. DRURY, 
 Justice of the Peace." 
 
 This was followed with the Clerk of the Court's 
 affidavit that ]\Ir. Drury was a duly qualified 
 Justice.
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 17 
 
 17. After the congratulations of the officers and 
 members of the Supreme Lodge, Brother Rathbone 
 presented to the Supreme Lodge the Bible upon 
 which the original members of the defunct Wash- 
 ington Lodge No. 1 took their obligation. At the 
 next convention (1877), Brother Rathbone was 
 made Supreme Lecturer, in which office he continued 
 until his death. He travelled round through all 
 the jurisdictions giving his lectures, the princi- 
 pal ones of which were entitled "True Pythian- 
 ism." and "The Mission of Our Order." Brother 
 ValKenburg says that "these lectures are elegant 
 in diction, sublime in sentiment, beautiful in rhet- 
 orics, and in every respect worthy of their eminent 
 and distinguished author." 
 
 18. At this convention (1877), also a "medal" to 
 be worn by the Founder was chosen and ordered 
 made, and on December 6, the same year, it was 
 duly presented to Brother Rathbone at Mount Ver- 
 non Lodge, to which he had been transferred on 
 July 11th. In this connection Brother Kennedy 
 saj's : "The presentation took place in the pres- 
 ence of a large number of the members of the Order, 
 belonging to the several Lodges in the District of 
 Columbia, and, in reporting the fact. Brother 
 Taxwell says: 'The occasion was one long to be 
 remembered, all present seemingly much interested 
 and rejoiced that the Founder had at last been 
 fully and officially recognized by the Supreme 
 Authority of the Knights of Pythias of the World.' " 
 
 19. The next year he was transferred from the
 
 ly HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Corresponding Department of the War Ol^ce to that 
 of the Adjutant General, where he remained for 
 the next ten years. He was then, on account of ill 
 health, obliged to resign. In the meantime, in 1878, 
 he removed from Washington to Lanham, Marjdand, 
 where he instituted and became a member of Sicilian 
 Lodge No. 97. He continued his visitation of Lodges 
 throughout the diflPerent Domains, receiving hearty 
 welcomes wherever he went. In 1884, however, 
 Brother Rathbone became to some extent financially 
 embarrassed, caused probably by sickness, and 
 other unavoidable circumstances. This became 
 known to the Order at large, and the Supreme 
 Chancellor, Brother J. Van Valkenberg, issued a 
 circular letter to the Grand Lodges asking for 
 help. Over tive thousand dollars was subscribed 
 which relieved the straits under which he was 
 suffering. Shortly before this Brother Rathbone 
 received a severe shock by the death of his wife, 
 which occurred on December 31st. 1887. She was 
 buried in the cemetery at Utica, New York. He 
 did not long survive her. 
 
 20. His death occurred during a lecture tour 
 through Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana and Ohio. He 
 had reached Lima, Ohio, on November 16th, where 
 he stopped to deliver a lecture. As mentioned 
 above. Brother Rathbone had to resign his post 
 in the Adjutant General's office on account of ill 
 health. He had been troubled for some time with 
 a carbuncle on his left side. His suffering was so 
 great when he reached Lima, that two doctors.
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 19 
 
 had to be called in, and who decided that his con- 
 dition was such that it was impossible for him to 
 continue his journey. On Monday, the 18th, an 
 operation was performed, but so serious was his 
 condition, that the doctors could give no hopes of 
 his recovery. Lima Lodge did everything that 
 was possible for his relief; nurses were provided, 
 and the doctors were with him constantly. Another 
 operation had to be performed, on account of the 
 spreading of the disease, and this so reduced his 
 system that he died on December *J, 1889. His 
 body was embalmed and taken to the Castle Hall. 
 Besides members of the local and Supreme Lodges, 
 there were with him, when he died, his sister, ]\Irs. 
 Pease, and his two daughters. 
 
 21. The Castle Hall of Lima Lodge, in which the 
 body of Brother Rathbone lay guarded continuously 
 by three members of the Lodge, was beautifully 
 draped, and on the evening of the 10th, the day after 
 his death, memorial services were held. Beside 
 the members of the Lodge, there were in attend- 
 ance several of the Supreme Officers and Repre- 
 sentatives, General Carnahan, and Brother Rath- 
 bone's sister and daughters. Among the speak- 
 ers were Rev. A. L. Fraser, Past Supreme Repre- 
 sentative Walter B. Ritchie, Past Supreme Chan- 
 cellor H. Douglass and General J. R. Carnahan. 
 The address of Brother Ritchie was beautiful and 
 pathetic. Brother Kennedy says "He spoke elo- 
 quently and with deep feeling, saying, in part : 
 
 "Today's page in Pythian history is bordered
 
 20 dISTOR\ OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 by the darkness of the line of death. The hearts of 
 250,000 brave and gallant men are tonight bowed 
 down. An army of the brightest and best of 
 America's sous tonight mourn the loss of the Foun- 
 der of the Order. Brother Rathbone was human and 
 in his humanity our Order had its birth. It was 
 because he was human and appreciated the value, 
 worth and need of the friendship of others ; because 
 he saw the necessity of charity for the faults of 
 others, because he saw the need of benevolence, 
 that he took the old Grecian story of Damon and 
 Pythias and made every word of it a tiower, every 
 line of it a gem, and every page a jewel. He made 
 it so that tonight it is as dear to 250,000 men as 
 the songs our mother sung when we sat at her 
 knee. 
 
 "The day has been busy and the wires have 
 been warm with messages of condolence and sym- 
 pathy from every part of this country. Hearts 
 have been touched, the Founder of this noble Order 
 sleeps in death. 
 
 "As it was decreed that he must be removed by 
 death, this Lodge has a sacred memory in Pythian 
 history. It was given to you and your members 
 to surround his bedside and by the fact of his 
 death here the name of Lima Lodge will be in- 
 scribed and have a sacred history in Pythian 
 chronicles. Republics may rise and fall, but the 
 Order of the Knights of Pythias will still live. 
 Centuries may roll away, but still Lima Lodge will 
 be remembered as the death place of one who has
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 21 
 
 done more to imite the frieudship of more men 
 than any other man of the present century. ' ' 
 
 22. Immediately after the service the remains 
 were taken to a special train for Utica, New York. 
 Beside the members of his family that went on 
 board, there was an escort consisting of several 
 officers of the Supreme and Grand Lodges, and 
 five members of Agamemnon Division of the Uni- 
 form Rank. A stop was made at Cleveland and 
 the members of the Order there viewed the body. 
 On arriving at Utica the train was met by the Su- 
 preme Chancellor and a number of others of the 
 Supreme and Grand Lodges, and delegations from- 
 numerous cities in the State. The funeral proces- 
 sion was headed by Austin Division of the Uniform. 
 Rank ; the hearse, accompanied by the members 
 of Agamemnon Division came next, followed by 
 Bander Division of Fort Plain ; then the carriagea 
 of the family and members of the Order. The- 
 services were held in the First Presbyterian church ; 
 after which the remains were taken to Forest Hill 
 Cemetery and buried with Pythian rites, by the 
 side of the wife, who died but a few short yeara 
 before. 
 
 23. Valkenberg describes Brother Rathbone as a 
 man of five feet ten and a half inches in height, 
 weighing about two hundred and twenty pounds, 
 and of having dark brown hair and blue eyes. He 
 was possessed of great ability, and this connected 
 with a thorough education, enabled him to be 
 eminently successful in his office work, and other
 
 22 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 clerical positions. Of his personality, Brother 
 
 David L. Burnett, who was his intimate companion, 
 
 and one of the Original Five, says: "He was 
 
 of a peculiar temperament; something of a genius, 
 
 impulsive, warm hearted and sensitive to a degree. 
 
 He had his disappointments; he would not have 
 
 been human were it not so. With his genius and 
 
 sensitive nature, he was often so strong and so 
 
 indignant that it was not to be wondered at that 
 
 he has been considered erratic. His wa-itings were 
 
 almost entirely on Secret Orders ; besides the Ritual 
 
 of the Knights of Pythias, he wrote the Rituals for 
 
 the Uniform Rank, and Endowment Rank; the 
 
 Supreme Pythian Knights, the Order that so nearly 
 
 caused a split in the ranks of Knights of Pythias; 
 
 the Monks of Arcadia ; the Mystic Order of Seven ; 
 
 and a musical burlesque called "Pocahontas in 
 
 Black." He was an excellent musician, both vocal 
 
 and instrumental, and composed several excellent 
 
 pieces. Among these compositions are the tunes 
 
 for the opening and closing odes, the installation, 
 
 and all other odes used in the ceremonies of the 
 
 Order; he also composed for the three nuiks a 
 
 grand march, besides numerous other successful 
 
 pieces. The words also of some of the odes are of 
 
 his composition. 
 
 24. The Grand Chancellor of the Domain of New 
 York visited the grave of Brother Rathbone Janu- 
 ary 31st, 1893. He found that no stone had been 
 put up to mark the grave, and that the grave itself 
 was in a neglected condition He reported this
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 23 
 
 to the Grand Lodge, and the Grand Lodge took it 
 upon itself to look after the grave and to endeavor 
 to have a suitable monument placed thereon. This 
 was reported to the Supreme Lodge, which was 
 asked to take such action in the matter as it might 
 see fit. The final result was the soliciting of sub- 
 scriptions from the Subordinate Lodges, through 
 their Grand Lodges, for a Rathbone Monument 
 Fund. Such was the success of this appeal that 
 on July 26th, 1899, a handsome monument was 
 dedicated on 10,000 square feet of land presented 
 to the Supreme Lodge in the New Forest Cemetery. 
 This cemetery adjoins that of Forest Hill, and this 
 transfer was found necessary on account of the 
 exceeding high price of the ground in the original 
 burying place. The monument is thus described 
 by Supreme Representative Young in handing 
 over the monument to the Supreme Chancellor : 
 
 "The plan of the monument is triangular in 
 shape, emblematic of the Order, representing the 
 Subordinate, Grand and Supreme Lodges; the 
 three steps and the bronze statues at the buttress 
 of each arch represents the different ranks of the 
 Order. On one buttress is placed the statues of 
 Damon and Pythias, clasping the hand of friend- 
 ship. On another one the statues of the widow 
 and orphans, and on the third is a Knight in uni- 
 form. On the pedestal in the center are the globe 
 and the arms of the Knights of Pythias. On the 
 front of the die is the seal of the Supreme Lodge, 
 and on the keystone stands the statue of Justus H.
 
 24 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Rathbone, the Founder of the Order. The mouu- 
 ment is 40 feet high. Its cost was $11,500. The 
 lot, 100 X 100 feet, and containing 10,000 square 
 feet, was given by the New Forest Cemetery As- 
 sociation. The funds for its erection were con- 
 tributed by the members of the Order throughout 
 the Supreme Domain. The total receipts are 
 $13,722.01. 
 
 By action of the Supreme Lodge the grave and 
 monument were handed over to the Grand Lodge 
 of New York for perpetual care, and which charge 
 was formally accepted by the Grand Lodge at its 
 annual convention on July 29, 1902.
 
 LIFE OF THE FOUNDER 25 
 
 THE DEDICATION OF THE RATH BONE MONUMENT 
 Charles A. Lee, Supreme Representative 
 
 Founder and Friend 
 
 Who from the ancient story wove 
 The modern version bright and treasure-trove ; 
 When Avar the countr}- filled with fratricidal strife 
 And youth and manhood met in conflict rife, 
 Thou didst within thine heart its precepts grasp 
 And taught thy countrymen their hands to clasp 
 In reconciliation sweet ; and thenceforth strove 
 To span the gulf of hate with bridge of love. 
 Strong be our Order, remember 'd by thy name 
 Who lit the torch of Friendship's everlasting flame. 
 
 True friendship is a bond divine, 
 Ordained our natures to refine ; 
 Our bosoms to expand by love 
 Responsive to the throne above. 
 Much like the blooming of a rose 
 That with pure fragrance overflows. 
 Our friendships form the golden chain 
 To link us to the angel-train, 
 Receiving and imparting good, 
 As members of a brotherhood. 
 Like stars, that deck the arch of night, 
 Diffusing life-inspiring light. 
 Without a friend how dark and lone ! 
 What all earth's music but a moan! 
 A direful exile that would be.
 
 26 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Cut off from all men 's sympathy ! 
 
 But, with friends, redoubled life 
 
 With precious consolations rife. 
 
 In friendship's circle what delight — 
 
 Hearts beat to hearts, tlio' hid from sight; 
 
 Soul blends with soul as only one, 
 
 And joys through every service run. 
 
 So in their purpose friends agree 
 
 To live as in one family. 
 
 The Saviour calls his followers friends — 
 
 A fellowship that never ends; 
 
 An education here below 
 
 For other worlds to which we go, 
 
 Where all true friendships sure will meet 
 
 To make felicities complete. 
 
 So let us dedicate this shrine 
 
 As holding somewhat the divine ; 
 
 A fit memorial of a friend 
 
 Who toiled pure friendship to extend ; 
 
 And on its face the legend bind — 
 
 He lived to love and serve mankind. 
 
 From "Pythian History."
 
 DAVID L. BURNETT 
 
 One of the "Five OriKinal Members" of the Order 
 
 February 15th, 1864
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SECRET 
 
 SOCIETIES 
 
 "7/" Fraternal Love held all men bound, hotv beautiful this 
 world would be. ' ' 
 
 BEDE, the Saxon historian, tells us that when St. 
 Paulinus came to the old Danish kingdom of 
 Northumbria to preach the Gospel of the Christians, 
 King Eadwine was so inclined to hear him, and 
 wishing his people to do so too, called his council 
 together, and asked them whether permission should 
 be given. One of his chief Thanes said "Let us 
 certainly hear what this man knows, for it seems 
 to me that the life of man is like the flight of a 
 sparrow through a large room, where you, King, 
 are sitting at supper in winter, while storms of 
 rain ;ind snow rage abroad. The sparrow, I say, 
 flying in at one door and straightway out again 
 at another, is, while within, safe from the storm; 
 but soon it vanishes out of sight into the darkness 
 whence it came. So the life of man appears for a 
 short space ; but of what went before, or what is 
 to follow, we are always ignorant." This wise 
 saying of the old Thane can be appropriately 
 applied to the history of secret societies; we know
 
 28 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 not their beginnings, though we can form some idea 
 as to how they have originated by the study of 
 ancient man and the works he has left behind, and 
 which are found scattered throughout the whole 
 world. 
 
 26. As far back as history takes us there can be 
 found associations of men, whose internal workings 
 were kept from the knowledge of all the outside 
 world. Even further back still, at the very "Dawn 
 of History", we find suggestions of similar bands; 
 and, in the present times, they are found among 
 all nations of the world, savage or civilized, and 
 among all religions, heathen or Christian. 
 
 27. The first trace of man having lived upon the 
 earth are seen in the weapons that were used for 
 hunting and for defence. These are found in an- 
 cient river beds and gravel deposits in connection 
 with the remains of the extinct mammoth, woolly 
 rhinoceros, cave lion and bear, the Irish elk, and 
 other animals long since passed away. By these 
 remains, which consist chiefly of spear and arrow 
 heads, axes, knives, etc., roughly made of flint and 
 bone, we learn that man lived a very simple mode 
 of life; he had no fixed place of abode, and no idea 
 of nationality, though there appears to hnve l^een 
 some tie that held him and his fellow-men together 
 for the sake of mutual protection. He spent his 
 time in hunting and fi.shing. in preserving the skins 
 of the animals he slew, and in the making of 
 weapons. The fact that weapons of flint only are 
 found in one place, while those of bone only in
 
 ORIGIN OF SECRET SOCIETIES 29 
 
 another, seems to show that at this early period 
 some kind of association was in existence for the 
 purpose of certain manufactures. 
 
 28. There is no doubt that the secret societies, or 
 mysteries, of the ancient historic people, were 
 the schools for the study of the arts and sciences, 
 industrial and otherwise, and that these schools 
 gave to the empire its principal men. its kings, its 
 architects, its law makers, and its priests, all re- 
 ceiving their training in them; yet primarily, how- 
 ever, these societies originated in religious observ- 
 ances. 
 
 29. Among the ancient mysteries, there was not one 
 but what originally taught the knowledge of a living 
 Ood. Dr. Mackey says that it was the "Patriarchal 
 mode of worship established by God himself. With 
 this pure system of truth, secret societies are sup- 
 posed to have been coeval and identified. But 
 the truth thus revealed by divinity came at length 
 to be doubted or rejected through the imperfection 
 of human reason; and though the visible symbols 
 were retained in the mysteries of the pagan world, 
 their true interpretations were lost." And conse- 
 quently, the secular portion of the mystery became 
 more important, and "The life that now is" was 
 the one thing cared for, and the mysteries took 
 on the form of fraternity ; but, as these mysteries 
 laid special stress upon the preparation for the 
 "Life that was to come," we have in these very 
 early ages, in the very dawn of history, a recogni-
 
 30 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tion of the "Fatherhood of God and the Brother- 
 hood of Man." 
 
 30. It is said that the first and original mystery 
 was that of Isis and Osiris of Egypt. From thence, 
 Zoroaster took them to Persia ; Cadmus to Greece ; 
 Orpheus to Thrace; Malanpsus to Athens; and so 
 they spread to Rome, and through Rome to the 
 rest of the world. The most noted of these mysteries 
 were the Orphic, Bacchic, Eleusian, Samothracian, 
 Cabiric, Mithric and Isian. 
 
 31. These mysteries taught a future life with eter- 
 nal punishment of the wicked ; that the initiated were 
 happier than other mortals; that after death they 
 flew directly to the habitations of the Gods. Plato 
 says "That the design of initiation was to restore 
 the soul to that stage from which it fell; while 
 Epictetus asserts, "Thus the mysteries became use- 
 ful; thus we seize the true spirit of them, when we 
 begin to apprehend that every thing therein was 
 instituted by the ancients for instruction and amend- 
 ment of life." 
 
 32. All persons, who were initiated into these mys- 
 teries, were required to produce evidence of their 
 fitness; they were to be of a good moral and relig- 
 ious character, and to have lived pure lives; and 
 thus, we are told "The wisest and best of the pagan 
 world invariably held that the mysteries were in- 
 stituted pure, and proposed the noblest end by the 
 worthiest means." To them w^ere sent the youths 
 of the nations, W'hose chief time, outside the study 
 of the mysteries of religion, was devoted to archi-
 
 ORIGIN OP SECRET SOCIETIES 31 
 
 tecture ; especially was this true in Egypt and 
 Chaldea, the ruins of whose magnificent temples 
 and palaces are the wonder of the architects of 
 today. It was from the members of these same 
 societies, too, that there came the kings, states- 
 men and warriors of Egypt. To them, were drawn 
 from their homes in ancient Greece, such men as 
 Pythagoras, Herodatus and others, seeking "More 
 light" by being initiated into and taking the vows 
 of the mysteries ; and not only thus learning, but 
 having the courage afterwards of teaching and 
 proclaiming, "The truth." 
 
 The mysteries into which Pythagoras had un- 
 doubtedly been admitted were (1) the Eleusian 
 into which he had been admitted before leaving 
 Greece ; those of Isis and Osiris while in Egypt, and 
 that of Cabiri, during his travels after leaving 
 Egypt. 
 
 33. As before mentioned, these mysteries were car- 
 ried from Greece into Rome ; and here we find them 
 both in its temples and schools ; the society of the 
 Vestal Virgins being perhaps the most noted. 
 
 But the most important fact in connection with 
 secret societies, is that in Rome we have the first 
 account of what is most likely the origin of our 
 modern Trades Unions. In this connection we read : 
 "The establishment of corporations at Rome, with 
 , Avhich certain artisans and handicraftsmen were 
 initiated, was extremely advantageous to them 
 when they were removed into foreign provinces." 
 We find much information concerning these coi-
 
 32 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 leges in ancient inscriptions, and it is very probable 
 that together with the trades of Rome this form 
 of social unions, as well as the hereditary obliga- 
 tions under which the former were conducted, was 
 propagated in Britain, and was the original germ 
 of those guilds, which became so intiuential in Eu- 
 rope some centuries after the cessation of the Roman 
 dominion." 
 
 34. Although the Romans may have, and most 
 probably did, propagate their ideas of trade unions 
 among the Saxons, yet we know from Saxon history 
 itself, that "Gilds" had been in existence among 
 them long before the Romans ever saw the land of 
 Britain. 
 
 These early English Gilds were organized for 
 local self help; yet they did not neglect the form 
 and practice of religion, justice and morality. We 
 find, too, even then there were two different forms 
 of these Brotherhoods. 
 
 35. In the earlier gilds, the "wed" or obligation, 
 was given by the member personally for himself 
 as an individual, and these organizations taught 
 that the love for one's neighbor was not to be 
 coldly accepted, but was to be known and felt, 
 and acted upon as a life habit. Thus a "gild" of 
 this class was an association of men and women, for 
 the purpose of individual benefit, and led up to the 
 benefit societies of today. 
 
 36. The later form of these early Saxon Gilds, 
 was an institution known as "Frith-Vork" or peace 
 pledge. This pledge was given by one member for
 
 ORIGIN OF SECRET SOCIETIES 33 
 
 others; it was a banding together of men within 
 the limits of a boundary in which all members were 
 bound together by the pledge, for the keeping of 
 peace, and the performance of public duties. This 
 was the origin of the modern town, city, and county 
 corporation. 
 
 37. We are told that "English Gilds, as systems 
 of widespread practical institutions, are older than 
 any Kings of England. They are spoken of in the 
 old books that contain the oldest relics of English 
 Law." The old laws of King Alfred, of King Ina, 
 of King Athelstan, of King Henry I, reproduced still 
 older laws in which the universal existence of 
 gilds is treated as a matter of well-known fact, 
 and in which it is taken as a matter of course that 
 everyone belonged to some gild. 
 
 The gilds were entirely secular; a priest was 
 allowed to join, and often did, but only in his private 
 character ; he had no more authority than any other 
 member; yet we find that the most pleasing trait of 
 these earlier gilds are the evidences of a simple 
 piety, and a faith that entered into the every day 
 life of their members. 
 
 We know the names of some of the English 
 Guilds that existed in these far off times. The 
 " Cnihten-Gild " (or "Young Men's Guild") of Lon- 
 don was as old as the time of King Edgar, who 
 gave it its charter. We have notice of even an older 
 Gild in a grant of land made in the time of Ethel- 
 bert. There is still in existence the agreement and 
 by-laws made by the brothers of a certain Thegns'
 
 34 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Guild at Cambridge and others at Abbottsbury, 
 Exeter and Woodbury. Women as well as men 
 were admitted into the orders; the members were 
 of all grades of life, from the highest to the lowest, 
 and all enjoyed social equality at the meetings. 
 King Henry VIII. and Cardinal Wolsey were broth- 
 ers of the Guild of St. Barbara of London, and the 
 Guild of the Trinity at Coventry boasted of Henry 
 IV. and Henry VI. as members. 
 
 38. The oldest statute relating to these Gilds, is 
 the "Three Gilds Statute," in which we find— 
 
 1. The Gild of Abbotsbury was founded by Grey, 
 a friend of King Canute the Great, in honor of 
 God and St. Peter. It was instituted for the sup- 
 port and nursing of infirm Gild-brothers, the burial 
 of the dead, the performances of religious service, 
 and prayers for the souls of the members. The 
 Gild met once a year on the eve of the feast of St. 
 Peter. After the praise and religious service, 
 there was a common meal. The poor of Abbots- 
 bury received alms of bread, "well boulted and 
 thoroughly baked," contributed by the brothers 
 or the cure of the day. Guests were invited by 
 the consent of the Master and Steward. Insults 
 offered by one brother to another were punished 
 by the Gild and had to l)e atoned for. He who 
 undertook an office and did not perform its duties 
 was severely disciplined. 
 
 39. The Exeter Gild was of similar constitution, 
 but the religious objects were more prominent. The 
 Gild-members met three times a year for prayers for
 
 ORIGIN OF SECRET SOCIETIES 35 
 
 the living and dead. "When a brother died, every 
 member was obliged to perform special devotions 
 for his soul and make a contribution of money 
 for the funeral ; those on a journey v^rere supported 
 and cared for as well as those who suffered loss by 
 fire. 
 
 40. The statutes of the Gild at Cambridge shows 
 that its object was different from that of the other 
 two. In the oath taken on admission, the brothers 
 swore they would be faithful towards each other 
 in both religious and secular matters; and though 
 there was the same support in sickness and death, 
 as there were other regulations as to alms, worship, 
 feasts, etc., as in Abbotsbury and Exeter; yet these 
 were subordinate to the protection of members 
 against criminals, and even against the evil conse- 
 quences of their own acts. "If one misdo, let all 
 bear it; let all share the same lot," was the first 
 principle of the Gild, and a complete organization 
 was effected to carry this principle out. If a brother 
 needed help, the inferior officer nearest to him has- 
 tened to his aid ; should he neglect, he was severely 
 punished; so likewise was the head of the brother- 
 hood, should he neglect to offer aid. If one was rob- 
 bed all aided in obtaining compensation from the 
 robber. If a brother committed wilful murder he 
 was left to himself; but if he was provoked, or 
 obliged to execute vengeance, all helped to make 
 atonement for the deed. The Gild was formed for 
 the material and financial aid to its members; and
 
 36 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 all bound themselves by an oath to support him who 
 had right on his side. 
 
 41. The meetings of these Gilds were held at least 
 once every year, at the annual feast. The members 
 were from all grades of life, from the King to the 
 common laborer; but all enjoyed social equality in 
 the Gild hall. Women were admitted on equality 
 with the men. Each member, on admittance took 
 an oath of obedience and was given the kiss of peace. 
 Assessments were made for the poor and distressed, 
 and for the funeral expenses of deceased members. 
 The ceremonies were always commenced with a 
 parade through the streets, the members, both 
 brothers and sisters, wearing the robes or uniforms 
 of the Gild to which they belonged. 
 
 Several of these ancient Gilds have survived 
 until the present time ; and the parade of the Lord 
 Mayor of London is now the only remnant of these 
 old pageants. It takes place when the Mayor-elect 
 is escorted by the various Guilds of London to the 
 Guild Hall to take the oath of office. 
 
 42. We have now traced from historic sources the 
 continuance of secret societies from the very ear- 
 liest times, to the present day ; and as man has ad- 
 vanced in civilization, so have these societies ad- 
 vanced in nobleness of purpose as well as in mem- 
 bership, and are found all over the world, organized, 
 some for social purposes, some for beneficial pur- 
 poses and some for purely political purposes. 
 
 43. In this connection it is interesting to note that 
 secret societies have existed among the aboriginal
 
 ORIGIN OP SECRET SOCIETIES 37 
 
 inhabitants of our own land from time immemorial 
 to the present ; and the rites, ceremonies and rituals 
 of several of them are known and preserved. A 
 few white men and women having been admitted 
 into them, and received from their ^ledicine Men 
 full explanations of all the ceremonies have written 
 comprehensive accounts of several of these societies, 
 from which we learn that they have their lodge 
 rooms, their several degrees, their pass words, 
 sign, and badges. The lodge rooms are arranged 
 differently for each degree ; though sometimes each 
 degree has its own separate room, and the candidate 
 passes from one to another; the ceremonies gen- 
 erally lasting a week or more. The chief officers are 
 appointed for life, while the lesser ones are appoint- 
 ed as required. The following is a description of the 
 "Midewiwin" or Grand Medicine Lodge of the 
 Ojibways. The lodge room is of course in an open 
 grove or clearing and built of poles set into the 
 ground and interlaced with boughs and foliage, its 
 length, set due east and west, is eighty feet, and it 
 is twenty feet wide. Midway in the eastern and 
 western walls are doorways with walls of four feet 
 built outside at right angles, like a pair of open 
 gates. Cedar trees are planted a short distance 
 from the corners on the outside. Opposite the 
 principal entrance, the eastern doorway is a round 
 sweat-house. 
 
 The arrangement of the interior for the first 
 degree is shown in the diagram 1 is the large fiat 
 sacred stone ; 2 a rug or mat to receive the presents ;
 
 38 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 i8 
 
 
 "L 
 IT 
 
 |h) 
 
 '10 
 
 Diagram 1. 
 
 3 a cedar post 7 feet high by 6 or 8 inches in 
 diameter, painted red with a green top, and upon 
 which is placed a stuffed owl. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are 
 the cedar trees. In the second degree (diagram 2) 
 
 '8 
 
 J 
 
 
 @ 
 
 1 10 
 
 Diagram 2. 
 
 the arrangement of the lodge is the same as the 
 first, but with the addition of post No. 4, which is a 
 round cedar post painted red with white spots on 
 
 8 
 
 — I 5 
 
 4 
 
 
 o 
 
 10 
 
 Diagram 3.
 
 ORIGIN OF SECRET SOCIETIES 39 
 
 all sides; the owl being placed on its top. 
 
 The third degree (diagram 3) has an additional 
 post, No. 5. This is square, and painted black. The 
 fourth and last degree is arranged somewhat dif- 
 ferently from the others (diagram 4). Besides 
 the doors on the east and west, it has also one on 
 both the north and south sides; the degree post 
 No. 6 is in the form of a Latin cross, the three arms 
 and upper half of the trunk are round and colored 
 white with red spots; the lower half of the trunk 
 is square, colored white on the east side, green on 
 the south, red on the west, and black on the north. 
 
 Oil 
 
 •7 I I •^ 
 
 on • • • •Dt Ts ® 
 
 1*5 13l 
 
 •10 I I •s 
 
 no 
 
 Diagram 4. 
 
 The owl keeps its place on the second degree post. 
 Off the north, south and west doors are low round 
 structures called bear nests (11). Ten paces in front 
 of the east entrance is a board 3 feet high, and 6 
 inches wide. (12) the top cut in the three lobes, hav- 
 ing a hole near the center lobe ; it is painted green to- 
 wards the sweathouse, and red towards the Mide- 
 wigiwan, on each side of the east and west doors 
 are placed posts 5 feet high (13), painted red inwards
 
 40 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and black ou the reverse, and having a stone placed 
 at the foot of each. 
 
 The arrangement of the lodges show a progres- 
 sive and extensive ritual, and the lessons taught 
 are chiefly the blessings of rain, and the supplica- 
 tion for continued plenty in the food stuffs of the 
 earth, together with the medicinal properties of 
 herbs and the formulas for their applications. 
 
 ■45. The secret societies of today may be divided 
 into two classes, those whose every action, and even 
 membership, is kept from public knowledge, and 
 those whose only secrets are the methods by means 
 of which one member may know another, and the 
 process of initiation. 
 
 46. The first division consists of orders like that of 
 the anarchists, Mafia, Clan-Na-Gael, who not only 
 keep their membership secret but the place and time 
 of their meetings, and the object for which they are 
 bound together. The only thing know^n about them 
 is their names, and the pernicious, unlawful and 
 criminal results of their deliberations. It is the acts 
 of such societies that have brought odium and sus- 
 picion upon all secret orders, and have caused the 
 opposition of some of the Christian churches to- 
 ward them. This objection, however, is not confined 
 to the churches, but extends to individual members 
 of society ; and in nearly all cases we may state these 
 objectors know nothing of their own personal knowl- 
 edge of secret societies, and never having entered 
 a lodge room, they cannot legally or logically form 
 any opinion of their merits or demerits. They judge
 
 ORIGIN OF SECRET SOCIETIES 41 
 
 the first named societies by the results of their 
 meetiugs; why not judge the fraternal societies in 
 the same way? Were they to do so their verdict 
 would be different. 
 
 47. The secrets of the second class of secret so- 
 cieties are few. They proclaim themselves to the world 
 in the parades seen upon our public streets, in the 
 jewels and buttons worn upon their persons, and in 
 the pride wath which they own their membership. 
 We find among them the most law abiding citizens 
 of the country, from the President to the laborer; 
 any good, sober, honest man can join them; their 
 places of meeting are known and published, and 
 their objects are seen by the love and care they give 
 to their sick members, by the comfort they carry 
 into the homes of the distressed, by the care and 
 education of their orphans, and by the burying of 
 their dead. As the "tree is known by its fruit," so 
 should the secret society be judged by its actions; 
 if bad, condemned ; if good, commended and encour- 
 aged. The objects, as enumerated above, are the 
 lessons taught and enforced by obligations and 
 vows taken at the altar of the lodge room ; and there 
 is no doubt that each member (and therefore all 
 mankind) is brighter and better for his membership.
 
 A DREAM OF THE PRE-HISTORIC 
 Duncan Campbell Scott 
 
 Naked and shaggy, they herded at eve by the 
 sound of the seas, 
 When the sky and the ocean were red as with 
 blood from the battles of God, 
 And the wind like a monster sped forth with its feet 
 on the rocks and the trees, 
 And the sands of the desert blew over the wastes 
 of the drought-smitten sod. 
 
 Here, mad with the torments of hunger, despairing 
 they sank to their rest. 
 Some crouching alone in their anguish, some 
 gathered in groups on the beach ; 
 And with tears almost human the mother looked 
 doAvn on the babe on her breast, 
 And her pain was the germ of our love, and 
 her cry was the root of our speech. 
 
 Then a cloud from the sunset arose, like a cor- 
 morant gorged with its prey, 
 And extended its wings on the sky till it smoth- 
 ered the stars in its gloom. 
 
 And even the famine-worn faces were wet with the 
 wind-carried spray. 
 
 And dimly the voice of the deep to their ears was 
 a portend of doom.
 
 ORIGIN OF SECRET SOCIETIES 43 
 
 And the dawn that rose up on the morrow, appar- 
 elled in gold like a priest, 
 Through the smoke of the incenses of morning 
 looked down on a vision of death ; 
 For the vultures were gathered together and circled 
 with joy to their feast, 
 On hearts that had ceased from their sorrow, and 
 lips that had yielded their breath. 
 
 Then the ages went by like a dream, and the wise 
 one emerged from the deep, 
 And the stars as they watched through the years 
 saw a change on the face of the earth ; 
 For over the blanket of sand that had covered the 
 dead in their sleep 
 Great forests grew up with their green, and the 
 sources of rivers had birth. 
 
 And here in the aftertimes, man, the white faced 
 and smooth handed, came by. 
 And he built him a city to dwell in and temples of 
 prayer to his God; 
 
 He filled it with music and beauty, his spirit as- 
 pired to the sky, 
 
 While the dead by whose pain it was fashioned lay 
 under the ground that he trod. 
 
 He wrenched from great Nature her secrets, the 
 stars in their courses he named,
 
 44 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 He weighed them and measured their orbits ; he 
 
 harnessed the horses of steam ; 
 He captured the lightnings of heaven, the waves of 
 
 the ocean he tamed, — 
 And even the wonder amazed him as one that 
 
 awakes from a dream. 
 
 But under the streets and the markets, the banks, 
 and the temples of prayer. 
 Where humanity labored and plotted, or loved 
 with an instinct divine. 
 Deep down in the silence and gloom of the earth 
 that had shrouded them there 
 Were the fossil remains of a skull and the bones 
 of what once was a spine. 
 
 Enfolded in darkness for ever, untouched by the 
 changes above, 
 And mingled as clay with the clay which the 
 hands of the ages had brought. 
 Were the hearts in Avhose furnace of anguish was 
 smelted the gold of our love. 
 And the brains from whose twilight of instinct 
 has risen the dawn of oiii- thoughts.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 
 
 '' Nothing is more excelletit thati the mysteries which exalt 
 
 from a rude and savage state to a true humanity. They 
 
 initiate iis into the true principles of life, for they teach us 
 
 not only to live pleasantly, but to die with better hopes." 
 
 — Cicero. 
 
 AS PYTHAGORAS originally dwelt within the 
 confines of the Grecian Empire, these mysteries 
 were in all probability the first into which he was 
 admitted. The Sacred Festival was celebrated in 
 the city of Eleusis, a city of Attica, situated on the 
 sea shore, northeast of Athens. These mysteries 
 were held in higher honor than any of the others, 
 and it seems that they had been celebrated from the 
 very earliest times of Grecian History. In the 
 Museum of the University of Oxford, England, 
 there is preserved a fragment of marble on 
 which is an inscription giving the date of 1399 
 B. C, during the reign of Erectheous, as the date 
 of their institution. 
 
 The Festival was held in honor of Demeter or 
 Ceres, the goddess of the earth, and is said to 
 have been instituted by her, in commemoration of 
 the hospitality she received from Celeous, King 
 of Eleusis. At first only Athenians could gain
 
 46 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 admittance, but in so high an esteem and venera- 
 tion did these mysteries become, that ultimately 
 not only all Greece proper became its votaries, 
 but all the world clamored for initiation and 
 "from remotest regions men came to be initiated"* 
 and "Eleusis became the common temple of the 
 earth."** All applicants, men, women and children, 
 were ultimatelj^ admitted; and kings and princes 
 craved the honor of wearing the mystic cincture of 
 the order. Cicero says "Nothing is more excellent 
 than the mysteries which exalt us from a rude and 
 savage state to true humanity. They initiate us 
 into the true principles of life, for they teach us, 
 not only to live pleasantly, but to die with better 
 hopes." 
 
 49. The origin of the mysteries is given us by 
 Homer in his hymn to the goddess Ceres. The story he 
 there tells is this : Persephone, the maiden daugh- 
 ter or Kore of Ceres, while playing in the Elysian 
 fields, catches sight of the flower of the Narcissus 
 variety, and runs in the gladness of her heart 
 and plucks it. Its exquisite and intoxicating fra- 
 grance makes her dance with joy and laugh with 
 delight. Pluto, the god of the lower regions, hav- 
 ing thus allured her from her companions, siezes 
 her, and carries her off to the regions below the 
 earth. She cries aloud to Jupiter, her father, but 
 he, having given his consent to her abduction, 
 heeds her not. The abductor, however, had been 
 
 *Tully. 
 **Aristides.
 
 MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 47 
 
 seen by Hecate, while seated in her cave, by 
 Helios, son of Hyperion, and by Ceres herself, 
 who had heard her daughter cry as the earth 
 opened to receive her. She therefore hastened to 
 find her, and for nine da^s wandered about in 
 vain. On the tenth da}^ she went to the cave where 
 Hecate lived, and asked her help to find her daugh- 
 ter; together they went to Helios, the sun, who 
 told them of the place of her captivity, and also 
 that she had been carried off with the consent of 
 Jupiter; he also tells her that her daughter is 
 the bride of Aidonius. Ceres was smitten with 
 anger and despair, and immediately left Olympus, 
 the dwelling place of the gods, and wandered over 
 the earth in sorrow and fasting ; this so changed 
 her features, that, instead of a most beautiful 
 being, she appeared like an old woman, and 
 in this state came to Eleusis. While sitting 
 aown on a rock near a spring of water, the daugh- 
 ters of the king of that city came to fill their 
 jars. Ceres asks them for employment, and they 
 take her home to the king, who receives her into 
 his household, and she becomes nurse to his only 
 son. In gratitude for her kind reception, Ceres 
 proceeds in making her foster-child immortal, 
 by feeding him with ambrosial — the food of the 
 gods — and bathing him in a bath of flames. The 
 queen, finding out the terrible process through 
 which the child was passed, feared for its life, 
 and grew angry with its nurse. Throwing off all 
 disguises, Ceres reveals herself, and rebuking the
 
 48 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 queen, tells her that, though her son cannot now 
 become immortal, yet, he would have an event- 
 ful and successful life. She then commanded 
 the king and people of Eleusis to build a great 
 temple and altar in her honor, on the hill just 
 above the spring where she had first sat, prom- 
 ising that after a while she would institute the 
 ceremonies to be performed in it. 
 
 50. The temple was built and Ceres took up her 
 abode in it, still angry and refusing to again 
 dwell in Olympia. She dwelt in the temple a 
 whole year, being laughed at and made fun of 
 by lambe, one of the king's servants, in vain 
 endeavor to find her daughter. In vain the oxen 
 ploughed the ground; in vain was the barley seed 
 scattered in its furrows; Ceres would not allow it 
 to grow ; in vain Jupiter tried to conciliate her ; and 
 in vain did the gods try to induce her to return 
 to Olympia; but she would not, nor would she re- 
 turn fertility to the earth until she had again seen 
 her daughter. At length Jupiter, in his heavenly 
 abode, interfered, and ordered the restoration of 
 Persephone, but only on conditions that she re- 
 main with her mother only two-thirds of the year, 
 and the other third to be spent with her husband. 
 So Mercury, the messenger of the gods, was 
 despatched to the lower regions, and she was 
 brought back. Her mother received her with 
 joy and gladness, and the buried seeds sprouted 
 out from the ground in great abundance. Then 
 having instructed Celeous in the divine services,
 
 MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 49 
 
 and in the sacred ceremonies which she required 
 to be celebrated in her honor, she returned to 
 Olympia. 
 
 51. Thus were the mysteries of Eleusis instituted. 
 They were a dramatic reproduction of the different 
 incidents of the legend, kept ever before the 
 people in the annual observances of these rites; 
 and although we see in the beautiful story nothing 
 more than a mere representation of the rejoicing 
 of all nature upon the return of Spring (Perse- 
 phone) to Mother Earth (Ceres, or Demeter), after 
 the death of Winter, yet to the Eleusinians, this 
 was a genuine and sacred history. 
 
 52. The mysteries were divided into two degrees, 
 the lesser and the greater. The former being a 
 preparatory purification for the latter. The former 
 could be communicated to all; at first, however, 
 only Athenians could enter the order, but, later, 
 all Greeks were taken in, and later still, all 
 mankind were eligible. In the greater degrees, 
 although all must have passed through the 
 lesser, yet we find but few who were allowed 
 to enter, and these only Greeks. There was 
 perhaps a reason for this. We know that the 
 Truth as we know it was eagerly sought after by 
 the more advanced thinkers; all this truth, 
 however, could not be understood or grasped by 
 the uneducated or common people, and therefore 
 they were kept in the lesser degree. And again, 
 although certain truths were taught in the lesser, 
 yet the higher truths were such that, it is said,
 
 50 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 would destroy the whole system of religion, for 
 they taught that their religion was a delusion; the 
 gods were shown to be only allied mortals, and 
 that the Supreme Cause of all things took their 
 places. Thus the Secrets of the Greater JNlysteries 
 were, the detection of polytheism as vulgar and 
 ridiculous; and, the discovery of the doctrine of 
 the Divine Unity. This is proved by several an- 
 cient writers. 
 
 So sacred were the mysteries held by all, that 
 its great secrets have never really been fully dis- 
 closed, and were so jealously guarded, that no 
 punishment was too severe for those who betrayed 
 them. Death was the immediate result, and the 
 punishment did not even end there, for a monument 
 was placed over his grave with a record of his 
 sins, and the penalty meted out to him, as a warn- 
 ing to all others. Aechylus was thought to have 
 given away some of the secrets of the order, and 
 only escaped with his life, on proving that he had 
 never been initiated. Aristotle, the greatest an- 
 cient writer on mathematics and medicine, was 
 tried on the charge of copying the sacrificial 
 rites of Eleusis, and was banished. Membership 
 in the lesser degree was thought as necessary as 
 is baptism to all members of the Christian church 
 today, and the custom of initiating even children 
 was general. 
 
 53. The temple of Eleusis, in which the rites 
 were celebrated, Avas a magnificent building, sup- 
 posed to have been erected, as we have seen, by
 
 MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 51 
 
 command of the goddess herself, and the site of 
 its ruins is still shown. It is situated on the 
 western side of the hill, and behind it is a terrace 
 cut out of the solid rock some eight or nine feet 
 above the floor of the temple where these ceremonies 
 took place. The length of the terrace is two hun- 
 dred and seventy feet, and its breadth, in its 
 widest part, is forty-four feet. At the northern 
 end of the terrace is a remnant of a chapel, leading 
 up to which were several steps. This temple had 
 always been held in great veneration and respect; 
 so much so, that when their great conqueror, 
 Xerxes, who destroyed all temples he came across, 
 when he reached Eleusis spared that one. It was 
 however, destroyed by Alaric, the Goth, during his 
 march from Asia Minor to Rome in 396 A. D. 
 
 54. The ceremonies last ten days. As the goddess 
 was nine days wandering about the earth, so the 
 candidate was nine days purifying himself for 
 the greatest event of his life. This purification 
 took place at Athens. On the first day all the 
 candidates for admission into the mysteries as- 
 sembled, and to each was appointed one of the 
 order, a Mista, whose duty it was to instruct the 
 candidate in the teachings of his degree, and to 
 attend him throughout the ceremonies. The 
 second day was devoted to the physical purification 
 of the neophytes and their offerings (pigs) by 
 washing and bathing in the sea. The third day 
 was a day of fasting. On the fourth a bucket of 
 pomegranates and poppy seeds were carried in
 
 52 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 solemn procession to the Temple of Eleusis. The 
 fifth was held in commemoration of Ceres' visit 
 by torchlight to the cave of Hecate and was called 
 the "Day of Lamps." The other four days were 
 given to teaching, prayers and other preparation 
 for the great event. 
 
 55. On the tenth day, a vast procession, each car- 
 rying the narthex, a sort of hollow reed, in which 
 Prometheous is said to have stolen the heavenly 
 fire, left Athens for Eleusis. As the procession 
 marched along, with here and there asses wearing 
 the implements used in the rites, laughter and 
 gibes were heard on every side. Nearing the 
 bridge that crossed the river Cephissus, a woman, 
 or man dressed as such, was stationed to repre- 
 sent lambe, the servant who abused Ceres when 
 sad from the loss of her daughter. This character 
 was privileged to use sarcasm most bitter, and 
 taunts more piercing than ever Aristophanes ever 
 dared to use in his comedies. 
 
 56. Previous to his initiation, the candidate 
 was closel,y questioned as to his life, as it was re- 
 quired that he be of a clear and unblemished char- 
 acter, and free from the suspicion of any notorious 
 crime. He was required to confess every 
 wicked act he had committed during his life, and 
 was obliged by solemn engagements, to commence 
 a new life of strictest piety and virtue. 
 
 57. There Avere four superior officers who assisted 
 in the ceremonies of initiation, the Hierophant, the 
 Torch-Bearer, the Sacred Herald, and the Attend-
 
 MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 53. 
 
 ant at the Altar. The Hierophant was regarded 
 as the representatve of the Creator, and bore as 
 his symbol the Demiurgus, or golden globe. His. 
 surroundings were in keeping with his dignity, 
 and wonderfully like a scene described in Revela- 
 tion. His throne was of gold, arched over with 
 the rainboAV and radiant with stars. Before him 
 stood twenty-four attendants clad in white and 
 wearing crowns of gold, while around him burned 
 seven lights, whose brilliancy was increased by 
 thousands of burnished mirrors. His office waa 
 to instruct the neophyte, after the trying ordeal 
 of initiation, in the true purport of the mysteries, 
 and to unfold the sublime truths which were to be 
 taught. The Torch Bearer represented the sun 
 and the Attendant at the Altar the moon. The 
 office is sufficiently indicated by the name of its 
 officer. The Herald was the representative of Mer- 
 cury, the messenger of the gods, and bore the 
 caduecus or wand of Mercury, as his badge. 
 
 58. The initiation into the lesser or Mystic Degrees 
 was conducted as follows : Led by the Mystagogue, 
 an office filled by either a man or woman, the 
 candidate approached the portal of the temple, 
 from which all but the initiate had been forbidden 
 to approach under pain of instant death, and for 
 the sake of greater security, the Herald proclaimed 
 "Hence, hence, ye profane," as the candidate 
 was led into the sacred enclosure. It was a mo- 
 ment of extreme terror and solemnity, and it re- 
 quired him to call up all his boldness and fortitude.
 
 54 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Virgil, at this point, iu describing the mysteries, 
 makes use of the following prayer: "Ye gods, to 
 whom the empire of ghosts belong, and ye, silent 
 shades, and Chaos and Phlegethon, places where 
 silence reigns around the realms of night, permit 
 me to utter the secrets I have heard, give me your 
 divine permission to disclose things buried in 
 death, earth and darkness." 
 
 Instantly all was confusion. The most terrible 
 sounds assailed the candidate's terrified ears — the 
 fierce roar of wild beasts, the hissing of serpents, 
 the crash of thunder — and he was unable to move 
 a step further, or find the entrance to the place 
 to which he aspired. Claudeau, in speaking of 
 the entrance into the mystic rites, says, "Now I 
 see the shrines shake upon their tottering bases, 
 and lightnings, announcing the Deity's approach, 
 shed a lurid glare around. Now a loud warning 
 is heard from the depth of the earth, and the 
 Cecropean temple re-echoes, and Eleusis raises 
 her holy torches, the snakes of Triptolemus hiss 
 and lift their scaly necks rubbed by their curved 
 yokes. So afar the threefold Hecate bursts forth." 
 
 59. Passing on, the bandage is removed from his 
 eyes, and he found himself in what appeared a 
 wild, uncultivated country. Spectral glare sup- 
 plied the place of sunlight. Beasts of prey menaced 
 him on every side, while the elements, unloosed, 
 threatened him and the world with instant destruc- 
 tion. Recovering from his surprise and terror, and 
 his eyes becoming accustomed to the half light of
 
 MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 55 
 
 the place, he discovers before him a door with 
 this inscription: "He who would attain to the 
 highest and most perfect state, and rise to the 
 sphere of absolute bliss, must be purified by fire, 
 and air, and water." 
 
 60. Scarcely had he read these words, when the 
 door turned on its hinges, and he was thrust 
 through the entrance into a vast apartment. A 
 loud plaint of sorrow wailed through the shadowy 
 corridors, filling him with unutterable dread, 
 while, at the same time, tw^o high iron gates crashed 
 open, disclosing to his frightened view a vast 
 yawning gulf of flame. All the sufferings of grim 
 and dread Tartarus was made to pass before him. 
 The terrible purification of fire — the avenging 
 furies and forked tongues of flame; the purification 
 of air, the strong burning wind and the mighty, 
 rolling wheel ; the purification of water, the 
 gloomy lake, with its dense clouds and fearful 
 shadows, all speaking of the awful truths of re- 
 ligion and declaring the great law of retribution, 
 were some of the sights that met his view. 
 
 61. In the sixth book of the Aeneid, Virgil gives the 
 following description of these scenes. He says: 
 "Before the very courts and in the opening jaws of 
 hell, grief and tormenting care have fixed their 
 couches, and pale diseases; repining age, fear and 
 famine — forms terrible to view — and death and toil, 
 then sleep that is akin to death, and criminal joys 
 of the mind ; and in the opposite threshold, murder-
 
 56 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ous war, the iron bed chambers of the furies, and 
 frantic discord. ' ' 
 
 62. Hardly had these passed, ere his way was 
 barred by another iron door, before which he 
 halted, while the Hierophant chanted in a solemn 
 voice, the Orphic poem quoted by Eusebius : "I 
 will declare a secret to the initiates, but let the 
 door be shut against the profane. But thou, 
 Musaeus, the offspring- of bright Silene, attend care- 
 fully to my song, for I shall deliver the truth with- 
 out disguise. Suffer not, therefore, thy former 
 prejudices to debar thee of that happy life which 
 the knowledge of these divine truths will procure 
 unto thee, but carefully contemplate this divine 
 oracle and preserve it in purity of mind and heart. 
 Go on in the right way, and see the sole Governor 
 of the world. He is one and of himself alone and to 
 that one all things owe their being. He operates 
 through all, and was never seen by mortal eyes, 
 but does himself see everyone." This was the 
 first intimation to the candidate of the Divine Unity 
 which these mysteries were about to unfold to him. 
 When the prayer was ended the door before which 
 they stood opened and disclosed a scene of rav- 
 ishing beauty, and quite the contrast of the gloom 
 just left behind. "Here the air they breathe is 
 more free and enlarged, and clothes the field with 
 radiant light. Here the happy inhabitants know 
 their own sun and their own stars." 
 
 68. This Autopsia was the most sublime part of 
 the whole initiation. The candidate had just seen the
 
 MYSTERIES OF ELEUSIS 57 
 
 horrors of the lost, had looked into the "very 
 courts and open jaws of hell." Gloom, darkness 
 and horror surrounded him; when suddenly Autop- 
 sia bursts upon him, and listening to his guide, he 
 is told that in this light without form was imaged 
 the divine splendor — in this beautiful light whose 
 source was unseen — for these initiations took place 
 at midnight — but which illuminated all and spread 
 its radiance over all, was the symbol of the glory 
 that dwelt visibly in the Godhead. It was the first 
 gleam of a one God, soon to be revealed, though 
 imperfectly, for no Paul stood by with words of 
 wonderful power to declare "the unknown God." 
 Yet He was made manifest and the Epopta regained 
 some of the truths that had been well-nigh lost 
 in the shipwreck of humanity. "And now being 
 initiated and perfect the candidates are no longer 
 under restraint, but crowned and triumphant, they 
 walk up and down the regions of the blessed, con- 
 verse with pure and holy men, and celebrate the 
 mysteries at pleasure. 
 
 64. In the closing scene of these mysteries there is 
 a curious phraseology used as a benediction coux., 
 one, pax. These words were long thought to be 
 inexplicable; but they now prove to be of pure 
 Sanscrit and are used to this day by the Brahmins 
 at the conclusion of their religious rites. 
 
 For four hundred years after the beginning of 
 the Christian era, the mysteries were continued and 
 were only finally destroyed by Theodosius the Great 
 who ruled the Western Empire from A. D. 346-395.
 
 58 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 It must be remembered that the description here 
 given is of those mysteries after the purity of the 
 institution had passed away and their original 
 meaning lost. It was an Athenian institution, and, 
 as mentioned above, was a copy of the "Mysteries 
 of Isis and Osiris," and was brought to Athens by 
 a learned Greek named Melampsus.
 
 HOMER'S HYMN TO THE EARTH, 
 MOTHER OF ALL 
 
 p. B. Shelley 
 
 universal mother, who dost keep 
 From everlasting thy foundations deep, 
 Eldest of things, Great Earth, I sing of thee ; 
 All shapes that have their dwelling in the sea, 
 All things that fly, or on the ground divine 
 Live, move, and there are nourished — these are thine ; 
 These from thy wealth thou dost sustain ; from thee 
 Fair babes are born, and fruits on every tree 
 Hang ripe and large, revered Divinity ! 
 
 The life of mortal man beneath thy sway 
 Is held ; thy power both gives and takes away ! 
 Happy are they who thy mild favors nourish, 
 All things round them grow and flourish. 
 For them, endures the life sustaining field, 
 Its load of harvest and their cattle yield 
 Large increase and their house with wealth is filled. 
 Such honored dwell in cities fair and free, 
 And homes of lovely women, prosperously ; 
 Their sons exult in youth's new budding gladness, 
 And their fresh daughters free from care and sad- 
 ness. 
 With bloom-inwoven dance and happy song, 
 On the soft flowers the meadow grass among. 
 Leap round them sporting — such delights by thee 
 Are given, rich power, revered Divinity. 
 
 Mother of gods, thou wife of starry heaven, 
 Farewell ! be thou propitious, and be given 
 A happy life for this brief melody, 
 Nor thou, nor other songs shall unremembered be.
 
 -Me-iM?'/-''m'/^^. 
 
 i 
 
 
 THE RATHBONE MONUMENT 
 New Forest Hill Cemetery. Utica, New York
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF ISIS. 
 
 "■He (Osiris) hoped he could civilize men and take them off 
 from their rude arid beastlike course of lije.''— Dioderus 
 Siculus. 
 
 IN entering upon our investigation concerning 
 the mysteries of Egypt, we are conscious it is the 
 subject of the deepest interest. Over the entire his- 
 tory of the Land of the Pyramids a veil of mystery 
 is drawn, thick as the fabled one that hid the face 
 of Isis from the look of the vulgar. The very name 
 calls up a host of strange scenes, and opens, like 
 some magic "Sesame," the cavern doors where lie 
 hid untold riches of days gone by. Its history is a 
 dream, not of promises of the future, but of the 
 achievements of the past. Here empire placed her 
 throne and swayed her scepter. Long before Greece, 
 and Rome, and Assyria had been wrapped in their 
 swaddling clothes, Egypt was a man of war, and the 
 hero of victory. The stones that reared Athens in 
 splendor, and spoke forth the beauteous conceptions 
 of Phidias and Praxiteles, were unused in the quar- 
 ries long after the Colossi of Thebes had grown old 
 with years. While Abraham, the father of the faith- 
 ful, wandered a nomad and lived in tents, a Pharaoh
 
 62 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 sat on the throne of Egypt, and but a few years after 
 the Ishmaelitish merchants led their camels, laden 
 with spices, balm and myrrh, commodities only used 
 by rich and cultured peoples, from Gelead to the 
 Nile. A few years from this, and there are standing 
 armies in Egypt, chariots of war, bodies of infantry, 
 and, what is still more surprising, a large body of 
 cavalry. 
 
 67. Now it must be remembered that it was in the 
 Secret Society of Isis and Osiris that this ancient 
 and wonderful civilization had its origin. Here was 
 fashioned and wrought out those ideas that subse- 
 quently entered into the very life of the people. It 
 was undoubtedly its laws that gave Egypt such 
 power. Its achievements can be read on the sculp- 
 tured walls of Thebes and Memphis. Its ideas set 
 unperishably throned on the solemn stony face of 
 the Sphinx ; and as these in their solitude look ever 
 onward, it is the Isianic Society incarnated, waiting 
 for the coming of the hour its priests and devotees 
 longed and watched for but never came to them. 
 
 68. There is another reason why the history of this 
 Society is of absorbing interest to us, and that is, 
 the influence it had upon the religion professed by 
 so many millions, both on this continent and in 
 Europe. There is no doubt that the Jews were 
 strongly inclined to the superstitions of the Egypt- 
 ians. Their whole history in the wilderness shows 
 this, and much of the ritualistic law given them was 
 in compliance with this prejudice.* Those men who 
 
 *Warbiirton.
 
 MYSTERY OF ISIS 63 
 
 controlled a formative and controlling influence in 
 the affairs of the Jews, were without any question, 
 initiates of this Society. Joseph, when exalted to 
 the Prime Ministry of Egypt, was married by Phar- 
 aoh to the daughter of the Priest of On, which is but 
 another name for Heliopolis, or Thebes, the great 
 seat of these mysteries. By this marriage he became 
 of the caste of priests, and eligible, both he and his 
 descendants, not only to initiation, but to the high- 
 est offices in the rites. Moses, sou of Pharaoh's 
 daughter, bred at court and instructed in all the 
 wisdom of his day, must have been initiated in order 
 to have learned this wisdom. But the most con- 
 vincing proof of the influence of this Society upon 
 the Jewish mind is found in the wonderful scene ex- 
 acted at the base of the mount while the top was 
 shuddering before the mighty presence of the great 
 ''I AM." The bull of Apis was always, in the 
 Egyptian worship, the symbol of Osiris, and as they 
 made the calf of gold and shouted "These be thy 
 gods, Israel," they were copying precisely the 
 worship of this Society in their adoration of Osiris, 
 under his symbol. 
 
 69. But more to our purpose is the influence this 
 Society had upon Pythagoras, in whose teaching we 
 And the secret of the friendship of Damon and Pyth- 
 ias. This influence was not only suggestive, but for- 
 mative. In many cases we can trace the parentage 
 of ideas of the Samian to these mysteries. Here he 
 found that which he sought when he left his native 
 isle, intent upon penetrating the innermost secret of
 
 64 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 things, not only of things physical, but things divine 
 as well. His moral and religious ideas show their 
 Egyptian origin. The unity of the Godhead, the im- 
 mortality of the soul, and the necessity of an up- 
 right, virtuous life as a preliminary to happiness 
 hereafter, which was inculcated in such a forceful 
 way in the secret recesses of the Theban temple, all 
 found a place in the Pythian Society. His astromoni- 
 cal and geometrical ideas were derived from the 
 Egyptian priests, and his mechanical ones also. The 
 greatest achievements of engineering skill the world 
 has ever seen are to be found on the banks of the 
 Nile. Modern science stands aghast at the thought 
 of rivalling them. It was while standing face to face 
 with the problems solved in the erection of the 
 Pyramids and Sphinxes, and in the transportation 
 of the Colossi, that Pythagoras conceived that grandly 
 beautiful theory of what may be termed in the lang- 
 uage of the modern philosopher "the rhythm of 
 movement." He was not a servile copyist, but it is 
 still true that the suggestion of many of his ideas 
 may be traced to the teachings of the priests of Isis 
 and Osiris. 
 
 70. The two central figures of these mysteries, as 
 well as of Egyptian history, were Isis and Osiris. 
 These, when stripped of their mystic garments and 
 brought down to the level of humanity, appear to 
 have been an early king (Osiris) and queen (Isis) of 
 this country, who were at the same time brother and 
 sister. These, by their superior virtue and intelligence 
 won the admiration and confidence of the wild and
 
 MYSTERY OF ISIS 65 
 
 untutored barbarians, led them out of their degraded 
 state and guided their feet into the path of civiliza- 
 tion and empire. Under their direction the land of 
 savage darkness became light, and full of joy. Isis 
 taught the people to hold the plow and turn the fur- 
 row, and to make bread from the ripened grain. 
 While doing this she made laws for human society 
 and restrained men from lawlessness and violence by 
 their sanction. Osiris built Thebes with its hundred 
 gates ; erected temples and altars, instituted the 
 sacred rites, and appointed priests to have the over- 
 sight and care of the holy things. 
 
 71. Having accomplished these things, and seeing 
 their effect upon his own people, he resolved to raise 
 a great army, and. leaving Isis as ruler, go through 
 all the world, "For he hoped he could civilize men 
 and take them off from their rude and beastlike 
 course of life."* This he succeeded in doing, but 
 shortly after his return he was slain by his brother, 
 Typhon. After his death Isis made a vow never to 
 marry again, and spent her days in ruling justly 
 over her subjects — "excelling all other princes in 
 her acts of grace and bounty towards her own peo- 
 ple, and therefore after her death she was numbered 
 among the gods, and as such had divine honors and 
 veneration, and was buried at Memphis, where they 
 show her sepulchre to this day in the grove of Vul- 
 can ! ' ' 
 
 72. This appears to be about the truth concerning 
 these mysterious personages, though the gratitude 
 
 *Diodoras
 
 66 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 of after ages invented an immense number of fabul- 
 ous stories. The sacred rites which Osiris is said to 
 have instituted, received many additions in course 
 of time, and finally were divided into two degrees. 
 These as in their copy at Eleusis were called the 
 Great and the Less, the latter being a preparation 
 to the fuller revelation of the secrets contained in 
 the former. 
 
 73. In the great mystery was represented the al- 
 legorical history of Osiris, which the Egyptians re- 
 garded as the most solemn mystery of their religion, 
 and which Herodotus and all the other ancient writ- 
 ers mention with the greatest caution. To be initi- 
 ated in these was the great privilege of the priests, 
 though this cast was not all admitted indiscrimin- 
 ately to this honor. This was reserved to the heir 
 apparent to the throne and for such priests as ex- 
 celled in virtue and wisdom. This exclusiveness 
 explains the conduct of the priests of Thebes in de- 
 laying the initiation of Pythagoras, and in yielding 
 to his solicitations for this honor only at the posi- 
 tive command of King Amasis. 
 
 74. The less or initiatory degree had, however, no 
 other purpose than the corresponding one at Eleu- 
 sis; namely, to teach the doctrine of an overruling 
 Providence, enforcing it with the sanction of future 
 rewards and punishments. The "work" of this de- 
 gree was better adapted to the end in view than 
 the Grecian copy. The famous myth of the 
 "Judgment of Amenti," which forms part of the 
 "Book of the Dead," is without question an ac-
 
 MYSTERY OF ISIS 67 
 
 count of this initiatory rite. To fully understand 
 the scenes, we must remember that the candidate 
 always represented one dead, and the entrance into 
 the cavern in which the mysteries were celebrated 
 was allegorically the doorway to the grave. 
 
 75. Entering a vast chamber, the candidate found 
 himself in the presence of Osiris, the dread and un- 
 partial judge of the dead. The way to this point 
 had not been without trials. At the entrance he had 
 passed Cerberus, the hideous "devourer of the dead" 
 ready with open jaws to do his terrible office, 
 should he be found unworthy. Before Osiris were 
 poised the scales of justice, near which stood Thoth 
 or Time, and the dog-headed Anubis, "the director 
 of the weight." The candidate advanced alone, 
 in the attitude of prayer — a symbol that it was on 
 his own merits that he was to be judged. Anubis 
 placed a vase, holding a representation of the heart 
 of the candidate, in one scale and the emblem of 
 Truth in the other. In silence all await the re- 
 sult, while the dread Osiris sat with crook and flail 
 to pronounce judgment, and as the scale turned 
 it was pronounced. If adverse, he was conveyed 
 to earth again, and as he passed out. all communica- 
 tion with the mysteries was figuratively cut off, by 
 hewing away the earth with an ax, after his exit. 
 If, however, his virtues so far predominated as to 
 entitle him to admission to the mansion of the 
 blessed, Horus taking in his hand the tablet of 
 Time, . conducted him to Osiris, who sat on his 
 throne in the midst of the waters, from which rose
 
 68 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 the lotus bearing upon its expanded flower the four 
 Genii of Amenti. 
 
 After passing the dread god, still guided by 
 Horns, disguised in a dog's head, the customary 
 mask of the attendants, the candidate threaded his 
 way through mysterious labyrinths, reaching at 
 length a stream of water, which he was directed 
 to pass. At the same time three grotesquely at- 
 tired forms stopped him, and pressing to his lips 
 the Chalice of Oblivion, bade him "drink of the 
 oblivion of all vices and the forgetfulness of all 
 imperfections. ' ' 
 
 76. The terrible scenes having been passed 
 through the joy of the initiate began. Hymns, in 
 honor of the Divinity, were sung, choruses of triumph 
 and joy were heard. He listened to the sublime doc- 
 trines of the sacred science. No more a profane, 
 he dwelt among the best and noblest of the land, 
 among the choice spirits of his beloved Egypt. 
 
 Such was the initiatory rite of Isis. It was the 
 idea here developed of a strict and unpartial scru- 
 tiny of every man's life, one before which even 
 kings were found wanting, that gained for it such 
 an influence over the Egyptian mind, and gave to 
 the civilization of the land of the Ptolomies its dis- 
 tinct individuality and complexion. 
 
 77. The great mystery, as we have already hinted 
 was founded upon the murder of Osiris, and the 
 wanderings of Isis in search of his dismembered 
 body. The legend was this: On the return of 
 Osiris from his journey of civilization he fell a
 
 MYSTERY OF ISIS 69 
 
 sacrifice to the intrigues of his brother Typhou, who 
 had formed a conspiracy to dethrone him and usurp 
 his throne. Osiris was invited to a grand entertain- 
 ment, at which all the conspirators were present. 
 Typhon produced a valuable chest, or ark, richly 
 inlaid with gold, and promised it as a present to 
 the one present whose body it would most con- 
 veniently contain. Osiris was tempted to enter it 
 but was no sooner in the chest than it was nailed 
 down and cast into the river. 
 
 The body thus committed to the waves was 
 thrown up in Byblus and left at the foot of a tam- 
 arind tree. Isis, in the extremity of her sorrow 
 and bereavement, wandered over the earth in search 
 of the bodv, and. after manv extraordinarv ad- 
 ventures, at length discovered it and brought it 
 back to Egypt in triumph, to give it a splendid in- 
 terment. By the treachery of Typhon she was 
 again deprived of the body, which was severed, 
 and divided among the conspirators. With infinite 
 zeal and labor Isis again discovered the remains 
 and committed them to the priests for burial, hav- 
 ing first pledged them to secrecy, at the same time 
 reporting that Osiris was risen from the grave. 
 
 78. On this legend the dramatic scenes of initia- 
 tion were constructed. They were pompus and impos- 
 ing and conducted with great splendor. Several 
 days were given up to them. In the processions were 
 borne the images of Isis with the dog's head, and 
 the ark, or cista, emblematic of the one which held 
 the remains of the murdered god. The procession
 
 70 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 was led by the priest or Hierophant of the mysteries, 
 who bore in his hand a garland of roses. The stat- 
 ues of Isis were always crowned with wreaths of 
 this flower, which gave rise to the phrase "sub 
 rosa. " 
 
 79. The places of initiation were contrived with 
 much art and ingenuity, and the machinery with 
 which they were fitted up was calculated to excite 
 every passion and affection of the mind. These places 
 were indifferently a pyramid, a pagoda, or a laby- 
 rinth, furnished with vaulted rooms, and extensive 
 wings connected by open galleries, with huge pil- 
 lars on which were carved the mysterious symbols 
 used in the initiation. The Island of Philae, in the 
 Nile, near the cataracts, contained a temple dedi- 
 cated to Isis and Osiris, which covered nearly its 
 entire surface. "It was in the gloomy and subter- 
 ranean caverns of this temple that the grand and 
 mysterious rites of this goddess were unfolded to 
 the adoring aspirant, while the solemn hymns of 
 initiation resounded through the long extent of these 
 stony recesses. It was there that Superstition, at 
 midnight, waved high her flaming torch before the 
 image of Isis, borne in procession, and there that 
 her chosen priests, in holy ecstaey, chanted their 
 sweetest symphonies.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF THE CABIRI 
 
 "7b him thai overcorneth vill I give to eat of hidJen manna, 
 and zvill giz'e him a zvhite stone and on the stone a new 
 name iv^itten which no man knoweth save he that receiveth 
 
 it.''—Rtv. a. 17. 
 
 IN the northern part of the J^^gean Sea. just off the 
 coast of Thrace, lies a little island about thirty- 
 two miles in circumference. From its center rises 
 a lofty mountain called Saoce, from the top of 
 which the distant walls of Troy may be seen. Its 
 political history is of little importance. It is said 
 to have given birth to Dardanus, founder of Troy. 
 Its inhabitants fought on the side of Xerxes at Sala- 
 mis, and, in after years, it served as a city of ref- 
 uge to the fleeing unfortunate. 
 
 81. "But, notwithstanding the little account in 
 which it was held politically, Greece always spoke of 
 Samothrace with the greatest veneration. It called 
 up to the Grecian mind things venerable from their 
 antiquity, and to be treasured by reason of their 
 peculiar sanctity. The mysteries which were here 
 celebrated, next to those of Eleusis, were the most 
 famous of the Hellenic world, and surpassed these 
 and all others of Hellas in their antiquity.
 
 72 HISTORY OP KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 The Cabiri were certain dieties most probably 
 of Pelasgic origin, held in great veneration at 
 Thebes in Egypt, and in Lemnos, Imbros and Samo- 
 thrace. three islands of the yEgean Sea. In Samo- 
 thrace they were held in particular veneration and 
 there the ceremony of their mysteries was regu- 
 larly performed with great solemnity. This was the 
 native island of Pythagoras, and it rests between 
 these mysteries and those of Eleusis as to which 
 Phythagoras was first initiated into. 
 
 The number of the Cabiri is variously given by 
 different ancient writers, though mostly given as 
 four; these four were Axierus, Axiokersus, Ax- 
 iokersa and Casmillus. They were represented as 
 small of size and deformed with a hammer on their 
 shoulders, and a half shell on their heads. Gradu- 
 ally under the Greek cosmography they were trans- 
 formed from the hideous Cabiri to the beauteous 
 Tyndarida, Castor and Pollax. 
 
 In the migration which the Egyptian gods made 
 into the land of Hellas, they first celebrated their 
 sacred rites in this island. So great was their an- 
 tiquity, and so confessedly of Eastern origin, that 
 the Cabiri never attempted to alter the language 
 used in the celebration of the mysteries, but to their 
 last day, made use of a peculiar dialect which was 
 a compound of Hebrew and Chaldee. lamblichus 
 claimed that the language used in these mysteries 
 was "the language of the gods, the first and most 
 ancient language spoken upon the earth." Indeed, 
 such was the reverence in which the Cabiri were
 
 MYSTERIES OF THE CABIRI 73 
 
 held, that those authors who mention them seem to 
 shudder with superstitious dread at their very 
 thought. 
 
 82. This great dread has closed the lips and held 
 the stilus of those who could have given us informa- 
 tion concerning these rites, and made the task 
 of unfolding their secrets one of extreme difficulty. 
 This remark applies as well to the other mysteries, 
 but not to such an extent as to the Cabiri. The 
 knowledge we have comes from putting together 
 scattered units of their nature and design, with the 
 little aid we get from the questionable History of 
 Sauehoniatho, preserved by Eusebius. These frag- 
 ments are full of apparent contradictions, and too, 
 their officiating priests were not unfrequently con- 
 founded with the gods whom they worshipped, and 
 both were called by the common name, Cabiri. It 
 is indeed, difficult to keep this distinction in mind. 
 Cabiri was the name of the gods worshipped, while 
 the proper title of the priests was Coes, or the Dios- 
 curi, or Cabiri, or Corybantes or Samothraces. 
 
 S'.i. The Cabiri, according to Sauehoniatho, were 
 the sons of Sydyk, but we are baffled at every turn, 
 as we attempt to learn, except through conjectures, 
 their place and birth hour. They were seven in 
 number, were said to be skilled in medicine and 
 charms and the builders of the first complete ship. 
 This is all we know positively concerning these 
 mysterious personages. Yet, "all the countries," 
 says Mr. Jennings, "in which the Samothracian and 
 Cabiriac worship prevailed were peopled either by
 
 74 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 the Palasg'i or by the Aeolians, who, of all the tribes 
 comprehended under the general name Hellenes, 
 approach most nearly, in antiquity and language to 
 the Pelasgian tribes;" and Mr. Kenrich in his 
 "Egypt before Herodotus" says: "We seem war- 
 ranted, then to the conclusions, that the Pelasgian 
 tribes in Italy, Greece and Asia were united, in 
 times reaching beyond the commencement of history, 
 by community of religions, ideas and rites, as well 
 as letters, arts and language. 
 
 The rites then were probably introduced into 
 the sacred isles by the Pelasgi, the earliest in- 
 habitants of Greece, and must have been celebrated 
 for nearly two thousand years. 
 
 84. But, though our positive knowledge of the 
 Cabiri and their mysteries is so slight, there is a con- 
 jecture that has so much circumstantial evidence to 
 support it, and at the same time such a great amount 
 of internal proof, that it may be regarded not in 
 the light of a theory so much as a determined fact. 
 This is the conjecture of Faber, that these mysteries 
 were nothing more than an allegorical account of the 
 flood, and that the rites referred to the incidents of 
 the Deluge and the Sabian worship of the sun and 
 stars, introduced by Nimrod. 
 
 85. His reasons for this conjecture are so curious 
 that no apology need be made for introducing them 
 her. Taking the fact so frequently stated by 
 ancient writers, that the language of the mys- 
 teries was of oriental origin, from the names of the 
 dieties, he shows conclusively that they are derived.
 
 MYSTERIES OP THE CABIRI 75 
 
 for the most part, directly from Hebrew words. 
 And not only so, but that the root words of these 
 names had some reference to the deluge, or to cir- 
 cumstances and persons connected therewith. Thus, 
 Titan, a word which occurs so often, not only in 
 these mysteries, but in the whole Grecian mythology 
 is evidently the Hebrew Tit, and signifies a diluvian 
 or one living at the time of the flood. Sydyk, the 
 father of Cabiri, is the same word Moses used in 
 speaking of Noah, in Gen. vi :9 ; while the very name 
 Cabiri is only writing the Hebrew Cabirim in Greek 
 characters. All these coincidents seem to point to 
 the flood; but there is one other that is still more 
 interesting, it is especially declared that the Cabiri 
 were the builders of the first ship that was ever 
 navigated. 
 
 86. His conjecture as to the establishment of the 
 mysteries is also very plausible. After the wonder- 
 ful preservation of the Cabiri in the ark, it would 
 be very strange, indeed, if the descendants of Noah, 
 and especially those who outrode the flood with him, 
 had not commemorated this preservation by some 
 special and solemxi religious festival. This, in itself 
 a thing most proper, soon lost its character of a 
 simple festival and became an act of worship, not 
 of God, the Saviour, but to Noah and his sons, the 
 saved. These were elevated to the rank of Hero- 
 gods. It was but a short time before this was still fur- 
 ther corrupted by the introduction of Sabianism. The 
 Chaldean shepherds as they lay on the ground, in 
 the still midnight, and gazed up into the blue above,
 
 76 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and saw the stars holding their way unchanged — 
 Canopius glittering down upon them with its dia- 
 mond brightness, and now ever pursuing the wearied 
 Pleiades, and Lyra beaming upon them so peaceful- 
 ly — felt their souls awed within them; and as there 
 were no singing angels to tell them a better story, 
 they fell down and worshipped. "Men began to 
 build temples to the stars, to sacrifice to them, to 
 worship them, in the vain expectation that they 
 should thus please the Creator of all things." For 
 four hundred years this idea, a remnant of the ante- 
 diluvian idolatry, lay working in the bosom of the 
 posterity of Noah. Ham was especially tainted with 
 it ; but he, as well as the others, was prevented from 
 openly avowing it, through fear of the patriarch, 
 who was still living. At length Noah was gathered to 
 his fathers and then the flood of Sabianism and 
 idolatry, more destructive than that upon which the 
 ark rode safely, burst in. Nimrod, the first avowed 
 apostate, openly attempted to build a temple to the 
 host of heaven. Babel was God's answer to his 
 crime. 
 
 87. It was upon corrupted and mutilated tradi- 
 tions of the deluge that the mysteries of the Cabiri 
 were founded. The union of Sabianism, or star wor- 
 ship, with these traditions caused many peculiar ideas 
 and many apparent contradictions to creep into the 
 rites. While adoring the heavenly bodies, they did 
 not forget the object of the founding of the rites — 
 to commemorate the deluge. Noah and the sun soon 
 became one in their worship. The upturned crescent
 
 MYSTERIES OF THE CABIRI 77 
 
 of the waning moon, as it rode the heavens, was 
 no unfit emblem of the ark that rode the waters, 
 and they were soon worshipped in conjunction. The 
 Chaldeans became famous the world through for 
 their skill in astronomical science, and while they 
 marshalled the stars and called them by their 
 names, they contrived to picture upon the celestial 
 sphere the principal events connected with the del- 
 uge. Modern astronomy has conserved the idea, 
 and to this day Nimrod continues to look down 
 upon the affairs of mortals from his shining place 
 in Orion. 
 
 88. The scenes of the initiation, as we gather them 
 from the scattered tenets that have come down to us, 
 seem to be an allegorical representation of the in- 
 cidents of the flood beginning with the entrance 
 into the ark of those who had been chosen, and end- 
 ing with their exit into a new world and a new 
 era. That the candidate might fitly represent the 
 uprightness and purity of the Noachidae, he suf- 
 fered a preliminary purification by water and blood, 
 a strange likeness to the Jewish rites. As the past 
 was to be forgotten, all its instructions superseded 
 and its foundations destroyed, even as the breaking 
 up of the fountains made chaos of the antediluvian 
 world, he was led to the fountain, the (obluron) and 
 made to drink forgetfulness, and then to another, 
 Mnesmosyne (memory), that he might be prepared 
 to remember the instructions he was about to re- 
 ceive. 
 
 89. Into the jaws of a mystic cavern, through
 
 78 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ways covered with terror and gloom, thrust forward 
 in the midst of appalling sounds — the rushing of wa- 
 ters, roaring thunders, expiring yells, flashing light- 
 nings- — the death cries of a strangling, drowning 
 world, his attendants, while about him and on either 
 hand the spectral sins of his past life glared phantom- 
 like upon him. To these succeeded a silence and 
 darkness, emblems of that which filled the ark as 
 it wandered over the waste of waters seeking some 
 friendly land to grate its keel ; at length a feeble 
 light diffused a spectral glare through the apart- 
 ment in which the candidate rested. In its dimness 
 and ghastliness strange objects of terror met his 
 sight. Black-draped walls, pictured with symbols 
 of decay and death, were around him. Terrific 
 phantoms, grim and ghastly, passed and repassed, 
 and at his feet up rose a bier on which was a cof- 
 fin and in the coffin a dead body. Invisible choirs 
 chanted dirges, while other visions more terrifying 
 still, were multiplied around him, until trembling 
 and fearful, oftentimes senseless, the poor bewil- 
 dered Neophyte knew not which way to turn. 
 
 90. Here ended the pilgrimage of gloom. Sud- 
 denly a flood of dazzling light poured in upon the 
 scene. The surroundings changed as if by enchant- 
 ment. The dark drapery with its funeral emblems 
 disappeared. Garlands wreathed the walls and altars. 
 The dead in the coffin sprang to life, and the funeral 
 psalm swelled into a joyous hymn of hope and vic- 
 tory. A new era had come to the world, and this was 
 the emblem of its breaking. The candidate was led
 
 MYSTERIES OF THE CABIRI ^9 
 
 to the presiding priest and instructed in the secret 
 meaning of the institution, which, in the main, was 
 the same as taught at Eleusis. 
 
 91. There is one part of the initiation which must 
 not be omitted, as it throws much light on a certain 
 passage in that most incomprehensible book, the 
 Apocalypse. At the close of the "work" of initiation, 
 the candidate was baptized and received, as in the 
 Christian church, a new name. This new or baptis- 
 mal name Avas engraved, together with a mystic 
 sign or token, upon a white stone, and served as a 
 talisman in time of danger, and as a sign of recog- 
 nition wherever he went. Strange stories are told 
 of its magic power. It was an age of unkindness, of 
 anything but union, and yet at sight of this token, 
 that mystical rather than magical union of souls at 
 once sprang into being. St. John must have re- 
 ferred to this mystic stone when he wrote, ' ' To him 
 that overcometh will I give to eat of hidden manna, 
 and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a 
 new name written, which no man knoweth saving he 
 that receiveth it. ' '* 
 
 92. It is worthy of observation just here, that the 
 idea seems always to have prevailed among the 
 uninitiated, that the groundwork of these mysteries 
 was a sort of wonderful regeneration, or new birth. 
 As we have already stated, initiation was supposed 
 to be the beginning of a new life. In its solemn and 
 terrific scenes, the old traditions and old life ended, 
 and out of it the candidate came with new thoughts, 
 
 *Rev. ii:17.
 
 80 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and new aims. It was eminently proper, then, in 
 view of this belief, that a new name should also be 
 given him. A strange and fearful scene took place, 
 in these mysteries, when this regeneration, by the 
 singular rites of the Tanrobolium, was celebrated. 
 
 93. The high-priest, clad in his pontifical robes, 
 descended into a pit, above which was laid a floor, 
 pierced with innumerable holes. Upon this floor a 
 bull, crowned with chaplets of flowers, was led, and 
 his throat cut. The leaking blood fell in shov.'ers 
 upon the floor, and through the holes, upon the priest 
 below, covering his head, his body and his raiment. 
 This baptism of blood was conceived to regenerate 
 those upon whom it fell, and in token of this new 
 birth they wore the blood-stained garments as long 
 as possible. There is something strange and cu- 
 rious in this custom, especially to the believer in im- 
 mortality and a resurrection. This ceremony, doubt- 
 less, had reference to the death and resurrection of 
 the hero-gods in whose honor the mysteries were 
 celebrated. It is a fact full of meaning, that most of 
 the ancient mysteries represented those who were 
 their patrons as having tasted death and afterward 
 experiencing a miraculous revivication. Thus Osiris 
 was dismembered by his enemy, Bacchus, by the 
 Titans, Hercules, Adonis, Mercury, Orpheus, were 
 all dead and yet lived again. But it was in this 
 strange, and. in some respects horrible ceremony, 
 that the candidate was allegorically represented as 
 undergoing the same events. 
 
 94. It should be observed in closing, that where
 
 MYSTERIES OF THE CABIRI 81 
 
 ever the rites of Cabiri prevailed, we always find 
 them, in some manner or other, connected with cav- 
 erns. The mysterious rites of Samothrace were per- 
 formed in the cave Zerinthus or Saon. About the en- 
 trance were clustered immense swarms of bees, em- 
 blematic of the new birth that was to be found within 
 its recesses. Within the cavern stood a huge pyramid, 
 inclosing in its massive sides the central chamber in 
 which the most sacred rites were performed. So, 
 also, the Taautic cross (T), either simple or com- 
 pound, and a small lake Avith a floating island, were 
 found. The use and meaning of all these will be 
 sufficiently manifest to those who have followed us 
 in our account of this peculiar rite. 
 
 As the ancient faith became lost and the people 
 ceased to venerate sacred things, these solemn rites 
 gradually degenerated into orgies of the most im- 
 moral character. "Yet," says Mr. Jennings, "the 
 primitive institution was pure in form and beautiful 
 in its mystic signification, which passed from one 
 ritual to another till its last glimmer expired in the 
 freemasonry of a very recent period." The idea rep- 
 resented to the noviciate was the passing through 
 death from a lower to a higher life. 
 
 95. That strange and mysterious third sect of the 
 Jews, the Essenes, that existed in Judea in the time 
 of Christ, owes its origin probably to suggestions re- 
 ceived from this society, through the Tyrian archi- 
 tects, at the time of Hiram. No one can read the 
 account Josephus gives of this sect without being at 
 once struck with the similaritv in form to the Cab-
 
 82 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 irian rites. But though, in symbol and rites, it cor- 
 responded, its ideal was infinitely more exalted 
 and beautiful — so exalted that there is a strange 
 likeness between it and that of Christianity. This 
 likeness is so great that Dr. Quincy does not hesi- 
 tate to express his opinion that the Society of the 
 Essenes was nothing but another name for Christ- 
 ianity, and that the early Christians w^ere forced to 
 take this form to protect themselves.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHIVALRY 
 
 ''Chivalry is the Christian fot tn of the Military Profession; 
 the Knight is the Christ ia?i Soldier." 
 
 KNIGHTHOOD is generally thought to have 
 originated during the Middle Ages, some time 
 previous to the Crusades; but although there is no 
 doubt that Chivalry grew to be of more importance, 
 and its ceremonies of grander proportions during 
 this period, its origin lies much farther back ; it is 
 traced to an old German custom instituted when 
 that nation Avas little more than mere wandering 
 tribes, and which has been handed down in Europe 
 through the Teuton tribes of the Celts and Franks, 
 and has been perpetuated throughout the ages to the 
 present time, with more or less modifications. 
 
 97. In the "Germania" of Tacitus we read that 
 the barbarian tribe is assembled under the shade of 
 the old forest, where preparation is in progress for 
 a solemn ceremony. In the midst of this assembly 
 stands a chief of the tribe. When all is in readi- 
 ness, a very young man with blue eyes, long fair 
 hair, and with body tattooed, slowly advances to- 
 wards the chief, before whom he stands expectant.
 
 84 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 The chief, without further ceremony or delay, 
 gravely places in the hands of the young man a 
 sword and a buckler. Should the chief be absent, 
 then the youth's father, or some relative, undertakes 
 this delivery of weapons. "Such," says Tacitus, 
 "is the virile robe of these people, such is the tirst 
 honor of their youth. Till then the young man was 
 only one of a family; he becomes by this rite a mem- 
 ber of the Republic. The sword and buckler he will 
 never abandon." In this simple German rite we 
 find all of the military elements of the future Knight- 
 hood, which was brought to its greatest height of 
 perfection by Christianity. We find this custom of 
 investiture of arms in vogue among all the Teutonic 
 or Germanic tribes, and also among the Arabs, who, 
 alone of all the Semitic nations, had instituted this 
 rite. 
 
 This rude, simple act was the dividing line be- 
 tween childhood and manhood, it was the means 
 by which a youth was vested with his civic rights; 
 by this investiture he became a man, and enjoyed all 
 the privileges of manhood. This rite in its simplicity 
 Avas continued up to the ninth or tenth century, when 
 the church undertook to educate and Christianize 
 these old Gelnuiu miles.* 
 
 *Chivalry; this word "miles" in a Latin word and from 
 which our words militia, military, etc., are derived. The 
 word is used in the Latin books of the middle ages to de- 
 scribe the creation of a Knight; these books say that the 
 individual was girt with the cingulum militare, and the in- 
 dividual himself is called a miles. Hence some contend 
 that Knighthood originated with the Romans.
 
 CHIVALRY IN THE MIDDLE AGES 85 
 
 98. "Knight" (*) was an Anglo-Saxon word 
 meaning a youth about the age of fourteen or fif- 
 teen ; and as this was generally the age at which the 
 young German was invested with his weapons of war 
 and thus attained manhood, it graduallh cecame his 
 title after such investure. As the young Knight fol- 
 lowed the leadership of those who had gained experi- 
 ence, the word came to mean a dependent or a retain- 
 er ; and during the twelfth century the armies of the 
 principalities and kingdoms of Europe were com- 
 posed of such Knight and military retainers of their 
 respective rulers. 
 
 99. Knighthood, then, was not an institution, but 
 a gradual growth from an old custom which was 
 adopted by some of the German tribes of the Ayrian 
 nation, and by the Arabs of the Semitic race. Dur- 
 ing the feudal period of Europe's history the cere- 
 monies of investiture became more and more elab- 
 orate and semi-religious, while the act itself still re- 
 mained purely military, and the love of womankind 
 began to be instilled into its code by the romance of 
 King Arthur's round table. By these means the 
 rough, uncouth, barbarous warriors of the ninth cen- 
 tury became to a certain extent less uncouth and be- 
 gan to learn arts of civilization. When the thir- 
 
 *The word "Knight" came from A. S. "cniht," (boy, 
 youth). This word was used before the Norman conquest 
 of England, to mean a dependent holding land from one of 
 the great vassals by Knight's service (Militia). Whether 
 dubbed Knight or not, similarly servicus (sergeant or es- 
 quire) is a military dependent not of Knightly estate. 
 
 —Oman, Hist, of the Art of War.
 
 36 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 teenth centurj^ dawned upon the world, Christianity 
 had gained such a hold upon the nations that the 
 church took entire control of the ceremonies of 
 Knighthood and brought it to its greatest perfection 
 and enthusiasm. Its objects now were the defense 
 of the church and the championship of the oppressed. 
 These objects were given to the Knight in a code of 
 ten laws, the tenth of which says: "Thou shalt be 
 everywhere and always the champion of the right 
 and the good against injustice and evil." 
 
 100. With the end of the thirteenth century, Chiv- 
 alry began to decline, and as rapidly as it arose, it 
 fell into obscurity ; and by the end of the fifteenth 
 century nothing more is heard of it. The cause of this 
 decadence is said by some writers to be the adoption 
 of sentiment into its code, and the excessive devel- 
 opment of certain of its orders, notably the "Knights 
 Templars," and the Order of "St. John of Jeru- 
 salem." 
 
 First of all, these orders became too rich, and too 
 arrogant. The times of peace, when they were not 
 fighting, became tedious to them, so they had to find 
 some other means by which to increase their riches. 
 Their love of riches did not long remain with the 
 orders themselves, but soon penetrated to the 
 Knights; sensuality and debauchery entered into 
 their castles. We read: "Scarcely had they re- 
 ceived the knightly baldric before they commenced 
 to break the commandments and to pillage the poor. 
 When it became necessary to go to war, their sumpter 
 horses were laden with wine and not with weapons.
 
 CHIVALRY IN THE MIDDLE AGES S7 
 
 with leathern bottles instead of swords, with pets 
 instead of lances. One might fancy in truth they 
 were going out to dinner and not to fight. It is true 
 their shields were beautifully gilt, but they were 
 kept in a virgin or unused condition. Chivalrous, 
 combats were represented upon their bucklers and 
 their saddles, certainly; but that was all."* 
 
 101. We have seen that the Knighthood of t]\e 
 Middle Ages was not the commencement of Chivalry, 
 though it w^as the culmination of the order, brought 
 about by the Christian church. Chivalrous deeds are 
 recorded from all times, and from all nationalities, 
 and will continue "so long as friendship fills the 
 heart of man.'' no matter how "devoid of opportun- 
 ity for heroic deeds. For as truth and honor, cour- 
 tesy and gentleness, purity and faith can never grow 
 old; as valor and courage and kindliness of heart 
 and knightliness of soul are ever the highest orders 
 of the nobility; so all days be full of Chivalry, all 
 deeds may be instinct with earnestness of purpose 
 that lives in the hearts of all." 
 
 The age of Chivalry may be roughly stated to 
 have extended from the time of commencement of 
 the Crusades to that of the end of the "War of the 
 Roses" in England. Within this period, about four 
 hundred years, all that was peculiar to it arose, at- 
 tained its maturity and fell into decay. Its life as a 
 distinct profession was short, yet the spirit, and 
 many of its external forms, were in existence long 
 *Peter of Blois, 12th Cent.
 
 ^8 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ages before that time and continued until about the 
 sixteenth century. 
 
 102. Who were eligible for Knighthood? The ans- 
 wer to this question is "Everybody," the same as 
 with our own order. Yet, as with us, so with the old 
 order of Knighthood, there were exceptions All 
 persons inferior in body and mind, all whose man- 
 ners and actions were depraved and infamous, all who 
 belong to certain professions, and all whose origin 
 was disdained or objected to were excluded. Knight- 
 hood was open to all others, rich and poor, though 
 the expense pertaining to the rank kept it almost 
 exclusively among the nobility. 
 
 There are several instances, however, where poor 
 and ignorant men have been knighted for their own 
 intrinsic worth. One, a poor woodcutter, named 
 Varocher, so devoted himself to the Queen of France 
 that he left his own wife and children to become her 
 guide and defender. He led her through Hungary 
 and protected her and her infant child, Louis, who 
 was born while in exile, as he would his mother. 
 After the queen 's trouble was over and she returned 
 to her husband, Varocher was knighted for his 
 faithfulness. The King, Charlemagne, himself girded 
 on the sword, a duke buckled the spurs, and the 
 queen invested him with the emblem of nobility, ex- 
 claiming as she did so, "There is not in the whole 
 world a man more loyal." 
 
 103. The age at which Knighthood was bestowed 
 upon candidates varied from time to time. In the 
 simple military period the bestowing of arms was
 
 CHIVALRY IN THE MIDDLE AGES 89 
 
 made as soon as the youth could wield them, and in 
 many instances young children of ten and twelve 
 were knighted. But when Chivalry was organized, 
 the age at which Knighthood was conferred was 
 about twenty-one years, and after a long and severe 
 training. 
 
 The ceremony generally took place in later times 
 during one of the five festivals of the church, Christ- 
 mas, Easter, Ascension Day, Whitsunday and St. 
 John's Day, but especially Easter and Whitsun- 
 day. Other occasions of which advantage was in- 
 dividually taken were private gatherings such as 
 baptisms. 
 
 104. The place oi the knighting was primarily on 
 the battlefields where the deed that earned the honor 
 had taken place, and some times on the very spot, 
 and as the military ceremony was a very simple af- 
 fair it was there often and easily performed, often 
 too, in the very midst of the battle. It was in times 
 of peace that most Knights were made, and then the 
 ceremony took place in a more leisurely manner, in 
 the castle or in the church, as the candidate chose 
 a military or a liturgical ritual. 
 
 105. Every Knight had the power to create a 
 Knight. This was the very essence, the life and spirit 
 of the institution. It had existed from the beginning 
 among the old Germans, and continued as long as 
 Knighthood lasted. All that was necessary, we are 
 told, was a "hand and a sword," and women some- 
 times made the investiture. I^ut it is natural to look 
 to the highest in rank for the honor of Knighthood,
 
 so HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and thus it became the privilege of the King or Em- 
 peror to confer it. This privilege, however, was 
 only temporarily yielded to them, for it was never 
 forgotten that "all Knights were equal." In the 
 twelfth century, at certain times and in certain 
 places, the clergy alone had the power of investiture. 
 
 106. In its simplest and earliest form the cere- 
 mony merely consisted of the bestowing of the spear 
 and baldric or sword and belt, as in the old German 
 custom described above. Later ceremonies began to 
 be added to it, and the "dubbing"* became neces- 
 sary. In the eleventh century the nobles began to 
 fight on horseback, and all Knights became neces- 
 sarily horsemen. From this arose the investment of 
 the spur. Then, as warriors at this time always 
 fought hand to hand, it became necessary to protect 
 their heads and limbs from injury, and before he 
 girded on his sword he clothed himself with a com- 
 plete suit of armor. 
 
 107. Until seven years of age the future Knight 
 was usually confined to the care of the women, and 
 his nurses, who never left him, amused him with such 
 games as are now played by our own children. At 
 the above mentioned age his education began. Some- 
 times his education took place in his own father's 
 castle; but more generally he was sent to the castle 
 of some renowned captain, baron or prince, and in 
 later times, when the church obtained her influence 
 over the institutions of Chivalry, to some noted 
 bishop or cardinal of the church, and there he re- 
 mained until he was knighted. 
 
 *Dubbecl from the A. S. dubban, to strike.
 
 CHIVALRY IN THE MIDDLE AGES 91 
 
 108. • Servitude was the very essence of Chivalry, 
 and no service of any kind was ever considered de- 
 grading ; the Prince Elector himself bore the cup of 
 the Emperor, and waited at his stirrup ; while the 
 Emperor held the bridle of the Pope. 
 
 109. The page or future Knight, then began his 
 education at seven years of age, and for about seven 
 years lived mostly with his mistress. He was taught 
 to read and write ; sometimes a little geography was 
 imparted, and a very little history. But the educa- 
 tion and training of the body was by far the more 
 important than that of the mind, and most of his 
 time was thus taken up in fencing, boxing, running 
 and hunting and horsemanship. The fencing con- 
 sisted in the use of the sword, lance and single 
 stick. Learning to hunt was by no means a simple 
 affair, besides the chase, the page had to perfect 
 himself in flying the falcon, in feeding his birds, in 
 calling and holding them, all of which took up con- 
 siderable time. Added to these accomplishments, 
 the page had to learn the business of the esquire in 
 the stables; to learn how to clean, handle and take 
 care of the armor in the castle hall. In the banquet 
 hall he had to wait upon the table ; and his mistress 
 required his services at all times. Almost every 
 morning he set off to hunt the deer or the boar, or he 
 went with the ladies, with his falcons. On rainy 
 days he played chess, and worked very hard at it, 
 so that he might become proficient. By these means 
 his education was finished. 
 
 110. It is interesting to note here that the institu-
 
 92 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tion of fagging in onr public school is but a relic of 
 this medieval service ; until lately the junior scholars, 
 vv^ho were called "servitors" v^aited upon the sen- 
 iors in the schools at Eton, Rugby and others, and 
 took their own dinner when their masters were done ; 
 and even now the choristers of Winchester, Oxford 
 and Cambridge wait at table in their banquet halls. 
 To sum up in the words of an old writer, the squires 
 who had charge of the pages or henchmen were re- 
 quired to "lerne them to ryde elenely and surely, 
 to draw them also to justes, to lerne them were their 
 harness, to have all courtesy in wordes, dedes and 
 degrees . . . moreover to teche them sondry 
 languages and other lerninges vertuous, to harping, 
 to pipe, sing, dance . . . with corrections in 
 their chambers. ' '* 
 
 111. The Esquire or Squire was called upon to 
 perform certain duties pertaining to his lord ; these 
 occupations were varied, tiresome and had something 
 of a domestic character. The meaning of the word 
 itself is not very clear. Originally, however, it was 
 applied to the villein or serfs who performed the 
 lowest services of the household, but by the begin- 
 ning of the twelfth century it was applied to young 
 noblemen attached to the persons of the Knights. 
 
 At about twelve or fourteen years of age, the 
 page, if he had so far been taught by his own par- 
 ents, as occasionally some were, now quits his pater- 
 nal home, and goes away for years, to some power- 
 ful baron, prince or bishop, to enter upon a course 
 
 of instruction from which he emerges a perfected 
 *Furnival Forewords.
 
 CHIVALRY IN THE MIDDLE AGES 93 
 
 Knight. Sometimes this new teacher is his own mon- 
 arch. The kings and princes of Europe in the 
 twelfth century, when Knighthood had reached its 
 zenith, considered the receiving of these pages, not 
 only as a great privilege, but as an immense bene- 
 fit to themselves, in thus gathering around them a 
 great number of faithful and devoted followers, 
 who looked upon their instruct(u- as a second 
 father. At about this age, then, and on his recep- 
 tion by this new teacher, he Avas made an Esquire. 
 
 112. In this rank he remained from five to seven 
 years. His food was inferior to that of his superiors. 
 His duties during war times were to arm and disarm 
 his master ; to carry his shield to the battle ; to suppl}' 
 him with fresh arms, should he require them. As 
 the battles at this time were hardly more than a 
 series of duels, the Squire did not fight, but followed 
 his lord and attended to his wants, and assisted 
 in guarding the prisoners. Sometimes, however, the" 
 Squires had combats all hy themselves and many in 
 this way earned their spurs. 
 
 113. During times of peace the Squire's duties 
 were to curry his master's and his own horse, to shoe 
 them; to watch for his lord's waking and to dress 
 him. The same offices he performed for all the 
 guests. At meal times, he set the table, carved the 
 meat, prepared water for the washing of hands, and 
 poured the wine. During journeys he attended to 
 everything, even to carrying the money, and pay- 
 ing the expenses. In the tournaments his duties 
 ^.ere the same as in war-time. At night time.
 
 94 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 wherever he might be he disrobed his lord, made 
 his bed, and before he was permitted to retire him- 
 self, he saw that the horses were comfortable, and 
 made the round of the castle or abode to see that all 
 was safe. All this could not be done by one Es- 
 quire, and as each Knight had several around him, 
 it lightened the work of each. The household of 
 every castle was thoroughly organized so that there 
 was no confusion in the work to be done. The 
 principal officer was the Seneschal or Majordomo ; 
 then there were the Master of the Horse or Mar- 
 shal; the Chief Huntsman, the Chief Falconer, etc. 
 The Esquires were under the care of an old Esquire, 
 and to him they owed implicit obedience. 
 
 114. In early times the Squires, as soon as they 
 had perfected themselves in all pertaining to the art 
 of fighting, and could so prove themselves, were 
 Knighted, no matter what their age might be. 
 But the test or proving of their ability was nec- 
 essary. The tests were various; that of the sword 
 probably was the more common. In some instances 
 the father compelled his son to fight him and when 
 beaten rejoiced at his son's valor and skill. 
 
 Later, however, twenty or twenty-one was the 
 accepted age of manhood. 
 
 "They burned the gilded spur to claim; 
 For well could each a war-horse tame. 
 Could draw the bow, the sword could sway. 
 And lightly bear the ring away; 
 Nor less with courteous precepts stored. 
 Could dance in halls, and carve at board,
 
 CHIVALRY IN THE MIDDLE AGES 95 
 
 And frame love-ditties passing rare, 
 And sing them to a lady fair." 
 
 115. In the early ages of Knighthood, the cere- 
 mony was simply the bestowal of arms, the spear or 
 sword and the baldric. Later it became semi-reli- 
 gious, although the ceremony itself remained mili- 
 tary, consisting of the delivery of the sword ac- 
 companied by the blow; but the latter itself was no 
 small thing, being delivered with so much force on 
 the back of the neck, as sometimes, to render the 
 candidate insensible. When the Knight had thus 
 been "dubbed," he vaulted his horse and rode 
 away at full gallop to show his proficiency in horse- 
 manship. 
 
 It was in the twelfth century, however, that the 
 ceremony was performed with a full ritualistic 
 splendor. On the eve of Pentecost, the favorite day 
 for the creation of Knights, the young candidates 
 with their companions solemnly bathed themselves 
 as a symbol of the purification of the soul ; and 
 clothed themselves with rich and beautiful dresses ; 
 and as night fell, proceeded to the nearest chapel 
 or abbey, where their armor had previously been 
 taken. Then they spent the night fasting and 
 watching their arms. In the morning each candi- 
 date confessed, received absolution, heard mass and 
 took the sacrament. He then presented his sword 
 to the priest, who blessed it and returned it to him. 
 This he gave to his patron, to whom he made his 
 knightly vow. and after having been armed by the 
 ladies, assisted by squires, in all his armor and
 
 96 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 weapons, he received the accolade, consisting of 
 three strokes upon the shoulder with the flat of the 
 sword, wnth the words "Be brave." The new Knight 
 had still to show his skill in horsemanship, and tilt- 
 ing, which he did by vaulting on his horse and rid- 
 ing at full speed to a dummy set up for the purpose. 
 He was then empowered to w^ander round the world, 
 seeking adventure of knightly deeds, and, in most 
 cases, returning home, crowned with glory and 
 honor.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 
 
 '^Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing be 
 lost:' 
 
 THE TRIANGLE 
 
 ^IIE TRIANGLE, a symbol in the Order of 
 -■- Knights of Pythias, has been used as such from 
 very early times. In all ancient mythology the 
 triangle was a representation of the diety, and was 
 a very important sign. The Jews used it to enclose 
 the sacred name of God, and it is still used among 
 all Christian nations to represent the Trinity, the 
 triune equality of the Godhead. 
 
 ^lackey, an authority on ancient signs and sym- 
 bols, says that "among the Egyptians the darkness 
 through which the candidates for initiation into the 
 Mysteries of Isis, " or in fact any of their seyeral 
 orders, "was symbolized by an instrument of a 
 triangular shape." The equilateral triangle has al- 
 ways been considered as the most perfect of all 
 figures, and is representative of the principle of life; 
 each of its sides representing one of the three de- 
 partments of nature, animal, vegetable and mineral. 
 The right-angled triangle, however, is the more in- 
 teresting, because among the Egyptians it was the
 
 100 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 symbol of universal nature, the base representing 
 Osiris, or the male principle ; the perpendicular. Isis, 
 the female principle; and the hypotenuse, Horus, 
 their son. Pythagoras was the first to discover the 
 relations of these sides to each other, that is, that 
 the squares of the base and the perpendicular were 
 exactly equal to the square of the hypotenuse; and 
 thus symbolically representing that the product of 
 Osiris and Isis is Horus. 
 
 "When the great Samian sage his noble problem 
 
 found, 
 A hundred oxen dyed with their life-blood the 
 
 ground. ' ' 
 
 IMuch of the teachings of P^'thianism is based 
 upon the Pythagorean School of Philosophy as ex- 
 emplified in the lives of Damon niul Pythias, and 
 thus the triangle was adopted as a symbol in the 
 order; and attached to it is the legend: "Friend- 
 ship. Charity and Benevolence." 
 
 THE PENTAGON 
 
 117. The shape of the Past Chancellor's jewel is 
 that of a pentagon, upon which is placed the shield, 
 helmet and ;ixe, the emblems of the order. The 
 shape is peculiar, and many have wondered why it 
 had been chosen as a symbol of the highest ofificer 
 of the lodge. We are told by lamblechus and other 
 ancient writers that the members of the Pythagorean 
 brotherhood, those who had attained the highest 
 rjin]\ among the society of the Pythagoreans, wore
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 101 
 
 the pentagon as their badge; and thus, to show its 
 appreciation of the brotherhood to which the proto- 
 types of our order l)elonged the highest officers of 
 a lodge of Knights of Pythias wear the same sign as 
 their badge of rank. Both Damon and Pythias as 
 members of the highest rank of the Pythagorean 
 order in all probability wore this emblem. The penta- 
 gon is, too, the seal of the Supreme Lodge. The 
 symbol, in ancient times, meant "health." 
 
 THE SENATE 
 
 118. The Senate of the ancient forms of govern- 
 ment of both Greece and Rome, seems to have orig- 
 inated in the former country, where committees 
 w^ere formed by members of one family, ruled over 
 by the head of that family and advised by a council 
 of the heads of the sub-families over which he ruled. 
 This head man was probably chosen by and from 
 the council, and as time advanced his power be- 
 came greater and greater. For the sake of mutual 
 protection against pirates and other enemies, these 
 village communities united, and ultimately were 
 forced to live together, where they fortitied the lo- 
 cality and a city-state was constituted. The cities 
 were still governed by the headman and council, 
 but the former was now called king, while the latter 
 developed into the senate. The change from village 
 to city life and government took place some time 
 previous to 1000 B. C. 
 
 119. The number forming the senate varied at 
 different times and in different countries. In the
 
 102 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 early history of the Roman City-State, the number 
 was three hundred; it was varied to four hundred; 
 and ill Greece to five hundred; at the first organ- 
 ization, however, the number seems to have been 
 smalh-r. The king not only presided over the coun- 
 cil ])ut appointed its members j^early. 
 
 120. Solon, the great law-giver of Greece made 
 the Senate supreme; and before the people could 
 pass upon any measure at all it had to have the 
 approval and permission of the former body. It 
 was composed of four hundred members, one hun- 
 dred appointed annually by each of the tribes, by 
 lot. They were over thirtj^ years of age, and had 
 to show by examination their fitness for office. Later 
 on the number was raised to five hundred, and fifty 
 only were drawn annually from each tribe. These 
 were divided into ten sections of fifty each, each 
 section doing duty for thirty-five days, succeeding 
 each other in regular sequence. Each section of fifty 
 was again divided into five committees of ten mem- 
 bers each. 
 
 121. The government was carried on by Iavo 
 bodies, the Senate and the Ecclesia or Assembly. 
 All bills originated in the Senate, but the Assembly 
 liatl the veto power or could pass the bill in part, 
 and it does not appear to have been necessary to 
 send an amended hill back to the Senate. The Sen- 
 ate licai-d all crimes against the state not provided 
 for by law, and might be dismissed or sent to one 
 of the courts. It had charge of the finances of the 
 state. It dctci'iniiK'd Ihe salaries of the poets, caval-
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 103 
 
 ry officers and pensions. The members met daily 
 at the city hall, where they dined together and re- 
 mained in readiness for any business that might 
 come before them. A small sum per day was paid 
 to enable the poorer citizens to perform their duties 
 without too much loss to their private affairs. 
 
 THE QUARRIES 
 
 122. When Gylippus of Carthage raised the 
 siege of Syracuse, which had been invested by an 
 Athenian army of forty thousand men, and after 
 defeating and taking the remnant of the army 
 captive, it was found that out of the forty thou- 
 sand, but seven thousand remained. They were 
 condemned to the quarries. The story of the events 
 that happened in them is still told, handed down 
 through the many changes of races that have 
 inhabited the city, Greeks, Romans. Saracens, 
 Normans, Spaniards, and Italians. They 
 are the same now as they were then, only a little 
 larger and full of trees and flowers. They ex- 
 tend from the threatre eastward ; the deepest and 
 most extensive one being near the sea. The stone 
 has been quarried from the surface to one hundred 
 feet or more in depth, making sheer perpendicular 
 walls impossible to scale, and the only means of 
 descent was by wooden ladders. Two thousand three 
 hundred years ago, the bottom was a bare quarry of 
 white stone, strewn with stones and stone dust. In 
 the day time the sun threw its rays into this immense 
 pit, and being reflected from all sides, made a most
 
 104 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 intolerable heat, and in the evening, the air, sud- 
 denly chilled at the setting of the sun rushed into 
 this cavity and filled it with dampness almost as 
 cold as ice. ^Ir. Crawford in "Rulers of the South" 
 says, "it was a furnace in summer, bitter cold in win- 
 ter, a fever hole in the autumn rains, a hell at all 
 times, save in spring." Into this place these seven 
 thousand prisoners were let down by the cranes used 
 to hoist the stones, they were fed with a ration of 
 half a pint of water every day, and two pints of 
 raw barley or other grain , just half the rations given 
 their slaves, while the latter could obtain all the 
 water they needed. The wounded died first, and 
 their bodies left in the quarries among the living. 
 The result was soon seen in the sickness and pesti- 
 lence that broke out. They died daily and in ten 
 weeks not many were found alive; those who were 
 alive and who were not Athenians were taken out 
 and sold as slaves. The Athenians were left a lit- 
 tle longer when the remnant were at last 
 brought to the surface, and branded on the forehead 
 with the mark of the Syracusan horse and sold as 
 slaves for the public benefit. 
 
 THE EAR OF DIONYSIUS 
 
 ^2:]. There are a good many fables and legends 
 clinging about the name of Dionysius the elder, and 
 among them was that of the "Ear of Dionysius." 
 We have seen he made use of the quarries for pris- 
 ons. In some of these the captives were kept so 
 long that they married and had children in them,
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 105 
 
 and thus as it were, brought up a second genera- 
 tion of captives. In order then to find out what 
 these people thought of him. he constructed an 
 extraordinary acoustic cavern, close to the amphi- 
 theatre ; this cave was sixty-four feet broad by one 
 hundred and seventy-five feet long, its sides were 
 curved, thus producing an echo. The sounds were 
 collected with a small cell overhead, acting like a 
 t.ympanum, where the tyrant used to sit and hear 
 all of the words of his captives. 
 
 CROTON AND SYBARIS 
 
 124. These two colonies are not only the most 
 important places in the history of Pythagoras, but 
 were also the two first colonies planted by the 
 Greeks in Graecia Magna, as Southern Italy was 
 then called. They were both settled from Achaia. 
 and were situated, adjacent to one another, on the 
 Gulf of Tarentum, the gulf formed by the toe and 
 heel of the boot shaped country. Croton was situ- 
 ated close to the south east extremity of the gulf 
 <)n a peninsula that ran well out into the sea. It 
 was a beautiful city, and contained a magnificent 
 temple dedicated to Juno (Hebe). But of all the 
 splendid magnificence of ancient Croton there 
 only remains at the present day, a solitarj^ column 
 of the temple of Hebe, to mark its site. This col- 
 umn "rises" we are told "in lonely beauty, almost 
 from the water's edge, near Capo Colonne, where the 
 great philosopher once lingered in the shade of 
 Laconian Hera's temple;" where the picture of
 
 106 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Helen of Troy hung upon the temple 's walls, painted 
 from five of the most beautiful maidens of the city ; 
 and where the Greeks of all Southern Italy 
 came every year bearing gifts and offerings to the 
 goddess. Sybaris lay to the north where the gulf 
 makes a great indentation in the land. It was 
 founded in B. C. 720 while Croton came into exist- 
 ence ten years later. For two hundred and ten years 
 from the foundation of Sybaris the two cities en- 
 joyed unprecedented success and prosperity for those 
 early times. In 510 B. C. these cities had attained 
 a position of material splendour as well as an in- 
 tellectual power far in advance of any other city of 
 Magna Graecia. What gave them this prosperity 
 we do not know, we only learn the simple, general 
 facts of their size, riches, influence and power. The 
 walls of Sybaris were six miles in circumference, 
 while those of Croton were twelve. They were both 
 powerful and were founders of tributary colonies 
 which extended clear across Calabria from sea to 
 sea, and so great was their wealth, that they were 
 able to put a force of five thousand horsemen richly 
 accoutred in the processions of some of their festi- 
 vals while Athens, herself, could only afford twelve 
 hundred. 
 
 125. The battle of Tracis, fought between the 
 people of the two cities was caused by aggressive- 
 ness of Sybaris and the reason of this aggression 
 may be found in the internal dissensions of the city 
 of Sybaris. It appears that some five hundred of the 
 wealthiest inhabitants of the city had, for some rea-
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 107 
 
 son been banished; they sought refuge and asylum 
 at the Altars of Croton. They were kindly received 
 but their presence there naturally caused Sybaris 
 some alarm; Telys, the ruler, demanded their sur- 
 render, under threats of war. Although Sybaris was 
 the stronger, Croton could not and would not abuse 
 the sacred rights of sanctuary by giving up their 
 guests. Yet she was at first undecided, and it was 
 l)y the earnest persuasion of Pythagoras that it was 
 finally decided to take any risk rather than to be- 
 tray the rights of asylum hy delivering up tlu^ sup- 
 pliants. 
 
 126. The battle took place near the River Tracis. 
 Sybaris sent three hundred thousand men to en- 
 force their demands. These were met l)y one hun- 
 dred thousand on the part of Croton, under the 
 command of IMilo. the celebrated athlete of the 
 age and a Pythagorean. A fierce and bloody batth^ 
 took place in which the Sybaris army was utterly de- 
 feated and fled to their own city. This city was be-' 
 sieged and taken and after sevent}^ days was so 
 thoroughly destroyed that no vestige of it is left. 
 The inhabitants were dispersed and the course of 
 the River Crathis was turned so that it ran through 
 the heart of the city. 
 
 127. This act of Croton drew sympathy from the 
 whole Grecian world for Sybaris and most serious 
 consequences followed. The strong power of Sybaris 
 had held in check the native population of southern 
 Italy, and now that this was destroyed, with the 
 Osco-Pelagian tribes of the north who came down
 
 108 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 from the Eternal City, and Syracuse on the south, 
 they soon proved too strong for the weakened col- 
 onies of Magna Graecia, which they gradually ab- 
 sorbed. 
 
 128. A traveler in southern Italy says of the 
 site of Sybaris: "The place where Sybaris stood 
 among gardens of roses and groves of fruit trees 
 is a desolate plain where not one hewn stone is to be 
 seen al)ove the storm-plowed soil, and rotting trunks 
 of trees and rain-bleached branches strew the sterile 
 drift. There the soft Sybarites made it unlawful 
 to rear a crowing cock in the city, or for braziers, 
 smiths and carpenters to work at their trades, lest 
 any harsh sound should grate upon their delicate 
 hearing ; there even the children were clad in purple 
 robes, and their hair was curled and braided with 
 gold; there the idle reared witty dwarfs to jest for 
 them, and bred little Maltese dogs with silky hair; 
 and the five thousand horsemen of their cavalry 
 rode in procession, wearing saffron colored robes 
 over their corslets, and the people lived in luxuries 
 beyond imagination, and in pleasures without a name 
 till Milo and the stern men of Crotona came and de- 
 stroyed them all, and turned the waters of the 
 river upon their city and swept it utterly away. The 
 winter floods roar down the river bed where Sy- 
 baris once was and the spring freshets pile up brush 
 wood aiul sand upon the barren stones, while over- 
 head the southern hawk makes wide circles above 
 the universal desolation, and his mournful notes fall 
 fitfully upon the lov(dy air. But Crotona flourished
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 109 
 
 long and greatly and its possessions extended from 
 sea to sea ; it has left in history the names of count- 
 less winners of Olympic games and the reputation 
 of its men and women for matchless strength and 
 beauty; and though not a stone of its buildings re- 
 main in sight, yet there is a sort of logical satis- 
 faction in knowing that the ancient ruins which 
 were standing in the last century were finally de- 
 stroyed in order that the stone might be used to build 
 the mole of a safe harbour. ' ' 
 
 REGALIA AND JEWELS 
 
 129. Previous to 1874 the regalia for ceremonial 
 work, which was adopted by the then Grand Lodge 
 of the District of Columbia at the meeting held on 
 August 8, 1866, consisted of; for Knights, a plain 
 red collar; Esquires, a yellow collar; for Pages, a 
 blue collar ; for officers, plain red collars with mov- 
 able insignia of office pinned upon the left side of 
 them ; for the Venerable Patriarch, a plain black col- 
 lar, with a metal Bible upon it. At the same time 
 an apron was adopted to be used in visiting and re- 
 ceiving lodges, official visitations and at funerals. 
 For Pages the apron was made of black and white 
 merino. 15 inches long by 16 wide ; lapel of 6I/2 inches 
 from top to point with K. P. in silver; embroidered 
 on the apron were the crossed lances in silver and 
 the letter "F" in blue; it was fringed with silver 
 and the strings and lining were black. 
 
 For Esquire the same as Page with additional 
 "C" embroidered in gold.
 
 110 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 For Knight the same as Esquire with the addi- 
 tion of J^ embroidered in red. 
 
 For Officers same as Knight. Tliey also wore a 
 rosette of black and white ribbon, white on outer 
 edge, with the insignia of their office in white metal 
 in the center of the rosetti, and worn on the lapel of 
 coat on left side. 
 
 At the session held on the 2Uth of the same 
 month, this apron was made the established regalia 
 of the Grand Lodge. This, however, did not last 
 long for on November 22nd following, a committee 
 was appointed to get up a design for a working re- 
 galia. This committee reported the following Jan- 
 uary 29th and was adopted : Past Grand Chancellors 
 and Venerable Grand Patriarchs, black velvet col- 
 lars trimmed with gold. The letters P. G. C. worked 
 in gold on the former and a Bible in gold upon the 
 latter. For all officers and Past Chancellors a red 
 velvet collar trimmed with gold bullion. On the of- 
 ficers collars their insignia of office w(n-ked in gold ; 
 for the Representatives of the subordinate lodges, a 
 red velvet collar trimmed with silver bullion. 
 
 130. The Regalia consisted also of: for the Grand 
 Chancellor, an apron made of black silk velvet 
 with lapel, upon which were the letters K. P., the 
 crossed lances and helmet, it also had the letters F. 
 C. B. arched over it ; on either side of the apron were 
 the letters P. C. ; the fringe, letters and emblem were 
 all in silvei' bnllion. A rosette in black, with crossed 
 gavels in white metal was worn on the lapel of the 
 coat; on the ontcr edge of the apron adjoining the
 
 OLLA PODRIDA HI 
 
 fringe was a border of red velvet, then one of gold, 
 and lastlj^ one of blue velvet. The other officers 
 wore the same except they had the insignia of their 
 own office upon the rosette. 
 
 131. The Regalia for the Supreme Lodge was 
 adopted in 186S ; it was as follows: 
 
 For Founder and Supreme Past Chancellor a pur- 
 ple collar skirted with scarlet and white, trimmed 
 with helmet, globe and tassels, lace and fringe of 
 gold bullion. 
 
 For Past Supreme Chancellor: same collar and 
 jewel with Past Supreme Chancellor instead of 
 Founder. 
 
 For Supreme Venerable Patriarch: white collar 
 skirted with scarlet and trimmed with gilt lace and 
 bullion fringe and tassels. On the right side, embroid- 
 ered with gold bullion was a visored helmet with 
 crossed axe and lance; on the left breast of the col- 
 lar was embroidered a globe. The jewel was an 
 open Bible suspended from the collar where the ends 
 meet. 
 
 For Supreme Chancellor and Officers, collars the 
 same in all respects as the Supreme Venerable Chan- 
 cellor, but with the jewels of their office instead of 
 the Bible. 
 
 For Past Grand Chancellors, black collars 
 trimmed with gold lace ami fringe. 
 
 For Supreme Representative same with S. R. em- 
 broidered in gold. 
 
 132. We now come to the time when it was ad- 
 vocated that jewels be worn instead of regalia and
 
 112 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 iu the convention of 1873 the Supreme Lodge ap- 
 pointed a committee to obtain designs for the same 
 for Supreme, Grand and Subordinate Lodges. The 
 cominittee reported at the next convention (1874) 
 with designs made by Brother Henr^'^ C. Berry of 
 Chicago, and it appears at the same time another set 
 was siil)mitted by some brothers of Massachusetts. 
 When it became Ivuown that Pennsylvania favored 
 the set from Massachusetts, which Brother Kennedy 
 says was far superior in artistic design , so great was 
 the feeling against Pennsylvania, on account of the 
 controversy^ of the previous year, that the domains 
 of the west, south and middle states joined with Illi- 
 nois and adopted the set of Brother Berry's design. 
 "The original size of the jewels'' says Kennedy, 
 "as prescribed by the legislation, joined to their 
 ugliness, called down on them the title of 'coffin 
 plates'." "But" he says, "if their beauty failed 
 to recommend them, the returns they brought cov- 
 ered a multitude of sins — for years they well-nigh 
 maintained the Supreme Lodge." The jewels were 
 copyrighted the next year. It was provided that re- 
 galia used previously might still be used but without 
 the embroidered emblems, and in their places the 
 jewel, to be pendant in the subordinate lodge, and 
 worn on the left l)reast in the Grand and Supreme 
 Lodges. However, all lodges could if they wished, 
 wear the jewel alone. 
 
 133. From this time on as the collars gradually 
 became worh out, they were dispensed with, and the 
 jewel became the proper regalia to be worn at all
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 113 
 
 times, the size being reduced to those now in use. 
 The design of these jewels is so well known that they 
 need no description. The Past Chancellor's jewel, 
 however, is worthy of further notice. The Past 
 Chancellor is the highest rank in the subordinate 
 lodge. He has passed successfully through all the 
 lower ranks and offices, and stands among us as one 
 perfected in all the lessons of the Order. His jewel 
 is an irregular jientagon, upon which is the emblem 
 of the Order. In the School of Pythagoras there 
 were three degrees of scholars, and those in the high- 
 est degrees to which only a few, some three hundred 
 of the most intellectual and advanced were admitted, 
 wore, as a symbol of their rank, the pentagon, and 
 it is not unreasonable to suppose that it. too, was 
 worn by Damon and Pythias. 
 
 THE TEMPLE OF ELEUSIS 
 
 134. Eleusis, where the site of the famous T<nnple 
 of Demeter (or Ceres) is still to be seen, is a small 
 village (now called Leusina) of about 1200 inhabi- 
 tants. It is fifteen miles northwest of Athens and 
 was incorporated with the State of Athens before the 
 seventh century, B. C. The remains of the temple 
 were discovered by the Greek Archeological Society 
 in 1883 ; and excavations have since been carried on 
 until the place has been so entirely uncovered, and 
 understood, that J. P. Deering Gaudy, R. A., has been 
 able to make a conjectural restoration of the entire 
 temple itself. The Hall of ^lysteries, as the temple 
 is called, was designed by an architect named
 
 114 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Ictinus, who had previously built the Partheuon at 
 Athens. The excavations show that previous to the 
 temple ol Ictinus there had l)een two earlier tem- 
 ples built on the same site, the second of which was 
 destroyed by Xerxes during his raid into Greece 
 about 480 B. C. Pathagoras was born about 580 
 B. C, and it is probable that he was initiated into 
 the Mysteries of Eleusis while the second temple was 
 in the state of its greatest splendor. The founda- 
 tions of the third temple, the present ruins, are four 
 times the size of the previous temples. The hall was 
 one hundred and eighty-three feet square; it had 
 seven rows of columns running at right angles from 
 the front, with six columns in each row. It had two 
 entrances in the front, and two on each of the right 
 and left sides. The interior of the hall was sur- 
 rounded on all sides by a series of steps or seats for 
 the members of the fraternity, and were cut out of 
 the solid rock. It was lighted from the ceiling from 
 several of the compartments formed by the Parean 
 tiles of its marble roof. The light was made bright 
 or subdued, according to the requirements of the 
 ceremonies, by means of curtains or blinds. It was 
 over one hundred years in building. The temple was 
 kept in repair and restored from time to time up to 
 the Roman occupation. It was tinally razed to the 
 ground by the Goths when they swarmed into the 
 country, under their great leader. Alaric. in 396 A. 
 D. Very little of the building itself has been un- 
 earthed, but a portion of its Doric entableture de- 
 serves mention ; it comprises three triglyphs, on one
 
 OLLA PODRIDA 115 
 
 of which is sculptured a sheaf of barley, on the sec- 
 ond a barrel, and on the third the sacred torch that 
 was carried in the processions and used during the 
 ceremonials. 
 
 THE TEMPLE OF MINERVA ATHAENE 
 
 135. The Temple of Minerva at Syracuse was 
 built near the middle part of the western coast of the 
 Island of Ortygia, during the earl}' part of the fifth 
 century B. C, and before the reign of Dionysius the 
 Elder, and was the richest and most magnificent of 
 all the temples of that period. Cicero, in his speech 
 against Verres who, after the temple had been spared 
 from the pillage by Marcellus in 214 B. C. had 
 stripped it to the bare walls of all its splendid orna- 
 ments, describes the temple as a sumptuous edifice 
 containing the most costly treasures of art. Its 
 architecture was of the late or perfected Doric style, 
 a peripteral hexastyle on a basement of three steps, 
 that is, a building surrounded by rows of columns, 
 of which six are in front and back, forming a covered 
 colonnade around the cella or temple proper. It meas- 
 ured on the upper step, upon which the columns of 
 the colonnade were built, seventy-four feet by one 
 hundred and eighty-four feet; it had six columns on 
 the front and back, and fourteen on each side. The 
 cella was built with solid walls but having two col- 
 umns in front and rear; those in front forming the 
 portal to the edifice. High up on the seaward side 
 of the temple, Athaene's burnished shield was hung 
 so as to catch the rays of the noonday sun, and thus
 
 116 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 formed a beacon to those at sea. Ships departing 
 from Syracuse always prepared for a successful 
 voyage, by their captains and crews going up to the 
 temple when they weighed anchor, and when they 
 made their offerings to the goddess, they received 
 from the priests a little earthen vessel containing 
 flowers and incense, which, when they lost sight of 
 the shield in sailing away, they would consign to the 
 sea with a final prayer for a safe return. 
 
 After the Roman empire fell to pieces and the 
 Normans gained possession of the island, this beau- 
 tiful temple was converted into a Christian church, 
 and is now the Cathedral Church of Syracuse. The 
 ancient cella forms the nave, the walls of which 
 have been cut through into the peristyle or colonnade 
 and by building up walls ])etAveen the columns, have 
 converted the peristyle into aisles. The whole of 
 the ancient front face of the edifice has disappeared, 
 but there is still to be seen in the interior of the 
 church two of the original pillars: one on each side 
 of the chief doorway, eight on the north side, and 
 nine on the south side, with their architraves and 
 triglyths. The columns are twenty-eight feet in 
 height and six and one-half feet in thickness. 
 
 THE FLAG OF THE ORDER 
 
 136. At the convention of the Supreme Lodge 
 held in Philadelphia in 1871 it Avas enacted that the 
 "Flag of the Order" should be as follows: 
 
 The Regulation Flag is to be six feet long, and
 
 ULLA PODRIUA 117 
 
 \\vo feet six inches wide. Any other tlag' must be, 
 in width, two-thirds of its length. 
 
 ^laterifil to lie silk, hunting, or muslin; colors, 
 blue, yellow and red, equal size, vertical. 
 
 Shield of Supreme Lodge, purple. P and tilting 
 spear, yellow. 
 
 Shield of Grand Lodge, red. V and tilting sjjear. 
 
 >('11()W. 
 
 Shield of Subordinate Lodge, red and white, red 
 above. P and tilting spear, yellow. 
 
 The shield, letter P and spear may be jiainted 
 or worked. 
 
 No other letter, mark, device or figure of any 
 kind whatever should be placed upon the Flag, as 
 it is the distinctive standard for a l)ody of Knights 
 of Pythias, Supreme, Grand or Subordinate. 
 
 The tilting spear distinguishes Knight, and the 
 letter P. Pvthias.
 
 ARETHUSA 
 B. P. Shelley. 
 
 Aretliusa arose 
 
 From her couch of snows 
 In the Acroceraunian mountains, — 
 
 From ch)ud and from crag, 
 
 With many a jay. 
 Shepherding her bright fountains. 
 
 She crei)t down the rocks, 
 
 With her rainbow locks 
 Streaming among the streams; — 
 
 Her steps paved with green 
 
 The downward ravine 
 Which slopes to the westward gleams: 
 
 And gliding and springing 
 
 She went, ever singing. 
 In murmurs as soft as sleep ; 
 
 The Earth seemed to love her 
 
 And Heaven smiled above her 
 As she lingered towards the deep. 
 
 Then Alpheus bold. 
 
 On his glacier cold, 
 With his trident the mountain struck, 
 
 And he opened a chasm 
 
 In the rocks; — with a spasm 
 All Erymanthus shook. 
 
 And the black south wind 
 
 It concealed behind. 
 The urns of the silent siioav. 
 
 And the earthquake and thunder 
 
 Did rend in sunder
 
 119 
 
 The bars of the springs below; 
 
 The beard and the hair 
 
 Of the River-god were 
 Seen through the torrent's sweep, 
 
 As he followed the light 
 
 Of the fleet nymph's tiight 
 To the brink of the Dorian deep. 
 
 "Oh. save me! Oh, guide me! 
 
 And bid the deep hide me, 
 For he grasps me now by the hair!" 
 
 The loud ocean heard, 
 
 To its blue depths stirred 
 And divided at her prayer; 
 
 And under the water 
 
 The Earth's white daughter 
 Fled like a sunny beam. 
 
 Behind her descended 
 
 Her billows unblended 
 With the brackish Dorian stream; — 
 
 Like a glossy stain 
 
 On the emerald main, 
 Alpheus rushed behind, — 
 
 As an eagle pursuing 
 
 A dove to its ruin, 
 Down the streams of the cloudy wind. 
 
 Under the bowers 
 When the ocean powers 
 Sit on their pearled thrones, 
 
 Through the coral woods 
 Of the weltering tioods.
 
 120 
 
 Over heaps of unvalued stones; 
 Through the dim beams 
 Which amid the streams 
 
 Weave a net of colored light ; 
 And under the caves. 
 When the shadowy vines 
 
 Are as green as the forest night ; 
 Outspeeding the shark. 
 And the swordfish dark, 
 
 Under the ocean foam. 
 
 And up through the rifts 
 Of the mountain cliffs 
 
 They past to their Dorian home. 
 
 And now from their fountains 
 
 In Enna's mountains, 
 Down one vale when the morning basks, 
 
 Like friends once parted 
 
 Grown single-hearted, 
 They ply their wanton tasks. 
 
 At sunrise they leap 
 
 From their cradles steep. 
 In the cave of the shelving hill; 
 
 At noontide they How 
 
 Through the woods below, 
 And the meadows of Asphodel; 
 
 And at night they sleep 
 
 In the rocking deep 
 Beneath the Ortygian shore; — 
 
 Like spirits they lie 
 
 In the azure sky 
 Where they love but live no more.
 
 BOOK II 
 
 HISTORY OF THE ORDER, 
 ITS BRANCHES, AND 
 AUXILIARY
 
 GEORGE M. HANSON 
 Supreme Chancellor Knights of Pythias
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ''And while the widow's tears we dry. 
 Or raise a brother from distress, 
 
 Or hush the homeless orphati's cry, 
 Alay love's expanding care 
 Embrace humanity.'' 
 
 THE term "Founding an Order,"' especially as 
 applied to those of a secret character, is pri- 
 marily bound up with the personalities of those who 
 were the moving spirits in their formation ; and 
 their ultimate success depends upon whether these 
 moving spirits commenced their work in a selfish or 
 benevolent purpose. 
 
 138. The Order of the Knights of Pythias is 
 founded upon the characters of Damon and Pyth- 
 ias — the senator and the soldier — and it is univer- 
 sally conceded that it was to Justus Henry Rathbone 
 that the central idea of the grand force of Friend- 
 ship, as exemplified by these Syracusans, was 
 brought to the fore. In the noble heart of Rathl)one 
 was found the seed which today has developed into 
 the magnificent tree of Pythian Knighthood. All 
 honor to him whose heart had conceived, whose 
 brain planned, and whose hand carried out the for-
 
 126 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 matioii of our great Fraternity. From this little 
 seed planted by Rathbone and his associates has 
 grown one of the greatest fraternal orders the world 
 has ever known ; and while its types, its exemplars, 
 and its mottoes have been borrowed from an ancient 
 civilization in some respects superior to our modern 
 article, the Order flourishes under American aus- 
 pices, and there reaches its greatest perfection. 
 
 139. As the Order was instituted in America by 
 Americans, and primarily for the benefit of Ameri- 
 cans, it has been termed an American institution, 
 and although it has been said of it that "we do not, 
 as does Masonry, have clustering about our shrine 
 the clinging ivy of centuries' growth; nor is there 
 yet wreathed about our altars the mysterious legend 
 reaching back into the dim and misty ages of the 
 long ago," yet, having drawn its prototypes from an 
 ancient civilization, and built its precepts and les- 
 sons from characters of those times, it is thus neces- 
 sarily connected with those misty ages of the long- 
 ago. 
 
 140. As it is most desirable that every Pythian 
 should have correct information of the origin and 
 founding of the Order into Avhich he has been initi- 
 ated, proven and charged, the writer has been at 
 particular pains to obtain at first hand such infor- 
 mation ; the following account therefore of its origin 
 and founding may be confidently accepted as a true 
 statement of the matter. It came from one of the 
 first five members of the Order, Brother D. L. Bur-
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 127 
 
 nett, now of Calanthe Lodge No. 11, Washington. 
 D. C. 
 
 141. In the humble cottage at Eagle Harbor, on 
 the shores of Lake Michigan, there came to the 
 youthful school teacher the inspiration which was 
 the germ of the Order of Knights of Pythias. "Be- 
 ing naturally gifted with histrionic talent and ten- 
 dencies," says Brother D. L. Burnett, "he thought 
 to write a play that would make him famous, and 
 in his younger days, himself to take the leading- 
 role." Tt was during his position of stage manager 
 of the few entertainments given in this little town 
 of Eagle Harbor that he came into the possession of 
 a copy of Jos. Banin's play of Damon and Pythias. 
 "The subject was one that appealed to him. and he 
 gave it a good deal of thought and study with the 
 object of preparing it for the stage. In his spare 
 moments he would take up the play and write out 
 his conception of its interlinings, and not being sat- 
 ished with his Avork. would erase, write and rewrite 
 it. Eventually "he wrote something," says Bro. 
 Burnett, "the manuscript of which Bro. Rathbone 
 told me, he 'folded up. put it aw^ay and almost for- 
 got he had it.' " This manuscript, however, was 
 not in a ritualistic form, for Rathbone had not yet 
 become a member of any secret society, and was 
 therefore perfectly unacquainted with ritualistic 
 work or ceremonies. In 1863 he was appointed to 
 the General U. S. Hospital at Germantown, Pa., and 
 there met Robert Allen Champion, its chief stew- 
 ard. "Confidence was soon established between
 
 12S HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 them and their love for each other was akin to that 
 of onr patron saints." Both these men were made 
 Masons in ^litchell Lodge, No. 296. Germantown, 
 and soon after they joined a tribe of the Order of 
 Red Men. "Brother Rathbone's eyes were opened 
 upon a new strata and his phins were changed. The 
 manuscript as a play was brought forth and he 
 talked to his 'brother' of his hopes and ambitions. 
 The result of these 'heart to heart' talks was the 
 creation by Rathbone of a 'Ritual" founded upon 
 the characters of the play over which he had studied 
 and thought so much." Thus as a basis of a Fra- 
 ternal Order, the manuscript was not thought of 
 until he and Champion had entered into fraternal 
 bonds. 
 
 142. The preceding sections of this chapter pre- 
 pare the way for. and lead up to the institution 
 of the first lodge of the order. In the latter part of 
 the year 1863, Bro. Rathbone and Bro. Champion 
 were transferred to, and assigned to duty in the of- 
 fice of the Surgeon General, U. S. Army, at Wash- 
 ington, D. C. Bro. Rathbone, having considerable 
 musical ability, soon became acquainted with others 
 in the government service, with the same taste, and 
 there was soon organized a Glee Club composed 
 of a double quartette, and they called it 
 
 THE ARION GLEE CLUB 
 
 "This club produced the element that Rathbone 
 had wished for in the formation of a society founded 
 for the mutual benefit of its members. The names
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 129 
 
 of those composing this club have never appeared 
 in any history of our order," and are here given, 
 as it was from this club that the order was started. 
 They were : 
 
 Justus H. Rathbone and William Henry 
 
 Burnett First Tenor 
 
 Dr. Edward S. Kimball and David L. 
 
 Burnett Second Tenor 
 
 Aristide Roderigue and J. Driver First Bass 
 
 Charles H. Roberts and Charles C. 
 
 Bailey Second Bass 
 
 Robert Allen Champion, not being musically in- 
 clined himself, did not become a member of the 
 club, but to show his interest in its success, all the 
 rehearsals prior to Februar^y 19th. 1864, were held 
 in a room in his house at what was formerly No. 
 369 F Street, near Ninth Street. 
 
 143. The meetings of the club were held regu- 
 larly without unusual incident until the evening of 
 Monday, Fe})ruary 15th. 1864. when, as Bro. Bur- 
 nett says: "The clock of the universe struck the 
 hour when the initial step was taken to form a 
 secret beneficial association having for its ultimate 
 objects, Friendship, Charity and Benevolence." 
 Bro. Rathbone had several times broached the sub- 
 ject at the meetings of the club, and it had been 
 somewhat discussed ; and as none of the members 
 of the club had ever been connected with any civic 
 society, except Bro. Rathbone, they listened t(> bin) 
 with great interest. It was finally decided to take 
 
 5
 
 130 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 some definite action at tlie next meeting of tlie 
 club, jMouday evening, February 15th. 
 
 144. Some authors of Pythian history have 
 severely belittled not only the event of this even- 
 ing, but of those who took part in it. It was, how- 
 ever, an evening not only of the greatest interest 
 to all Pythians, but of utmost importance, and far 
 reaching in its results. At that evening's meeting 
 was sown the seed which has now blossomed into 
 one of the greatest orders the world has ever 
 known. Let us now see what took place. After 
 the usual rehearsal, a discussion on the proposed 
 secret society took place, with the result that Bro. 
 Rathbone produced "his Ritual, as he termed it. and 
 a small Bible, and those present were obligated 
 upon this Bible never to reveal that which was to 
 be imparted to them." This quotation is the words 
 of Brother Burnett, one of the members who took 
 the obligation, and who has remained a member of 
 the order from that time to this. There can thus 
 be no shadow of a doubt that an obligation of sec- 
 recy was given and taken at this meeting of Feb. 
 15th. After the obligation, Brother Rathbone be- 
 gan the reading of his work. Messrs. Roderigue and 
 Bailey were not present at this rehearsal and after 
 having read the opening and closing ceremonies, 
 Roberts and Driver because of previous engage- 
 ments asked to be excused, promising, however, to 
 abide by whatever decisions the others might take 
 in their absence. Thus four of the eight members 
 present were: Brothers Rathbone, E. S. Kimball, D.
 
 HISTORY OP KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 131 
 
 L. Burnett and W. H. Burnett ; these with R. A. 
 Champion "heard the dramatic possibilities which 
 has made the order so popular wherever intro- 
 duced." At the conclusion of the reading of the 
 ritual, it is resolved that each one present was to 
 consider himself a committee of one for the pur- 
 pose of inviting such of his fellow clerks as he 
 thought acceptable to join with the club in form- 
 ing the order. It was further agreed that if a 
 sufficient number could be obtained to call a meet- 
 ing for the following Friday, Feb. 19th, at Temper- 
 ance Hall on E. St., between 9th and 10th in a room 
 that had then been secured by the club for its re- 
 hearsals. 
 
 145. The minutes of the meeting of Feb. 19th 
 state that it was held "by agreement" and we have 
 seen that this agreement was made at the meeting 
 of Feb. 15th. There can be no doubt therefore of 
 the intimate connection between the two meetings; 
 the latter was the direct consequence of the former 
 for without the meeting of the 15th that of the 19th 
 never could have taken place; and as one was the 
 result of the other, the former must take preced- 
 ence of the latter. Brother Rathbone has fre- 
 quently made use of the phrases of "original five" 
 or "original members of the order," or "the four 
 original members of the order and myself," allud- 
 ing to the five members who were present and 
 took the obligation on Feb. 15. These expressions 
 of the Founder have not only been questioned by 
 late writers, but treated with contempt and as a
 
 132 HISTORY OF KXIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 myth. The "original five." however, is no myth; 
 they were and are, as Bro. Burnett says, "individu- 
 ally and collectively entities, real beings in thought 
 and fact." The Founder of the order is directly 
 responsible for the use of these words, and they 
 were purposely so used, with the full knowledge 
 of their meaning. It will be found recorded from 
 his own life the high estimate in which he held his 
 four associates, and as far as he had opportunity, 
 he was always outspoken in his acknowledgment 
 of assistance they were to him in founding the 
 order. 
 
 146. The authority by which the "original five" 
 received their title appears to be perfect and legi- 
 timate. "On the 15th of February, 1864, Justus 
 Henry Rathbone by his inherent power at the time, 
 as founder and sole originator of the Order, exer- 
 cised the supreme function of creation, (at sight) 
 original, not delegated or granted, upon his four 
 associates and they became with himself "original 
 members of the order." This assumption of the 
 supreme authority was confirmed at the Supreme 
 Lodge session held in Philadelphia, Aug. 24, 1876, 
 where it was "judicially decided by the highest 
 authority of the Order that Justus H. Rathbone 
 was the Founder and sole originator of the Order 
 Knights of Pythias." At this session Brother Rath- 
 bone presented to the Supreme Lodge, the little 
 Bible upon which the obligations of both the meet- 
 ings of Feb. 15th and Feb. 19th were taken, and we 
 find according to John Van Valkenburg, P. G. C.
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 133 
 
 of Iowa, aud published in his "Knights of Pythias 
 Manual" of 1878. a very important message from the 
 Founder, and "was no doubt a reproduction from 
 the original inscription within the Bible referred to," 
 and which is positive evidence of the truth of Bro. 
 Rathbone's statements. The message is this: 
 
 "Upon this Bible the original members of the 
 Order of Knights of Pythias were obligated, Monday 
 evening, February 15th. 186-1; also the original mem- 
 bers of Washington Lodge No. 1. Friday evening, 
 February 19th, 1864, at Washington, D. C." 
 
 "Presented to the Supreme Lodge of the World 
 Knights of Pythias, August 24th, 1876 by the 
 Founder of the Order. J. H. RATHBOXE." 
 
 "This Bible was a gift to Mr. Rathbone from his 
 mother on his fifth birthday, October 29th, 1844." 
 
 At this date, 1909, but three of the original five 
 are with us, and still living at Washington, D. C. 
 They are : D. L. Burnett of Calanthe Lodge No. 
 11, and G. R.. E. T. Kimball, Rathbone Lodge, and 
 W. PI. Burnett, who holds a withdrawal card from 
 Calanthe Lodge. Brother Champion died in 1873 
 and Brother Rathbone in 1889. 
 
 At the meeting of Monday, Feb. 15th, it was 
 agreed that if a sufficient number could be found 
 willing to join a secret society, that another meet- 
 ing be called for the following Friday. The meet- 
 insr was therefore called and these five friends to-
 
 134 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 gether with the following named gentlemen, Joel 
 R. Woodruff, Joseph T. K. Plant, George R. Covert, 
 John P. Roberts, Aristide Roderique, Matthew H. 
 Van Derveer, Abraham D. Van Derveer, and an- 
 other by name of J. Driver, one of the 1st. bassos 
 in the Glee Club, met at Temperance Hall at 7 :30 
 p.m. and Washington Lodge No. 1 was organized, 
 Feb. 19th, 1864. The election of officers resulted 
 in the following brothers taking their seats as the 
 first officers of the Order : 
 
 Justus IT. Rathbone — Worthy Chancellor. 
 Joel R. Woodruff — Viee-Chancellor. 
 Joseph T. K. Plant — Venerable Patriarch. 
 David L. Burnett — Worthy Scribe. 
 Abraham D. Van Derveer — Banker. 
 
 Appointed by the Worthy Chancellor : 
 
 Robert S. Champion — Worth Assistant Banker. 
 George R. Covert — Worthy Assistant Scribe. 
 Matthew H. Van Derveer — Worthy Guide. 
 Aristide Roderi(iue — Inside Steward. 
 
 Four Choral Knights were also appointed, these 
 were E. T. Kimball, C. H. Roberts, D. L. Burnett 
 and W. H. Burnett. Several committees were then 
 appointed, and among them Avas one to prepare a 
 ritual for the first degree. It must be remembered 
 that the ritual had not yet been presented to the 
 meeting and it appears that each degree rank was 
 presented and adopted separately; the other com- 
 mittees Avere on constitution and by-laws and re- 
 galia. Thus was Washington Lodge No. 1 organ-
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 135 
 
 ized and the Order of the Knights of Pythias started 
 on that career of conquest by which, today, "the 
 fame of our illustrious Order has spread from sea 
 to sea, not so much by deeds of valor and high 
 enterprise, as by unobstrusive acts of love and tender 
 sympathy." 
 
 148. At subsequent meetings numerous applica- 
 tions were received and the applicants initiated into 
 the Order. On April 8th. within two months after 
 the birth of the Order, a Grand Lodge came into 
 existence, but whether by consent of the members is 
 not knoAvn, although it was afterwards recognized 
 by Washington, Franklin and Potomac lodges, for 
 it was from this Grand Lodge that the latter two 
 obtained their charters; but when Washington 
 Lodge No. 1 went out of existence, its members after- 
 wards consolidating with Franklin No. 2, it also 
 died out. Franklin Lodge was instituted on April 
 12th, 1864. Columbia No. 3 on I\Iay 19th. and Po- 
 tomac No. 4 on the 31st of the same month ; while 
 Alexandria Lodge No. 1 of Virginia was instituted 
 on February 1st of the next year but lasted only 
 five months. Columbia ceased meeting in April, 
 1865 and Potomac Lodge consolidated with Wash- 
 ington No. 1 in May, 1865; so, that when the Grand 
 Lodge met in June 1865, only Lodges Nos. 1 and 2 
 were represented ; on the following October 9th, 
 Washington Lodge went out of existence and Frank- 
 lin No. 2 was the only lodge left with its sixty 
 members, to bear the burden of the Order's exist- 
 ence. But Franklin bravely struggled on, and upon
 
 136 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 her earnest and enthusiastic members must be 
 placed the credit of preserving the order from dy- 
 ing a natural death, as it was so near doing. 
 
 149. On October 3rd, ISG-l, Franklin Lodge re- 
 ceived a communication from Grand Chancellor 
 Plant informing the lodge that all subordinate lodges 
 are directed to work altogether in the Knight's 
 degree, except when giving the degrees themselves, 
 when the lodges will lower to the degree given, and 
 immediately after raise again to the Knight's de- 
 gree. Previous to this the work in the lodges was 
 carried on in the Page's degree. 
 
 150. The new year (1866) still found Franklin 
 alone, and its officers were installed by Past Chan- 
 cellor Barton, who had been a member of the Grand 
 Lodge. Soon after a committee was appointed to 
 organize a new lodge ; their Avork was so well done 
 that on April 16 Mount Vernon Lodge No. 5 was 
 instituted by the Grand officers pro tern., who had 
 been elected from among the members of No. 2. In 
 the meantime Brother Rathbone, who had resigned 
 from Washington Lodge No. 1 on April 21st, 1864, 
 had been readmitted by card into No. 2, and by May 
 1st the Grand Lodge was organized with Brother 
 Rathbone in the chair and Clarence Barton as Grand 
 Scribe. They filled the chairs for the unexpired 
 term, which ended June 30, when Brother Edward 
 Dunn became Grand Chancellor and Brother Bar- 
 ton retained as Grand Scribe. By the end of 1866 
 we find there were four lodges in existence, Frank- 
 lin No. 2, Mount Vernon No. 5. Liberty No. 6 and
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 137 
 
 Webster No. 7, having a total membership of three 
 hundred and seventy-nine. The Order once more 
 stood upon a good solid foundation, and, although 
 it was yet to receive some severe shaking up, it was 
 able to fight its way successfully through all its ad- 
 versities, and grow in strength and power. 
 
 151. During the year 1867, thirty-one lodges 
 were organized in Pennsylvania, having a total 
 membership of 6106. The first lodge was instituted 
 by Supreme Scribe Barton on February 23rd ; then 
 there was a lull until July 19th, when No. 2 was in- 
 stituted; the others followed in rapid succession, 
 and when December 15th of the same year came 
 round, it saw the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge insti- 
 tuted. This was one of the most important works 
 of the year, as the Order thus finally broke through 
 the bounds of the District of Columbia, and from 
 now on it rapidly extended to other States. This 
 spreading was carefully prepared for by the Grand 
 Lodge at Washington, which still was in supreme 
 command, and assumed the title "Provisional Su- 
 preme Lodge of the United States," and at the same 
 time making provision for a "Supreme Lodge" 
 when three Grand Lodges had been organized. The 
 year closed with 2 Grand Lodges, 39 subordinate 
 lodges and 6782 members. 
 
 152. When 1868 opened up. New Jersey was hard 
 at work obtaining new members and organizing new 
 lodges, and by March 16th the Grand Lodge of New 
 Jersey started with 16 lodges and 1613 members. 
 Not a wit behind was Marvland. for, although her
 
 138 HISTORY OP KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Grand Lodge was not instituted until the 17th, the 
 day after New Jersey, she started with 25 lodges 
 and 1623 members. On May l-lth the Grand Lodge 
 of Delaware was instituted with 9 lodges and 1190 
 members. The "plan" for organization of the Su- 
 preme Lodge having been drawn up by the Provis- 
 ional Supreme Lodge in 1867, was now submitted to 
 the several Grand Lodges for their ratitication In 
 every case the "plan" was ratified, and the Past 
 Grand Chancellor, together with the representatives 
 from the Grand Lodges, met together in Washing- 
 ton on August 11. 1868, and the Supreme Lodge 
 organized with the following officers : 
 
 J. H. Rathbone, Founder and Past Supreme 
 Chancellor; W. P. Westwood, District of Columbia, 
 Past Supreme Chancellor; Wilbur H. Myers, Penn- 
 sylvania, Supreme Venerable Patriarch ; Samuel 
 Read, New Jersey, Supreme Chancellor ; James P. 
 Hayes, Delaware, Supreme Vice Chancellor; Clar- 
 ence R. Barton, District of Columbia, Supreme Re- 
 cording and Corresponding Scribe; William A. Por- 
 ter, Pennsylvania, Supreme Banker; C. F. Abbott, 
 Maryland, Supreme Guide; Henry Kronheimer, Dis- 
 trict of Columbia, Supreme Inner Steward ; Fred- 
 erick Coppes, Pennsylvania, Supreme Outer Steward. 
 
 A good deal of work was accomplished at this 
 convention in organization and framing the consti- 
 tution and by-laws; it could not finish its work, 
 however, and adjourned until Nov. 9th, which met 
 at Wilmington, Delaware. It was at this adjourned 
 meeting that a controversy began that at one time
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 139 
 
 threatened the very existence of the Order. The 
 cause of this disturbance was that a few members 
 of the Supreme Lodge sought to put down an order, 
 organized by Brother Rathbone and authorized by 
 the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia before 
 the Supreme Lodge came into existence. At the 
 close of this year the Order had increased to 7 Grand 
 Lodges, 191 subordinate lodges, and having a mem- 
 bership of 34,481. 
 
 153. This controversy, known as the 0. B. N., 
 occupied the thought and time of the Order for the 
 next three years, and the conventions of the Su- 
 preme Lodge for 1869, 1870 and 1871 were almost 
 entirely taken up with its discussion and final set- 
 tlement. The whole trouble arose from an objection- 
 able test-oath or obligation (hence 0. B. N.) 
 adopted by the Supreme Lodge, and the attempt to 
 force its acceptance upon the whole membership of 
 the Order. , 
 
 154. At the session of the Grand Lodge of the 
 District of Columbia, at which the "Provisional Su- 
 preme Lodge" was called into existence, Brother 
 Rathbone was authorized to write a ritual, and to 
 "create and establish a higher degree or degrees 
 that shall in no wise interfere with the ritual of the 
 Order, to be entirely different therefrom, and to 
 have its own Grand and Supreme Lodges." Soon 
 after, Damon Conclave No. 1 Supreme Pythian 
 Knighthood (S. P. K.) was instituted, the member- 
 ship of which were exclusively members of the 
 Order. It spread very rapidly, and conclaves were
 
 140 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 instituted in New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsyl- 
 vania, where its growth was very rapid. Through 
 the jealousies that began in Washington Lodge No. 
 1 but two months after its institution, this success 
 of Brother Rathbone's new order caused those who 
 made the proposition b}^ which Brother Rathbone 
 was authorized to establish the new order, to turn 
 against their own work and fight the S. P. K. to the 
 bitter end. 
 
 155. To pave the way for this fight, at the con- 
 vention of August, 1868, this resolution was adopted : 
 "That the Supreme Lodge recognizes no higher de- 
 gree or degrees of the Order than those now estab- 
 lished in the ritual of the Order," and at the ad- 
 journed session this was promulgated in a long pre- 
 amble and resolution which started the campaign 
 against the S. P. K., and it became a struggle be- 
 tween Supreme Chancellor Read and the States in 
 which the conclaves existed. The next year, after 
 vigorously denouncing the conclaves. Supreme Chan- 
 cellor Read asked for some action for their exter- 
 mination. This led to a very stormy session, and it 
 was decided that a conference be had between the 
 contending parties. The conference committee re- 
 ported recommending the rituals of the S. P. K. be 
 laid on the altar of the Supreme Lodge, those pres- 
 ent obligating themselves to secrecy. This was done 
 under protest, and at the same time a committee of 
 the Order of S. P. K. asked that they be adopted 
 as a side degree of the Order. The result was that 
 the control of the conclaves was handed over to a
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS i41 
 
 committee of five members of the Supreme Lodge, 
 witli order not to grant charters or create new con- 
 claves until the next convention. 
 
 156. In the meantime the Supreme Chancellor 
 issued a circular to the Grand Lodges, charging them 
 to see that the orders of the Supreme Lodge were 
 obeyed, and at the convention of 1870, he reported 
 several acts of insubordination and defiance of his 
 authority. The result v^^as that more stringent meas- 
 ures were adopted, and a resolution was passed to 
 the effect that all members of the Order who are also 
 members of the conclaves, should immediately 
 withdraw from the latter, or be suspended from the 
 Order, and the Grand Lodges were ordered to en- 
 force this resolution. Later on the Supreme Lodge 
 adopted an obligation, the O. B. N. of which the 
 Supreme Chancellor, in promulgating it says : 
 
 "The following O. B. N. was adopted as an 
 amendment to the ritual at the annual session of the 
 Supreme Lodge, March, 1870, and shall be taken by 
 each candidate in the ante-room before initiation, 
 and also taken by every member of the lodge." 
 
 157. This caused great excitement throughout 
 the Order, and even open resistance in Pennsylvania, 
 Maryland and New Jersey, not onl.y among the 
 members of the conclaves, but among those who had 
 no idea of joining them. The result of the rebellion 
 of these domains was the suspension of their Grand 
 officers. This was the state of affairs when the Su- 
 preme Lodge met in 1871. Seeing matters were go- 
 ing too far, the conservative element of the conven-
 
 142 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tion took the matter in hand, resulting in that every- 
 thing that was objectionable or offensive was taken 
 out of 0. B. N., the latter being accepted by all con- 
 cerned and peace thereby restored. 
 
 158. Notwithstanding the trouble of the con- 
 claves, the Order continued to grow in strength and 
 prosperity, and at the end of 1871 it had 25 Grand 
 Lodges. 865 subordinate lodges, and 77,711 members. 
 The ritual had been translated into German, French, 
 Bohemian, Spanish, Danish and Swedish, for the 
 benefit of lodges of those nationalities. In 1871 a 
 Knight's uniform was adopted.* 
 
 159. The most important matter coming before 
 the Supreme Lodge in 1872 was the adoption of the 
 revised ritual, into which was incorporated the ' ' am- 
 plified Third." There was considerable opposition 
 to the new ritual ; it was accepted by only six ma- 
 jority. Smarting under the rebuke it had received 
 wdth regard to the conclaves, Pennsylvania thought 
 it saw a chance to get even, and avoided compliance 
 with the law as relating to the new ritual, which re- 
 sulted in the suspension of the Grand Lodge by the 
 Supreme Chancellor on March 17th, 1873. This af- 
 fair was thoroughly investigated by the Supreme 
 Lodge, acting as a committee of the whole; the 
 action of the Supreme Chancellor was confirmed and 
 Pennsylvania was placed under his charge; but on 
 the fourth day of the convention Pennsylvania re- 
 ceded from its position and ordering the new rit- 
 uals, was restored to its rights and privileges. 
 
 *See Uniform Rank, Book II, Ohap. 2.
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 143 
 
 160. In 1875 one of the most important works of 
 the Order was set in motion by the submitting to 
 the Supreme Lodge a constitution for a "Knights 
 of Pythias Benevolent Society," and its reference 
 to a comrhittee. The committee, however, politely 
 reported that it was inexpedient, and in their re- 
 port we find, "The insurance scheme is foreign to 
 the purposes of the Order ... an innovation," 
 claiming that it would become so overwhelmingly 
 important that the Order itself would be of second- 
 ary interest." This was in 1876; and the report was 
 adopted without a dissenting voice. In the face of 
 this report, at the next meeting in 1877, the subject 
 was again taken up, and a committee appointed to 
 institute the same, and by the end of the year the 
 rank started.* In this year, too, an agitation began 
 for the recognition of uniform divisions. 
 
 161. In 1876 Brother Rathbone, who had been 
 disconnected from the Order for some time, through 
 the unfortunate bitterness caused by the affairs of 
 S. P. K. controversy, was readmitted into the Order, 
 and welcomed back into the Supreme Lodge. The 
 next year, to show the appreciation of, and love for 
 the Founder, it was ordered that a medal be obtained 
 for the "Founder of the Order" at the cost of $100, 
 from a design furnished by Supreme Representative 
 I. A. Henshall, of Wisconsin. Brother Rathbone was 
 also, at the same meeting, declared "Lecturer on the 
 Origin, Use and Progress of the Order," and in- 
 
 *See Chap. 4, Book II, for the full history of this Rank.
 
 144 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 structed to visit the subordinate lodges on their in- 
 vitation. 
 
 162. The motto of the Order, "Friendship, Char- 
 ity and Benevolence," took a practical form in 1878. 
 when the plague of yellovr fever broke out in New 
 Orleans, and rapidly spread through Louisiana, Mis- 
 sissippi and Tennessee. This caused great distress 
 among the citizens of those States, and a cry foi* 
 "help" soon reached the Supreme Lodge. This cry 
 was immediately communicated to the Grand Lodges 
 throughout the country, and a very substantial sum 
 resulted. The money was sent in to the Supreme 
 Keeper of Records and Seal, who distributed it 
 among the afflicted States as follows : Tennessee re- 
 ceiving $3526.75, Mississippi $3450.00, and Louisiana 
 $1400.00. These sums together $33.11, making a 
 total of $8409.86 received this year. Oahu Lodge of 
 Honolulu alone contributed $226.75, thus showing 
 their appreciation and love for our nol)le Order. The 
 plague continued for two years, and the official re- 
 ports show that the total sum paid out for relief 
 during these two years amounted to $477,780.85. 
 
 163. The Supreme Chancellor, in his report to 
 the convention of 1880, held in St. Louis, alluding 
 to the plague, says : 
 
 "In Tennessee, three brothers in quick succes- 
 sion, filled this responsible position of trust (chair- 
 man of the relief committee), two sealing their lives 
 with unflinching devotion to principle and duty. 
 One after the other they dropped from my list of 
 correspondents, and ceased from their labors, but
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 145 
 
 they left us a legacy of fidelity and noble daring. 
 Acts of bravery are always admired : and we in- 
 stinctively applaud the hero who performs deeds of 
 valor on the red fields of battle, and his commander 
 makes honorable mention of him, which lead to an- 
 other bar to his stripes, or a star on his collar. But 
 how different the circumstances here, and how dif- 
 ferent the cause, one, his soul full of ambitious long- 
 ings, his heart bowed by the cheers of his comrades, 
 and his nature inspired by the soul-stirring strains 
 of martial music, dares to attempt desperate deed. 
 The other, in the solitude of death, with no comrade 
 to cheer, and even the bright sun of heaven seems 
 obscured by pestilential clouds overshadowing him, 
 while his own heart seems beating funeral melodies 
 only, that he resolves to face danger rather than 
 secure safety at the sacrifice of duty. Such was the 
 Grand Chancellor of Tennessee, and such his suc- 
 cessor on the relief committee. I knew them only 
 by correspondence, but I loved them, and I would 
 rear before you a memorial shaft, whose glittering 
 point should pierce the realms of the infinite, and 
 upon it I would inscribe this motto, 'They loved 
 their fellow-men.' I could name a score of others, 
 who, moving in a much humbler sphere gave us ex- 
 alted examples of heroism and friendship, and sealed 
 their devotion with their lives. Their ashes I would 
 gather in one grand mausoleum and inscribe upon 
 it, 'Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay 
 down his life for his friends.' " 
 
 164. During this year the Uniform Rank was in-
 
 146 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 stituted and received its start, by the adoption of 
 the report of a committee appointed some time pre- 
 viously. There had been great opposition to this 
 rank ever since the subject had been tirst broached, 
 but perse verence on the part of those who cham- 
 pioned the rank gained the day, and a special com- 
 mittee was appointed to carry out the legislation in 
 the matter. Brothers Rathbone, Ward, Kennedy, 
 Mulcaky and Dunn were appointed. They met a 
 month after the convention, and by November 1st 
 the ritual and laws had been reported to the Supreme 
 Chancellor and the order for its promulgation had 
 been issued* 
 
 165. The progress of the Order since 1871 was 
 not quite so rapid as it had been previously, al- 
 though in 1874 the membership reached 101,453, it 
 gradually declined until 1878, when it stopped, run- 
 ning down at 84,505 members. Since then there has 
 been an increase year after year. In 1880 the Order 
 had 35 Grand Lodges, an increase of 10 since 1871, 
 while the subordinate lodges increased to 1518, being 
 886 increase, and the membership rose to 96,263. 
 These figures, and all others throughout this chapter, 
 include all lodges under the direct jurisdiction of the 
 Supreme Lodge. 
 
 Up to this date the Supreme Lodge met annually, 
 but from noAv on its conventions were held bian- 
 nnally. 
 
 166. "All's well along the Potomac," and during 
 
 *See Chapter 2, Part IT, for the full history of the 
 Rank.
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 147 
 
 the next decade nothing happened to ruffle the 
 serenity of the Order, until towards its end; 
 its progress was consequently very rapid. Its 
 membership jumped up to 308,290, while the number 
 of lodges increased proportionately, being in num- 
 ber 4269. Twelve Grand Lodges had been added to 
 the list, making now 47. The Uniform Rank, too, 
 during this jDeriod gained in popularity and num- 
 bers; and their first display took place at th^^ con- 
 vention in 1882, at Detroit, and, although small m 
 numbers, was well conducted. 
 
 167. For the first time in its history the Order, 
 the Supreme Lodge held its convention, that of 1886, 
 outside the confines of the United States ; it was 
 called to order by Supreme Chancellor Van Valken- 
 l)erg at Toronto, Canada. The founder and all Su- 
 preme officers were present. This convention is 
 noted as being one of the most enjo.yable the Su- 
 preme Lodge had ever experienced. The entertain- 
 ments were on a splendid scale, and everybody 
 seemed to have vied with each other to make their 
 visitors enjo}^ themselves. Places of entertainment 
 were thrown open to them; private receptions w^ere 
 given by the Governor and the Ma3'or; and the Do- 
 minion. Provincial and municipal authority gave 
 them, as the Supreme Lodge. Knights of Pythias, 
 such a recognition as no other order had ever re- 
 ceived. The parade made by the Uniform Rank was 
 a magnificent one, and the efficiency and discipline 
 not only showed a great improvement, but called 
 forth the hearty applause of the citizens.
 
 148 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 168. Once again we tind ourselves in troubled 
 waters; once again it is Pennsylvania that ruffles 
 the waves; and once again has Pennsylvania be- 
 come insubordinate and its Grand Lodge suspended. 
 It appears that the Supreme Chancellor had found 
 that the law^s and statutes of the Order had been dif- 
 ferently interpreted in the various domains, and by- 
 laws enacted upon these interpretations. The laws 
 were thoroughly revised and the Grand Lodges in- 
 formed upon the points in which their laws differ. 
 Pennsylvania was opposed to the altering of their 
 laws to conform with those of the Supreme Lodge 
 and became defiant. At the convention their repre- 
 sentatives were refused admittance, and it was not 
 until Sept. 28th, 1880, that the Grand Lodge, after 
 having fully complied with the orders of the Su- 
 preme Lodge, and conformed to its laws, was rein- 
 stated with all its privileges. 
 
 169. In 1890 was reported the death of the 
 Founder, Justus R. Rathbi)ti(\ which took place in 
 December of the previous year ; also the fact that he 
 had left his two daughters, now^ completely or- 
 phaned, for their mother died two years previously, 
 and unprovided for. After some discussion on the 
 matter, the following resolution Avas adopted: 
 
 "Resolved, That the Supreme Chancellor be and 
 is hereby instructed to inquire into the pecuniary 
 condition of the daughters of Justus H. Rathbone, 
 and if assistance is needed, to relieve their neces- 
 sities. He is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to 
 draw from the treasury of the Supreme Lodge so
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 14<> 
 
 much as may l)e needed for the purpose, not to ex- 
 ceed one thousand dollars, which sum is hereby ap- 
 propriated. ' ' 
 
 Complying with this resolution, the sum of 
 $720.00 a year has been paid to these orphans. Their 
 names are Sara S. Rathbone and Lucetta S. S. Rath- 
 bone.* 
 
 170. Nothing ot moment occurred in the conven- 
 tion of 1892 except that a committee was appointed 
 to prepare an entirely new constitution and code of 
 laws. This committee reported in 1894 the constitu- 
 tion and code as Ave have them now. The adoption 
 of the revised ritual was another important measure 
 of 1802. and the resolution to use only English ver- 
 sions led to trouble with our German brethren. The 
 Supreme Chancellor in his report of 1894 says : 
 "With the publication of the fact that the Supreme 
 Lodge had at its Kansas City session refused to per- 
 mit the translation of the new ritual into any foreign 
 language, commenced a system of opposition, par- 
 ticularly on the part of the German membership, 
 which at first took form in the shape of protests, 
 later in expression of disloyalty and secessions, and 
 finally culminated in such a dishonorable disregard 
 of assumed obligation as to take shape in an organ- 
 ized rebellion, having for its main object the riding 
 down of all law, rule or regulation set for govern- 
 ment, and exhibiting a spirit of determination to 
 'rule or ruin.' " This question lasted for some time, 
 some Past Grand Chancellors taking the part of the 
 
 *See Chap. 2, Book I.
 
 150 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 malcontents; it was, however, in 1898 finally settled 
 by the German lodges complying with the law and 
 adopting the authorized English ritual. 
 
 171. On May 1st, 1900, occurred another of those 
 terrible accidents that happen every now and then. 
 In Scofield, Utah, a coal mining town, an explosion 
 took place, which killed two hundred of the miners 
 that were then at work in the mine. Of these some 
 .sixty belong to the orders of Knights of Pythias and 
 I. 0. 0. F., and the local lodges of the county of 
 Carbon appointed a committee to look after the re- 
 mains of their members. As soon as identified, they 
 were embalmed, put into coffins and brought to the 
 lodge room, awaiting burial. Some were sent east, 
 others to their homes in various parts of Utah, but 
 the majority were buried by Grand Lodge officers of 
 both orders in a square plot of ground, granted to 
 them by the authorities, in the form of a Greek 
 'Cross, the corners being left for flowers and shrub- 
 bery, and the center square for a monument. Su- 
 preme Chancellor Sample called for relief from the 
 Grand Lodges, and besides what was collected 
 among the Utah lodges, the sum of $10,420.62 was 
 sent to the relief committee of the Grand Lodge of 
 Utah. Besides this sum, the Pleasant Valley Coal 
 •Company gave each widow the sum of $200.00. and 
 more according to the number of children in family. 
 
 172. Mention has already been made of Ihe 
 Charlestown yellow fever epidemic and of the Sco- 
 field disaster, and the efforts of the Order to relieve 
 distress. Besides these two incidences of the practice
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 151 
 
 of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence, there oc- 
 curred in 1889 a terrible flood at Johnstown, Penn- 
 sylvania, through the breaking of the dam of the 
 city's reservoir. The city was simply washed away 
 by the water that thus broke loose, causing great 
 loss and distress, and the cry for relief that reached 
 the Supreme Lodge was quickly and nobly re- 
 sponded to. 
 
 In 1900 Scofield and Galveston were devastated, 
 the former by an explosion, recorded above, and the 
 latter destroyed by a great tidal wave, and the next 
 year Jacksonville, Fla., was almost totally destroyed 
 l)y fire, rendering 10,000 people homeless and de- 
 stroying $15,000,000 worth of property. Relief com- 
 mittees were formed, and again the charity of the 
 Order was put to the test, and large sums were sent. 
 The Supreme Chancellor in his report at San Fran- 
 cisco in 1902 says: "By fire and flood were exem- 
 plified the beautiful teachings of Pythian Knight- 
 hood. The calamities which visited Galveston and 
 Jacksonville, bringing death and its attendant hor- 
 rors to nearly every Pythian home in both cities, 
 roused the brotherhood to quick and noble action. 
 Forty-five thousand dollars in cash was raised for 
 Galveston, and about fifteen thousand dollars for 
 Jacksonville in the subordinate bodies of the Su- 
 preme domain. They were gracious gifts and may 
 yet be made to live in song and story." 
 
 173. The decade ending in 1899 shows an in- 
 creased stride in the progress of the Order, and 
 proves the increasing popularity in Avhich it is held
 
 152 HISTORY OF KxNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 .at the beginning of this year 1900. There were 54 
 Grand Lodges, 6860 Subordinate Lodges, and a 
 membership of 576,944. The rapid increase did not 
 cease, for in 1905 we find the membership increased 
 to over 650,000. All Subordinate Lodges were now 
 under their own Grand Lodge except the following, 
 which are governed direct from the supreme auth- 
 ority : Alaska, 2 lodges with 93 members ; Cuba, 
 1 lodge with 99 members ; Hawaiian Islands, 6 lodges 
 with 444 members ; Montreal, 8 lodges with 
 238 members; Philippine Islands, 1 lodge, with 48 
 members. 
 
 174. With regard to the rapid strides with which 
 the Order has prospered. Supreme Chancellor Chas. 
 A. Barnes says in his report: "I regard the Order 
 of the Knights of Pythias as a Fraternal society, 
 pure and simple and believe it should always be 
 claimed, presented and held up as such. There 
 are but few real fraternal organizations, and while 
 each of them is teaching the divine idea of fraternity, 
 and accomplishing much good along this line, still 
 none of them can excel the Pythian Fraternity in 
 the forcible and lasting way in which it imparts this 
 God-given idea, nor any of them show the same 
 beneficient impress of these lessons, both upon their 
 membership and the outside world. The growth 
 ■of this Order has been phenomenal, due first to the 
 character of the organization itself; second, to the 
 impressive, dignified, but yet forcil)le way in which 
 the fraternal lessons are fastened upon the minds, 
 hearts and characters of the initiates; and third, by
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS I53, 
 
 the unselfish devotion uf those who, through the 
 fraternity, have had their ideas of life and their 
 conception of their duty to their fellowmen raised 
 to higher and nobler standards. These true Pyth- 
 ians try to live, as nearly as possible, that life which 
 receives such a valuable inspiration from the tenets 
 of Knighthood ; who do for this Order and its mem- 
 bers for the love of doing ; who love the influences 
 and surroundings of the lodge rooms and regard it 
 as a forum wherein unselfishness and brotherly love 
 are inculcated, and where sincere and lasting friend- 
 ships are formed, and that all who come within 
 the influence, are not only made better and happier, 
 but are also raised to a higher plane of life edu- 
 cationally, morally and socially." 
 
 175. Ill this way the "Pythian Altars are burn- 
 ing brightly, and that the fraternal incense thereon, 
 is scattered so profusely as to attract the attention 
 of all men." So, we find the Pythian Banner sol- 
 idly planted in Cuba on March 12, 1900 ; in Alaska, 
 Avith two lodges with others in the process of forma- 
 tion ; in New Zealand with one lodge at Dunedin and 
 a membership of forty; in the Canal Zone, on the 
 Lsthmus of Panama. Here the Order has grown rapid- 
 ly, and there are six active lodges in the territory, 
 viz : 
 
 Panama Lodge No. 1, Christobal. C. Z., with 92 
 members. 
 
 Empire Lodge No. 2. Empire. 0. Z., with 140 
 members. 
 
 Culebra Lodge No. 3, Culebra, C. Z., with 102 
 members.
 
 154 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Balboa Lodge No. i, Las Cascadas, C. Z., with -12 
 members. 
 
 Lock City Lodge No. 5, Gatuu, C. Z., with 30 
 members. 
 
 Paradise Lodge No. 6, Paraiso, C. Z., with 33 
 members. 
 
 Nor is this all that the Canal Zone has done for 
 the Pythian cause, as there is a fine Company of the 
 Uniform Rank, and a Temple of the Pythian Sisters. 
 In the Philippines there is but one lodge ; while the 
 Hawaiian possesses six splendid active lodges. In 
 China, there are two lodges in the city of Shanghai 
 and a third in the process of formation. No re- 
 ports have yet been received as to membership ; the 
 petitions were signed with twenty-two and thirty- 
 three names respectively. China Lodge No. 1, 
 Shanghai was instituted on April 17, 1908, and 
 Yangtze Lodge No. 2 on May 23, 1908. 
 
 176. Although during the last few years (previous 
 to 1908) there has been some influences at work, tend- 
 ing to the depression of the Order, yet, the numer- 
 ical growth is all that could have been expected. The 
 membership on Dec. 31, 1905 was 650,239; wdiile 
 that of the same date in 1906 was 671,162, a net 
 gain of 20,923; the next year the membership 
 amounted to 698,538; this was a gain over the pre- 
 vious year of 27,376. This gives us nearly 6,500 over 
 the last year 's gain : but from reports of several 
 Grand Lodges we are informed that the increase 
 will be such as to bring the membership up to over 
 712,000.
 
 "FRIENDSHIP, CHARITY AND BENEVOLENCE." 
 
 By the late MAJOR GENERAL /AMES R. CARNAHAN 
 Commanding Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias 
 
 The first lesson taught is that of "Friendship," 
 that divine principle taught by Diety to man, which 
 may be fitly represented by the blue field of our 
 banner emblematic of the azure arch of heav- 
 en, and its purity, from whence we have received 
 the highest lessons of Friendship, that bind us to- 
 gether in the golden bands of brotherly love. 
 
 By the cultivation of this principle, the very 
 first that is taught upon entering the Pythian Cas- 
 tle, and is carried on through all the ranks, we are 
 led into the higher life, developing the fuller facul- 
 ties of the soul, purifying our natures, bringing 
 them into greater harmony with all that is good, 
 for true friendship is goodness and in all the varied 
 relations of our existence, both to God, Our Father, 
 and man, our brother, are we made better men. bet- 
 ter citizens and better Knights. 
 
 The friendship taught by our Order is not the 
 friendship found only in the noonday of prosperity, 
 when your brother is in the meridian light and blaze 
 of success; when wealth is flowing into his coffers, 
 and honors are crowding thick and fast upon him, 
 or when all the world is paying co\u't to his intel- 
 lect and genius. It is not that friendship, mis- 
 named, that seeks companionship for the good that 
 • may come to the seeker in honors, position and wealth. 
 
 It is that true type of friendship that can take a 
 brother man by the hand as he starts forth in the 
 early dawn of life's struggles; that helps him
 
 156 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 through the valley of darkness and over the rough 
 and stormy places of the rugged road; that shields 
 from the scorching rays of the midday sun. It 
 must be a steadfast friendship through the storms 
 of adversit}', and across and beyond the burning 
 sands of disappointments and failures that come on 
 the way; that will stand steadfastly by the hard- 
 pressed and weary one, to cheer, encourage, assist 
 ^nd carry, if need be, until all these trials are over 
 and passed and the high and fertile tablelands are 
 reached, and though footsore, weary and aching, 
 mayhaps, from the struggle so bravely endured, the 
 brother can stand in the full noondays of victories 
 gained and hopes fully realized. 
 
 It is that friendship that will take a brother man 
 by the hand when light begins to wane, and the 
 fickle goddess of fortune has ceased to smile, and 
 then in the hour of sorest need give substantial aid 
 and encouragement. 
 
 It is that friendship that when dark forebodings 
 come creeping into the soul, driving the light from 
 the eye, and the smile from the face ; when the 
 head is bowed down, and the spirit is broken with 
 the heavy weight of adversity and man and angels, 
 yea, and God himself seems to have turned away 
 and hid his face from the poor mortal, that can 
 even then throw about the broken body and fainting 
 «oul the arms of love and sympathy, and lift him up 
 and speak words of comfort and cheer that shall 
 cause him to look up and take heart again, and 
 •once more stand upright as a man among men.
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 157 
 
 The friendship of the Order does not end in 
 words, as is shown by its act of practical Benevol- 
 ence ; for large sums of money are yearh^ expended 
 for the burial of the dead, the support of its widow^s, 
 the education of its orphans and its relief of its sick. 
 
 The Benevolence taught by our Order is that 
 higher aspiration of the soul that draws us nearer 
 to God in the great bonds of sympathy and well- 
 wishing that unite the Great Creator to all humanity. 
 It is the well-spring of love flowing from a warm 
 and tender heart, watering the seeds of friendship 
 and charity, causing them to grow into realities; 
 that with open hand give bread and strength to 
 the hungry and perishing; pours in the waters of 
 comfort and consolation to the hearts of those who 
 thirst for sympathy; that silences high-sounding- 
 words and prayers by (juiet acts, clothing the naked 
 and giving shelter to the abandoned. 
 
 The three fundamental principles of our Order 
 are treated as one cardinal virtue, because the true 
 interpretation of the three in their practical bearings 
 are so closely allied, and in reality, blend one into 
 the other. A friendship that does not carry with it 
 charity — which in its higher and best meaning is 
 defined as love — has no element of friendship in it, 
 and a friendship — love — that does not produce a 
 genuine benevolence as the fruit of the union, is 
 a misnomer and a parody on the true import of 
 those divine attributes. So. Pythian friendship is 
 love for a fellow man. coupled with genuine benevol- 
 ence, well wishing, that reaches out to do that broth-
 
 158 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 er the greatest and highest possible good, be it in 
 cheering words, in smiles of encouragement, in well 
 doing and noble striving, in relieving him in want, 
 distress or sickness, in burying the dead, in caring 
 for the widow, or educating the orphan. There 
 is one characteristic of Pythian charity which we 
 wish especially to emphasize, for the reason that 
 it has not been brought out heretofore with the 
 force that it should have had, we refer to that 
 charity or kindness that should be shown to the 
 weakness of human nature. Mankind has been in 
 all ages too prone to criticise their fellows for any 
 lack of morality or virtue, and, instead of coming 
 to the rescue of one who was weak, have condemned 
 in harsh and unmeasured terms, thus destroying all 
 impulse that would lead to a higher and better life. 
 A profession of charity that only shows on the sur- 
 face, while at heart it is more ready to hear ill 
 spoken of one than good, is a lie and a cheat. The 
 charity intended to be taught by the Knights of 
 Pythias is such an earnest and abiding regard for the 
 welfare of a brother that Avill silence evil reports 
 of him instead of enlarging or repeating them from 
 mouth to mouth, to be magnified as the slander or 
 evil reports circulate. Homes have been ruined, 
 hopes blasted and hearts broken, because some noble, 
 charitable soul has not been found to step in and 
 stem the tide of evil and false rumor that has so 
 often been started in motion by some evil disposed 
 and venomous heart and tongue. Man is too apt to 
 misjudge the words and acts of their fellows.
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 159 
 
 Brothers of this Knightly Order should remember 
 the words of our Declaration of Principles: "To 
 exercise charity towards offenders ; to construe 
 words and deeds in their least unfavorable light. 
 granting honesty of purpose and good intention to 
 others." 
 
 This is the particular phase of charity that we 
 wnsh to bring out fully, and with all the strength 
 and force that it is possible to express. Would 
 you be your own brother's murderer? Would you 
 take your brother's life? "No ! No !" Every one ex- 
 claims. Yet the Knight of Pythias who forgets the 
 passage just above quoted, and adopts any other 
 course in the treatment of a Brother Knight, is worse 
 than a murderer. Rob a man of his good name, 
 blacken his character, prefer a false accusation 
 against him which brings about his ruin socially, or 
 his reputation as an honest man, and you have done 
 worse a thousand fold than if you had sent a bullet 
 through his heart. The Knight of Pythias Avho 
 would do this is not only more guilty than a mur- 
 derer, but he is also a perjurer, and a blasphemer, 
 for he wilfulh^ violates a solemn obligation in the 
 taking of which he called upon Almighty God to 
 witness the sincerity of his vow. The charity in- 
 tended to be taught by our Order is that loving, 
 kindly disposition of the heart which tends to make 
 us, one and all, think favorably of our fellow men, 
 and especially of our Fellow Knights, coupled with 
 the earnest desire to do them good. If we would 
 truly keep our vows in letter and in spiri*^,, we must
 
 ]QQ HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 have the broad liberality in judging of our brethren 
 and their actions. Instead of being fault-finders, 
 and suspicious, we must have a generous manhood 
 and Knighthood that will put the very best construc- 
 tion on the words and actions of our fellows. 
 
 Our Charity sees faith in a brother, confidence 
 in him as a man, and implicit trust and hope in and 
 for him. This is the true charity we would teach ; 
 "and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, 
 and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Char- 
 ity suffereth long, and is kind ; charity envieth not ; 
 seeketh not her own ; is not easily provoked ; think- 
 eth no evil; and now abideth faith, hope, charity, 
 these three, but the greatest of these is charity." — 
 ' ' Pythian Knighthood. ' '
 
 ARTHUR J. STOBBART 
 Major General, Uniform Rank Knig-hts of Pythias
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 
 
 The Military Orgayiization is a Scie7ice atid is admirably 
 adapted to every branch of business. 
 
 — Gen. ]l\ T. Sherman, U. S. A. 
 
 COMMENTING upon the Uniform Rank, the late 
 ^r;i,)()i'-GeneralJames R. Carnahan, in his "Pyth- 
 ian Knighthood," says, "The establishment of the 
 Uniform Rank marks the beginning of the era of 
 permanent prosperity of the Knights of Pythias. In 
 the Uniform Rank, we shoAv the world a complete 
 military organization. systematically officered, 
 thoroughly drilled, that might in ease of need be 
 utilized as a means of untold good in the defense of 
 the national government, and with credit to the 
 Order. It stands not only as the representative of 
 a fraternal and benevolent organization, but it also 
 proclaims citizenship and loyalty to the constituted 
 authority. ' ' 
 
 178. The author of this quotation has not only 
 been connected with this rank from its start, but has 
 been its chief advocate and its leader. He it was 
 who i>rincipally kept up the agitation and interest 
 in the Supreme Lodge conventions, until, by his per-
 
 164 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 sistency aud constancy, the Supreme Lodge was 
 made to see the necessity of the rank, and finally 
 gave its consent for its formation. Carnahan was 
 appointed its general soon after, and he has ever 
 since, until his death, spent his time and talents, 
 upon it, fostering and protecting it, and brought it 
 up to its present state of perfection and organization 
 and may thus be said to be its founder. 
 
 179. So quietly, but so surely, has the Uniform 
 Rank been building itself up in numbers and 
 perfection of discipline; little Avas known of it; 
 and it came as a surprise to the citizens of this coun- 
 try, that when the Spanish war broke out. General 
 Carnahan was not only able, but offered to the gov- 
 ernment an army of 25,000 uniformed and well- 
 drilled and disciplined men for active service in the 
 field. Today the Knights of Pythias can proudly 
 boast of an army-corps of some 60,000 men, fully 
 uniformed, officered and drilled in every respect ac- 
 cording to the regulations of the U. S. Army; and 
 General Carnahan says. "The Uniform Rank, 
 Knights of Pythias is now recognized as one of the 
 reserve forces of the nation." 
 
 180. The Rank, however, did not come into ex- 
 istence suddenly at the time of the promulgation, 
 but was evolved out of the drill corps that previously 
 existed, and this was probably the reason of so many 
 companies, or divisions as they were then called, 
 springing up so quickly one after the other, within 
 a few days after the orders for their formation had 
 been given. It is curious to note the gradual
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 165 
 
 change from its origin to the eompany ; and in read- 
 ing the regulations of the Supreme Lodge with 
 regard to this matter, one cannot but be struck with, 
 how a simple want of a distinctive dress, when on 
 parade, or on special occasions, gradually forced 
 rlie idea of a military company. 
 
 181, At the convention of the Supreme Lodge, 
 hold on April 18th, 1871. at Philadelphia, and when. 
 (a rather curious coincidence.) the 0. B. N. contro- 
 versy had only then been finally settled, it was ve- 
 s(»Jved that all Knights should be uniformed on such 
 occasions, as of receiving the visits of other lodges, 
 paying such visits, receiving of Grand or Supreme of- 
 ficers, and on all street parades, except funerals. 
 The Order was promulgated by Supreme Chancel- 
 ]oi- Kead on October 1st. 1871, with explanatory il- 
 lustrations, legislation, and details. This uniform. 
 A\ ith some alterations, continued in use and in legal 
 use. long after the establishment of the Uniform 
 RaPK. by a good many of the lodges; and it was 
 not until 1892 that legislature finally stopped its 
 legality. This 'iniform consisted of cap, baldric, 
 sword and belt, and cuffs. The next year, 1872, 
 Brolher Pettibone designed a helmet, offered il to 
 tile Supreme Lodge in place of the cap. This was 
 adopted and in 1876 some more changes were made. 
 These changes seem to have complicated matters 
 so. that no one knew really what was required. No 
 orders had been given as to the pattern of the gar- 
 ments, nor as to their color; each lodge chose its 
 own ; and the result was that when the different
 
 166 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 lodges assembled for parade there was such a variety 
 of shades and styles of dress and trimming, that no 
 two companies were alike. This confusion does 
 not seen to have been set straight even when the 
 "Drill Corps" were organized. The Supreme Lodge 
 said nothing about material or of any particular 
 shade to be worn, but only that the uniforms were 
 to be blue ])ordered with yellow. Many of these 
 corps, however, were neatly uniformed and made a 
 good appearance ; but there was so much dissimilar- 
 ity among the others that they only added grotesque- 
 ness to the assembly, and, as General Carnahan says : 
 "the ununiform uniformed Drill Corps became a 
 laughing stock to kindred organizations." 
 
 182. Still these drill corps were very popular and 
 great activity was manifested in their formation, 
 probably foreseeing their transformation into regu- 
 lar military companies. Agitation for their trans- 
 formation was soon to be brought before the Su- 
 preme Lodge. The tirst attempt was made in 1876, 
 when there was presented a paper containing "Rule 
 and Regulations for the Formation of Uniformed 
 Divisions of the Knights of Pythias," with a resolu- 
 tion of adoption. This resolution was referred to 
 a committee who reported that the constitution of 
 the Order did not provide for a ITniform Division, 
 and was thrown out. This repulse however, did not 
 discourage the promoters of the scheme and we see 
 it again brought up in 1877, when the convention 
 was held in Cleveland, Ohio. The Grand Lodge of 
 that domain, through its representative petitioned
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 167 
 
 that "a higher rank or ranks be established, where- 
 in no members should be admitted without having 
 procured the uniform of the Order." The committee 
 to whom it was referred failed to report at this 
 convention and it was brought up again at the next 
 convention in 1878. The committee to which it was 
 then referred reported favorably with a ritual and 
 regulations, and with a request that they be per- 
 fected b3^ the Supreme Chancellor. Supreme Vice- 
 Chancellor, and the Supreme Keeper of Records and 
 Seal. After great opposition the report was laid 
 on the table. However, later on, towards the end 
 of the session the report of the committee was taken 
 from the table and reconsidered. A considerable 
 change of feeling seems to have conu^ over the Su- 
 preme Lodge during the day with regard to this 
 matter, and there must have been considerable elec- 
 tioneering, for the committees report was adopted, 
 and the following resolution passed: 
 
 "Resolved, that the Supreme Chancellor appoint 
 a committee of five to prepare a ritual, constitution, 
 etc., for the proper organization of such higher body, 
 under the control of the Supreme Lodge, into which 
 the rank proposed by Representative Forstone of 
 Ohio be incorporated." 
 
 This Special Committee, which was immediately 
 appointed, consisted of Brother J. H. Rathbone, Wil- 
 liam Ward, E. F. Dunn, P. H. Mulcahy and W. B. 
 Kennedy. They met and began work on September 
 13th following the close of the convention; this 
 session occupied several days, but not being able to
 
 168 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 finish their work, a second session took place, and 
 shortly' after the committee made their report to 
 the Supreme Chancellor Woodruff; this was accom- 
 panied with the ritual and laws and regulations for 
 the Uniform Rank. On November 1st same year the 
 Supreme Chancellor issued his order of promulga- 
 tion, together with the code of laws ; according to 
 the former the Rank w^as adopted on August 30th. 
 and that day was ordered, in each year thereafter, to 
 be kept as its anniversary. 
 
 184. Within eight days of the promulgations 
 Ohio formed the first division, that of Columbus, No. 
 1. Others followed in (juick succession and soon 
 divisions were formed in Indiana, Maryland, Vir- 
 ginia, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York. 
 Minnesota and Wyoming. In all these Domain 
 there were one or more divisions organized before 
 February of 1879. The next year 1880, fifty-four 
 divisions were reported. 
 
 185. The rank continued to grow in popularity, 
 and the divisions became so numerous that a more 
 perfect organization became necessary. Taking the 
 Knights of Pythias as a model, Grand Divisions were 
 inaugurated by the Supreme Lodge in 1882. This 
 new law provided that when five divisions had been 
 formed in any state, a Grand Division could be in- 
 stituted; and when further additional divisions had 
 been formed, the Grand Divisions might be divided 
 into Regimental Divisions, the whole being under 
 the command of the Grand Commander. At this 
 conv(M)tion of the Supreme Lodge (1882), which
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 169 
 
 was held at Detroit, the first real parade of the Rank 
 took place. True, an attempt was made at St. 
 Louis in 1880; but the display at that time was not 
 at all creditable. The procession was then composed 
 of members of the Order in the old Knight's uniform 
 "with or without the baldric, — some with light trous- 
 ers, some with helmets, and some with caps, — and 
 then, mixed in with these were members in citizens' 
 clothes, with and without 'dusters.' It was about as 
 heterogeneous a gathering as one could well think of. ' ' 
 But in the Detroit parade, none but members of the 
 Uniform Rank wearing the regulation uniform, took 
 part ; and although smaller in numbers than those 
 that succeeded it, it is said to have been the neatest 
 and best conducted. 
 
 186. The organization of the Rank under Grand 
 Divisions did not last long, for during the period 
 between the conventions of Detroit and New Orleans 
 in 188-1, it had been tried and found cumbersome and 
 impracticable, and at the latter convention, they 
 were abolished and the Rank put under the command 
 of a Major-General, with Brigadier-Generals in their 
 respective states; thus its organization assumed a 
 purely military aspect. This change in the laws of 
 the Ranks necessitated the appointment of a Major- 
 General and to this position Past Supreme Represent- 
 ative James R. Carnahan was appointed by the Su- 
 preme Chancellor. At the next convention this of- 
 fice was made elective, and the incumbent an of- 
 ficer of the Supreme Lodge. 
 
 187. At the time of the meeting of the convention
 
 170 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 in Toronto, Canada. 1886, the Rank had grown to 
 such proportion that the parade of its members, who 
 made their first appearance since its perfected or- 
 ganization, was a magnificent one. winning great 
 applause. Kennedy says, "The parade was made 
 through the beautiful avenues and parks and every- 
 Avhere the discipline and efficiency of the Military 
 Branch of the Order was accorded splendid recogni- 
 tion jiiid tumultuous aj^plause. It certainly cap- 
 tured and captivated the [)eople of 'Little York.' " 
 
 188. The year 1890 may be termed the year of 
 absolute prosperity for the Rank, for at Milwaukee, 
 Wisconsin the first encampment took place. Great 
 preparation had been made on grounds offered by 
 one of the property owners of ^lilwaukee, and the 
 grounds were drained, lighted and the city water 
 piped over it. The camp was close to the city, bord- 
 ering Grand avenue, and near center of the city, 
 with Regimental. Brigade and General Headquarters, 
 all laid out with perfect military precision. This 
 encampment was a splendid success, not only in itself 
 and the benefits and experiences obtained by its 
 members, but also in bringing the Rank before the 
 public, and more particuliarly before the Supreme 
 Lodge itself, to avIkuu it was a revelation. The 
 parade started from the camp on the afternoon of 
 the first day of the convention, and marched down 
 Grand avenue through the center of the city and ev- 
 erywhere meeting with the applause of the citizens. 
 From this time on. the Rank became more and 
 more popular, aiul at every succeeding convention
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RAXK 171 
 
 o.t the Supreme Lodge an encampmeut was also 
 held. 
 
 189. The Raiilv liad assumed such proportions, 
 that in 1894 the Supreme Lodge created a Supreme 
 Council to relieve it of its direction and management. 
 This Council is composed of the Brigadier-Generals 
 of the states where Brigades exist, with the Major- 
 General as the Presiding Officer; it is required to 
 take full charge of the Rank, and provide the ex- 
 pense of its management. 
 
 190. The Hank was adopted by the Supreme 
 Lodge on August 30th, 1878 ; and on the committee 
 that finally reported favorably, with its ritual, con- 
 stitution and rules, was brother Rathbone ; and al- 
 though not so stated, we may fairly assume that the 
 tirst ritual of the Uniform Rank was, like the others 
 of the Order, the work also of our Founder. This 
 ritual was entirely superceded by the one now in 
 use in 1910. As early as 1892 agitation for a new 
 ritual began and the following resolution was 
 adopted : 
 
 "Resolved, That a committee of three members of 
 the Supreme Lodge be appointed to revise the ritual 
 of the Uniform Rank, the said committee be author- 
 ized, if in their judgment they deem it best, to pre- 
 pare and present an entirely new ritual, the said 
 committee to meet from time to time for delibera- 
 tion, and to report at the next session of the Su- 
 preme Lodge. ' ' 
 
 At the next session, the new ritual was reported 
 and exemplified, and then referred to the Supreme
 
 172 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Council of the Rank. In 1896 the same ritual was 
 again presented, exemplitied, amended and on mo- 
 tion adopted. Sometime after, however, some one 
 found out that the vote taken was not equal to four- 
 fifths of all members of the Supreme Lodge, it was 
 declared that it liad not been adopted and could not 
 be used. This ritual was again presented in 18!)S, 
 and after it had been exemplified, it was finally 
 adopted, and promulgated for use. At the next ses- 
 sion, that of 1900. the burial service was adopted. 
 
 191. During the first four months of 1903 the 
 Uniform Rank gained twenty-three new companies, 
 making a total of 974 companies organized in 26 
 brigades with a membership of 40,43-4. Uniform Rank 
 committees have been established in Minnesota, In- 
 diana, California. Colorado, ^lontana. New Mexico. 
 Missouri, Virginia. KansMs, Oregon, Louisiana, Il- 
 linois, New York. Kentucky and the District of 
 Columbia and are doing much for the benefit of the 
 Rank. In Vermont, the Colonel of the Rank has a 
 voting seat in the Grand Lodge. 
 
 The next year, 1904. General Carnahan reports 
 981 companies organized into 105 regiments; 97 of 
 these regiments are assigned to 26 brigades, 8 regi- 
 ments or battalions assigned to brigades, and 36 
 companies unassigned to eitlier regiments or l)at- 
 ta lions. 
 
 192. The efiPect that the institution of the Uni- 
 form Rank had upon the meml)ership of the Order 
 w^as phenomenal. The membership in 1874 was 101,- 
 453. This graduallv declined until 1878 when it Avas
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 173 
 
 84,505 ; this was the year of the institution of the 
 Rank, and we find immediately that the member- 
 ship began to increase and has increased year after 
 year until at the present time (1910) it is nearing 
 the 725,000 mark. :Major-General Arthur J. Stobbart 
 says: "Prior to the establishment of the Uniform 
 Rank, the Order had no adequate way of presenting 
 itself to the general public, and consequently was 
 scarcely known. The 'Army of the Lily' attracted 
 favorable attention through the appearance made 
 by its members as they traveled to attend the Grand 
 Supreme Lodge conventions, and as a result a vast 
 number of young men enlisted in the Pythian cause. 
 The Rank was designed to assist the subordinate 
 lodges, and the marvelous growth of the Order at- 
 tests its sufficiency. The young man who is attracted 
 to the Uniform Rank can become a member only- 
 through the subordinate lodge. He must first be- 
 come a Knight of Pythias, and can only remain as 
 a member of the Uniform Rank while in good stand- 
 ing in the Order. ' ' 
 
 193. "The Rank has proved most attractive in 
 rendering assistance in the conferring of Ranks and 
 has brought support to the subordinate lodges by 
 stirring up the pride of the citizens in the knowledge 
 of the existence of well drilled and disciplined com- 
 panies. The Uniform Rank teaches the highest type 
 of honor, of justice, and of loyalty to friend and 
 country. This Rank has been honored by the Presi- 
 dent of the United States in the appointment of many 
 of its members to important military positions in
 
 174 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 the volunteer army of the United States. Four of 
 the Brigadier Generals appointed for the Spanish- 
 American war were from the Ranks of the Pythian 
 Army. The Rank has been complimented on many 
 occasions by the officers of the United States Armv' 
 and Xavy, bringing thereby additional strength and 
 influence to the entire Pythian body." 
 
 Walter B. Richie, when Supreme Chancellor, 
 wrote of the Uniform Rank : "It is the Rank which 
 has done more for the advancement of our Order 
 than all other influences combined. We today would 
 not have two hundred thousand members were it not 
 for the Uniform Rank. Every Domain strong in tlie 
 Uniform Rank is strong in its subordinate lodges. 
 Every Domain weak in its Uniform Rank is equaUy 
 weak in its subordinate lodges." 
 
 Philip T. Colgrove, as Supreme Chancellor, in his 
 report May 1st, 1897. said: "I think it is generally 
 conceded by those who are best able to judge that 
 to the ^lilitary Branch is largely due the success 
 that has come to our Order since 1878. Since its i)i- 
 ceptioii it has brought the Order into prominence 
 before the masses, and has given us marked recogni- 
 tion from our government. * * I know its worth 
 as a factor in the order, its power, influence and el- 
 fect. and feel assured that in whatever community it 
 is fostered and sustained, there will Pythian Knight- 
 hood flourish and prosper." 
 
 191:. At the beginning of the year of 1908 there 
 were in good standing 8.33 companies with a member- 
 ship of 28,572 and by June 1st the same year 73 new
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 175 
 
 companies had been mustered in. while 15 more were 
 waiting for that event. Although there was a gain 
 over the membership of the previous year, yet the 
 gain does not seem to have been what it should be. 
 "Several causes contributed to this condition." says 
 Gen. Stobbart. "the reduction of fees to organizers, 
 the financial stringency of last fall, not yet overcome, 
 and the reinstatement of many old companies in the 
 place of the organization of new ones being among 
 the causes." The increase of members of the sul)- 
 ordinate lodges during this period was 27,376, this 
 is almost the same figure of the Ranks entire mem- 
 bership, and seems to show that proper efforts had 
 not been put forth in the matter of recruiting. 
 
 195. Several small changes in the ritual were 
 ordered by the Suprenu^ Assembly, which met in 
 Jamestown, Va., June 6. 1!)07, so as to comply w^ith 
 the uniform now worn, and Carnahan drill regula- 
 tion discontinued. In its stead the United States 
 Army infantry drill regulations, 1904 edition was 
 adopted for use in the infantry organizations. 
 
 196. For some time there has been great senti- 
 ment among the members of the Rank in favor of 
 using the rifle instead of the sword, so that should 
 the country need their services, they would thus far 
 be trained in its use. The matter was put before the 
 committee of rules and regulations, who recommend- 
 ed permitting companies drilling with the rifle if 
 they so desired, but side firms are to be used in all 
 parades. This permission luis been given, and rifles 
 are now used in several companies throughout the 
 Domain.
 
 PRACTICAL BENEFITS OF THE MILITARY 
 DEPARTMENT 
 
 By K. A. MILLER 
 
 Colonel Conitnandifig Third Regiment, California Brigade, 
 
 U. R. K. P., Los Angeles, California 
 
 It goes without saying that the subordinate lodge 
 lies at the foundation of our Pythian fraternity. 
 
 Friendship, charity and benevolence typify and 
 embrace many of its cherished tenets, and from the 
 beginning until now the pursuit of these cardinal 
 virtues has strewn a path along the march of time 
 fragrant with fraternal achievements. As we stoop 
 and drink from the refreshing well at almost the 
 50th mile stone and rejoice at the triumphs of our 
 Order, and congratulate fortunate posterity upon 
 the transmitted heritage as the crowning effort of 
 those having so nobly wrought, we cannot refrain 
 from adding a word for those other Pythian virtues 
 of honor, justice and loyalty as symbolizing the ef- 
 forts contributed by the Uniform Rank or Military 
 Department. We claim for it a share in supple- 
 menting the subordinate lodge in the splendid con- 
 quests of passing years. 
 
 As was contemplated by the promoters of the 
 Military Department this degree is and should be 
 a higher one in our Order. Those having seen the 
 beautiful ritualistic work displayed, must indeed 
 recognize an impressive ceremony, which appeals 
 to those possessing a sense of the beautiful, as well
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 177 
 
 as teaching an inspiring lesson ; but it is not so much 
 concerning the beauty of the initiation or the char- 
 acter of the secret work of this branch of our Order, 
 that I desire to say a word as it is concerning the 
 practical benefits derived from the Military Depart- 
 ment, and its contribution to the permanent good of 
 our Order. 
 
 Our Order had its beginning in the closing hours 
 of the greatest national tragedy that ever swept 
 a country. After almost a decade of successful 
 struggle, it was apparent that our Pythian ship was 
 in the midst of a buffeting storm, and oft times the 
 clouds of despairing hope were shrouding our guid- 
 ing star, and the bravest of our sanguine founders 
 were chilled with the winds of adversity. From 1873 
 to 1877 our loss of membership aiiove accessions 
 was more than 16,000: but in this discouraging 
 moment in 1878 was born the Uniform Rank. 
 
 Peace had brought prosperity to a blighted coun- 
 try. The robes of wealth were again being woven, 
 and our country reunited with happy homes; but 
 the dream of organization, of uniformed men, of 
 companies and battalions was still fresh in the minds 
 of many who were touched with the beautiful and 
 alluring principles of our magnificent Order. j\Ien 
 saw in it possibilities for the future, and a happy 
 way of reuniting upon a common ground friendship 
 strained and broken by years of bitter strife. They 
 saw that with the combined eiforts of men who had 
 •displayed such valor in times of war could be ac-
 
 178 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 eomplished great good if combined in one common 
 aim in the work of peace. 
 
 Consequently, with the birth of the Uniform Rank 
 new life was infused, and the rifts in the clouds were 
 widened in our fraternal sky and our Pythian ship 
 quickly advanced into more placid waters, and in the 
 next decade swept through an era of unprecedented 
 prosperity. 
 
 The Avork of the Uniform Rank has accomplished 
 much in the successful progress of our Order. There 
 are many potent influences that it has exerted in 
 assisting the subordinate lodges. In this short 
 space I shall mention but few. 
 
 The early history of the Rank was marked by a 
 selection of uniforms, that partook more of the ele- 
 ment of ornamentation and display, but with its 
 development has gradually eliminated all surplus- 
 age in equipment, until now Sir Knights present a 
 uniformity and simplicity which gives greater free- 
 dom to movement, and by the adoption of the prac- 
 tical uniform of our country the Rank has become 
 more closely acquainted with the equipment of sold- 
 iers, and more closely in touch with the military 
 changes suggested by those who have given their 
 best thought to military development. 
 
 A deeper interest is awakened in the younger 
 members of our Order, and they are afforded in- 
 formation and some knowledge of military tactics 
 that in their busy walks of life they could not other- 
 wise obtain, and along with this the best blood of 
 our country are inspired with a keener sense of
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK 179 
 
 patriotism for the protection of country and the 
 upholding of civic virtues. 
 
 Again, militarism suggests organization, and in 
 our time of rapid movement little can be accomplish- 
 ed unless some attention is given to orderly arrange- 
 ment and careful organization, so as to secure results 
 through combined elforts of large bodies of men, for 
 whom responsibility must necessarily be lodged in 
 some authoritative and directing manager. 
 
 The liberal education brought about by submis- 
 sion to discipline and the self reliance and confi- 
 dence taught by the responsibility of leadership, 
 cannot be over-estimated or lost sight of in the prep- 
 aration of the younger men of our Order, for more 
 successfully coping with responsibility and de- 
 mands of the business and commercial world. 
 
 This branch is effective as an advertising fea- 
 ture. Organized and uniformed bodies always at- 
 tract and engage the attention of the passerby. 
 The work of the subordinate lodges is behind closed 
 doors. The natural tendency of mankind is to de- 
 light in knowledge received from observation. Cu- 
 riosity is created, and the outside world brought 
 modestly in touch with the silent forces at work 
 within our Order. And thus we find the most ef- 
 fective inedium to the stranger's heart and mind 
 through the instrumentalities of a dignified and or- 
 derly body of men, inspired with ])atri(»tic spirit 
 for country and ardent in the work of our fra- 
 ternity. 
 
 This organization is effective for another i)ur-
 
 Ij^o HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 pose : Camp life for a short time always appeals to 
 a fraternal order, but it has in its train immense 
 amount of detail that can only be handled and taken 
 care of by some plan of orderly arrangement. 
 
 These encampments are not only pleasant to the 
 Rank, but to the subordinate lodges, and it would 
 be almost impossible to maintain them, were it not 
 for the organization and discipline furnished by the 
 Uniform Rank. Through movements, ceremonies 
 and other maneuvers, upon the field, interest and 
 entertainment is maintained and the camp life 
 is relieved of monotony and becomes an effective 
 means of creating a deeper enthusiasm in the work 
 of the Order. 
 
 But perhaps the greatest good of the military 
 branch lies in the close fraternal feeling it gener- 
 ates, and the cementing influence thus disseminated. 
 Here, as nowhere else, its members strike a common 
 plane. Shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow, from 
 squad to company, from company to battalion, in suc- 
 cessive formations are thrown men of the best blood, 
 and generally of the most enthusiastic membership 
 of our Fraternity. With perfect freedom prevail- 
 ing, rapidly indeed is every side of the individual 
 exposed to the critical observation of his compan- 
 ions; his faults, his virtues, his strength and his 
 weakness are thrown upon the kaleidoscope, until 
 he is so known and recognized by his comrades in 
 arms, that what under other and less opportune cir- 
 cumstances might lead to misunderstandings and 
 construed as wrongful acts in the magnanimity and
 
 HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM RANK lyl 
 
 chivalry ot a Pythian soldier are li»st in the leveling 
 influence of the camp fire, the bean pot and the 
 drill ground. A thousand little influences make 
 him more generous to the frailties of mankind. In 
 honor, justice and loyalty he unreservedly renders 
 deference to constituted authority, and while young 
 in the work of the Order, is better equipped for 
 displaying activity in advancing the work of his. 
 lodge, and at the same time by his close association 
 with his chosen companions, he is weaving a robe 
 for future years, rich with the threads of friendship 
 eniMuatiiig from his first association in the com'mon 
 lot of the service, and enriched with the sacri- 
 fices of years, until these tender memories become 
 the fondest heritage of a TVthian's soldier heart. 
 
 This branch of our Order is practically self sup- 
 porting. It leaves no obligation for the subordinate 
 lodge or for posterity. When public parades are in 
 order, with pride the members and families of our 
 Order can point to the members of this higher rank 
 making some sacrifice as company after company 
 swings into liin^ in military order, and the stranger 
 within our gates catches with the sweep of the eye 
 something of the mysterious treasures concealed 
 from jirospective members, who frequently waits 
 with anticipation for an opportunity to affiliate him- 
 self Avith the order. 
 
 I would not minimize other influences in the 
 great work of advancing Pythian virtues, but show 
 me a subordinate lodge blessed with a good com- 
 pany of the military dcparf niciit. and I think it can
 
 182 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 be truthfully said that in such a lodge you will 
 find her sails steadily set to windward and her mem- 
 bers filled with individual initiative, zealously ad- 
 vancing the beneficient worlv of our magnificent 
 Order.
 
 SARAH I. COTTON 
 Supreme Chief Pythian Sisters
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 
 
 "■Pythianism is ilw haiidinaiden of the ethics of devine life; Jor 
 it has been said that it stands for all that noblest and best 
 in 1)1071, and purest ana noblest in woman.'' ^ 
 
 —M.Josie Nelson, S. M. of R. and C. 
 
 AS the years pass by, they add new pages to the 
 history of our Order; and one of the most 
 important of these pages was the institution of the 
 Pythian Sisters. The Order of the Knights of 
 Pythias Avas founded in 1864, and very soon after, 
 the wives and daughters of its members began to 
 agitate for a woman's lodge in connection with it. 
 As early as 1868, the Supreme Representative of 
 Philadelphia presented the first application to the 
 Supreme Lodge for the "recognition of a woman's 
 organization, to be associated with and recognized 
 by the Order;" but it was rejected. This was at 
 the meeting held in Washington, Avhen the Supreme 
 Lodge was instituted and organized. Similar appli- 
 cations were presented at the conventions held in 
 Philadelphia, 1876. Cleveland. 1877, Indianapolis, 
 1878 and Toronto in 1886. With each of these ap- 
 plications was presented the ritual, ceremonies and 
 emblems, together with an earnest plea for adop-
 
 186 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tioii. The}" were referred to committees, who re- 
 ported unfavorably on each occasion, as inexpedient, 
 and that the constitution did not provide for a 
 ladies' rank; but at the same time speaking in high 
 terms of the ritual itself. 
 
 198. It was not until 1888, just twenty years 
 after the first application, that anything was done 
 in this matter. Just previous to the meeting of the 
 Supreme Convention, the session of the Grand 
 Lodge of Connecticut was held, at which the fol- 
 lowing resolution was introduced and adopted: 
 
 "Resolved, that our Supreme Representatives 
 use their utmost endeavor at the session of the Su- 
 preme Lodge to secure such legislation as will re- 
 sult in the speedy establishment of the ladies' rank 
 of the Order." 
 
 The Supreme Lodge met in Cincinnati. Ohio, and 
 the subject of the resolution was duly presented by 
 the Representative of Indiana, accompanied, as be- 
 fore, by the ritualistic services, ceremonies, and em- 
 blems prepared by Past Chancellor J. A. Hill, of 
 Eagle Lodge No. 16, of Greencastle, Indiana. The 
 matter was referred to a committee, who at last 
 reported favorably of allowing wives, mothers, 
 widows, sisters and daughters of Knights of Pyth- 
 ias in good standing to establish a society to be 
 known as the Order of P>i;hian Sisters. In their 
 report they said it was not practicable to create a 
 ladies' rank in the Order of Knights of Pythias, and 
 that the ladies could better control their own Order.
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS IgJ 
 
 The report was adopted, and Brother Hill's ritual 
 was recommended. 
 
 199. Tlie meeting of the Supreme Lodge, 
 Knights of Pythias, took place on June 12th, and 
 on October 2;3rd of the same year Warsaw Temple 
 No. 1. Warsaw, Indiana, was instituted by Brother 
 Ilill, the Founder of the Order. Other Temples 
 soon followed, and so great was its success, that on 
 June 4, 1889 the first Grand Temple was organized 
 at Indianapolis, Indiana, which reported 20 Tem- 
 ples, with a membership of 287 Knights and 32-1 
 Sisters. 
 
 200. The Order soon spread into other States, 
 and ill Ohio its growth was so rapid that the follow- 
 ing September 19th, its Grand Temple was organized. 
 About M week after this. Brother Hill, who up to 
 this time had borne the whole burden and respon- 
 sibility of the Order, "felt that the time had come 
 to lay down the reins by organizing the Supreme 
 Temple ;" he therefore sent out a call for representa- 
 tives of the Grand Temples and of Temples having no 
 Grand Temples, to me(4 at Indianapolis. Here 
 they met on October loth. 1889, and with the 
 help of Brother Hill, who i)resided. General J. R 
 Carnahan, Brother Hood of ^lissouri, and Brother 
 Bacon of Ohio, the Supreme Temple was instituted 
 and organized. At this meeting were representatives 
 from Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Massachusetts and 
 California. The officers elected were : Ida M. 
 Weaver (the First i\Iost Excellent Chief of Warsaw 
 Temple No 1), Supreme Chief; Hattie A. Robinson,
 
 188 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Supreme Senior; M. D. Wood, Supreme Junior; 
 Emily R. Little. Supreme Manager; C. L. C. Law- 
 rence, Supreme Mistress of Records and Correspond- 
 ence; Emma Bacon, Supreme Mistress of Finance; 
 Lizzie Hadley. Supreme Protector of the Temple ; 
 H. B. Cornwall, Supreme Outer Guard. The only 
 other business conducted at this meeting was the 
 adoption of the constitution and general laws, 
 which latter recognized as Founder, Brother Hill, and 
 made him an officer of the Supreme Temple. 
 
 201. On the second day of this session Bro. Hill 
 made an olfer of the ritual to the Supreme Temple ; 
 "which was accepted, and the officers of the Supreme 
 Temple were instructed to enter into contract with 
 Brother Hill for the transfer of all his rights in the 
 ritual, odes, jewels, designs and materials of what- 
 ever kinds now in his possession to the Supreme 
 Temple Pythian Sisters of the World, giving them 
 the exclusive right to print, publish, manufacture 
 and sell the ritual, odes, jewels and paraphernalia of 
 the Order Pythian Sisters, as well as any design 
 copy-rights that he may procure in the future during 
 the existence of the contract. ' ' Thus the Order ob- 
 tained full possession of its ritual. 
 
 202. The adjourned meeting of this first session 
 of the Supreme Temple took place at Milwaukee, 
 July 8. 1890. nine months after its institution. Time 
 had thus been given to test the working of the Con- 
 stitution and Laws ; they were found to be inad- 
 equate, and did not meet with the requirements of 
 the Order, being incomplete and unsatisfactory. A
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 1,S9 
 
 new Constitution and By-laws were therefore pre- 
 sented and adopted together with a "Declaration of 
 Principles." At this meeting, too, were accepted 
 all designs for pins, badges, banners and other re- 
 galia for the Subordinate, Grand and Supreme 
 Temples, as prepared by Brother Hill. His ritual and 
 ceremonies of the Rank for Knights was adopted, 
 but this soon proved cumbersome and unsatisfac- 
 tory, and abandoned for that now in use. The man- 
 uscript of the Sisters' beautiful burial service was 
 read by its author, Brother Hill, and ordered printed 
 as soon as possible ; the ceremony for public instal- 
 lation Avas also adopted at this session. At the end 
 of the year, the Order claimed nine Grand Temples, 
 87 Temples having a membership of 1892 Knights 
 and 2947 Sisters ; there were also 24 Temples under 
 the direct jurisdiction of the Supreme Temple 
 whose membership was 450 Knights and 586 Sisters. 
 203. Through the efforts of the Sui3reme Chief 
 during the year of 1891 the membership of the Order 
 was doubled. Great interest had been shown in the 
 Order, and its growth to 9 Grand Temples, 1671 
 Temples. 3701 Knights, 5589 Sisters, with two Tem- 
 ples not reported is remarkable, considering the fin- 
 ancial depression that was dominant throughout the 
 country at this time. One of the means that Sister 
 Weaver took to obtain this result was a circular 
 letter to every Knight of Pythias Lodge, in which 
 she gave an account of the Order, and earnestly 
 besought the Knights and their Ladies to help es- 
 tablish new Temples, each in their own locality.
 
 190 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 One other of the means by which the popularity of 
 the Order was greatly increased was the exemplifica- 
 tion, at the last session of the Supreme Temple, of 
 the ritual, before members of the Supreme Lodge, 
 Knights of Pythias. The ritual was performed 
 by the Warsaw Team, and brought forth enthusiastic 
 praise, both for the ceremonies, and the ob.iects for 
 which the Order had been established. 
 
 204. In her report to the Supreme Temple, held 
 in Kansas City, 1892, the Supreme Chief, Sister 
 Weaver, said: "You will note the fact that one-third 
 of the chairs of the Supreme Lodge has been made va- 
 cant and filled by appointment since our Milwaukee 
 session. There is one vacant, however, that cannot 
 be tilled, one voice we loved to hear is silent now. 
 
 "Since last we met a most solemn event has 
 broken sternly, irresistibly on our path, when skies 
 were bright and heavens blue, when Providence 
 bending o'er us. was blessing our Order most abun- 
 dantly, gladdening our hearts almost to madness, 
 our beloved Founder, Brother J. A. Hill, was called 
 from earth into the realms of the everlasting." 
 
 He died on April 17th, 1892, at his home in 
 Greencastle, Indiana. 
 
 205. Before this session was ended, the commit- 
 tee on memorials reported the following: 
 
 ' ' To the Supreme Temple : 
 
 "'The wind bloweth where it listeth ; we hear 
 the sound thereof, but we know not whence it cometh 
 nor whither it goeth. ' Man is born into the world ; 
 he flourishes for a time ; he plays his part in its
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 191 
 
 work; he fades and dies and passes away and he is 
 not. Some are missed by the world hut little, be- 
 cause they have done little for its improvement and 
 progress, while some others achieve renown by acts 
 which better the condition of their fellows and 
 leave behind monnments of fame, and are regretted 
 by those for whose good they wrought. Of the 
 latter is the Founder of the Order of Pythian Sisters, 
 
 .JOSEPH ADDISON HILL 
 
 who has placed before us our beautiful ritual, and 
 the work we now use with so much pleasure and 
 profit — a work which has received the praise of the 
 learned, and the gratitude of the uulearned. for the 
 beauties unfolded to the mind and heart of all who 
 have been permitted to receive its rich lessons of 
 Purity. Love, Equality and Fidelity. By the death 
 of Brother Hill, the Order has met with an irrepar- 
 able loss; his intelligent enlargement, his fatherly 
 guidance, his wise counsels are gone, and we are left 
 to work and act and move onward, as best we may, 
 in our efforts to carry forward the rich inheritance 
 he has bequeathed ns ; therefore be it 
 
 "Resolved by this Supreme Temple, That we 
 bow in sorrow to the fiat of the Omnipotent Power 
 that has deprived us of the head of our Order, and 
 that we will cherish and revere his memory while 
 life to us endures, and carry forward the work he l)e- 
 gan. until the Order of Pj^thian Sisters shall be in the 
 van of the great benevolent orders of the world; 
 and be it further
 
 192 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 "Resolved, That this Supreme Temple extend 
 to the bereaved wife and children of our dead 
 Founder, our hearts sincere sympathies in their sad 
 bereavement of husband and father and trust that 
 the memory of his achievements, in founding such 
 an Order as this, will be to them a solace in their 
 sorrow. 
 
 Resolved, A copy of this preamble and resolu- 
 tions be sent to the widow of our Founder, suitably 
 engrossed and framed." 
 
 GEORGIA GUTHRIE, 
 
 JULIA A. POLAND, 
 
 MRS. ANNA WHITNY, Committee. 
 
 206. A call was issued to the Subordinate Tem- 
 ples, through their Grand Temples, for subscriptions 
 for the purpose of erecting a monument in memory of 
 the P^ounder, and such was the response that August 
 21st, 1892, the dedication of the monument took 
 place in Forest Hill cemetery at Greencastle, Indi- 
 ana. At one o'clock the city band called the mem- 
 bers of Eagle Lodge, Knights of Pythias, together, 
 and shortly after they started the parade to the 
 cemetery. The band led the way, followed by the 
 Uniform Rank, and the members of the lodge carry- 
 ing blue, yellow and red umbrellas. Then followed 
 the members of the family and guests from abroad. 
 On arriving at the cemetery, the Knights formed a 
 triangle round the monument and stand erected for 
 the speakers. Around them Avere several hundred peo- 
 ple, and the drives full of carriages. Sir Knight
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 193 
 
 Rev. H. S. Beal offered up prayer, Sir Knight B. F. 
 Corwin then made a short introductory speech, giv- 
 ing the report of the meeting and introducing the 
 Major C. B. Case who spoke of the bright, useful 
 life of the Founder, and ended by promising the 
 Sisters that the monument shall be cared for and pre- 
 served, and "shall stand to commemorate the Labor, 
 the Fidelity, the Friendship, the Charity, the Benevol- 
 ence, and Love of Joseph Addison Hill. Mrs. Hattie 
 Robinson, Supreme Chief, in a beautiful and earnest 
 address, unveiled the monument and dedicated it 
 to the memory of the Founder. The Supreme Mis- 
 tress of Records and Correspondence next gave a 
 brief history and progress of the Order which he 
 had founded. A photograph was then taken of the 
 monument and people round it, and subsequently a 
 copy sent to every lodge contributing towards its 
 funds. 
 
 The monument is a handsome shaft of red Maine 
 granite, nineteen feet in height ; the emblems of the 
 Order engraved on the lower part of the main shaft ; 
 under it, upon the oblong slab upon which it rests, 
 are the words: "Erected by the Pythian Sisters of 
 the World in memory of Joseph Addison Hill, 
 Founder of the Order of Pythian Sisters. Born 
 March 2, 1827; died April 17, 1892." 
 
 207. The principal legislation of the session of 
 1894 was the adoption of a Code of Procedure for 
 trials and appeals. This code was the same as those 
 in use in Massachusetts and Ohio, with some neces- 
 sary changes and additions. The present form of ap- 
 
 7
 
 194 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 proaching the ballot box was adopted. The Knight's 
 Ritual was abolished ; and last, but not least, the 
 title of the Order was changed from Pythian Sisters 
 to Rathbone Sisters. This was necessitated bj' the 
 Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, having declared 
 it illegal for any Knight joining an order bearing 
 its name, but not under its control. Sister Mon- 
 roe, Supreme Chief, says: "The name of Pythian 
 Sisters was very dear to every sister, but the Knights 
 of Pythias were reverenced more, so, woman-like, 
 for their sakes the change and sacrifice was made." 
 One more item of interest occurred during this 
 period. The Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, by 
 the adoption of the report of the committee, at the 
 Kansas City convention, favored the consolidation 
 of the two orders known as the Pythian Sisters and 
 the Pythian Sisterhood. The latter organization 
 was slightly older than the former. Acting upon 
 this feeling of the Supreme Lodge, the Supreme Chief 
 tried to bring about this consolidation, but the union 
 was made impossible by the Sisterhood. 
 
 208. The beginning of 1896 saw in the Order 15 
 Grand Temples. 543 Subordinate Temples, with a 
 membership of 11,592 Knights and 16,448 Sisters. 
 During the early part of this term, the Order suffered 
 and lost prestige through the mandate of the Su- 
 preme Chancellor, compelling all Knights to with- 
 draw membership from the Order, together with the 
 change of name ; many Temples grew so discouraged 
 that they surrendered their charters ; but towards the 
 end of the year the number of the Temples began to
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 195 
 
 increase again, and the membership gradually aug- 
 mented. 
 
 During the session of the Supreme Temple in 1896, 
 a book of music for the odes was ordered promvil- 
 gated; the Constitution amended by providing for 
 successors, in case of vacancies in the Grand and Su- 
 preme Officers, the numbering of articles was greatly 
 changed, and a new article inserted relating to the 
 manner of instituting Grand Lodges. 
 
 209. The Supreme Temple session of 1898 was 
 held in Indianapolis, and during the interval be- 
 tween that session and the previous one, the Span- 
 ish-American war broke out. and caused some anx- 
 iety in the Order. In her report, the Supreme Chief, 
 Ida M. Weaver, says: "The call to arms against a 
 foreign foe by the Chief Magistrate of our nation, 
 has caused so many vacant chairs around the Pythian 
 fireside ; and the needs of our country being upper- 
 most in the hearts of us all, it has indeed been pull- 
 ing against the tide in order to accomplish much of 
 the work herein reported. However, the lessons 
 of the dark hours may serve to impress upon our 
 minds the greater need and benefit of organization 
 among women, and the experience gained and pro- 
 tection afforded by it. Even, as today, the Uniform 
 Rank stands back of our National Army, waiting and 
 ready to go to our country's defense, even so 
 do we, the Rathbone Sisters, stand back of them, 
 ready with organized effort to aid in our feminine 
 way in whatsoever our hands find to do. I ask 
 if a call should come for the thousands of Sisters
 
 196 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 to drop every other line of work, and through long 
 anxious days and weary nights, prepare necessities 
 for the brave at the front, would a single one fall 
 short of her duty? 
 
 210. During this interval, too, the Supreme Chief 
 had received several requests for the formation of 
 some insurance plan, and the representatives of 
 some half a dozen Grand Temples were instructed 
 to use their best endeavors to have such a scheme 
 adopted. The matter was referred to a committee, 
 who reported a "Constitution and Law of the Insur- 
 ance Branch, Rathbone Sisters." These were taken 
 up section by section, discussed and adopted. A 
 Board of Control was elected, the President of which 
 was Lida E. Palmer, (six years) ; the other members 
 were Belle Quinlan, (four years) and Maud F. 
 Hayes, (two years). Later on in the session the 
 sum of $499.00 was voted for the Board to have a 
 clear start in business. Thus, with enthusiasm, the 
 Insurance Branch of the Sisters comtmenced its 
 work, and at first, obtained a fair amount of suc- 
 cess. 
 
 211. During the next two years the Branch was 
 well advertised throughout the Order, and in the 
 Pythian papers. Organizers were appointed in 
 thirty-two states, and a commission allowed for 
 every member obtained; and although there ap- 
 peared to be great encouragement offered, yet the 
 success was far from what it was expected, as the 
 report of the Secretary, Jan. 1901, shows that there 
 were onlv nineteen members, carrying $12,000 in-
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 197 
 
 surance. In ^Mareli, the same year, there were 
 thirty-two members; and hy June the membership 
 had increased to sixty, while the report of June, 
 1902, shows the membership to have increased to one 
 hundred and four. These members belonged to ten 
 councils, one of which, however, surrendered its 
 warrant soon after, with a loss of six members. 
 
 212. Tremendous efforts were made during the 
 years 1903-4. to l)ring this l)ranch up to a point, 
 to insure its safety before the meeting of the Su- 
 preme Temple at Louisville. Circulars were sent out 
 and a reserve fund established, yet its progress was 
 not satisfactory. On July 1st, 190-4, 26 Councils 
 had been established having a membership of 216, 
 with an insurance of $152,250. Thus, as the Sec- 
 retary says, the "Branch has accomplished no more 
 (save in one or two particulars) in the past six 
 years of its existence, than is usually accomplished 
 ))y fraternal organizations transacting an insurance 
 business during the first two months of its work." 
 The small amount ($280.85) of the reserve fund, 
 and the slow growth of the Branch caused the Su- 
 preme Chief, at the session of 1904, to recommend 
 its discontinuance. This was adopted and the 
 Branch was no more. After paying all debts, the sur- 
 plus money on hand was divided pro rata among 
 its members. 
 
 213. The Order was incorporated under the laws 
 of the State of Missouri, under the name of "Su- 
 preme Temple Pythian Sisters of the World," on 
 Februarv 2nd. 1892; and in 1901 the Articles of In-
 
 198 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 corporation were amended to change its name to 
 that of the Rathbone Sisters of the Workl and, by 
 adding two sections to Article II, authorizing the 
 establishment of the Insurance Branch, and for the 
 protection of its members from liability of the 
 debts of the corporation. 
 
 21-1. In 1898 a letter was received by the Su- 
 preme Temple from the President of the National 
 Council of Women of the United States asking the 
 Rathbone Sisters to affiliate with the Council. After 
 some debate it was decided to accept the invitation, 
 and the Supreme Chief was elected as the Repre- 
 sentative. Every year since, the Order has been 
 represented and thus it has come more prominently 
 before the world, beside taking part in furthering 
 the object of the Council, which is the betterment of 
 mankind in all lines of life. The Departments under 
 which the work is taken up are : Home Life, Edu- 
 cational Interest, Church and Missionary Work, iVrt, 
 Moral Reform, Politics, Philanthropy, Social Eco- 
 nomics, Foreign Relations, Press and Organization. 
 The National Council is affiliated with the Interna- 
 tional Council, which is composed of more than 
 twenty National Councils, and over a million mem- 
 bers. The International Council is composed of the 
 National Councils of the United States, Canada, 
 Germany, Sweden, Great Britain and Ireland, Den- 
 mark, New South Wales, Holland, New Zealand, Tas- 
 mania, Switzerland, Italy, France and Argentina and 
 other nations. 
 
 215. An earnest appeal for aid was sent out from
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 199 
 
 Jacksonville. Florida, early in May, 1901. The 
 greater portion of the city was destroyed by tire, 
 causing much sorrow and distress. On April 17th 
 the Supreme Chief organized Jacksonville Temple 
 Xo. 3, with a membership of fifteen Knights and 
 seventeen Sisters and many of these Sisters lost 
 everything, house, household goods, clothes and even 
 means of livelihood. Immediately a circular letter 
 was sent to all the Grand Temples, and to the Sub- 
 ordinate Temples, asking for contributions, stating 
 that immediate aid was necessary. This appeal was 
 generously responded to, and the Sisters of Jackson- 
 ville greatly appreciated the timely help sent them. 
 
 Another contribution was sent to the members 
 of Galveston, where perhaps a more distressing state 
 of affairs existed. 
 
 216. The official paper up to 1902 was one called 
 "Rathbone Sisters Tidings;" this was brought up 
 by Sister M. Josie Nelson, the editor of the "Guest," 
 which now took its place as the official organ of the 
 Order. Every member who seeks to keep up with the 
 progress of the Order should read it. The Supreme 
 Chief in her report at the session of that year, made a 
 hearty recommendation for ' ' a freer use of its columns 
 ])y the Sisters as a medium of making known to all 
 what is being accomplished in the various jurisdic- 
 tions. No Sister can afford to be without one of- 
 ficial paper as it is the only means by which we can 
 keep informed upon the progress made." Besides 
 this paper, several means have been instituted to 
 keep up the interest of the Order. District con-
 
 200 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ventions have been held in several jurisdictions; 
 Indiana, the pioneer state of this Order, again leads 
 with the appointment of an Inspector of Temples. 
 
 217. Probably the most interesting and certainly 
 the most important session of the Supreme Temple 
 was that that took place in Louisville, Kentucky, in 
 August, 190-4. The Insurance Branch was finally 
 abolished, six Grand Temples instituted ; arrange- 
 ments made for a Rathbone Day at the World's Fair, 
 St. Louis; and the recognition of the Order as an 
 auxiliary of the Order of Knights of Pythias was ob- 
 tained. As before mentioned, in the early part of 
 this chapter, several attempts had been made in the 
 Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, to have a ladies' 
 rank of the order instituted, but it was not until 1888 
 that an^-thing was done, and, even then, only a half- 
 hearted support was given, and that with an under- 
 standing that the Supreme Lodge assumes no respon- 
 sibility whatever, though it was deemed advisable that 
 the chief officers report to the Supreme Keeper of Rec- 
 ords and Seal every two years, and recommended the 
 Hill ritual to be used. Such was the semi-recognition 
 then given ; but this was withdrawn in 1890. 
 
 218. In the report of the Supreme Chancel- 
 lor in 1892, he again brought the matter before 
 the convention, and in the report of the commit- 
 tee, to which it was referred, it was ordered that it 
 "was no longer deemed advisable that the various 
 chief officers of the Sisterhood report their numer- 
 ical and financial strength," and on the application 
 of Calanthe and Neola Assemblies of the Pvthian
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 201 
 
 Sisterhood for recognition, the committee recom- 
 mended the following: 
 
 "Resolved, That until the organization known 
 as the Pythian Sisters and Pythian Sisterhood unite 
 it is unwise for this Supreme Lodge to take any 
 action looking to the recognition of either." Strenu- 
 ous efforts were made to bring about this union, but 
 the Sisterhood "resisted and declined all advances." 
 Again in 1894 the matter of recognition was brought 
 up by several of the Grand Lodge Representatives, 
 but to meet with the same fate ; and although it 
 was presented before the Supreme Lodge in various 
 forms they were all reported upon unfavorably, and 
 the reports adopted. 
 
 219. To settle the matter as to the legality of 
 Knights joining the Order, and out of compliment to 
 the Knights themselves the name, "Pythian Sisters," 
 was changed to "Rathbone Sisters." This matter 
 so far settled, no further attempts were systematic- 
 ally made until 1904 at Louisville, Kentucky, and it 
 remained for Sister Belle Quinlan, Supreme Chief 
 (1903-4) whose untiring work and devotion to this 
 cause, brought about its consummation. During the 
 two years of her incumbency of that office she 
 worked towards that end ; first, in an interview with 
 Supreme Chancellor Tracy R. Bangs, she inter- 
 ested him in the matter, and upon his inquiry among 
 1082 lodges as to their opinion on the subject, he 
 found that of 742 answers, 689 were favorable, 19 
 divided and 34 opposed. Sister Quinlan further 
 prepared the way by visiting Grand Lodges, and
 
 202 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 officials and obtained their promise of support. Not 
 to leave any stone unturned, she endeavored to 
 bring about a union of the two Orders, and so far 
 succeeded as to make terms for consolidation, sub- 
 ject to ratification of both Supreme bodies. When 
 these bodies met at Louisville, the Advisory Board 
 met the committee from the Sisterhood and the prop- 
 osition was discussed, but at the second meeting- 
 just when they "were getting down to a business 
 understanding" the chairman of the Sisterhood com- 
 mittee expressed a wish to retire, as nothing could 
 be accomplished. Nothing further took place, and 
 the question of consolidation was again left over 
 for future consideration. But the preparatory work 
 had accomplished its purpose and before the Su- 
 preme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, closed its work, it 
 formally adopted a resolution making the Rathbone 
 Sisters an "Auxiliary of the Order of Knights of 
 Pythias. ' ' 
 
 220. In 1901 the Order was composed of 21 
 Grand Temples, 1042 Subordinate Temples, and 
 a membership of 61,112, comprising 26,217 
 Knights and 34,895 Sisters. This was increased 
 in 1903 to 26 Grand Temples, 1246 Temples, 33,090 
 Knights and 45,861 Sisters; making a total member- 
 ship of 78,951, a very creditable showing for six- 
 teen years work. 
 
 The year ending Deeeml)er 1905 shows a great 
 increase in the membership of the Order; so nuicli 
 so the term of 1904 and 1905 proved to be the ban- 
 ner term of the Supreme Temple. The increase in
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 203 
 
 both Temples and members surpasses that of any 
 previous term of the Order; there being at that date 
 1441 Temples having a total membership of 98.282, 
 comprising 41,834 Kuights and 56,418 Sisters ; of 
 these there were 9 Past Supreme Chiefs, 260 Past 
 Grand Chiefs and 10,858 Past Chiefs. This was an 
 increase of 5462 Knights and 6125 Sisters. For the 
 first time since the organization of the Order, 
 California was chosen to supply the Supreme Chief, 
 by the election to that office of Sister Lydia A. Mon- 
 roe of Riverside. This honor was not unmerited, for 
 California has had a great and active interest from 
 the very commencement of the Order, it was repre- 
 sented at its first session in Indianapolis, and Sister 
 C. L. C. Lawrence of Love Temple. San Diego, was 
 elected S. M. of R. and C. The gavel used at its 
 adjourned session at Milwaukee, Wis., was made of 
 California woods and contained twenty-one different 
 pieces. 
 
 221. The final arrangements for the consolida- 
 tion of the Pythian Sisterhood with the Rathbone 
 Sisters was taken up at this (1906) session of the 
 Supreme Temple. Preliminary meetings had been 
 held by the two Supreme Officers, and the question 
 and terms of the consolidation had been referred 
 to the Advisory Board ; and on October 18th, the 
 third day of the session, a report was read from 
 the Board, favorable to the consolidation on the 
 following terms : That the name of the consolida- 
 tion shall be "Pythian Sisters," that all rituals, 
 supplies, rosters, etc., of the Sisterhood be turned
 
 204 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 over to the Supreme Body. All moneys of Su- 
 preme, Grand and Subordinate Bodies, after all 
 hills are paid, to l)e turned into the consolidated 
 bodies, except where an assembly desires to continue 
 as a Temple, then twenty-five dollars is to be paid 
 to the Supreme Temple for charter and supplies. 
 All officers to be elected from the Rathboue Sisters 
 for one year. All Honors acquired by the Pythian Sis- 
 terhood to be retained, and the Supreme Chancellor, 
 to be accorded the honor of Past Supreme Chief. These 
 terms were accepted by both bodies and articles of 
 agreement were drawn up and signed by the recog- 
 nized authorities of both bodies, and the Sisterhood 
 formally and pleasurably received into the Order. 
 
 222. The next step was to obtain the consent 
 of the Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, for the 
 change of name from Rathbone Sisters to Pythian 
 Sisters. A petition was therefore sent to that body, 
 stating the fact of the consolidation and asking for 
 the change of name. It was not until October 22nd. 
 two days after the close of the Supreme Session, that 
 word was received that the change of nam'e had been 
 granted. In sending their report to the Supreme 
 Lodge, Knights of Pythias, the committee, to whom 
 the petition had been referred, said: "It is with 
 delight your committee extends the felicitations of 
 the Supreme Lodge to the Sisters of both organ- 
 izations, and congratulate them for successfully 
 bringing the wives, sisters, daughters and mothers 
 of our members in closer touch with the Order;'* 
 and. " as a graceful and fitting compliment to the
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 205 
 
 magnificent body of women, already recognized by 
 this Supreme Lodge as a most valuable adjunct in 
 disseminating the cardinal virtues of Pythianism, 
 let their prayer be unanimously granted." And so 
 passes into history the name of Rathbone Sisters, and 
 the Order goes onward and upward in its triumphal 
 march towards perfect womanhood as Pythian 
 Sisters. 
 
 223. The number of the Assemblies of the Pyth- 
 ian Sisterhood that became Temples before the close 
 of the year was due to the splendid work of their 
 Supreme Officers; nearly the whole of the numbers 
 reported; the Order then gained 147 new Temples 
 out of a possible 158 Assemblies ; these were distrib- 
 uted as follows : 
 
 Assemblies of the Pythian Sisterhood changed to 
 
 Temples of the P^^thian Sisters : 
 
 Reported Temples 
 
 Maine 63 57 
 
 Ohio 17 15 
 
 Pennsylvania 25 32 
 
 New Hampshire 17 14 
 
 Massachusetts 12 10 
 
 New York 9 7 
 
 New Jersey 7 7 
 
 Rhode Island 2 2 
 
 Missouri 3 — 
 
 West Virginia 1 1 
 
 New Brunswick 1 1 
 
 Connecticut 1 1 
 
 158 147
 
 206 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 224. During the Spring of this year (1907) a 
 Temple of the Order was instituted in our far 
 away possessions of the Philippine Islands, in the 
 City of Manila, and during the next year the Order 
 spread out to Shanghai, China, the Canal Zone, 
 in the Isthmus of Panama, and British Columbia. 
 
 January 21st of the next year (1908) saw the 
 Grand Temple of Wyoming instituted at Cheyenne 
 and two days afterwards that of Utah, in Salt Lake 
 City. These together with New Jersey at Jersey 
 City, April 17, 1907 ; Georgia at Savannah, Oct. 
 27 same year; Tennessee at Nashville, May 23rd, 
 1908; and Rhode Island, June 30, 1908, were the 
 Grand Temples instituted during the term of 1907-8. 
 To further the work in the Canal Zone, in the 
 Isthmus of Panama, Sister Williams a member of 
 Johnstown, Pa., was created a Past Grand Chief 
 and made a special organizer. Towards the end 
 of the year Supreme Chief Nellie E. Merriam 
 writes: "The success attained in the past is our 
 inspiration to future effort. The first Subordinate 
 Temple (Warsaw^ No. 1) was instituted in 1888 
 (Oct. 23rd) and today, two decades later, we boast 
 one hundred and thirty thousand devotees to our 
 beloved Order. On June 30tli our organization 
 included Grand Temples in forty states, territories 
 or provinces and twenty-four Temples under the 
 immediate jurisdiction of the Supreme Temple." 
 
 225. October 23rd of the year 1908, was the 
 twentieth anniversary of the institution of the 
 Order of Pvthian Sisters, and it was "believed
 
 HISTORY OF THE PYTHIAN SISTERS 207 
 
 that the Pythian Sisters have become sufficiently 
 great and strong enough to assume other duties 
 and burdens" than those imposed upon them by 
 the declared principles of the Order. This broad- 
 ening of the work of the Order has been success- 
 fully carried out in several ways, such as a Pyth- 
 ian Hospital Fund, where a room in some local hos- 
 pital has been supported by the systematic offer- 
 ings of the Brothers and Sisters, where the sick and 
 needy could be cared for. This work has been un- 
 dertaken both in Utah and Oklahoma. In Montreal 
 the form the Sisters took there was to hold a fair 
 to raise funds to aid in building a Pythian Hall; 
 while Ohio is providing a Home for Pythian 
 Sisters. 
 
 DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES 
 
 Organized with the sincere desire of promoting 
 the moral, mental, social and physical elevation 
 of its members; cultivating a spirit of Fraternal 
 Love which shall permeate and control their daily 
 lives ; ministering in all ways to the wants of the 
 sick, distressed or needy, watching at the bedside of 
 the dying ; paying the last sad tribute of love and 
 respect to the dead ; comforting and providing for 
 the widow in her afflictions, and daily exemplify- 
 ing in every possible way the Golden Rvde. 
 
 May the Order of Pythian Sisters go bravely on 
 in its mission of holy love, ever remembering the 
 beautiful lesson so impressively taught in its 
 Temples, until its members, pure in thought, word
 
 208 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and deed as the driven snow, recognizing the 
 great principles of Equality in the Sisterhood of 
 Woman, shall move "Onward and Upward," until 
 its gentle and benign influences shall be felt, not 
 alone by its own members, but within the ranks 
 of the brilliant Order with which it is so closely 
 allied; may it become a beacon light to the whole 
 world, the promise and potency of a higher and 
 more divine life. 
 
 ^(^^^(^^^g^^^ 
 
 ,'^^..^'^^^=.^^=^0
 
 UNION B. HUNT 
 
 President and General Councel of Board of Control 
 
 Insurance Department, Knights of Pythias
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT 
 (Endowment Rank) 
 
 '■'■May your children'' s children continue the order, while sick- 
 ness, sui low and ajfliction shall exist and the ividoiv ana 
 orphan want substance and protection. " 
 
 — Past Supreme Chancellor Sainl. Read 
 
 WHEN the Order of the Kiii.uhts of Pythias was 
 instituted. Benevolence was its first aim, and 
 in furtherance of this thought a life insurance plan 
 was soon developed. The idea of adding such a 
 plan to the Order was first In-oaehed at the conven- 
 tion of the Supreme Lodge of 187"), when Supreme 
 Representative B. F. Ludwig of Alabama submitted 
 a constitution for the consideration of that body of 
 a "Knights of Pythias Benevolent Society.'' This 
 was referred to the committee on the state of the 
 Order, which was instructed to rejKU-t at the next 
 meeting. Previous to this, however, in 1872, the 
 Grand Lodge of Illinois made an attempt to form 
 an insurance company Mmong the Knights of that 
 Domain, l)ut the scheme came to naught. At the 
 meeting of the Supreme Lodge in 1876, another set 
 of constitutions for ;i somewhat similar institution
 
 212 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 was presented, entitled ''Minnesota Knights of 
 Pythias Widows and Orphans Relief Fund," which 
 proposed to make a compulsory assessment from all 
 members of the Domain^ They were both reported 
 upon adversely as "inexpedient," which report was 
 unanimously adopted. The report was a scathing 
 invective against all insurance schemes. 
 
 227. The Supreme Lodge met again in August, 
 1877, and, during the interval there seems to have 
 been a great change in the minds of the members 
 with regard to the insurance project. In the last 
 convention it was called an "insurance scheme," a 
 "worship of Mammon." a "fungus growth," which 
 would absorb the life of the Order and eventually 
 kill it. Kentucky had from the first championed a 
 voluntary insurance of some kind, and when its 
 representative, J. W. INIavity, in 1877 introduced 
 the following resolution, it was referred to a special 
 committee. 
 
 "Resolved, That a committee of three be ap- 
 pointed whose duty it shall be to prepare and re- 
 port to this body, written and unwritten work for 
 a Fourth Rank of the Order, with provisions similar 
 to those suggested under head of Endowment in 
 the Supreme Chancellor's Report." 
 
 The Supreme Chancellor in his report at the 
 opening of the convention made a most earnest ap- 
 peal for the creation of an insurance plan of some 
 kind. So strong was his appeal that it brought 
 forth, not only the above resolution, but a favorable 
 report from the committee who recommended the
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 21^ 
 
 adoption of the resolution. It was adopted and an- 
 other committee appointed, which recommended the 
 adoption of an endowment scheme, and also that a 
 committee of five be appointed of which Brother 
 Rathbone shall be chairman, to perfect their work 
 and report to the Supreme Chancellor and Keeper 
 of Records and Seal, who sh;ill be authorized to have 
 the ritual and i-ub's. blanks, etc., printed, so that 
 the Endowment scheme be put in operation as soon 
 as possible. The vote was 56 to 6 in favor of the 
 report. This committee was appointed and the next 
 month, the ritual, installation service, general laws 
 of the Rank and constitutions were completed in 
 three days and reported to the Supreme Chancellor. 
 The report was endorsed, and the next day, the 
 ritual, constitution, laws, etc., were promulgated, 
 and on Oct. 6, 1877, the Rank became an accom- 
 plished fact. 
 
 228. This ritual is one of the most interesting 
 features of the early history of the Rank. It will 
 be remembered that at the time of the discussion a.s 
 to the advisability of its establishment at the 1877 
 convention of the Supreme Lodge at Cleveland, the 
 convention had also under consideration the forma- 
 tion of the Uniform Rank ; and as the latter had 
 been under discussion for some time previous, it 
 was naturally thought that it would be the first to 
 be established, and Brother Rathbone had prepared 
 a ritual, which he thought would be suitable for 
 this Military Branch. When the convention as- 
 sembled, it was soon found out that the Uniform
 
 214 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Bank would not be established at that meeting, and 
 that the Endowment Rank would receive favorable 
 consideration ; so Brother Rathbone immediately set 
 to work to modify the Military Ritual so as to con- 
 form to the requirement of the Endowment Rank. 
 The amended ritual was presented to the convention 
 and adopted on August 17, 1877. It was proposed 
 that the ritual l)e used at all the section meetings, 
 which were held monthly. It provided for a Presi- 
 dent, Vice-President, Chaplain, Secretary and Treas- 
 urer, Guide, Guard and Sentinel; that during the 
 section meetings each member wear a badge ; and 
 besides having the S. A. P. W. the members were 
 to be entitled to the A. P. W. of E. R. The ritual 
 was taken up for the most part with the initiation, 
 which was extensive, and compared very favorably 
 with the ritual of the Order ; it contained many 
 beautiful lessons. The ritual was used generally 
 among the first one hundred sections that were or- 
 ganized, but from the lack of competent instituting 
 officers, its use was not afterwards strictly complied 
 with. The 0. B. N., however, was insisted upon, 
 and all else graduallv fell into disuse and one fea- 
 lure after another abandoned. In 1882 the law 
 made its use optional, and in 1884 the 0. B. N. was 
 the only part retained; even this, in 1888, was 
 abandoned; and the only qualification now required 
 is that the applicant has passed through the three 
 ranks of Knighthood. 
 
 229. At the next meeting of the Supreme Lodge 
 in 1878, it was reported that warrants had been
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 215 
 
 issued for 285 sections, which h;ul 3,274 members 
 of the tirst class and 5,356 members of the second 
 class. The Bank was in char,o-e of the Supreme 
 Master of Exchequer, Brother John B. Stemple. In 
 1879 the membership was doubled. 
 
 230. In the report of the Supreme Chancellor to 
 the 1880 convention, he ijave the history of the 
 Rank, and of the defects, which experience had 
 brought out in its system, and at the same time 
 suggested means of improvements; this resulted in 
 the following recommendations of the Committee on 
 Endowment Rank, viz: That a Board of Control 
 be established l)y the Board of Trustees of the 
 Supreme Lodge, which shall consist of two members 
 of the Lodge, and the Supreme Chancellor; that the 
 ritual be abolishetl at some future time ; and that 
 sections may omit all ceremonies except the obliga- 
 tion and those of tne opening and closing. The re- 
 port was adopted and these requirements were ac- 
 complished in the next convention, the ritual was 
 then abolished, Brother H. Nelson elected Presi- 
 dent-Secretary and a Board of Control Appointed. 
 
 231. The handing over of the affairs of the 
 Rank to the new Secretary, the Supreme Master of 
 Exchequer, "under whose wise, just and economic 
 administrations," says Past Supreme Chancellor 
 Van Valkenberg, ' ' the Endowment Rank has become 
 popular and strong, and is now an important factor 
 of our Order," he tells us in his report that there 
 had been issued 11,546 certificates of the tirst class 
 of $1000.00; 14,834 second class of $2000.00; and
 
 216 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 397 third class of $400.00, and that benefits had 
 been paid out to the amount of $1,902,738.00. The 
 first benefit paid was to Henry Hope of Section 61, 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., of $1,517.00. Warrants had 
 been issued to 629 Sections, and that 62 had been 
 suspended, chiefly through the dishonesty and in- 
 competency of their secretaries and treasurers, 
 leaving 563 sections in active work. "Gradually 
 and slowly," says the Supreme Chancellor in his 
 report, "the Order is gathering and garnering the 
 experience of years and adding to the efficiency, 
 economy and security of the Rank." 
 
 232. In 1888 some radical changes took place 
 in the organization and laws of the Rank. An 
 elective Board of Control was created, consisting 
 of three members who were to hold office for two, 
 four and six years, and they were invested with the 
 powers of the old Board and also of the Supreme 
 Officers, so that it was to all intents and purposes 
 taken out of the Supreme Lodge altogether. The 
 members elected were : John A. Hinsey, Dr. D. J. 
 Holland and Thomas Essex. The members of first, 
 second and third class who had entered a fourth 
 class created in 187-t, were re-rated, so as to re- 
 quire them to pay at the rate of the age at which 
 they entered, instead of at the age in which they 
 entered their previous classes. Brother Nelson re- 
 signed then as secretary and Brother W. B. Ken- 
 nedy was appointed. In 1892 the President of the 
 Board of Control was made an officer of the Su- 
 preme Lodge.
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 217 
 
 233. For the first time in the history of the 
 Order, the Supreme Lodge met on July 9, 1901 in 
 special convention ; and for the first time in the 
 history of the Rank, and after twenty-four years- 
 of successful life, did trouble appear. Soon after 
 the close of the convention of 1900, the Supreme 
 Chancellor found that something was wrong in the 
 financial matters of the Rank. Upon the investiga- 
 tion of the Board of Control, it made a special report 
 and upon that report the special convention was. 
 called for the purpose of "taking into consideration 
 the condition of the Endowment Rank and to enact 
 such legislation and take such other action as may 
 seem necessary. ' ' 
 
 234. The first action taken was to accept the 
 resignation of J. A. Hinsey and appoint C. F. S. 
 Neal as President of the Board. It appears by the 
 report that there was due on death losses still un- 
 paid $425,600, with no immediate funds available. 
 There were evidently serious matters to consider, and 
 although every effort was made to insure secrecy 
 of the doings of this convention, it became known 
 that this deficit was due more to mismanage- 
 ment and ill-advised investment of its funds, 
 than to dishonesty. The convention authorized 
 the prosecution of all who had in any way 
 embezzled its funds, both in the civil courts- 
 and in its own Tribunals ; and then it pledged itself 
 to stand responsible for every beneficial certificate 
 issued and also to enact all necessary legislation as- 
 may be needed to protect their holders, and such as.
 
 218 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 will promptly pay all claims. New rates were made, 
 and an address to the Order was sent out by the 
 Supreme Chancellor. 
 
 235. Such was the confidence shown in the Rank 
 under the new laws and management that the next 
 year, 1902, shows that 19,347 applications were put 
 in, and that $3,089,977 were paid for 1579 death 
 claims, making a total paid for death losses of $17,- 
 636,162. By June 30th, 1903 the Rank had a mem- 
 bership of 62,195, being a net gain for the year of 
 4,026. The assets were increased from $393,000 to 
 $558,000, while at the same time its liabilities had 
 decreased from $312,009 to $166,000. Its resources 
 above its liabilities were at this date, $392,000. The 
 cash on hand and investments amounted to $558,320 
 the investments being in United States Bonds under 
 the order of the Supreme Lodge. 
 
 236. The United States Trade Reports comment- 
 ing on the Endowment Rank in 1903 says: "Cer- 
 tainly the Knights of Pythias are to be congratu- 
 lated for having in their society such a successful 
 and well-managed insurance organization, and ev- 
 ery Knight knows that this is more than a matter 
 of mere insurance. It is a true fraternal beneficiary 
 society, organized for benevolence. Not only are the 
 members of the Endowment Rank of the Knights 
 of Pythias protecting their own families or those 
 dependent upon them, but they are protecting each 
 other's families, lightening the burdens of the world 
 within their sphere, and contributing to the sum 
 total of human happiness. The sordid, selfish view
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 219 
 
 of the Endowment Rank of the Knights of Pythias 
 wonld be that it makes an investment in life in- 
 surance at equitable rates. But the larger and cor- 
 rect view is that the Endowment Rank is not only 
 doing this, but is engaged in a grand and noble 
 work of brotherhood and true charity — which is not 
 alms, but love. Death only severs the bonds which 
 unite the members of the Endowment Rank of the 
 Knights of Pythias in their work. 
 
 "The Endowment Rank of the Knights of Pyth- 
 ias is under the most able and conservative man- 
 agement of a board of control elected by the Su- 
 preme Lodge, and. further, every Knights of Pyth- 
 ias Lodge in the country is pledged to assist the 
 Endowment Rank in event the latter should ever 
 be in need of financial assistance to meet an un- 
 expected number of death claims. In other words, 
 the financial resources of the entire Order are a 
 reserve fund, if needed, for the Endowment Rank." 
 
 237. Thus through the wise and strenuous man- 
 agement by the present President and his associates, 
 the Rank has once more been brought to a most 
 remarkable success, from its insolvent position of 
 1901. Its members have been retained, its rates 
 successfully changed, its deficit entirely wiped out, 
 its debts all paid, all claims promptly met, and the 
 year 1903 was ended with a net surplus accumula- 
 tion over all liabilities of $563,114. 
 
 238. On August 16th, 1904, the twenty-third con- 
 vention of the Supreme Lodge was held in Louis- 
 ville, Kentucky, and in his report showing the condi-
 
 220 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tioii of the Rauk to that time Supreme Chancellor 
 Bangs gives briefly the history of those troubles, 
 which is here given in his own words, thus giving 
 confidence to those who still may have some doubt 
 as to the Rank's prosperity. He says : 
 
 "A statement of resources and liabilities on Dec- 
 ember 31. 1900, shows a deficit upon the face of the 
 returns of $20,757.81. 
 
 "Among the resources was a credit of $91,539.03 
 balance due from the City National Bank of Fort 
 Worth, which, as appears elsewhere in the report, 
 was $80,382.02 greater than the facts warranted, 
 making a deficit of $101,139.83. To this should be 
 added a discount of from $75,000 to $100,000 on 
 'investments on hand,' which were listed among the 
 assets at the purchase price. It will thus be seen 
 that upon turning over the Endowment Rank some 
 four years ago and taking into consideration only 
 matured claims, that Branch of the Order was some 
 $175,000 short of being even with the world. 
 
 239. In May, 1901, we levied a special assess- 
 ment, from which we received $113,786.27. On June 
 30. 1901, upon striking a balance, we had, accord- 
 ing to book value, resources in excess of matured 
 liabilities in the sum of $99,715.16. We were still 
 •carrying as an asset however, the claim against the 
 City National Bank at a sum $80,382.02 in excess 
 of its actual value, so that, figuring on the same 
 I)asis that we did for December 31, 1900, we had 
 assets in excess of matured liabilities in the sum 
 of $19,333.14. But on Juiu' 30th, as well as on the
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 221 
 
 previous date, there should have been deducted 
 from the value of the assets the discount of from 
 $75,000 to $100,000 on investments on hand, so that 
 we were still short of an even balance on June 30, 
 U)01. of from $60,000 to $80,000. 
 
 "At the special convention of 1901 the present 
 rates M^ere adopted; and during the next few months 
 after the change of rates there was a serious loss in 
 membership and greatly increased expense in 
 management by reason of the upheaval caused by 
 the increased rates and disclosures of mismanage- 
 ment. On :Mareh 81, 1902, a balancing of the re- 
 sources and liabilities showed that the Rank still 
 faced a deficit of $32,852.91, which, considering the 
 condition of affairs, was a better showing than we 
 had hoped for. About this time the membership 
 l)egan to recover from the shock of the disclosures, 
 and confidence in the new management was begin- 
 ning to make itself manifest, and there has been a 
 continual and continuous increase until on the 30th 
 day of June, 1904, with every asset entered at its 
 lowest value and every liability figured at the maxi- 
 mum we had assets in excess of m'atured liabilities 
 in the sum of $754,267.98." 
 
 240. During the two years ending March 31st, 
 1904, there were 21,458 applications for membership 
 and new insurances were written for $23,057,000, 
 while the death claims paid were $2,625,849.59 for 
 1,474 deaths. Since the organization of the Rank 
 there has been up to June 30, 1904, 10,692 deaths 
 involving the payment to their beneficiaries of $20.-
 
 222 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 863,995.69. On the same date. June 30th, 1904. the 
 assets were $913,350.78 of which $192,500.19 was 
 cash in bank and $350,000 in state bonds; the 
 anioinit of insurance in force was $107,903,000 and 
 a membership of 66.224. 
 
 At this date of writing, IsIrv, 1906, the member- 
 ship is steadily increasing and numbers now 77,- 
 800. carrying an insurance of $120,500,000, while 
 the net resources over and al)ove all expenses and 
 liabilities are $1,350,000. 
 
 Among those who upheld and took an actual in- 
 terest in the Rank during its incipiency was 
 Brother Rathbone, the Founder of the Order. He 
 was not only the author of the ritual used during 
 the first years of its life, but was also Chairman of 
 the Committee who formulated the first set of the 
 Endowment Rank laws and Constitution. During 
 his travels through the country as Supreme Lecturer, 
 he visited many fxrand Domains, advocating mem- 
 liership in the Rank and in his report to the Su- 
 preme Lodge in 1878, he says: "It is a source 
 of infinite gratification to me to observe in every 
 jurisdiction I visited, a genuine awakening in prog- 
 ress. Among many the cause was directly trace- 
 able to the Endowment Rank. I nuiy be pardoned 
 for saying that it is my firm belief that this new 
 feature in our Order will prove a great and lasting 
 blessing. I avail myself of every proper occasion to 
 announce that the Supreme Lodge had annexed this 
 additional degree to our brotherhood, and it is with 
 much pleasure I report that the seed thus sown has
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 223 
 
 ill many instances brought forth fruit." From its 
 commencement Brother Rathbone took great in- 
 terest in the ait'airs of the Rank, and in less than a 
 month after the tirst certificate was issued he be- 
 came a member of Section No. 219 of Bowie, Mary- 
 land, taking a first class certificate of $1000. In 
 3Iay, 1888. when the fourth class was adopted, he 
 transferred to that class, increasing his certificate 
 to $3000. The number of his certificate was 8,101. 
 His beneficiaries were his two daughters, who re- 
 ceived that amount at his death under claim No. 
 947 on December 31. 1889. 
 
 The name of this branch of the Order has been 
 officially changed to Knights of Pythias Insurance 
 Department. 
 
 241. The Insurance Department writes four dif- 
 ferent policies in the Fifth Class, known respectively 
 as Plans A. B. C. and D. 
 
 Plan A is the Level Life Plan. That is, what is 
 known as ordinary, straight life insurance. The 
 members of this plan pay each month so long as 
 they live at rates corresponding to their respective 
 ages. 
 
 Plan B is the Twenty-year Payment Plan. That 
 is, the members of this plan pay each month for 
 twenty years at a rate corresponding to their respec- 
 tive ages, until they have paid twenty full years, 
 at which time their policy is fully paid up. 
 
 Plan C is the Modified Step Rate Plan. That is 
 members whose certificates are issued upon this plan
 
 224 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 must make payments during the calendar year in 
 which they Avere admitted at the rate (see table of 
 rates) applicable to their respective ages of entry, 
 and for each succeeding calendar year of member- 
 ship, make payments at their respective attained 
 ages during such year, until age 65, after which the 
 payment is level. In this plan the member pays 
 to the Society his own cost from year to year, nec- 
 essarily increasing with increase in age. 
 
 Plan D provides for insurance to age 65 upon 
 level payment to that age, whereupon the member 
 is ]irivileged to transfer his certificate to Plan A 
 and pay thereafter a level monthly rate, otherwise 
 the certificate and all features in connection there- 
 with, cease to be in force. This plan furnishes pro- 
 tection at a very low cost during the dependency 
 period, and is discontinued in extreme old age. 
 
 All of the Plans in the Fifth Class provide for 
 the payment to the members of dividends at the 
 close of each policy year, that is to say, the surplus 
 in excess of the required reserve (if such surplus be 
 equal to one regular monthly payment from all of 
 the members who have been in the Fifth Class more 
 than one year) will be returned to such member in 
 the form of the omission of one or more monthly 
 payments, such payments to be omitted as soon as 
 possible after the close of their respective policy 
 years. 
 
 On ^I'ciy 1, 1909, the Insurance Department of
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 
 
 225 
 
 the Order of Knights of Pythias had 75,000 mem- 
 bers. 
 
 It has about 5,000 local organizations. 
 
 It has $112,308,500 protection in force. 
 
 It has $2,342,302.46 emergency fund. 
 
 It has paid to beneficiaries nearly $30,748,495.40. 
 
 It has been in operation thirty-three years and 
 it is a Department of the Supreme Government of 
 the Order of Knights of Pythias.
 
 THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT 
 
 By UNION B. HUNT 
 President of the hisurance Department, Knights of Pythias 
 
 The Insurance Department of the Supreme Lodge, 
 Knights of Pythias, formerly called the Endowment 
 Rank, was organized in 1877. The Order of Knights 
 of Pythias itself came into existence in 1864 and 
 the Insurance Department was the result of a de- 
 sire on the part of the membership of the Order at 
 large, for the establishment of a branch that would 
 furnish insurance to such members as might de- 
 sire it. 
 
 At the Session of the Supreme Lodge held in 
 1877, Supreme Chancellor Davis in his report made 
 an urgent appeal to that body to adopt some system 
 of Life Insurance, asserting that it was vital to the 
 interest of the Order. Upon his recommendation a 
 Committee, (of which Justus H. Rathbone, Founder 
 of the Order, was Chairman) was appointed to 
 draft resolutions and by-laws for the government 
 of an Insurance Branch, and thus the old Endow- 
 ment Rank was launched by the Supreme Lodge in 
 response to a demand of the membership of the 
 Order. 
 
 The plans originally adopted created two classes, 
 known as first class and second class. The members 
 of the first class received a certificate giving to 
 the beneficiaries at death, the sum of $1,000.00.
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 227 
 
 These members agreed to pay $1.00 each into the 
 Mortuary Fund of the Society on the death of each 
 first class member. All members of the second 
 class received certificates for $2,000.00 and agreed 
 to pay an assessment of $2.00 upon each death occur- 
 ring in that class. Members were received in this class 
 between the ages of 21 and 50 years. The third 
 class was organized for the purpose of granting 
 certificates in the sum of $3,000.00, upon the same 
 plan as the first class and second class, certificates 
 were granted and the age limit was raised so mem- 
 bers were received between the ages of 21 and 60. 
 
 At first, members were received without medical 
 examination, a mere declaration of health being all 
 that was required. As might have been expected, 
 the death rate shortly became very heavy and as- 
 sessments were frequent. Prior to 1884 it had been 
 determined that the plans upon which the Endow- 
 ment Rank was organized were inadequate to fur- 
 nish permanent life protection. At the time of the 
 organization of the old Endowment Rank, fraternal 
 insurance was in its infancy, the first Fraternal In- 
 surance Society started in this country being but a 
 few years old. Actuaries and state officials had given 
 the subject of fraternal insurance practically no 
 thought. When the Endowment Rank was organ- 
 ized there was not a law upon the statute books of 
 any state in the Union providing for Fraternal In- 
 surance Societies. The idea in the minds of the pro- 
 moters and members was that insurance should 
 be furnished from month to month at the least pos-
 
 228 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 sible cost. Prior to 1884 the first, second and third 
 class members paid their assessments without refer- 
 ence to their age or the risk they imposed upon 
 the Society. The good risks were compelled to 
 bear the burden of the poor risks. 
 
 The fourth class was organized in 1884 and within 
 two or three years practically all of the members 
 of the first, second and third classes transferred to 
 the fourth class. The fourth class was established 
 upon an entirely different plan, in that the fourth 
 class members paid under a table of rates a sum 
 which was precalculated to be sufficient to pay the 
 losses that would occur during the month ; mem- 
 bers being rated according to their risk and by 
 reason of occupation and the amount of insurance, 
 and only enough money was provided in this plan 
 to carry the insurance from month to month, no 
 reserve being provided for. 
 
 In 1901 a Special Session of the Supreme Lodge 
 was held in Chicago. The rates increased and a 
 special assessment was levied. Because of this an 
 emergency fund was accumulated, which enabled 
 the Endowment Rank to pay pending death claims, 
 but by the time the Supreme Lodge met in Louis- 
 ville in 1904. it was apparent to all who had given 
 the matter a thought, that the rates were wholly 
 inadequate and so a special committee was appointed 
 to investigate, and see if the Insurance Department 
 could not be placed upon an adequate rate basis. 
 This ('ommittee concluded that there had been
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 229 
 
 enough guess work and employed the best actuarial 
 talent that could be found. 
 
 As a result of this step at the Convention of the 
 Supreme Lodge held in New Orleans in 1906, the 
 fifth class was established and began business Jan- 
 uary 1, 1907 ; the main purpose being to enable 
 the members of the fourth class to transfer to the 
 fifth class, in order that they might secure perma- 
 nent life protection. Thus the Knights of Pythias 
 became one of the first fraternal organizations to 
 recognize the absolute necessity of adequate rates. 
 The members of the Supreme Lodge and the mem- 
 bers of the Order generally, recognized the fact 
 that good insurance could not be sold below cost. 
 
 Subsequent events have proven the wisdom of 
 the Supreme Lodge, as only about 11,000 members 
 remain in the fourth class. During 1909 more than 
 14,000 new certificates were issued to members of 
 the fifth class, carrying an insurance liability of 
 more than $20,000,000, making the total membership 
 of the fifth class at this time 62,287, with insurance 
 amounting to $88,473,634. The fifth class, though it 
 has been in existence but about three years and a 
 half, has accumulated a reserve of almost $2,000,000, 
 which is amply sufficient to protect its contracts. 
 This class is based upon rates predicted upon the 
 American Experience Table of Mortality at three 
 and a half per cent, the same table employed by a 
 great majority of all the Standard Life Insurance 
 Companies of the country and is set up as a standard
 
 230 HISTORY OP KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 of valuation for life insurance contracts in the 
 statutes of a majority of the states of the Union. 
 
 The Fifth Class gives to its members two bene- 
 fits that have never before been given to members 
 of a fraternal insurance society, namely, the annual 
 accounting and the distribution of surplus collec- 
 tions, which reduces the cost of members' insurance 
 to a minimum and gives to unfortunate members 
 of the Order, who after three years of membership 
 are unable to make further payments, the bene- 
 fit of their reserve accumulation. 
 
 In 1909 the members of the Fifth Class were 
 given dividends amounting to $258,387.10. These 
 dividends were not paid in cash, but were in the 
 shape of waived payments and were saved to the 
 member. 
 
 The Insurance Department belongs to the mem- 
 bers of the Order of Knights of Pythias. It is a 
 part of this great Order ; it is maintained for the 
 benefit of its members and for the protection of 
 their families. It is under the direct control of the 
 Supreme Lodge Knights of P^^thias. 
 
 The members of the Order elect representatives 
 to the Grand Lodge of the several states. These rep- 
 resentatives elect the Supreme Representatives from 
 these states. The Supreme Lodge is made uj) of 
 these representatives from the states. The Supreme 
 Lodge elects six members of the Board of Control, 
 who, together with the Supreme Chancellor, Supreme 
 Vice-Chancellor and the Jr. Past Supreme Chancel- 
 lor, elects the officers of the Department. The Of-
 
 HISTORY OF THE INSURANCE BRANCH 231 
 
 ficers are responsible to the Board of Control and 
 under their direct supervision. They are bonded 
 by a responsible bonding companj-. The Board of 
 Control reports directly to the Supreme Lodge, 
 hence the absolute control of the Insurance De- 
 partment is in the hands of the great legislative 
 body of the Order. 
 
 Since its organization, this Department has paid 
 to the beneticiaries of deceased members more than 
 $31,000,000. Its ledger assets at this time amount to 
 about $3,000,000, the greater part of this amount 
 being invested in good municipal securities. 
 
 One of the strongest features of the Insurance 
 Department is the conservative manner in which 
 it makes its investments, which renders loss almost 
 impossible. We quote from the law of the Supreme 
 Lodge governing the investments of this Depart- 
 ment: "The Board shall invest the funds on hand 
 from time to time when not required to pay the 
 liabilities of the Insurance Department, nor to be 
 kept on hand in cash for any other purpose, in se- 
 curities readily convertible into cash ; provided 
 such investments shall be limited to government, 
 state, provincial, county, and municipal bonds, or 
 bonds of any township, park or school district hav- 
 ing taxing power; provided that such bonds shall 
 be a direct obligation on all taxable property within 
 such municipality or district and the net indebted- 
 ness of such municipality or district shall not ex- 
 ceed the statutory provisions governing the same, 
 or, in absence of the statute five per centum of the
 
 232 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 value of all taxable property therein, according to 
 the last valuation for taxation preceding the is- 
 suance of such bonds. * * * No investment of 
 the funds of the Society shall be made until such 
 investment is authorized in writing by six members 
 of the Board. Such authorization shall describe with 
 particularity the nature, character and amount of 
 securities required in the making of each proposed 
 investment and such authorization shall be kept as 
 a permanent record in the office of said Board." 
 
 No greater safeguard could be thrown around 
 the investments of any Society. The securities must 
 be first class in every respect ; must be passed upon 
 by the best legal authority before being submitted 
 to the Grand Counsel of the Society for his ap- 
 proval ; must be examined and be approved by him 
 and must be approved by at least six members of 
 the Board of Control in writing. The plans and 
 purposes of this Department should commend them- 
 selves to every member of the great fraternity. 
 
 UNION B. HUNT, 
 President Insurance Department.
 
 WILLIAM BEATTY 
 Imperial Prince Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE DRAMATIC ORDER 
 KNIGHTS OF KHORASSAN 
 
 " Whose trend is tireless and to eternity; whose peon first rose 
 o'er the oasis of Syracuse, on Sicily's plain, on fair Italy's 
 desert; thence rang out, and rings on for all time, the 
 world over, through Datnon' s silvery voice." 
 
 ^ I ^HE history of the Knights of Pythias cannot be 
 -^ complete without some mention of the Dram- 
 atic Order Knights of Khorassan, although in no 
 sense a part of the Knights of Pythias, yet it is an ad- 
 junct to it. inasmuch no one can obtain admittance 
 to it except members of that Order and they only 
 who have taken the rank of Knight. The regular 
 Knights of Pythias organization represents the 
 Fraternal ; the Uniform Rank, the Military ; the 
 Endowment Rank, the Protective ; and the Dram- 
 atic Order Knights of Khorassan, the Social side of 
 life ; which, until this organization had been insti- 
 tuted, was the one thing that had been neglected. 
 231. The Dramatic Order was instituted at Mil- 
 waukee in 1894, for the purpose of cultivating this 
 social side of life and to bring together the Knights,
 
 236 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 SO that they may be better able to become acquainted 
 with each other, than is possible to do in the 
 lodge room ; it forms the ground upon which the 
 members may meet without the usual routine of 
 business, and thus breaking down the barriers that 
 often exist between members of different lodges. 
 It stands to the Knights of Pythias in the same 
 relation that the Mystic Shrine does to the Masonic 
 Order. 
 
 232. Khorassan, "the land of the sun," forms 
 one of the modern provinces of Persia, and lies in 
 the extreme north eastern part of that country, 
 among the mountains that run in an east and west 
 direction from the southeast corner of the Caspian 
 Sea to the Hindu Kush Mountains. The moun- 
 tains, after passing the Caspian spread out into 
 a beautiful and fertile mountain-region ; it separ- 
 ates into four or five distinct ranges, running paral- 
 lel to one another, with longitudinal valleys be- 
 tween them, and shorter ones branching from them 
 at right angles. The sides of the valleys are often 
 well wooded and all are well watered with broad 
 deep rivers and numerous springs. South of these 
 mountains is the great desert of Iran ; but the fertile 
 territory of this mountain region is increased by 
 the extensive cultivation to a considerable distance 
 into the desert by the careful husbanding of the 
 numerous streams that come down from the moun- 
 tains. 
 
 233. But only a part of this beautiful region be- 
 longs to Khorassan. If the northwestern portion
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 237 
 
 be cut off, we find there parallel mountain ranges 
 the northern, central and southern. The northern 
 and central ranges are joined by a watershed in a 
 general east and west direction, while the central 
 and southern ranges are joined by another range 
 having a north and south trend. These mountains 
 enclose these three large rich and fertile valleys, 
 well watered with broad, deep rivers and numerous 
 springs. Here, then, in these valleys, is Khorassan, 
 the ancient home of the Parthians, whose mighty 
 empire at one time rivalled and kept in check the 
 power of Rome. There are no peaks, and the 
 mountains are nowhere higher than 6000 feet. The 
 valleys are rich and fertile in the extreme, having 
 good and deep soil. The valley of Moshed is one 
 hundred miles from northeast to southwest and 
 from forty to fifty miles broad; that of Nishapur is 
 ninety miles north to south and about sixty from 
 east to west. The third valley lies to the east and 
 contained the ancient capital of Parthia. 
 
 234. The productions of Khorassan are undoubt- 
 edly the same as in the old Parthian times, for it 
 has at all times been a rich, fertile and much coveted 
 region. Sir George Rawlinson says of it, "That 
 compared with the arid and inhospitable deserts, 
 which adjoin it upon the north and south, Khoras- 
 san, the ancient Parthia and Hyrcania;" the north- 
 west part mentioned above, "is a terrestrial para- 
 dise." The country still produces pine, the wal- 
 nut, sycamore, ash, poplar, willow, vine, mulberry, 
 apricot and numerous other fruits; saffron, assa-
 
 238 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 foetida, gum ammoniac and aromatic plants are na- 
 tives there. Wheat, barley, hemp, tobacco and cot- 
 ton are cultivated; in fact, but little cultivation is 
 required, the crops grow almost spontaneously. 
 Game is plentiful in the mountains, and fish in the 
 water courses. Copper, lead, iron and salt are 
 among the mineral products and have been mined 
 for ages. But one of the beautiful products of the 
 region is the turquoise, which is found in abun- 
 dance. Numerous manufactures are still carried on 
 especially in silk, Avoolen carpets, arms, including 
 the famous Khorassan sabres. Its population is 
 about 800,000. 
 
 235. Nothing is known of the Parthians as a peo- 
 ple before the time of Darius, son of Hystaspes, king 
 of Persia, about 720 B. C. Darius speaks of them 
 in his great Inscription at Behistun. He calls them 
 "Parthva; " he says they were his subjects and had 
 revolted against his father, but were defeated and 
 returned to their allegiance, and were faithful to 
 their Persian sovereigns for over two and a quarter 
 •centuries. This faithfulness, together with the fact 
 that they lived surrounded by a group of purely 
 Aryan tribes, has led some writers to suppose that 
 they, like all the other tribes that live on the Iran- 
 ean plateau, belonged to the same Aryan race. But 
 the study of what we know from ancient writers, 
 of their habits and customs, there can be no doubt 
 that they were Scythians. Justin says, "The Parth- 
 ians were of a race of Scyths, who at a remote date 
 separated themselves from the rest of the nation
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 239 
 
 and occupied the southern portion of the Choras- 
 mian (Khorassan) desert, whence they gradually 
 made themselves masters of the mountain region 
 adjoining it." When both Greece and Rome came 
 in contact with the Parthians, they acknowledged 
 them to be an alien nation introduced among the 
 Aryan races of that region, and who belonged to 
 that race which inhabited the great steppe coun- 
 try of southeastern Europe and Asia, west of the 
 Caspian Sea. These tribes belong to the Turanian 
 family. To this family belong the Tartars, a type 
 in the south and the Finns, a type in the north. The 
 Parthians then, were in all probability, Turanians 
 of the Tartar type. Their Nomadic habits cling to 
 them even in the period of their greatest power and 
 national prosperity ; not only is this observed among 
 the lower classes, but to the more advanced part of 
 the nation. Gibbon says : ' ' The Parthian monarchs, 
 like mogul sovereigns of Hindustan, delighted in 
 the pastoral life of their Scythian ancestors and the 
 imperial camp was frequently pitched in the plains 
 of Ctesiphon, on the eastern bank of the Tigris." 
 In their primitive condition their nearest repre- 
 sensatives are the modern Turkoman, while the Os- 
 manli Turks fairly represent them during the period 
 of their greatest power. They were barbarians at 
 heart, with an outward gloss of civilization and re- 
 finement. 
 
 236. The Parthians remained subject to Persia 
 until the latter country together with most of West- 
 ern Asia, was conquered early in the third century
 
 240 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 B. C. by Alexander the Great. At his death, the 
 quarrels among rival claimants led to the division 
 of his empire into those of Macedonia, Syria, Asia 
 Minor and Egypt. Parthia belonged to that of 
 Syria. In 256 B. C. Bactria revolted and proclaimed 
 her independence ; and six years after Parthia fol- 
 lowed suit, and with its cry "Asia for the Asiatics," 
 began its marvelous rise to a great empire. Its 
 first king was Arsaces ; he reigned but two years 
 and was succeeded by his brother, Tirzdatis. His 
 first act was the strengthening of his own kingdom. 
 Then he invaded Hyrcania, taking it from Syria 
 and enlarging his own kingdom; he then fought 
 and defeated the Syrian army. The next to be 
 added to the kingdom was the country of Mardi, 
 south of the Caspian. From that time on the Parth- 
 ian Empire grew until it had taken in all the na- 
 tions to, and including Armenia towards the east ; 
 Mesopotamia, Babylon and Persia ; on the north as 
 far as the River Axus; the kingdom of Bactria, and 
 the borders of India on the west. The empire 
 lasted five centuries, beginning in 250 B. C. and 
 ending in A. D. 227. It fell as it began. It revolted 
 from the rule of Persia and then conquered that 
 nation ; now Persia revolted from the rule of 
 Parthia, defeated it, broke up its empire and once 
 more made it a province of its own. 
 
 337. The name of the Order, "Dramatic Order 
 Knights of Khorassan." tells us something of itself, 
 for its ritual is written in dramatic language, upon 
 dramatic lines and its work put upon the floor with
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 241 
 
 dramatic characters. Organized for the purpose 
 of enlivening and benefiting the members of the 
 Knights of Pythias, it has far exceeded the most 
 sanguine expectations of its promoters, for today 
 (1910) it reports eighty-nine Temples and a mem- 
 bership of about 20,000. Its ritual is pronounced 
 by all who have had the opportunity of hearing and 
 seeing it, as the most beautiful as well as the most 
 remarkable of any of the secret societies. It is clean 
 and pure in its phraseology and rendition, and a 
 work of which the most fastidious can find no fault 
 or objection. "It is wonderful, surprising and 
 fascinating." It is not, nor has it, any resemblance 
 to what is usually known as "side" degrees, which 
 are for the m.ost part vulgar, and without a vestige 
 of a lesson, but the ritual of this order is not only 
 entertaining, but instructive, and is intended for 
 gentlemen, "to whom and none other it extends an 
 invitation to membership." The scope of the ritual 
 and its ceremonies sets forth in a dramatic form, 
 ancient and modern Knighthood and their principal 
 features. The sessions of the Temples take place as 
 each may desire, from one to four times a year. At 
 each ceremonial session a banquet is given, and a 
 thoroughly enjoyable, but gentlemanly, time is en- 
 joyed, during which speeches by the best talent are 
 given, and if desired, street parades may be organ- 
 ized. Temples are only organized in places where 
 Pythians are strong enough to support them, and 
 w^arrants are not issued unless there are at least one 
 hundred applicants. The officers of a Temple are : 1.
 
 242 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 The Eoyal Vizier, who must have heavy dramatic 
 ability; 2. Grand Emir, one who has oratorical and 
 elocutionary powers; 3. Shiek, having the qualifica- 
 tions of a Prelate ; 4. Mahedi, general ability as an 
 orator ; 5. Mokanna, a tragedian ; 6. Joe, a comedian ; 
 7. Master of Ceremonies; 8. Secretary; 9. Treasurer; 
 10. Sarah ; 11. Sahib and Escorts, etc. 
 
 338. The Order started on its way in 1894. and 
 its first officers Avere : I. B. Powell, Supreme Prince ; 
 G. W. Buckman, Sublime Venerable Prince; I. A. 
 Hensey. Imperial Prince; E. H. Hibben, Imperial 
 Vizier; F. T. Burnham, Imperial Vizier; John Bon- 
 ner, Imperial Secretary ; F. W. Hall, Imperial Treas- 
 urer; P. C. Crenshaw, Imperial Mahedi, and Geo. E. 
 Runyan, Imperial Guard. Nothing of much impor- 
 tance was done, except organization, until the first 
 session of the Imperial Palace, which was held in 
 Chicago in September of the next year, 1895, when 
 the copyright of the ritual and designs for para- 
 phernalia used in its work was purchased of the au- 
 thor, for which the sum of $6000 was given. Some 
 attractions and improvements of the ritual were 
 then effected, and the titles of some of the officers 
 changed. The officers elected, and their new titles, 
 were as follows: J. A. Hinsey, Imperial Prince; J. 
 M. Stratton. Imperial Basha ; A. P. Riddle, Imperial 
 Kadi; Louis Sax, Imperial Secretary; W. G. Edens, 
 Imperial Treasurer; A. J. Hess, Imperial Adool; J. 
 J. Sawyer, Imperial Ikfir. At Cleveland, Ohio, the 
 Imperial Palace, in 1896. reported 43 Temples in 
 good standing and entitled to be represented, and
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 243 
 
 having an estimated membership of about 2,500. The 
 Order was not on a sound footing, the expense of its 
 institution had been great, and a debt of $4,000 was 
 outstanding against it. Still the interest taken in 
 the Order was gradually spreading among the 
 Knights of Pythias, and at the next session it was 
 freed from its incubus. The Palace adopted a good 
 •deal of beneficial legislation, thus perfecting its con- 
 stitution and laws. In consequence of the state of 
 the exchequer, no mileage or other unnecessary ex- 
 pense was paid. At this session Brother H. W. Bel- 
 ding was elected Imperial Secretary, which position 
 he has retained to the present date (1910), and to 
 his wise business ability and zealous enthusiasm 
 may be attributed, in a large measure, the success 
 of the Order. The good work effected by the mem- 
 bers of the Order during the time. that elapsed be- 
 tween this session and that of 1897 was shown at 
 Indianapolis, when fourteen new Temples were re- 
 ported, and all debts had been paid. During this 
 period, too, arrangements had been made with the 
 Order of Kaaba to become merged into this D. O. 
 K. K. The Order of Kaaba was one similar to the 
 D. 0. K. K. and working on similar lines; it was in- 
 corporated under the laws of Michigan, and from 
 this Order was organized Kaaba Temple No. 69 of 
 Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its organizers, Leo A. 
 Caro, Miles S. Curtis and F. C. Temple, were made 
 Past Imperial Princes, as was also Brother Riddle, 
 for his services rendered the Order. The member- 
 ship at this session reached the 6.000 mark.
 
 244 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 339. In 1900 the session of the Imperial Palace 
 Avas held at Detroit, and there was then reported a 
 membership of nearly 11,000, and 65 Temples in good 
 standing, notwithstanding some Temples had been 
 dropped from the roll, and a balance in hand of the 
 Imperial Treasurer was over $7,000. In 1901 there 
 seems to have been some kind of mismanagement 
 discovered. In July of that year the Imperial offi- 
 cers met in Chicago, Illinois, and the resignation of 
 the Imperial Prince was demanded and received, 
 and Imperial Basha F. H. Clarke assumed the duties 
 of that office, appointing John H. Holmes, that vet- 
 eran Pythian, as Imperial Basha. Brother Clarke 
 worked hard, and with his accustomed vim soon 
 began to show improvements in the government of 
 the Order; he took his officers into his confidence 
 and made a coi^plete success of his administration. 
 To restore confidence among the members, monthly 
 notes of the doings of the Order were published ; by 
 these means most of those Temples which had intended 
 to withdraw, again came into line, and the Order 
 gained fresh life and vigor. The wisdom of the 
 proceedings of this session was shown in 1902, at 
 San Francisco, when the Imperial Palace met in 
 August. This was the best and most successful of 
 all its meetings up to that date. The Law Commit- 
 tee had revised the laws of the Order, taking out 
 all unnecessary phraseology, and making provisions 
 for a more solid footing upon which the Order stood. 
 The report, with a few amendments, was adopted. 
 Forty-two new Temples were reported and a mem-
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 245 
 
 bership of 17,000, and a sum of over $12,000 in the 
 treasury. Brother Holmes was elected Imperial 
 Prince at this session. To show the great advance 
 made by the Order, we are told that "when the 
 present Imperial Secretary took office it required 
 only a small desk to contain the records and papers. 
 Now it takes two large office rooms to accommodate 
 the ofice, and his whole time is devoted to the 
 work." 
 
 340. At the session held at Louisville, Ky., in 
 1904 it became apparent that the custom of meeting 
 at the same time and place as the Supreme Lodge. 
 
 K. of P., which had been the custom, should be 
 changed. The D. 0. K. K. had become so large and 
 its sessions were made so attractive that it was felt 
 advisable to meet some other time and place. As 
 the D. 0. K. K. was organized to benefit Pythianism, 
 the Imperial Palace voted to hold its session away 
 from the place of the conventions of the Supreme 
 Lodge, and in the years between those sessions. 
 Some thought this a mistake, but the session of 
 1905, at Detroit, convinced them that the change 
 was for the best. It was attended by more mem- 
 bers than ever before. Prizes for the Temples com- 
 ing the longest distance, for having best appearance 
 in parade, for best drill, etc., were given. No elec- 
 tion of officers was held at this session, their terms 
 being extended one year. W. D. Hadfield of Illinois 
 being retained as Imperial Prince, to which office 
 he was elected in 1904. 
 
 341. As a sample of the spirit of mirth, in which
 
 246 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 the Order conducts all its proceedings, the follow- 
 ing notice of one of its meetings is here given : 
 
 SALAAM ! 
 Oh, ye Denizens of the Desert and Dwellers in Tents 
 and Palaces: 
 
 Incline your ear to the whisperings of the 
 Prophet, while he saith "The hot winds of the sum- 
 mer have gone to sleep, and the alkali dust no longer 
 fills the air on our beloved desert. The early autumn 
 showers have made the Oasis to bloom again; our 
 camels and asses have withstood the drouth, and 
 their young are frisking on a thousand hills. 
 
 Allah Be Praised ! ! 
 
 Word conies to ns that many of the unregenerate 
 without our portals pine for refreshing droughts 
 from Zem Zem's cool and sparkling rills, and seek 
 solace from the cares of life by journeying with us 
 across the sands of Fair Khorassan to our sacred 
 Temple where "Doctors stop their carving and 
 the Judges have a rest.'' Therefore, be ye up and 
 doing : Send forth the eunuchs into canyon, valley 
 and plain to round up the camels, asses and tigers, 
 and when they have brought them before our tents, 
 gird the beasts with strongest thongs, array them 
 in trappings both costly and gay, and make ready to 
 join the Caravan, which will journey to the Oasis of 
 Los Angeles. 
 
 Seventh Kahib — uhl — Akhir. fourth month, A. 
 H. 1328. or. in old-fashioned Anglo-Saxon, March 
 16th, 1910. there to hold high carnival until the new
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 247 
 
 born day .shall staud tip toe on the misty mountain 
 tops. 
 
 Trot out our royal beast forthwith, and teach him 
 
 some new tricks. 
 As Tyros from that Redlands tOAvn are awfully hard 
 
 to tix ; 
 Just twist his tail antl oil his joints, and fill him full 
 
 of ginger, 
 For the journey he's about to take is sure to be a 
 
 singe-er. 
 Hear my megaphone yell ! 
 
 D. C. Castlem'an, Royal Vizier. 
 I hear the megaphone ! 
 
 Juo. S. Myer, Sec. 
 
 We are In'others all of desert sands. 
 
 Though our tracks lie far apart. 
 We meet on the road with outstretched hand. 
 
 With the warmth of an Orient heart ! 
 
 ADVICE TO VOTARIES 
 
 Do unto others as we have done you. 
 
 Get in your work now, work all you can, espe- 
 cially your friends. What have you got them for? 
 
 If your friend has not the necessary $10, lend it 
 to him. It will cement the friendship, and we don't 
 care who pays it as long as we get it. 
 
 Commence immediately making preparations to 
 be with us. you can't afford to miss it. President 
 McKinley w^ill also be there. 
 
 If your Lodge delegate is not a Votary, get his
 
 248 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 application at once. You know he can't afford to 
 come back an unbeliever. 
 
 Do this, all this, and Allah be praised. (Inci- 
 dentally we will praise you.) 
 
 KHORASSAN MAXIMS 
 
 Virtue is its only reward. 
 The wages of sin is debt. 
 Policy is the best honesty. 
 A pitch in time saves nine. 
 Many hands like light work. 
 Osculation is the thief of time. 
 A bird in the hand lays no eggs. 
 Every dogma must have its day. 
 A thirsty man will catch at a straw. 
 The woman who collaborates is lost. 
 It is not good for man to give a loan. 
 Straws show which way the gin goes. 
 The rolling stone catches the worm. 
 Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder. 
 The lack of money is the root of all evil. 
 It's a wise child that owes his own father. 
 A man is known by the trumpery he keeps. 
 All that a man hath will he give to his wife. 
 Where wisdom is bliss it is folly to be ignorant. 
 "Heaven lies about us in our infancy," and this 
 world lies about us when we are grown up.
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 
 
 ADVICE TO TYROS 
 A Few Dont's 
 
 249 
 
 Don't speak until you are spoken to! 
 
 Don't kick, we reserve that pleasure for our- 
 selves ! 
 
 Don't forget your latch key. if you can't get it, 
 take the door along. 
 
 Don't worrj' about what will become of you. our 
 undertaker is looking for a job. 
 
 Don't think you know it all, you will find you 
 know nothing before we get through with you. 
 
 Don't try to do others until we are through doing 
 you. 
 
 Leave your latch key at home ; you won't need it. 
 
 Wear your best clothes; they will be "worst" 
 enough afterwards. 
 
 Bring no arnica or witch hazel; we'll provide all 
 necessities. 
 
 Don't come without your appetite; we'll wet it.
 
 250 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 LIFE 
 
 This world's a hollow bubble, 
 
 Don 't you know ; 
 Just a painted bit of trouble, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 We come to earth to cry, 
 We grow older and we sigh, 
 Older still and then we die, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 
 And it's such a horrid mix, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 Business, love and politics, 
 
 Don't you know; 
 Clubs and parties, cliques and sets, 
 Fashions, follies, sins, regrets. 
 Struggles, straggles, cigarettes, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 
 And we worry through each day. 
 
 Don't you know^ : 
 In a sort of kind of way. 
 
 Don't you know; 
 And it's all so flat and dead, 
 Breakfast, luncheon, dinner, bed. 
 That is life when all is said. 
 Don't you know\ 
 
 Business, simply trade, 
 
 Don 't you know ; 
 Something's lost or something's made
 
 HISTORY OF THE D. O. K. K. 251 
 
 Don't you know; 
 We worry and we mope, 
 And we place our highest hope 
 On, perhaps, the price of soap. 
 
 Don't you know. 
 
 Politics, just a lark, 
 
 Don 't you know : 
 A mere nightmare in the dark. 
 
 Don't you know; 
 You perspire all day and night, 
 And then after all the tight 
 Why, perhaps, the wrong man's right, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 
 Society is dress. 
 
 Don't you know, 
 And the cause of much distress, 
 
 Don't you know; 
 To know just what to wear, 
 When to go and likewise where, 
 And just how to part your hair. 
 
 Don't you know. 
 
 You've only one conscience, that's all, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 And one heart and that is small, 
 
 Don't you know. 
 You can only wear one tie. 
 Have one eyeglass in your eye. 
 And one coffin when you die, 
 
 Don't vou know.
 
 BOOK III 
 
 HISTORICAL CHAPTERS ON 
 THE RITUAL
 
 C K^miM 
 
 
 /^ .?-?-cyf»«-«-^ >?i*.*n-^i/,~<3 of^^dnx^^ ~" 
 
 C7\Ayi rOiJr^ UyV^ OU Q'f-^' -7-1) 
 
 rrFllMTKD BY 
 
 The Founder's Bible upon which the oaths were taken that founded the 
 order. The inscriptions were written by Bro. Rathbone himself.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE RITUAL 
 
 " The golden kfy that ope the palace of eternity. " 
 "/Just specks they came to hiin; massive gold they left 
 his hand.'" 
 
 DURING the first two or three years after the 
 organization of the Order, it was accepted that 
 Brother Rathbone was the sole author of its ritual, 
 and that he wrote it complete, with all of its three 
 degrees or ranks. Soon after, however, there ap- 
 peared another claimant for at least a part of the 
 credit of its authorship. This was J. T. K. Plant, 
 and it also appears that Joel R. Woodruff set up a 
 similar claim. To put this question beyond dispute 
 in the future, the Supreme Lodge, in 1876, appointed 
 a committee to thoroughly investigate the matter. 
 They reported that upon the statement of Past Su- 
 preme Chancellor Plant himself, that Brother Rath- 
 bone was the sole writer of the ritual and founder 
 of the Order, and they enclosed a sworn affidavit 
 of Brothers D. L. Bennett. W. H. Bennett, E. S. Kim- 
 ball and R. A. Champion, to the effect that on the 
 15th day of February, 1864, they met Brother Rath- 
 bone at No. 369 F Street, Washington, D. C, and
 
 256 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 that he read to them the ritual, which was complete 
 then ; that no alterations were made, but that after- 
 wards Brother Woodruff suggested an addition to 
 the third or Knights' degree, which was in use in 
 another order, and that this was accepted. They 
 also said that the only connection that J. T. K. 
 Plant had with it was to lend his room for commit- 
 tee meetings. This report was accepted by the Su- 
 preme Lodge and filed among the records of the 
 Order, and Brother Rathbone was thus officially 
 acknowledged as the sole author of the ritual. 
 
 255. Until Brother Kennedy brought out his 
 "Pythian History" there existed but two accounts 
 of the writing of the ritual, and they were by Past 
 Supreme Chancellor J. Van Valkenberg and General 
 Carnahan, and both claim the ritual to have been 
 written at the town of Eagle Harbor, Keewenaw 
 county, Michigan, in the winter of 1860 and 1861, 
 while Brother Rathbone was teaching there. Ken- 
 nedy, however, claims 1863 as the time of its having 
 been written, and gives as proof the statements of 
 three of Rathbone 's comrades, who were employed 
 with him in the Surgeon-General's office. On some 
 "stray remark," says Brother Kennedy, "made by 
 a passing acquaintance, on a Monday morning early 
 in the fall of 1863, caused him to turn round to a 
 chum in the office, and say, 'Ed, I have it — I'll call it 
 the Knights of Pythias.' " He then afterwards at a 
 meeting of a dramatic association of which he was 
 a member, received a copy of Banim 's play of Damon 
 and Pythias, and took that as the basis of the con-
 
 HISTORY OF THE RITUAL 257 
 
 templated ritual. Furthermore, Kennedy says, that 
 two of these comrades assert "that in the fall of 
 1863 Brother Rathbone showed them a rough copy 
 of the "Page Degree." The painstaking care with 
 which Brother Kennedy has searched into the truth 
 of this matter has given us for a certainty the true 
 date of the writing of the ritual — the fall of 1863, 
 and it was finally revised in January, 1864. The 
 seeming discrepancy between the accounts of Van 
 Valkenberg, Carnahan and Kennedy is easily ex- 
 plained. Brother Rathbone obtained his copy of 
 Banim's "Damon and Pythias" while teaching at 
 Eagle Harbor, and he was so taken with the lessons 
 portrayed in the play that he wrote a manuscript 
 containing his ideas of its interlinings, and it was 
 from this manuscript that Brother Rathbone in 1863 
 and 1862 composed his ritual. 
 
 256. At the institution of the Order on Febru- 
 ary 19th, 1864, this ritual, with its three degrees 
 complete in every detail, was adopted. Since then 
 there have been a few alterations and additions, 
 which will be noted in the order of their occurrences. 
 For some time the ritual was in manuscript and had 
 to be copied for every lodge, as each came into the 
 order. In this first ritual, we are told, there were 
 no charges or lectures, except that an impromptu 
 address could be given at the close of the second 
 degree. The third degrees were called the Initia- 
 tory, First and Second or Knight's. The signs, grip, 
 etc., were mere repetition in each degree. 
 
 257. On the meeting of Franklin Lodge No. 2, 
 
 9
 
 258 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 ou the 30th of April, 1866, at which Past Chancellor 
 J. H. Rathbone had been reinstated, a committee 
 was appointed to make the ritual more perfect, and 
 the ceremonies more interesting and attractive. Of 
 this committee was Brother Rathbone. to whom the 
 others referred the ritual for revision. On the 14th 
 of May the revised version was reported by the com- 
 mittee and unanimously adopted. This revision con- 
 sisted of the addition of the opening and closing cer- 
 emonies and alterations in the "degrees" of Page, 
 Esquire and Knight. This was, however, changed 
 slightly in June, 1865, by changing the signs, grips, 
 passwords, etc., and a secret cypher was established, 
 and at the same time it was ordered to have the rit- 
 uals printed. 
 
 At a special meeting of the Grand Lodge, July 
 12, 1866, the newly printed ritual was placed in the 
 hands of a committee of three, who compared it 
 with the original manuscript, and after correction, 
 the manuscript was destroyed by fire. The lodges 
 were then ordered to deliver up their manuscript 
 copies, which were exchanged for five copies of the 
 printed edition. One copy, with the seal attached 
 to it, was allowed P. G. C. J. H. Rathbone, with au- 
 thority to retain it until called in b,y the Grand 
 Lodge. 
 
 258. On March 12, 1867, there was another ad- 
 dition made to the ritual by the adoption and print- 
 ing of the ceremonials for the installation of officers. 
 At the first session of the Supreme Lodge, held in 
 August 1868. the ritual was translated and printed
 
 HISTORY OF THE RITUAL 259 
 
 in the German language for use in German lodges, 
 and at the convention of 1871 authority was given 
 to have the ritual translated into Bohemian, French, 
 Spanish, Danish and Swedish. During the trouble 
 that nearly wrecked the Order in 1870 and 1871, 
 with regard to the conclaves and the O. B. N., an 
 addition was made to the obligation in the "Page" 
 degree by which every one who entered the Order 
 obligated himself not to recognize any outside 
 order bearing a similar title to the Knig^hts of 
 Pythias. 
 
 259. In the fourth annual session of the Supreme 
 Lodge, that of 1872, the following resolutions were 
 presented and adopted : 
 
 Whereas. The Order of Knights of Pythias, 
 in their usages, customs and traditions, are in a 
 sense ehivalric, and semi-military, and 
 
 Whereas, For the purpose of making the terms, 
 titles, prefixes and affixes thereto distinctive, to 
 comport with, agree and be in accordance with the 
 ehivalric name "Knight" and the customs, usage 
 and traditions of the time when "Knighthood" 
 was prevalent, as also the usages of this Order, as 
 now practiced, therefore be it 
 
 Resolved, That the word "Degree" or "De- 
 grees" be struck out wherever appearing in the 
 rituals, laws, installations, or odes, or when used 
 in connection with the Order of the Knights of 
 Pythias or its legislations or workings and the 
 Avord "Rank" be inserted in its or their place. 
 
 260. Another revision of the ritual took place
 
 260 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 at the same convention and this time on a more 
 extensive scale ; principally in the enlarging or am- 
 plifying the "Third Rank." So much had of late 
 been said in the meetings of a Higher Rank of the 
 Supreme Lodge and which had been so persistently 
 put down, that there now seemed to be a desire to 
 compromise the affair by a more elaborate work in 
 the Third Rank ; and an enlargement of the work 
 and the ceremonies was presented and adopted, 
 and ordered printed with the other portions of the 
 ritual. This was the work of the Right Reverend 
 Bishop B. B. Ussher of Aurora, Illinois, of the Epis- 
 copal church. Bishop Ussher had passed through 
 the chairs of both the Subordinate and Grand Lodge, 
 and was Supreme Representative of Illinois. 
 
 261. The adoption of this new and revised ritual 
 changed the titles of the officers to those now in 
 use. Authority was granted to translate it into 
 French, German, Scandinavian, and other tongues; 
 but this order as well as those previously made were 
 afterwards rescinded; and now the ritual is only to 
 be used in the English language. 
 
 262. A book of diagrams of the floor work had 
 been put out, some time previously; this was drawn 
 out by Past Grand Chancellor F. D. Stuart, of the 
 District of Columbia. This was withdrawn and the 
 work was described in the ritual instead. In 1882 
 there seems to have been another revision but 
 principally in grammar, orthography and phrase- 
 ology. In 1890 a thorough revision of the ritual 
 was again ordered, and in the convention 1892, the
 
 HISTORY OP THE RITUAL 261 
 
 committee, consisting of Brothers W. B. Ritchie, R. 
 L. C. White, W. A. Radcliffe, E. E. French, reported 
 the perfected work. Brother Ritchie had previously 
 given it great thought and study, so as to bring the 
 ritual more into conformity, especially with regard 
 to the "Amplified Third," with that loyal friend- 
 ship that runs through the story of Damon and 
 Pythias, and the result of that thought and study 
 is the ritual as we have it today, and in which the 
 Monitor and Pythagoras have run Pluto out of the 
 race altogether. During the preparation of this 
 revision, the committee twice visited Lima, Ohio, 
 Brother Ritchie's lodge, and trained a team for the 
 exemplification of the new ritual, so that when they 
 reported they might give a perfect representation 
 of the new features. This team travelled at their 
 own expense to Kansas City, Missouri, to the con- 
 vention of the Supreme Lodge, and gave the whole 
 ritual in full, occupying two evenings. This ritual 
 was accepted and the following motion was adopted : 
 Resolved, That the thanks of this Supreme 
 Lodge are due and hereby tendered to the team of 
 Lima Lodge No. 91 of Ohio, for the beautiful ren- 
 dition of the proposed new ritual witnessed by this 
 body, without which an adequate conception of the 
 work could not have been attained, and with this 
 was appropriated $1,000 for their expenses. This 
 ritual was ready for delivery in December of 1892, 
 and an order was issued for its use on and after 
 February 19th, 1893, after which the old ritual was 
 illegal.
 
 262 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 263. Such is the history of the ritual. It has 
 been brought to its present state of perfection and 
 beauty, by the minds of the most thoughtful and 
 best educated of our members. All Knights should 
 study it carefully, for unless they do so, they can- 
 not fully find out its beauty, its deep thoughts, and 
 the enormous amount of the history of the olden 
 times that it brings before one's imagination. It is 
 often thought that such men as Damon, Pythias, 
 Pythagoras, existed only in fiction and were not 
 real, historic personages. It is to disabuse such 
 ideas, that the following chapters on the ritual have 
 been written ; and the author hopes that it will be 
 a great help to many. 
 
 264. In connection with the ritual Brother Ken- 
 nedy gives an interesting episode that occurred in 
 Washington, showing the uncertain state of the 
 times, and the keen watch of the government during 
 these critical times in which the civil war was at 
 its height. The incident is quoted at length and is 
 known as the Kelly episode. Kelly had joined the 
 Order and taken the Page Rank. Brother Edward 
 Dunn, Past Supreme Chancellor, who tells the story 
 says : 
 
 "The first important incident that occurred to 
 us was with reference to the traitor Kelly. My 
 wife came to me on the morning of April 27, 1864, 
 and said, 'Your box has been broken open.' Upon 
 examination I found that the secret properties of 
 the Lodge were exposed. On April 28, I received 
 an order from General Zealand, commanding officer
 
 HISTORY OF THE RITUAL 263 
 
 of the Marine Corps, to proceed at once to the Navy 
 Department and report myself to the Secretary of 
 the Navy, Gideon Wells. At that time things were 
 in a very critical state about the District of Colum- 
 bia. I felt that I was going to be imprisoned for 
 something. I had the forethought to take the Ritual 
 of the Order with me. Something struck me when 
 I got to Seventh street. I got off at D street and 
 met Plant. I said to him 'Good morning. I have 
 been ordered to the Navy Department' and we dis- 
 cussed the matter together. Both of us were pretty 
 sure we were being placed under arrest. I went 
 to the Navy Department and was ushered into 
 the Secretary's room. He enquired of me what my 
 official rank was and all connected therewith. He 
 told me to wait, and Assistant Secretary Fox would 
 introduce me to Secretary Seward. I went into the 
 State Department with my heart in my mouth. 
 When 1 arrived at Secretary Seward's office I found 
 Joseph T. K. Plant there. We were, Plant and I, 
 then escorted to the blue room in the President's 
 mansion. We were received there very kindly, both 
 by the President and Mr. Seward, and it came to 
 my mind that as Plant was the Senior Officer of the 
 Order he should be spokesman. He declined and I 
 had to take it up. The President said, 'Gentlemen, 
 before we start I want to introduce one of your 
 members to you,' and who should come in but Mr. 
 Kelly, the man that had been initiated the same 
 time that I was. The President said, 'Do you know 
 this man?' I answered, 'Yes, he was initiated the
 
 264 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 same night that I Avas, but he knows nothing of 
 the Order only as far as the initiatory is concerned. ' 
 Mr. Seward said to me, 'Sergeant Major Dunn, is this 
 a political organization?' I said. 'No, sir.' Mr. 
 Seward said. 'Have you any proofs?' I said, 'I 
 have.' He said, 'What are your proofs?' I said, 
 'I have the ritual of the Order on my person.' 
 Mr. Seward said, 'Can I see it?' I said, 'No. sir, 
 only with one proviso. If you choose to take the 
 obligation, the same as Mr. Plant and as I have, 
 we will not only read to you but explain everything 
 that is in the ritual. ' Mr. Lincoln said at that 
 point, 'That is very fair, my son. Mr. Kelly has 
 done his duty, and has not done any harm.' Upon 
 that I said, 'Mr. President, there is a portion of 
 this ritual that I can disclose to you. Every mem- 
 ber of the Order of Knights of Pythias must be 
 loyal to the flag of his nativity, or of his adoption.' 
 The President said, 'Gentlemen, you are released.' 
 Mr. Seward shook our hand and assured us that 
 it was only done upon information that they had 
 received.' The affair all through conveyed to us 
 that the President and Secretary of State had or- 
 dered an investigation, used this man Kelly as an 
 instrument, and, upon becoming satisfied that every- 
 thing was correct, no further steps were taken. The 
 man Kelly referred to was never seen by me after- 
 v/ards. ' '
 
 T Y R R 
 
 H E y E 
 
 \ 
 
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 nii 
 
 PcLlinuri Pr 
 
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 M>i:v JS^^^)x^cy"ila / 
 
 
 ^_y;%«fK,-.v.dnc 
 
 
 y 
 
 Sicily and S. Italy
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE ISLAND OF SICILY 
 
 Untaught to plant, to turn the grebe, and sow. 
 They all their products to fair Nature owe. 
 The soil, untilled, a ready harvest yields, ■ 
 With wheat and barley, wave the golden fields; 
 Spontaneous vines from mighty clusters poiir, 
 And Jove descends in each prolific shower. 
 
 — Homer 
 
 SICILY 
 
 SICILY has well been called by the ancients, the 
 "Pasture Lands of the oxen of the Sun," for 
 it is the largest, finest, the most beautiful, and the 
 most celebrated of all the islands of the Mediter- 
 ranean; it is well watered by numerous small rivers, 
 and is exceedingly fertile. It has some two and a 
 half millions of inhabitants ; and an area of about 
 
 ten thousand five hundred square miles. Its coasts 
 contain numerous good, deep harbors, such that 
 the largest ships can always find an anchorage in 
 any part. 
 
 266. The gigantic cone of Mt. Aetna lifts its 
 "lofty summit midst the thunder's sullen roar," near 
 the eastern coast of the island. It rises to the 
 height of nearly eleven thousand feet and is eighty
 
 268 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 miles in circumfereuce at its base. This district is 
 highly enltivated and still produces the grapes that 
 have made Sicily and Syracuse so famous for their 
 wines, even from the times of Damon and Pythias. 
 Higher up the mountain is a woody region, and 
 then the forests and above them is a great waste 
 of black lava. On the top is a crater having a cir- 
 cumference of two miles. Numerous smaller craters 
 and cones are scattered around from which 
 Euceladus the giant, has from time to time, vomited 
 forth his superfluous energy. 
 
 267. The island is triangular in shape, its great- 
 est length being about one hundred and eighty 
 miles, with a breadth of over one hundred miles in 
 its widest part. In ancient times, when the island 
 was in its zenith of power and prosperity, its popula- 
 tion was more than double of what it is now. Homer 
 says of its inhabitants : 
 
 "Untaught to plant, to turn the grebe, and sow, 
 They all their products to free nature owe ; 
 The soil, unfilled, a ready harvest yields, 
 With wheat and barley wave the golden fields; 
 Spontaneous vines from weighty clusters pour, 
 And Jove descends in each prolific shower." 
 
 It is the same now, the people are exceedingly 
 lazy, and in any other less prolific soil, they would 
 certainly starve. The island has been successively 
 under the rule of the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the 
 Goths, the Romans, the Saracens, the Normans and 
 the French, and is now a province of the Kingdom 
 of Italv.
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY 269 
 
 268. On account of the peculiar situation of this 
 comparatively small island with regard to the an- 
 ciently known world, it has had a great and exten- 
 sive history ; no European nation can boast of such 
 a length, or even come near to it. The reason of 
 this will be readily understood, when we learn its 
 place among the nations. 
 
 269 Sicily is an island, lying midway in the Med- 
 iterranean Sea, and forming a breakwater between 
 its eastern and western divisions. In a former geo- 
 logic age, this great sea was divided into two great 
 inland lakes, unconnected with each other, the land 
 between them crossing from Italy to Tunis. This 
 bridge gradually sank below the level of the water, 
 deepening the bed of the lakes, and narrowing 
 their extent. Sicily, being the highest portion of 
 this sunken land alone remains above the water, 
 while the rest lies below forming a great ridge 
 across to Africa, and rising considerably above the 
 floor of the sea. 
 
 270. When we remember that in these ancient 
 times, the whole known world consisted of the 
 countries bordering the great sea, and only on the 
 north of Europe, did it extend inland to any dis- 
 tance, it will be seen that Sicily was situated as 
 near the center of the world as any land could be. 
 It thus became the meeting ground of all who trav- 
 eled by sea or land, and though it was never the 
 home of any one nation, yet it became the battle 
 ground of hostile powers and nations. Its central 
 position made the island of vast importance to any
 
 270 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 power that strove for the mastery of Europe, and 
 it was for its possession that every battle that oc- 
 curred upon its surface was fought. The Phoenic- 
 ians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Nor- 
 mans and the Lombards, successively fought for its 
 possession, and each held it in turn, but the island 
 never became head seat of power of any of them. 
 "There was a time when Sicily contained the great- 
 est city and the mightiest power of the Hellenic 
 world. This was the city of Syracuse under Dionys- 
 ius the Elder. But Sicily never became Hel- 
 las; she never became the leading part of Hellas." 
 271. The island has been known by several 
 names, given to it by the different races that oc- 
 cupied it ; the first of which that history hands down 
 to us is "Trinakria. " Dr. Freeman says that this 
 primitive people, called Sikans, were "members of 
 the same widespread stock as the Iberians and 
 Ligurians of Spain, Gaul, and even Italy." They 
 would thus be the earliest historical inhabitants of 
 the island, a branch of the pre-Aryan population of 
 Southern and Western Europe, a population which 
 has doubtless largely influenced later settlers, but 
 of which the Basques are the only unmixed surviv- 
 ors remaining. Although but little is known of the 
 history of the Sikans, yet it is known that they or- 
 iginally occupied the whole of the island, but fell 
 back to the west, either on account of the eruption 
 of Etna, or before the invasion of the Sikels. They 
 dwelt principally upon the hill tops and generally 
 were a scattered and divided race. Yet we know
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY 271 
 
 the names of several of their towns. Kannkos, the 
 city of King Kokalos, situated somewhere near Seli- 
 nous on the southern coast of the western part of 
 the island. Minoa, close by. is another Sikan town. 
 The temple of Eugymis was built by the people. 
 Akragas, Hykkara. Kratos and many other towns 
 are of the same origin, and ruins of some are in ex- 
 istence at the present time. The race, however, is 
 completely lost, whether destroyed or merged into 
 the other tribes is not known. 
 
 272. The Sikels were the next race to make their 
 appearance in Sicania as the island was then called ; 
 these were an Italian people of the Aryan race, who 
 made their way into the land by way of Italy and 
 crossed the straits on rafts some three hundred 
 years before the coming of the Greeks. They were 
 the near kinsfolk of the Latin races of Rome and 
 Tusculum and having early left their primitive 
 home, were still undeveloped. They migrated into 
 Sicily some time previous to the Phoenicians' set- 
 tlement of the land and afterwards gave their name 
 to the land, calling it Sikelia or Sicilia, which it 
 still retains. They gradually spread themselves 
 over the country, driving the Sikans west, and 
 founded towns and cities, even in the western part. 
 Most of the ancient cities that were not Grecian 
 colonies are of Sikal origin. This tribe was grad- 
 ually absorbed by the Greeks, and thus they became 
 Greeks themselves, but at the same time influenced 
 the whole nation by their peculiar ideas and 
 religion.
 
 272 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 273. With these two tribes, was found a third, of 
 which, however, very little is known. The}^ called 
 themselves Elymians, and nothing is really known 
 of them, except that they were barbarians, and lived 
 in the northwest corner of the island, with Segesta 
 as their principal city. The modern Castellamere 
 represents the ancient city. The people were prob- 
 ably strangers from some other lands and settled 
 in that corner where they drove out the Sikan. or 
 where the Sikaus had never dwelt. 
 
 274. As there is no indication of any previous 
 people these three races may be considered the 
 primitive inhabitants of the land. Of their lan- 
 guages almost nothing is known of that of the Sikans, 
 one case ending only has come down to us of 
 the Elymean, and of the Sikels. we have a short 
 vocabulary. The other remains are their stone 
 paths to the hill-tops, and remnants of several build- 
 ings. 
 
 275. The next comers, and first colonizers in 
 Sicily, and of the world, were the Phoenicians. 
 These people came from Tyre and Sidon, and had 
 planted colonies all along the coast of the Great 
 Sea. The central position of the island was natur- 
 ally one of great consequence to them. Here was a 
 resting place midway between Gades in Spain and 
 the home center of Palestine. When did they first 
 come to the island? The only approach to such a 
 date is a statement of Thucidides, who says that the 
 Phoenicians came to trade with the Sikels,* there- 
 
 *Thuc. VI, 2.
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY 273 
 
 fore they were the first in the land, and the same 
 authority that the latter crossed from Italy in the 
 eleventh century B. C. ; they no doubt occupied the 
 islands and promontories with the good will of the 
 Sikels. Many of the more famous localities seem 
 from their names to have been first founded as fac- 
 tories by the Semites, even Syracuse itself and the 
 island of Ortygia being among them. But if this 
 was so, they quietly gave way to the Greeks, and 
 finally settled down among the Elymeans in the 
 northwest corner, where their power became strong, 
 and ultimately ofi^ensive. Their principal cities, 
 Motya, Ponormos and Solons Panormos, the modern 
 Palermo, which was always the chief city of the 
 Phoenicians in Sicily, and took the lead in all their 
 wars. 
 
 276. The Greek settlements in Sicily began in the 
 middle of the eighth century B. C. It is interesting 
 to note that the colonizing of Naxos, the first Greek 
 city, was accidental. Theokles, during one of his 
 voyages, was driven by adverse wind to the coast of 
 Sicily, and noting its richness of land and loveliness 
 of scenery, returned to Chalkis, his native Grecian 
 city, and brought colonists to found the town of 
 Naxos. It was built on a low, flat peninsula, north- 
 east of the great mass of Aetna, and was totally de- 
 stroyed by it in B. C. 403. Traces of the ancient re- 
 mains of the town can still be seen, and the general 
 line of the wall can yet be traced, sometimes actual 
 pieces of the wall still keeping their place. 
 
 277. In 734 the city of Corinth sent out a joint
 
 274 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 expedition, Avhieli founded the colonies of Korkyra 
 on the Illynan coast, and Syracuse in Sicily. Al- 
 though much has been told of the adventure of the 
 colonists from Greece, we know nothing of their 
 landing and settlement. 
 
 The site of Syracuse (i) was on an island close 
 to the eastern coast, near to the southeastern corner 
 of Sicily, and which contained the Spring of Are- 
 thusa (ii). It was joined to the main land hy a 
 mole, built by Dionysius. Its greatest length runs 
 north and south, and with a peninsula opposite it on 
 the south the two enclosed an inlet of the sea called 
 the Great Harbor. In the north of the island is a 
 smaller inlet named the Little Harbor. Here then 
 the Greeks planted their colony, founded the city 
 which was to become the most powerful of all cities. 
 
 i. Syracuse. The name is always applied to the city; 
 never to the island. As the word itself has no Greek 
 meaning, it is assumed to be older than the Greek settle- 
 ments. It is thought to have been given to the place by 
 the Phoenicians, and would thus mean, in the Semitic 
 language, eastern, and akin to Saracen. The Phoenicians 
 most probably had a factory there for trading with the 
 Sikels; and it is likely it was allowed to remain as the 
 city of Syracuse This seems likely, as in later history, 
 in spite of the wars between Carthage and Syracuse, 
 there was much peaceful intercourse between the two 
 cities. 
 
 ii. Fountain of Arethusa. This is the greatest of 
 many springs that bubble to the surface; and not far from 
 the shore, in the great harbor, another spring is said to 
 rise amidst the waters of the harbor itself. These two 
 si)rings have given rise to the following Sikel legend: 
 Arethusa, one of the attendant nymphs of Artemis, flees 
 from the pursuit of the river-god Alpheus. She is changed 
 by her mistress into pure water; she flows in and through 
 the waves of the sea, and to the land in the isle of Ortygia 
 and is followed by Alpheus.
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY 275 
 
 The Sikel inhabitants still lived on in the territory, 
 to become the tillers of the land for their foreign 
 masters. 
 
 278. The tide of Greek settlements now set in to- 
 wards the eastern coast of Sicily, and Syracuse soon 
 had neighbors to the north, some from old Greece, 
 and some from the colony in Sicily, that was older 
 than herself. Naxos had been settled by the lon- 
 ians and now spread itself out to the other locations. 
 Thus Leontinoi and Katane were founded, the for- 
 mer inland, and the latter by the sea. Leontinoi 
 was built on one of the largest and most fertile of 
 the plains of Sicily; it was built between two hills, 
 and extended up the hills themselves ; while Katane 
 rose up at the foot of Mount Aetna, and was de- 
 stroyed several times by lava and earthquake, and as 
 manj^ times rebuilt, upon the same site, and it exists 
 today under the name f^atania (iii). 
 
 279. Several other towns were founded along the 
 eastern coast, from Syracuse northward to Zankle, 
 afterwards called Messana, or Messina, its present 
 name. This was an important site, the nearest har- 
 bor to Italy, and was probably the place where the 
 
 iii. Pious Brethren. The most famous thing of the 
 early days of Katane is its legend. During the first re- 
 corded eruption of Aetna, two dutiful sons carried on their 
 shoulders, one his father, and the other his mother, from 
 the dangers of the flowing lava, which seems to have en- 
 closed them. The lava, however, parted on their approach, 
 and turned aside and so they were enabled to reach in 
 safety a spot known afterwards as the "Field of the Pious 
 Ones."
 
 276 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Sikels first landed from their raft, or whatever 
 brought them over from Italy. Its name, a Sikel 
 word, seems to indicate a Sikel settlement, which 
 probably existed there before the Grecian pirates 
 from K.yme. in Italy, expelled the inhabitants, and 
 settled down in their stead. Other Greeks came 
 from several points, and the colony was finally set- 
 tled about the last years of the eighth century. From 
 Zankle, the whole of the northwest corner was col- 
 onized, and continued under the domination of the 
 mother city. In the meantime Syracuse had taken 
 possession of, and planted colonies in the southwest 
 corner ; so that the whole of the eastern coast of 
 Sicily Avas, after forty-six years, in the hand of the 
 Ionian and Dorian Greeks. 
 
 280. Several cities were now founded along the 
 northern coast of Sicily, the most important of which 
 is Hemira. This was the furthest city on that 
 coast from the eastern coast, and being so near the 
 Phoenician and Elymian territory as to almost en- 
 croach upon them. But a far larger number of 
 cities, which were far more important, were in the 
 meantime being planted along the southern coast. 
 Among the principal of these cities may be men- 
 tioned Kamariua, Gela and Selinous. 
 
 281. It was the foundation of Gela, the first of 
 these Greek towns, that stirred up Syracuse to col- 
 onize the southeast corner, and thus make for itself 
 a southern as well as an eastern seaboard. Kama- 
 rina was the last of these colonies that was thus 
 planted. This was in B. C. 599. Sixty-six years
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY 277 
 
 after, seeking independence from its northern city, 
 there ensued between it and Syracuse, a war in which 
 both sides obtained alli(\s from the Greeks and Silcels. 
 The men of Kamarina were defeated and the town 
 obliterated. Gela was built upon the bank of the 
 river Gelas, a Sikel name so called on account of the 
 coldness of its waters, and became famous. It was- 
 destroyed after many centuries of prosperity, and 
 after a long' lapse of tinu', the present town of Ter- 
 renova was built upon its site. 
 
 282. The present city of Mazzana is built upon 
 the ancient city of Selinous. the farthest Greek city 
 on the southern coast. It was a large, fortified trad- 
 ing post, the nearest Greek city to Africa, and whose 
 territory adjoined those of the Phoenician and Ely- 
 mean, and with both of which people the city had 
 many and sharp conflicts. Once during its exist- 
 ence it was in league with its enemies against 
 Greece herself. Its life was short, lasting about two 
 hundred and twenty years. 
 
 283. The foundation of Akragas in B. C. 580 
 closes the j^eriod of Grecian colonization. Akragas 
 was built for an independent colony l)y Gela, close 
 to the sea, and stood on a hill between two rivers. It 
 had an acropolis on a lofty and isolated hill, from 
 which the town grew downwards ; and although it 
 never grew to be a naval power, it became rich and 
 {)owerful, and held the next place after Syracuse, to 
 which city it was some times a friend and some 
 times an enemy; ordinarily, however, it stood aloof 
 in sullen discontent, and only on s])pcial call to some
 
 278 HISTORY OP KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 common danger were the two cities found side by 
 side. The founders of the city, however, were the 
 Sikels, who were driven out and gradually forced 
 to other parts. 
 
 284. One more attempt at colonizing was made 
 by the Greeks, when about B. C. 580, Pentathlos, 
 with a company from Greece arrived at Lilybaiom 
 on the extreme western coast of Sicily. He found 
 that the men of Sileus and the Elymeans of Segesta 
 were at war, and he naturally gave help to his coun- 
 trymen. The Greeks were defeated and Pentathlos 
 was slain. His followers hurried away, and sailed 
 round the northern coast to what is now called the 
 Lipari Isles. Here they formed a kind of partnership 
 with the natives, and on the largest of the islands, 
 Liparu, they settled down and built their new city, 
 Liparu. Being a small island and not in the way 
 of the strife of nations, the city has been in existence 
 and inhabited from generation to generation from 
 that day to this. 
 
 Sicily, at the close of this period, was inhabited 
 by various races, of which the Greeks held the east- 
 ern portion, and a strip along the northern and 
 southern coasts. Mingling with them were the 
 Sikels, who became their slaves ; in the center of the 
 land dwelt the primitive inhabitants, the Sikens, 
 while the western third of the island was held by 
 the Phoenicians and their allies, the Elymeans. 
 
 For about one hundred years there was compara- 
 tive peace in the island, and then the Phoenician 
 cities came under the influence of Carthage. Up to
 
 THE ISLAND OF SICILY 
 
 279 
 
 this time no one city materially interfered with the 
 other, but all lived on terms of friendship. Although 
 the Greek cities were thoroughly independent, they 
 strengthened their hold on the country against the 
 neighboring Sikans and Sikels. Yet Syracuse was 
 easily the first city among them, and when the great 
 strife came and Carthage wished to have dominion 
 over Sicily, she was the only power that could and 
 did successfully resist the Carthaginians and ulti- 
 mately drove them out. But this belongs to the his- 
 tory of Syracuse, which will be found in the follow- 
 ing chapter.
 
 SICILY 
 
 Bride of the Sea and Mistress of the Sun, 
 
 Ravished and wronged, but ever loved the best — 
 Oh, weep for Sicily that lies undone. 
 
 Her children dead upon her withered breast. 
 Oh, weep for her whose beauty Homer sang. 
 
 Whose bosom knew a thousand lover's tears, 
 Whose smile to gain the world with battle rang, 
 
 And tides ran red through thrice a thousand years. 
 
 Of every sail the morning winds saw rise. 
 
 Of every spear and sword that served a King, 
 She was the best-loved, the fairest prize — 
 
 She that is now this broken, blackened thing, 
 Where crossed the trails she sat with luring lips, 
 
 Her breath like lemon-bloom when day is sped, 
 The wanton plaything of the wandering ships — 
 
 Oh, weep for Sicily that now lies dead. 
 
 They who long wooed her in the storied past, 
 
 Her lovers all, what would they say if now 
 They could but see how she lies prone at last, 
 
 Beaten and scared with black and bloody brow? 
 What would old Phoenician say to this. 
 
 That was the dream to which with life he clung — 
 Vandal and Goth that died upon her kiss. 
 
 And they who loved her when the world was 
 young ? 
 
 Her sun is set as e'en the proudest 's must. 
 
 But she has stood 'gainst wrath of sea and tire 
 Till Rome and Carthage humbled were in dust. 
 
 And Time had blasted Nineveh and Tyre. 
 Them that she warmed within her sunny heart. 
 
 Whose star and crescent and whose cross she wore. 
 They, too, are dead, and come not thus to part 
 
 With Sicilv, whose beautv is no more. 
 
 JOHN S. M'GROARTY.
 
 Cathedral Church, Syracuse 
 Formerly the Temple of Minerva-Athena
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE SETTLEMENT OF SYRACUSE 
 
 ''The hirgest and most beautiful of all the Greek Cities." 
 
 — Cicero 
 
 SYRACUSE 
 285. David H. Ritter, in "Jewels of Pythian 
 Knighthood," speaking of modern Syracuse, says: 
 "Leaving Reggio, (S. Italy) on a sunny morning in 
 May, with an Italian sky above, and riding on the 
 bosom of the bright blue waters of the Mediterranean 
 Sea, one sees the date and palm trees fading away 
 in the panorama before him. The turrets of the old 
 castles, or the rose covered villas of the present age, 
 gently lessen on his sight, until lost in the dim dis- 
 tances ; then turning his face southward he sees 
 looming up before him the city of Syracuse, from 
 whose orange groves and olive farms comes a de- 
 lightful aroma, borne along' on the zephyr-like breeze 
 and this coupled with the thought that he is near- 
 ing a place renowned in history as having been- 
 the birthplace of two men who gave to the world the 
 brightest manifestation of friendship known in the 
 annals of our kind, causes his heart to beat faster, 
 and he longs to debark."
 
 ♦284 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 286. Syracuse. M'ith its double harbor, the largest 
 in this section of the Mediterranean, and its massive 
 fortifications, was in the time of Damon and Pythias 
 the largest and most beautiful of all the Grecian 
 cities. It had a population of one hundred thousand 
 until it was destroyed by the Saracens in B. C. 878. 
 after sustaining a siege of over fifty years. The 
 modern city has now only about twenty thousand, 
 and is confined to the land that was once the island 
 of Ortygia, but now joined to the main land by a 
 causeway; and is only about a mile in length. It 
 formerly extended some distance north and east, in 
 the mainland of Sicily. Although the houses of the 
 Syracuse look old, the city of today has been almost 
 entirely rebuilt within the last four or five hundred 
 years. 
 
 287. There are, however, several buildings which 
 are not only of ancient date, but are interesting on 
 account of the romance that surrounds the sites upon 
 which they are built. The principal of these is its 
 cathedral, which is not only built upon the site of 
 the Temple of Athene or Minerva, but is built upon 
 its foundation, and contains also twenty-two of its 
 original pillars, which are imbedded in walls of the 
 church itself. There they have stood as they now 
 stand for over two thousand years. There are 
 thirteen on one side and nine on the other. The 
 Temple was built by the Syraciisans at the time they 
 were throwing out the colonies of Gala Kamarina. 
 Cicero says this temple was very beautiful and was 
 filled with multitudes of precious things. Its col-
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 285 
 
 iinms are thirty feet high and seven feet thick. The 
 cathederal is two hundred feet long by seventy-five 
 feet in width. 
 
 The Church of St. Paolo is built upon the site of 
 the Temple of Diana of which but two columns re- 
 nuiin, and some huge fragments, and the foundation 
 upon which they stood. 
 
 288. The Fountain of Arethusa. This was the 
 chief water supply of the island of Ortygia, and 
 was so named by the Sikels, and of which the fol- 
 lowing legend was given them. The spring bubbled 
 up near the waters of the Great Harbor; and near 
 by another fresh water spring came to the surface 
 in the water of the harbor itself; these two springs 
 gave rise to the story. Arethusa, one of the 
 nymphs of Artemis was pursued by the river god, 
 Alpheus in Peloponnesus. Her mistress changed 
 her into running water, and she runs under the 
 sea and finally comes to the surface again in Ortygia. 
 Alpheus follows but does not reach the land. It is 
 told us, in proof of this occurrence that cups, etc., 
 thrown into the stream in Peloponnesus have come 
 up in the Syracusans stream. The fountain now is 
 a very charming spot. 
 
 289. The Ear of Dionysius is a large spiral 
 cavern, cut in the rock ; about two hundred feet in 
 depth and seventy-five feet high and from fifteen 
 to thirty-five feet wide. The tradition is that 
 Dionysius had turned this cavern into a prison and 
 it was so constructed, that at an opening on the top, 
 he could hear all the conversation that took place
 
 286 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 within. It is said that the form of the cavern gives 
 it a great probability to the story. This cavern 
 formed one of the many branches of the stone 
 quarries excavated for building the city. 
 
 290. The Theatre of Dionysius, was one of the 
 largest of its kind. It was cut out of the solid rock, 
 and was of circular shape having a diameter of 
 nearly five hundred feet. Forty-three rows of seats 
 are still in existence, but the upper ones have 
 crumbled away. 
 
 291. The ancient city was founded by Archias, 
 a native of Corinth, in the year B. C- 734. This was 
 the second settlement in Sicily, and was destined to 
 become the greatest and wealthiest city of Europe 
 and although its splendor and greatness has passed 
 away, yet this city has alwa.ys been an inhabited 
 one, and has never suffered destruction as did 
 so many of her fellow Sicilian cities. 
 
 Previous to the Greek settlement, a Phoenician 
 city is thought to have been already in existence. 
 It is known that they had a factory or trading sta- 
 tion somewhere near, called Polichue, which con- 
 tained the Temple of Zeus, and that the register of 
 Syracusan citizens was kept there. It is hardly 
 possible that the citizens would keep this register in 
 any other city than their own. as they had to be 
 continually at war, to preserve their city from cap- 
 ture, and to build walls and forts to secure them- 
 selves from destruction. 
 
 292. From its start, S.yracuse was the head of all 
 Greek Sicilv and whether under a commonwealth,
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 287 
 
 tyraut or king, she retained this supremacy. She 
 was called upon to be the champion of Greece and 
 of Europe against the barbarians. The men of Syra- 
 cuse beat them back from their walls, and fought 
 them on their own lands ; and at last after a glorious 
 career of sixteen hundred years, as a Greek, a Roman, 
 a Christian city, Syracuse was overwhelmed by the 
 hordes of Arabs, under Mahomet, and the "greatest 
 colony of Greece," the abiding outpost of Rome, at 
 last bowed down to a Semiitic master. The city soon 
 lost its influence and high office and never again be- 
 came the head of Sicily in any later stage of its his- 
 tory. 
 
 There was at Syracuse, and most probably at the 
 other colonies, a general assembly of all the land 
 owners, as well as a smaller body, the composition 
 of which is not known. We hear, however, of this 
 Senate in a quarrel that is related of two young men 
 of the then ruling class ; so fierce was this that the in- 
 habitants took part in it, the land owners taking the 
 part of one and the traders the other. One Senator 
 advised the banishment of both, but this advice was 
 not followed and a fight ensued. The trader-citizens 
 called to their assistance the Sikels, who were the 
 laborers or serfs of the land owners, and together 
 they overthrew the land-owners' government and 
 held Syracuse for themselves. They then formed the 
 first democratic government in Sicily. This event 
 took place in the fifth century, B. C. 
 
 293. The first thought of the citizens of Syracuse 
 aftei- having secured their citv from outside at-
 
 288 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tack and developed a steady government, was to 
 throw out outposts covering the whole southeast 
 corner of the island ; colonies were therefore planted 
 at Aerae, Casmenae, and Kamarina, and thus this 
 corner was secured to the dominion of Syracuse. 
 Kamarina, however, was destroyed afterwards on 
 account of a revolution to throw off the Syracusan 
 yoke. 
 
 294. The second period of its history begins in 
 the fifth century, and Syracuse begins to assert its 
 supremacy. In the beginning of this century, the 
 city of Gela, with Hippocrates as tyrant was the 
 chief power in Sicily. Among other cities he 
 threatened Syracuse, but was bought off by the in- 
 tervention of Corinth and the ceding of the territory 
 of the destroyed Kamarina. In the meantime a re- 
 volt occurred in Syracuse itself. The plebs, the Gre- 
 cian inhabitants who arrived after the settlement of 
 the city, and who were denied the franchise, though 
 free, becoming dissatisfied with their position, rose 
 in insurrection to drive out the landowners and 
 rulers, who were descendants of the original settlers. 
 The Sikels, who had become serfs, joined with plebs, 
 and called to their aid from, the city of Gelon, the 
 successor of Hippocrates, who took the city without 
 opposition and made it the seat of his power. He 
 gave citizenship to the plebs and all their followers. 
 and increased the population of the city by drafting 
 into it the inhabitants of other cities. This rule was 
 mild and just and he became famous, and by his
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 289 
 
 victory over the Cathaginians was proclaimed 
 champion of Hellas. 
 
 295. After the death of Gelon, the city seems to 
 have been in the state of troubles and turmoils. 
 Hiero ruled for a short time, when the power passed 
 to his brother, Thrasybulus, who was driven out the 
 next year. He, with the mercenaries, to whom Hip- 
 pocrates had given freedom, shut themselves up in 
 the fortified portion of Ortygia. The Greeks and 
 Sikels of the mainland portion of the city compelled 
 him to surrender, and Syracuse again had peace and 
 a purely democratic government was then organized. 
 In B. C. 461, the mercenaries again revolted, having 
 been shut out from office, and again obtained the 
 possession of the fortress of Ortygia ; they were 
 finally conquered, and expelled from the city alto- 
 gether. 
 
 296. Peace once more held the reins, but not for 
 long. The Peloponnesian war broke out in Greece 
 and soon brought into action the adherents of both 
 sides in Sicily. In B. C. 427 a quarrel took place 
 between Syracuse, Leontinoi and their allies. Leon- 
 tini, on account of their Ionian kindredship, called 
 on Athens for help. Nothing of material consequence 
 occurred until the year B. C. 415, when Athens, 
 replying to the call for help, strange to say, from the 
 Elymean city of Segesta, sent a fleet to lay siege to 
 Syracuse. The Syracusans were totally unprepared 
 and M'^ere at enmity among themselves; and more- 
 over they had a traitor in their midst, who was in 
 constant communication with their enemy ; their 
 
 10
 
 290 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 final deliverance was due to a piece of extraordinary 
 good fortune. Had Athen at once attacked the city, 
 Syracuse must have fallen into its hand; but owing 
 to the vacillating, and blundering of her general, 
 Nicias, she lost her opportunity, and during the 
 two years of siege her ships moving in and out of 
 the harbor, did nothing to further her cause. The 
 Syracusans took heart, organized their troops, built 
 massive walls and effectually barred the enemies' ap- 
 proach, and pushed back the invading lines. This at 
 last aroused the Athenians, who by a well concerted 
 attack by land and sea, destroyed all the works of 
 the Syracusans, and drove them back into the town. 
 The Syracusans became despondent of success and 
 even spoke of surrender. 
 
 297. The Athenians, however, neglected to take 
 full advantage of their success, and failed to shut off 
 the northeastern pass; and Gylippus was thus en- 
 abled to bring reinforcements from Carthage. This 
 greatl.y encouraged the people, and when soon after 
 a small fleet from the same city arrived in the little 
 harbor, bringing tidings of a great fleet being al- 
 ready on its way to the relief of the city, it lifted 
 the Syracusans from the depth of despondency to the 
 height of confidence. The military skill of Gylippus 
 enabled the Syracusan troops to meet the Athenians 
 on equal terms, and to drive them from one forti- 
 fication to another, so that they themselves became 
 the besieged instead of the besiegers, and we hear 
 of nothing but defeats until the end of the war. This 
 occurred in B. C. 413. After the Athenian navy h"d
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 291 
 
 been thoroughly defeated and half destroyed. Of 
 the forty thousand Athenians, that composed the 
 army only about seven thousand remained; they 
 were either set free or sold as slaves ; all the generals, 
 however, were put to death. 
 
 298. This victory put new life into the Syracusans, 
 and we next hear of their fleet under Hermokrates 
 taking part in the war between Sparta and Athens, 
 off the coast of Asia. While Hermokrates was away. 
 Diodes became the head of affairs at home, and 
 under his influence Hermokrates was banished in 
 B. C. 409. He soon after came back to Sicily, and 
 engaged in war with Carthage. In B. C. 407, he 
 endeavored to enter his native city, but in the fight 
 that ensued he was killed and with him was wounded 
 a young man, Dionysius, who became the most noted 
 man of the times. Hermocrates began his rule in 413 
 B. C. and governed as a mild aristocracy, and dur- 
 ing his banishment this government was succeeded 
 by a democracy under Diodes, under this rule 
 both Damon and Pythias held positions of trust, 
 and on his death, Dionysius began to overthrow 
 democracy, watched by Damon. 
 
 299. Dionysius was the son of another Hermo- 
 crates and a member of the aristocratic party, 
 but afterwards joined the demagogues, though he 
 still managed to obtain support among men of high 
 rank, among whom was Philistus the historian. The 
 Carthaginians now set out with 100,000 men to at- 
 tempt the conquering of Sicily, under Hannibal and 
 Hamilton and lay siege to Akragas. This city was the
 
 292 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 second in power and perhaps the first in riches. An 
 army of thirty thousand men was sent from Syra- 
 cuse, Gela and other cities, which defeated the troops 
 sent to oppose them. For some reason the Greek 
 generals both Akragentines and allies refused to at- 
 tack the enemy. A tumult ensued and the generals 
 were accused of bribery, those of Akragus were put 
 to death ; and for one reason and another the al- 
 lies marched off, leaving Akragas to its fate. Soon 
 after the food supply of the city failed, the defense 
 given up, and the city itself forsaken. Forty 
 thousand inhabitants, men, women and children, 
 left the city at night, to seek new homes. The old, 
 feeble and sick together with those who would not 
 leave were left behind, some of whom sought ref- 
 uge in the Temple of Athene. The next morning 
 the Carthaginian entered the city, slew the remain- 
 ing inhabitants. Immense quantities of rich spoil 
 was sent to Carthage, especially pictures and stat- 
 uary. Thus Akragas fell after a siege of eight 
 months. 
 
 300. The siege of Akragas had an important in- 
 fluence upon the future of Syracuse. Among those 
 who were sent to its help was Dionysius, the young 
 wounded soldier who escaped when Hermocrates 
 was slain. When the charge of bribery was brought 
 up against the Syracuse generals, Dionysius strongly 
 supported the charge. In some way during his speech, 
 he several times broke the rules of the Assembly, 
 and was as many times fined. But he had a friend 
 among the audience, the historian, Philistos, who
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 293 
 
 paid the fines, and told him to go on; as often "as 
 the magistrates fined him, so often he would pay the 
 fine for him, ' ' we are told. The vote was passed de- 
 posing the generals, and others were chosen, Dionys- 
 ius being one of them. The Carthaginians next at- 
 tacked Gela. There was a Syracusan army there, 
 but a cry for help went out, and Dionysius was sent 
 with another army. By a series of falsehoods and 
 trickeries, Dionysius had the Gela generals con- 
 demned to death, the others deposed and himself 
 made general with full power. Thus he prepared 
 to usurp the tyranny. His next step was for its 
 outward sign, a body guard. This he obtained by 
 bribing some forty of his men, who voted him a 
 guard of six hundred; this he raised himself to one 
 thousand. He was now "Tyrant." He married the 
 daughter of his old captain, Hermocrates. Gela, 
 and Kamarina were both left to the mercy of the 
 enemy, and those of the inhabitants that could, fled 
 to Syracuse. Not a city was left to the Greeks along 
 the whole southern coast of Sicily. In revenge for 
 this desertion of Dionysius, his house was burned 
 and his wife shamefully illused. But on the arrival 
 of Dionysius, he fully revenged himself upon his 
 enemies by slaying and banishing all who opposed 
 him. and became fully master of Syracuse ; and he 
 who complained so bitterly of the other generals, 
 had done worse than they. He had betrayed every- 
 thing; and the treaty that followed gave Carthage 
 full power in the island, except over the Sikels, Mes- 
 sana and Leontini. The price was a guarantee to
 
 294 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 Dionysius of his dominion over Syracuse. His object 
 was to so strengthen himself, that when he did again 
 attack the power of Carthage, he would be able to 
 set the whole of Sicily free. This he did to a great 
 extent. 
 
 301. The reign of Dionysius will be given more 
 fully in the next article. For eight years peace ruled 
 in the land and Syracuse was prepared for the great 
 future that soon was to alter its destiny ; though 
 Dionysius was never lord over the whole of Sicily 
 yet, he became nearer being such than any had done 
 before, and his power extended beyond the island. 
 He made Syracuse the greatest city of Europe ; his 
 army was a great advance in the military art, his 
 navy the largest and most powerful that had pre- 
 viously been known. His long reign covers a great 
 space in the history of Greece, and at its close, he 
 was the leader and most powerful of all the Grecian 
 chieftains. 
 
 During the first eight years of his reign, he began 
 by fortifying and building places for his own defense, 
 turning the island (Ortygia) into one large fortress, 
 and then by putting down a rebellion of the Sikels and 
 uniting with Corinth during the Peloponnesian war 
 in Greece, obtained for him a name and power for 
 which he had long been waiting. He was now ready 
 for the Carthaginians with whom he successfully 
 waged four wars, but did not entirely drive them out 
 of the land, but so crippled them, that they tinally re- 
 tired to the northwest corner of the island.
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 295 
 
 302. Dionysiiis was succeeded by his son Dionys- 
 ius, the Younger. He was a sou of Dionysius' Ital- 
 ian wife and was twenty years of age when he began 
 his rule. Having been generally kept shut up in his 
 father's palace, and having no share or practice in 
 political or military affairs, he was consequently a 
 a w^eak minded man, and easily led. He lost all his 
 father had gained, and for the first seven years the 
 tyranny became a hot bed of revolts and revolutions. 
 Dion, the brother of Dionysius' Syracusan wife, an 
 able man, and good soldier, tried to make the 
 younger Dionysius rule well, and even to make the 
 tyranny into a constitutional kingdom and for this 
 purpose induced Plato to come to Sicily as an ad- 
 visor; but Dion was banished. He went to Greece 
 and there managed to raise a small force for the 
 deliverance of Syracuse from the misrule of Dionys- 
 ius the Younger ; and during the absence of Dionys- 
 ius, Dion succeeded in taking the whole of the city 
 except the fortified island, to which fortress Dionys- 
 ius returned and shut himself up. Dion incurred 
 the displeasure of the Syracusans, by refusing to at- 
 tack the fortress; and on the arrival of Herakleides 
 from Greece, wnth a number of ships and men, Her- 
 akleides was made general and Dion retired with 
 his army to Leontini. The Syracusans now at- 
 tacked the fortress and a naval victory followed 
 while Dionysius was landing provisions for his garri- 
 son. During the debauch that followed, the mercen- 
 aries from the fort entered the city, plundered it, 
 slaying all they met, and set fire to the houses.
 
 296 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 Dion was recalled and once more saved the city. 
 Dionysius was in turn banished; but when, soon after 
 Dion was slain, he returned. It was during this ban- 
 ishment, that he entertained the Greek historians 
 with the account which they give us of the story 
 of Damon and Pythias. The state of affairs became 
 worse and worse ; their old enemy Carthage again 
 threatened destruction and a cry went to Corinth 
 for help. Timoleon was then sent to Syracuse. After 
 a forced war, the Carthaginians were once more de- 
 feated, order was restored and peace was again as- 
 sured. Nearly the whole of Sicily was now in the 
 hand of the Greeks. Timoleon retired into private 
 life, but was the chief adviser of the state, and on 
 his death a splendid monument was raised to his 
 memory. 
 
 303. About twenty years after this, Agathocles 
 became King of Syracuse, with the help of the Car- 
 thaginian Hamilcar; and Sicily again passed 
 through another reign of terror and disorder. 
 Agathocles died in B. C. 289, and for some time revo- 
 lutions and despotisms reigned supreme. 
 
 In B. C. 270 Hiero II. became king, reigning for 
 fifty years, and during his time Syracuse enjoyed 
 peace and prosperity. His rule was simple and just. 
 He made his people contented by giving them em- 
 ployment. Public works were started, fortifications 
 built, the harbors improved, and temples erected, 
 and the people enjoyed a large share of self govern- 
 ment. Eome had now become a great power and 
 Hiero became her firm friend and helped her against
 
 HISTORY OF THE SYRACUSE 
 
 297 
 
 their common enemy, the Carthaginians. It was the 
 breaking of this friendship with Rome that brought 
 the independence of Sicily to an end. Hieronymus, 
 the grandson of Hiero II., allied himself with Car- 
 thage, and in the war that followed Carthage was 
 defeated, Sicily taken, together with Syracuse, its 
 chief city, and Sicily made a province of Rome.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE REIGN OF DIONYSIUS THE ELDER 
 
 ^^ Great souls are not those vhich have less passion or more 
 
 virtue than cojnnio>i souls, but those only ivhich have 
 
 greater designs.'' 
 
 — La Rochefoncould 
 
 VERY little is known of the early life of Dionys- 
 ius, as he began life as an obscure private citi- 
 zen of Syracuse. He was the sou of Hermokrates 
 (not the tyrant of that time), and was born about 
 the year B. C. 430. Diodorus Siculus tells us that 
 he began his active life as a clerk in some public 
 office, but this quiet, humdrum work uot suiting his 
 restless spirit, he soon entered the area of politics 
 by taking part in the discussions that followed the 
 siege of Syracuse and the destruction of the Athen- 
 ean expedition. He then entered the Syracusan 
 army under the tyrant Hermokrates, with whom he 
 fought several battles, and faithfully served. We 
 find him following the fortunes of Hermokrates 
 after his banishment from Syracuse, and later, when 
 the tyrant tried to make a forcible entry into the city 
 and Avas killed in the attempt, Dionysius was still
 
 REIGN OF DIONYSIUS 299 
 
 with him. and, though wounded, managed to make 
 his escape. Next he is found with the army sent to 
 relieve Akragas. We have seen in the previous 
 articles how he obtained the dismissal of the gen- 
 erals, and had himself appointed in their stead, and 
 how he ultimately made himself the ruler of Syra- 
 cuse. 
 
 305. Dionysius, then, was now tyrant of Syra- 
 cuse, and though several attempts were made to get 
 rid of him, he remained so to the end of his life. He 
 ruled the city for thirty-eight years, and so great 
 was his power that he was enabled, after his death, 
 to hand the tyrannj' to his son. Although he never 
 stopped at any means by which he could accomplish 
 his purpose, it does not appear that he took delight 
 in. or indulged in any wanton oppression, but 
 strictly kept himself from all those excesses that 
 were the means of overthrowing many tyrants. He 
 was the greatest ruler Europe had ever known ; his 
 power extended over nearly all Sicily and a large 
 portion of southern Italy. He made Syracuse the 
 largest and most powerful city in the whole of Eu- 
 rope. The thirty-eight years in his reign cover a 
 great space in European history, extending from the 
 latter part of the Peloponnesian War to the rising 
 of the power of Philip of Macedon. During the first 
 eight years he kept peace with Carthage, and 
 strengthened his power in Syracuse and Sicily by 
 building and fortifying. During his reign a great 
 advance had been made in the military art, both in 
 the machine and handling of the different branches
 
 300 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 of the arm}'. He employed a great number of mer- 
 cenaries in his army, who were chiefly Italians. 
 
 306. By the treaty with Carthage, after the de- 
 sertion of Gela, Dionysius was left with only Syra- 
 cuse, with its immediate neighborhood, to rule over; 
 the former, however, held dominion over most of 
 the rest of Sicily. For eight years he kept the peace 
 patiently waiting until he could throw over his gall- 
 ing yoke. The whole island of Syracuse he forti- 
 fied, built two castles, one on the isthmus, and the 
 other at the southern point ; he built a wall between 
 it and the mainland, lie made his dwelling in the 
 northern castle, and allowed no one but his most in- 
 timate friends and his mercenary soldiers to live on 
 the island. 
 
 307. This peace was broken by the revolt of the 
 Sikel inhabitants of the mainland portion of his dom- 
 ination (B. C. 404-403). These people obtained the 
 help of the horsemen of Mt. Aetna and besieged 
 Dionysius' stronghold. Several of his mercenaries 
 deserted him on being promised citizenship by the 
 rebels. This desertion was nearly the ruin of the 
 tyrant. The Sikels attacked the island both by land 
 and sea, having obtained ships from Phegion and 
 Messana. In this extremity, however, Dionysius 
 asked help from the Campanians in Italy, gaining 
 time by pretending to negotiate, and promising to 
 go away with all his belongings in five days. The be- 
 siegers, therefore, gave up their watchfulness and 
 sent their Aetna allies home, so that when help did 
 arrive Dionysius easily defeated the rebels.
 
 REIGN OF DIONYSIUS 301 
 
 308. Having further strengthened himself by 
 more fortifications, and hiring a larger force of 
 Italian mercenaries, Dionysius threw up the treaty 
 of Carthage and began his work of conquests. He 
 first drove away the refugee horsemen from Aetna, 
 and then raised the old feud of Doric against Ionian, 
 to give him a pretext to attack the Ionian city. He 
 led his army to Naxos and Katane, took those cities 
 by treachery and sold their people into slavery. 
 Naxos he utterly destroyed and gave its lauds to 
 neighboring Sikels. Katane he settled with Campan- 
 ian mercenaries: Leontini surrendered and became 
 an outpost of Syracuse ; its inhabitants were sent to 
 Syracuse, where they received citizenship. Having 
 brought a large population into the city, his next 
 step was to protect the mainland portion of it. For 
 this purpose he built walls, forts and castles entirely 
 around the hill, upon the southwestern slopes of 
 which the city was built. About this time he founded 
 a ncAv city at the foot of Mt. Aetna, which has been 
 inhabited ever since, and now called Aderno. There 
 was now only one free Greek city between him and 
 the Carthaginians — Messena. To strengthen his in- 
 fluence with Italy he sought a wife from among the 
 Italians. The Rhegines refused him, but the city of 
 Lokroi gave him the daughter of its chieftain, Doris, 
 who was married to him the same day he married 
 his Syracusan wife, Aristomaehe. He treated them 
 both with equal honor, and by both he had children. 
 His successor, Dionysius the Younger, was the son 
 of Doris.
 
 302 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 309. All this time the tyrant was gradually pre- 
 paring to drive the Carthaginians from Sicily, and 
 free the Greek cities held by them. He hired mer- 
 cenaries, built larger ships, having five tiers of oars, 
 besides a great number of the usual size with three 
 tiers ; he invented the catapult for throwing great 
 stones ; he drilled his troops to act in concert. When 
 all was ready he sent to Carthage and demanded the 
 freedom of all the Greek cities of Sicily. Without 
 waiting for an answer, he gave permission to the 
 Syracusans to put to death all Carthaginians found 
 within the city. In other towns there was also an 
 uprising against Carthage ; and thus the first Punic 
 War commenced (B. C. 397). The first point of at- 
 tack was Motya, an island of the west of Sicily, 
 and a great stronghold of Carthage. This city was 
 taken after a stubborn resistance, its .... slaves, 
 and the . . soldiers. The next year Carthage put out 
 Jier full strength for the war. Himilkon brought a 
 large ariay, and won back all that Dionysius had 
 taken, driving the Greeks eastward. He then founded 
 a new town on the mainland, forsaking Motya alto- 
 gether. Selybaion, the new city, soon became an ex- 
 ceedingly strong fortress ; under the name of Mar- 
 sala it still exists and is the chief seat of the Sicilian 
 wine trade. 
 
 310. Himilkon then sailed round the northern 
 coast and attacked Messana, having first compelled 
 the islanders of Lipara to pay a tribute of thirty tal- 
 ents. The horsemen of the city were with Dionys-
 
 REIGN OF DIONYSIUS 303 
 
 ius, SO that the city was easily taken by Himilkon, 
 who, having destroyed the town, marched to Syra- 
 cuse. A sea fight took place in which the Syracusan 
 fleet was destroyed. Over one hundred ships and 
 two thousand men were thus lost to Dionysius; the 
 city itself was then besieged by land and sea. Peti- 
 tions for help were immediately sent to Sparta and 
 Corinth. In the meantime Himilkon ravaged the 
 country, desecrated the temples and destroyed the 
 tombs of Gelon and Damarata. Thirty ships arrived 
 from Greece and Italy ; a pestilence broke out in the 
 Carthaginian camp, from which many died, and a 
 general attack was made by land and water. The 
 enemies' fleet was defeated, and although many forts 
 were taken, the camp of Himilkon held its own. On 
 payment of a large sum of money, he was allowed 
 to withdraw w4th all his Carthaginians, leaving his 
 allies in camp to the mercy of the Syracusans. They 
 were sold as slaves except the Spaniards, who en- 
 tered the service of Dionysius. 
 
 311. After many battles, in which he was not 
 always successful, Dionysius in B. C. 391 gained the 
 height of his power in Sicily. All Greek cities were 
 under his supremacy ; he commanded the whole east- 
 ern coast, and the greater part of the northern and 
 southern coasts; the Sikels were either his subjects 
 or allies ; and as he was at peace with Carthage, he 
 gave his attention to Italy. In B. C. 390 he attacked 
 Rhegium, but was defeated. The next year after 
 defeating most of the southern towns and setting 
 the inhabitants free, he made peace with them. But
 
 304 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Kanlonia and Rhegium he served in a different man- 
 ner. The siege of the latter town was still going on, 
 when a message for mercy wan received from the in- 
 habitants. He spared them for the present, on re- 
 ceiving one hundred hostages and their fleet of sev- 
 enty ships. When Kanlonia was taken he destroyed 
 it and gave its lands to the Lokrans, his wife 's people, 
 and transported the inhabitants to Syracuse, giving 
 them citizenship, and exempting them from taxes 
 for five years. 
 
 But his enmity against Rhegium was still smolder- 
 ing in his breast, and he soon found means to break 
 his treaty. He demanded of his hostages provisions 
 for his army, promising to return an equal amount 
 when he arrived at Syracuse. For two or three days 
 the provisions arrived, but on seeing no signs of his 
 departure, pleading sickness and other excuses, the 
 supply was stopped. This Avas treated as a wrong 
 done by the Rhegines, so sending his hostages back 
 to the city, he besieged it. After a long siege, the 
 city was starved into surrendering. The inhabitants 
 were transported to Syracuse, where those who could 
 pay the ransom were liberated and the rest sold. 
 Their general and his family were drowned. During 
 the peace that followed Dionysius sent some poems 
 to Delphi, but so great was their hatred of him, the 
 judges would not hear them. Afterwards they 
 gained some inferior prize, and later, the first prize. 
 There is no doubt that Dionysius was a poet of some 
 merit. 
 
 Having by this victory gained control over
 
 REIGN OP DIONYSIUS 305 
 
 Grecian Italy, he next turned his attention to the 
 Adriatic Sea, where he gained some power, but, on 
 account of trying to carry his arms into Greece itself, 
 he was stopped. Then was begun the second Funic 
 war in which the Carthaginians were defeated and 
 obliged to sue for peace ; but while negotiations were 
 going on, Carthage sent a powerful army, and this 
 time Dionysius was defeated; and peace was only 
 concluded upon his paying a thousand talents, and 
 giving up to Carthage, Selinus and its territory, 
 and a large part of Akragas. 
 
 312. The long and in many respects brilliant 
 reign of thirty years is brought to a close by the 
 death of Dionysius, the tyrant, in B. C. 367. The 
 cause of his death was a strange one. For some 
 time he had been striving for the literary prize 
 at Athens, and now for the first time his tragedy 
 was worthy of it. News of his success was brought 
 to him, and so great was his pleasure that he offered 
 sacrifices to his gods and indulged in such excess 
 of wine that a fever followed, from the effects of 
 which he died. 
 
 313. To form some idea of the character of 
 Dionysius, the tyrant, we should not too hastily 
 gather up all his ill deeds and call him bad, but the 
 state of the civilization of the times in which he 
 lived must necessarily be taken into consideration. 
 In the first place, the title of sovereignty which he 
 bore, viz: "Tyrant," has, more than anything else, 
 given him the bad character so generally applied 
 to him. This should be left out entirely, as the word
 
 306 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 is simply a title, and means simply a ruler with cer- 
 tain powers, in exactly the same sense as the mod- 
 ern titles of president, king or emperor. It never 
 had, until later times, the bad meaning that the 
 word now has. We must remember that the civili- 
 zation attained by the ancient Greeks was not the 
 civilization of today. Man acts according to his 
 knowledge, and what would be looked upon now 
 as acts of cruelty would be thought in those times 
 as an ordinary and natural occurrence ; and in this 
 respect we must be more charitable in forming our 
 opinion of the character of Dionysius. Now we 
 know that there are bad and good rulers, and that 
 there were rulers of the baser sort in those days to 
 whom our modern word tyrant applies ; yet, taking 
 all the facts of his life, from what we learn of the 
 history given us, that the great city of Syracuse 
 became renowned, prosperous, as well as the first 
 city of the world in wealth and power, and through 
 the energy and resistless power of Dionysius him- 
 self, it became the seat of learning, drawing toward 
 it the great philosophers of the times, including 
 Plato, Pythagoras ; and that it was the rival of 
 glorious Athens, a city in which art, science and lit- 
 erature were the prominent features; therefore we 
 should give the full credit to Dionysius for placing 
 Syracuse upon the pinnacle of fame, second only to 
 Athens. Nor could he have done this were his rule 
 so generally hate,d as is thought. Where there is 
 prosperity there is happiness ; where there is fame 
 there is loyalty. Now was Dionysius as cruel and
 
 REIGN OF DIONYSIUS 307 
 
 unrelenting as many writers, old and new, claim of 
 him to be? "He was powerful," says P. S. C. 
 Davis of Colorado. "We know that the times in 
 which he lived, in order that a city or community 
 be prosperous (and to be prosperous is to be happy 
 in a case like this) had to be governed by a ruler 
 who could and did rule with an iron hand the popu- 
 lace at a time when vacillation and wavering mean 
 ruin to the prosperity of Syracuse. ' ' We know, too, 
 that he patronized art and sciences. He was a writer 
 himself and one of great merit, having obtained 
 first prize for his tragedy at the Olympian games. 
 He also was an inventor, for he invented and built 
 several war machines, the chief of which was the 
 catapult. (Archimedes, the inventor of the Archi- 
 medean drill, lived and worked during this reign.) 
 He was open to conviction, as exemplified by the 
 history in the case of Damon and Pythias. Time 
 and again he stopped the massacre of his conquered 
 enemies ; and often, not only gave them a new home, 
 but made them citizens of Syracuse. Taking all of 
 these things into consideration, we should think 
 more favorably of this great ruler; and should pro- 
 claim that his dealings with men do not deserve the 
 encomiums bestowed by historians, nearly so much 
 as do those of many men whom we worship as 
 heroes.
 
 Statue of an Unknown Senator
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS IN FICTION AND HISTORY 
 
 "As the sacred temples are the places of religions rites, so the 
 
 faithful hearts of such men are like temples filled by a 
 
 special dii inc influence.'''' 
 
 — Valerius Maxinius 
 
 WHEN Dionysius the younger was compelled 
 to leave Syracuse, a fugitive, he went to re- 
 side in Corinth, Greece ; and while there he came in 
 contact with and was known to the most noted per- 
 sons of that land. Several of these had visited Syra- 
 cuse during both his father's and his own reign, and 
 had become acquainted with him there. But irre- 
 spective of all this, the ruler of the most powerful 
 city of the world, even though an exile, would nat- 
 urally be sought for and looked upon with at least 
 curiosity. Among those who became his friends 
 was Aristoxenus, an historian of great repute, 
 whose works have since been destroyed, but we 
 know of them by their being quoted by numerous 
 contemporaries and later writers. Among his his- 
 torical writings was the story of Damon and Pyth- 
 ias. Thus we have an eminent historian, residing in
 
 310 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 another country and living contemporaneously with 
 the fact, and bearing witness to its truth, for "Aris- 
 toxenus had it from the lips of the younger Diouys- 
 ius."* 
 
 315. Philistus, the friend and advisor of Dionys- 
 ius the elder, was also one of the most noted his- 
 torians of this age. He wrote the history of Sicily 
 from its earliest times to the fifth year of the reign 
 of the younger Uionysius, and must have been an 
 eye-witness to the Pythian and Damon episode. His 
 works have been lost for a thousand years, and al- 
 though as Judge Cowley, Past Grand Chancellor of 
 Illinois, says, "They have not been quoted by any 
 author since the sack of Syracuse by the Saracens 
 in the year 878 of our era." yet, "they were read by 
 Cicero, by Diodorus Siculus, and by Valerius Maxi- 
 mus, who have preserved the records of this epi- 
 sode and transmitted them to us."** 
 
 Thus we have two contemporary writers attest- 
 ing to the truth of the story upon which the Order 
 ■of Knights of Pythias has been founded. 
 
 THE STORY IN FICTION 
 
 316. Besides the historic accounts which have 
 been preserved to us, and which will hereafter ap- 
 pear in full, there are several fictional accounts 
 given by writers of more modern times. The first 
 to be mentioned was that written by a Frenchman. 
 Larousse, who gives the short, truthful story as re- 
 
 *Grote's History of Greece. 
 
 **Jewels of Pythian Knighthood (Van Valkenberg).
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 311 
 
 lated in the historic versions, but concludes with 
 these words, "Full of admiration of such conduct, 
 Dionysius pardoned the condemned and requested 
 the two philosophers to admit him as a third party 
 to their friendship. But, according to the account 
 of Aristoxenus, to whom Dionysius himself related 
 the history, when he became master of the School 
 of Corinth, he could not obtain that favor." That 
 he was connected with the philosophical school at 
 Corinth, in the capacity of its teacher, there can be 
 no doubt. 
 
 317. Another account is given by an Italian 
 writer, Francisco Louve, in his fourth "Novella." 
 This writer makes Pythias a young and ardent 
 youth, who in the midst of the universal fear, in- 
 spired by the cruel reign of Dionysius, dared to 
 utter his indignation upon some recent act of the 
 tyrant. This was reported by spies ; he was arrested 
 and thrown into prison. Damon, "an excelled 
 youth," who loved Pythias as himself, visited him 
 and besought the facts of the case. Pythias ack- 
 nowledged that he could not restrain himself, that 
 he was sure of death, and only regretted it on ac- 
 count ' ' of my aged father, my wife and my two chil- 
 dren." Damon went away, and wishing to be of 
 some help to his friend he could think of nothing 
 but of asking for a short respite for Pythias to en- 
 able him to visit his family, while he, Damon, would 
 offer himself as a surety for his friend's return. 
 Astonished by this unusual request, and curious to 
 see the result, Dionysius granted a reprieve of two
 
 312 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 days. Pythias at first hesitated about accepting the 
 offer, but finally consented and departed, leaving 
 Damon in prison in his stead. The third day arrived 
 v^rithout the return of the condemned, and Damon 
 was rejoiced, thinking his friends had persuaded 
 him to escape. Dionysius, believing a trick had been 
 played upon him, ordered the execution of Damon ; 
 and, that he might witness it himself, had his throne 
 erected on a market place, where he seated him- 
 self surrounded by his guards. Thankful that his 
 friend was safe, Damon, calm and composed, was 
 ready for the sacrifice, when the cry of "hold, hold" 
 was heard and Pythias came rushing into their 
 midst. Turning to the tyrant, he explained his de- 
 lay ; he said his aged father had expired from grief 
 in his presence, that his wife and children clung to 
 him, and finally, that he had lost himself in the 
 woods on his way, so that he was afraid he would 
 be too late. Damon, however, still begged to be ex- 
 ecuted, contending that his friend had not arrived 
 in time. Dionysius was so overcome that he par- 
 doned the condemned and asked to be admitted into 
 their friendship. 
 
 318. Damon and Pythias, or the "Triumph of 
 Friendship," is another modern work, and is the 
 title of a drama written by Chappuzeau and played 
 in the theater of Marcus, Paris, near the end of the 
 year 1656. In this play, Damon and Pythias, lords 
 of Thessaly, met at the court of Dionysius in Syra- 
 cuse, and each fell in love with some Syracusan 
 maiden. Pythias, however, had a rival, and was at-
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 313. 
 
 tacked by him. In the fight that followed the rival 
 was killed and Pythias condemned to death. 
 
 319. Another comedy was written by M. C. 
 Marquis de Belloy, and put upon the stage in May^ 
 1847. This obtained great notoriety. Its characters 
 are four, Dionysius, Damon, Pythias and a beautiful 
 slave named Charmion. The story told in this 
 drama is entirely different from any of the others. 
 Here Charmion, wishing to drive melancholy away 
 from the thoughts of Dionysius, diverts them to the 
 friendship of Damon and Pythias, which she wishes 
 to prove. She visits Pythias in prison, and, under 
 the threat of giving her love to Damon, persuades 
 him to substitute Damon in his place and fly with 
 her. Damon takes the place of his friend, the more 
 willingly because he was thus able to extricate him- 
 self from his relations with Charmion. The latter 
 proposes that Damon sign the verses that were the 
 cause of his friend's imprisonment. This he refuses 
 to do, because he would not let Dionysius think his 
 writings were so inferior. Dionysius exults over the 
 treason of Pythias and so tells Damon. But the lat- 
 ter will not believe it. Pythias' mind is changed by 
 some friends he met on his way, and comes back. He 
 refuses to Dionysius to betray the woman he loves, 
 while Damon claims the writing of the satire. Dio- 
 nysius then pardons them both. 
 
 320. There is one more fictional story of these 
 two friends, and to us, the most important, as it was 
 the cause of the Order being instituted. The drama, 
 "Damon and Pythias," was written by an Irishman
 
 314 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 named John Banim. and was first put on the boards 
 at Court Garden Theater, London, on May 28th. 1821. 
 The main facts of the story are adhered to, but the 
 author has drawn upon his imagination for all the 
 details and embellishments found in it. The story 
 as told is substantially as follows, while the drama 
 itself will be found in full in Carnahan's "Pythian 
 Knighthood." 
 
 THE STORY ACCORDING TO THE DRAMA 
 
 After the death of Diodes the government of 
 Syracuse remained still a democracy, but Dionysius 
 now began plotting its overthrow, slowly at first, as 
 he was not sure of the army. Damon, suspecting 
 the designs of Dionysius, watched him closely, and 
 overhearing an officer tampering with the fidelity 
 of some troops, interfered in such a manner that his 
 life nearly paid the forfeit, being saved only by the 
 timely aid of Pythias and his great popularity 
 among the soldiers. 
 
 Fearing that this was but a precursor to still 
 more violent measures, Damon hastened to the Sen- 
 ate chamber, while his friend sought the house of 
 his expectant bride. Arriving at the Senate, his 
 worst fears were confirmed by the presence of a 
 large body of soldiery, a thing positively forbidden 
 by law. His astonishment was still further in- 
 creased by a proposition to allow Dionysius a large 
 body guard. Nothing daunted by the outcries and 
 tokens of dissent of the Senators, Damon raised 
 his voice against this violation of the laws, and at
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 315 
 
 last despairing of his country's liberties were the 
 tyrant permitted to live, attempted to take his life. 
 It was an act worthy of the best days of Roman 
 patriotism. 
 
 Foiled in his attempt, Damon was hurried away 
 to instant execution, while Dionysius artfully taking 
 advantage of the situation, succeeded in having the 
 guard doubled. In the meantime, Pythias, knoMang 
 in part the design of the tyrant, and fearing his 
 great patriotism would lead his friend into danger, 
 hastened from the side of his bride to the Senate 
 house in time to see Damon hurried to execution, 
 he having been denied a few hours' respite to bid 
 his wife and child good-bye. Pythias earnestly 
 joined his supplications to those of Damon, offering 
 to take his place and be surety, even to death, for 
 the return of his friend. The tyrant, struck by this 
 strange offer, and fearing the influence of Pythias 
 over the army did he refuse, consented to the ex- 
 change, allowing the captive six hours to go and re- 
 turn, assuring him if he were not back by sunset 
 his friend Pythias should suffer in his stead. Damon 
 hastened from the city to his villa in the suburbs, 
 while Pythias, in chains, was thrust into a dungeon. 
 
 Dionysius was by nature very suspicious, having 
 no faith in the pretended friendships about him, and 
 even denying that there was any such thing. On 
 such a man, the willingness with which Pythias took 
 Damon's place, could but make a deep impression. 
 Still incredulous, he disguised himself and going to 
 the prison, endeavored to persuade Pythias to flee,
 
 :316 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 offering him every inducement and bringing every 
 argument to bear, to shake his determination. 
 
 While Dionysius was striving thus, Calanthe, the 
 bride of Pythias, whom he had left unwedded at the 
 ^Itar that he might rescue his friend, came to the 
 prison, and falling before him, besought him, by all 
 the inducements she could bring, to fly with her, 
 where dangers cannot come, and pointed to a vessel 
 with sails unfurled, that had been prepared to carry 
 liim to another land. It was a terrible trial to which 
 Pythias was subjected. The tyrant's positive state- 
 ment that Damon would not return, the safety prom- 
 ised by the waiting ship, and, above all, the be- 
 seeching bride giving open expression to her doubts 
 of Damon 's faithfulness, and begging in agony that 
 she might not see Pythias die on her expected wed- 
 ding day, formed inducements almost too strong for 
 liuman nature to resist. But resist he did. 
 
 While these things took place in Syracuse, 
 Damon, mounted on a swift horse, attended by his 
 faithful servant, had sped to his home, and without 
 telling his family the reason of his haste, said fare- 
 well, and was about to return to Syracuse. Judge 
 of his surprise when he found his servant had killed 
 his horse to prevent his return. 
 
 At Syracuse the hours of the afternoon were 
 :swiftly passing. The shadows began to lengthen 
 along the valley of Anahus, while those on the dial 
 in the great square of the city darkened moment 
 .after moment, but Damon had not returned. As the
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 317 
 
 sunset hour drew near, and still there were no 
 signs of his appearance, Pythias was led to execu- 
 tion. Dionysius was doubtless still more convinced 
 that friendship was only words. Nothing daunted, 
 with a still firm faith in the honor of his friend, 
 Pythias ascended the scaffold, unterrified at the 
 sight of the axe and block, the instrument of his 
 now certain death. 
 
 The hour drew near, but in the west the sun was 
 sinking lower. Over in the east the shadows were 
 climbing the embattled walls of Ortygia. A thin 
 line of light, darkened on the dial, and a headless 
 trunk and trunkless head would be all the earth 
 held of this brave soul. 
 
 But at this moment, dust stained and breathless, 
 Damon broke through the line of guards, and fell 
 exhausted before the scaffold. It was a moment of 
 intense joy to the rescued Pythias, and of intense 
 surprise to the wondering tyrant. Pythias rejoiced, 
 not that his friend had returned to suffer death, but 
 that Damon's honor had been vindicated; and the 
 tyrant wondered at such devoted friendship and 
 faithfulness to a pledged word in such very trying 
 circumstances. It w^as a new revelation of charac- 
 ter to him. He could illy spare such men. Damon 
 was pardoned at once, and Dionysius begged the 
 privilege of being a third in such firm friendship, 
 of which he had seen such a convincing proof.
 
 318 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 THE STORY IN HISTORY 
 
 321. The authority for the five versions of the 
 story of Damon and Pythias was, as noted in the 
 first and second sections of this article, primarily, 
 Aristoxenus, the historian of Corinth, who was most 
 probably seconded by Phillistus, the historian of 
 Sicily, and friend of Dionysius. The following trans- 
 lations are copied in full, with the kind permission 
 of General J. R. Carnahan, U. R. K. P., from his 
 "Pythian Knighthood." These translations are the 
 result of exhaustive research, of all the ancient 
 writers for any mention of this episode, of Charles 
 Cowley, LL. D.. P. G. C. who graciously presented 
 the paper containing these results of his labor to the 
 Supreme Lodge, at its meeting in Toronto, July, 
 1866. Of the five versions, two are in Latin and 
 three in the Greek tongue. 
 
 322. The oldest version is that of Cicero, who 
 lived in the first century B. C. He says: 
 
 "Damon and Pythias, two of the followers 
 of Pythagoras, were so closely attached to each other 
 that when Dionysius, the Tyrant, ordered one of 
 them put to death on a certain day, and the party 
 condemned begged respite for a few days, so that 
 he might go home to attend to his own before he 
 should die, the other voluntarily became his sub- 
 stitute, to die in his place if he did not appear. At 
 the time appointed the condemned returned to meet 
 his fate. Thereupon the tyrant was so much amazed 
 at their extraordinary fidelity that he sought to be 
 admitted as a third in their friendship."* 
 *1. Cicero, De Officiis, Bk. Ill, Chap, 10.
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 319 
 
 On another occasion Cicero writes, — 
 "How low was the estimate which Dionysius 
 placed upon those friendships which he feared would 
 fail, he shows by what he says of those two disciples 
 of Pythagoras, Damon and Pythias, for, when he ac- 
 cepted one of them as a substitute for the other 
 who was doomed to die, and when the other, to re- 
 deem his surety's life, had promptly returned at the 
 hour appointed for the execution, Dionysius said 
 to them, 'Would that I could be enrolled as your 
 third friend.' How unhappy was Dionysius' lot to be 
 thus deprived of the communion of friends, the social 
 intercourse and familiar converse of daily life." — 
 Cicero,Tusculon, Bk. V., Ch. 22. 
 
 Cowley says it was probably from this account 
 of Cicero, that this classic story was introduced 
 into the literature of Christianity. 
 
 323. The second oldest version is that of Diodo- 
 rus Siculus, who wrote shortly before the Christian 
 era, and w'ho probably read the works of Aristoxenes 
 and (Cowley says) certainly read the work of Phil- 
 istus. He gives us the story as follows : 
 
 "Phintias, a certain Pythagorean, having con- 
 spired against the tyrant, was about to suffer the 
 penalty, besought from Dionysius previous oppor- 
 tunity to arrange his private affairs as he desired 
 and he said that he would give one of his friends 
 as surety for himself. As the despot wondered 
 whether there was such a friend, who would put 
 himself in the Bastile in his stead, Phintias called
 
 320 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 a certain one of his companions, Damon by name, a 
 Pythagorean philosopher, who, nothing doubting, 
 immediately became substitute for Phintias. There- 
 upon some commended the extravagant regard ex- 
 isting between these friends, while others, indeed, 
 condemned the rashness and folly of the substitute. 
 "Now, at the appointed time, all the people as- 
 sembled, eager to see whether he who had made this 
 recognizance would keep his pledge. Indeed, the 
 hour was already drawing to a close, and all had 
 given up Damon in despair, when Phintias, having 
 accomplished his purpose, came running at full 
 speed at the turn of the critical moment, just as 
 Damon was being led away to execution. At this 
 manifestation of a most remarkable friendship 
 Dionysius revoked the sentence, pardoned all con- 
 cerned, and called on the men, Damon and Phintias, 
 to receive himself as a third into their friendship.*" 
 324. The third, in point of time, is that of Valer- 
 ius Maximus, who was a contemporary of Diodorus 
 and wrote soon after him. He, like Cicero, wrote in 
 the Latin speech. His account is: 
 
 "Damon and Pythias, having been initiated into 
 the sacred rites of the Pythagorean society, were 
 united together by such strong friendship that when 
 Dionysius, the Syracusan, proposed to kill one of 
 them, and he had obtained from him a respite, by 
 which, before he should die, he might return home 
 and arrange his affairs, the other did not hesitate 
 to become surety for his return to the tyrant. He 
 *1. Diod., Bk. X, Chap. 4.
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 321 
 
 who was free from danger of death, in this way sub- 
 mitted his neck to the sword ; he who was allowed to 
 live in security, risked his head for his friend. There- 
 fore all, and especially Dionysius, watched the result 
 of this new and uncertain affair. "When the ap- 
 pointed day approached, and he did not return, ev- 
 eryone condemned the surety for his rash folly; 
 but he declared that for himself he did not at all 
 doubt the constancy of his friend. However, at this 
 moment, even at the hour determined by Dionysius, 
 he who had received the respite returned. 
 
 "The tyrant, admiring the disposition of both, 
 remitted the punishment of the friend, and, more- 
 over, he requested that they would receive him into 
 their society of friendship, as a third member of 
 the brotherhood, as the greatest kindness and honor. 
 Such friendship, indeed, begets contempt for death, 
 is able to break the charm of life, to make the savage 
 gentle, to repay punishment with kindness and to 
 transform hatred into love. It merits almost as 
 much reverence as the sacred rites of the immortal 
 gods; for while these preserve public safety, that 
 conserves private good, and as sacred temples are 
 the places of religious rites, so the faithful hearts 
 of such men are like temples filled by a special di- 
 vine influence." * 
 
 325. Porphyry gives the next account. He wrote 
 during the third century after Christ, using the 
 Greek, and followed Aristoxenus' story, through Ni- 
 
 *1. v. Maximus, Liber IV, c. 7. 
 11
 
 322 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 comachus, a Pathagorean of Gerasa. His account is 
 as follows : 
 
 "Pity and tears and all such, these men (Damon 
 and Pythias) excite; this certainly is admitted. 
 Now, this is the account, as well of the flattery and 
 of the entreaty and of the prayer, as of all such as 
 these. When, on a certain occasion, some having 
 said that, when the Pythagoreans were apprehended, 
 they did not stand to their pledge to one another, 
 Dionysius, wishing to make trial of them, thus ar- 
 ranged : Phintias was seized and brought before the 
 tyrant ; then accused that he had conspired against 
 him ; indeed, he was convicted of this, and it was de- 
 termined to put him to death. Then he (Phintias) 
 spake, that since it had thus happened to him, at 
 least the rest of the day should be given him, in 
 order that he might arrange his own private affairs, 
 and also those of Damon, who was a companion and 
 co-partner with himself; and he, being the elder, 
 much of what concerned the management of their 
 business was referred to him. When asked that a 
 substitute be furnished he offered Damon; and 
 Dionysius, having consented to this, sent for Damon, 
 who, having heard what had happened, became 
 surety and remained until Phintias had returned. 
 Then, indeed, Dionysius was astonished at these re- 
 sults. But they, who from the beginning had prose- 
 cuted the trial, jeered Damon as having been en- 
 trapped. Yet, when it was about the setting of the 
 sun, Phintias came back to be put to death. At this 
 all were astonished. Then Dionysius, having em-
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 323 
 
 braced and kissed the friends, requested them to re- 
 ceive him as a third into their friendship ; but 
 though he very earnestly besought it, they would by 
 no means agree to such request. This much, indeed, 
 Aristoxenus declared he had heard from Dionysius 
 himself (meaning Dionysius the Younger)." — 
 Porphyry, Life of Pythagoras. 
 
 326. The fifth version, and last, is that contained 
 in the Life of Pythagoras by lamblichus. He lived in 
 the reign of Julian, the Apostate, Emperor of Rome, 
 A. D. 361-363. He says : 
 
 "When Dionysius, having been expelled from 
 his tyranny, came to Corinth, he often entertained 
 us with the particulars touching the Pythagoreans, 
 Phintias and Damon, and the circumstances under 
 which one became surety for the other in a case 
 of death. He said that some of those who were 
 familiar with his father frequently misrepresented 
 the Pythagoreans, defaming and reviling them, stig- 
 matizing them as imposters, and saying that their 
 temperance, their gravity and their confidence in 
 one another were assumed, and that this would be- 
 come apparent if any one should place them in dis- 
 tress or surround them with disaster. Others de- 
 nied this, and contention arising on the subject, re- 
 course was had to artifice. 
 
 "One of the prosecutors accused Phintias to 
 his face of having conspired with others against the 
 life of Dionysius, (meaning Dionysius, the elder), 
 and this was testified to by those present, and was
 
 324 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 made to appear exceedingly probable. Phintias was 
 astonished by the accusation. But when Dionysius 
 declared unequivocally that he had carefully in- 
 vestigated the affair, and that Phintias should die, 
 Phintias replied, that since it had fallen to him to 
 be thus accused, he desired that at least the rest of 
 the day might be allowed to him, so that he might ar- 
 range his own affairs and also those of Damon; for 
 these men collected the vintage from all around 
 into wine cellars, and disposed of it in common ; and 
 Phintias, being the elder, had assumed for the most 
 part, the management of their domestic concerns. 
 He therefore requested the tyrant to allow him to 
 depart for this purpose, and named Damon for his 
 surety. Dionysius was surprised at his request, and 
 asked whether there was such a man who would 
 risk death by becoming surety for another. So 
 Phintias requested him to send for Damon, who, on 
 hearing what had taken place, said he would become 
 sponsor for Phintias, and that he would remain 
 there until Phintias returned. Dionysius was deeply 
 impressed by these results; but those who intro- 
 duced the experiment derided Damon as being left 
 at the lurch, and, mocking him, said that he would 
 be devoted as a stag to sacrifice. But when it was 
 already about sundown, Phintias came back to be 
 put to death, at which all that were present were 
 astonished and overpowered. Whereupon Dionys- 
 ius, having embraced and kissed the friends, re- 
 quested that they would receive him as a third 
 into their friendship; but they would by no means
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 325 
 
 consent to such a thing, although he earnestly be- 
 sought it. 
 
 "Now, indeed, Aristoxenus relates these things 
 as having learned them from Dionj^sius himself. ' '* 
 
 327. Among other ancient writers, Plutarch 
 mentions Damon and Phythias in his Morals ; that 
 "On the Folly of Seeking Many Friends," he says, 
 ' ' They are always recorded in pairs, ' ' and instances 
 Damon and Pythias among others. Hyginus, a Latin 
 writer in Trajan's time gives us a story which 
 bears an exceedingly close resemblance to the story 
 of the friends of Syracuse. Also, a Greek writer 
 by name of Polyaenus. in the middle of the second 
 century, A. D. tells a story which with variation, 
 is also the same as that of Hyginus. 
 
 328. It will be seen in summing up the above 
 versions, that Damon and Pythias were two private 
 citizens of Syracuse. They had been brought up in 
 the Pythagorean school, and exemplified in their 
 lives the teachings of their youth. They were part- 
 ners in the business of wine merchants, in which 
 Pythias seems to have been the principal manager; 
 at least he was the bookkeeper of the concern. The 
 several versions seem to show that they were both 
 bachelors, and perhaps managed their own house- 
 hold of slaves. Dionysius. having falsely charged 
 Pythias with treason, condemned him to death. This 
 charge may have been a false charge to prove the 
 sincerity of their friendship, but it is more likely 
 that Dionysius made this assertion in order to clear 
 
 *Iamblicus — Life of Pythagoras, Paragraph 223.
 
 326 HISTORY OK KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 his father from any sign of injustice. At any rate, if 
 it was a test of sincerity, it proved the friendship 
 of the two friends although both were pardoned 
 by the tyrant, yet when he requested their friend- 
 ship, it was refused. 
 
 It will be noticed that Pythias was the one con- 
 demned, and Damon the hostage.
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 327 
 
 PYTHIAS 
 Silence fell upon the senate. Hushed the voices, 
 
 stilled the strife, 
 Clear a voice broke on the stillness, Pythias pleading 
 
 for his life. 
 ' ' Let him go ! " rose the petition. ' ' In his dungeon 
 
 place put me ! 
 Let him bid farewell to loved ones, by the distant, 
 
 sparkling sea!" 
 
 On the throne the mighty ruler listened to the 
 
 strange request ; 
 Feelings but to him a stranger loosened pity in his 
 
 breast. 
 Suddenly he spoke to Damon: "Go thy waj' and 
 
 greet thy wife ! 
 Pythias, who kneels before me, shall be hostage for 
 
 thy life." 
 
 Far away, in Grecian village, Damon, torn with 
 
 grief and fears, 
 Bade farewell to all his loved ones, soothed their 
 
 sorrow, wiped their tears, 
 Comforted their aching bosoms ; then as night shades 
 
 nearer drew. 
 Left his home and life behind him. to redeem his 
 
 friend most true. 
 
 In the prison cell, Calanthe, lovliest of Grecian 
 
 maids. 
 Pleaded with her lover, Pythias, in the twilight's 
 
 fitful shades.
 
 328 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Begging him to loose the fetters, fly with her away 
 
 from strife, 
 But he answered : "To me, honor is far dearer than 
 
 my life." 
 
 Clear the morning broke on tower, kissed the sun 
 
 each gilded spire. 
 Passed the noon-mark, crossed the dial, bathed the 
 
 sea in living fire. 
 Straightway from the dungeon turning, Pythias to 
 
 his death-block came, 
 Heeding not the jeers for Damon, praising, honoring 
 
 his name. 
 
 Bared his neck to meet the torture, leaped the gleam- 
 ing blade on high — 
 
 Lo ! a cry smote on their hearing neath the balmy 
 summer sky. 
 
 And from foaming, panting charger, Damon leaped, 
 his friend to save, 
 
 Strained him to his heaving bosom, snatched him 
 from the yawning grave. 
 
 Hushed the voices of the people, then broke forth 
 in mighty roar. 
 
 Like the thundering of the billows, echoing from 
 shore to shore ; 
 
 Now demanding that such valor, long since buried, 
 should atone. 
 
 Seeds of honor there were j^lanted — seeds of friend- 
 ship there were sown.
 
 DAMON AND PYTHIAS 
 
 329 
 
 As the smallest drop of water swells the boundless, 
 
 mighty sea, 
 So the brotherhood of Pythias has our lives, our 
 
 souls, set free, 
 Teaching us the Pythian friendship, charity that 
 
 o'erlooks sin, 
 And benevolence of spirit, pride cast out, and God 
 
 within. 
 
 Brothers, we are pressing onward ; let " Still on- 
 ward ! " be our cry ; 
 
 Raise the standard, rally round it, till at last we 
 meet on high. 
 
 When at death's dark stream we falter, may the 
 boatman, cold and pale, 
 
 Ferry us to fields Elysian, safe at last within the 
 vale. 
 
 — F. T. SHEPARD, in the Spring of Myrtle.
 
 The Pyramids, Egypt 
 
 «fr
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 EGYPT: THE HOME OF THE ARTS 
 
 ''Hail to thee, O Nile! 
 Thou showest thyself in this land. 
 Coming in peace, giving life to Egypt; 
 Shine forth in glory, O Nile. " 
 
 Hymn to the Nile by Enna, 
 Contemporary of Moses. 
 
 NOTHING, wha 
 of the Egypt 
 
 'hatever, was known of the origin 
 'ptians until within the last twelve 
 months, when Prof. Petrie during his excavations 
 last winter (1903-i) at Abydos, upper Egypt, came 
 across ruins in one spot, that tell a continuous story 
 and carry us back to 7000 B. C. During this time 
 also, other explorers have unearthed predynastic 
 cemeteries ; i. e. the burial places of kings and peo- 
 ple who lived and reigned before the dynasties that 
 have been well kno^\^l to have existed in Egypt, and 
 which are supposed to have been the beginning of 
 the nation. Of these dynasties, nothing was known 
 until that of the fourth, except the names of a few 
 kings of the first ; Menes being the first on the list. 
 It is now possible to produce objects of various 
 kinds which proves beyond doubt that the civiliza- 
 tion of Egypt is older by many thousand years than
 
 332 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 has usually been assigned to it, and that the advent 
 of man in the Valley of the Nile, can be traced to 
 the Palaeolithic Period. The British Museum has 
 lately acquired the mummy of a man which may well 
 be regarded as the oldest known body of any human 
 being. It was found buried in an oval, shallow grave 
 on the west bank of the Nile. The body had been 
 treated with a preparation of bitumen. It lay on its 
 left side with hands in front of its face, and its 
 knees drawn up nearly to its chin. The grave was 
 covered with rough slabs of stone, and in it, besides 
 the body, were deposited flint knives and a number 
 of vases, together with the remains and dust of 
 funeral offerings. The style of the burial and of the 
 flint instruments found therein, shows the man to 
 have belonged to the Neolithic or New Stone Age. 
 This will take us back past the period of Queen 
 Elizabeth, through Mediaval Europe and the times 
 of Greece and Rome, past the time of the Pharaohs, 
 and even beyond that of Menes, the first King of 
 Egypt, who ruled about 500J: B. C. We then come 
 to a time when there were two prehistoric races in 
 Egypt, one the conquerors and the other the con- 
 quered, out of which sprang the Egyptian race of 
 the earliest dynasties. It was to these ancient races 
 that this mummy belonged. Certain ancient 
 Egyptian documents contained traditions of a race 
 called the Trehennu, who had red hair and blue 
 eyes. This body had distinctly auburn hair. 
 
 330. Graveyards are now found to exist in great 
 numbers in all parts of the valley, and from them
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 333 
 
 are obtained large numbers of rude figures of ani- 
 mals made of green slate, with inlaid eyes, formed 
 of bone rings; groups of earthenware, painted in 
 red and black with unusual designs of concentric 
 circles and wavy lines, such as vases, jars, bowls, 
 saucers, etc. The bodies of these ancient people are 
 found in graves made in the gravel of the streams, 
 and chiefly in vertical pits, and the "pits, 
 of all wealthy graves," say Prof. Petrie, are roofed 
 over with beams and brushwood ; the bodies are not 
 embalmed; they are laid on their left sides, with 
 the knees drawn up to the chin, and their hands 
 raised to their faces as if in the act of prayer. 
 Sometimes, however, the bodies are found dismem- 
 bered. The decorations of the pottery are quite 
 primitive and designed by men who were still "try- 
 ing their brush and educating themselves in artistic 
 matters." From the articles found in these graves, 
 it is certain that this ' ' New Race ' ' as this new revel- 
 ation has been called, were not the same people as 
 the Egyptians of history, but belong to people of 
 the Stone Age, both old and new, nothing has been 
 found to show that the New Race showed the slight- 
 est trace of Egyptian influence, but there is consid- 
 erable evidence of the influence of the New Race 
 upon the Egyptians themselves and that the latter 
 borrowed largely from their industries. 
 
 331. We find from these remains that the primi- 
 tive inhabitants of the country were a white people 
 of the Stone Age, and that they were so far civilized 
 as to have produced works of art in metal tools.
 
 334 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 flints, pottery, alabaster and marble jars, etc. No 
 inscriptions have as yet been discovered, and it is 
 supposed they were ignorant of writing. These peo- 
 ple were indigenous to North Africa ; they belonged 
 to a white or light-skinned race and resembled the 
 Libyans, who, in later times lived near the western 
 bank of the River Nile, and of whom the Berbers, 
 of the Algerian Mountains, are their most extensive 
 descendants. They were a "long headed" people 
 i. e., their skulls were longer from front to back, 
 than they were broad ; their hair short and of a 
 light color; the beards of the men long and pointed; 
 faces regular and oval ; they were a little above the 
 average height, and their bodies were tattooed. 
 
 They were conquered by a people coming from 
 the east and all evidence seems to show these latter 
 people to be Semitics, who brought with them the 
 knowledge and culture of the old Semitic races, and 
 were probably one of those migrations caused by the 
 overflow of the population of Arabia,* and who 
 either entered Egypt through the isthmus of Suez 
 or through Sinai, or else crossed over the Straits of 
 Bab-el-Mandeb and followed the river northward. 
 These people were probably the Babylonian Semites, 
 who derived their civilization from the Sumarians. 
 After their conquest of the New Race, they gradu- 
 ally organized a systematic government, ruled over 
 by a king. The country was divided into two such 
 kingdoms, the kingdom of the north and the king- 
 dom of the south. Of these two kingdoms but very 
 
 *See Arabia.
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 335 
 
 little is known ; of Upper Egypt we have the names 
 of three kings only, viz : Te, and Re, and Ka ; of 
 lower Egypt, of seven, viz : Seka, Tesan, Taw, Thesh, 
 Neheb, Natch, Nar and Mekha. When they reigned 
 cannot be stated, but it is certain that they were 
 independent kings of the north, and of the south. 
 
 332. Menes has always been called the first king 
 of Egypt, by all the historians and even by tradi- 
 tion. Nothing however, has been known of him or 
 his people, nor of the two following dynasties, until 
 recent years, when we find that kings had preceded 
 him ruling in the country; but as the kingdom had 
 previously been divided into two, he may still be 
 called the first king of United Egypt. 
 
 "After the dead demi-gods", says Manetho, "the 
 first dynasty consisted of eight kings. The 
 first was Menes, the Thinite ; he reigned sixty -two 
 years, and perished by a wound received from a 
 hippopotamus. ' ' To which Herodotus adds : ' ' Menes, 
 the first king of Egypt (as the priests make 
 report), by altering the course of the river, gained 
 all the ground whereon the city of Memphis is situ- 
 ated," and Diodorus writes: "After the gods, 
 (they say) Menes was the first king of Egypt. He 
 taught the people the adoration of the gods, and the 
 manner of divine worship ; how to adorn their beds 
 and table with rich cloths and coverings, and was 
 the first that brought in a delicate and sumptuous 
 way of living." 
 
 333. The above quotations show that the civiliza- 
 tion of the Egyptians, at the time of Menes, was
 
 336 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 very far advanced, and late discoveries also show 
 that this was really the case. The arts and sciences 
 were too, in an advanced condition. In the royal 
 tombs of Menes, which have been discovered at Aby- 
 dos, have been found some very beautiful works of 
 art. The tomb is rectangular in shape, one hundred 
 and seventy-five feet long, by eighty-eight feet broad, 
 it contains twenty-one chambers, six on each side, two 
 at each end and five occupying the center. It is 
 built of unburnt brick and Nile mud for mortar. 
 During these early, (the first three) dj^nasties, the 
 residences of the kings were fortified, and several 
 of these buildings have now come to light. Archi- 
 tecture, then, had assumed its position as a definite 
 science, and art had decorated its walls with writing 
 and pictures. In the tombs was found a part of a 
 large globular vase made of a green glaze, with the 
 name of the king Mena inlaid in purple. The art 
 of glazing pottery, and the inlaying it with a sec- 
 ond color, was known and in use some seven thous- 
 and years ago, for the reign of Menes is calculated 
 to be about 4700, B. C. Carving in ivory had also 
 gained an extraordinary degree of excellence ; among 
 these carvings is a portrait of a king, which, it is 
 said, "for subtlety of character, and power of ex- 
 pression, stands in the first rank of such work, and 
 is comparable to the finest work of Greece or Italy. ' ' 
 An ivory statuette of Cheops, (c. f. 4000, B. C), the 
 builder of the Pyramids was also found ; it is the only 
 portrait of him known. Textile fabrics that had 
 been burnt were among the ruins. Taking all these
 
 THE HOME OP THE ARTS 337 
 
 finds into consideration, it is certain that many 
 thousand years must have passed between the men 
 of the flint implements and those of the polychrome 
 glazed pottery and carved ivory portraits ; and many 
 and many a king must have ruled over "the north," 
 and over "the south" for this development of art 
 to have gained such excellence in the reign of 
 Menes; and it is thought that the earliest dynasties 
 must now be reckoned as equal, in practical fine 
 arts and pottery forms, to that of any later age. As 
 the head of the camel is found among the pottery, it 
 is certain, that trade was one of the occupations of 
 these people. At somewhat later date, that of the 
 sixth dynasty, was found the oldest example of 
 iron yet known. 
 
 334. Pythagoras is said to have visited Egypt 
 when he was about thirty years of age, and as he 
 was born in 580, B. C. the date of his sojourn was 
 therefore, 550, B. C. Amasis was then the ruling 
 Pharoah.* Now from the time of Menes to Amasis 
 there ruled over the united kingdoms of the north 
 and the south, twenty-six dynasties, stretching over 
 a period of three thousand nine hundred and fifty 
 years. These dynasties ruled from different capi- 
 tals; sometimes at This, then at Memphis, Thebes, 
 Tanis and other places; nor were they all of native 
 princes, for the 15th, 16th and 17th dynasties were 
 shepherd kings from the east, who had conquered the 
 Egyptians and ruled over them; and the 25th were 
 
 *This title of the king was not in use during the 
 earlier dynasties.
 
 338 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Ethiopian conquerors. The power and importance 
 of Egypt gradually increased until it culminated 
 in the reign of Rameses II, the fourth king of the 
 XlXth dynasty, whose reign of sixty years, was the 
 most brilliant in warlike achievements, and in the 
 number and beauty of its buildings. The next reign, 
 the Israelites escaped from their bondage to their 
 old homes in the Arabian desert and surrounding 
 country. The kingdom was afterwards conquered 
 by the Ethiopians, and Amosis, or Amasis, himself, 
 became a subject to the great Persian empire under 
 Cambyses. 
 
 335. The Pharaoh Amasis was the friend of Pyth- 
 agoras, and it was under his orders that Pythagoras 
 was admitted into the temples, and to the order of 
 the Priesthood, and for twenty years he studied all 
 there was to be learned in this the foremost of 
 all countries in the arts, sciences, and perhaps re- 
 ligion. We are told that he had attained to the 
 knowledge of the "arts of Egypt." We will now 
 see what the arts were at this period. 
 
 Architecture stands out pre-eminently first; all 
 the other arts were subsidiary to this and were only 
 used to embellish and beautif}^ their buildings. We 
 have seen that Menes turned the course of the river 
 Nile, and built his city of Memphis upon its exposed 
 bed. This city is a monumental city of tombs; it 
 was built by enslaved people for whom the king 
 thus found employment, supplying them with food; 
 and although discipline was strict, it does not seem 
 to have been the excessive oppression that is gener-
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 339 
 
 ally imagined. This city was the oldest and most 
 celebrated in the empire. The dyke, into which 
 the w^aters of the Nile had been turned, still exists 
 in the neighborhood of Cairo ; it is three feet above 
 the level of the stream. The city was well fortified, 
 and in its midst was an immense temple of Ptah, 
 the especial deity of Memphis. Two villages are 
 all that is left of this vast and ancient city; a con- 
 siderable portion of which still remained in the Mid- 
 dle Ages, until its materials were used for the build- 
 ing of the modern city of Cairo, and the rest, for 
 the most part, buried beneath the mud of the Nile. 
 
 336. But the largest and most remarkable of the 
 works of mankind, whether ancient or modern, are 
 the Pyramids of Gizeh. The largest of these is the 
 Pyramid of Cheops. Although not the first of 
 this style of buildings, it is by far the largest. At 
 Sakkara, a pyramid was build during the first 
 dynasty, but it was left in the form of steps; while 
 the Great Pyramid was finished off by casing stones, 
 which made the surface of the sides smooth and pol- 
 ished. "It contains more stone than any other 
 single building ever erected. Its base is greater than 
 the whole area of the great temple of Karnac, its 
 height is greater than any other building. Yet it 
 stands as one of the earliest structures of the world, ' ' 
 says Prof. Petrie. The stones of the pyramid were 
 from quarries on the opposite side of the Nile ; and 
 Herodotus tells us that the inscription on its polished 
 surface said that a hundred thousand men were hired 
 every three months, and it took twenty years to
 
 340 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 build." Each stone (some weighing several tons) 
 was perfectly squared, and fitted upon each other 
 perfectly. Prof. Petrie says: "The squareness and 
 level of the base is brilliantly true, the average error 
 being less than a ten-thousandth of the side in equal- 
 ity, in squareness and in level." There are two 
 chambers in its center, with galleries leading to 
 each. In the same neighborhood are two other 
 large pyramids and several small ones. 
 
 -337. The temples were built on the same exten- 
 sive scale, and enlarged by additions. The walls, pil- 
 lars and buttresses were always of great thickness 
 and massiveness ; the latter sometimes being carved 
 into standing and setting figures. The capitals of 
 the pillars were beautifully carved in conventional 
 forms of the lotus flowers, heads of man or animals 
 and other forms. Some of these temples were hewn 
 out of the solid rock, and consisted of two or more 
 courts ; the most important of which is that above 
 Simbel. The gentle slope of the rock is cut away 
 and the portals of the temple carved with four sit- 
 ting human figures as huge as the whole facade. The 
 entrance leads to a court and then to a room ; the 
 ceiling supported by four piers. Beyond this are 
 the innermost chambers of the temple. These latter 
 are smaller and fewer in number than those of tem- 
 ples built upon the surface. The piers of the inner 
 chambers are carved as upright collossal statues. 
 The walls are covered with the usual pictures and 
 hieroglyphics. The quarries where the stones for 
 the temples were taken still show the manner of
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 341 
 
 working, by having in them unfinished stones, obe- 
 lisks; some only commenced to be dug out, others 
 nearly separated from the main rock. 
 
 338. Neither in architecture nor in sculpture does 
 there seem to be any development from that in use 
 in the early dynastic times, until foreign art was 
 brought into the country by the Greeks and Persians. 
 As sculpture and painting were subsidiary to archi- 
 tecture, and only vised for its adornment, it was 
 under the ban of religion, which had its rules and. 
 regulations as to the human figure and figures of 
 the gods, art in that direction was at a standstill, 
 luit Avas more successful with the forms of animals, 
 and i)lant life ; here the artist attained an elastic 
 and life-like force, even where compelled into the 
 monstrous combinations Avith the human form. The 
 painting on the walls of the buildings and tombs 
 chiefly represented the life-doings of the owner, 
 whether god or man, and were drawn in vivid and 
 brilliant colors, suitable to the gloom of their inte- 
 riors. Granite, diorite, syenite, basalt, limestone and 
 alabaster, as well as ivory and wood were the varied 
 materials used for their work of larger proportions 
 in sculpture; Avhile burnt clay Avas used for smaller 
 statues, beautifully enameled in blue and green ; often 
 smaller figures were cut from agate, jasper, car- 
 nelian and lapis-lazali. 
 
 339. Their manufacture of blown, colored glass 
 was artistic and very extensive, for Avhich Egypt 
 was always famous. Glass bottles and vases of 
 various colors Avere made, and also of a combina-
 
 .342 HISTORY OP KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tion of colors. They had a secret of introducing 
 gold between the two surfaces of the glass ; and in 
 some of their bottles, a gold band alternates within 
 a set of blue, green and other colors. Sometimes 
 these colors passed right through the glass. Their 
 skill in glass-making is not only shown in the act 
 itself, but in the fineness of its decoration ; some of 
 the feathers of birds, and other detail are only seen 
 by means of a lens, which magnifying glass was 
 used by the artist himself when he manfactured the 
 glass. Winchelmann says, "the ancients carried 
 the art of glass-making to a higher degree of perfec- 
 tion than ourselves." Ornaments of enameled gold, 
 silver ana copper of an artistic order have been 
 found from very early times. Wood carving has 
 been noticed above, and as wood was a very scarce 
 article in the country it had to be supplied by glue- 
 ing together la\ers of palm and sycamore wood, 
 and hiding the defects of this process by a painted 
 priming of stucco. The coffins themselves are a work 
 of manufacturing art as ther repi^esent the bodj' 
 within, and even showed the face as if exposed. The 
 paintings show us that the manufacture of cloths, 
 ropes and linen were also extensive, and the remains 
 of these, found upon the mummies, show beautiful 
 workmanship. The dresses of the women are beau- 
 tifully ornamented with embroidery and crewel 
 work; the woven patterns of the cloths are gener- 
 ally strange to modern age ; but one, however, is as 
 common now as it was in the early dynastic times, 
 the common blue check of our dimity dusters and
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 34g 
 
 aprons. The Egyptians were great lovers of music, 
 and musical instruments were made of various kinds, 
 both stringed and wind, such as the various kinds 
 of harps, lyres played with picks; the guitar was 
 a common instrument among these people. The 
 flute, single and double pipes, were among the wind 
 instruments ; and among those of concussion were 
 the cymbals, drums and tambourines. Elegant fur- 
 niture adorned the house of the Egyptian ; chairs and 
 footstools, couches with head rests with cushions 
 and pillows of the feathers of the ducks and other 
 water fowls so plentiful during the inundation sea- 
 son. 
 
 340. To show respect for the dead, and perhaps 
 for sanitary reasons, the Egyptians preserved the 
 bodies of their dead by embalming. Herodotus says, 
 "there were three degrees of embalming, the first 
 was the most elaborate and expensive, and the mum- 
 my cases are patterned in wood, painted and said 
 to be an imitation of Osiris or of the deceased per- 
 son. The second was simple and less expensive, and 
 the third the cheapest of all. The body was cleaned 
 and laid in salt for several days, it was then washed 
 and wrapped entirely in bands of linen smeared with 
 gum. It was then placed in its coffin, painted and 
 sculptured with appropriate mortuary scenes and 
 funeral prayers, and proceeded to its tomb, with all 
 necessary paraphernalia, boxes, jars and other ob- 
 jects for the use of the departed on its journey to 
 the upper regions. The service of the dead was then 
 performed. Hired mourners chanted dirges and
 
 344 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 supplied the tears. The body was placed on a fu- 
 neral barge, and floated down the Nile to the ceme- 
 tery, with much ceremony and solemnity, and placed 
 in the tomb prepared for it. The litanies and prayers 
 were continued at intervals, according to the riches 
 of the family, and as long as they could pay the 
 priests. 
 
 341. The Nile is essential to the very existence 
 of Egypt ; it has built up the whole country and, by 
 its inundations, still adds to its increasing height. 
 During the flood season the river swelled by the 
 mountain torrents of Abyssinia, rushes through the 
 narrow valley, of which Egypt is composed, and over- 
 flows the country, and depositing over its surface 
 the rich, red argillaceous soil brought down from the 
 highland. To extend the area of fertility, the an- 
 cient people dug canals and ditches, and collecting 
 the waters of the overflow in large lakes, M-ere able 
 to greatly extend the cultivatable area beyond the 
 limits of the floods; and their canals also enabled 
 them to water the land during the growing of the 
 crops. Although the river is the source of all bless- 
 ing, it is also the greatest danger; for should the 
 overflow be short, that is less than a foot in depth, 
 there was a famine in the land ; and should it be more 
 by excessive rainfall in the Abyssinian highlands, 
 and the rushing waters would creep up to the city 
 walls and mounds, they would undermine them and 
 wash them away; the mud houses would collapse; 
 cattle drown ; the population would have to take to 
 boats and flv to the desert region. But neither of
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 345 
 
 these things happen very often ; the uniformity of its 
 rise is surprisingly steady. The chief causes of dis- 
 tress, when it did occur was a scarcity of water ; and 
 to counteract this, the great lake or reservoir of Lake 
 Moeris was made. It was a natural depression of 
 great depth, fifty miles in length by thirty in breadth, 
 and contained an area of six or seven hundred square 
 miles. A canal was dug from a western branch of the 
 Nile, cutting deeply through a gorge into its rocky 
 bottom, and by a system of sluices and flood gates, re- 
 tained such an absolute control over the water, that 
 the inundation could be admitted or excluded at will. 
 This was filled up to the level of the Nile itself dur- 
 ing the flood, and plenty of water was thus obtained 
 for all purposes for a very large district of the 
 country. 
 
 342. The most ancient monuments found in Egypt 
 are covered with writings. This fact is one proof 
 of the great length of time between that of the New 
 Stone Age mummy, and that of the Rameses; time 
 enough for men to have advanced in civilization and 
 culture, as to require and to invent a system of re- 
 cording thoughts and events. The writings on these 
 monuments are in hieroglyphics, the sacred char- 
 acters of the Egyptians, and about one hundred 
 years before Pythagoras visited Egypt written docu- 
 ments were first produced. All Avriting up to this 
 time had been inscribed on the rocks or the walls 
 of tombs and temples, and on the facing stones of 
 the pyramids. 
 
 The elements of this hieroglyphic, or picture writ-
 
 346 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ing, are composed of a certain number of objects, 
 both natural and artificial, imitated or engraved upon 
 walls or rocks. Each object represents its own vo- 
 cal sound, as does each letter in our alphabet ; this 
 form of writing continued to be in general use until 
 700 B. C, w!hen documents were needed. The hiero- 
 glyphics being too clumsy for business purposes, the 
 characters were greatly simplified, and the hieratic 
 methods came into use. After a further lapse of 
 time, writing was further simplified into the demotic 
 characters, which may be called the alphabet of the 
 ancient Egyptians. The hieroglyphics are written 
 either in columns or in lines ; the latter are usually 
 read from right to left, the heads of animals and like 
 signs show from what direction it is to be read, while 
 the later styles are always to be read from the right. 
 In the earliest monuments, the alphabet of the hier- 
 oglyphics contained twenty-one letters; some ten 
 were added afterwards, as new sounds were required 
 in the intercourse with foreign nations. 
 
 The creation of the Egyptian hieroglyphics was 
 due entirely to the inventive genius of Egypt, unless, 
 indeed. La Plungeon is correct in his surmises, when 
 he says that Egyptian civilization, arts and sciences 
 were all brought to Egypt by Queen Moo, of the 
 Maya race in Central America. This is the 
 summary of his story^Tlie brother-husband of Queen 
 Moo, after having for several years ruled the Maya 
 kingdom, died. ]\Ioo continued to reign as queen. 
 The brother of the queen revolted against her rule. 
 After a series of battles and sieges, the Queen was
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 347 
 
 driven from her country ; she determined to seek 
 protection in the island of Atlantis, which had been 
 peopled by the Mayas. She and her followers sailed 
 for the island, but could not find it, it having dis- 
 appeared; so she determined to go on further to 
 her brethren in Egypt. Here she was received with 
 joy by the inhabitants, and was made their Queen. 
 She taught them the civilization of their brothers 
 in Maya-land, together with the arts and sciences, 
 and the hieroglyphics. 
 
 343. The Egyptians possessed a very extensive 
 literature, and it is quite possible that the art of 
 writing was due to them, though some authors give 
 that credit to the primitive Accadian inhabitants 
 of Chaldea. 
 
 The hieroglyphical running hand was used for 
 documentary writing, and for their papyrus or 
 books ; they used both red and black ink. The papy- 
 rus was made by splitting into very thin slices, the 
 cyperus reed; these were glued together and made 
 into long roles, and were written by a frayed reed 
 in narrow and short pages, one after another along 
 the roll. Their principal works were religious; 
 the chief of which is the "Book of the Dead." 
 This is a Ritual for the use of the priest and for the 
 funeral services; it contained the prayers, directions 
 for the use of amulets, description of the after 
 world, and secret explanations of the meaning of 
 the ancient symbolism. Another book is the "Book 
 of Lamentation or Sighs of Isis. " There are also 
 in existence hymns to different gods ; treatises on
 
 ■348 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Ethics and Morals, and on rhetorics. Several ]\Ied- 
 ical books have been found, but mostly mixed up 
 with charms and adjurations, several of these parts 
 of the Book of the Dead originated in predynastic 
 times. Works on geometry, measuration and arith- 
 metic are extant, and the enormous quantity of re- 
 ports by scribes, tells us of the social and political 
 conditions of the people ; nor were works of light 
 reading, of the imagination, wanting ; some of which 
 are very ancient. History was represented by the 
 hieroglyphics of the monuments, tombs and steles, 
 found over the whole country. 
 
 "The great is truly at rest, the good change is ful- 
 filled. 
 
 Men pass away since the time of Ra, and the youth 
 come in their stead."
 
 THE HOME OF THE ARTS 349 
 
 HYMN TO THE NILE 
 
 By Enna, contemporary of Moses. 
 [Trans, by F. C. Cook.] 
 
 Ha^x to thee, Nile! 
 Thou showest thyself in this land, 
 Coming in peace, giving life to Egypt ; 
 Ammon, thou leadest night unto day, 
 A leading that rejoices the heart ! 
 Overflowing the gardens created by Ra ; 
 Giving life to all animals; 
 Watering the land without ceasing ; 
 The way of heaven descending ; 
 Lover of food, bestower of corn. 
 Giving life to every home. Phthah ! 
 
 inundation of Nile, offerings are made to thee; 
 
 Oxen are slain to thee ; 
 
 Great festivals are kept for thee ; 
 
 Fowls are sacrificed for thee ; 
 
 Beasts of the field are caught for thee ; 
 
 Pure flames are offered to thee ; 
 
 Offerings are made to every god. 
 
 As they are made unto Nile. 
 
 Incense ascends unto heaven. 
 
 Oxen, bulls, fowls are burnt ! 
 
 Nile make for herself chasms in the Thebaitl ; 
 
 Unknown is his name in heaven, 
 
 He doth not manifest his forms! 
 
 Yain are all representations.
 
 350 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 Mortals extol him, and the cycle of gods; 
 Awe is felt by the terrible ones ; 
 His son is made lord of all, 
 To enlighten all Egypt. 
 
 Shine forth, shine forth, Nile ! Shine forth ! 
 Giving life to men by his omen ; 
 Giving life to his oxen by the pastures ; 
 Shine forth in glory, O Nile !
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 ARABIA: THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES 
 
 ^'IVjsdom hath alighted upon these three things — the brain oj 
 the Franks, the hands of the Chinese, and the tongue of the 
 Arab. " — Mohatnmed de Datniri. 
 
 T TERY little is understood or even known by the 
 ^ majority of mankind, living at the present 
 time, of the vast importance and influence that the 
 people of Arabia have had upon the whole civilized 
 world. In prehistoric times this powerful race had 
 developed a civilization little dreamed of; and dur- 
 ing the seventh and eighth centuries of the Christian 
 era, made for themselves an empire larger than 
 Rome ever was, taking into it the best and richest 
 nations of Africa, Asia and Europe. The three cap- 
 itals of this empire, all of equal splendor, mangifi- 
 cence and beauty, were Cordova, in the west, and 
 Baghdad and Damascus in the east, and while these 
 were at their height of prosperity, tliej^ developed 
 the germs of science, literature and philosophy of 
 modern Europe. 
 
 345. This race that became of so much impor- 
 tance to the world lived in an extensive sandy pen- 
 insula in the southeast corner of Asia, which, how-
 
 352 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ever, is geographically but a continuatiou of the 
 Sahara of Africa. It has the same hot, dry climate, 
 the same large areas of desert, the same fertile 
 spots, the oases, and the same lack of rivers and 
 lakes. Yet it is not all barren. The central table- 
 land, while entirely surrounded by deserts, contains 
 many beautiful and fertile valleys, which are rich 
 agricultural lands, and affords excellent pasturage. 
 The mountain slopes from this table to the sea on 
 the southeast, south and west are mostly fertile and 
 contain luxuriant growths of palms and other trop- 
 ical vegetation. On these slopes and the coasts are 
 found the principal cities and villages of the people. 
 The country was anciently divided into three di- 
 visions; Arabia Petraea in the northwest, included 
 the peninsula of Sinia; Arabia Felix, the south and 
 southwest, the most fertile part ; and Arabia Deserta, 
 the central portion, generally, and although mostly 
 desert, the date palm is found in every oasis and 
 valley and forms the ' ' staff of life ' ' to the Bedouin of 
 that country. Mohammed said of it, "Honour the 
 date palm, for it is your mother." 
 
 346. Arabian traditions tell us that the Arabs are 
 descended from two different sources. The pure 
 Arabs trace back their origin to Joctan, son of Eber ; 
 while the so-called naturalized tribes are descend- 
 ant of Ismael, (this is according to the Koran), but 
 by inter-marrying these two divisions ultimately be- 
 came one. One of the greatest Arabian historians. 
 Saad Ben Ahmed, Cadi of Toledo, Shains. in his 
 history says, "There were two races of Arabs; one
 
 THE FATHER OP THE SCIENCES 353 
 
 of which has passed away, while the other remains 
 still in existence." Modern research confirms this 
 existence of two branches of the race ; for according 
 to the few writings that have remained, the first set- 
 tlers entered the country somewhere at the south- 
 west corner of the peninsula, near where Aden is 
 now situated, and from that point gradually spread 
 north and west, filling up the habitable portions of 
 the countr3^ founding the cities and villages, mostly 
 in the south, and becoming a settled populace. These 
 were the Arabs proper, or "pure Arabs" as Ben 
 Ahmed calls them. This branch is now generally 
 conceded to have come from Abyssinia, (Ethiopia), 
 for this country is separated from Yemen (Sabaew- 
 Sheba) only by a narrow strait Bab-el-Mandeb, 
 and is easily crossed. The two countries have al- 
 ways been closely allied. The ancient chronicles of 
 Abyssinia are written in their old language, Geez, 
 and which strongly resembles the Arabic of Yemen. 
 In these chronicles is a curious tradition of a visit 
 to the king of Jerusalem by the Queen of Azab. 
 Bruce, a traveler in that country, says, "the annal of 
 the Abyssinians say, that when the Queen of Azab 
 (or Saba) left Azab she was pagan, but, being full of 
 admiration of Solomon's works, she was converted 
 to Judaism in Jerusalem, and bore him a son whom 
 he called Menilek, and who was their first King. ' ' The 
 Queen evidently went by sea to Tyre for "she was 
 attended by a daughter of Hiram's from Tyre to Jer- 
 usalem." The chronicle goes on to state that the 
 son "was sent to his father to be instructed, and he 
 
 12
 
 354 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 was anointed and crowned king of Ethiopia (or 
 Abyssinia) and took the name of David at his coron- 
 ation." 
 
 347. The second division of the race, spoken of 
 above, and whom the Egyptian writers call "Bed- 
 ouins" as early as King Pepy 1st, time about B. C. 
 2680, seems to have entered Arabia from the north- 
 east, through the isthmus of Suez. They seem to have 
 remained a wild, nomadic people, stopping in one 
 place only as long as they could find food for their 
 flocks and herds and then wandering off to another 
 locality. During their wanderings they would nat- 
 urally stray beyond Arabia into the fertile tracts of 
 Chaldea, and there become impregnated to some ex- 
 tent, with the language and customs of the people 
 with whom they came in contact; and we find, after 
 they came back to their kinsmen in Arabia, they dif- 
 fered from them in several ways, in their pastoral, 
 nomadic life, in their clannishness, and in their idi- 
 oms; these differences were all of Asiatic origin. Of 
 these two divisions of the race it was the southern 
 or town people that made rapid approaches toward 
 civilization, and it was they, who in after years, 
 gave to Europe a university education, who other- 
 wise, would have been left in ignorance. 
 
 348. Its peninsula form, being on three sides 
 nearly surrounded by the sea ; its vast, hot, red, glar- 
 ing deserts of the central portion, and its rocky bar- 
 riers at the north, protected it in a great measure 
 from attack from without; while a large portion of 
 land on the south and the southeast, is sufficiently
 
 THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES 355 
 
 available to produce all the food necessary for their 
 subsistence, together with their Bedouin kinsfolk, 
 and their flocks and herds; they had a productive, 
 a sheltered and a secured home; and thus while all 
 around them there were fightings and tumults, and 
 rumors of wars, they themselves were quietly multi- 
 plying and becoming stronger and stronger until 
 there came a time when the population became so 
 great, that the country could not support them, and 
 they had to migrate to other lands. 
 
 349. These migrations occurred at seemingly 
 fairly regular intervals of about one thousand years. 
 The earliest that is known in history has been called 
 the Babylonian migration ; it took place as early 
 as 3500 B. C. and was the one that overran Babylonia, 
 conquering the Turanian inhabitants, acquiring from 
 them their civilization, but giving to them their 
 language. They did not stop in ancient Chaldea, 
 however, but spread themselves towards the north, 
 and east into Syria and Palestine. The second one 
 took place in 2500 B. C. and is known as the Amoritic 
 migration. It was during this movement that Abram 
 entered the Land of Promise, with his tribe. The 
 next is called the Aramaean and it was during this 
 migration that the real conquest of Palestine by 
 the Hebrews took place. This was about 1500 B. C. 
 The Tel-el-Amarna letters describe the gradual pro- 
 gress of the Khabiri (Hebrews) in their conquest of 
 the land. The fourth migration was that of the 
 Nabotaeans in 500 B. C. which overflowed a large 
 part of Syria and Palestine. This seems to have been
 
 356 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 composed of tribes from the north of Arabia, com- 
 prising among others the Aribi, tlie tribe from which 
 the name Arabia is derived. The last great migration 
 was that of the Mohammedan which took place in 
 A. D. 662. 
 
 350. Within six years of the Mohammed's death, 
 the Arabs were masters of the country from the 
 mountains of Asia Minor to the Red Sea. In A. D. 
 641, the Euphrates Valley and Persia were con- 
 quered ; and soon after the Arab Empire extended 
 west to, and including, India, ruled over by the 
 Khalif of Damascus. Egypt was next taken and in 
 succession Tripoli, Carthage, Tunis and the whole of 
 Northern Africa, converting all these countries to 
 Mahommedanism by the point of the sword. Con- 
 stantinople had already been taken, and the Arabs 
 next looked towards Spain. They crossed the 
 straits under command of Tarik, and landed at the 
 rock that still bears their leader's name, Gebal- 
 Tarik, or "Gibratars," the "Hill of Tarik." After 
 seven days fighting the "last of the Goths" was 
 killed, and Spain was added to the great Arab Em- 
 pire. The countrj^ was ruled in a much milder 
 form, than it had previously been under its former 
 Christian rulers ; the taxes were levied regularly and 
 impartially, religious toleration granted, Spanish 
 laws and judges retained, and all slaves treated in a 
 humane and rational manner, and the teachings of 
 Mohammed in some respects were much superior to 
 that of all forms of Christianity, as understood then 
 and long afterwards.
 
 THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES 357 
 
 351. The two chief seats of learning in this great 
 empire was Baghdad at the junction of the Euphrates 
 and Tigris in Asia, and Cordova in Spain. Bagh- 
 dad gained its highest state of splendor under Har- 
 oun-el-Raschid (Aaron the Just) ; under him it in- 
 creased in wealth and reputation, and became as 
 famous in the east for its schools and science, as 
 Cordova was in the west. It became the chief capi- 
 tal of the Arabian Empire, and was as its name 
 means, the ''Home of Peace." Here and under Har- 
 oun's rule, was written one of the world's finest and 
 best read books, the "Arabian Nights." 
 
 Cordova, the capital of Andalusia was the most 
 brilliant, wealthy and refined city of the world; 
 the great center of learning, science and culture ; the 
 source from which civilization was spread through- 
 out Europe, whose countries had not yet wholly 
 thrown off its state of semi-barbarism ; it had its col- 
 leges and courses of study ; and was in fact the only 
 university in Europe; "To it," says El Makkery, 
 an Arab author, "came from all parts of the world 
 students eager to cultivate poetry, to study the 
 sciences, or to be instructed in divinity or law ; so 
 that it became the meeting place of the eminent in 
 all matters, the abode of the learned, and the place 
 of resort for the studious. Cordova was to 
 Andalusia, what the head is to the body, or the breast 
 is to the lion." Its library contained four hundred 
 thousand volumes. 
 
 352. It was during the rule of Khalif Haroun Al 
 Raschia and of his son, Al Mamun, that Baghdad
 
 358 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 attained its highest state of culture and knowledge ; 
 so great was its affection that this craving for knowl- 
 edge spread through Northern Africa, first to Tunis 
 and Fez, where schools and libraries were instituted 
 and then through Morocco to Spain, which received 
 it with enthusiasm, and Cordova soon far surpassed 
 Baghdad in importance, both in Asia and Europe. 
 The direct conquest of Europe by force of arms had 
 been stopped by the Franks on the confines of Spain ; 
 but a far more important conquest was to be under 
 taken, and one far more reaching was to be achieved 
 by the moral conquest of Europe through its uni- 
 versity at Cordova. The schools at Oxford, Eng- 
 land, Poland and Scotland received and acknowl- 
 edged Avith gratitude the benefits received from 
 them. Dr. Draper, in his ''Intellectual Develop- 
 ment of Europe, ' ' says : " I have to deplore the sys- 
 tematic manner in which the literature of Europe 
 has contrived to put out of sight our scientific obli- 
 gations to the Mohammedans. Surely they cannot be 
 much longer hidden. Injustice, founded on religious 
 rancor and national conceit, cannot be perpetuated 
 forever. ' ' 
 
 353. The science which was most thought of and 
 loved by the Arabs was that of their own language. 
 Mohammed ed-Damiri says, regarding this : "Wis- 
 dom hath alighted upon these three things — The 
 brain of the Franks, the hands of the Chinese, and 
 the tongue of the Arabs;" and certainly their liter- 
 ature was very extensive, and included all subjects 
 of modern times. Poetry was, however, most in
 
 THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES 359 
 
 vogue, and by it was taught grammar, rhetoric, 
 biography, history, theology, medicine, chemistry, in 
 fact, all the training of the schools. The most cele- 
 brated of these school books, if we may call them 
 so, is a history of Andalus, in verse, written by 
 a philosopher and poet named Ghazal. The earlier 
 poems were the best, as they were simple and na- 
 tural ; while in later years, owing to their mixing 
 with other nations great changes occurred, both 
 in the spirit and language of their poetry, their 
 descriptions became hard and turbid, and a false 
 taste was created. Connected with poetry was their 
 fondness for story-telling, and thence came prose 
 writing, the most famous, and popular was the 
 ''Thousand and One Nights" consisting of stories 
 told to Haroun, his wife and Grand Vizier. The 
 poems and songs were often sung to the lute, just as 
 the Spaniards do now to the guitar, with the same 
 actions and gesticulations. 
 
 354. Philosophy, based upon the teachings of 
 Aristotle, took early root in the mind of the Arab 
 in spite of the Moslem's fanatical adherence to the 
 teachings of the Koran, and it was not long before 
 originality in this science was cultivated. Among 
 the most noted of their philosophers were, Avicen- 
 na, a noted physician of Bokhara. Another, who 
 lived a little later was Al-Ghazali of Baghdad, who 
 travelled and lectured in all the principal cities 
 of the east. In Europe the most noted, and on ac- 
 count of his advanced teachings, perhaps, the most 
 important of the philosophers was Averroes. With
 
 360 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 him philosophy reached its culminating point, and 
 long after he had passed away, his doctrines were 
 preserved and taught in a school he had founded in 
 Christian Europe. All philosophical teachings were 
 directly contrary to those of the Koran, and a strong 
 and fierce war was kept up against them, and in the 
 twelfth century the Koran prevailed, and philosophy 
 became a dead letter. 
 
 355. The historical writings of the Arabs were 
 very voluminous, but as they were chiefly concerned 
 about the Khalifs and other high officials, they were 
 more properly chronicles, and were full of flattery 
 and eulogy; they contained, however, an immense 
 amount of solid facts and statistics which makes 
 them of great importance. The historians were per- 
 fect grammarians, and displayed great accuracy, 
 and were generally elegant in composition. Among 
 these works was a general history of both the east- 
 ern and western empires, and styled "The Book of 
 Sufficiency on the History of the Khalifs." written 
 in Cordova by Al Krazraji. "The Book of Solidity" 
 was another of these histories, which was in sixty 
 volumes. Besides the general histories, there are 
 local histories of cities, men, horses, etc., botli in 
 prose and poetry. 
 
 356. The Arabic numbers with the cypher which 
 are now used so universally throughout the world, 
 was introduced into Christian Europe, it is said, by 
 Pope Sylvestus II, who had himself learned them 
 while studying with other Christian students, at the 
 University of Cordova. The Arabs obtained them
 
 THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES 35 1 
 
 from India, aud by their use they were enabled to 
 lead the world in mathematics, astronomy and analyt- 
 ical mechanics. The knowledge of algebra was most 
 probably obtained from the Greeks and great profi- 
 ciency was obtained in that science. The Arabs were 
 the first to apply algebra to geometry, and thus 
 formed the foundation of the science of analytical 
 geometry. 
 
 Geometry was already in an advanced stage of 
 cultivation when the Arabs first began its study. 
 In very early times men began to measure the earth 
 and the contents of solid bodies. In a Chinese work 
 on this subject is found a dialogue between the Em- 
 peror Tchau Kong, who lived 1100 B. C. and a 
 learned man named Schang Kaow, on the analysis 
 of the right angle. The philosopher told the Em- 
 peror that when the line which joins the ends of 
 the base and altitude is equal to five, the others will 
 equal three and four respectively. The square of 
 five is equal to the squares of three and four. This 
 is the forty-seventh proposition of Euclid, and thus 
 we find that some six thousand years before Pytha- 
 goras is said to have found it ont, this Chinese phil- 
 osopher had been puzzling himself over it. The 
 Arabs had in use eight books of Euclid. The eighth 
 of which is now lost ; and we are told that the young 
 student of Arabian Spain, had in his college as com- 
 plete a course of elementary mathematics as is now 
 taught in the colleges of today. 
 
 357. The Arabs were great travellers, and con- 
 sequently their knowledge of geography was exten-
 
 362 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 sive ; they made good use of their mathematical and 
 astronomical knowledge in connection with it. They 
 explored eastern Asia and northern Africa, and the 
 whole of Europe was known to them ; globes were 
 used in their schools as well as text books, one of 
 the largest of which is "The Book of Routes and 
 Kingdoms." The use of globes shows that the 
 Arabs knew of the rotundity of the earth. The 
 science of Astronomy was naturally evolved out of 
 astrology, and it made great and rapid progress. 
 They were acquainted with the rising, setting, and 
 course of the stars ; they calculated the obliquity of 
 the ecliptic, the diameter of the earth, and even 
 the processions of the equinoxes, with great ac- 
 curacy. Several treaties on the subject of astron- 
 omy were written by the Arabs. At the university 
 city of Seville, Spain, Geber constructed the first 
 astronomical observatory on record. By recent dis- 
 coveries we find that observatories had been in ex- 
 istence in the ancient cities of Chaldea at Ur, Ereck, 
 Nippur, several thousand years previously. The force 
 of attraction was dimly seen by them. 
 
 Yet, with all this knowledge, they still thought 
 the earth was the center of the universe, around 
 which the sun, moon and planets revolved. 
 
 358. Chemistry of today is very different from the 
 chemistry of olden times. The science was studied 
 by the Arabs in Egypt and brought by them into the 
 west in its most advanced state. All the elements 
 and agents were analytically studied in the hopes 
 of finding the philosophic stone and the elixir of
 
 THE FATHER OF THE SCIENCES 863 
 
 life, and in pursuing these studies, the alchemist of 
 those times approached somewhat near to what 
 chemists are today, and from their investigations 
 they discovered the chemical affinities of each of the 
 metals, ealcimining and oxidizing processes, and dis- 
 tillation; the methods of obtaining potash and soda 
 and the properties of saltpetre were also known, as 
 were those of nitric acid. So far advanced was the 
 knowledge of chemistry, that it was practically ap- 
 plied to metals and mining, in which great and useful 
 progress was made ; all the metals seem to have been 
 known and mined in very ancient times. 
 
 The Arabian physicians were noted for their skill 
 throughout the world. Henry Chappee* says: "Al- 
 though they consulted stars, and eagerly sought for 
 the elixir of life, and other panaceas, they brought to 
 the study of clinical medicine great interest, rare 
 learning, and a cool head; and thus they lead the 
 world in the healing art." 
 
 359. The progress of the Arabs in general science 
 has left but few avenues of investigation which had 
 not been trodden by their philosophers. They laid 
 the foundation of mechanical tactics and dynamics 
 in all their branches. They weighed the atmosphere 
 and found its pressure, and fixed its height at fifty- 
 eight and one half miles; they understood capillary 
 attraction; they found the laws of optics, that twi- 
 light was caused by refraction, and announced the 
 general law of gravitation. 
 
 360. Gunpowder was introduced by the Arabs, 
 who had obtained it from the Chinese, which latter
 
 364 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 had discovered it some three thousand years ago. 
 It is said to have come from China to Persia, and 
 from thence to Arabia. The Arabs called it "Indian 
 snow," while the Persian named it "Chinese Salt." 
 
 Paper too, really came from the Chinese ; they, 
 however, made their paper from silk, while the 
 Arabs used cotton for its manufacture, and when 
 they arrived in Spain, flax, being very abundant, 
 was used. Hallam says: "There can remain no 
 doubt that the Saracens of the Peninsula were ac- 
 quainted with that species of paper made ex rasu- 
 ris veterum pannorum (out of rags of old clothes), 
 though perhaps it was unknown in any other coun- 
 try." 
 
 The practical application of the magnet, which 
 had long been known to the Chinese, in the shape 
 of the "Mariner's Compass" was brought into Spain 
 by the Arabians and very generally used by them in 
 their larger vessels which sailed on the ocean. 
 
 Leather, iron and steel, silk, glass and jewelry 
 of gold, silver and precious stones were all in a high 
 grade of perfection, when these people entered 
 Spain, and their Toledo blades have always been 
 noted as par excellence.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PHOENICIA: THE PIONEER 
 
 ''Upon the Syrian Sea the people live 
 Who style themselves Phoenicians; 
 These were the first great founders of the world — 
 Founders of cities and of mighty states — 
 ll^ho showed a path through seas before unknown. " 
 
 — Dionysius of Susiana, A. D. joo. 
 
 RAWLINSON, ill his history of Phoenicia, says : 
 "The Phoenicians were, on the whole, 
 adapters, rather than inventors. They owed their 
 idea of an alphabetical writing to the Accadians, 
 their weights and measures to Babylon, their ship- 
 building probably to Egypt, their early architecture 
 to the same country, their mimic art to Assyria, to 
 Egypt and to Greece. They were not poets or 
 painters or sculptors or great architects, much less 
 philosophers or scientists, but in the practical arts 
 and sciences they held a high place." Phoenicia 
 had no philosophers or school of philosophy, and 
 Pythagoras, when he was made to speak of this, 
 made a mistake. Yet this was the first country in 
 which he studied during his foreign travels; and here 
 he was initiated into the mysteries of the Phoenic- 
 ian worship and himself became a Mystic. Rawlin-
 
 366 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 son says they are a people of "Industry and per- 
 severance, audacity in enterprise, adaptibility and 
 pliability, acuteness of intellect, unscrupulousness, 
 and want of good faith." They were certainly in 
 early times the most industrious of mankind; those 
 who were not in the workshops were roaming about 
 the seas, without chart, without compass and with 
 only the stars to guide them, and thus they pene- 
 trated even beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Straits 
 of Gibraltar.) From the islands of the eastern Med- 
 iterranean, they launched forth upon the unknown 
 sea in fragile ships, confronted the perils of wave 
 and storm, and the still more dreadful peril of 
 "monsters of the deep." They explored the Adriatic 
 and Black Seas and wandered about the Islands of 
 the Aegean ; thence they traversed the western Med- 
 iterranean, which became thoroughly known to them. 
 They afterwards passed the Straits of Gibraltar 
 "into the wild and boundless Atlantic with its 
 mighty tides, its high rollers, its blinding rains, and 
 its frequent fogs." They penetrated the shores of 
 Scythia, they discovered the islands of Britain, and 
 entered the Baltic Sea, they advanced along the west 
 coast of India ; and two thousand years before Vasco 
 de Gama discovered the Cape of Good Hope, the 
 Phoenicians, starting from the Red Sea, had doubled 
 the "Cape of Storms" and succeeded in sailing com- 
 pletely around the continent of Africa. 
 
 362. The name of "Phoenice was given to the 
 country by the Greeks, who when they discovered 
 the land, saw the palm trees which here grew in pro-
 
 THE PIONEER 367 
 
 fusion for the first time, and called it, "The Region 
 of the Palms." The region is a narrow sandy belt, 
 bordering the Mediterranean from Gaza in the south, 
 to Casius in the north; Phoenicia proper is a strip 
 of this coast extending from Syria to Palestine, about 
 two hundred miles in length and from one or two 
 miles in the south to thirty-five miles in the north, 
 in breadth. It has an area of about four thousand 
 square miles. Although so small an area it is natur- 
 ally divided into four distinct areas. First, the sandy 
 belt of palms, in which the date palms grew in great 
 profusion in former times, and even now at Beirut 
 and Jaffa, where the groves have not been destroyed 
 for building purposes, there are large, thick groves 
 still standing. The second region, lying inland and 
 next to the palm region, is a rich and fertile plain, 
 consisting of gardens, orchards and fields of grain. 
 This is bordered by the third region which consists 
 of low, out-lying hills, where the grape-vine, olive, 
 and the mulberry were very largely cultivated from 
 north to south. As these hills approached the fourth 
 or mountain region they grow higher, and all culti- 
 vation ceases, and forest trees appear ; first the oak, 
 which grew in olden times in immense forests all 
 over Palestine, though now only in small patches, 
 then chestnuts, sycamores, terebinth, and lastly the 
 ceaar. The mountains rise from five thousand feet 
 in the north to nine thousand feet in the south. 
 
 363. Phoenicia is divided from Philistia, the land 
 of the Philistines, on the south by the ridge of Mt. 
 Carmel. This ridge extends about eighteen miles
 
 368 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 to the southeast, and separates the plain of Sharon, 
 from that of Esdraelon. Inside Carmel, however, on 
 the coast, the first plain of Phoenicia commences, 
 the ' ' Plain of Acre ; " it is twenty miles in length, 
 and from one to four miles in breadth ; it is rich 
 and fertile, and watered by two rivers. On the 
 north a spur from the hills shoots out into the sea, 
 which is known as the headland of Ras-en-Nakura. 
 Further north is another headland, after which is 
 the "Plain of Lyre," the widest of the whole coast 
 being fiftten miles long, by five wide. This is fol- 
 lowed by the "Plain of Sarepta, " and that again 
 by the "Plain of Sidon." These three are separated 
 only by low hills, cultivated to their tops, and have 
 the same characteristics. North of these plains the 
 country for some distance consists of rocky moun- 
 tains and defiles; and then the "Plain of Beirut" 
 is entered. This plain is the only one to have kept 
 up its fertility and beauty; and its city, the only 
 one to have maintained its ancient prosperity. Here 
 can still be seen the palms of the sandy strip growing 
 in abundance ; the gardens, orchards and grain 
 fields embosoming the city ; and the orange and mul- 
 berry growing in large groves. The vines still bear 
 grapes that are of excellent quality. This plain is 
 bounded on the north by a headland forming a 
 steep cliff jutting out into the sea. The Egyptian 
 scooped a road out of the chalk cliff, and later on the 
 Romans cut another one lower down and of a more 
 gradual ascent. 
 
 364. The Lebanon Mountains, the glory of Syria,
 
 THE PIONEER 369 
 
 run through Phoenicia for a distance of one hun- 
 dred miles to Mt. Hermon; the northern part, how- 
 ever, is separated from the main range by a broad 
 plain and a deep gorge, and is known by the name 
 of Bargylus Mountains. The Lebanon range is com- 
 posed of limestone of the early cretaceous period; 
 but the valleys and gorges, "created towards the 
 end of that period by a tremendous siesmic action, 
 and which permanently formed the "Gorge of the 
 Jordan," are filled up with formations of every pos- 
 sible variety ; we find sedimentary, metamorphic, 
 and igneous rocks of many descriptions. The eleva- 
 tion rises towards the north until it attains the 
 height of ten thousand feet. The scenery throughout 
 is very beautiful, for the whole region is carpeted 
 with gardens, higher up with the olive groves; then 
 with corn fields and fruit trees, such as mulberries, 
 figs, apples, walnuts and others. Gorges, ravines 
 and chasms, with precipices, with a sheer fall of a 
 thousand feet, rivulets and waterfalls leaping from 
 rock to rock, are among its grand and picturesque 
 scenery. This is truly that part of the journey of the 
 neophyte which "lies through flower-bespangled 
 plains and verdant meads, where summer sunshine 
 sifts through interlacing boughs, and perfumed 
 zephyrs sigh, and music throated birds entrance the 
 listening ear." Here, too, may be seen the paths 
 and trails that "wind their devious and uncertain 
 ways along the mountain-side, whose unsealed peaks 
 their towering summits lift amid the thunder's sullen 
 roar, and depths abyssmal yawn beyond the treacher-
 
 370 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Oils precipice." Down in the deep gorges flow the 
 large streams, shaded by the growth of pines and 
 cedars that overhang them; and here again we find 
 the sites where those "darkening rivers run, mid 
 rayless gloom, through caverns, measureless to man. ' ' 
 Above this region are the remnants of the primeval 
 forest, and then the bare white rocks of limestone 
 for which the range is named ; Lebanon, White Moun- 
 tain. All this was undoubtedly seen and traveled 
 by P3^thagoras, when he tarried in the country, and 
 knowing which, gives a realistic idea to his words. 
 
 365. The people, we know as Phoenicians, were 
 of the same race and origin as the Hebrews, and 
 emigrated from the same place, Chaldea. bu^; at a 
 much earlier period.* They found the land inhab- 
 itated by a race which we know as Canaanites, who 
 had mixed with a still earlier race, and were related 
 to the primitive inhabitants of Chaldea and Egypt. 
 Justin says, speaking of the immigration of the Phoe- 
 nicians : "The Tyrian nation was founded by the 
 Phoenicians, who, being disturbed by an earthquake, 
 were induced to leave their native land, (on the Per- 
 sian Gulf), and to settle, first of all, on the Assyrian 
 Lake, and afterwards on the shore of the Mediter- 
 ranean, founding a city there which they called 
 Sidon, from the abundance of the fish found in the 
 sea; for in the Phoenician tongue a fish is called 
 "Sidon." When this took place, can only be con- 
 jectured but it is known that from 1400 B. C. to 400 
 B. C. they existed as a great nation, which drew 
 
 *See Arabia.
 
 THE PIONEER 371 
 
 upon it the eyes of the whole world. They were es- 
 sentially religious, were the first systematic traders, 
 the first miners and metallurgists, the greatest in- 
 ventors, the boldest mariners, and above all the 
 greatest colonizers ; they stood highest in practical 
 art and science, such as masons, carpenters, ship- 
 builders, weavers, dyers, glass-blowers, workers in 
 metal, navigation and discoveries; although they 
 brought the alphabet with them from Chaldea, they 
 greatly improved and simplified it, and gave it to 
 the whole world ; they were the first to aft'ront the 
 dangers of the open ocean in their strong-built 
 ships, the first to steer by the Polar star, the first 
 to make known to civilized nations the remote 
 regions of Asia, Africa and Europe ; they showed 
 that real power can be obtained constructed by arts 
 as by arms ; by the peaceful means of manufacture, 
 trade and commerce, as by the violent and bloody 
 ones of war, massacre and conquest."* 
 
 366. The sea beats upon the Phoenician coast with 
 great fury, and in course of time had separated from 
 the mainland the islands that now fringe it. Upon 
 these islands w^ere built many of the old cities, the 
 most northerly of which was Aradus. About eigh- 
 teen miles south still stands the city of Tripolis ; 
 Byblus at about the same distance still further south, 
 and further still Byretus (Beirut). Keeping along 
 the coast for another eighteen miles we come to 
 Sidon ; and fourteen miles farther, near the southern 
 boundary of the land, was Tyre, the queen of the 
 
 *Rawlinson.
 
 372 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Phoenician cities. This city was built upon an island, 
 or, more correctly, two or three small islands, arti- 
 ficially joined together. The space between these 
 cities was occupied by others, not so important, 
 but all celebrated for their arts and manufactures. 
 They formed, as it were, one long unbroken city, as 
 they were a confederation of cities, under the rule 
 of Tyre. 
 
 367. Tyre, the most southern, and to all intents 
 and purposes, the capital of Phoenicia, was founded 
 by a colony from Sidon, but it soon gained for itself 
 importance and wealth as to entirely outstrip its 
 mother city, and held its pre-eminence as long as the 
 Phoenician nation existed. It was first built upon 
 the mainland. It was strongly built and fortified, 
 and gradually spread itself out upon the plain, until 
 it had a circumference of fifteen miles. It was en- 
 tirely destroyed and obliterated during the Babylon- 
 ian and Assyrian wars, and only a few broken arches 
 now remain. From very early times, however, the 
 islands off its sea-front had been occupied, and 
 gradually, as the old city became more and more de- 
 vastated, the inhabitants repaired to the islands, 
 where they built their houses and strongly fortified 
 them; and as more land was required, they filled 
 in the sea between them and thus joined two or three 
 into one large island city. This was done by Hiram, 
 the friend of Solomon ; he also filled in shallow places 
 round the islands supported with stout walls, thus 
 giving it an area of two and a half miles. It had two 
 harbors, one on the north and the other on its
 
 THE PIONEER 373. 
 
 southern shores, the latter artificially made, and 
 joining the two was a canal, cut through the island 
 and large enough for their largest vessel to pass- 
 from one harbor to the other. A life-like description 
 of Tyre from 630 B. C. to 585 B. C, its conditions, 
 influence, and commerce is given by the Prophet 
 Ezekiel in Chapter XXVII. It is one of the most 
 valuable documents of the Bible, and forms the 
 basis upon which the true condition of things is- 
 realized. 
 
 368. The second in importance of the Phoenician 
 cities was Sidon, the most ancient and the mother of 
 them all ; it was built upon a promontory. There 
 low reefs, running parallel to the shore, formed a 
 nucleus upon which the Sidonians built two small 
 but perfectly safe harbors. At first only a fishing 
 station, it soon raised itself into great importance, 
 and second only to Tyre. It is now entirely de- 
 stroyed and nothing remains but a portion of its 
 walls. 
 
 369. Of the other cities, Beirut has already 
 been mentioned. It is now the most flourishing city 
 of the coast, although of no importance anciently. 
 Byphus was one of the earliest settlements and 
 whose inhabitants were skilled in cutting and 
 squaring great masses of stone ; and these people 
 were probablj^ the workers of the enormous stones. 
 which have been found in the substruction of Solo- 
 mon's Temple. Tripolis was colonized from Tyre, 
 Sidon and Aradus, and was of some importance. 
 Aradus, or Arvad, is on a rocky island of about
 
 374 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 eight hundred yards in extent, and three miles from 
 the shore. It was a colony from Sidon. 
 
 370. The Phoenicians were principally noted for 
 their trading and colonizing; the latter being the 
 natural outcome of the former; and as they had 
 commercial intercourse with the whole world, as 
 then known, they planted their colonies in every 
 direction; and even sought new lands to conquer. 
 Thus they had settlements throughout the coasts 
 of the Mediterranean Sea, both in Europe and Af- 
 rica, on all its gulfs and seas; they navigated the 
 Black Sea; they colonized the islands off the coast 
 of Greece and all through the Mediterranean, and 
 penetrated beyond the Straits of Gibraltar to South- 
 ern Britain, and it is thought to the Baltic Sea. 
 Southward they had colonies in Spain, on the east- 
 ern coast of Africa and ultimately they sailed 
 around the continent of Africa, from the "Pillars 
 of Hercules," to Egypt on the Red Sea. An inter- 
 esting account of one of these colonizing expedi- 
 tions has come down to us from Hanno, a leader 
 sent out from Carthage. It gives an account of the 
 voyage and its discoveries, and of the first sight 
 and capture of the gorilla. It is here given in full. 
 
 "The voyage of Hanno, and of the Carthaginians 
 around the parts of Libya, beyond the Pillars of 
 Hercules, which he deposited in the Temple of 
 Krosmos. 
 
 "It was decreed by the Carthaginians that Hanno 
 should undertake a voyage beyond the Pillars of 
 Hercules, and there found Liby-Phoenicians cities.
 
 THE PIONEER 375 
 
 He sailed accordingly with sixty ships of fifty oars 
 each, and a bod}' of men and women to the number 
 of thirty thousand, and provisions and other ne- 
 cessities. 
 
 "When we had weighed anchor, and passed the 
 Pillars, and sailed beyond them two days, we 
 founded the first city, Avhicli we named Thymiater- 
 ium. Below it lay an extensive plain. Proceeding 
 thence toward the west, we came to Solocis, a prom- 
 ontory of Libya thickly covered with trees, where 
 we erected a temple to Neptune, and again proceeded 
 for the space of half a day towards the east until we 
 arrived at a lake lying not far from the sea and 
 filled with an abundance of large reeds. Here the 
 elephants and a great number of other large animals 
 were feeding. 
 
 "Having passed the lake about a day's sail 
 we founded cities near the sea. Thence we came to 
 the great river Lixus which flows from Libya. On its 
 banks, the Lixitae, a wandering tribe, were feeding 
 flocks, amongst whom we continued some time on 
 friendly terms. Beyond the Lixitae dwelt the un- 
 hospitable Ethiopians, who possessed a wild coun- 
 try intersected by large mountains, from which they 
 say the river Lixus flows. In the neighborhood of 
 the mountains live the Troglodytes, men of various 
 appearances, whom the Lixitaes describe as swifter 
 in running than horses. Having procured inter- 
 preters from them we coasted along a desert coun- 
 try towards the south for two days and then pro- 
 ceeded towards the east, the course of a day. Here
 
 376 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 we found in a recess of a certain bay a small island, 
 where we settled a colony, and called it Cerne. We 
 judged from our voyage that this place lay in a 
 direct line with Carthage ; for the length of our 
 voyage from Carthage to the Pillars was equal to 
 that from the Pillars to Cerne. We then came to a 
 lake, which we reached by sailing up a large river 
 called Chrete. The lake had three islands larger 
 than Cerne; from which, proceeding a day's sail, we 
 came to the extremity of the lake. This was over- 
 hung by huge mountains, inhabited by savage men, 
 clothed in skins of wild beasts, who drove us away 
 hy throwing stones, and hindered us from landing. 
 Sailing thence we came to another river, that was 
 broad and deep, and full of crocodiles and river 
 horses (hippotomi). Whence returning back we 
 came again to Cerne. Thence we sailed towards 
 the south for twelve days, coasting along the shore, 
 the whole of which is inhabited by Ethiopians, who 
 would not wait our approach, but fled from us. 
 Having taken in water, we sailed forward during 
 five days near the land, until we came to a large 
 bay. In this was a large island, and in the island 
 a salt water lake, and in this another island ; when 
 we had landed, we could discover nothing in the 
 day time except trees; but at night we saw many 
 fires burning, and heard the sounds of pipes, cym- 
 bals, drums and confused shouting. We were then 
 afraid, and our diviners ordered us to abandon the 
 island. Sailing quickly away thence we passed by a 
 country burning with fire and perfume ; and streams
 
 THE PIONEER 377 
 
 of fire supplied thence, felJ into the sea. The coun- 
 try was uutraversable on account of the heat. So 
 Ave sailed awa,y quickly from there also, being much 
 afraid, and passing on for four days, we observed 
 at night a country full of flames. On the third day, 
 after our departure thence, we arrived at a bay, 
 at the bottom of which was an island, like the former 
 one, having a lake and an island full of savage peo- 
 ple, far the greater part of whom were women, 
 whose bodies were hairy, and whom our interpreters 
 called gorilla. Though we pursued the men, we 
 could not catch any of them but all escaped us, 
 climbing over the precipices and defending them- 
 selves with stones. Three women were, however, 
 ta.xCn, but they attacked their conductors with their 
 teeth and nails, and could not be prevailed upon to 
 accompany us. So we killed them, flayed them and 
 brought their skins with us to Carthage. We did 
 not sail on ; our provisions failed us. ' '* 
 
 372. Of the architecture of the Phoenicians, there 
 is very little in the country itself left to form an 
 idea as to what it was like, and it is chiefly from the 
 remains of Solomon's Temple, in the building of 
 which King Hiram of Tyre, took an important part, 
 that conclusions have been made. The buildings 
 were mostly of wood built upon stone bases, which 
 were of an immense solid character, and which 
 characterizes the effort of all the Phoenician work 
 in stone. Great blocks of stone, carefully bevelled ' 
 at the edges, were laid in horizontal courses, and 
 
 *Rawlinson's Hist, of Phoenicia.
 
 378 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 upon this solid foundatiou the wooden buildings 
 were erected. It is said that the finest specimen 
 of this work is found in the recently exposed sub- 
 structure of the Temple of Solomon. The walls of 
 the ancient cities were built in the same massive 
 style, the most remarkable of which is that of Ard- 
 dnus, which formerly surrounded the whole island 
 and was built of blocks, nine feet three inches in 
 height by from thirteen to sixteen feet in length. 
 The courses number from tive to six and rest upon 
 the solid rock artificially scraped. The tombs, those 
 few that still remain, show some form of Phoenician 
 architecture, the most notable of which is the Tomb 
 of Hiram. This is situated about three miles from 
 the modern Tyre (Tur), but was originally just 
 outside the eastern gate of the continental town. It 
 is a "grey weather-beaten" structure, with all the 
 appearance of great age. It is built upon a plat- 
 form of three courses of stt)ne, the upper of which 
 slightly overlaps the other, and each three feet thick. 
 On this pedestal is placed the tomb, cut from a single 
 block, and is twelve feet long, six feet high and six 
 feet broad. This is covered by a lid of a single 
 block, three feet in thickness, which is said never 
 to have been removed though the tomb has been 
 rifled through a hole cut into the eastern side. 
 
 373. The manufacture of the purple dye at Tyre, 
 of glass at Sidon. weaving, and metal working were 
 the four principal manufactures of the Phoenician, 
 and in which they excelled all competitors. The 
 "Tyrean Purple," the most celebrated of all the
 
 THE PIONEER 379 
 
 manufactures, was made from the liquid contained 
 in the sac of two species of mollucks or shell fish, 
 viz: "Purpura pelagia" (the purple shell) or murex 
 trunculus, taken by fishing in the sea; and "Buc- 
 cinum lapillus, ' ' found in the clifi:'s and rocks. Both 
 are of a spiral form, the former terminating with a 
 point, while the latter ends in a small rounded head, 
 The Buecinum has a wide mouth, like a trumpet, 
 and a smooth shell; the shell of the Murex is rough 
 and spiney. These shells have a small sac, behind 
 the head which contains a minute particle of a color- 
 less, creamy fluid, called the "flower," and having 
 a strong smell of garlic ; from this fluid was made the 
 various brilliant colors so famous among the Tyrian 
 wares. On extraction, the "flower" is of a yellow- 
 ish white color; but upon exposure to the light it 
 becomes successively green, blue, red, and deep 
 purple ; and by washing with soap, a bright crimson 
 is obtained which is permanent. 
 
 Sidon was the seat of the manufacture of glass, 
 which was said to have been accidentally discovered. 
 Some of the merchants having a cargo of subcarbon- 
 ate of soda on board their ship, went ashore at the 
 mouth of the Beliis river to cook their dinner. After 
 lighting their fire on the sands, and not finding 
 stones upon which to rest their kettles, brought from 
 the ship several blocks of natrum (soda). The heat 
 fused some of the natrum, which uniting with the 
 sand, produced a stream of glass. The most an- 
 cient objects of glass are of Phoenician make, as 
 also are the various kinds of beads found in the
 
 380 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 tombs in all parts of Europe, India and other parts 
 of Asia. These "Aggry" beads are still made in 
 Venice. They are opoque, colored and patterned. 
 In Sidon, glass objects were made in the form of 
 bottles, vases, cups, bowls, etc., very delicate and 
 tinted with metallic oxides; the smaller sizes being 
 produced with the blow-pipe. Sometimes the glass 
 was cut by the wheel, and sometimes engraved with 
 &. sharp instrument. 
 
 Woolen fabrics came from their looms in very 
 early times; and later, cotton and silk. Raw silk 
 w^as imported from Persia by their caravans and 
 great skill was shown in the weaving of color in 
 their goods. Embroidery was a necessary adjunct 
 to weaving, and very early these people became cele- 
 brated for the excellency of their work in this 
 direction. 
 
 Both Tyre and Sidon were famous as workers 
 in metal, and it was a Tyrian artist that Solomon 
 employed for those bronze and gold and silver orna- 
 ments of his temple; the two bronze pillars, forty 
 feet high, the ' ' molten sea, ' ' fifteen feet in diameter, 
 supported on the backs of twelve oxen, the altar 
 and table of gold, the ten candlesticks, censors, etc., 
 were all made by this artist. Homer says that the 
 •silver works of the Phoenicians were "the most 
 beautiful, "—" the most beautiful of all the world." 
 
 374. Architecture, navigation and metal work 
 among the arts have already been touched upon, 
 and it remains us to say something of sculpture, min- 
 ing and engraving. The Phoenicians were poor in
 
 THE PIONEER 381 
 
 sculpture, and they do not appear to have done 
 much in that way until they came under the influence 
 of Greece and Rome. Still some base-reliefs have 
 been found in Cypress which are fairly good speci- 
 mens of work. But later, on the discovery of the 
 tombs near Sidon, shows some very excellent work, 
 and one writer says that it is "impossible to describe 
 the splendor of the perfection of the tombs of this 
 locality ; so perfect an art is not to be described but 
 admired." The method used in mining was very 
 much that which is used today ; they used the Archi- 
 medes screw for pumping purposes ; but did not at- 
 tempt to separate the metals when found together. 
 They were the first people to mine under ground. 
 They had mines in Britain, France, Italy and the 
 "Isles of the Sea," besides their own country, which 
 consisted of gold, silver, copper and iron. Job says : 
 (XXVIII, 1) "Surely there is a mine of silver. 
 And a place for the gold which they refine. 
 Iron is taken out of the earth. 
 And brass is molten out of a stone. ' ' 
 
 The Phoenicians were noted as gem engravers, 
 and brobably, most the seals of Babylon were the 
 work of these people. The author of Chronicles says 
 that Hiram of Tyre was "skillful to grave any man- 
 ner of graving. ' ' Specimens of their work have lately 
 been found in large numbers in Cyprus, where ever 
 excavations have been made. 
 
 375. Although the Phoenicians did not invent the 
 alphabet, but as has been mentioned before, brought 
 it with them from Chaldea, they at any rate, so
 
 382 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 simplified it that it was adopted by the nations of 
 the west, having taken it with them during their 
 voyages. The extant literature is very slim, and con- 
 sists of two long inscriptions on tombs, and several 
 very short ones, together with short sayings on 
 coins, vases and other articles. 
 
 Such was Phoenicia at the time of Pythagoras' 
 visit, and such 
 
 ' ' thou that dwellest at the entry of the sea. 
 Which art the merchant of the peoples unto many 
 isles." 
 
 ^.^^^^^^'^^^^ 
 
 /^^..^V^^V^^c
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CHALDEA: THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 
 
 *^May God, fny Creator, take tny hands. Guide 1 hou the 
 breath of my mouth; guide Thou my hand " 
 
 — Ancient Accadean Hymn. 
 
 THE TABLELAND of Armenia lies in the west- 
 ern portion of Asia Minor, south of the Cauca- 
 sus Mountains, and west of the Caspian Sea, averag- 
 ing some several thousand feet above the sea level; 
 its southern boundary is a high wall of mountains. 
 In this tableland, the two rivers, Tigris and Eu- 
 phrates have their origin ; the former on its eastern 
 side, and the latter on its western side. After forc- 
 ing their way through this southern wall, they take 
 a general south-easterly direction, gradually drawing 
 closer together until they at last enter the Persian 
 Gulf, a distance of about 800 miles as one stream. 
 This region between the northern wall and the sea 
 and watered by these two rivers, is what was known 
 to the Greeks as Mesopotamia ; to the Hebrews as 
 Arane Narahahim, "Aram of the Two Rivers;" 
 to the Arameans, the Hebrew's predecessors of the 
 land of Palestine, Beth Naharin, "the region or house 
 of rivers." It was also known in olden times as 
 Chaldea or Babylonia. 
 
 877. It is naturally divided into two almost equal
 
 384 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 parts, geologically different in construction and time. 
 The northern portion, commences at the mountain 
 wall of Armenia and stretches south for four hun- 
 dred miles in a gentle slope of one thousand feet for 
 the whole distance. The rivers have cut their way 
 through the limestone and selenite rocks, and lie 
 from one hundred to three hundred feet below the 
 general surface of the country, and there are valleys 
 cut by the waters from two to three miles wide. The 
 next four hundred miles to the sea, forms the south- 
 ern division, and is composed of a flat alluvial plain, 
 made up entirely by the debris, sand, pebbles, clay 
 and loam, brought down b}^ the rivers from the 
 northern rocky plain. 
 
 378. The northern division as bounded by the 
 rivers and the Armenian wall, forms a sort of ir- 
 regular triangle ; but it spreads out over the Tigris 
 east to the Zagros Mountains, and extends across 
 the Euphrates to some distance into the desert. This 
 area of about fifty-five thousand square miles, is com- 
 posed of isolated ranges in its northern portion, well 
 watered by mountain streams of considerable size ; 
 south of the river Khabur, water ceases, and the 
 land takes the character of steppes, and is the home 
 of the wandering Bedouin. 
 
 379. The southern division is entirely the gift 
 of the rivers, and has been gradually built up from 
 the above division to the present boundary of the 
 sea; this process of land-making is still going on, 
 and land to the amount of seventy-two feet is being 
 added every year. The Zagros Mountains on the east
 
 THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 385 
 
 give the whole country a gentle westward slope, 
 and by the overflow of the Euphrates in that direc- 
 tion has added a considerable portion of the desert 
 to the alluvial region. The area of this southern 
 division is about thirty thousand square miles; but 
 at the time of the early Chaldean history, it only 
 contained about twenty-three thousand; the Persian 
 Gulf then extending to the towns of Eridu and Ur. 
 It resembles Louisiana in being made up of alluvial 
 and swampy districts, as are the results of all delta- 
 made lands. This is the region known to the Greeks, 
 as Babylonia, while the northern division may more 
 properly be called Mesopotamia. As the southern dif- 
 fers in character with the northern, so do the rivers 
 act ditferently. In Mesopotamia we have seen, they 
 have cut for themselves wide deep channels, but 
 here they lie close to the level of the surrounding 
 surface and have formed banks between which they 
 flow. For this reason the sides of the ancient canal 
 apjjear now like long ridges across the plain, and 
 are used as the best and most convenient roads of 
 travel today. 
 
 380. The fertility of Babylonia was a wonder to 
 the ancient world. Herodotus says : ' ' This territory 
 is of all that we know, the best, by far, for produc- 
 ing grain ; as to trees it does not even attempt to bear 
 them, either fig, vine or olive, but for producing 
 grain it is so good that it returns as much as two hun- 
 dred fold for the average, and, when it bears at its 
 best, it produces three hundred fold. The blades of 
 the wheat and barley there grow to be full four 
 
 13
 
 386 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 fingers broad ; and from millet and sesame seed, how 
 large a tree grows, I know myself, but shall not re- 
 cord, being well aware that even what has already 
 been said relating to the crops produced has been 
 enough to cause disbelief in those who have not vis- 
 ited Babylonia." Stone and metals are found in 
 northern Mesopotamia but none at the south. Cop- 
 per, lead and iron were mined from the mountains 
 and from the same source the limestone, basalt, 
 marble and alabasta used so extensively in the build- 
 ings of Assyria. In both regions, however, bitumen 
 was to be obtained. 
 
 The valley of the Tigris and Euphrates was early 
 the highway from Armenia and Palestine and thus 
 on to Egypt, to the slopes of the Mediterranean, and 
 the Isles of the Sea. A country so situated was 
 bound to become the center of stirring events and 
 such it did become. Professor G. T. Goodspeed 
 says that it is "a country of splendid possibilities, 
 destined sometime again to be the highway of the 
 nations, it is a speaking testimony to the power of 
 man. Before his advent it was uninhabitable and 
 wild. When he had subdued it and cultivated it, 
 it was the garden of the earth, the seat and the 
 symbol of Paradise." 
 
 381. The same writer continues: "The king- 
 doms, which in the region just described flourished 
 during the millenniums of the world's youth, 
 while they left a deep impression upon the imag- 
 ination of later ages, were cut off suddenly and 
 by an alien race, when interest in preserving the
 
 THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 387 
 
 annals of the past by means of historical narrative 
 had not yet been born among men." Their names 
 were preserved in the Jewish records and tradi- 
 tions, and some distorted achievements of their 
 kings preserved. But the kingdoms themselves, 
 and their towns and cities had been obliterated 
 from the surface of the earth, and nothing re- 
 mained but huge, shapeless mounds of earth, 
 with nothing that could identify them as habita- 
 tions of man. The explorer Layard says in speak- 
 ing of these mounds, that he "is at a loss to give 
 any form to the rude heaps upon which he is 
 gazing. Those of whose works they are the re- 
 mains, unlike the Romans and the Greeks, have 
 left no visible traces of their civilization, or of 
 their arts; their influence has long since passed 
 away. The scene is worthy of the ruin he is 
 contemplating ; desolation upon desolation ; there 
 is nothing to relieve the mind, to lead to hope, or 
 to tell of what has gone by." 
 
 382. Previous to A. D. 1750, comparatively 
 nothing was known of these mounds. A few 
 travellers had visited them, such as Benjamin, a 
 Jew of Toleda, who in 1160 thought he had found 
 the sites of Babylon and Nineveh, and both lo- 
 cations were afterwards found to be correct. But 
 after 1750, and especially since 1842, scientific ex- 
 peditions have been sent to thoroughly explore 
 these mounds, with the result, that not only have 
 the sites of the old cities been identified, but the in- 
 scriptions upon their temples, tablets and monu-
 
 388 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ments have been read and translated ; so that the 
 history and life of these peoples have become as 
 well known to us now as those of Greece and Rome. 
 Libraries of many thousand volumes have been 
 found at Nineveh, Babylon, Ur and other places, 
 but, probably, the most important of them all was 
 that found by Professor Hilprecht, at Niffer, the 
 ancient Nippur, where some thirty thousand vol- 
 umes or tablets were found and sent home. This 
 was the site of a very early Chaldean city, and the 
 center of an early religious life. The libraries 
 are composed of works on all scientific, religious, 
 and other subjects. There are ritual books for wor- 
 ship ; works on mythology in epic poetry, the chief 
 of which is the Epic of Gelgamesh, a hero whose ad- 
 ventures are told in twelve books, each correspond- 
 ing with a sign of the Zodiac ; the ninth book of 
 which is composed of the story of the Deluge; the 
 Creation Epic of which fragments of six books we 
 have and numerous others. These religious sub- 
 jects are mostly found in the south while the As- 
 syrians of the northern kingdom devoted their liter- 
 ature mostly to history, which is most complete 
 with exact chronology. It begins with the reign 
 of Tigiathpeleser (cf. 1100 B. C.) and extends to 
 the close of the kingdom. Diplomatic letters and 
 proclamations claim a large share of these volumes; 
 and those on law are very extensive. There are 
 very few works of fiction. Besides the Epics already 
 mentioned, there are a few fables and folk stories, 
 popular legends of early kings.
 
 THE CRADLE OP KNOWLEDGE 389 
 
 383. Aeording to these inscriptions the chro- 
 nology of the whole country is supplied from B. C. 
 2500. and before that period a fixed point in the 
 chaos of statements seems to be offered us in the 
 statements of King Nabunaid, who saj'^s, while 
 searching for the foundation of the Temple of the 
 Sun at Sippar, "the foundation stone of Naram- 
 Sin. which no king before me had found for 3200 
 years." Nabunaid reigned about 550 B. C, Naram- 
 Sin, king of Agade, ruled then in 3750 B. C. and 
 his father the great King Sargon, about 3800 B. C. 
 
 384. The Babylonians or Semites, that we know 
 from history, those subjects of Sennacherib and 
 Nebuehadezzer, were not the first inhabitants of 
 the land of the Tigris and Euphrates. Before them 
 there existed a people who are called Accadian, 
 who were not related to them in either race or 
 language, the latter closely resembled the languages 
 of modern Turks and Finns. To these people belong 
 the Chaldean cultivation and civilization. "They 
 were the teachers and masters of the Semites, not 
 only in matters of oratory and literature, but in 
 other elements of culture as well." (A. H. Sayce) ; 
 and in the very dawn of history, the earliest rec- 
 ords show us that the first stages of civilization 
 had already commenced, and that both social and 
 political life were already in full operation ; the 
 populations gathered in well-built cities, agricul- 
 ture the chief occupation; irrigating canals made; 
 states established and ruled by kings; the arts were 
 developed ; writing in use ; and religion was the
 
 390 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 essential element of life, and had its temples and 
 priests. The centers of population sprang up first 
 in Babylonia, where expanding life caused them to 
 come in contact with each other, and each succes- 
 sively secured a certain supremacy. All this was 
 in full operation in 5000 B. C. 
 
 385. The most ancient of these cities was Eridu. 
 This was situated at the mouth of the river, which 
 was then about one hundred miles northwest of 
 its present mouth. Eridu was the seat of a temple 
 for the worship of Ea, the god of the waters ; and 
 it was here that the story of Oannes originated. 
 Oannes was a being who came up out of the sea 
 in the morning and taught the people to read and 
 write and instructed them also in the arts and 
 sciences, and at night went back again. This is 
 evidently' a myth of the sun. Ten miles west, 
 Ur (Ninghur), "the city," was built and although 
 now in the desert, was once like Eridu, a commercial 
 city on the gulf. In this city was the Temple of Sin, 
 the moon-god, whose ruins still rise seventy feet 
 above the plains Larsam, (now Teukerch), called 
 in the Bible, Ellasar, lay thirty miles northeast of 
 Ur, across the river. Still following the river for 
 twelve miles was Uruk, the Biblical Ereck (now 
 Warka) the seat of the worship of the goddess 
 Ishtar. Niar was twelve miles north, and thirty- 
 five miles east of Niar, was Shirpurla or Lagush. 
 situated on a canal connecting the Tigris with the 
 Euphrates, this was the eastern frontier city of 
 early period. These six cities formed the southern
 
 THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 39I 
 
 confederacy of settlements that had existed a suf- 
 ficient length of time for them to have formed a 
 perfect system of government and civilization, that 
 they are found to be in at the very dawn of history. 
 Fifty miles north of Uruk, was the famous city of 
 Nippur (Niffer) made famous by its temple of En-lil, 
 chief spirit, called sometimes Bel, the lord god of 
 the terrestrial world. At the time when these rec- 
 ords were made religion was the sole distinction 
 between the cities, and Nitfer ranks with Eridu as 
 the two earliest centers of religion. 
 
 386. Northern Chaldea also had its groups of 
 primitive cities, the chief of which was Kutha, fifty 
 miles northwest of Nippur, in the center of the up- 
 per plain ; it was the seat of the worship of the god 
 Nergal, the lord of the dead. Further north, near 
 the Euphrates was Sippar, where the sun god 
 Shamash had his temple, and near by was Agade, 
 the once famous capital of Accad and several other 
 cities whose sites are entirely lost. Babylon was 
 not yet in existence. 
 
 387. There is still som;e doubt as to who were 
 the people, who by 5000 B. C. had transformed the 
 land of Chaldea into so fair and beautiful a region, 
 when all around them was still in a savage and 
 desolate condition. The records show that the pre- 
 vailing race was then Semitic, but they also show 
 that there was also in existence and in use another 
 and an entirely different language, a language of 
 the Turanian stock, and which they themselves 
 called Sumerian, the sacred language. This seems
 
 392 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 to show us that the Semites, wandering from their 
 home in Arabia, had conquered the Sumerian people, 
 and adopted from them, their civilization and relig- 
 ion. Prof. Cornell, of Konigsburg University says, 
 "There can be no doubt that the primitive Baby- 
 lonian civilization, which has given even to present 
 day, the names of the seven planets, and of the cor- 
 responding days of the week, the division of the 
 circle into three hundred and sixty degees, 
 the division of the year into twelve months, the 
 week of seven days, the days into twenty-four hours 
 and the hour of sixtj' minutes, is older than the 
 year 4000 B. C, and derived from a non-Semitic 
 people. This people called themselves Sumerians 
 and b}^ their language belong to the Finnish-Turk- 
 ish-Tartar race, the so-called Turanians." 
 
 388. For some two thousand years there was a 
 rivalry for supremacy among the primitive cities ; 
 first one city and then the other held the supreme 
 poAver ; some times it lay in the north, and some times 
 in the south. In about 4000 B. C. Lugalzaggisi, 
 King of Gishban. proclaims himself "king of 
 Uruk, king of the world" and says "from the lower 
 sea of the Tigris and Euphrates to the upper sea 
 (his god) made straight his path; from the rising 
 of the sun to the setting of the same he gave him 
 tribute. By the time of Sargon I. King of Agades, 
 3800 B. C. this authority beyond the boundaries of 
 Babylon, seemed to have been a settled policy of 
 the people ; while the local supremacy still shifted 
 from city to city, and it was not until Babylon had
 
 THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 393 
 
 grown to such power, that she was finally enabled 
 to consolidate the whole of Babylonia under one 
 government and civilization, that this shifting 
 ceased. This took place about 2300 B. C. In the 
 time of Sargon of Akkad, while he was conquering 
 SA^ria, contracts were in vogue and have been 
 found on different subjects, and his empire was sur- 
 veyed for the purpose of taxation. One of these 
 contracts mentions a Canaanite who had been ap- 
 pointed governor of the land of the Amorites. "A 
 postal service," Professor Sayce says, "had already 
 been organized along the great highways of the 
 empire, and some of the seals that franked the letters 
 are preserved in the museum of the Louvre in 
 France." 
 
 During the next thousand 3'ears the Babylonians 
 saw their power taken from them by a Kassite people 
 from over the eastern mountains and the sudden 
 rise of Assyria, probably a kindred race of the 
 Kassite, also from the east, and who, during the next 
 period of the Babylonia's history gained the ascend- 
 ency over not only that country, but over nearly 
 the whole known world. This rule, however, gave 
 place for a short time to a native Chaldean dynasty, 
 and the Assyrian power was forever destroyed. 
 This was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzer with the 
 help of the Medes, who ultimately under Cyrus, 
 king of Persia, gained the supreme rulership of the 
 eastern empires. It was during the end of this 
 period of Babylonia's history that Pythagoras was 
 taken prisoner to Babylon by Cyrus.
 
 394 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 389. "Lore" is an old English word derived 
 from the Anglo-Saxon "lar" to teach, and means 
 that which is or may be known, and hence its mean- 
 ing, as used in the phrase "the lore of the Chaldean 
 sages, is, the whole body of knowledge possessed 
 b}^ the Chaldean sages. It has been shown, that at 
 the earliest historical period, 5000 B. C, Chaldea 
 was a settled, civilized community of rich and pow- 
 erful cities, ruled by kings, having organized con- 
 stitutional governments, and well developed relig- 
 ious systems. The people were agriculturists, hav- 
 ing large flocks and herds. The lands were watered 
 by means of an extensive system of canals, the 
 first of which Avas built by King Urukagina, one of 
 the earliest of the city kings ; oxen were employed, 
 and numerous agricultural implements had been 
 in use. Sowing, reaping, plowing, threshing, ir- 
 rigating and cultivating formed the chief occupa- 
 tion of the majority of the inhabitants Which made 
 the land the richest and most prosperous in all the 
 world. The inscription mentioned the several trades, 
 which already had been drawn together into their 
 several societies, such as the carpenters, the smiths, 
 the metal workers, the weavers, the leather workers, 
 the dyers, the potters, the brickmakers, the vintners, 
 and the surveyors ; all these are mentioned. 
 
 390. The abundance of wool materially added to 
 the manufacture of woolen goods in Avhich the Baby- 
 lonians surpassed all other nations. The city of 
 ^lur was the chief seat of this industry. Gold, silver, 
 copper and bronze were exquisitely worked into
 
 THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 395 
 
 objects of adornment and for use. Brick-making 
 was an all-important industry as all their buildings 
 were built of bricks, stone being unobtainable while 
 the mud and clay of this delta made country, was 
 abundant. Commerce with outside nations w^as con- 
 siderable, and as the caravan route was throughout 
 the length and breadth of Babylonia, the people, 
 the Chaldeans, easily obtained raw material from 
 other lands which they worked up into useful and 
 necessary articles, which they shipped back again 
 with their own grain, dates, fish, rugs and cloths of 
 native production. 
 
 391. The art of w^riting was in use from the 
 very earliest times and was chiefly used for busi- 
 ness purposes, in contracts and legal documents, 
 many of which are among the most valuable finds 
 of recent times. The art was cofined to the priestly 
 order and to scribes taught in their schools. A num- 
 ber of text books was used for this purpose, which 
 were copied by the students, and some of the most 
 valuable writings that we have, are lists of kings, 
 copied by these very pupils. A student's diploma 
 has been found in the shape of a small round tablet 
 which reads, "Whosoever has distinguished him- 
 self at the place of tablet-writing shall shine as the 
 light." The literature, however, had a various range 
 of subjects, it is chiefly religious and consisted of 
 hymns, psalms, myths, rituals, and notice inscrip- 
 tions. It had works on astronomy and astrology, 
 but they all showed a priestly influence. But after 
 the time of Sargon and of the northern kingdom,
 
 396 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 books on all subjects were extensively written, and 
 especially on the histor^y of the empire. 
 
 892. Some important advances had been made 
 with regard to scientific knowledge and its appli- 
 cation of life. The movements of the earth were 
 studied, the stars known and named, and the mathe- 
 matical science used for the measurement of the 
 heavens was highly developed. The skies were 
 mapped out and the courses of the stars traced. 
 All measure of length, area and capacity were de- 
 rived from a single standard. The circle divided 
 into degrees, minutes and seconds, the ecliptic di- 
 vided among the twelve signs of Zodiac, as we have 
 them now ; the years as before noted ; eclipses were 
 carefully calculated; the sun dial was a Babylonian 
 invention as was also the level, pulley and lens. 
 
 393. The palaces and temples were all built of 
 clay bricks, and were large, irregular, one-storied 
 mass of buildings, extending over a large surface, 
 and were always built upon a brick platform, some 
 forty feet high. They contained rooms, courts, gal- 
 leries and passages innumerable. Buttresses sup- 
 ported the platform and plaster the walls of the 
 buildings; terra cotta pipes drained the platform, 
 and ventilating shafts let in the air. Sometimes the 
 temples were built by a series of solid masses of 
 brick one above the other, and each higher story 
 smaller than the one beneath it. Shrines were placed 
 in cavities hollowed out of the brick, the chief 
 one on the top. The walls both inside and out were 
 stuccoed and ornamented ; enameled bricks were also
 
 THE CRADLE OF KNOWLEDGE 
 
 397 
 
 used. The roofs were supported by tree trunks en- 
 cased in metal. The earliest kno^vn keyed arch 
 has been found at Nippur. 
 
 39-4. The subject of the knowledge obtained by 
 the early Babylonians might be extended to an in- 
 definite length, and far beyond the scope of this 
 article, but enough has been said to prove that at 
 the early period of 5000 B. C. these people were 
 far in advance of all other nations in civilization, 
 in the knowledge and practice of arts and sciences, 
 and that there must have been a long previous 
 period of enlightenment for the people to have be- 
 come so far advanced in knowledge and civilization 
 as they are found to be at the Dawn of History, 
 and by P3i;hagoras.
 
 398 HISTORY OF- KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 A PENITENTIAL PSALM 
 By an early poet of Eridu, long before the time of Abraham 
 
 The heart of my lord is wroth ; may it be appeased ! 
 May the god whom I know not be appeased ! 
 May the goddess whom I know not be appeased ! 
 May the god I know, and the god I know not be ap- 
 peased! 
 
 lord, my sins are many, my transgressions are 
 
 great ! 
 
 The sin that I sinned I knew not, 
 
 The transgression I committed, I knew not. 
 
 The lord in the wrath of his heart has regarded 
 me, 
 
 God in the fierceness of his heart has revealed him- 
 self to me, 
 
 1 sought for help, and none took my hand ; 
 I wept, and none stood at my side, 
 
 I cried aloud, and there was none that heard me. 
 
 I am in trouble and hiding ; I dare not look up. 
 
 To my god, the merciful one, I turn myself, I utter 
 my prayer; 
 
 The feet of my goddess I kiss and water with tears. 
 
 The sins I have sinned turn into a blessing. 
 
 The transgressions I have committed let the wind 
 carry away ! 
 
 Strip off my manifold wickedness as a garment ! 
 
 my god, seven times seven are my transgressions ; 
 forgive my sins ! 
 
 my goddess, seven times seven are my transgres- 
 sions ; forgive my sins ! 
 
 From Semitic Series — Babylonia.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 PERSIA: THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 
 
 '''Oh! Ahura-Mazda, thou true, happy being! We strive to 
 think, to speak, and we do such things as may be fitted to 
 promote the two lives, {life of body and life of soul) " 
 
 — Ancient Hymn of the Persian Magi. 
 
 LEGENDS tell us that the Persian nation was 
 founded by a king named Kaiomurs, who had 
 his capital at Balkh, and who is said to have had 
 among his subjects, the wild animals of the forests, 
 which animals were employed to help fight his bat- 
 tles. He was succeeded by his grandson, and the 
 legends say that it was during this reign the Per- 
 sians became fire worshipers regarding the flame, 
 the purest of the elements known, as the symbol of 
 God. The king introduced among his people the 
 use of iron, weaving, embroidering of woolen, silk, 
 and cotton stuffs ; and he divided his subjects into 
 four classes or castes, viz : priests, warriors, traders, 
 and husbandmen. Firdousce, a Persian poet, writ- 
 ing of this latter class, says of them, "they render 
 homage to no one ; they labor, they sow, they harvest 
 and are nourished in the fields of the earth with-
 
 400 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 out injury to au}' one. They are subject to the orders 
 of none, although their clothes are humble and their 
 ear is never struck by the clamor of slander. They 
 are free and the tillage of the earth is their right. 
 They have no quarrels." Although this seems a 
 somewhat rosy coloring of the condition of the 
 farmer, yet it is likely to have been a true account of 
 his condition during the early history of Persia, for 
 the Magian religion still holds sacred the earth and 
 its products. There can be no doubt, however, that 
 Persia or Media ruled at various times a large em- 
 pire, which probably included Persia, Media, Ar- 
 menia, with Parthia and Bactria. 
 
 396. The Medes, Persians and other nations of 
 this district were of the Aryan race and had mi- 
 grated from a northern and colder region, one after 
 another, the Medes having arrived first, had become 
 settled and powerful when the others arrived, and 
 these naturally put themselves in their protection. 
 The original seat of the Aryan race was the high- 
 lands of Central Asia, "a delicious country named 
 Eriene-Veedjo, the first creation of Ormuzd, the 
 Spirit of Good, with a climate of seven months sum- 
 mer and five of winter." The winters, however, 
 gradually increased in length, until we are told in 
 the ancient writings of the Persians, that they at- 
 tained a length of ten months; then the Aryan 
 tribes were compelled to seek a milder climate, and 
 a migration took place towards the south and south- 
 east, i. e. from the Hindu-Kush towards Persia and
 
 THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 401 
 
 Media. During these migrations, the people were 
 compelled to move on and on, fifteen times, before 
 they finally settled down for good. This Eriene, a 
 name having the same origin as Iran, Erin, seems to 
 have been north of the western chain of the Hima- 
 laya, a country still having a short summer and 
 great extremes of heat and cold. 
 
 397. This Perso-Aryan migration can be traced 
 to a certain extent ; for as no mention is made in 
 either Genesis or the Zend-Avesta of the name of 
 Persia, and while Madai or Medes is i^laced among 
 the sons of Japhet, it is concluded that the Persians 
 had not yet descended so far south, but were still 
 clinging to their old homes among the hills of the 
 north. During the reign of Shalmaneser, the inscrip- 
 tion shows that they had reached Armenia, though 
 still as tribal hordes. Later, when Sennacherib was 
 king of Babylon, we find the Persian tribes had de- 
 scended to the Zagros; whence, the descent by the 
 defiles was easy and rapid; although it is probable 
 that their migrations did not cease until the fall of 
 the Assyrian empire. 
 
 398. Modern Persia lies in Asia between the Per- 
 sian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, and is called by its 
 inhabitants Iran ; it was peopled by the Aryan 
 tribes from Turkestan, as described above. Of these 
 tribes the Persians were the southernmost, and their 
 rulers claimed descent from a king named Achae- 
 medes; while north of them were the Medes, having 
 no central government. Init lived as separate tribes.
 
 402 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 Both tribes were followers of Zoroaster, and 
 while the Persians kept themselves comparatively 
 pure in race and religion the Medes mixed with the 
 primitive inhabitants, and their religion conse- 
 quently became degenerated. Their priests were 
 the Magi. South of Media was Elam, a country of 
 a different race and that had made itself felt even 
 as far as Egypt. These three peoples afterwards 
 formed the ruling race known as the Medes and 
 Persians. 
 
 After years of subjection to Assyria, the Medes. 
 finding it impossible to resist the encroaches of As- 
 syria except by banding themselves together for 
 common defense, at last, did so, under the leader- 
 ship of a chief named Deioces. The Assyrians were 
 engaged elsewhere, and the Medes gained in power. 
 Deioces was succeeded by Phraortes, who conquered 
 Persia; and he was succeeded by Cyaxares. In this 
 reign the union of the tribes was perfected, and 
 they were enabled to finally drive the Assyrians out 
 of Media, and invade Assyria itself. Difficulties in 
 the northern parts of his kingdom compelled Cyaxa- 
 res to go north to Asia j\Iinor. The Scythians had 
 descended south of the Caucausus and invaded his 
 territory there. The Medes were defeated ; and the 
 Scythians overran northern Assyria. In conjunction 
 with the king of Babylon, Cyaxares a few years later, 
 conquered Assyria and divided the kingdoms into 
 three parts. The west went to Egypt, the south 
 to Babylon and the north to Media. Cyaxares then 
 extended his kingdom, first east as far as and in-
 
 THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 403 
 
 eluding Bactria and then west into Asia Minor to the 
 borders of the kingdom of Lydia, and it was while 
 trying to conquer this small but powerful country, 
 that an eclipse of the sun took place during one of 
 his battles; both powers thinking it was a sign 
 from the gods to cease the war, they concluded to 
 make peace. 
 
 399. Up to very lately Cyaxares is said to have 
 been succeeded by his son Astyages of whom we 
 were told that very little was known, but he ap- 
 peared to have been a cruel and tyrannical ruler, and 
 that his cruelty led to the revolt of Cyrus, king of 
 Persia. But recent discoveries tell us this : After 
 the fall of Nineveh, the land of Elani, which had 
 been cruelly devastated by the Assyrians, regained 
 its power, and its king was now Cyrus, a prince of 
 the house of Achaemenes, who acknowledged fealty 
 to Astyages, King of the Manda of Ecbatana ; Manda 
 and Medes have been confounded together by the 
 old Greek writers. The Manda were Scythians, who 
 had conquered the Medes; however, the two became 
 merged in one under Cyrus. The branch of the royal 
 family to which Cyrus belonged, had some hundred 
 and fifty years previously, emigrated to Elam. He 
 is called on the inscriptions "Son of Cambyses, son 
 of Cyrus, son of Teispes, son of Achaemenes of the 
 ancient seed royal." We learn from these inscrip- 
 tions that Astyages was at war with Nabonedos, 
 king of Babylon ; in one of the fights, Cyrus attacked 
 Astyages in the rear, and defeated him, his army 
 revolted and delivered their king bound into the
 
 404 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 hands of Cyrus. Within the next three years, Cyrus 
 must have gained Persia, for in the earlier years he 
 is called ''king of Auzan (Elam) and in the. later 
 years, "king of Persia." This would be easily 
 achieved, as he was of the Persian royal blood ; later 
 still he conquered Media. So that he was now a 
 powerful monarch, having under his command the 
 kingdoms of Elam, Persia, Manda, and Media; but 
 this change, so important internally, made no dif- 
 ference to the outside world, who still called them 
 "theMedes." 
 
 400. Babylon, Egypt and Syria now made an of- 
 fensive and defensive alliance among themselves for 
 the purpose of stopping Cyrus of extending his 
 powerful empire, seeing which Cyrus immediately at- 
 tacked Lydia, and before she could obtain help from 
 her allies, was defeated and Croesus, the king, taken 
 prisoner, and very soon after Lydia became a prov- 
 ince of Persia. Leaving one of his generals to con- 
 quer the countries along the coast, Cyrus, himself, 
 with a large portion of his army marched east to 
 India and extended his dominions to the River Indus. 
 In the meantime, his generals subdued the whole 
 coast of Asia Minor and thus gained control of the 
 Mediterranean Sea. His next campaign was against 
 Babylon which fell in 538 B. C. and Sippara soon 
 after. To pacify and make friends of his conquered 
 provinces, Cyrus granted permission for all pris- 
 oners to return to their homes. Among these were 
 the Jews, who had been captives in Babylon, and 
 who now returned to Jerusalem under the leadership
 
 THE SCHOOL OP THE MAGI 405 
 
 of Zerubbabul. Still ambitious for more conquests, 
 Cyrus next attacked a tribe north of the Sea of 
 Aral, where he fell in battle; his body was recov- 
 ered by his soldiers and brought to Pasargada for 
 burial. His tomb can still be seen. 
 
 401. Cambyses, his son, succeeded him. He im- 
 mediately set to work to conquer Egypt, and with 
 the help of a navy from the ports of Asia, entered 
 Eg,ypt and subdued it. Wishing now to conquer Af- 
 rica, he first tackled Carthage, but his Phoenician 
 sailors refused to fight their own countrymen, so 
 that fell through. He next sent a large army against 
 the Oasis of Amnion, but the guides purposely led 
 the army into the desert, and it was destroyed to a 
 man ; not one returned, not even the guides. His 
 next expedition was against Ethiopia, but supplies, 
 getting short it was obliged to return. To crown 
 these adversities, a revolt occurred at home and on 
 his way home, becoming discouraged he committed 
 suicide. 
 
 402. Darius the Great succeeded Cyrus, after a 
 short reign of seven months of Smerdis, an imposter, 
 and during his reign, the Persian empire attained its- 
 greatest extent and power. Darius was descended 
 from that branch of the hovise of Achaemenes that 
 remained in Persia; not being an heir of Cambyses, 
 he was five years before he gained full control of 
 the empire. He then set to work to enlarge it. He 
 extended his dominion in the northwest into Europe 
 conquering the country what is now Turkey and
 
 406 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 Macedonia ; in the northeast, far into Siberia ; the 
 whole of Syria and Palestine, the Island of Cyprus, 
 and Egypt and all along the coast of Africa includ- 
 ing the present Tunis, together with the oases that 
 igkirt Egypt on the west. 
 
 403. From this time the Empire be^an to decline. 
 Xerxes, the next great ruler, was the Ahasuerus of 
 Scripture, the husband of Esther. He had several 
 reverses in battle, especially in Greece, and although 
 no territory, to speak of, was lost, still it prepared 
 the way for the revolts of the provinces later. Dur- 
 ing the next reigns Persia lost its supremacy and 
 in 330 B. C. Alexander, king of Macedonia, overran 
 the Persian empire and conquered it; and thus the 
 great empire of the Medes and Persians came to 
 an end. 
 
 404. It was in 826 B. C. that Pythagoras is said 
 to have been sent a prisoner to Babylon by Cambyses, 
 after his conquest of Egypt, and here, most probably 
 he had attained to the knowledge of the "occult mys- 
 teries of the Persian Magi." These Magi were the 
 priestly order of Media; they were a tribe by them- 
 selves and bore the same relation to the nation as 
 the tribe of Levi did to Israel. It will be remem- 
 bered that both the Medes and Persians were of the 
 same race and kindred; and both originally pro- 
 fessed the same religion, that of Zoroastrianism ; 
 and while that of the Medes had degenerated, and 
 Was fast approaching idolatry, the latter had kept 
 their religion comparatively pure. Not all of the tribe
 
 THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 407 
 
 of the Magi were devoted to the priesthood, both 
 only those who were brought up to it from their 
 childhood ; these only were consecrated. The Magi, 
 then, were the high priests of Persia, and the teach- 
 ers and cultivators of the wisdom of Zoroaster, and 
 were organized by Cyrus in his new Persian empire ; 
 Schlegel says, in his Philosophy of History, "They 
 were not so much an hereditary sacerdotal caste, 
 as an order or association, divided into various and 
 successive ranks and grades such as existed in the 
 mysteries, the grade of apprenticeship, that of 
 mastership, that of perfect mastership. ' ' They were 
 distinguished for their knowledge of theology, and 
 for their intimate acquaintance with the secrets 
 of nature ; they are therefore called ' ' wise men. ' ' 
 Cicero tells us they professed the science of divina- 
 tion, and for that purpose met together for consulta- 
 tion in their temples; and Porphyry says that "they 
 professed to make truth the sole object of their study, 
 for that, alone, they said, can make man like God, 
 whose body resembles light, as his soul or spirit 
 resembles truth." Although Cicero says they met 
 together in their temples for consultation, yet, they 
 say themselves they had neither temples nor altars; 
 they worshipped in the open on the tops of moun- 
 tains, or high places. Their hymns in praise of the 
 Most High, we are told, exceed in sublimity, any- 
 thing among those of Homer or Hesiod. 
 
 405. The power of the Magi ultimately became 
 very great in Persia, they gained complete ascend- 
 ency in political matters, and after spreading
 
 408 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 out in other countries, Jennings says in his "Indian 
 Religions," "The whole ancient world was in 
 reality, governed bj^ the Magi, either openly or in 
 secret ; and the reason of their great power was the 
 high wisdom they cultivated." They were the physi- 
 cian of both mind and body, and religion, philosophy, 
 and the sciences were all in their hands. 
 
 406. The three grades above mentioned were 
 called the "disciples,', the "professed," and the 
 "masters." They came originally from the ancient 
 empire of Bactria, a country lying northeast of Per- 
 sia, where they ruled according to their own laws. 
 After their institution in the Persian empire by 
 Cyrus, they greatly helped in the settlement, and 
 ■consolidation of his conquests. About 500 B. C. 
 they were prosecuted by Darius, and they emigrated 
 east and west, as far as Asia Minor on the one side, 
 and India on the other; they thus spread the teach- 
 ing of magic in Greece and Arabia. 
 
 407. Although occasionally there were found 
 among them men of impure, unholy habits, yet, on the 
 whole they lived a life of holiness. Their lives were 
 encumbered with numerous strict and severe observ- 
 ances, that were thought necessary for the preserva- 
 tion of the perfect purity of their bodies, as well 
 as for their altars, victims, and utensils. The Chief 
 Magi abstained entirely from all food that had life, 
 while the rest ate animal food only under certain 
 rules. They were neat in their clothing and never 
 wore jewels. The virtues they practiced obtained
 
 THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 409 
 
 for them the reverence of the common people as well 
 as of the king and nobles; they were strictly faith- 
 ful to their marriage vows ; they were the instructors 
 of the kings, and were consulted by them on all im- 
 portant state affairs. They claimed the gift of 
 divination and prophecy, and carried, as a sign, a 
 bundle of tamarisk rods; they officiated in a pecul- 
 iar dress, not unlike that of priests of Israel. They 
 wore a tall peaked cap with lappets down the sides 
 which covered the face from the lips down, and a 
 white robe reaching to the ankles. They assembled 
 in large numbers, and went through the streets in 
 impressive and stately procession. Besides receiving 
 large offerings from the people, they owned consider- 
 able property, from which they derived an income 
 upon which they lived. They possessed an important 
 administrative power in civil matters, and the col- 
 lection of revenue was under their supervision ; one 
 important function was their vow to fight against 
 all evil, and as some of the works of the evil spirit 
 was the creation of such animals as frogs, toads, 
 snakes, mice, lizards and the like, it was their duty 
 to destroy them when they saw them, so he was al- 
 ways seen with an instrument in his hand to destroy 
 them. 
 
 408. The founder of the religion of which the 
 Magi were the priests was Zarathustra, known to us 
 as Zoroaster, a native of the ancient kingdom of 
 Bactria, situated in the northeastern part of the 
 tableland of Iran north of Hindu Koosh Moun- 
 tains. He was the son of a priest named Purushaska>
 
 410 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 His mother was Duglidova, a woman of noble descent 
 who lived during the time of King Vistaspa, who 
 afterwards became the young man's patron and 
 friend. King Vistaspa was the last of a line of 
 native kings who ruled Bactria before its conquest 
 by the Assj^rians in B. C. 1200 ; but whether it was 
 this king or a previous one, during whose reign 
 Zoroaster lived is not known. The ministry of Zoro- 
 aster and his mode of living, soon gave him a repu- 
 tation of being supernatural. He led a pure, holy 
 life, and his teachings were against the idolatry that 
 then prevailed. These teachings are contained in 
 the Zend-Avesta, the bible of the Iranian nations. 
 He says that Mazda is a spirit and must be wor- 
 shiped "in spirit and in truth." It was some time 
 before he gained any disciples, but gradually he con- 
 verted, first the queen and then the king, to his 
 principles ; and then, we are told that the triumph 
 of the good cause was hastened by a formal dispute 
 that occurred between Zoroaster, on the one side, and 
 the wise men of the court on the other. For 
 three days he held his own ogainst sixty of his 
 opponents, and so baffled them that he would not 
 give up until they acknowledged themselves at the 
 end of their resources. After the conversion of Bac- 
 tria, he is said to have travelled through Media and 
 Persia, spreading his gospel throughout the land. 
 We have seen that Media forsook the pure teachings 
 of the prophet, introducing into it the idolatry of 
 nature worship ; while the Persians guarded relig-
 
 THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 411 
 
 iously the pure simple faith with earnestness and 
 zeal. 
 
 409. The teachings of Zoroaster are found in the 
 sacred book of the Parsees of India, called the Zend 
 Avesta. The old classical writers tell us that this 
 book was written by Zoroaster himself, and that 
 it contained two hundred thousand verses. The 
 Iranians say there were twenty-one volumes. King 
 Vistaspa caused two copies to be made, consisting 
 of from ten to twelve hundred chapters, and written 
 on gold plates, one copy was kept in the Archives 
 of his empire, and the other was placed in the treas- 
 ury of a fortress somewhere in Iran; several places 
 are mentioned, but it is probable that this copy of 
 the "law" followed the various capitals of the con- 
 querors of Media ; Alexander of Macedon, burnt the 
 former, and the latter was stolen by the Greeks. The 
 writings, however, were collected by Vologesus, 
 1. (A. D. 50-75) and put together with those in the 
 memory of the faithful, in one volume ; and this col- 
 lection was added to in the reign of King Ardashir 
 Babagan, by the high priest Tausar; and it was fi- 
 nally fixed in the present form, that of the Parsees, 
 mentioned above, by King Sopar I, and recognized 
 as the religious code of the empire. 
 
 410. Zoroastrianism was at first a Monotheistic re- 
 ligion, one God was believed in and he was called 
 "Lord of Heaven." "Maker of Earth and Heaven" 
 and was described as "the whole circle of the Heav- 
 ens," "the most beautiful, the most intelligent, he
 
 412 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 whose members are most harmoniously proportioned, 
 his body was the light and the sovereign glory, the 
 sun and the moon were his eyes." With him was 
 associated, however, the principle of evil, who was 
 forever fighting against the Ahura-Mazda, the 
 principle of good; they each called into existence 
 numerous inferior beings, through whom they made 
 their warfare. Although the spirit of evil was not 
 worshipped but hated and feared, it Avas not 
 thought impious to address the greater of the 
 powers called into existence by Ahura-Mazda, the 
 unequivocal supremacy of whom, however, was 
 the supreme principle. As fire was considered 
 the most pure element known, it was taken to 
 represent the Supreme Being, and the sacred fires 
 were always kept continuously alight. The Per- 
 sians had no temples proper, but later, when the 
 empire was extended by conquest, and other peo- 
 ple mingled with them, both they and their religion 
 became contaminated, and the Magi became sooth- 
 sayers, astrologers and interpreters of dreams, and 
 instituted that powerful school of mystics, that 
 at one time caused them to become the chief advisers 
 of the rulers of the empire, if not the rulers them- 
 selves.
 
 THE SCHOOL OF THE MAGI 413 
 
 A MAGIAN HYMN 
 
 "We worship Ahura-Mazda (Ormudz) the pure, the 
 Master of Purity. 
 
 We worship the Amesha Spentas, the possessors of 
 good ; the givers of good. 
 
 We worship the whole creation of the true spirits, 
 both the spiritual and the terrestrial, all that 
 support the welfare of the good creation, and 
 the spread of the good and true religion. 
 
 We praise all good thoughts, all good acts, which 
 are or shall be, and we likewise keep clean and 
 pure all that is good. 
 
 Oh, Ahura-Mazda, thou true, happy being ! We 
 strive to think, to speak, and to do only such 
 things as may be fitted to promote the two lives 
 (life of body and life of soul). 
 
 We beseech the spirit of earth for the sake of those 
 our best work (agriculture) to grant us beauti- 
 ful and fertile fields, to the believer as well as 
 to the unbeliever, to him who has riches, as well 
 
 as to him who has no possession." 
 
 Records of the Past.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 
 "The Friend of Wisdom" 
 
 "Dear Youth! I warn you cherish love divine, 
 And in your hearts lay deep these words of mine. " 
 
 — From a sacred song of Pythagoras. 
 
 PREVIOUS to the times of Prophyry and his pu- 
 pil, lamblicus, very little was written of the 
 life and teachings of Pythagoras, and that little that 
 was known was written by Aristotle, who lived 
 from 884-321 B. C, two hundred years after the times 
 of Pythagoras, and by Diogenes Laurtius, whose 
 writings date from the end of the second century B. 
 C. From the latter 's History of Philosophy we learn 
 that there were four men of the name of Pythagoras 
 living at or near the same time. One was a native of 
 Crotona, in Italy, who seems to have been a ruler as 
 he gained great tyrannical power; a second was a 
 Philacian, an athlete and trainer of wrestlers ; an- 
 other was a native of Zacinthus, while the fourth was 
 "this our philosopher to whom belong the mysteries 
 of philosophy, and in whose time that proverbial 
 phrase, 'Ipse dixit,' was first introduced into ordinary 
 life." Men of the same name are mentioned, too, by
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 415 
 
 other writers of antiquity, and amjong these we find a 
 sculf)tor of Rhodes, another sculptor of Samos, an 
 orator of no mean reputation, a physician who wrote 
 a treatice on squills, and an essay on Homer, and an 
 historian of the Dorian Greek. Both Porphyry 
 and lamblicus wrote a history of Pythagoras, 
 and it is from these three writers that the following 
 account of "this our philosopher" has been culled. 
 It must be remembered that in these early times 
 men seldom traveled far from home in search of 
 knowledge, and Pythagoras, if not the first, was yet 
 one of the earliest to do so. At any rate, he extended 
 his travels much farther than any before him. In 
 this sketch of his life we must also remember that 
 it is the picture of the man as reflected in the pic- 
 tures of Grecian authors, whether true, or not 
 whether historical or mythical. 
 
 412. Pythagoras was a native of the Island of 
 Samos, where his parents, who were greatly re- 
 spected by its citizens, resided during the time when 
 Polycrates was gradually drawing into his hands the 
 reins of government. His father, Mnesarchus, a 
 rich merchant, ship owner and a sculptor of great 
 talent, was a native of the Island of Lemnos, but 
 having helped the Samians in their extremity dur- 
 ing a famine in their land, by sending them a sup- 
 ply of food, he was given the rights of citizenship. 
 He then removed to Samos. Here he devoted him- 
 self to the furthering of art, though he often took 
 journeys to all the ports of the then known world, 
 on which journeys his wife, Pythias, always accom-
 
 416 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 panied him. It was on one of these journeys, while 
 at Tyre, in the year B. C. 569, that a son was born, 
 who afterwards became one of the most noted men 
 in ancient Greece; one who was acknowledged as 
 the most learned man of his times; one who was a 
 most favored pupil of the great teacher Thalos, a 
 guest of Pharaoh, a friend of Zoroaster, and the 
 founder of the Pythagorean Order. This son, Py- 
 thagoras, lived in the Island of Samos until he was 
 eighteen years of age. Samos was at this time the 
 center of Grecian thought and art and the great men 
 of Greece frequented the court of Polycrates ; Samos 
 was also the home of Ibycus and Amacron, the poets, 
 and of Theodoras the younger, the greatest artist of 
 the times. Here Pythagoras, the "Seeker after 
 Knowledge," grew up, "beautiful beyond other 
 youths, and richly gifted of the gods above all his 
 companions." Here he "spent his youth playing on 
 the seven stringed lyre and declaiming Homeric 
 poems, which Pisistratus had but lately collected 
 and arranged. ' ' and in the study of music. Pythag- 
 oras often accompanied his father on voyages to 
 Southern Italy; and it is not surprising that at the 
 age of eighteen years, he should have made up his 
 mind to travel abroad in search of the "Knowledge 
 of all the Ages." This was no slight undertaking. 
 Tyrants were always suspicious of those who leave 
 their native city, especially were they of noble fam- 
 ilies; always associating treason with the act; and 
 it was only by secretly leaving the island by night, 
 that, in B. C. 551, he was enabled to escape to his
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 417 
 
 uncle Zoilus, in the Island of Lesbos, where he re- 
 ceived a hospitable reception. On this journey he 
 was accompanied by his teacher, Hermodamas, who 
 was greatly attached to his pupil. Hermodamas 
 afterwards returned to Samos. 
 
 413. Here he resided for some time, and for two 
 years studied under the instruction of Pherecydes, 
 the youngest of the world's most noted teachers of 
 those times, devoting himself more especially to 
 religious doctrine. He then went to Miletus, and 
 was received as a disciple, both by Thales and Anax- 
 emander. The former being then ninety years of age, 
 shows us the respect that Pythagoras inspired, and 
 is a proof of a promise of the future greatness of 
 the latter. The subjects of instruction, that Pythag- 
 oras received at Miletus, were naturally those for 
 which these two great philosophers were especially 
 noted, viz : astronomy and the physical sciences ; to 
 these, the studies of philosophy and theology were 
 added. This latter subject was the great study of 
 Pherecydes, and consequently Pythagoras was well 
 prepared to receive further instruction. 
 
 414. In B. C. 548 he finished his studies at Miletus 
 and on the recommendation of Thalis, he proceeded 
 to visit Egypt, but stopping on his way at Sidon, 
 to attend the sacerdotal school of Phoenicia, and 
 where he stayed a considerable time before proceed- 
 ing on his way to Egypt. Here he spent one entire 
 year in studying the sacred rites of the priesthood. 
 He then visited Tyre and Mt. Carmel, which latter 
 was always the seat of a sacred school of instruction, 
 
 14
 
 418 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and where he was initiated into all the mysteries 
 of the country and where, for the first time he be- 
 came a true "Mystic," and where, also, he is said 
 to have gained his knowledge of arithmetic. While 
 at Sidon, he met with all the noted men of the coun- 
 try; he became acquainted with their prophets, who 
 are said to have been descendants of Mochus, and 
 many other Plierophants of the societies of the na- 
 tion. Having finished his studies in Phoenicia, and 
 been admitted into all their sacred and mystic orders, 
 he was thus prepared for admission into the greatest 
 of all brotherhoods. He, therefore, proceeded to 
 Egypt, where he landed, probably at Naucratis, the 
 latter end of the year B. C. 547. 
 
 415. The King, or Pharaoh of Egypt, at the time 
 of Pythagoras' visit, was Amasis. He ascended, or 
 rather usurped the throne in B. C. 569. He was but 
 a common soldier, but had gained the confidence of 
 Apries, the king. He was sent by his master to 
 quell an insurrection, and while he was endeavoring 
 to persuade the rebels from the steps they had taken, 
 one of them placed a helmet on his head, and was 
 proclaimed king by the insurgents. He immediately 
 marched against Apries, defeated him and mounted 
 the throne. He ruled the country for 44 years with 
 prudence and wisdom, and Egypt enjoyed uninter- 
 rupted prosperity. He showed his enlightenment 
 and toleration by admitting foreigners, and allow- 
 ing them to build temples and altars for the perform- 
 ance of their national worship. Having married a 
 Greek woman of Cyrene, he especially favored the
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 419 
 
 Greeks, giving them settlements along the coast, 
 and in many ways encouraging them to immigrate. 
 He subdued Cyprus, made it a dependent of Egypt, 
 and formed an alliance with Polycrates, Tyrant of 
 Samos. During the reigns of his predecessors, 
 Necho (B. C. 616-601), the circumnavigator of 
 Africa, Psamiticus, (B. C. 600-595), his son and 
 successor, and Apries (B. C. 594-570), the Egyptian 
 civilization had attained its highest point of perfec- 
 tion ; but now it began to decline, though the arts 
 and sciences were still at their zenith of excellence, 
 and for a long time after remained so. When Pythag- 
 oras arrived in Egypt, he was twenty-two years of 
 age. 
 
 416. To gain the ends that he sought, it soon be- 
 came clear to Pythagoras, that he could not depend 
 upon his own efforts and fame, but that he must 
 have an introduction to Amasis himself, and this in- 
 troduction he must secure from Polycrates of Samos. 
 He therefore, made a trip to his old home, where he 
 was kindly received by the tyrant. His fame had 
 already reached his native country, and all political 
 errors on his part were readily condoned and Poly- 
 crates willingly granted him letters of introduction 
 to King Amasis, and others in authority in Egypt. 
 Had it not been for these letters, Pythagoras never 
 would have gained admittance into the priestly 
 orders of Egypt, for such were the rules of these 
 sacerdotal orders, that he could not, as a stranger, 
 have entered into them, as only the king, and mem- 
 bers of the priestly caste were admitted. He was
 
 420 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 not satisfied with only a superficial knowledge of 
 their mysteries that could be obtained by casual 
 conversations with the priests, he wanted to be ad- 
 mitted into the profoundest and most secret of the 
 numerous and most sacred societies and mysteries 
 that existed among the priesthood of the country, 
 where even the Egyptians themselves could not 
 enter, and where only those of priestly tribe, and the 
 royal house could even enter ; and where this preju- 
 dice of caste was the most jealous defender of its 
 privilege. 
 
 417. Consequently, then, Pythagoras put forth 
 the most powerful efi'orts to gain his end, and King 
 Amasis himself, had to introduce him as a candidate 
 for the mysteries and the priestly honors. As was 
 seen in the account of the mysteries of Isis, the king 
 was the direct representative on earth, of the gods 
 in heaven, and as such was the head of all the priest- 
 hoods; it was therefore impossible for the priest 
 to refuse to receive a candidate so introduced, so 
 they put every obstacle in the way of his admission. 
 The application was made at the sacerdotal college 
 at Heliopolis, one of the most famous of the cities 
 of Egypt ; it was situated near the apex of the delta, 
 close to where Cairo now stands. Here the priests 
 informed Pythagoras that they had no power to 
 admit a stranger, there authority was limited; they 
 had no jurisdiction over such a matter, and he w^as 
 referred to Memphis, a much older seat of learning, 
 and had greater power; but on arriving there, he 
 was met with the same excuse and was again re-
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 421 
 
 ferred to Thebes, the most ancient of all the cities 
 and monasteries of Egypt. Diodorus says it was the 
 first city to be built on earth, and began as a 
 sacerdotal college and seat of learning. Here, by 
 the highest priestly authority of the land, and in 
 regard to the king's demands, he was admitted con- 
 ditionally. He was put to all sorts of indignities, 
 and subject to all kinds of abuse, but his patience, 
 perseverance, and courage overcame all obstacles, 
 and he was at last successful, and was triumphantly 
 admitted into their order. He was soon master of 
 all the rites and ceremonies of the order, and the 
 sacerdotal caste came to honor and esteem him, as 
 much as before they held him in contempt. Step by 
 step, plodding onward and onward, overcoming all 
 difficulties, he rose from rank to rank, successfully 
 competing with the whole native priesthood, taking 
 from them their highest honors, until after twenty- 
 one years of service, he attained the rank of High 
 Priest. He would then be forty-three or forty-four 
 years of age. 
 
 418. A change soon came over the state of affairs 
 in Egypt. In B. C. 524, Amasis, the king died, and 
 was succeeded by his son Psammenitus, the last king 
 of the Saitic dynasty. Soon after ascension to the 
 throne, he set out to meet Cambyses, king of Persia, 
 who was on his way to dethrone his father, Amasis. 
 He met Cambyses on the frontiers, near the Pelusaie 
 branch of the Nile with all his forces, Egyptians, 
 Greeks and Carians. He was totally defeated and 
 Egypt completely subjected. The king was slain,
 
 422 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and the members of the priesthood exiled and scat- 
 tered all over Asia. Thus Pythagoras found himself 
 a prisoner at Babylon. With such a temperament 
 as Pythagoras had, he would not only seize at all 
 opportunities for study, but glory in the position 
 that gave him a chance to do so. In a country where 
 the priesthood was held in such veneration as it 
 was in Babylon, Pythagoras could not have been 
 made to work, as other prisoners did, and his great 
 knowledge and genius soon singled him out from 
 his fellows. For a long time Babylon had been the 
 center of trade for all the countries from Europe to 
 India and from the sea north. Thus Pythagoras 
 would meet there with the Bactrians of the north- 
 east, the Persians and Hindostanee of the southeast 
 and east, and he became acquainted with, not only 
 the religions of Babylon and Nineveh, but also of 
 Brahmanism, Confucianism and Mazdaism, of which 
 latter, the Magi were the priests. A glorious feast of 
 knowledge did Pythagoras thus glean while a pris- 
 oner in this ancient city of Babylon. 
 
 419. In B. C. 522 Cambyses, the king, died by a 
 sword wound inflicted accidentally by himself, and 
 was succeeded by an usurper who called himself 
 Smerdis, the king's brother. Smerdis had been killed 
 by Cambyses in a fit of drunken frenzy some two 
 years before, and this man, a Magian priest, some- 
 what resembling him, had proclaimed himself king. 
 Pie was in the act of springing upon his horse to 
 lead his army against the usurper that the accident 
 occurred that ended Cambyses life. Smerdis ruled
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 423 
 
 less than a year, and was succeeded by Darius the 
 Great. Now in this king's court there lived a phy- 
 sician named Demokedes, a native of Croton, who 
 had been a captive, but had gained great influence 
 and respect, and had risen to the post of body-phy- 
 sician to the king ; the confidence which the king 
 reposed in him was so great, that he gave him the 
 command of a reconnoitering expedition into Greece. 
 He, however, instead of going to Greece, turned his 
 course to Southern Italy and landed at Tarentum, 
 where he placed himself under the protection of its 
 ruler. His followers were shipwrecked and taken 
 prisoners by the citizens of Tarentum, who returned 
 them to Darius under conditions, one of which was 
 the giving of Pythagoras his liberty. He was now 
 enabled, at the age of fifty-six to revisit his own 
 native island. On his way, he touched at Delos, and 
 was in time to close the eyes of his first teacher, 
 Pherecydes, in death. But before he settled down, 
 made a tour of Greece to re-study its religions, and 
 its scientific and political conditions. It must have 
 been at this period of his travels that he studied the 
 religion of the Druids of Gaul and that of the Ibe- 
 rians, and his journey to Greece must therefore, have 
 then been extended to the Atlantic coast, and after- 
 wards returned to Samos. 
 
 420. The turning point in his career now took 
 place, and instead of being a wanderer after knowl- 
 edge, he becomes, what he fondly terms himself, a 
 philosopher, or lover of wisdom. He was the first 
 to use this title. The commencement of this second
 
 424 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 period of his career was unfortunate ; the Samians 
 had no taste for philosophy ; and, perhaps not caring 
 to be dragged into the politics of his native land, 
 he determined to emigrate; and in B. C. 510 set 
 out in search of a new home, which he found at 
 Croton, the city of Demokedes, the physician, 
 whose expedition caused his release from bondage. 
 The choice was a happy one. The city had passed 
 out of the tyrannic stage of government and was 
 not yet lost in luxury and wealth. Its citizens were 
 strong and healthy and had won many prizes in 
 the Olympian games. A scientific fervour and activ- 
 ity prevailed the place; and it possessed a far-famed 
 academy of physicians, to which Demokedes be- 
 longed. "Here he found the proper soil for his 
 endeavors, and the school of philosophy he estab- 
 lished was, until its dispersion, so exclusively as- 
 sociated with lower Italy, that it is often described 
 as the "Italian School." 
 
 421. He commenced his work of teaching soon 
 after his settlement. His first lecture, we are told, 
 was to the young men of the city, to whom he gravely 
 expounded their duties as youths and coming citizen- 
 ship. His second was to the fathers of the city, 
 to whom he emphasized obedience to laws and es- 
 pecially to the law of purity ; and so persistent was 
 he on these lines, that concubinage was soon abol- 
 ished. Thus he gained a great influence over the 
 people. His next lectures were to boys and lastly 
 to women. This last lecture has not been so perfectly 
 preserved as the others, and the historian de-
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 425 
 
 scribing it says, "perhaps" he said so and so. At 
 any rate we know the result of it ; thousands of 
 costly dresses were offered and donated to the temple 
 of Here, because the women would no longer wear 
 such attire. From this beginning, Pythagoras soon 
 had six hundred of the best citizens of the place 
 as a daily class for his evening lecture ; men, women, 
 and girls. Among the latter was the young, beau- 
 tiful and intellectual Theano, who afterwards became 
 his wife. 
 
 422. This naturally resulted into two distinct 
 sets of listeners, scholars proper, and the listeners. 
 The former were students of the doctrines of Pythag- 
 oras in all their rigor; the latter were merely 
 listeners at his evening lectures. 
 
 The city of Sybaris had risen against their aristo- 
 cratic rulers and defeated them, and the exiled 
 nobles retreated to Croton and were hospitably re- 
 ceived. Friendly negotiation was set on foot with 
 the Sybarites but the Croton ambassadors were 
 killed, war was declared, and the Sybarites defeated, 
 and their town destroyed. In the division of the 
 lands Pythagoras received a portion to which he 
 repaired with his esoteric school of mathematics, and 
 the brotherhood was systematicall.v organized. He 
 divided his classes according to their social posi- 
 tion, enforcing the monarchical ascendancy of their 
 teacher; this, combined with the haughty reserve 
 of the whole school towards the uninitiated, brought 
 about a suspicion of political enmity to the ruling 
 power, and caused its final overthrow. But for the
 
 426 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 present and for several years later the order flour- 
 ished and grew in strength and influence. 
 
 423. In B. C. 490, Hippasos, a former member of 
 the order, and one who had been ejected as unworthy 
 of its higher honors, sought revenge, and in the 
 troublous times that the Persian invasion caused 
 throughout the country, placed himself at the head 
 of the democratic party, and made formal charges 
 against his former associates. The school was dis- 
 persed, Pythagoras was exiled, his property con- 
 fiscated, and he was once more a wanderer. He re- 
 tired to Tarentum, where he lived quietly for sixteen 
 years, but again he was disturbed by the overthrow 
 of the aristocratic rulers. He then went to Meta- 
 pontum and lived for four years, a miserable ex- 
 istence ; and when in B. C. 491 democracy gained 
 the upper hand in that city, Pythagoras was at- 
 tacked, his house burnt, and about sixty of his 
 scholars were burnt with it. Pythagoras escaped, 
 but died soon after in his ninety-ninth year. 
 
 424. As before mentioned, his wife was one of his 
 pupils. She was the daughter of Brontinus of Cro- 
 tona. Two children are mentioned as having been 
 born to Pythagoras ; Telanges, a son, who was the 
 successor of his father in his school, and was the 
 teacher of Empedocles ; Hippobotus says, 
 
 "Talanges, noble youth, whom in due time 
 Theano bore to wise Pythagoras." 
 
 and a daughter, Damo ; Lysis, another ancient 
 writer, speaks of her in a letter he wrote to his
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 427 
 
 friend Hippaichus; he says, "and many say that 
 you philosophize in public, as Pythagoras also used 
 to do ; who, when he had entrusted his commentaries 
 to Damo, his daughter, charged her to divulge them 
 to no person out of the house. And she, though she 
 might have sold his discourses for much money, 
 would not abandon them, for she thought poverty 
 and obedience to her father's injunctions more valu- 
 able than gold; and that too, though she was a 
 woman." 
 
 425. Pythagoras was connected by race with the 
 Tyrrhenian Pelasgians. These latter were the de- 
 scendants of the Pelasgi, the earliest inhabitants of 
 Greece, the founders of the Cabirian mysteries and 
 who had scattered themselves over various parts of 
 the Aegean Sea. He flourished during the reigns of 
 the brilliant but wicked Tarquinius Superbus at 
 Rome; and Polycrates at Samos, while Cyrus of 
 Persia had already led his shepherd hosts from the 
 mountains, and established the Persian empire at 
 Babylon. The conditions of his birth and educa- 
 tion rendered him eminently fitted for the task before 
 him, namely, the establishment of a brotherhood, the 
 purest the world has ever known, and if we are to 
 judge of it by the friendship of Damon and Pythias, 
 the best it will ever know. As the general of a 
 powerful and well-disciplined order, Pythagoras, 
 of course, exercised considerable influence, both in 
 the affairs of Croton and the other cities of Magna 
 Graecia. It does not appear, however, that he ever 
 held any of&cial rank, though the Senate urged him
 
 428 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 to accept the office of Prytanus or President, of the 
 oligarchy. 
 
 4'26. His general bearing, which is of so great im- 
 portance to one who aspired to be a leader of men, 
 was very striking. In his youth, it is said, his per- 
 sonal appearance was so handsome as to have ob- 
 tained for him the surname of the Samian Comet, 
 or the fair-haired Samian. From his well-known in- 
 fluence, it is certain that in his maturity he was no 
 less a type of manly beauty. From the pictures 
 drawn of him by Porphyry. Laertius and Cicero, 
 there appears to have been something very dignified 
 and almost superhuman in his appearance. He wore 
 a white robe and moved with a dignity and grace 
 that inspired all with reverence. Remembering this, 
 we cannot wonder at his successful advent at Cro- 
 ton, nor at the divine honor accorded him after 
 death. F. Marion Crawford, speaking of Pythagoras 
 and his work says, "Therefore, the godlike figure 
 of Pythagoras belongs among the Rulers of the 
 South, as with the legends of his miracles, and the 
 reality of his wisdom, with his profound learning, 
 his luitiring activity, and his unswerving belief in 
 the soul's life to come, with his love of man and love 
 of beauty, his faith, his hope and his almost Christian 
 charity, he represented in its best condition, the 
 highest type of the Aryan or Indo-Germanic people." 
 It matters little what scholars think of the account 
 given us of his life, "the fact remains that he lived 
 and labored, that he dreamed of a world of brother- 
 hoods in which all good was to be in common, and
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 429 
 
 from which all evil was to be excluded, that when 
 he was gone he left a philosophy behind him without 
 which, as a beginning, it would have been hard to 
 imagine an Aristotle, a Socrates, or a Plato, and 
 that both to his fellow men and to those that came 
 after him, his name meant all that was best whether 
 possible or unattainable in the struggle of onward 
 civilization against outward darkness." 
 
 Diogenes quotes the following letter from Anax- 
 emenes to Pythagoras to show the love and respect 
 he was held in b.y those among whom he dwelt. 
 
 ANAXEMENES TO PYTHAGORAS 
 
 "You are more prudent than me in that you have 
 migrated from Samos to Croton, and live there in 
 peace. For the descendants of Clacus commit un- 
 heard-of crimes, and tyrants never cease to oppress 
 the Mileseans But you are be- 
 loved by the people of Croton, and by all the rest of 
 the Italians, and people flock to you even from 
 Sicily." 
 
 427. The very remarkable influence he exercised 
 not only over his immediate followers, but over 
 those of the other cities, the tinge his views gave to 
 after philosophy, and even the many remarkable 
 stories told of him, prove him to have been a man of 
 singular abilities and wonderful acquirements. We 
 have direct testimony of many writers that he was 
 a man of extensive learning. 
 
 The great prominence given to his system of 
 geometry is evidence that the statement with re-
 
 430 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 gard to his mathematical researches is well founded. 
 He is said to have discovered the proposition that a 
 triangle inscribed in a circle is a right angle, and 
 also the celebrated forty-seventh proposition of 
 Euclid, that the square of the hypothenuse of a 
 right-angled triangle is equal to the squares of the 
 other sides. Discovery in astronomy is also ascribed 
 to Pythagoras. There can be little doubt that he 
 paid great attention to arithmetic and its applica- 
 tion to weights and measures, and the theory of 
 music. He is also mentioned as being a proficient 
 in medicine. 
 
 428. The religious element was predominant in 
 his character, and it was doubtless a religious asceti- 
 cism in connection with a certain mystic religious 
 system, that he endeavored to secrete. It was this 
 religious element that made the profoundest impres- 
 sion upon his contemporaries. So deep was the rev- 
 erence, that they regarded him as having a peculiarly 
 close connection with the gods ; in fact, they identi- 
 fied him with Apollo, and he himself shared the same 
 views regarding himself as gifted with divination 
 
 and prophecy, and as a revealer of a purer and holier 
 mode of life. 
 
 As to the morals of Pythagoras, they were cer- 
 tainly far in advance of his times. In an age of glut- 
 tony, drunkenness and most notorious licentiousness, 
 he taught the severest abstinence, and a life of most 
 exemplary purity. It is said of him "he was never 
 known to have eaten too much, or to have drank too 
 much. He abstained wholly from laughter and from
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 431 
 
 all indulgences of jests and vile stories, and when 
 
 he was angry never chastized any one, whether slave 
 
 or freedman !" 
 
 His maxims and rules all show his superiority to 
 
 the spirit of the age. He forbade men to pray for 
 
 anything in particular because they do not know 
 
 what is good for them. He forbade the offering of 
 
 victims to the gods, commanding his followers to 
 
 worship only at altars that were unstained with 
 
 blood. His principle with regard to oaths has a 
 
 wonderful similarity to the New Testament precept : 
 "Swear not at all." Cultivated trees and animals 
 
 that do not injure man were not to be destroyed or 
 
 injured. Nothing should ever be said or done in 
 
 anger, and gratitude to the gods should be shown by 
 
 the singing of hymns. 
 
 429. Of his writings there was still in existence 
 in the second century of our era, the following 
 works : a treatise on education, one of politic, and 
 another on natural philosophy ; also six poems, one 
 on the "Universe," another on the "Soul," one on 
 "Piety," a fourth, a sacred poem which commenced 
 as quoted at the head of this chapter, the fifth 
 called "Helothales of Cos," and the sixth on "Cro- 
 tona" the city of his adoption. None of these are 
 in existence today, and we only know them by their 
 being quoted by the later writers. 
 
 Such is the life of Pythagoras as gleaned from the 
 writings of his biographers, and although there is 
 some discrepancy among the different authors as 
 to the exact dates, still they do not vary very much ;
 
 432 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and although there is no positive proof for many of 
 
 the facts related above, still this was the story 
 
 known to the Greeks at the time of lamblichus, 
 
 and believed by them to be true. His sojourn in 
 
 Egypt, and his teachings in Southern Italy, however, 
 
 are two facts beyond dispute, and while the rest of 
 
 ll-e story may be an exaggerated account of his life, 
 
 they will ever remain essential parts of his history, 
 
 and such was the man who founded the school in 
 
 which Damon and Pythias were taught. A man 
 
 pure in the age of impurity, just when injustice 
 
 reigned, abstemious, when self-indulgence was the 
 
 rule, and above all, true in the midst of deceit and 
 falsehood. 
 
 /A A AMJ , A AT^g
 
 LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS 433 
 
 PYTHAGORAS 
 He gathered by the Templed Nile, a store 
 Of varied knowledge — Egypt's subtle lore. 
 He learned Chaldean science — all the page 
 Sparkling with starry signs of many an age. 
 The Cretan iMagi taught him; earth and skies 
 Gave him their occult hints, sweet posies. 
 
 Was it his joy to hear once more the breeze 
 
 Toss the Acanthus leaves, twist the blue seas 
 
 Of Greece, that brought at last the hour supreme? 
 
 When softly through the husks of life, a stream 
 
 Of song divine stole on his raptured ears, 
 
 And round him burst the music of the spheres! 
 
 Surges ineffable went sweeping by, 
 
 A myriad voiced, majestic sympathy; 
 
 The sun flashed forth his chants, and echoed back. 
 
 The antiphon rang from the zodiac. 
 
 Star called and answered star, and all, in time 
 
 The days and seasons set their measured rhyme. 
 
 He heard the silvery whisper from afar 
 Where timid dawn leans o'er the morning star; 
 The crashing orchestra of darkness, where 
 Memories of chaos shudder in the air; 
 On the black cloud sunburst and mist unroll 
 In chorus tones the rainbow 's music scroll. 
 
 The frolic song of rivulets that play 
 
 Round the dumb rocks in tantalizing spray ; 
 
 The cataract's impassioned monotone;
 
 434 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OP PYTHIAS 
 
 The tuneful sweep of rivers, bright and lone; 
 
 The lullaby Titanic, full of dreams. 
 
 Where savage oceans rock their cradled streams. 
 
 Such music, wild and deep, thundered and purled, 
 
 And clashed beneath the dream shapes of the world : 
 
 A cadenced passing of all passing things. 
 
 Across the sea that still forever sings ! 
 
 The listener felt in his expanding soul, 
 
 From chord to chord, its wakening anthems roll. 
 
 Then knew he what the shape and color mean 
 
 That set the poet singing ; moonlight sheen, 
 
 The blush of clouds, the storm, the star, the sea, 
 
 Touches to set the prisoner music free. 
 
 In melodies close to the dizzy verge 
 
 Where discord lurks, and love and life emerge. 
 
 Then knew he that the sculptured marble grew, 
 Carved to a rhythmic breath strongly through 
 The sculptor's listening being as he wrought, 
 Freeing to harmony his struggling thought. 
 And how the orator's persuasive tone, 
 Draws the whole jangled crowd to unison. 
 
 Let him who never saw nor heard the sea 
 Mock at the shells attending monody, 
 It was no myth, the man of Samos taught ; 
 For him whose earnest and illumined thought, 
 Makes its own pathway through the dust of things 
 Creation's music, like a fount upsprings. 
 
 Mary Agnes Tincker,
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD AND SCHOOL 
 
 OF PHILOSOPHY 
 
 "All things are numbers, and numbers are the very essence 
 of everything. The principles of numbers are the princi- 
 ples of being, and the whole heaven is a hai niony and 
 nu})iber.''' 
 
 WHEN one realizes the great knowledge of 
 Pythagoras, the strength, purity and truth- 
 fulness of his life, it will become less astonishing 
 that his teachings and example should have brought 
 forth such examples of true friendship as were found 
 among his pupils, and as exemplified in the friend- 
 ships of Damon and Pythias. But to understand 
 fully the secret of such friendships, it is neces- 
 sary to know something of the society that produced 
 them, for it appears that this virtue was possessed 
 by all of the members of the Brotherhood in com- 
 mon. The study of the philosophy of Pythagoras, is, 
 in itself, worthy of our consideration as it will in- 
 struct us in its teachings, tenets, and principles. The 
 kte P. S. C, James 0. Weeks, says ' ' Some of its spec- 
 ulations are grand, beyond expression. It deals with 
 the sublime things of time and space, in a spirit
 
 436 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and with a depth of insight that was unsurpassed 
 in that age, and knew no equal until Plato himself 
 spoke." There was in this sublime depth of thought 
 that which made men kinder and better, and more 
 willing to help one another. There was something 
 in it "that" says P. S. C. Weeks, "made the hearts 
 of its members aglow with gentle and generous af- 
 fections, that made them respond to the thrill of 
 mercy, and glow with nobleness. ' ' What that some- 
 thing was we shall get an insight into, in the fol- 
 lowing pages. It has been generally said that the 
 influence of Pj'^thagoras had but little effect upon 
 Sicily, "yet," says a traveller in that island, "to 
 one who knows the south well, there is a striking re- 
 semblance between the organization of the origin- 
 al brotherhood, with its rigid tests of worthiness, 
 its countless secret signs and passwords and pecul- 
 iar practices and its bloody vengeance upon unfaith- 
 fulness and the rules and ordinances of secret so- 
 cieties that have ruled the south in later days. The 
 south has always been the natural home of wide- 
 spread and secret unions of determined men for 
 one end ; and whereas in recent history political 
 parties have made use of them and have risen to 
 power by their help, no party and no government 
 has ever been able to fight them to an issue nor to 
 stamp them out. " 
 
 431. The school that Pythagoras founded at 
 Crotona was a secret society or brotherhood and was 
 modeled after the societies of Egypt. Pythagoras 
 was himself a high priest of the sacerdotal orders of
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 437 
 
 Egypt and therefore, he must have been not only a 
 members of the colleges of Isis, the chief of all Egyp- 
 tian organizations, but one of its high priests also ; he 
 was a brother of the great Magian order ; he had 
 taken part in the Eleusean and other Greek myster- 
 ies ; and was most probably a member of the order 
 of Druids.. In organizing a society of his own, 
 he would naturally draw upon his experience and 
 particularly from the method of organization and 
 discipline of the greatest of all schools, that of Isis, 
 in Egypt. 
 
 432. The membership of the Brotherhood was 
 divided into two classes, exoteric and esoteric, or 
 public and private — the membership of the latter, 
 which was really the brotherhood, was confined to- 
 three hundred, chosen from the best and most intel- 
 lectual of the inhabitants of the city ; the other 
 members were the men, women and children who 
 came to hear his public lectures and who enrolled 
 themselves in his school. The school itself was 
 confined, during the lifetime of Pythagoras, to the 
 ones he taught himself. It was at once a philosoph- 
 ical school, a religious brotherhood, and a political 
 association. For exoteric or public members of his 
 school he held several series of public lectures ; and 
 divided his classes according to the social status of 
 his "listeners," men, municipal officers, women, 
 and lastly children of both sexes. These members 
 lived with their families at their own houses, and 
 were unaer no restriction. 
 
 433. Admittance into the esotoric class could
 
 438 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 only be obtained after a strict and severe proba- 
 tion for five years, during which time the student, 
 submitted to a peculiar plan of discipline and was 
 admitted only after a long course of instruction in 
 the secrets of his doctrine. Before any one was 
 admitted into the brotherhood, Pythagoras examined 
 the candidate as to his physical and external ap- 
 pearance ; his deportment towards his parents and 
 friends, watched the manner of his conversation, 
 laughter and his power of keeping silent; he care- 
 fully noted which of the passions he was inclined 
 to indulge in, the company he kept, how he spent 
 his spare time, and what gave him the most joy 
 or sorrow. Having studied his neophyte on these 
 lines, an accurate knowledge of his qualifications 
 was obtained and if deemed fit to become a true phil- 
 osopher, he was admitted on probation. Then, \ 
 commenced a long and rigid course of severe abstiri-^ '^' 
 ence and athletic exercises, to develop fortitude and 
 self control. One of the peculiar requirements of 
 the order was that the probationer was to live in 
 perfect silence ; no questions were to be asked, but 
 all that he jwas taught was to be received as abso- 
 lute truth. During the whole of this five years of 
 initiatory period, as a further test of his willing- 
 ness to receive and obey, there was an entire prohibi- 
 tion of seeing the master or hearing his lectures 
 except from behind a curtain, even this privilege 
 was had but occasionally, as at this stage of his work 
 the initiate Avas taught chiefly by inferior teach- 
 ers, who simply gave him the doctrines of the school,
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 439 
 
 without proof or reasons requiring him to believe 
 them on trust, as having been given by the master. 
 Hence, originated the phrase, "Ipse dixit" — he 
 himself said so, all teachings were given behind 
 curtains. The members recognized each other by 
 signs and badges, one of which was the "Penta- 
 gon," they were sworn to keep inviolate the secrets 
 of the order conferred upon them, and the breaking 
 of which was severely and cruelly punished. All 
 outsiders were kept at a distance, and great care 
 was taken to keep all unworthy persons from enter- 
 ing into its portals. This brotherhood of three 
 hundred are said to have had all things in com- 
 mon. By degrees, those who had sufficient persever- 
 ance were at last admitted among the Esotorics or 
 Mathematicians, as they were sometimes called, and 
 were then allowed to see and hear Pythagoras be- 
 hind the curtain. Should any of them through im- 
 patience of the rigid trials and discipline wish to 
 retire from the society before the probationary time 
 had expired he was dismissed with double of the sum 
 he had advanced, and a tomb stone erected as for 
 one actually dead. The students now received full 
 instructions and explanation of the doctrines of 
 the Master; were allowed to take minutes of the 
 lectures in writing, and to ask questions and 
 offer remarks on all subjects of discourse. After 
 mathematics they took up the study of nature and 
 theology. 
 
 434. At Crotona, however, the brethren of the 
 Pythagorean Brotherhood, together with their wives.
 
 440 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and children, who were about six hundred in num- 
 ber, lived together as one family in a building called 
 the Common Auditory. They rose early in the morn- 
 ing, before sunrise, that they might pay their adora- 
 tion to him, and to make all arrangements and plans 
 for the work of the day. This was done every day. 
 After the religious ceremonies of the morning, 
 verses from Homer and other poets were read and 
 discussed, and music and singing were indulged in 
 to bring their spirits into a proper frame of mind 
 for the serious work of the day. Scientific studies 
 were then taken up for several hours, after which a 
 period of leisure was allowed, which was generally 
 spent in solitary walks for the purpose of meditation 
 and contemplating upon the subject of their morn- 
 ing studies. An hour before dinner was given up 
 to athletic exercises and conservation. The dinner 
 consisted of bread and honey and water. Wine, 
 which had been used during the initiatory period, 
 was entirely dispensed with. The rest of the day 
 was given over to civil and domestic affairs, to so- 
 cial intercourse, bathing and religious ceremonies. 
 
 435. The friendship of Damon and Pythias, who 
 were members of the Pythagorean Brotherhood in 
 its highest phase, shows us perhaps one of the best 
 features of this society — the devoted attachment of 
 all its members towards each other. One of the 
 maxims of Pythagoras was "that the two most ex- 
 cellent things for man were to speak the truth and 
 to render benefit to each other." This thought of 
 truthfulness and friendship seemed to have been
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 441 
 
 thoroughly ingrained into the very life of his fol- 
 lowers, and we can now understand how it was that 
 so large a company as six hundred could dwell to- 
 gether in a communal home in pure happiness and 
 affection without the slightest strain or discord. The 
 selfish me seems to have been obliterated ; they lived 
 for each other, they died for each other, thus exem- 
 plifying some two thousand years before the words 
 of the Great Teacher and Master of Christianity, 
 "What more can a man give than he give his life for 
 his friends?". If all who call themselves Knights of 
 Pythias were to follow the example of the earliest 
 followers of ' ' this our philosopher, ' ' and spare some 
 time for meditation and contemplate the wonderful 
 principles of the Pythagorean philosophy, this one 
 tenet will probably and deservedly stand out pre- 
 eminently, and cannot but be useful for the brothers 
 today, and tend to make our Order more like to the 
 Pythagorean Order over two thousand years ago. 
 436. There are no works of Pythagoras now ex- 
 tant, and it is somewhat doubtful if he ever com- 
 mitted anything himself to writing. We have seen 
 that his pupils took notes of his lectures, and al- 
 though great secrecy was observed, and the notes 
 jealously guarded, yet, in after times some of these 
 were brought out in public, and in B. C. 430, a little 
 over a hundred years after the death of Pythagoras, 
 Philolaus gave to the world a description of his 
 teachings. It was from this work that we find that 
 the Order differed from those that were previously 
 in existence in the ethical and reformatory character.
 
 442 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 It trained its members to mental and bodily perfec- 
 tion, and to mortality and self control ; which, added 
 to this they studied the arts and sciences, both scien- 
 tific and practical, gymnastic, music and medicine. 
 By applying number to music, Pythagoras became 
 the founder of the theory of sounds, and as music 
 was held in great honor as a means of health and 
 moral education, it was used as a medicine. Poli- 
 tics soon entered into their curriculum, and the Or- 
 der exercised, for a time, considerable influence over 
 the whole Grecian colonies of Italy. In Crotona, 
 and the cities in its vicinity the schools became reg- 
 ular political confederations and controlled the ex- 
 ecutive power. This ultimately led to its destruc- 
 tion, for the attitude of the Brotherhood led to many 
 attacks upon it, organized for the most part by those 
 who had been refused admittance into its secret 
 body. After a long period of active opposition, the 
 colleges of the Order were attacked, burned to the 
 ground, and a number of the members killed. The 
 rest escaped and spread over Europe. Among those 
 who escaped, we are told, were Philolaus and Lysis. 
 These two carried the activities into middle Greece 
 and kept the teachings of the Order alive in that 
 country until about the fourth century, when the 
 Order gradually sank into insignificance, both in 
 Greece and in Italy. Yet the Pythagorean mysteries 
 themselves seem to have spread and increased.. 
 
 437. Some of the teachings of Pythagoras were 
 adopted by many of the philosophical schools that 
 sprang up later; and even as late as the first cen-
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 44a 
 
 tury of our own era we find traces of it in the Es- 
 senes, a Jewish sect that sprang into existence dur- 
 ing the times of the Maccabees, and which sect ex- 
 isted in Palestine beyond the first century A. D. Dr. 
 Riggs, in his History of the Jewish People, speaking 
 of the Pythagorean origin of the Essenes, says : 
 
 "But the striking similarity of Pythagorean 
 ideals with those of the Essenes, and the long con- 
 tinued presence of Greek influences in the land, make 
 this explanation of its origin plausible. Pythago- 
 reanism shares with Essenism its aspiration for bodily 
 purity and sanctity, its lustrations, its simple habits 
 of life apart from all sensual enjoj^ments, its high 
 estimate of celibacy, its white garments, its repudia- 
 tion of oaths, and especially its rejection of bloody 
 sacrifices, also the invocation of the Sun, and the 
 scrupulosity with which all that was unclean was 
 hidden from it, and, lastly, the dualistic view of the 
 soul and body." 
 
 438. To undertake to explain the philosophy and 
 teachings of Pythagoras fully, would take more 
 space than can be allotted here, but enough maybe 
 said to give the reader a good idea of what that phil- 
 osophy contained. The fundamental feature of all 
 Pythagoras' teachings is "that number is the essence 
 of all things, that everything, in its essence, is num- 
 ber. All is number, that is, all consists of number." 
 It was asserted that the principles of number were 
 the principles of being; and that to "whole heaven 
 was a harmony and number." Number is either 
 "odd" or "even" — the constituents of all number;
 
 444 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 and because the "odd" cannot be divided into two 
 equal parts, while the even number can, the odd num- 
 bers are identified with the limited, and the even 
 with the unlimited ; qualities of opposite nature were 
 limited and unlimited, or, good and bad. As the 
 perfect or sacred number was ten, so there were ten 
 first principles, and ten contraries, viz : limited 
 (finite) and unlimited (infinite) ; 2, odd and even; 3, 
 one (unity) and many (plurality) ; 4, right and left; 
 5 male and female ; 6, rest and motion ; 7, straight 
 and crooked; 8, light and darkness; 9, good and evil; 
 10, square and oblong. The odd was finite ; then 
 one became the deity — the principle of all things; 
 two, the principle of variety and difference; three, 
 the union of two and one ; four, the perfection of 
 mere difference ; and ten, the perfect number and 
 complete organic unity of the universe, the principle 
 and guide of divine and human life. 
 
 439. Aristotle, who lived towards the close of the 
 third century, and the first half of the second cen- 
 tury B. C, and who was a pupil of Plato, says in con- 
 nection of the philosophy of Pythagoras : ' ' Since of 
 all things, number is by nature first in number, they 
 (the Pythagoreans) thought they perceived many 
 analogies to things that exist and are produced 
 miore than in fire, and earth, and water ; as that a cer- 
 tain affection of numbers was justice ; another op- 
 portunity ; and, moreover, seeing the affections and 
 ratios of what pertains to harmony to consist in 
 numbers, they suppose the elements of numbers to 
 be the elements of all things." Number, then, was
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 445 
 
 the starting point of the Pythagorean philosophy. 
 In numbers and their relation to each other they 
 found the absolute certain principle of knowledge. 
 They even thought that numbers were things them- 
 selves, not merely representatives, but realities. Such 
 a proposition sounds strange, but truth prompted it, 
 for it is number, or a definite mathematical relation, 
 that separates one thing from another, and so, in a 
 sense, makes number things. Understanding is de- 
 veloped by the study of mathematics, and becomes 
 the organ of knowledge; musical harmony depends 
 upon the numerical proportion of the length of the 
 strings. 
 
 "Qualities arise out of the properties of bodies 
 when they are considered in relation to human pur- 
 poses. The essentials of properties are unity, ex- 
 tensions, speed, persistence, and consciousness, which 
 under relations give rise to properties that can be 
 measured, which are designated as quantities. These 
 quantities are numbers, space, motion, time and 
 judgment. 
 
 "Number is many in one, and the enumeration 
 of the many is the measuring of the number con- 
 tained in the sum, which is unity. 
 
 ' ' The second quantity is space ; its essential is ex- 
 tension, but many extensions give rise to relative 
 position, and positions can be measured. Hence, ex- 
 tension and position constitute space, and space is 
 a quantity that can be measured. 
 
 "Speed is the essential of motion, but the same 
 particle in motion traverses a path. Motion, there-
 
 446 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 fore, is speed and path, and can be measured in terms 
 of space. Speed and path constitute motion. There- 
 fore time is quantity. 
 
 "The essential of time is persistence, but the re- 
 lation of time is change; a portion of time from one 
 change to another can be measured. Thus persist- 
 ence and change constitute time, and time is a quan- 
 tity. 
 
 "The essential of judgment is consciousness of 
 self. Its relation to others is reference about others. 
 When consciousness is aroused by another, and by 
 inference a judgment is produced by that other, it 
 can be measured. 
 
 "As essentials are developed into mathematical 
 properties called quantities, so again quantities are 
 developed by incorporation into classified properties 
 or simply properties. 
 
 "Quantities and properties are reciprocal. Num- 
 ber, space, motion, time, and judgment are qualities 
 that can be measured. Kind, form (space), energy 
 (motion), causation (time) and consciousness are 
 properties that can be classified. The quantities that 
 can be measured and the properties that can be 
 classified are the same things considered from differ- 
 ent standpoints; one is reciprocal of the others." 
 
 440. The primary order of things, then, was of 
 opposite natures ; but production could not be ob- 
 tained unless some common bond could be found that 
 would unite them. This l)ond was called "Har- 
 mony." After the union of these opposites they be- 
 came harmony, hence, all things are harmony as
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 447 
 
 well as number, for all number was a union, or har- 
 mony of the odd and even. The harmony connect- 
 ing numbers was also recognized as connecting mu- 
 sical sounds. This harmony of Pythagoras was the 
 octave which Philolaus explains thus: "Unity is the 
 limit, but the unlimited is indefinite duality which 
 became definite duality since twice the measure of 
 unity is included in it. Limitation is therefore given 
 through the determination of duality by means of 
 unity ; that is, by fixing the proportion 1 :2, which 
 is the mathematical proportion of the octave. The 
 octave is, therefore, harmony itself through which 
 the opposite premature causes were united." This 
 harmony ran through and regulated the whole uni- 
 verse, all nature and all mind, bringing order out of 
 confusion, being out of chaos, and uniting all the 
 elements, which were otherwise antagonistic to each 
 other, into one glorious whole, and by this union 
 were all things produced. The knowledge of sound 
 was found out by Pythagoras, by experimenting 
 upon one string with a movable bridge, thus form- 
 ing the various notes, and the numerical relations 
 of the various tones was found to be the number of 
 vibrations each produced. The applying of this 
 theory of harmony to the heavenly bodies has given 
 us one of the most beautiful of figures. The inter- 
 vals between the planets and other celestial l)odies 
 were supposed to correspond with the intervals of 
 the musical harmony; and the movements of these 
 bodies gave forth certain sounds according to their 
 distance and velocity, and as these two elements
 
 448 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 were controlled by the laws of harmonic intervals, 
 the notes thus produced formed the grand harmony 
 of the ''music of the spheres"* There is, as P. S. C. 
 Weeks says, "A sublimity in this thought that we of 
 today do not realize. We talk learnedly of the neb- 
 ular hypothesis, and number of the formula inverse- 
 ly as square of the distance, and think we have gone 
 to the root of the matter, but were we to unstop our 
 ears, the sublime conception of Pythagoras might be 
 realized to us now, in a higher and better sense." 
 
 441. Number was given to geometrical forms ; 
 and as upon these forms all matter, animate and in- 
 animate depended, so all matter depended upon num- 
 ber. The principal teachers of geometry, and per- 
 haps, at that time the only teachers, were the priests 
 of Egypt; but Pythagoras improved and supple- 
 mented all he had learnt from them and made the 
 study more systematic, thus reducing it to a regu- 
 lar science. The point he taught was unity, and 
 corresponded with one the unity of arithmetic, a 
 line represented two, the surface three, and the solid, 
 to four. The following theorems among numerous 
 others, were first discovered and taught by him : 
 The interior angles of every triangle are together 
 equal to two right angles; that the only polygons 
 that fill up the whole space are the equilateral tri- 
 angle, the square and the hexagon, the first to be 
 taken six times, the second four, and the third three 
 times; and the "Pons Asenorum, " the 47th propo- 
 sition of the first Book of Euclid, the square of the 
 side that subtends the right angle, in a right angled
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 449 
 
 triangle, is equal to the squares of the two sides that 
 contain the right angle. So great was the pleasure 
 of Pythagoras when lie made this last discovery 
 that he offered an ox to the gods. Philolaus tells us 
 the angles of a triangle were dedicated to the gods 
 Kronos, Hades. Pan and Dionysius, the angle of the 
 square to Rhea. Demeter and Ilestia. the angle of 
 the hexagon to Zeus ; the tetrahedron was assigned 
 to fire; the octrahedron to air, and the icosahedron 
 to water; the cnhe to the earth, and as ten was the 
 perfect number, the sum of 1,2,3,4, the dodecahedron 
 was assigned to the universe. A curious part of this 
 philosophy is the relation which numl)er was sup- 
 po.sed to have with the mind, through the medium 
 of geometry : thus, the perfect square represented the 
 divine mind; the cube, perfect and equal in all its 
 pa7.'ts, represented the human mind, after a good and 
 well spent life, which was then fit to enter into the 
 abode of the gods. 
 
 442. The world was for the first time taught to 
 he round, and its daily and yearly motions accurate- 
 ly described; the moon's course round the earth 
 once a month was known, as was also the sun's 
 yearly course, and the five planets, at various other 
 times ; fixed stars were said to have a motion of their 
 own. hut very much slower; the ol)liquity of the axis 
 of the earth to its path I'onnd the central fire was 
 known. There were ten celestial spheres, those of 
 the fixed stars, the pbiiicts and the earth, and one, 
 the tenth, which was an iiivisil)b^ sphere oppovsite 
 the earth, completed the nuiti(M'i<';i] bnrmony. Then 
 
 15
 
 450 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 distance from the center of revolution (tlie central 
 fire) was in accordance and corresponded with the 
 proportion of the notes in the musical scale, and 
 were supposed to give forth the same sound of the 
 musical note corresponding to their position. Thus 
 Pythagoras had a true idea of the solar system, 
 Avhich afterwards was revived hy Copernicus and 
 perfected by Newton. 
 
 443. In regard to the origin of the human soul, 
 Dr. Zeller in his "Pre-Socrates Philosophy," says: 
 "Pythagoreans, among the things reduced to num- 
 bers, was the soul and understanding that Philolaus, 
 in connection with the derivation of the body, as- 
 signs the physical qualities to five, animation to six, 
 intelligence, health and life to seven, and love, wis- 
 dom and practical knowledge to eight. The soul 
 was the harmony of the body. The seat of reason 
 was in the head. The deity was spoken of as one, 
 eternal, abiding, immortal, like himself, alone— pro- 
 ducing the whole universe, though distinct from it, 
 and was called the absolute good. The origin of evil 
 was to be found not in the deity, but in matter, which 
 prevented the deity from working out his purposes 
 and conducting everything to the best end. They 
 also believed in an all-pervading soul of the uni- 
 verse, distinct from the deity. It was from this 
 deity that the soul of man proceeded, it being re- 
 garded as a luimber of harmony. So far as the soul 
 was the principle of life in man, it partook of the 
 natiire of central fire. It was divided into two ele- 
 ments : a rational, which had its seat in the brain.
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 45I 
 
 and an irrational one, whit-h compressed the passions 
 and lived in the heart. The hitter was believed to 
 perish, but the former was immortal because it had 
 an immortal origin. Even animals had a germ of 
 reason, ami oidy their defective organization and 
 the want of language prevented their development. 
 The transmigration of souls Avas regarded only in 
 the light of purification. Souls under the dominion 
 of sensual it \- either passed into the bodies of animals, 
 or, if incurable, \v(U'e thrust down to Tartarus, to 
 meet with expiation or condign punishment. The 
 pure were exalted to higher modes of life, and finally 
 to an existence without a body. 
 
 Happiness consisted in the perfection of the vir- 
 tue of the soul; hence the maxims related more to 
 the restraint of passions, especially anger, and the 
 cultivation of endurance, than to science. 
 
 444. Perfection was said ti) depend upon the 
 distance from the central fire. Thus the inhabitants 
 of the moon Avere more perfect and beautiful than 
 those of the earth. Virtue followed the same law. 
 It belonged to earth only in an imperfect form. 
 Wisdom in its perfection was enjoyed only in the 
 Kasmos, the region beyond the moon. 
 
 445. Life was an attribute of all things, and was 
 divided into four grades, united in man, the life of 
 mere seminal production, Avhich is common to all 
 things, vegetable life, animal life, and intellect or 
 reason. The universe Avas regai'ded as having life 
 in itself, not as })eing pi-odiieed or created, but only 
 developinl. IMiilolaus says the universe "is unper-
 
 452 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 ishable and unwearied ; it subsists forever, from 
 eternity did it exist and to eternity does it last, one, 
 controlled by one akin to it, the mightiest and the 
 highest." 
 
 446. Perhaps the fame of this Order has been 
 brought more into prominence by its doctrine of the 
 "transmigration of souls" than by any of its other 
 teachings. The theory is that the soul, on the death 
 of the body it inhabits, passes on to some other body, 
 either animal or vegetable, according to its deeds, 
 whether good or bad, during its past life ; and, that 
 after the end of the Great Year, supposed to be ten 
 thousand solar system years, the history and course 
 of the world will repeat itself down to the smallest 
 details. They believed in demons, or soul waiting in 
 Hades, or floating about in the air ; and had a certain 
 conception of God. undefined, but of a ])ure nature. 
 They required reverence for the gods, strict obe- 
 dience to and love for. the government and the laws ; 
 love of country ; absolute fidelity to friends ; self ex- 
 amination every day; temperance in all things, 
 whether in eating, drinking, clothing or living, and 
 purity of life. Likeness to the Deity was to be the 
 •object of all endeavors, man becoming better as he 
 approaches the gods, which are guardians and eyes 
 of men, guarding the reason hs well as exercising an 
 influence over external circumstances. Man's soul 
 was a possession of the gods, confined at present in 
 the body, as a species of person from which he had 
 no right to free it b\- suicide. "With this idea of
 
 PYTHAGOREAN BROTHERHOOD 453 
 
 divine iiiHueiice was attached that of the influence 
 nt demons. 
 
 44:7. Such is the brief sketch of the teachings and 
 philosophy of the Pythagorean Brotherhood, a phi- 
 losophy that has great influence upon all the philoso- 
 phical schools that came after it. It was a system 
 tliat for that age of the world was AvonderfuUy pure 
 ill all its practice; and wherever we hear of its fruits 
 we hear of its producing men of great uprightness, 
 conscientiousness, and of self restraint. And above 
 all. it has produced tor us Damon and Pythias, the 
 ghu'ious prototypes of our Order.
 
 BOOK IV 
 
 STATISTICAL TABLES
 
 BOOK IV. 
 STATISTICAL TABLES 
 
 TABLE 1. Condition of Subordinate Lodges, Dec. 30, 
 1866. 
 
 TABLE 2. Condition of Subordinate Lodges, Nov. 30. 
 1867. 
 
 TABLE 3. Grand Lodges in Order of Institution, and 
 Progress in Subordinate Lodges and Membership. 
 
 TABLE 4. Comparative Table. 
 
 TABLE 5. Membership of Uniform Ranlv by Domains. 
 
 TABLE 6. Percentage of Knights Holding Membership 
 in Uniform Ranlv by Domains. 
 
 TABLE 7. Grand Temples in Order of Institution and 
 Progress in Temples and Membership. 
 
 TABLE 8. Table of Monthly Payments, Insurance De- 
 partment. 
 
 TABLE 9. Temples of the D. O. K. K.
 
 STATISTICAL TABLES 
 
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 ' ^ ^ a. : : ae«- 
 
 CO . • cn 
 
 CD OOO ; : t- ^H 
 
 <M oi t- : : t- t- 
 pun J IB.iauar) g g2 ^ : : ^ ^ 
 
 CO CC ^ ; 1 '^ ZD 
 
 Membership 
 
 [B^ox 
 
 t- CI Oi 10 t— 05 
 
 to 
 
 OS 
 
 to 
 
 O d 
 
 >-<:;:;: 
 
 ^ 
 
 4 
 > 
 
 d 
 
 Tj4 CD 10 10 tH w 
 
 i-H 
 
 
 siqaiu^ 
 
 »-H '^ i-t <X) CD a 
 00 Oi t- '^ i-« OS a 
 
 1-H rH U" 
 
 sajinljsa 
 
 '^'*'^ i ;g3 
 
 ? 
 
 saSBj 
 
 oinco : : 03 
 
 c 
 
 
 LODGES 
 
 C 
 
 ..a 
 
 c 
 
 c 
 2 
 
 No 5 Mt. Vernon 
 
 No 6 Liberty 
 
 No. 7 Webster 
 
 No. 8 Friendship 
 
 No IPenn. Excelsior.. 
 
 1 

 
 STATISTICAL TAB! 
 
 Grand Lodge in Order of Their Institution, Num 
 
 
 DOMAIN 
 
 Date of 
 Institution 
 
 1864 
 
 1865 
 
 1866 
 
 1867 
 
 Cf] 
 
 be 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 119 
 
 16 
 
 25 
 9 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 NO. 
 
 0) 
 
 ■a 
 q 
 
 3 
 
 en 
 
 Z 
 
 78 
 
 1 
 
 CO 
 
 £ 
 52 
 
 bo 
 
 E 
 
 10 
 J* 
 
 6 
 31 
 
 m 
 
 S-. 
 
 41 
 S 
 
 568 
 6,106 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 
 \ 
 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 2B 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 27 
 28 
 29 
 30 
 31 
 32 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 36 
 S7 
 38 
 39 
 40 
 41 
 42 
 43 
 44 
 45 
 46 
 47 
 48 
 49 
 50 
 51 
 52 
 53 
 
 Dii-trict ot Columbia.. 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 April S, 1864 
 
 Dec. 13, 1867 
 
 4 
 
 379 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 March 16. 1868 
 March 17, I868 
 Mav 18, 1868 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 New Y(^rlv 
 
 Oct 29. 1868 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Virginia 
 
 Oct. 30,1868 
 
 Jan. 18, 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Connepticut 
 
 Julv 5, 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.. . 
 
 
 
 Ohio 
 
 Kertuclvv 
 
 Julv 9 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 July 17. 1869.... 
 Sept, 28. 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 California 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 Oct 13, 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Indiana 
 
 Mfissa(*husetts 
 
 Oct 20, 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pec 17, 1869 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Illinois 
 
 Feby 4, 1870 ... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 Julv 4, 1870 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 Georfifia 
 
 Oct. 20, 1870 
 
 Febv 17, 1871... 
 
 
 
 
 
 1"" 
 
 < 1 
 
 
 
 March 20, 1871.. 
 March 27, 1871-. 
 April 6- 1871-. ■■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 
 Louisiana 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 
 
 
 
 i:::::::::i::::j::::::::' 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1. 1 
 
 
 MissouT i 
 
 Julv 7, 1871 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 
 Miniies(.ta 
 
 North Carolina 
 
 Nov, 22, 1871.... 
 Dec. 91 1871 .. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 Ontario, Canada 
 
 Ariril 9. 187? 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 
 April 9. 1872 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 
 Maine 
 
 July 9, 1872 
 
 Julv 11, 1872 .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 i 
 
 
 
 Alabama 
 
 1 1 
 
 Kansas 
 
 Sept. 4, 1872 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 ■■ ■ 1 1 
 
 
 
 Michigan 
 
 Feb. 19. 1873 
 
 March 31, 1874.. 
 Auril 4, 1874 ., 
 
 
 
 
 
 :::::;':::::::::::;::: 
 
 
 
 Nevada 
 
 Texas 
 
 Mississippi 
 
 Colorado 
 
 .\rkaiisas 
 
 Oregon 
 
 Washington 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 July 23, 1874 ... 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Mav 2, 1876 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 Mav 23, 1881 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Nov. 8. 1881 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Feb. 27. 1884 
 
 March 27, 1884.. 
 March 27.1884.. 
 Aug. 23, 1S84 . 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 ITtah 
 
 .Arizona . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1" 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 New Mexico 
 
 Oct. 8, 1884 ■ . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Montanji 
 
 Jan. 14. 1885 
 
 June 4. issfi 
 
 .... 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Floridfi . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sontb Carrdina 
 
 June 29, 1886 ... 
 June 30, 1886 ... 
 Dec 4. I8SQ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Maritime Provinces... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 }5ritish Oohimbia 
 
 April 22, 1890... 
 Mav 1^ isqn 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■••■ 1 
 
 
 
 
 Nortli Dakota. 
 
 Julv 19 ISQO 
 
 
 .... 
 
 
 
 ( 
 
 
 
 
 Soutli Dakota 
 
 Ok lalioma 
 
 July 19, 1890 
 
 J;in 9(; 1899 
 
 
 
 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
 Manitoba 
 
 May 11, 1892 
 
 June 99, 1SQ9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 54 
 
 
 55 
 
 (Juebec 
 
 Sept. 27. 1905- ■■. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Under the eor»iol of 
 Supreme Lodge 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 173 
 
 3 
 194 
 
 
 
 
 4' 78 
 
 1 
 
 52 
 
 4 379 
 
 41 
 
 6 847
 
 NO. 3. 
 
 ■ of Subordinate Lods:es and Membership 
 
 1871 
 
 1880 
 
 1890 
 
 -o 
 o 
 
 J_ 
 
 19 
 
 329 
 
 64 
 
 73 
 
 14 
 
 68 
 
 25 
 
 23 
 
 10 
 
 41 
 
 13 
 
 19 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 51 
 
 23 
 
 6 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 g 
 « 
 
 1.849! 
 41,079 
 4,754 
 5.569 
 1,385 
 3,278 
 2,627 
 1.842 
 
 465 
 2,255 
 
 864 
 1,393 
 
 196 
 
 868: 
 
 4,297' 
 
 1,344 
 
 134 
 
 756 
 989 
 243 
 257' 
 228 
 570 
 191 
 278' 
 
 O 
 
 g 
 
 15 
 
 1,086 
 
 345 
 
 28,E81 
 
 86 
 
 5,111 
 
 86 
 
 6,230 
 
 15 
 
 1,087 
 
 103 
 
 5,543 
 
 34 
 
 2,772 
 
 26 
 
 1,629 
 
 18 
 
 726 
 
 116 
 
 6.628 
 
 30 
 
 1,756 
 
 50 
 
 3,653 
 
 13 
 
 500 
 
 79 
 
 4,406 
 
 46 
 
 3,498 
 
 58 
 
 3,190 
 
 45 
 
 2,026 
 
 17 
 
 1,316 
 
 10 
 
 580 
 
 10 
 21 
 17 
 41 
 14 
 10 
 16 
 9 
 24 
 26 
 32 
 23 
 10 
 13 
 29 
 1? 
 8 
 9 
 
 452' 
 
 926 
 
 1,135 
 
 2,794 
 
 853 
 
 444 
 
 1,124 
 
 486 1 
 
 1,832 
 
 1,222 S 
 
 1,412 
 
 1,016 
 
 482 
 
 640 
 
 1,546 
 
 614 
 
 454 
 
 419 
 
 (V 
 
 be 
 
 ■D 
 
 o 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 1900 
 
 1902 
 
 1906 
 
 1908 
 
 li^ 1,226 
 
 434' 43,618 
 
 120: 10.583 
 
 94 1 6.728 
 
 18, 1.192 
 
 211 ! 15,014 
 
 50 3.119 
 
 451 4,160 
 
 461 2.762 
 
 436! 34, 020 
 
 72 ; 4.163 
 
 10,237 
 
 5,690 
 
 22,179 
 
 9.152 
 
 17,149 
 
 14,416 
 
 3,006 
 
 2.746 
 
 2,824 
 
 5,927 
 
 4,311 
 
 9.907 
 
 4.107 
 
 1,230 
 
 4,533 
 
 1,091 
 
 7.908 
 
 4,433 
 
 10,537 
 
 6,999 
 
 842 1 
 
 7,5161 
 
 3,111 
 
 3,5101 
 
 3,175 
 
 1,901 
 
 3,084 
 
 584 
 
 453 
 
 480 
 
 719 
 
 1,097 
 
 990; 
 
 1.904; 
 
 6211 
 
 342; 
 
 679 
 
 277 
 
 314 
 
 288 
 
 1.162 
 
 150 1 
 
 135 1 
 
 271 
 
 86! 
 
 232 
 
 265 
 
 36 
 
 16 
 
 32 
 
 78 
 
 71 
 
 139 
 
 68 
 
 19 
 
 59! 
 
 23 
 
 70 
 
 68 
 
 197 
 
 112 
 
 14 
 
 114 
 
 56 
 
 55 
 
 64 
 
 32 
 
 59 
 
 11 
 
 181 
 22 
 20 i 
 29 
 
 8 
 6 
 6, 
 
 7 
 30 1 
 
 Hi 
 
 ■a 
 o 
 
 « 
 E 
 
 'S. 
 
 1 
 
 m 
 
 
 u 
 
 1 " 
 
 di 
 
 y 
 
 Si 
 
 to 
 o 
 
 % 
 
 J 
 
 S 
 
 105 
 
 17 
 
 244 
 
 68 
 
 61 
 
 126 
 
 646 
 
 106 
 
 170 
 
 163 
 
 456 
 
 142 
 
 525 
 
 406 
 
 64 
 
 35 
 
 105 
 
 113 
 
 113 
 
 253 
 
 125 
 
 87 
 
 149 
 
 19l 
 
 123 
 
 157 
 
 213 
 
 172 
 
 16 
 
 272 
 
 116 
 
 87 
 
 97 
 
 68 
 
 75 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 13 
 
 21 
 
 43 
 
 62 
 
 89 
 
 22 
 
 21 
 
 23 
 
 41 
 
 34 
 
 37 
 
 47 
 
 14 
 
 27 
 
 19 1,332 
 
 463 42,108 
 142 13.239, 
 
 7,359, 
 
 983 
 
 20,276i 
 
 4,9491 
 
 6,3341 
 
 8,511! 
 60,1151 
 
 6, 6481 
 11,6061 
 
 6.805 
 42.937 
 17.188! 
 44,103 
 26.852 
 
 5.555 
 
 2.763 
 
 6,894 
 6,516 
 8.420 
 
 21.046 
 8,561 
 4.826 
 9.120 
 1,233 
 
 13,101 
 7,853 
 
 11.961 
 
 13.411 
 846 
 
 16.554 
 5,846 
 6,686 
 4,568! 
 
 4,318; 
 
 4,4371 
 1,056! 
 1,055! 
 835' 
 980 
 2,776 
 3.668 
 5.362, 
 1.575 
 1.531 
 l,605i 
 1.962 
 1.657 
 2,156 
 2,305' 
 529 
 1,374 
 
 19 1,464 
 
 453 44,389 
 
 142 13,865 
 
 102 7,f29 
 
 17 987 
 
 240 20,561 
 
 70 5,303 
 
 61 6,370 
 
 134 10,258 
 
 649! 65,232 
 
 109 7,015 
 
 14,749 
 
 7,094 
 
 46,663 
 
 18,612 
 
 535 1 49,908 
 
 407 28.416 
 
 65, 5,788; 
 
 35' 2,767 
 
 180 
 161 
 457 
 149 
 
 125 
 111 
 115' 
 
 8, 4771 
 6,472 
 8,733, 
 
 248121,950 
 110 8,668l 
 5,299; 
 9,595; 
 1,498 
 14,521 
 7,878 
 11,109 
 15,039 
 1.016 
 299, 18,990 
 121 1 6.475 
 7,095, 
 5,642 
 4,963 
 5,176 
 1,250 
 1,273 
 907 
 1,184 
 3.106 
 4,453 
 6.355 
 1,797 
 1,753 
 1,720 
 2,672 
 2,491 
 2,424 
 2,170 
 398 
 1,689 
 
 103 
 154 
 
 21 
 129 
 165 
 213 
 181 
 
 18 
 
 110 
 
 76 
 77 
 19 
 20 
 13 
 25 
 46! 
 72 
 102 1 
 24 
 23 1 
 24 1 
 571 
 46 
 44 
 44 
 10 
 29 
 
 O 
 
 IV 
 g 
 
 0) 
 
 tie 
 o 
 
 71 
 
 157, 
 654 
 134 
 186, 
 151 
 
 19 1,619 
 457 47,979 
 
 139 14.271 
 103 9,697 
 
 17 1,349 
 
 241 23.011 
 
 79 5,800 
 
 7,102 
 
 11,913 
 
 75,029 
 
 11,391 
 
 17,117 
 
 7.112 
 
 480 56, 806 1 
 
 1.57 21,067; 
 
 566 56.176 
 
 379 29,313 
 
 65; 6,496 
 
 34' 2,838 
 
 182 12,043 
 
 118 7.060 
 
 106 9.005 
 
 246 26.762 
 
 109 8.974 
 
 130 7.423 
 
 1.59 11.213 
 
 24 2.148 
 
 15,535 
 
 9,584 
 
 12,207 
 
 16,417 
 
 1,192 
 
 340 22,919 
 
 140 8,301 
 
 129 
 196 
 192 
 
 181 
 18 
 
 86 
 122 
 79 
 82' 
 19 
 22 
 16 
 26 
 45 
 80 
 154 
 25 
 36 
 29 
 78 
 49 
 51 
 62 
 22 
 36 
 10 
 
 7,204 
 6,573 
 5,429 
 6,573 
 1,763 
 1,480 
 1070 
 1,314 
 3,040 
 5,706 
 9,546 
 1,975 
 2,084 
 2,441 
 4,386 
 2,718 
 2.771 
 '3,249 
 1,002 
 2,290 
 314 
 
 10 
 
 u 
 
 181 1,630 
 457 40,802 
 134 14,187 
 103 10,233 
 17 1,402 
 239 23,628 
 77 5,740 
 7,522 
 12.430 
 77,951 
 12,029 
 17,451 
 6,728 
 482 59,798 
 161 22,309 
 580 57,020 
 365 24,186 
 66 6,618 
 2,790 
 13,024 
 7,558 
 9,729 
 247 26.832 
 113 8,733 
 7,944 
 11,843 
 2.281 
 16,002 
 10,.'^41 
 12,007 
 17.495 
 1,270 
 23,587 
 9,285 
 7,805 
 6,815 
 5,594 
 7,155 
 1,730 
 1,558 
 1,241 
 1,411 
 2,885 
 5,967 
 10,829 
 2,028 
 2,182 
 2,731 
 4.802 
 3,134 
 2.927 
 3.893 
 2.028 
 2,444 
 383 
 
 71 
 168 
 663 
 154 
 186 
 145 
 
 34 
 
 197 
 123 
 109 
 
 ISO 
 
 168 
 
 26 
 
 133 
 
 213 
 
 182 
 
 183 
 
 19 
 
 351 
 
 151 
 
 90 
 
 124 
 
 84 
 
 87 
 
 18 
 
 22 
 
 19 
 
 28 
 
 44 
 
 83 
 
 168 
 
 23 
 
 37 
 
 31 
 
 85 
 
 54 
 
 54 
 
 72 
 
 38 
 
 38 
 
 11 
 
 211 1.804' Preluded 
 
 161 
 
 214! 20 718' I 1,019 10 642 1 10 822 
 
 886! 79.515 1520 98,0694269 308290 6860 516944 7077,562327 7501 650239,7692 671162 
 
 i 1 I I '
 
 STATISTICAL TABLES 4(}1 
 
 TABLE 4. 
 
 COMPARATIVE TABLE 
 
 No. Gd. Lodge. No. Sub. Lodge. Members. 
 
 1864 1 3 78 
 
 1865 1 1 52 
 
 1866 1 4 379 
 
 1867 2 41 6.847 
 
 1868 7 194 34,624 
 
 1869 15 465 54,289 
 
 1870 18 643 60,022 
 
 1871 25 886 79,575 
 
 1872 30 No trustworthy statistics 
 
 available. 
 
 1873 31 1228 95.602 
 
 1874 34 1423 101,453 
 
 1875 34 1508 99,628 
 
 1876 35 1490 92.209 
 
 1877 35 1453 85,892 
 
 1878 35 1398 84.505 
 
 1879 35 1473 89,568 
 
 1880 35 1518 96.263 
 
 1881 37 1613 110,903 
 
 1882 37 1669 126,261 
 
 1883 37 1938 132,330 
 
 1884 42 2277 157,133 
 
 1885 43 2452 168,494 
 
 1886 46 2695 183.797 
 
 1887 46 3015 208,949 
 
 1888 46 3281 230.325
 
 462 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 COMPARATIVE TABLE— Continued. 
 
 No. Gd. Lodge. No. Sub. Lodge. Members. 
 
 1889 47 3724 263,847 
 
 1890 57 4269 308,290 
 
 1891 57 4901 357.924 
 
 1892 54 5572 413.944 
 
 1893 54 6008 443,615 
 
 1894 54 6291 456,994 
 
 1895 54 6504 464,639 
 
 1896 54 6637 469,291 
 
 1897 54 6683 468.269 
 
 1898 54 6682 470,798 
 
 1899 54 6740 492,506 
 
 1900 54 6860 576,944 
 
 1901 54 7002 540,138 
 
 1902 54 7065 562.327 
 
 1903 54 7228 594,883 
 
 1904 55 7354 622.466 
 
 1905 55 7501 650,239 
 
 1906 55 7692 671,162 
 
 1907 55 7835 ' 698,536
 
 TABLE 5. 
 
 MEMBERSHIP 
 
 [X THE UNIFORM RAXK BY DOMAINS. 
 
 COMPARATIVE TABl'LATION, 1907-1908. 
 
 State. 
 
 A'berta 
 
 Alabama 
 
 Arkansas 
 
 British Columbia ... 
 
 California 
 
 Colorado 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 Delaware 
 
 District of Columbia 
 
 Florida 
 
 Georgia 
 
 Idaho 
 
 Illinois 
 
 Indiana 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Kansas 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 Louisiana 
 
 Maine 
 
 Maryland 
 
 Marit. Prov 
 
 Manitoba 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 Michigan 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 Missouri 
 
 Montana 
 
 Nevada 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 New Mexico 
 
 New York 
 
 North Carolina 
 
 Ohio 
 
 Oklahoma 
 
 Ontaiio 
 
 Oregon 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 South Dakota 
 
 North Dakota 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 Texas 
 
 Vermont 
 
 Virginia 
 
 Washington 
 
 West Virginia 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 00 
 
 L- 
 
 cc 
 
 w 
 
 No 
 
 t yet 
 
 o 
 
 COS 
 
 
 - £ 
 
 -, c; 
 
 reported. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3t1 
 
 cc 
 
 -G-C 
 
 s-v 
 
 o a, - 
 
 
 U Qj 
 
 o- 
 
 ■Ji Hj 
 
 to i, 
 
 2^c 
 
 — z - 
 
 ■~-i Sh 
 
 ■+-I ^ 
 
 ii I-, 
 
 v t. 
 
 ^^ -^j 
 
 '■^^t. 
 
 o o 
 
 
 — C 
 
 /2 O 
 
 ~ ■h'Z 
 
 1" 
 
 f- 
 
 
 
 
 Z ^ - 
 
 36 
 
 16 
 
 21 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 ■1 
 
 12 
 
 40 
 46 
 13 
 
 IS 
 
 21 
 
 1 
 
 26 
 
 1 
 28 
 15 
 
 5 
 14 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 2.3 
 11 
 
 1 
 40 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 •> 
 
 30 
 
 9 
 
 20 
 
 41 
 53 
 15 
 
 13 
 2(1 
 
 I 
 
 15 
 1 
 8 
 1 
 
 28 
 
 18 
 ( 
 
 20 
 1 
 1 
 
 19 
 9 
 1 
 
 41 
 1 
 116 111 
 
 61 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 10 
 14 
 
 8 
 36 
 17 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 38 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 31 
 
 17 
 
 41 
 69 
 
 1.056 
 392 
 763 
 
 1,304 
 
 2.019 
 
 414 
 
 459 
 
 768 
 
 31 
 
 1.041 
 
 220 
 
 266 
 
 32 
 
 903 
 
 574 
 
 140 
 
 514 
 
 24 
 
 76 
 
 841 
 
 352 
 
 21 
 
 1,395 
 
 30 
 
 5,013 
 
 46 
 
 48 
 
 2,211 
 
 23 
 
 36 
 
 246 
 329 
 426 
 295 
 .167 
 597 
 20 
 
 13 
 113 
 
 65 
 965 
 293 
 725 
 
 93 
 
 95 
 
 63 
 
 53 
 
 473 
 
 426 
 
 1,400 
 2.146 
 453 
 371 
 734 
 227 
 597 
 
 14 
 315 
 
 50 
 876 
 710 
 223 
 767 
 
 16 
 
 32 
 689 
 307 
 
 1,333 
 
 30 
 
 4,706 
 
 82 
 
 20 
 
 122 
 1,416 
 
 222 
 82 
 35 
 
 214 
 21 
 
 263 
 
 330 
 
 188 
 1,038 
 
 595 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 18 
 5 
 1 
 6 
 
 6 
 2 
 
 10 
 1 
 
 85 
 317 
 "35 
 
 110 
 446 
 138 
 25 
 172 
 226 
 
 0.j 
 
 176 
 51 
 
 263 
 15 
 
 62 
 
 V 
 
 54 
 
 1 
 
 20 
 
 5 
 
 107 
 
 4 
 
 93 
 
 8 
 
 222 
 
 1 
 
 36 
 
 214 
 
 ".53 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 233 
 
 24 
 
 E ? 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 Totals 
 
 694 648 24,965 23,394 124 3,292 15 315
 
 464 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
 TABLE 6. 
 
 PERCENTAGE OF KNIGHTS HOLDING MEMBERSHIP 
 IN UNIFORM RANK, BY DOMAINS. 1908. 
 
 Arkansas 2. 
 
 Alabama 35 
 
 British Columbia 2.4 
 
 California 7.3 
 
 Colorado 4.9 
 
 Connecticut 10. 
 
 Delaware 1.5 
 
 District of Columbia.. 6. 
 
 Florida 96 
 
 Georgia 3.4 
 
 Illinois 2.4 
 
 Indiana 3.9 
 
 Iowa 2.3 
 
 Kansas 3.8 
 
 Kentucky 7.1 
 
 Louisiana 3.3 
 
 Maine 6.4 
 
 Maryland 2.2 
 
 Maritime Provinces. .13 .8 
 
 Manitoba 2. 
 
 Massachusetts 4.1 
 
 Michigan 4.2 
 
 Minnesota 2.2 
 
 Missouri 2.8 
 
 Montana l. 
 
 Nevada 5. 
 
 New Hampshire ..... 12 , 
 
 New .lersey 2. 
 
 New Mexico 1, 
 
 New York 5 , 
 
 North Carolina 
 
 North Dakota 1 . 
 
 Ohio 6 
 
 Oklahoma 1 , 
 
 Ontario 
 
 Oregon 2. 
 
 Pennsylvania 4. 
 
 Rhode Islana 8. 
 
 South Dakota 2 . 
 
 Tennessee 1 . 
 
 Texas 1. 
 
 Vermont 16. 
 
 Virginia 7. 
 
 Washington 3. 
 
 West Virginia 10 . 
 
 Wiiconsin 6. 
 
 'Wyoming 1 . 
 
 Suiirtme Domain .... 4. 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 ,1 
 
 4 
 
 ,5 
 
 33 
 09 
 
 ,2 
 04 
 89 
 6 
 3 
 
 09 
 5 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 09
 
 Warsaw Temple No 1 Instd Oct. 23. 1888. 
 Supreme Temple Instd Oct 10, 1889. 
 
 STATIST 
 
 Grand Tfmp/rs in Oi der of /nstut>' 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20: 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 27 
 28 
 29 
 30 
 31 
 32 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 36 
 37 
 38 
 39 
 40 
 41 
 
 Indiana 
 
 Ohio 
 
 Kansas 
 
 Missouri 
 
 California 
 
 Massachusetts ... 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Michigan 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 Illinois 
 
 Minnesota .. 
 
 Colorado 
 
 Washington 
 
 Oregon 
 
 New York 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 Texas \ 
 
 Pennsylvania ' 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 Connecticut i 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 Montana 
 
 Idaho 
 
 North Dakota 
 
 Nevada 
 
 Arizona 
 
 Florida 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 Maine 
 
 British Columbia . 
 
 Louisiana 
 
 West Virginia 
 
 Vermont 
 
 Maryland 
 
 Oklahoma. 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 Georgia 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 Utah. 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 Virginia 
 
 Under Supreme 
 
 June 4 1889 
 
 Sept. 19.. 1889 
 
 Sept. 16. 
 
 Oct. 21 
 
 April 1 ... 
 .-Vpril 27... 
 July 21.... 
 Aug. 13 ... 
 Nov. 17 ... 
 June 29 ... 
 
 Julys 
 
 Sept. 12... 
 Sept. 19... 
 Sept. 27... 
 Nov. 1 .. . 
 
 1890 
 il890 
 1891 
 1891 
 1891 
 1891 
 1891 
 1892 
 1892 
 1893 
 1893 
 1293 
 1893 
 
 1.S91 
 
 
 'c 
 
 w 
 
 1893 
 
 p. 
 E 
 
 H 
 
 J3 
 'S 
 
 w 
 
 I 
 
 May 12 ,1893 
 
 June30 ... 1893 
 
 Oct. 7 1837 
 
 Oct. 10 1899 
 
 May 17 1900 
 
 May 20 1900 
 
 March 26.. 1902 
 June 10 ...1902 
 
 July 21 1903 
 
 Oct. 22 1903 
 
 Mov. 19 .. 1993 
 March 9... 1904 
 
 April 8 1004 
 
 May 18 1904 
 
 Jan. 26 1935 
 
 May 3 1905 
 
 Oct, 11 1905 
 
 Oct. 25 ,1905 
 
 June 6 1906 
 
 Aug. 29 ...11906! 
 April 17... 1907J 
 
 Oct. 27 1907! 
 
 Jan. 21 19081 
 
 Jan. 23 1908 
 
 May 23 11908 
 
 March 13. 19101 
 Jurisdiction 
 
 Totals 
 
 51 
 
 1282 
 
 1959 
 
 29 
 
 .561 
 
 1048 
 
 16 
 
 206 
 
 355 
 
 8 
 
 217 
 
 231 
 
 11 
 
 358 
 
 365 
 
 9 
 
 199 
 
 387 
 
 12 
 
 218 
 
 342 
 
 5 
 
 96 
 
 134 
 
 6 
 
 103 
 
 170 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9312186 
 55 1396 
 51 1187 
 18; 613 
 15! 401 
 131 460 
 45! 882 
 
 8; 198 
 
 8, 184 
 25; 598' 
 
 9! 98: 
 14 1 329 
 
 9I 218 
 
 120 1 
 216 
 
 3092 
 
 2181 
 1511 
 694 
 393 
 597 
 1287 
 228 
 278 
 751 
 176 
 408 
 226 
 146 
 220 
 
 24 461' 589 
 17113701 5580 
 
 
 1895 
 
 1 
 
 la 
 
 03 
 
 
 V 
 
 +J 
 
 
 H i 
 
 J3 
 be 
 
 ^ ' 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 0} 
 
 w 
 
 M ; 
 
 111 
 
 68 
 
 46 
 
 26 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 64 
 
 20 
 
 8 
 
 46 
 
 13 
 
 22 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 2489 
 
 1484! 
 
 36551 
 2539 
 
 658 
 
 1071 
 
 507 
 
 757 
 
 471 
 
 521 
 
 417 
 
 736 
 
 1205 
 
 1657 
 
 484 
 
 567 
 
 188 
 
 244 
 
 1128 
 
 1485 
 
 297 
 
 401 
 
 442 
 
 599 
 
 212 
 
 201 
 
 182 
 
 206 
 
 195 
 
 238 
 
 38 
 
 871 
 
 1054 
 
 412 9957 13242 
 
 58, 1233 ! 1571 
 543' 11592i 16448 ,
 
 BLE NO. 4. 
 
 gress of Temples and Membership 
 
 1899 
 
 51 
 39 
 46 
 25 
 102 
 41 
 6 
 72 
 19 
 33 
 16 
 13 
 11 
 19 
 18 
 10 
 10 
 
 X. 
 
 'c 
 
 « 
 
 4050 
 
 249S 
 
 821 
 
 859 
 
 1326 
 
 559 
 
 1918 
 
 1075 
 
 200 
 
 1842 
 
 409 
 
 632 
 
 360 
 
 320 
 
 272 
 
 432 
 
 466 
 
 283 
 
 168 
 
 in 
 
 5598 
 
 4311 
 
 1216 
 
 1055 
 
 1306 
 
 977 
 
 2738 
 
 1354 
 
 147 
 
 2378 
 
 496 
 
 1014 
 
 303 
 
 372 
 
 292 
 
 475 
 
 423 
 
 369 
 
 166 
 
 c 
 
 D 
 
 H 
 
 208 
 140 
 49 
 52 
 53 
 27 
 118 
 48 
 5 
 84 
 17 
 35 
 22 
 21 
 10 
 14 
 25 
 13 
 9 
 11 
 10 
 
 1901 
 
 
 n 
 
 
 J3 
 
 
 M 
 
 <u 
 
 
 
 C 
 
 'A 
 
 W 
 
 m 
 
 1903 
 
 5360 
 
 3386 
 
 989 
 
 1099 
 
 1808 
 
 661 
 
 2156 
 
 1353 
 
 182 
 
 2297 
 
 570 
 
 701 
 
 542 
 
 532 
 
 323 
 
 437 
 
 758 
 
 349 
 
 205 
 
 365 
 
 227 
 
 60 1160 2405 71| 1567 
 
 7309 
 
 5916 
 
 1397 
 
 1443 
 
 1779 
 
 1015 
 
 3476 
 
 1741 
 
 163 
 
 3033 
 
 549 
 
 954 
 
 508 
 
 594 
 
 313 
 
 401 
 
 696 
 
 453 
 
 223 
 
 417 
 
 211 
 
 X. 
 
 c 
 
 217 
 
 5654 
 
 195 
 
 5668 
 
 38 
 
 894 
 
 67 
 
 1518' 
 
 65 
 
 2289 
 
 30 
 
 716 
 
 129 
 
 2897 
 
 60 
 
 1628 
 
 lapsed Feb 
 
 111! 31381 
 
 20 ; 
 
 38 
 29, 
 28' 
 10' 
 
 13: 
 
 39' 
 2li 
 
 9 
 12 
 10 
 10 
 11 
 
 8 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 1999 
 
 855 19693 26465 10421 262171 34895 
 
 562 
 749 
 892 
 591 
 382 
 409 
 1102 
 541 
 151 
 344 
 330 
 179 
 205 
 175 
 293 
 263 
 
 571 1634 
 
 m 
 
 8926 
 
 8807 
 
 1146 
 
 1958 
 
 2369 
 
 1271 
 
 4264 
 
 2059 
 
 2, '03 
 
 4437 
 
 579 
 
 1051 
 
 836 
 
 772 
 
 388 
 
 356 
 
 731 
 
 775 
 
 234 
 
 463 
 
 393 
 
 258 
 
 258 
 
 200 
 
 269 
 
 230 
 
 1905 
 
 2831 
 
 1246! 330901 45861 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 1907 
 
 "ft 
 E 
 
 X. 
 
 .Sf 
 'E 
 
 255 
 231 
 41 
 68 
 69 
 41 
 144 
 56 
 
 7645 
 
 11619 
 
 283 
 
 9626 
 
 7965 
 
 11609 
 
 291 
 
 9903 
 
 970 
 
 1359 
 
 47 
 
 1009 
 
 1165 
 
 1767 
 
 66 
 
 1361 
 
 2554 
 
 2634 
 
 91 
 
 2784 
 
 962 
 
 1575 
 
 60 
 
 1398 
 
 3380 
 
 5049 
 
 150 
 
 3686 
 
 1706 
 
 2424 
 
 61 
 
 1922 
 
 Reorganized J 
 
 149 i 5058 
 24 684 
 
 38; 
 30: 
 32 
 14 
 13 
 57 
 19 
 
 91 
 16 
 15i 
 11' 
 12 
 
 9i 
 11 
 
 10 ! 
 
 11! 
 
 9i 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 730 
 1075 
 603 
 406 
 369 
 1840 
 685 
 219 
 432 
 430 
 153 
 269 
 228 
 336 
 291 
 302 
 235 
 261 
 252 
 
 11 
 10 
 
 321 
 
 179 
 
 54 1060 
 1486 42765 
 
 7164 
 730 
 
 1051 
 967 
 729 
 531 
 366 
 
 1361 
 748 
 273 
 605 
 485 
 256 
 296 
 256 
 304 
 240 
 355 
 299 
 364 1 
 229 
 
 15074 
 14154 
 1406 
 1982 
 3131 
 2869 
 5679 
 2737 
 une30, 1908 
 175 5114 7283 
 24 756 
 37 962 
 29 1248 
 31 600 
 27 574 
 11 334 
 68 2407 1 
 49 747' 
 8 211 
 17 522 
 35 914 
 14 253 
 16 297 
 188 
 
 383 
 235 
 
 12 404 
 
 10 326 
 
 12 342 
 
 9 229 
 
 78 915 
 
 12 413] 
 
 9 198 
 
 22; 5781 
 
 13 i 3171 
 
 9 240! 
 
 15 435 
 
 10 81 
 
 9i 276 
 
 819 
 1321 
 1078 
 773 
 951 
 313 
 1862 
 1845 
 313 
 760 
 1491 
 359 
 364 
 226 
 384 
 270 
 332 
 240 
 3335 
 342 
 226 
 694 
 388 
 465 
 526 
 305 
 354 
 
 No report 
 
 1335 49; 985 1345 
 57628 1849 3855776995
 
 STATISTICAL TABLES 
 
 467 
 
 TABLE 8. 
 MONTHLY PAYMENTS -FIFTH CLASS. 
 
 Tht' following tal)le represents gross rates on One Thousand 
 Do'lars of Insurance (ordinary risks.) 
 
 The second column i)Ian "A," is the Level Life Plan. 
 
 The third column Plan "B," is Twenty- Y'ear Payment Plan. 
 
 The fourth column "C," is the Modified Step Rate Plan. 
 
 The fifth column Plan "U," is the Level Plan, to Age 65. 
 Note— Memljers of Plan C. and D may transfer to Plan A at or 
 
 before attaining 65 years of age. 
 
 
 Plan 
 
 P'an 
 
 Plan 
 
 Plan 
 
 Age 
 
 "A." 
 
 "B." 
 
 "C." 
 
 ••D." 
 
 •;i 
 
 $1.40 
 
 $2.05 
 2.10 
 
 $1.10 
 1.10 
 
 .n.l5 
 
 
 1..50 
 
 l.l.j 
 
 L3 
 
 1.50 
 
 2.15 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.15 
 
 24 
 
 1.50 
 
 2.15 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.20 
 
 25 
 
 1.55 
 
 2.20 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.2U 
 
 26 
 
 1.60 
 
 2.25 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.25 
 
 27 
 
 1.60 
 
 2.30 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.25 
 
 1:8 
 
 1.65 
 
 2.35 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.25 
 
 59 
 
 1.70 
 
 2.40 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.30 
 
 30 
 
 1.75 
 
 2.45 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.30 
 
 31 
 
 1.80 
 
 2.50 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.30 
 
 32 
 
 1.85 
 
 2., 55 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.35 
 
 33 
 
 1.90 
 
 2.60 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.35 
 
 34 
 
 1.95 
 
 2.65 
 
 1.20 
 
 1.40 
 
 35 
 
 2.00 
 
 2.70 
 
 1.20 
 
 1.40 
 
 36 
 
 2.05 
 
 2.75 
 
 1.25 
 
 1.45 
 
 37 
 
 2.10 
 
 2.80 
 2.85 
 
 1.25 
 1.25 
 
 1.50 
 
 38 
 
 2.15 
 
 1.50 
 
 39 
 
 2.25 
 
 2.90 
 2.95 
 
 1.25 
 1.30 
 
 1.5b 
 
 40 
 
 2.30 
 
 1.60 
 
 41 
 
 2.40 
 
 3.05 
 
 1.30 
 
 1.65 
 
 42 
 
 2.50 
 
 3.15 
 
 1.35 
 
 1.70 
 
 43 
 
 2.60 
 
 3.25 
 
 1.35 
 
 1.75 
 
 44 
 
 2.70 
 
 3.35 
 
 1.40 
 
 1.80 
 
 ■'■') . . 
 
 2.80 
 
 3.45 
 3.55 
 
 1.45 
 1.50 
 
 1.85 
 
 4i; 
 
 2.90 
 
 1.90 
 
 47 
 
 3.00 
 
 3.65 
 
 1.50 
 
 1.95 
 
 48 
 
 3.15 
 
 3.75 
 
 1.55 
 
 2.00' 
 
 49 
 
 3.30 
 
 3.85 
 
 1.60 
 
 2.05 
 
 50 
 
 3.45 
 
 3.95 
 
 1.70 
 
 2.10 
 
 51 
 
 3.60 
 
 4.10 
 
 1.75 
 
 2.20 
 
 52 
 
 3 75 
 
 4.25 
 4.40 
 
 1.85 
 1.95 
 
 2.25 
 
 53 
 
 3.90 
 
 2.35 
 
 54 
 
 4.10 
 
 4.55 
 
 2.05 
 
 2.45 
 
 55 
 
 4.25 
 
 4.70 
 
 2.15 
 
 2.50 
 
 56 
 
 4.45 
 
 4.85 
 
 2.30 
 
 2.60 
 
 57 
 
 4.65 
 
 5.05 
 
 2.45 
 
 2.70 
 
 58 
 
 4.90 
 
 5.25 
 
 2.60 
 
 2.80 
 
 59 
 
 5.15 
 
 5.45 
 5.70 
 
 2.80 
 3.00 
 
 2.90 
 
 60* 
 
 5.40 
 
 3.00 
 
 (*i New memliers will be admitted only from ages 21 to 60 
 years, inclusive. 
 
 The rates under all these plans are subject to be reduced an- 
 nually by the annual accountings and distrbiution of surplus. 
 and also to readjustment, etc.
 
 4H8 
 
 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
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 HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 
 
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